Our picnic today in pictures....

Dairy free rhubarb crumble...

This has become my favourite moment of the day. Drawing back the curtains in the living room and trying to catch the sunrise. Sometimes there's an early morning runner making their way around Samson Hill or the odd bird on the patio which flies away in a panic once the curtains are suddenly pulled back.

We tiptoe around the kitchen trying to be as quiet as possible. I thought a fry up would be the most popular but at the moment the homemade granola and fruit seems to be a winner.

After breakfast it's a room tidy and hoover. My other half has managed to go out kitesurfing five times since Saturday and is definitely enjoying island life and it's great to be able to watch him from the living room rather than from a car park.

The guests staying this week don't eat dairy. Saturday I served elderflower jelly which was a great spring pudding I will do again and was easy. Tonight it's dairy free rhubarb crumble....

Dairy free rhubarb crumble....(serves 4-5)

6 rhubarb stalks

caster sugar

water

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

125g plain flour

1 handful porridge oats

100g dairy free spread

1 handful caster sugar

Top and tail the rhubarb and slice into chunks. Put in a pan with the vanilla, a splash of water and 2 tbsps or so of sugar. Put on a high heat. As it starts to boil add more water a splash at a time until the rhubarb is softened. Taste and add more sugar if you need it. Leave to cool.

In a food mixer put the flour, oats, sugar and spread and blitz.

Put the rhubarb in a heatproof tray and sprinkle the crumble on top. Put in a pre heated 200'c oven and bake for 20 minutes or so or until the crumble is browned.

Notes from a small island....

Last week I phoned to book my flight home. 'Would you like a return ticket?' I was asked. 'No,' I said, a huge wave on relief washing over me. No return. I flew back to Bryher knowing I wouldn't be heading back to the mainland until the autumn and it felt fantastic. We've been blessed with a week of beautiful March sunshine. My face is glowing from the hours spent digging in the garden but my body isn't coping as well. My thighs are black and blue with bruises, my legs covered in cuts from gorse attacks and I can't stand up or sit down without a ten minute warm up. But it is paying off as the garden is starting to take shape.....

The first lot of turf arrived from West Cornwall....

And it transformed the garden....

My mum and dad have been up here every moment they can. Look at the end of the garden...that's the sea!

Now it all feels a bit more under control I'm back in the kitchen and will be blogging about more than just making tea...