MOMENTS IN THE TIME OF PANDEMIC - NO. 14

My Lockdown Larder list of menus is now starting its 15th week and cooking has kept me both sane and occupied…

It first hit home when my boyfriend, who was working in Switzerland, had to make a dash for the border to get back to the UK before travel restrictions were imposed. That was back on 15th March! Since then, the two of us have been fortunate indeed to be holed up in his thatched cottage in a beautiful little hamlet in Hampshire.

As per most households who are lucky enough to have a garden there are now no weeds to be found, cupboards have been cleared out, we have played multiple games of Gin Rummy and enjoyed some wonderful walks. My 'Lockdown Larder' list of menus is now starting its 15th week and cooking has kept me both sane and occupied as sadly, like for so many others, work has gone south.

We started lockdown wearing woolly hats, thick sweaters and waterproofs and then the sun came out and suddenly it was t-shirts and shorts. I was literally caught 'short' as all I had with me was a bag of winter clothes! Fortunately, I managed to scrounge a pair of my boyfriend's shorts otherwise I would have boiled...!

Needless to say, one of the hardest parts about this pandemic is the effect on family and how everyone copes with the day to day challenges. For me, the arrival of spring and spending time outdoors embracing the elements helped create a sense of calm and optimism. Vibrant colours, birds tweeting, and a little sunshine can make all the difference!

Here are a few of my favourite pictures taken in our parent's garden - I say our parents as I have two sisters, Alison of Cortona International being one of them! These pictures were especially poignant for us as a family as they gave my sisters a glimpse of my parents and home during the lockdown.

Fiona Koetser, 26/06/2020 10:14:03

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