Slow Sunday blue skies happy days

Red rice & beetroot salad with squash purée

Sometimes

Sometimes, when the sky is blue, everything seems right with the world and, I know it’s not but, sometimes, it’s good for the well-being to feel that. Today, is one of those days.

Blue sky green leaf view, houses hidden and nature in full bloom; as I stare out of a bedroom window that is filled with shades of different greens. Rich, full of gentle-breeze ripples and washing everything in our street, with feelings of a life well-lived.

Down the road there is a family cleaning their car. Mostly people take cars to car washes, but this family are out cleaning it together. The kids have buckets full of soapy water and giant sponges full of foam which they fling, at the car body, then leap and wash getting lost in bubbles and warm water.

Giggles, shouts, water spray and sponges flung at each other. Then, the hose arrives; they take turns to rinse the foam off the car. And then there it is, a bright, sparkly blue car, clean as clean. The tiny children stand in a row looking at it with big grins, wet clothes and happy faces.

Dusk

Yesterday evening the road was very quiet as dusk came into view. It had been a mixed weather day, not quite sure whether it wanted to shine or not. In the end those clouds that had been so diffuse, parted, and the evening dusk came in on a sky of pale apricot.

I passed my evening, to the smell of barbecues along the road, next doors cat patting along the pavement, and I saw dog walkers out for an evening stroll. These were the simple things that filled my evening, along with tasty food and heart connections. My mind, filled with the ordinary; nourishment for a life well-lived, rippling along, ever so gently, to the sound of those rich green leaves; rustling.

Recipe

Red rice & beetroot salad with squash purée

Today’s recipe could make up part of a small plate platter, or served as a main – mains picture coming up. I just steamed some squash and blitzed this with the tahini dressing you can find here adding some freshly grated ginger root. I roasted beetroot slices in ghee. I cooked up red rice. I roasted hazelnuts, chopped them and added rock salt. I chopped up fresh parsley, cilantro and mint leaves. I mixed the rice with the beetroot, chopped roasted hazelnuts and some balsamic glaze. I popped the squash purée on a plate and topped with a little of the red rice & beetroot salad. For the mains I just added lots of the red rice salad. I topped with the fresh herbs, it was delish, my tongue is still sizzling.

Joy dots

Clear blue sky, always

Warmth of the sun

Children washing cars

Green leaves

Eating tasty food

Taking time

Slowing down

Being

Next doors barbecue

Doing nothing

Photo of a lovely stone walkway in Vejer de la Frontera

Wishing you the warmest,

Lucy x