Looking back January was a bit of a blur of feeling ill, and
mindless tv viewing of a million box sets. Wishing that instead of snoozing on the sofa and drinking juice and ginger tea, that I was in the garden digging and planting. Of knitting a randomly striped sweater inspired by the little urchin in the film about Hugo Cabret. In-between a spot of driving over more than one bridge to visit some of my favourite people. Of making the scrummiest basil and tomato soup, thanks to my very own baby's recipe.
Now it's February and we've had snow and rain and sun and showers. Sometimes all in one day. The hellebores are blooming and the snow drops are out. We've had Pancake and then Valentines day, and even Chinese New Year but didn't manage to celebrate any of them. Soon another month will have flown by and we'll be spring cleaning for Persian New Year...
But I have decided to slow down a bit this month. The second half. To be kind to myself and keep telling that little voice in my head that things don't matter and I can take a few short-cuts. Sort out my seeds and send for those nice seed catalogues that I'm always too late to send for. To sometimes just stop working and make sure that I don't miss the next little buds as they peep out. To go and say hello to the sheep down the lane...
...or just sometimes sit down by the fire and read a book...and not feel even the teeniest bit guilty...
Reading:
- The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry. A gothic novel set in the marshlands of Essex. Strong women, fossils, folklore, mud and overcoats.
- Leaf by Niggle, J. R.R. Tolkien. A sweet short story that I could relate to. A late birthday gift from my acorn and her larger oak.
Making and baking:
- Ahmad made bread and I made pastry
- A bit of a plum celebration, regular short crust pastry open tart and my new obsession, tarte tatin.
- Bagel sandwiches with cold nut roast and homemade cranberry sauce - feeling glad for stock of nut roasts in the freezer
- Pancakes... somehow they always seem to bring a smile to my face
Recipes:
Hannah's awesome tomato soup
Ingredients:
- Five large ripe tomatoes
- Two red onions, chopped finely
- One carrot(not peeled, chopped finely
- Three tablespoons of olive oil
- Three minced garlic cloves
- One tsp of sugar (or alternative e.g. honey/maple syrup
- One tsp of tomato puree
- A quarter of a cup of chopped basil leaves
- Three cups of vegetable stock
- Sea salt and black pepper
Method:
- Cook the onions in the olive oil until caramelised.
- Add the garlic and cook for a further minute, stirring to ensure that they don't burn.
- Add all the other ingredients including the hot stock. Stir well, bring to the boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for thirty or forty minutes until everything is tender. Blend and then reheat if necessary
As February winds it's way home, I hope that you can make a little time for yourself too. Getting ready to say hello to March and then spring and all the gorgeous things that it promises... dx
"Happiness is like a butterfly; the more you chase, it the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things it will come and sit softly on your shoulder..." Thoreau
There are just thirty five stitches for the needles to work, for the yarn to meander in and out and keep my itchy fingers busy when I'm in the passenger seat. I'm knitting another simple garter stitch scarf. This time in Icelandic Lopi yarn to match Ahmad's Cobblestone Pullover. Perfect timing for Hannah's invitation to help with the move, basement to attic. From up on the hill, down to the creative Bohemian quarter.
When there wasn't enough room in the car for bookcases and me, I happily inhabited a big comfy armchair and borrowed a copy of Walden from the bookcase. What with Thoreau, knitting, ginger beer and Swedish ginger biscuits it felt like the butterfly was comfortably perched on my shoulder.
We even had time for a lunch at my favourite friendly Bristolian.
I don't have a recipe for crunchy Danish ginger biscuits but this is an old family recipe for fairings which are traditional Cornish ginger biscuits. They are named after the edible treats that were traditionally sold at English fairs:-
Ginger Fairings
Ingredients:
- 6oz of Self Raising flour
- 3oz of golden caster sugar
- 2tsp of ground ginger
- 4oz of butter
- 1tbs of syrup
- A pinch of bicarbonate of soda
Method:
- Prepare a baking try by oiling and preheat the oven to 275-300c/140-150f
- Melt the butter and syrup in a saucepan
- Sieve the dry ingredients into the melted butter and mix well.
- Roll teaspoons full of the mixture in the palms of your hands to make little balls.
- Place on the baking tray and cook for 15 to 20 minutes using the bottom shelves in the oven.
joining ginny and nicole...
...coming?
debx
Maybe it's because I had a bit of a brain freeze with the Cobblestone Pullover...My fault, not the pattern (it's an easy one too). I just had a minor wobbly when it came to the wrap and turn. Or maybe because the Icelandic lopi yarn, which I love as well, isn't quite as soft as this. This seems like a dream to work with.
This will be the second Annabel sweater that I've knitted. I made the last one with linen yarn. I've decided to make it a few inches longer than the pattern. I cast off the body but left the yarn attached so that I could try it on. It's still a little shorter than I want, and as it's a boxy pullover I've decided to increase it at the sides to fit snuggly over the top of my hips and prevent it riding up at the back. That's the plan anyway, I'll put the notes on ravelry if I manage to do it.
I feel guilty knitting in the daytime when there's lots of work to do. But the bread is rising in the pantry and the washing spinning in the machine and and I have to do something while I'm waiting don't I? Just a couple more rows... I told, you...I can't put it down...
Reading: I'm still in the cotton fields with A Painted House: John Grisham
knitting: Annabel Pullover: Carrie Bostock Hoge
My ravelry page
My spelt bread recipe, made without the seeds this time
The bread is ready now...decisions, decisions...More knitting or freshly baked bread with my favourite Oxford Marmalade...
...maybe a bit of both...
I'm joining Ginny and Nicole,
...are you coming too?
dx
Weekend plans to finish all outdoor painting got rained off on Saturday by bad weather and an autumn cold. Baking, comfort food, and ginger and green jasmine tea, eased my aching head. A parcel from Love Knitting with some of my favourite English wool, sweets and a handy little drawstring bag arrived and somehow calmed my wheezy chest. In-between sneezing I managed to start another Annabel sweater. It's amazing how a few balls of yarn can brighten up a sad soul, especially when watching Rachel Khoo bring back recipes from her travels and then try them out in her colourful little quirky London kitchen.
There seems to be a pattern forming, food-wise. Mid-week experimenting. Busy days and looking for speedy nutritious meals. I've tried some good ones recently and will share them soon. But weekends are for family and tradition and it seems that I keep going back to the old favourites like a spelt aunties apple cake, made with amazing windfalls from a neighbours garden, chicken pot pies, with cauliflower greens (must tell you about those too,) and risotto with whatever's in the store cupboard and vegetable basket.
All the while sweet Ahmad was cleaning beams in the attic then applying bees wax, and painting walls, checking every so often in my cosy spot with a blanket in front of the television to see if I need anything. He even made himself a ploughman's lunch and brought the camera to me with a photographs he'd taken for me to post here. He's the best...even growing his moustache into one of those cute smiley musketeer ones...just because I like them...It's amazing what can cheer a girl(I use the term loosely) up...
recipes:
keep warm and toasty
debx
