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I hadn’t imagined a cat purring in my lap as I kicked back 8 metres up an oak tree in the French natural park of Le Perche. With our 6-year old tucked up in bed humming ‘wisha wisha wisha’ to herself, my husband and I had sneaked onto the terrace to road-test the local cider. Out of the darkness sprung the domaine’s resident tomcat vaulting over our balcony. He’d brought us a beheaded moving-in present. It’s fair to say that as a family we all have a somewhat unhealthy addiction to technology. Our parenting skills are easily distracted by ‘what’s happening on Twitter’ while our kid is addicted to all things Toca Boca. Was it possible to holiday somewhere without electricity and enjoy it? It was time to hide our beloved gadgets and go ‘back-to-nature’. Cabanes de la Grande Noë has six treehouses of varying heights and design, each carefully spaced out over a private estate, which has been in the same family for six centuries. It’s a real family affair; Agnès takes care...

It’s a rare treat to feel completely at home in a B&B. We knew we’d hit on a gem when we arrived at L'épicerie du Pape; 5 minutes into arrival our inimitable host François had cracked open a bottle of the local cider and had a map out marking all the local hotspots. Before we knew it, Alethea was taking a dip in the vintage bathtub, and we were kicking back in the deck chairs outside our ‘Kabane du Pape', with our new companion Ernestine, the attentive black labrador. Located in a small, picturesque village Vascoeuil, in the Haute-Normandie region of France, L'épicerie du Pape is a beautiful former grocer’s shop/café that has been lovingly converted into a guesthouse, full of eclectic junkshop and fleamarket finds; in every nook you find a well-curated selection of antiques and curios; there’s a subtle mixing of styles, patterns and colours, that emphasises the beauty of objects that have seen a bit of life. Our accommodation for 2 nights was in a cosy...

I can’t believe a year has passed since my sister died and I have written so little. In many ways it still feels raw, like only yesterday that I said goodbye but having had so much to sort out regarding my sister’s estate has also helped the time to pass and I’m healing slowly. I’ve joined a creative writing group, The Real Mildred, and although I’m finding it hard to dig deep, I’m finding the writing process to be strangely cathartic.  I was pleased when Emma’s friend, David Sarton of Weald Design   got in touch to say that he has been commissioned to design a Summer Garden at RHS Hampton Court Flower Show in Emma’s memory. The woodland retreat garden felt like a fitting tribute reflecting Emma’s talent as a horticultural photographer and as founding member of the Professional Garden Photographers Association. Throughout the show, the garden became an informal meeting place for Emma’s friends, garden photographers and family; a place for reflection, rest and a celebrati...

A link to an obituary I helped to put together for my sister, Emma. http://www.epuk.org/News/1013/emma-peios-1972-2012

Recurrent insomnia. I’m awake again at 4am, wide awake yet not wanting to be this alert, forcing me to think and process all the dark thoughts going round and round my head. Remembering the shock on my daughter Alethea’s face when she saw me at my most broken. The look of fear on Alaila’s face when she barely recognised her skeletal mother. Children too young to understand, wanting to protect them, not feeling strong enough to give anything back. I am numb. My smiles are forced. I don’t feel like writing or doing yoga. Both are too painful. All around me I see people caught up in meaningless chat on Twitter, posting endless selfies on Facebook and raving about the latest food fad. Once a social media whore, the curiosity for news – good or bad – has simply evaporated. Signing off.

Words seem meaningless to me at the moment as I struggle to come to terms with the fact that my dear, only sister, has gone. Out of nowhere Emma was diagnosed with a rare strain of acute myeloid leukemia and after a short but fierce battle against this aggressive blood cancer, she died at Princess Alice Hospice on 16th June. The speed that it has happened has shocked me to the core and I can’t see how I will ever move on from this tragedy. The only blessing I cling on to was that she was able to marry Clifford during her final week at the hospice, and that her daughter Alaila got to be with her till the end. Rest in peace beautiful sister.

Feeling inspired by the food cooked by Tom’s Feast, I decided to try out one of Tom’s recipes this weekend, using leftover beetroot from the  veggie patch, to make t he beetroot and chocolate cake that I’d had at the Valentine’s for Everyone meal last week. I like the fact that this recipe not only contains one of my five a day but is also flourless, so gluten free.  http://www.tomsfeast.com/2012/02/beetroot-and-chocolate-cake/ This cake is more of a dessert dish than an afternoon tea, is extremely rich so best served in small portions with an  accompaniment  of creme fraiche or ice cream ( I suggest Booja Booja vanilla ice-cream). Nom nom.