La rentrée

Sussex houses, red surprises and a great granola recipe.

Holiday time is slipping through our fingers. C’est la rentrée, the new year that touches us maybe more than sleepy January. As I walk across to the pool at the Ladies College I’m smiling at the spectacle of maintenance jobs inside and out; grass cutting, leaf blowing, line painting, window cleaning and floor polishing. It feels energising not that I’ll be deep cleaning the kitchen and bathroom, more a feeling of optimism.

I took a photo of this 2CV on my way to the College a few days ago. It’s the colour that drew me, an earthy red with a little vermilion. Mr D painted our old garden chairs in a F&B paint called Romesco like the tomato sauce, earlier in the month, a bold choice in our small garden.

September with its cool mornings for house keeping and warm afternoons for my reading schedule is a perfect time of year. I’ve 2 French books to finish this week. I usually turn the pages quite quickly but sometimes a little dive into names and places, and words in French I’ve not come across is needed. Les Désorientés by Amin Maalouf (2012) is ready for tomorrow’s book group discussion. It was great to read about the Levantine countries, Lebanon and Iraq in particular and the past and present circumstances of people throughout North Africa and the eastern Mediterranean. But the central idea of a reunion of university students after 20 plus years was the most rewarding for me. It’s a very rich story never boring and is available in translation as The Disoriented.

We were in Sussex in August visiting artists’ houses: Monk’s House, Charleston and Farley House. Farleys was the home of American model and photographer Lee Miller. She was part of the French art scene in the 30s and her friends came to visit her in Sussex in the 50s and left souvenirs: paintings by Picasso and Miro are dotted in the kitchen and hallway. The tour is a bit stiff, prepared information, no photography allowed and a brisk walk through the rooms, but we lingered as much as we could and I took notes to remember some of her photos. The garden though is a large, relaxed space with intriguing sculptures, one of the loveliest I’ve visited in a long time.

We always like to visit Charleston and Monk’s House if we’re close by, the National Trust volunteers are fun and love to chat about the artists. This time I looked more closely at the framed art and the block printing at Charleston and it was so interesting to see Virginia Woolf’s book collection and her journals which are dotted round Monk’s House. Virginia’s signature often looks like the VW car logo, both were probably inspired by early European manuscripts.

Monograms are a bit marmite, I realise; I used to buy vintage linen sheets with raised monograms and drawn thread work. The first letter of a woman’s name, as a flourish for a snow white linen sheet is perfection. I especially liked an E, an R or an L. You can see my F embroidered by machine on a small tote for daily adventures at the end.

Before the recommendations I’d like to share my favourite granola recipe based on the New York Times, it may be hiding behind a paywall by now. It’s easily adaptable to your own preferences and you only need a tea cup to get the ratio of ingredients right.

2 and 3/4 cups of oats

1/2 cup of light brown sugar

1/3 cup pumpkin seeds

3/4 cup of Greek currants

1 teaspoon of sea salt, finely ground

I heaped table spoon of poppy seeds

1 cup of almonds, coarsely chopped

1/3 cup of maple syrup

1/3 cup of olive oil

Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl except for the currants.

Pour the oil and syrup in a saucepan, add the sugar and heat slowly so the sugar dissolves, (it doesn’t need to boil), and add to the dry ingredients, fold in so all the oats are coated.

Spread the granola on to a lined baking sheet and press it with the back of a spoon.

Bake for 35-40 minutes at 150 C or 300 F.

It should look nicely toasted when you take it out. Whilst its still warm sprinkle the currants on top.

Let it cool and then cut into fingers.

And the recommendations this time:

Lee the film (2023) about Lee Miller’s work as a war photographer with Kate Winslet in the starring role. You can buy it here without being a subscriber.

I’ve been enjoying Sarah Churchwell’s book The Many Lives of Marilyn Monroe, on audio, it’s available on all the usual streaming platforms.

Jess Walter’s novel So Far Gone (2025) will make you laugh out loud, a recommendation from my daughter.

These bag charms for a new school bag maybe. There are lots of designs, and widely available. I loved the croissant obviously.

These thumb size allium bulbs to plant with a medium sizes grass like penisetum. They flower in mid summer. I’ll tell you about my tulip order next time.

Not quite cosy season yet but it’s on its way, my caramel cardigan is out of the drawer which together with a plum cake in the tin and Mr D’s beeswax candles whisper autumn in my kitchen.

With best wishes for September,

Francey