So Beach Cottage ladies, if you have been with me for a while, or you know me in real life, you will know that I am awful in the morning.
Yep I don’t love early mornings…
So doing anything early in the morning is mostly off-limits to us, apart from when we have to be up early for a flight to go on holiday, I love it then and am normally the first one hopping out of bed and into the shower, funny how the brain works isn’t it?
However, in this tatty old beach cottage-with-a-soon-to-be-installed-clawfoot-bathtub there are three people who like mornings, indeed they like mornings so much that a couple of times a week they train for sport in the mornings, so I often find myself up at an hour when I would rather be under the covers.
Like this one.
But this morning I had no choice to be up and about…and it just so happens that there is one good thing about being out for sport at some dreadful hour…
You see on the beaches, that means that you will get to see the sun rise over the ocean…I don’t get to see that too often in my life…I am normally tucked up, tightly in my white bed dreaming of paint and vintage chairs
So my friends, I am sharing today, the golden, dreamy, glowing light that can only be on an Australian beach, sometime in the morning, somewhere Down Under.
Enjoy lovelies….it’s Sunday afternoon here, I walked this morning and am now painting
Ooooh, thanks for the unexpected beautiful photos. I thought you’d be having Sunday off.
Mr alison and I had coffee at a cafe at Otford right on the coast between Sydney and Wollongong. Their pet blue tongue lizard was working the customer crowd today. LO LOL
Yes I normally don’t stop by here on Sundays…but these shots, a very quiet house with everyone at the Aussie surfing comp and a night off from doing dinner finds me with time on my hands and looking through photos!
oh I love those blue tongues…we have one in the back garden…he hovers between the bins (!) and the orange tree and scoots about when I am gardening!
x
You are a good Mum Sarah, at least you are making good use of the early hours at the beach by taking lovely photos for us. Enjoy that bath when you get it.
Oh my goodness, my boys do nipper training three times a week at 5am and my husband usually does this run but I did it Friday morning and was rewarded with a similar view over the beach at Surfers Paradise. I feel though that the occasional glimpse makes it feel special whereas if one had to do it three times a week the magic would be lost – thats my story and I am sticking to it!
Its all about the getting up part. I find once my feet have hit the floor, I’m good. Then I can enjoy the beauty of the morn.
happiness…
dannelle@nestenterprises
This cracks me up as I can soooo relate. Very early on in our marriage, my hubby and I decided that we ALL have a much happier life if I am left alone in the mornings. These days Sundays are my only day to sleep in as the kids have us running around most mornings. My husband says nearly every day after his morning surf, OH you should have seen the sunrise, or there were dolphins out this morning etc etc and I do wish at times I enjoyed waking up early so I could see all that too. I’m a night owl though, so most mornings I struggle to get up out of my comfy bed.
Good Day Miss Sarah~I hear you I am not an am kinda gal! Though this site could get me a lil more motivated than usual.I am so looking forward to our summers at our Beach Cottage this summer myself.I too will try to wake myself at some ungodly hour to take photos~Cheers Kim
Am so with you here – i hate getting out of bed – especially in the cold !! Went for 9 mile walk on the West Sussex coast this morning – well – almost afternoon! Beautiful,cold,crisp day. Love your inspirational shots Izzie
P.S I lost the vintage caravan on e-bay – by – £20 – gutted !!
The only time I get a veiw like that in the morning is the first day we have landed in Aus on holiday to see my family. Our jetlagged bodies wake up at 5am and off we go to see a glorious Aussie sunrise over the sea ahhh memories from last year. Beautiful photos Sarah by the way listened to the Podcast Interview – brilliant stuff ! enjoyed listening to your story.x
I’m more of a night-owl than an early bird, too, Sarah. Once I get in bed, it’s all over. I want to stay there til my stomach says it’s time for lunch! lol! But that never happens around here with furbabies that need to be let out and fed. Plus I think I’m much more productive during the day if I get get up earlier than what I really want.
Loved seeing those golden hour ocean photos today. They were so beautiful!!
I am so….not a moring person either Sarah! I find too when I am going on vacation it is…so much easier to get up. I find too at the beach this ole’ girl can fly outa the bed. Nothing like the mornig on the beach. Thanks so…much for posting these bautiful pics as it is snowing in Fincastle, VA. Our first snow and it is Feb. 19. How totally unexpected. Just hope it doesn’t snow on my birthday the 28th because I am not a snow girl! Hope you are enjoying your alone time. Isn’t it sweet?
When I have to get up, I hate to get up… dread… dread… dread. But when I don’t have to get up, I love to get up early and there’s nothing better than a beach sunrise. Thanks for the beautiful photos.
Gorgeous photos! I WILL retire some day close to if not on the beach-probably in Florida or North Carolina! I just love your beautiful photos and love how you share your beautiful Australian life with us all! Thank you! Meghan
I’m not a morning person either although having raised 5 kids, until recently when they’re all driving themselves, I had to be up at crack of dawn. Lucky for me I’m on the Pacific and the sun rises over the city (a beautiful sight as well), and sets over the ocean. So all I have to do is be able to stay up and coherent until around 5:30 pm and I’m in for a gorgeous sunset.
Making it my goal at the moment to get out 3 times a week down to the sea to move about and generally enjoy what mother nature has to offer! Join in if you want, its called ‘run along NOW!’
XX
I]m not a morning peson either. Sus georgeous pictures. Last week was spent spring cleaning and painting. So happy with the results as I ho9pe you will be also. Happy weekend.
G'day! I'm Sarah, I live in a tatty old cottage, near the sea in Australia with a battered old deck & a big old fig tree out the back...stripped wooden floors, old sash windows & a jumble of vintage furniture. [Read More …]
So Beach Cottage ladies, if you read Barley’s fanpage you will know I sneaked in some new bedding recently ….yes this is another post where I have foofed… As you know this bedroom has recently been spruced up, really that meant that it was re-painted white, I mix my own Beach [...]
G'day ladies, let's have a Too Easy Beach Cottage recipe yeah? The original place for Too Easy Recipes on the web ;-)
So, after my last salad went down a storm in my inbox, that's here if you missed it, I had to do this one seeing as I make it most weeks.
There is a problem with this salad and kiddos though...it looks, well, it looks, kinda yucky...but once they try it, they'll ask if and when they are next having it....at least that's what happens in this ratty old cottage...but I must interject here that my kiddos are 'good eaters'? ...they didn't get a choice in that ;-)
Now, stop, don't start running and hitting that next on your blog reading list, pulses are your best friend in the Too Easy Dump & Go kitchen for the busy mum, or busy anyone for that matter...that reminds me I must blog the garlic canneloni Go To for when you forgot to do dinner, feel like a bath but have three ravenous young Beach Cottage Kiddos on your hands...another day.
I am almost embarrassed to tell you how easy this is, we have it so much that I always have a couple, make that six, cans of lentils around and a jar of goat's cheese in the fridge...the great thing about this is that it's all too easy to get ready in just a few minutes, but it looks, tastes and seems like you did oh so very much more than that.
You can obviously too change it up a bit depending on what you have to hand in your kitchen, and I must say that is how I settled on this version...because one day when I made it I didn't have enough Parsley in the garden and so I chucked in some basil too, and liked the Summer feel it added.
I think of this as being a rather posh salad, not sure why, because it couldn't really be further from the truth...the great thing is that it works so well for an average run of the mill day, (when I did this for this blog post, it was a hot Sydney Sunday and I did it just simply to go with Rosemary & Garlic stuffed pork, you can see that pork here),
...but just as easily it works on a regular old Wednesday night when you have lost all enthusiasm for rustling up yet another meal, or indeed on Saturday night, when your friends are on their way over for dinner and you my friend, are in your new vintage inspired clawfoot bathtub (that's me in a few weeks time, k?) without any clothes on, a tipple and no idea what to cook for dinner...
I have a complicated and ever-changing relationship with goat's cheese...it never fails me in its performance and it never fails to impress me (you can find out a bit more on what I like in food here if you like) and I kinda collect it...because it's very easy to collect and has a fairly long fridge-life, I love trying out different ones and there's not many things I love more than goat's cheese on sourdough...but I think the best thing about it is not thinking about it exclusively in the toast/salad department...I've stuffed it in chicken and all sorts of things as a last minute and it's been fab.
But let's get down to the nitty gritty of this super salad that makes you look like an angel who has been on her knees all day scrubbing the front step when really you are in the digital world and spent most of ...
G'day Beach Cottage ladies, howdy, howdy howdy today for a Beach Cottage Too Easy recipe.
If you like cake, cream, sugar and chocolate, make this.
This is, rather than a recipe, a putting it together...as you know I am no dessert maker, but, I do make quite a few sweet things, because, somehow I have ended up with kiddos, who in their roles as offspring, believe that part of the deal, is that not only do I feed them a home-cooked meal with a few homegrown ingredients in there, yes, they also believe that dessert and not the kind that comes out of a packet is included too in this All-Inclusive Deal they call Parenthood.
So, this, for sure, is no culinary masterpiece, but if you are looking for something that is so very easy, dump-able, uses everyday ingredients and at the same time makes you look like you spent hours pulling things together plus tastes good....well, then this is for you.
Best though, you don't make this for yourself, if you have spent the most part of your week sitting on your derriere reading blogs...this my friend ain't low in the calories department...if, however, you are treating yourself to a delight in a mason jar, this is so for you.
I first had a version of this when at dinner back in Old Blighty with a girl, I once, in another life, caught the train up from our village to London with...she was a funny thing really...I am not quite sure how we got on...she was kinda prissy and a bit bothered by too much...I would run to the train flustered, having got up late, and she would have a spreadsheet on the train times, if you know what I mean.
Anyway, a few years later when we both had bambinos, I bumped into her again and we met up for playdates and dinner sometimes....this particular night, after a lovely meal she served up little bowls of creamy, cakey fruity stuff topped off with chocolate flake...it was delicious!
She didn't serve hers in little jars like this, hers were in a champagne glass and not quite so layered as these ones, plus she used tinned fruit not fresh or frozen.
Years later when said offspring kept requesting dessert, one day I wangled together somehow these from what was around in the fridge and they've been with us ever since.
Most likely, if you ever come here for dinner, and shock horror, you dont' bring the dessert with you, this, if you are lucky, will be what you will get.
Throw it all together, sprinkle a lil bit of chocolate on the top and the blog reading past-time you so rudely left in order to make this, is my friend, your oyster.
Beach Cottage Too Easy Layered Raspberry, Cream & Sponge Dessert
1 small maderia or butter cake or a pack of cupcakes (or of course make your own)
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar
8 tbsp fruit
1 x chocolate Flake or chocolate bar for grating
1. beat the cream cheese until it is soft
2. whip the cream until soft peaks form
3. combine & add the sugar through
4. cut your cake into portions
& layer into the bottom of your jar
5. add a tablespoon of fruit
6. layer on top the cream combo
7. repeat
8. grate chocolate or Flake on top
*Beach Cottage Recipe Notes : this is just a guide really, you can use any cream that you have on hand...I have made this with clotted cream (don't even go there unless you want to seriously get these babies on your thighs), with double cream and I have even, in desperate times squirted in that, ...
G'day Beach Cottage ladies, well I thought it was time for some blogging tips here today, alongside a few nice flowers and shells ;-)
I was recently part of a blogger discussion group over at Kidspot and a couple of hours later had a few questions from girls who couldn't make it to the live chat, one was on my Facebook page and one via email, the Facebook one I will deal with in another Real Girl Blogging Tips post...the email one asked me what essentials do I think every blog needs?
Well I have been around here for a while now doing the blogging thing, so I should know this, yeah and I mused this on my walk by the sea this morning I thought well what do you only need?
...I think it is really very easy when blogging, whether or not you are blogging up there in the lofty heights of the Super Bloggers or you are just dipping your toe in the water, to get side-tracked by 101 million different things that are 'essential' to your blog and if you are someone like me who actually gets a thrill from reading blogging tips then you are in an even worse place because you will find yourself literally buzzing with these essential things to add/do/implement on your blog.
However, walking along, gulping down that brisk sea air today (no sunshine & clouds) I thought you actually don't need any of that professional blogging stuff to be successful...but there are a few things that are pretty much crucial ...and once I started to think about it I got it down to about 5 - these are the only things that you need to concentrate on...once you have read through take a look at some of the big girl's blogs...you'll see that actually they don't have bundles of stuff on their blogs...but they do have all of these...
So here are my top things that your blog must have
1. About Page
There are all sorts of About Pages out there, and if you search on it there are many different tips and ideas for what to have on yours
Whatever blogging platform you use, adding an About Me Page is easy, quick and simple and will do everything to grow your blog.
I like a long-ish About Page, I am inherently nosy and I like to know a bit more about the person but at the least you should have on it your name and where you are located. I also think a photo is good too...over the last year or so I think this has become more important in blogging - if you are hesitant about that as I was, you can try using sunglasses or a behind shot until you get comfortable.
There is nothing worse than stumbling upon a new blog and going to find out more to only be faced with a piddly little one liner About Me Page...well there is something worse, not having one at all!
2. Contact Page
The chances are someone, somewhere will want to contact you and you will be surprised what lands in your inbox once you put yourself out there on the world wide web with a blog.
Many bloggers also use this page to include details for PR's/brands that may want to contact them and some bloggers put their stats on there too.
A short, to the point and simple Contact Page works really well...whenever I have wanted to contact another blogger I am often very busy and have limited time so I don't want to hang around sifting through information looking for an email address, so concise and clear ...
G'day lovely Beach Cottage lovelies.
So, yeah, so on a roll people, so on a roll.
I feel kinda home accessory wired right now.
I am always telling people, if anyone ever listens, that blogging is all about passion, not that sort of passion, but about passion that makes one tick.
Things like this make me tick tick boom.
I love finding things that suit my budget and let me treat my home but look amazing too.
So without further adieu I introduce you, ladies of the beach, to the blue vintage glasses that I have been stroking for about a week or two now...
These glasses are from a little boutique I sometimes happen upon, this boutique sells also pet accessories, carpet cleaner, bras and compost...it's quite unique though.
And, thanks to my friend Marnie (she blogs over here, go take a look at her praying position, interesting), who just so happens to be one day having me over for a lil' Greek dinner, has let me in on the fact that we call Kmart....The KMart...with an accent ....as in 'I love The KMart'...just like her MIL does. Oh yeah. Love that.
So I have had my eye on reproduction vintage glass blue wine glasses and being trying to find real true vintage blue glasses for like ever.
Oh yes I have spied them in Frenchy boutiques, I have lusted after them in stores that I shouldn't even enter and I have put them back pretty quickly in those shops with the hand-written price tags. C'mon, you know the ones.
And, though all of the above have tempted me, muchly, really, even with my wardrobe stashing skills I just thought that, actually, I'd rather be saving that casherooni for our next trip overseas..
Hello The KMart.
Tick Tick Boom
Vintage style blue wine glasses.
Do not come to my old place and think you might pick up one of these and smile with pleasure at their handblown quality, their weight, and be secretly jealous that my wine glasses cost more than your car...friend, that would not happen...these do not feel like that...indeed these in a funny way reminded me of my baby girl, she was a tiny little thing, with stick legs, the tinsssssssiest ankles and wrists you ever did see, she slept sideways in her cot wedged in between rolled up blankets and would only settle attached to Mr Beach Cottage or I or a (dirty) pj top of mine scrunched up under her nose...the first few times I picked her up to cuddle, being used to Honeymoon Baby who weighed in at 9lbs at birth and has never really stopped growing, I nearly threw her little bird-cum-rat down covered body over my shoulder.
These glasses are like that...be careful or you might lose your wine down the front of your shirt.
But oh baby, we are not talking picking up here, we are not talking quality, we are not talking house accessory snobbery.
Beach Cottage ladies, we are talking aesthetics.
And this is what I need in my cottage.
Blue vintage style glass, paired with coastal / nautical / beach stuff on my deck.
It's The KMart.
Tune in tomorrow, tomorrow, I have more budget foofing for your home, or maybe it will be the dress that wraps me up in supermarket-chic and makes me feel like me again.
Good Day to you my friends, wanna come hang out on my deck, talk house accessories, The KMart and drink some wine from blue glasses?
Sarah
There’s a lot of magic in those early hours – tough to get up but GLORIOUS to see.
Happy Sunday xx
true, very true, it was MAGICAL indeed Melinda x
Never enough of the sea…the sand, the colors, the constant change, the fragrance that delights my soul…
yes the constant changes amaze me! x
Gorgeous, worth getting up for ( every now and then!!)
Tracey
yep it certainly was! x
So lovely! I am not a morning person either, but next week I hope to be and get to Disneyland extra early. Kit
well Mickey is worth getting up for!
Ooooh, thanks for the unexpected beautiful photos. I thought you’d be having Sunday off.
Mr alison and I had coffee at a cafe at Otford right on the coast between Sydney and Wollongong. Their pet blue tongue lizard was working the customer crowd today. LO LOL
alison
Yes I normally don’t stop by here on Sundays…but these shots, a very quiet house with everyone at the Aussie surfing comp and a night off from doing dinner finds me with time on my hands and looking through photos!
oh I love those blue tongues…we have one in the back garden…he hovers between the bins (!) and the orange tree and scoots about when I am gardening!
x
I am so not a morning person either, I am with you on wanting to stay under those covers, especially in winter!
oh yes Winter is soooooo much worse! xx
You are a good Mum Sarah, at least you are making good use of the early hours at the beach by taking lovely photos for us. Enjoy that bath when you get it.
yes the photo taking makes it worth it lol !
Funny! I just wrote a post about the late afternoon light yesterday. I am usually up by then though!
the light here right now is pretty lovely! x
I could almost feel the warmth of that golden morning sun on my face. Almost.
Raining miserably here.
Thanks for the brief holiday.
Whenever we stay at the beach we always make sure we do one sunrise at the beach always beautiful!
Oh my goodness, my boys do nipper training three times a week at 5am and my husband usually does this run but I did it Friday morning and was rewarded with a similar view over the beach at Surfers Paradise. I feel though that the occasional glimpse makes it feel special whereas if one had to do it three times a week the magic would be lost – thats my story and I am sticking to it!
Its all about the getting up part. I find once my feet have hit the floor, I’m good. Then I can enjoy the beauty of the morn.
happiness…
dannelle@nestenterprises
This cracks me up as I can soooo relate. Very early on in our marriage, my hubby and I decided that we ALL have a much happier life if I am left alone in the mornings. These days Sundays are my only day to sleep in as the kids have us running around most mornings. My husband says nearly every day after his morning surf, OH you should have seen the sunrise, or there were dolphins out this morning etc etc and I do wish at times I enjoyed waking up early so I could see all that too. I’m a night owl though, so most mornings I struggle to get up out of my comfy bed.
What lovely photographs!!
Glad you got up early to catch such beauty:)
Beautiful . . . Dreamy . . . Enticing . . . come out from under the comfy and enjoy!
Good Day Miss Sarah~I hear you I am not an am kinda gal! Though this site could get me a lil more motivated than usual.I am so looking forward to our summers at our Beach Cottage this summer myself.I too will try to wake myself at some ungodly hour to take photos~Cheers Kim
Am so with you here – i hate getting out of bed – especially in the cold !! Went for 9 mile walk on the West Sussex coast this morning – well – almost afternoon! Beautiful,cold,crisp day. Love your inspirational shots Izzie
P.S I lost the vintage caravan on e-bay – by – £20 – gutted !!
what! twenty pounds, oh no! I am gutted for you izzie
I like the sound of your walk…I miss the English countryside and coast! x
The only time I get a veiw like that in the morning is the first day we have landed in Aus on holiday to see my family. Our jetlagged bodies wake up at 5am and off we go to see a glorious Aussie sunrise over the sea ahhh memories from last year. Beautiful photos Sarah by the way listened to the Podcast Interview – brilliant stuff ! enjoyed listening to your story.x
thanks Sharon, glad you enjoyed the podcast! x
I’m more of a night-owl than an early bird, too, Sarah. Once I get in bed, it’s all over. I want to stay there til my stomach says it’s time for lunch! lol! But that never happens around here with furbabies that need to be let out and fed. Plus I think I’m much more productive during the day if I get get up earlier than what I really want.
Loved seeing those golden hour ocean photos today. They were so beautiful!!
xoxo laurie
yes it’s funny I don’t like the mornings, but I am definitely more productive mid-morning!
I am so….not a moring person either Sarah! I find too when I am going on vacation it is…so much easier to get up. I find too at the beach this ole’ girl can fly outa the bed. Nothing like the mornig on the beach. Thanks so…much for posting these bautiful pics as it is snowing in Fincastle, VA. Our first snow and it is Feb. 19. How totally unexpected. Just hope it doesn’t snow on my birthday the 28th because I am not a snow girl! Hope you are enjoying your alone time. Isn’t it sweet?
hi shirl’
enjoy your snow, I am just back from another morning on the beach xo
Can you tell I didn’t proofread my post MORNING and BEAUTIFUL…. he! he!
Utterly, utterly beautiful photos Sarah – helps me keep alive my dream of living by the sea someday soon. THANK YOU
When I have to get up, I hate to get up… dread… dread… dread. But when I don’t have to get up, I love to get up early and there’s nothing better than a beach sunrise. Thanks for the beautiful photos.
Smiles,
Lesli
Gorgeous photos! I WILL retire some day close to if not on the beach-probably in Florida or North Carolina! I just love your beautiful photos and love how you share your beautiful Australian life with us all! Thank you! Meghan
you are welcome Meghan, I hope you make it to retiring to the beach! x
I’m not a morning person either although having raised 5 kids, until recently when they’re all driving themselves, I had to be up at crack of dawn. Lucky for me I’m on the Pacific and the sun rises over the city (a beautiful sight as well), and sets over the ocean. So all I have to do is be able to stay up and coherent until around 5:30 pm and I’m in for a gorgeous sunset.
Making it my goal at the moment to get out 3 times a week down to the sea to move about and generally enjoy what mother nature has to offer! Join in if you want, its called ‘run along NOW!’
XX
sounds good Fleur!
Hi Sarah,
I]m not a morning peson either. Sus georgeous pictures. Last week was spent spring cleaning and painting. So happy with the results as I ho9pe you will be also. Happy weekend.
yay go you!