Bean progress...

The bean patch...

At the weekend we prepared the patch in the garden for to grow the beans in. It started off as a messy, forgotten about corner... So we cut back the surrounding bushes and pulled out the weeds... Dug in and turned and loosened the soil... Created a boundary from old bricks... Filled the bed with new compost... Fixed some garden string for the beans to grow up... All ready for the beans to go in!


I have to admit, we got a little impatient and bought one (ready for planting out) bean from the local Farmer's Market and popped him in, so he's just waiting for the others to join!


But here's how the beans from seed are coming along in their pots! They've literally just pushed up through the soil over night! Just a little way to go yet before they're ready for planting out! Exciting!

Sowing beans...

This afternoon I sowed my runner beans! The last time I grew beans was when I was a kid at school! Tsk tsk, so hopefully my first attempt since will be a success! Once they've grown big enough in their pots, I'll transfer them out into the garden and train them to grow up the trellis! I shall be documenting their progress...

Textiel Museum

Whilst in Tilburg, we also visited the Textiel Museum which is housed in a wonderful old wool mill that dates from the late 1880's.


The building houses a fully restored steam engine that dates from 1906 which was used in a nearby blanket factory and is still in good working order today (although now powered electrically.) Originally the engine would have been used to power the blanket weaving machines in the factory by a network of shafts and cogs. It was so lovely to watch and hear it working and clicking away.


In addition to all the old machines and examples of how fabrics and blankets would have been made in the past, the museum is also working one and is still used for modern textile making. There is a 'Textiel Lab' at the back of the main building where new fabrics and ways of weaving, embroidering, printing, knitting and dyeing are still being discovered. Anyone can book in to use the machines and there are a number of technicians on hand to help. There are also a variety of courses and workshops available from their 'Textiel Academie', specialising in programmes about textiles, design, materials, techniques and history.


Some examples of modern fabrics created in the Textiel Lab...


If you ever find yourself in this neck of the woods, I definitely recommend a visit!

La Trappe!

Hello! Now where was I? Oh yes, I was going to tell you about my trips of course! Well I'll start with mid April which found me in the lovely little town of Tilburg, Holland, where the legendary Roadburn Festival is held, which was just truly amazing! Really brilliant fun this year! In between watching some amazing bands such as Pentagram!!! Candlemass!! Shrinebuilder and Voivod! we also made the most of what the town has to offer...

On one of the mornings, we made a pilgrimage to Abdij Koningshoeven which is a monastery of the Trappists where they make La Trappe beer! Excellent! It is the only one of it's kind in Holland (all 6 the other Trappist breweries are in Belgium).


We were shown around the old brewery where we learned all about the brewing process, which was very useful for me! (They have long since grown out of the old brew house due to the sheer demand of produce and now use a much larger, computerised brewery in a warehouse just a bit further along the site.)


The packing factory, where the bottle filling takes place...


and then ended with a short film on the history and present day activities of the monastery where we finally got to sample some of their delicious and wholesome (8%) wares!

Proost!

101 Cookbooks

3 (completely unrelated in any way) people told me to check out this website in the same week! ...

101 Cookbooks

And it is just as good as they all raved it was! Last night we rustled up this tasty recipe...


Hope you enjoy as much as I am!!

Lovely, lovely lovely shoes!

Now before I go on about what an AMAZING trip I've had over the last month (that went SO bloody quickly!!) I just had to post these shoes...

1970s inspired shoes beautifully designed by Chie Mihara.

Uh, just wonderful!