Monday Musings

The weather in my neck of the woods:
We seem to have entered the grey part of the autumn. The sky has been grey for several days and its been half heartedly raining now and then.

One of my simple pleasures:
the crisp new pages of my favourite magazine and a cup of hot chocolate.

On my bedside table:
Still White Crow by Mary Gentle; These are very big books and even with my normal speed reading abilites in the short time I read before sleep they take a while to get through. There is also a notebook, a pen, a variety of painkillers and and some vapour rub…

On my TV:
Tonight: Flashforward which I’m really enjoying and it will be interesting to see where they take it, and I find the idea of someone trying to affect the world’s collective conciousness on mass very interesting and mildly scary; True Blood for similar reasons – I want to see where they take it; Star Trek repeats on Virgin1 because I’m an unashamed Star Trek Fan(I am in order a fan of: TNG, DS9, Voyager, Classic and then Enterprise)  and maybe some B5 or West Wing.

On the menu for tonight:
Something soft. My throat hurts. Possibly Spinach and Ricotta Cannaloni. Storebought probably. I don’t feel up to cooking.

On my To Do List:
Make myself and a friend warm winter hat, neckwarmer and mitts; although as shes in Canada where they can get temps of -10 to -15C so I may make hers first!
Get through this week.
Make sure the fella has a nice birthday.

Done from last weeks To Do List:
THE SOCK IS FINISHED!!!!

New Recipe I tried last week:
I tried two. Gingered Squash and Pear Soup and Autumn Sausage Casserole. Both were delicous and I combined the left overs for lunch on Friday and that was also delicious!

New Recipe I’m trying this week:
Something out of the slow cooking cookbook the boy bought me recently. I’m also slightly obsessed with the thought of making some chewy raisin oatmeal cookies at the moment.

In the craft basket:
I want to do some sewing on my doll at some point and just get back into the crafting groove again.

Looking forward to:
This week being over. This week is looking to be very busy and I’m still unwell. The thought of curling up under the duvet with a book and melting into the world of a book for a while is keeping me going.

Favorite photo from last week:
This one from Ornamental.

She makes the most beautiful jewelery that I may hope to be able to afford one day. She was recently burgled and it must have been awful for her.This photo just made me smile; its the brightly coloured leaves against the wet floor and the stripy socks. It just gives me hope.

Favourite blog post from the last week:
This one, at Tiny Happy. I’ve followed her blog for at least 2 maybe 3 years I think…So long, I can’t remember when I started, at least and she makes beautiful things using recycled and lovely textiles and this post is about the reading corner she has created for her kids and at some level this is the kind of reading corner I want, with big pillows, a bookcase or two and a small table for a tea tray.

Ooh and you want to go and look at the quilt in this one..its beautiful.

Lesson learned the past few days:
That with good kind friends tough times can be made a lot easier and that poisonous people aren’t worth your energy..

(Posted from phone hence odd formating; will fix when I’m on a PC)

TTFN

This and that…

I’m curled up on the sofa under a duvet writing this on my phone.I’m dosed up on ibuprofen and strepsils and am smothered in vapour rub. I spent just under two hours yesterday morning sat in the walk in clinic waiting room to be told that I have a virus which is making me congested which is affecting my balance and making my lymph glands hurt like anything; mainly down one side of my body which is making me feel all lopsided and wobbly.

I’ve been ill for literally weeks now and I am understandably fed up.

On the upside not being up to doing anything means that last night I finished “THE SOCK” ahead of schedule which means the pair are completed, done, finished, finito with 3 days to spare and I can knit something else, journal properly (“THE SOCK” and illness had taken over) and think of creative projects again without adding – when I finish THE SOCK – to the sentence. I’ll get photos when he tries them on properly on his birthday.

In other news; I actually won something…I never win things!

I entered Cosymakes draw to win one of her hat patterns…In this instance the Snow Cat Hat…mainly on a whim. I thought the pattern was cute.Well, I was amazed to find the pattern appear in my inbox, and I have a few things to make first but someone I know is getting one of these for Xmas. Thanks Cosette!

I’ve had an unfortunate fortnight crockery wise and the demise of my new birthday tea cup and my favourite mug mean I’ve been looking at teacups and mugs online. I’m rather taken with theÖDMJUK series from IKEA, which would be a beautiful tea service to own but I’ve fallen in love with a particular range of cat related items called Cats in Waiting.

The mug that got broken was from this range and so it seems somehow meant to be to be wanting the teapot/teacup for one set.

Tea is important to me, or at least the little rituals that tea can involve. Its been part of my healing “program” for my anxiety; part of my efforts to get better; part of my cushioning myself from the world when things get too much and an excuse for leaving the house – a bit like my knitting.

Cabin fever has somewhat set in and I am becoming far too well versed in the intricaties of daytime tv; I’m struggling with pain and energy levels all the time at the moment, and just hoping I’m going to start getting better soon.

Thanks for listening to my small rant/whine thing, but unfortunatly it appears to be nap time again.

TTFN.

Foody Friday

Blogging seems to be easier for me at day intervals and it gives it a routine so I am starting my own Foody Friday over here at Purplestocking HQ.

On Wednesday I cooked the rather lovely Autumn Sausage Casserole from A Year of Slow Cooking ( I LOVE this blog!)

I made a few changes to the recipe, using good quality pork sausages and omitting the brown sugar as I think it will be sweet enough with apple, carrot and sultanas (instead of raisins) in it. Its an American website so the recipe using cups, but as long as you use the same cup to measure things its fine, and I happen to own an American measuring cup.

1 lb sausages, cut into chunks and browned and drained of excess fat.(a pack of 8 sausages is about right)
2 apples, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup carrot, chopped (about one medium sized carrot)
3 cups precooked long-grain rice
1/2 cup sultanas
1 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp black pepper( I have a mill so I just did a few twists)
1/3 cup water.
Put all your ingredients in the crockpot and stir well. Cook on low for 5 to 7 hours or high to 3-4

It smelt lovely as it went into the pot and already looked autumnal. (Photo taken precooking.) I cooked it for 5 hours and was a gorgeous spicy caramelised brown colour when its cooked. The fella had extra for tea and “reserved” the rest for his pack up lunch!

When I went to our lovely local greengrocers,  Millies, to pick up the apples and fresh carrots for the Autumn Sausage Casserole they had a big basket of locally grown Butternut Squashes so I bought three small ones and also tried out this recipe;

Gingered Squash and Pear Soup which I found at Jo’s Second Act. I’m lusting after her autumnal table runner in the photo over there!

INGREDIENTS
1 chopped onion
1 Tbsp grated ginger
1 large butternut squash
2 ripe pears
4 cups low fat low salt chicken broth
Salt and pepper (to taste)

Cook off the onion and ginger with a little oil until onion is tender and transfer it to the crock pot. Puncture the butternut squash skin and microwave for a minute to soften the skin and then peel and chop into 1 inch chunks. Peel, core and chop the pears and add those to the crock-pot. Add the chicken stock and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the pears and squash is tender. Cool slightly, then purée until smooth.

This soup is GORGEOUS, and I served it up with fresh baked crusty rolls and butter…though I cheated in the bread department; some of those half baked rolls from the supermarket that you finish off in the oven. I cooked it for about 2 hours on high. Make sure you remember to fit the lid on the blender properly though…guess how I know…

The rest got portioned up and frozen for future lunches.

Enjoy cooking these, and tell me what you thought!

WISPy Wednesday

Theres only one WISP this week….THE SOCK.

The Completed First Sock...

As I mentioned on Monday blogging about THE SOCK (as I have taken to referring to it)  had odviously spurred me into action and I knit the cuff and the first repeat at the weekend. I did another repeat at Knitting group on Monday and another two last night. That means just two more pattern repeats and then its heel and the never-ending foot! I have to admit that on the foot I’m not going to count rounds as its stockinette and then just keep knitting till its the same length as the foot on the other one. I might even get them done in time!

Poor Fella has put up with me ranting and nashing my teeth over these socks and asked rather nervously if this meant he wasn’t getting any more socks for a while….If he does they will be plain!

Odviously there hasn’t been much other knitting going on around here, although I have managed a few rows on the second bloomer leg in a moment of selfish knitting

Monday Musings

The weather in my neck of the woods:

Clear and sunny outside but I know if I go outside there will be a windchill factor going on…brrr!

One of my simple pleasures:

Seeing people at knitting group tonight.

On my bedside table:

White Crow by Mary Gentle; one of my favourite books. A real comfort read.

On my TV: Tonight: Flashforward, Generally;Around the World in 80 days,  True Blood, Have I got News for You, and the umpteen Star Trek repeats on Virgin1.

(BTW, am I the only person on the planet who hasn’t seen any High School Musicals or has neither read or watched Twilight??!?)

On the menu for tonight: Fish and Chips, the boy will do puppy dog eyes at me otherwise.

On my To Do List:

Finish THE SOCK!!

Done from last weeks To Do List:

Knit the Cuff of the Second sock –Blogging about it last week obviously spurred me on. Cuff and first repeat of pattern is done…only 5 more repeats, a heel, and a never-ending foot to do on THE SOCK……
See the doctor and find out why I’m not better yet – done…
Try out my new Slow Cooker – done and blogged about!

New Recipe I tried last week:

Lemon Herb Roast Chicken

New Recipe I’m trying this week:

Autumn Sausage Casserole from A Year of Slow Cooking. The fella even says it sounds nice. Other reviews I’ve read even say its nice cold in pack lunches…perhaps I shall have to make extra…

In the craft basket:

Everything crafty is on hold till THE SOCK is finished.

Looking forward to:

Sipping a hot chocolate at knitting group, chatting and getting that damn sock finished.

Favorite photo from last week:

This one, showing  a hexagon rug/blanket. Its from Knitting, Vintage and Rosy and someone sent it to her to show the inspiration behind the blanket they are making to the same pattern I am using.

Favorite blog post from the last week:

This one, from Domestic Goddess in Training, partly because I want her rolling pin, and partly because the recipe makes me go YUM!

Lesson learned the past few days:

That I really hate the sock pattern I am knitting, and my lack of energy.

TTFN

Journalling

I journal. I try to do so everyday. In fact I keep two!

I kept a diary as a teenager until the awful day my mother read it; I’ve still not entirely forgiven her nearly 15 years later.

I started again in mid 2007 and wrote it till the end of that year. I meant to start a new one on the first of the year 2008, but that was when the illness that sparked my anxiety and depression off again struck and it took till early August of this year for me to feel up to it again.

I find it soothing, and a place where I can work out things that truely bother me, or just mark the passing of my day. I record ideas and progress of projects and record information.

I use large hardback moleskine lined notebooks mostly and a particular type of ballpoint pen – a Staedtler stick 430M. I also have a Parker fountain pen as well which makes my handwriting looked lovely and I may start to use that more. I didn’t have a fountain pen for a long while when I moved to York as it was sacrificed to the moving gods – they always take/break something during your move.

I use pictures and momentos in my journal; pictures that I’ve seen and find inspiring, tickets from journeys, pictures of things I want to make or have made, and photos and postcards I really like.

I take my journal to most places, it lives in one of my two bags. As you saw in one of my recent posts I’ve even made a knitted envelope for it.

In my second journal I make short records of each day – somewhat like a book of days. For this I use an extra large soft cover academic 18 month diary. This one stays at home.

I’ve recently joined a Journal Swap on Ravelry and am really looking forward to it, I’ve got a really nice swap partner called KnittinDiva.

She’s from the US and seems really cool. I’m having fun thinking up things for her package.

So, do you journal?

(Picture found on web.)

Foody Thursday

I used my shiny new slow cooker for the first time on Tuesday. I used one of the recipes produced by CrockPot in one of the manuals available; I made Lemon Herb Roasted Chicken.

The beautiful smell of this cooking filled the house, rich and comforting, which was wonderful as having seen the doctor on Tuesday Morning I found out that my lungs are playing up and it will take at least 2 weeks before I’ll be able to take a deep breath without choking and coughing again.

Lemon Herb Roast Chicken
1 2-3 lb roasting chicken
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tbsp butter, softened
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp frsh parsley
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp paprika

Place the onion in the cavity of the chicken and rub the softened butter into the the skin. Place it in the slow cooker.
Squeeze the lemon juice over the chicken and sprinkle the herbs and seasoning over it. Cover it and cook it on Low for 8-10 hours or High for 4-5 hours.

I cooked it for 8 hours on low and it was moist and delicious with a very delicate flavour. I served it with Lemon and Coriander couscous. Next time I would put more lemon juice in, but then, I like strong flavours. It could also be nice with garlic added.

I used a small free range chicken – just over a kilo in weight – and it literally cooked in its juices and produced nearly a pint of stock for use at a later date.

I wish I had taken a picture of it to show you!

I’m posting this up as a contribution to Slow Cooking Thursday but I’m gonna talk about food in general on Thursdays  I think.

WISPy Wednesday

I’m still ill so you would think I have lots done…well, I don’t…Between naps and just simply not having the energy to do anything I’ve done hardly anything.

Knitting:

The first of Fella’s birthday socks is done and I unfortunately seem to have developed second sock syndrome. The boy has large feet and his socks always feel like a bit of a trek compared to mine.  I hope it isn’t also subconscious rebellion against Socktoberfest. That would be awful!

Seriously though – The top sock is mine, the bottom is his…no wonder they take so long!

I have made a mini sock – the idea is to make 2 dozen of them to be an advent calendar. The Fella and I find the prospect of an advent calender thats been sitting in the supermarket from the beginning of September particularly unattractive! It was fun and only took a couple of hours; great left over sock yarn project. If I knew of somewhere that sold mini skeins of sock yarn I might get some to make rainbow ones and black and purple striped ones and purple ones…

I’ve also been making mini (half size) bunting by quesselchen which is a very cool pattern. She and some others, including Tsuki, made metres and metres of it for Jen of Fyberspates. I literally halved the size of the pattern and adjusted accordingly. Excuse the fact I haven’t woven in the ends yet! I only plan to make a metre or so worth to go on one of my bookshelves. I think it will be 10 or maybe 20 little flags.

I’ve reached the 50 hexagon landmark for my blanket…just another 100 or so to go *rolls eyes* I must be a masochist. I need to do some proper maths and work out exactly how many I need.

I haven’t done a single stitch on my bloomers or my industrial rose socklets but I may give myself an hour on each at some point soon, or allocate one as Formula 1 knitting – then they get the Saturday qualifying time and the Sunday race itself dedicated to them.

I think I’m gonna hibernate my sideways silky short socks for the time being.

Sewing:

I’ve primarily been working on sewing on my rag doll.

I’ve made the body and I am currently embroidering her hair – Hundreds of french knots. I’ve done approx half her head so far and am using one of my huge doll making needles to help with pulling it through. I’ve already embroidered her face; I’ve made her less stern than the origional.

I do like the simple shape and I’ve decided to use brown rather than black to outline her features. Its softer. I will be giving her black Mary Jane style shoes and purple and black  stripy legs though – If I can’t wear purple stockings she may have to . Can’t decide whether to embroider or fabric paint them…i suppose I could even knit some!

I have some lawn I can make her undergarments out of and I’ll have to keep an eye out for a small enough print for her dress or a nice colour etc.

I’ve already had thoughts for more than one outfit.

Perhaps the fact I didn’t have dolls I could dress up as a child is finally affecting me! What do you think? Just what effect did my mother’s feminism and not wanting us to get affected by gender stereotypes have? Answers on a postcard please!

I’ve also been working on some quilting hexagons using some upholstery  fabric samples I was given. Am mostly planning to make them into a cushion for my computer chair..

I’ve got some garments planned at the moment, but they are waiting for me to feel up to clearing enough space to cut out fabric. More on those next week if i get anywhere with them.

Other:

I finally got round to cutting out a decent number of card blanks for ATCS…Now I just have to find the time/energy to actually make some and stick the little envelopes I’ve made together too! I would show you a photo but you really don’t want to see lots of little card rectangles…

I’ve been really enjoying blogging again the last few days and I am going to attempt to stick to some sort of loose schedule from now on.

Ooh and if I felt up to it I’d be out collecting leaves to make these.Aren’t they wonderful?!

October Autumnal Musings….

As happened last year I am currently musing on all things Autumnal.

As I mentioned last time around, I am somewhat biased towards this time of year. Its the season I was born into and therefore my first experiences of the world were tinged with autumnal tones, and the need to be warm and comfortable. The newspapers reported that due to a dry year we are having an earlier autumn, but I can’t say I noticed it coming any quicker but I welcome it either way.

Its the season when the light is beautiful; tinting things golden and making them shine, where the cold in the air is just enough to make you rush back inside for a scarf and gloves, even though the sun is streaming down. Squashes, pumpkins and the autumns crops of  winter vegetables are starting to appear at the greengrocers and the leaves on the trees are starting to change. The few trees that go red are starting to do so, and the local shops have started putting thier halloween displays out.

Some people see Autumn as a melancholy time, as people become more introspective and withdrawn than during the sociable summer months, but I find that time of self reflection and preparing for winter an important part of the year. Its a time for celebrations; My birthday and those of my parents are all in Autumn; in fact they are in concecutive months!

Harvest Festival was one of the few school activities I really got involved with at primary school – I missed a lot of school – but we would do the only majorly charitable act of the year that we were expected to take part in. It was the only cross cultural event everyone at my school could take part in. I went to a very mutlitcultural school. Everyone in the school would bring in a piece of fruit or a vegetable and a tin of food. These were then put into tissue paper decorated shoeboxes, wrapped in coloured cellophane, tied up with ribbons and then they were distributed at several of the local Elderly Care Homes. It saddens me that I don’t have that small contact with my community any more…but alas I am not the church going type and even then,  in this politically correct world, I’m not sure anyone does anything like that anymore.

Tea is high in my thoughts, as is hot chocolate and I dream of having a woodburning stove to settle down in front of in the evening as the nights start to draw in. My major project this autumn/winter is my hexagon blanket and I plan to be snuggling under it by spring. My inner seasonal clock is already aware that cold weather is on its way and it has me thinking of porridge and mulled apple juice, of homemade gingerbread and of warm stews with thick chunks of homemade bread with butter on it, of scented candles smelling of cinnamon, of pumpkin lanterns, and of chai tea and gingerbread flavoured coffee.

The thoughts of curling up with  cushions and blankets is also present in my mind as is the fact I need a new hotwater bottle, and probably some more flannel pyjamas this winter.

Wouldn’t Autumn be a pretty name for someone?

I’ll leave you with Evaleen Stein’s lovely autumnal poem; November Morning.

A tingling, misty marvel
Blew hither in the night,
And now the little peach-trees
Are clasped in frozen light.

Upon the apple-branches
An icy film is caught,
With trailing threads of gossamer
In pearly patterns wrought.

The autumn sun, in wonder,
Is gayly peering through
This silver-tissued network
Across the frosty blue.

The weather-vane is fire-tipped,
The honeysuckle shows
A dazzling icy splendor,
And crystal is the rose.

Around the eaves are fringes
Of icicles that seem
To mock the summer rainbows
With many-colored gleam.

Along the walk, the pebbles
Are each a precious stone;
The grass is tasseled hoarfrost,
The clover jewel-sown.

Such sparkle, sparkle, sparkle
Fills all the frosty air,
Oh, can it be that darkness
Is ever anywhere!

Monday Musings….

I saw this over at Diary of A Stay at Home Mum and thought it was a neat little idea, and so I thought I would do my own version. It will help me post more regularly for one! She Calls it Happy Homemaker Monday but I like my title for it too   I’m not really a homemaker, you see…

The weather in my neck of the woods:

Sunny but decidedly chilly. It was minus one last night which meant snuggling under the duvet and not wanting to get out of the bed this morning.

One of my simple pleasures:

Wrapping my hands around a hot cup of tea and closing my eyes as I sip it.

On my bedside table:

Too much stuff. I need to organise it…it should only have my meds and some books on it but at the moment theres stray jewellery, pens, a pile of comic books and some throat sweets, a pack of tissues and a sparkly headband, my meds and more books than I could read in an entire week of bedrest!

On my TV: Flash forward, Jamie’s American Road Trip, F1 Motor Racing, and the umpteen Star Trek repeats on Virgin1.

On the menu for tonight: No idea. I haven’t been shopping so something produced from what we have in the house probably.

On my To Do List:

Knit the Cuff of the Second sock – I am experiencing second sock syndrome…
Knit at least two hexagons
See the doctor and find out why I’m not better yet.
Try out my new Slow Cooker

New Recipe I tried last week:

None. But I have a slow cooker now, so that will change!

In the craft basket:

Hexagons, and my rag doll.I need to finish the french knots for her hair….

Theres also a pair of corduroy trousers waiting to be cut up to salvage the fabric, possibly to make a bag out of.

Looking forward to:

Feeling better.I’ve been sick for a fortnight now….

Homemaking Tip for this week:

Don’t let it get out of control so you can’t cope anymore….due to current illness I know this oh so well…

Favorite photo from last week:

It’s actually from the week before last but it’s still my favourite. Its my hexagons, all lined up in a row in their basket.

Lesson learned the past few days:

That when my body is telling me I’m ill I should listen to it….

TTFN