Simply Cooking Outdoors

A fairly dramatic lifestyle change has taken place, we have moved, after 15 years, and into what began as a 400 year old rural cottage in Oxfordshire. Call us brave, but then we knew what we were getting ourselves into. The house will be worked on eternally but for now, it's livable, we have a garden and I even have my own woodpile and a new chainsaw that I bought for myself for my birthday.

The transition was not far off hell, but the the saving grace was that is was summer and mostly we cooked and ate outside out of necessity. Firefoodie heaven as compensation.

In the past four months I've cut down three trees, cooked countless meals on an open fire, entertained plenty and spent hours and hours on the tools. It won't end, but it sure is fun.

Originally named Stone Place, we renamed the house Ammonite Cottage, after some delightful fossils that were built into the first walls all those years ago. Found locally, treasured, and now there for all to enjoy. There is even a well in the kitchen.

So a few photos of food, house and garden, just to keep this poor little blog alive.

The remnants of a conifer, seasoning for the winter fires

Breakfast with Sue and Geoff Wier

S

Our first garden party for neighbours and friends

Our Welsh pony neighbours, loving the apples we collect from the ground

Cheese toasties in the braai tool

Snoopy keeping warm under the fire

Lolly nesting in the drop sheets

and the ammonite fossil, two halves split from one stone