Thoughts and Biro Sketches

well-rounded

2012-02-01T10:49:00.007+01:00

my dear mum has been here for five days and its been glorious. we've been bracing the very cool change in the weather and wandered to the local markets for flowers and fresh produce. we've admired old books and little clothes and underground orchestras. sipped hot chocolate. cooked warm, comfort food. knitted, arranged drawers and patted a very round belly. talked a lot (as there's a lot to catch up on face to face after 10 months). and in the last two days i've come down with a thoroughly uncomfortable runny nose and sore throat - we've shared lemon and ginger drinks and watched downton abbey. and maybe a bit more patting of a round belly. it is a gift and a blessing and a wonderful feeling to have my mum here. happy new month to you, too.

recently sewn

2012-01-28T08:54:00.001+01:00

as the days draw nearer to our little babe arriving I find myself with surges of nesting - desiring to clean and cosy, make and prepare, craft too. I must add that I also find myself with waves of complete exhaustion and a desire to curl up and sleep. so I do a bit of both.

hooded baby towels - I drafted a very simple design; a square of towel with an extra triangle in one corner to form the hood and hemmed with bias tape around the edges. it was my first time sewing with bias and I am still no expert at getting it to look neat and tidy.

waterproof changing mat - I really swooned when I came across this laminated cotton with shakespeare's sonnet no.18 printed across it. I hemmed a yard of it to a soft flannel linen. I love the versatility of a mat which we can put down anywhere to change babe's bottom (and a read a little poetry while we're at it)

bright bibs - following this wonderful tutorial from purlsoho - i've been making bibs from scraps of cotton and leftover terry towelling. a couple of dear friends are expecting babes too, so it seemed like a good idea to start making some multiples to send over the seas..

and finally, something practical for mama. washable nursing pads - for leaks and let-downs. I used a teacup as a template and cut out as many circles of towel and flannel offcuts as I could manage. I then sandwiched a circle of towel between two pieces of flannel and zigzag stitched around the edge a couple of times.

happiest of weekends to you! what have you got planned?

my dear mum is finally here - so my plans mostly revolve around hugging her tight, curling up on the sofa and making delicious french things to eat...

dearest little'un

2012-01-26T16:24:00.002+01:00

hello baby so-nearly-here,

do you know that today is australia day? your papa and I celebrated in true fashion with a steak sandwich complete with beetroot, homemade lamingtons and billy tea. later I ate vegemite toast, listened to nick cave and read you my favourite les murray poem. I look forward to the day we bring you home to the sunburnt country - where the sky is so big and wide, the ocean blue, the air clean, the trees grey, the earth dry. I will take you to the bush, I will show you the steep hills and cityscape, we will cherish the company of our beloved kin, listen to squawking birds, feel salt water on our toes and the warm sun prickle our skin. one day, perhaps, we will take you for a drive - your papa and I - down the winding coast, past the red flame trees and the roadsides laden with lilies - we will take you to a valley that is forever etched in my heart and soul. and maybe we will spy a few kangaroos too.

love m & p

pauses

2012-01-24T18:35:00.000+01:00

oh clementines!

2012-01-21T10:43:00.010+01:00

Clementines are in season at the moment and they are especially good; easy to peel, juicy, with few seeds (or none). they come from the nearby sunny spain. i once visited spain a few years ago in wintertime and was taken with the sight of citrus trees laden with ripe and bulging fruit along streets and in parks...

this recipe is a take on orange and poppyseed muffins - with the addition of clementines for their soft delicate flavour.

you will need:

1 1/2 cups self-raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 caster cup sugar

2 tablespoons poppy seeds

2-3 clementines (or mandarins) - zested & juiced

75g melted butter (or vegetable/olive oil)

1 egg, lightly beaten

150ml of natural yoghurt

heat oven to 180'c. in a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, sugar, poppy seeds and a pinch of salt. in a separate bowl whisk together wet ingredients - pour into dry ingredients being careful not to over mix (you want the batter to be a bit lumpy). pour into muffin or cake tin and bake for 15-25 minutes or until risen and golden.

trees adorned with golden treasure - sevilla, españa

dearest little'un

2012-01-19T16:29:00.007+01:00

my sweet babe,

now thirty-eight weeks grown - time seems so steady, so still. i wake up each day and wonder when you will begin your journey out into our arms. i usher thanks for you, pray for peace and rest in grace. i take a short walk around the neighbourhood, buy fresh bread, drink tall cups of herbal tea. i read picture books aloud, and hum softly the words of songsmiths. i cry at the beauty of the sun shining through the glass and smile at the sound of the brown birds in the naked cherry tree. i arrange australian native flowers in a vase by the window. i hem new clothes and fold old ones. i stretch like a cat on my hands and knees. i keep my toes warm in socks and lamb skin boots. i eat a lot of oatmeal. i curl my head into your papa's neck. i wake a few times in the night to change position or pee or drink a glass of milk. i swoon when i feel you moving. I am your mama, emily clare, and my heart beats slow and steady beside yours.

easy peasy drawstring bags

2012-01-17T17:10:00.002+01:00

there is something so nice about sewing projects that you can start and complete within a single sitting. these drawstring bags are made out of tea towels and because they're already hemmed around the sides they're very simple to construct - they're also washable! Use them for whatever you like; carrying library books, your lunch, bread...

you will need:

clean tea towels (I'm using fairly large cotton ones 65cm x 50cm - pack of 4 cost $5 at ikea)

cord/ribbon

sticky-tape

pins/scissors/thread/sewing machine or willing hands and needle

how to:

1. make the drawstring - cut cord or ribbon to horizontal length of tea-towel - add an extra 2 inches to each side. Keep the edges from fraying; for ribbon use a heat-sealing method and for cord wrap a small piece of sticky-tape tightly around the end - cutting off any excess.

2. sew the top seam leaving enough room for your drawstring to thread through. To save the hassle later on of threading the drawstring I just pin it in place and seam carefully under it.

3. sew the sides - with right sides facing, sew one long L seam down the side and the across the bottom to the fold.

4. draw the string, and voila!

date scones with a twist (or two)

2012-01-13T17:52:00.006+01:00

I do love scones, especially when they're fresh and warm from the oven. today I had a craving for date scones and so made a batch using the incredibly simple but marvellous lemonade recipe. we're not fizzy drinkers and had a bottle lying around from a christmas party - it was a perfect way to put it to use! I added fresh lemon rind, hazelnuts and dates to the dough as an experiment and am totally smitten with the results - a fluffy, nutty, zesty, just-the-right-sweet scone!

3 1/4 cups self raising flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup cream

1 cup lemonade

3/4 cup dates, pitted, chopped

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest

1/4 cup hazelnuts, chopped

Soak dates for an hour in boiling water then drain away the excess liquid. Then in a large bowl mix flour and salt and form a well in the centre. pour cream, lemonade, dates, zest and hazelnuts into the well and stir with a knife until just combined. turn dough out onto a floured surface and gently knead with your hands until the dough is smooth and pliable (I needed to add an extra 1/2 cup flour at this point). Using your hands or a rolling pin flatten dough and cut as desired. Place scones "snug" pressing up against each other on a lightly floured or greased oven tray. Bake in a hot oven (220'c) for 10-20 minutes or until golden.

find links to all my recipes here

dearest little'un

2012-01-12T15:24:00.000+01:00

dearest little wriggle pot,

today the sun is shining so brightly, it hardly feels like winter at all. today we went outside to soak in as much golden light as we could. you are thirty-seven weeks and officially "full-term" - and while it doesn't feel as though the time as "flown by" it does seem so remarkable to remember the day - the morning - we realised you were there and only the size of a blueberry! now I feel your strong arms and legs and hips and hands moving all around, I feel your heartbeat and your hiccups, and the pressure of your head down low. these days we try and take things more slowly; getting a good nights sleep isn't so easy but falling asleep on the lounge after lunch appears to be. this morning two handmade things arrived for you; a ring sling made of linen and a wrap carrier in sturdy cotton. it was fun and a bit puzzling trying to work them out and thinking of you wrapped close. with all my love, mama x

breakfast muffins

2012-01-11T10:23:00.003+01:00

a wholesome eggless muffin, especially good for "elevenses" - that wonderfully hobbit-y inbetween breakfast and lunch meal.

you will need:

1 apple peeled and grated

1 cup wholewheat flour

1/2 cup oats

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup milk

1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar

handful of muesli or granola to sprinkle on top

mix all the dry ingredients together including the grated apple. in a separate bowl whisk together cream, milk, oil, sugar and vinegar. Fold wet mixture into dry, mix until combined. Spoon mixture into well greased or lined muffin tins, sprinkle with granola and bake for 20 minutes in a hot oven 190'c or until golden and cooked through.

(makes about a half dozen big muffins)

p.s. i've created a page with links to all the recipes i've blogged over the years in categories so its a bit easier to get to them

little creatures

2012-01-10T14:02:00.002+01:00

inspired by the swedish dala horses I made these little creatures for the babe to squish and chew on. The front is thick linen and the back cotton flannel, I used fabric offcuts and scraps for the stuffing and blanket stitched around the edges in colourful thread...

a tote

2012-01-08T16:35:00.004+01:00

Its been a long time since I last sewed a bag, even longer still since I sewed a bag for my own use and not for the shop, a market or as a gift. This is what resulted from a few hours crafting - a largish, sturdy linen and cotton bag. I really like her. I especially love the combination of heavy cotton printed with origami creatures (cutesy of ikea), linen lining and the embroidered cord tie at the top. For now its going to house baby things for our stay in the birth centre. Then who knows what it will carry; baguettes? nappies? fabric? baby?

dearest little'un

2012-01-05T15:30:00.002+01:00

Sweet child, you're thirty-six weeks grown today - that means about four weeks till we meet you, and only three weeks till your beautiful grandma (or as we shall call her in french mamie) comes to stay. All of a sudden I've felt the need to really get things ready for your arrival - so yesterday we picked up your bed and car seat and I've been busy washing your clothes and sewing various things for you. I've also been preparing my soul and body for your birth, but mostly I just focus on savouring the experience - the feeling - of you so close to my heart, moving around inside. love always, mama

a year for growing

2012-01-04T21:09:00.010+01:00

with the herald of each year i try to contemplate how i will approach it,

i pledge quietly resolves if you like, or hopes for might be -

this year 2012,

my pledge is not a long list

but simply

to grow

wide, patient, attentive,

loving, tender,

steadfast.

looking back

2011-12-31T22:00:00.005+01:00

2011

when I mull over the twelve months passed under my feet,

I try to pinpoint

moments,

memories

that make it the year it has been,

unlike the previous or

indeed like the one to come.

I see my reflection in mirrors

full of thirsty delight,

trepidation at moving,

grief and joy in resettling,

love for a new life growing,

a face so familiar

and yet steadier -

I pause slowly

and gather up the threads -

what has been woven around me,

what weaves gently

(as we speak)

inside me,

I want to say something lofty and true -

but all that comes out

rather softly

is that I am full of gratitude

and that my year began

with the grass of a growing garden,

and ends in the new growth of another.

dearest little'un

2011-12-29T17:25:00.004+01:00

Me oh my, little one you are 35 weeks grown today!

we have had a busy last week coming home from an adventure in Alsace, celebrating a wintry Christmas (in which you were blessed with many beautiful books and things), standing under real mistletoe that your papa harvested from a nearby tree, having your third trimester ultrasound, and another check-up with our midwife. On the scan we could see your head which is now facing down and in the right place for birth. I know its getting a lot less roomy in there for you, but you still amaze us with your wriggling. Its hard to believe that in around 5 weeks we will get to kiss your cheeks - and sweet newborn baby cheeks at that.

with so much love, m + p

Joyeux Noël

2011-12-24T08:55:00.003+01:00

for unto us a Child is born,

unto us a Son is given:

and the government

shall be upon

His shoulder:

and His Name

shall be called Wonderful,

Counsellor, The Mighty God,

The Everlasting Father,

Prince of Peace...

Happy, most joyful of days to you and yours -

May your homes be filled with love and light,

good food, rest and cheer...

p.s. if you haven't already seen this wonderfully quirky and truly children's nativity from NZ you really must. it will make you smile.

going home

2011-12-23T12:07:00.001+01:00

goodbye fair city -

you have been so good to us these past 10 days,

more than anything we have loved your quiet, reflective parts,

and have soothed our bodies and minds with music, movies, conversation, art and sleep -

we are sad to go, but excited to visit again as three.

marchés de noël

2011-12-22T16:20:00.002+01:00

Just a tiny glimpse of what one might see at the christmas markets here in strasbourg. come the festive season they are set up all over the centre city and around monuments and cathedrals - stalls bursting with glass boubles, pain d'epice, mulled wine, flambee, wooden toys, tea, locally brewed beer and collected honey, ornaments, flashing lights, roasting nuts, smoking chestnuts, santa hats, religious icons, plastic knickknacks and confectionary... I quickly find myself overwhelmed by the crowds, noise and razzle-dazzle.

We spent some time looking for a unique tree ornament to mark our happy stay here - and eventually we came across a small market on the edge of town with a stall selling handmade ceramic goods from the local (Alsace) region. A wee moon and star - they're just lovely.

finds

2011-12-21T10:19:00.003+01:00

Recently, we stumbled unexpectedly across the window displays of "La Mercerie" a place for finding beautiful sewing supplies and notions - the shop itself was closed but we stood wide-eyed and smiling at the work of crafty hands. the 25 days of christmas where depicted in fairy tales and fables, paper trees, pattern clothes, ribbons, lace and linen... it was a gift just beholding it all.

quiet covering of dawn

2011-12-20T17:53:00.006+01:00

its 5am

the houses still fast asleep,

my feet move about

creaking floorboards, fingers

fumbling at curtains

and windows,

at last my eyes

behold the

white dance of

whirling flakes of snow -

everything for a moment

is crystallised

and beautiful.

then,

somewhere warm, inside

a baby wriggles

and shares the moment

the quiet covering of dawn

I whisper,

and return

with a shiver to the

warmth of my lover,

sleeping soundly.

dearest little'un

2011-12-18T22:08:00.000+01:00

little one,

tonight bears a simple message... to say you are growing so perfectly and we are growing around you like tall trees; our branches and roots intermingling and arching over yours. we soothe our hearts and minds and bodies in a beautiful, olden city and pause often - almost always - to feel you, treasure you a little more on the inside, while we can.

from here, in strasbourg

2011-12-14T16:40:00.009+01:00

the past days have been filled

with unwinding,

soaking,

soothing -

in a home filled

with Spirit,

art on the tables, walls, floor -

by flickering lights

we find ourselves

in good sleep,

conversation,

cups of tea,

crochet,

walks through cobbled streets

flanked with white trees,

carved stone,

wrought iron,

water -

a city all at once

windy, wintry

bursting,

and beautiful.

dearest little'un

2011-12-11T20:41:00.001+01:00

hello little one,

you are thirty-two and half weeks grown, and wriggling about right now as I write. yesterday I finally made you a quilty christmas stocking to hang with your papa's and mine. it seems to be a year of firsts for us - my first christmas away from my family, my first cold one too, and of course our first with you. Tomorrow we're off on an adventure to Strasbourg for 10 days. I hope all the fairy lights and gingerbread and merriment will bode well with your heart and soul. I'll be sure to keep you nice and warm. We love you so... m + p

on the tenth

2011-12-10T22:49:00.002+01:00

around the home

2011-12-10T09:20:00.001+01:00

one might see, or smell

a little pine tree adorned with aunty jill's clay ornaments and jess' norwegian elves, a merry door wreath made from alex's twisted ivy vine and my cotton scraps, a beginning to a baby's wooly throw, a garland of lino-print snowflakes, a quilted ornament, a big batch of breakfast granola with a hint of orange and cinnamon, a special christmas tea that tastes like mulled wine - which for a pregnant lady like me is a perfectly wondrous alternative...

I wonder what happy things can be seen or smelt around your nest at the moment?

on the ninth

2011-12-09T21:52:00.012+01:00

J'adore pain d'épices. Well, any gingery food stuff really - like ginger ale (especially when home brewed), crystallised ginger, ginger snaps, ginger and caramelised pear cake, ginger tea, fresh ginger added to stir fry or tossed in steamed vegetables, pickled ginger and sushi, ginger jelly... but gingerbread is my most loved, and most craved come the festive season.

A few weeks ago was overjoyed when a dear friend returned from a trip to Canada and brought back with her golden syrup as I had requested! It seems impossible to buy it in France. I have discovered its possible to get molasses at health food shops, and honey aplenty anywhere! but not the dear australian pantry staple. I firmly believe golden syrup is a must for making gingerbread. While honey and molasses can be substituted - it doesn't taste as good as that wholesome 100% sugar cane syrup.

This is my tried and true favourite recipe for fragrant, gingery gingerbread:

60g butter
3/4 cup of golden sugar cane syrup
1 tbsp of crushed or grated fresh ginger
1 1/2 cup of plain flour
1/4 cup rye flour
1 tsp of bicarb soda
2 tbsp of ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp of ground cloves
1/2tsp of ground cardamon
1 tsp of cocoa powder
1 tablespoon milk

Melt butter over low heat in medium sized saucepan, add golden syrup and fresh grated ginger. Bring to the boil then remove saucepan from heat and stand 10 minutes. Add sifted dry ingredients and milk into the butter/syrup mixture then stir with a wooden spoon until smooth and well-combined. Cover with a tea-towel and stand at room temperature for 1 1/2 - 2 hours - the dough will become thicker in this time.

Then turn dough onto a flat surface which has been dusted with flour. Knead lightly, working in only enough flour until mixture loses its stickiness. Using a rolling pin roll out the dough to your desired thickness - I usually go for 1/2" - and cut out shapes as desired. Place shapes on oven trays lined with baking paper. Bake in moderate oven (190'c) for 8-10 minutes or until golden. Bake for a few extra minutes if you like them crunchy. Enjoy!

p.s. interesting talk was by erwin mcmanus of mosaic

dearest little'un

2011-12-04T13:50:00.001+01:00

well my darling,

now you're more than 31 weeks grown and getting bigger and fuller every day. very early this morning - before it was light - we held a special celebration for you. we being me here in our living room, and twenty or so women in my mum's living room (10, 543 miles away). We talked on skype about you, and laughed and drank tea and ate cake. I made you a honey chocolate cake with glazed icing - I fashioned a little pregnant lady surrounded by toadstools to go on the top. I think you would like the look of it. Do you know that so many people, all over the world, already love you? Its true, we're very blessed - you and I, to know them...

a recipe

2011-12-04T13:00:00.002+01:00

~honey glaze chocolate cake~

(for celebrations, no less)

I'm not such a huge fan of chocolate cake - I love love nibbling dark chocolate on its own (the 70 - 85% stuff) - but I usually find cake too sweet and floury. This cake is wonderful however, and I think my favourite chocolate cake yet. its rich and dark and sticky and not too sweet - the hint of honey is marvellous. Alex who does love chocolate cake agrees, its pretty darn good. So its got the manly-endorsements too.

recipe from nigella's book "Feast" (with a few minor adjustments)

100g dark chocolate 70% cocoa min (I used 85%)

200g butter

1 cup light brown sugar

125 ml runny honey

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups plain flour

1 tsp bicarb soda

1 tbsp cocoa powder

boiling water

for the glaze:

water (30ml), honey (100ml), 100g dark chocolate, 2 tablespoons cocoa powder

Let eggs and butter come to room temperature. Meanwhile melt the chocolate for the cake. Set aside to cool. In a separate bowl beat together sugar and soft butter until airy and creamy then add the honey. Add one of the eggs, beating it in with a tablespoon of the flour, then do the same with the second egg. Fold in the melted chocolate, then the rest of the flour and the bicarb soda. Add sifted cocoa and beat in the boiling water - you should have a thick-batter like mixture.

Place batter in a well greased and paper lined 23" circle tin - spring-form or regular works fine. Bake in a moderate oven (180'c) for up to 1 1/2 hrs - but check after 45 minutes - mine cooked in 1 hour. Let the cake cool completely in the tin or on a rack.

To make the glaze bring the water and honey to boil in a small-medium saucepan, then turn off the heat and add finely chopped chocolate, swirling it around to melt in the hot liquid. Leave it for a few minutes then whisk together and sieve in the cocoa. Stir again till smooth.

Choose your plate or stand and cut out four strips of baking paper and form a square outline on the plate. this is to catch any spillage of sticky icing (so that it doesn't run all over the plate if thats what you desire). Sit the cake on top of the paper. Pour the icing over the cold cake and smooth it over the top and sides. The icing stays very sticky - Nigella suggests waiting at least an hour for it to set but mine was still very tacky at one hour of room temperature. I actually left it in the fridge overnight and it became beautifully hard and set.

Enjoy on its own, or with a dollop of creme fraiche or the like!

on the second

2011-12-02T21:09:00.000+01:00

let there be lights and merry music

on the first

2011-12-01T22:25:00.004+01:00

As you know today is the beginning of December. It is the first time in my twenty-two or so years that Christmas will be outside of Australia and faraway from kin. alex and I are determined to make it a special, reflective and celebratory time for our little family nonetheless.

growing up I relished our annual advent calendar - a tree shape filled of boxes made of sturdy card - in which my mum (and later we children) put messages, verses, sweets and planned adventures for the 24 days leading up to Christmas. Sometimes it was things like "I love you" and a little candy waited for each of us, or a planned outing like "trip to the beach" or an instruction like "there are ripe sugar plums waiting in the fridge"...

I wanted to continue the tradition - so this year I made 24 little envelopes out of old wrapping, book and stationary paper. I strung them up with cotton and pins. I have the task of filling all the odd-numbered days with a message or instruction - Alex has the even. Tonight's was drink spicy chai and write festive cards to friends and kin - and we did, just that.

an ode to autumn, again

2011-11-30T22:08:00.002+01:00

oh autumn,

here I farewell thee

for a second time this year -

here I reflect

on your diminishing,

golden, crisp-eyed days,

how you've

wrapped me up in

long hair, wool and leaf-meal,

how you've

romanced me with

scant sunshine and blushing dusk,

months where

i've gathered the harvest,

buried bulbs, felt my child moving,

and begin to prepare,

for a new season;

hibernation,

and birth.

dearest little'un

2011-11-28T14:33:00.006+01:00

my sweet babe,

now you're thirty and a half weeks grown and still rumbling and wriggling around as ever. Autumn's almost ended and the shops are full of walnuts, quinces and persimmons. At dusk the air smells of wood fires. For the last couple of days I've felt the need to slow down and take things gently. Tonight your papa and I started reading Fellowship of the Ring by JRR Tolkien out loud - we plan to re-read the whole trilogy to each other (and you). I wonder which characters you will like best, which moments will capture your heart and imagination... keep growing healthy and strong dear one -

love m & p

afternoon tea

2011-11-25T15:00:00.002+01:00

a delicious pause of homemade blueberry/rye bagels with ricotta and honey, lapsang souchong tea and quiet looking out the window to the rain. hope you're having a happy friday too x

before and after

2011-11-22T13:41:00.011+01:00

so last night I had a bath for the first time in our little house. it was bliss for my sore back and dusty toes. I am so proud of my man for all that tiling, plastering, building, drilling, plumbing and leak-fixing. not to mention the removing of the broken, moulding shower that stood in its place. truly I am a blessed woman. for so many things, but especially for this.

dearest little'un

2011-11-21T18:00:00.001+01:00

dearest little one,

I am noticing my body change more and more to accomodate your growing frame. your papa and I never seem to bore of watching the ways you turn my round belly into strange triangular and square and miscellaneous shapes. we are certain you will like to climb trees and do adventurous things, what will all those acrobatics you are performing at the moment (not to mention your granddad's inclinations). Lately i've been craving spelt liquorice and yoghurt and kiwifruits - but not all at once. I have also begun making a list of things to make and do in the next ten or so weeks before you arrive. pelvic floor stretches, sleep and reading aloud to you are at the top.

love mama x

old and new

2011-11-20T21:37:00.002+01:00

some twenty-four years ago my mum crocheted this pair of pink and green overalls for her second baby, still ripening in the womb. he would be my older brother, the one born before me.and with the exact same pattern I find myself crocheting a pair of overalls for my baby, my first - in cream, red and minty green. there is something lovely about the thought of our little one rolling around in my brother's old pair of overalls, and a new pair made especially.

then a month or two back a very dear friend sent over some rainbow pastel crepe wool; leftover balls from the knitted garment she made for one her babies more than 30 years ago. I had just enough to crochet a little cropped jacket and a pair of thick booties. Then using some new wool - actually the same cream and minty green from the overalls - I crocheted a wee elfin hat. It seems to match the jacket and booties perfectly.

oh I do love the growing collection of old and new wooly things that this babe will wear ♥

A Friday Recipe

2011-11-18T16:50:00.007+01:00

Its true I am a quince girl through and through. You know that line in "The Owl and Pussycat"- they dined on mince and slices of quince which they ate with a runcible spoon? Well, that's pretty much a perfect meal to me.

Its friday, and after a long week, for Alex especially; who is renovating our bathroom and as we speak finishing the grout on the tiles around our new little bath - I thought we needed a little special something to commemorate. This recipe is my favourite way to eat quinces aside from baked or poached on their own.

Rustic Quince Tarte Tatin (adapted from theserendipitouschef)

2 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup cold butter, cut into little cubes
1/3 cup very cold water
4 whole quinces
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup honey

Preheat oven to 190'c. Combine the pastry dry ingredients in a bowl and combine with fingertips until your mixture resembles shortcrust pastry. Turn out pastry onto bench top and knead into a ball before rolling out into a disk. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes in the fridge. While the pastry is chilling prepare quinces by peeling, coring and slicing them thinly.

Combine the butter and honey in a heavy bottomed fry pan. Gently heat for about 5 to 7 minutes. Swirl pan to combine butter. Add the quince slices, toss to coat completely, and sautee over medium heat until the slices start to soften, stirring frequently.

Turn off the heat. Working quickly, remove the slices from the pan to a plate. Arrange the slices in the pan (or plate in my case) in a close, interlocking design. Pour leftover honey/butter liquid over quince. Roll dough into a circular shape about 1/4 inch thick. Place circle of dough over surface of quince and tuck edges underneath to neatly cover. Prick the centre of the pastry with a fork a few times.

Bake 40 minutes or until pastry is golden (I lost track of the time and left mine in for 1 hour which is why its a little caramelised around the edges) Remove from oven and let stand 15 minutes. Flip quince tart onto a serving plate or wooden board. Savour that beautiful blushing quince with a dollop of créme fraiche or whatever you fancy.

over and out,

the quince lady

(soon to be eating-quince-in-the-bath lady)

the things you miss

2011-11-17T15:34:00.001+01:00

its been six months since we first arrived here in france. it feels bitterly cold all of a sudden. i feel sad to be missing the jacarandas in bloom back home in sydney, australia. i look through photos I have taken of those purple petals over the years... they fill me with nostalgia and longing for once so familiar, nearby places, trees, ground. for a moment i close my eyes and I can see them falling, feel them softly beneath my toes. in the cold air i sense a warmth. somewhere deep in the heart; a burning memory - of purple.

dearest little'un

2011-11-14T17:43:00.002+01:00

twenty eight and half weeks today, my little one -

this weekend we went away on a conference for three days at a beautiful countryside convent. you were patted and blessed by many women, including a french nun and a moroccan singer. the fresh air and reflection was restorative on your mama's body. every time a song was sung in arabic you began to wriggle, perhaps you are inclined towards its sounds and nuances too. we're told you have your own patterns of sleep now, and it seems you like to be awake when I'm trying to sleep. feeling you moving around when I stir in the early hours of the morning feels like a secret language between us. its marvellous.

love your mama x

between the cloisters and the walnut trees

2011-11-13T21:43:00.010+01:00

three days away,

three days a kind of respite -

finding myself once again

strangely warm, uplifted, understood

in quiet, echoing spaces.

the crunch of leaves underfoot,

of fallen walnuts,

sunlight through the cloisters,

clashes of sound -

women ululating in celebratory praise,

nuns gently stepping over tiles,

crows circling,

i commence my morning vespers

around the convent walls,

the babe and I,

and our spirits -

breathe in crisp air,

run fingers through shaking trees,

recite words old and true,

pause awhile

i do not know what you would think of this place,

i do not know if its solitude, its solace

would beckon you,

or the candid communing among my compagnons,

arabic benedictions, glittering robes,

glistening eyes,

but for me,

it was living water

to drink and share.

nearby

2011-11-10T21:58:00.004+01:00

and the ground begins to hum

dearest little'un

2011-11-07T13:22:00.004+01:00

Oh love,

you are twenty-seven and a half weeks, and we're officially started the "third trimester". This is the time where you start to lengthen and fill out that little frame of yours. Already, we know you love to wriggle, and stretch, and listen to groovy music (bon iver, nick cave, kate rusby, the unthanks). I sometimes wonder whether you'll have a great head of dark hair like I had when I was born or be nearly bald and blonde like your papa. We're decided on a name if you're a girl, but are still mulling over variations of names if you're a little boy. The most common thing I'm asked in french "is it a girl or a boy" to which i reply "i don't know, I'd love either". which is true. we love you just as you are x

i love

2011-11-04T17:14:00.006+01:00

that i married a man who grows trees in glass bottles,

that the sun made frequent cameos among the rainclouds,

the luxury of blueberries and rye flour arriving at the door,

the taste of fresh ginger tea on my tongue,

the sound of the birds circling at dusk,

the slow stretches for my aching back,

the joy of what comes next,

the promise of tomorrow -

yes, that every day is new.

adventures in bread-making: apple challah

2011-11-03T14:05:00.010+01:00

I am determined to branch out in my bread-making. so this morning I made my first loaf of challah, which is a jewish egg-based bread. I was wooed over by a honey and apple variety curtsey of smittenkitchen (which truly is my online recipe haven). The dough was easy to make, though my attempts at braiding were very amateur. The end result is a moist, soft, slightly-sweetened bread with delicious chunks of apple and a faint aroma of mixed spice. Its kind of like a healthy-ish brioche where butter and sugar are replaced with honey and oil. However, it was difficult to resist eating a good deal of it alongside a cup of earl grey tea... That and its been raining all day long.

Hoping your Thursday is a happy one so far,

you are all welcome here for some challah and tea ♥

2011-10-31T17:27:00.009+01:00

here we find ourselves again -

on the brink,

trying to savour moments that end

too quickly, and hurry those that linger

too long,

marvelling at the beauty of nature unleaving -

yet holding fast to a little spring,

finding a kind of magic, serendipity,

on the chilli bush overrun with ladybugs,

in the faint red glow of hair,

the golden of the walls -

we warm our bellies

with good, earth-grown things,

lemons and honey,

and a every now and again

a little treat

too.

________________________________________

+pumpkin & date cookies+

1 cup wholewheat flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp mixed spice

1 large egg

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup oil (I used olive but canola or sunflower would work well)

1/4 cup dark molasses

1/2 cup of steamed fresh pumpkin, pureed

1/2 cup of chopped, pitted dates

+Preheat oven to 350'c. Whisk whole-wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, allspice and nutmeg in a large bowl. Whisk egg, brown sugar, pumpkin, oil and molasses in a second bowl until well combined. Stir the wet ingredients and dates into the dry ingredients until thoroughly combined. Drop the batter by level tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing the cookies 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake the cookies until firm to the touch and lightly golden on top, switching the pans back to front and top to bottom halfway through, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Soft and pillowy these cookies are sensational, and for a special treat you can try sandwiching them together with some fresh whipped cream or smooth ricotta.

dearest little'un

2011-10-30T22:14:00.001+01:00

little one,

do you know that in less than fourteen weeks we will get to meet eye to eye... lately we've been planning how we will make room for you in our tiny one-bedroom maisonette (which is the romanic French way of saying granny-flat). How cosy we three will be! We've decided that your bed will go right next to ours. We're also going to start fixing up the bathroom this month so that its clean and working well. The leaves on the cherry tree have begun to fall and our garden is getting a bit frost bitten and shrivelled. Each day is shorter than the previous, and we are enjoying the warm sunny days as much as we can. Stay happy and well, wriggle-pot.

love m + p

around the home

2011-10-24T21:40:00.007+02:00

about the air -

a quiet wind

whispering,

a rustle of leaves

on shelves, walls,

falling from the light fixture -

this home of ours,

an autumn

bower.

dearest little'un

2011-10-23T16:10:00.002+02:00

Little one, baby child -

you are 6 months now. and while I should say "the time has flown by" it doesn't really feel that way at all. every day and week has come with my pausing to contemplate you. sometimes i want to hurry up and meet your face, other times I am content feeling you moving inside, knowing you are covered and safe and growing just as quickly as you need to. you are teaching me all kinds of things, but above all you are teaching me to be tenderly patient...

adventures in bread-making: bagels

2011-10-21T08:25:00.002+02:00

Oh how I love bagels. that chewy, wonderful taste.

I have made this recipe twice now and been delighted. it is really worth the saga. Both times I've halved the recipe (that makes about 12 medium sized bagels), I also substitute half the flour for rye. this time I used 1/2 multigrain & 1/2 rye. instead of barley syrup I use backstrap molasses, I am sure thats what adds that "taste".

My favourite topping is smooth ricotta with honey. and a sprinkle of fresh blueberries. I didn't have the latter, but the ricotta & honey was so good.

Tell me, if you're a bagel fan, how do you like yours best?

a quilt for the little'un

2011-10-20T08:24:00.009+02:00

my latest crafty project for the little'un is this cheery circle quilt. At first I wasn't sure what quilt design to do - all I knew was that I wanted it to be bright and whimsical, not overly girly or boyish (because we're waiting till birth to know if this loved child is a he or she), and that I could use the relatively small bundle of scraps and offcuts I had with me. I think it was on google that I came across photos of this wonderful quilt - and a tutorial to go with on constructing the circles.

the quilt is quite little - about a metre square. my circles are a bit "unique"- but they are so bright and lovely. The wadding is a second hand cotton blanket my mum sent me and the backing is soft-as-a-lamb cotton flannel a dear friend sent for the babe. So you could say this quilt truly is a mosaic of old and new. I quilted with cotton thread around each circle in simple small stitches. Across the bottom I embroidered a message, accompanied by a few tears and many smiles. truly, I can't wait to watch the babe stretch out and sleep and roll on it...

p.s. alex crafted this little time lapse film of me making the final touches to the message. at the end the baby started kicking, a mark of approval I think!

♥

chewy apricot logs

2011-10-18T13:27:00.013+02:00

after a three day bout of blue skies and sunshine - the grey clouds, wind and rain has returned. there is something about foreboding weather that makes me what to cook. alex and I were reminiscing on the chewy apricot and coconut balls or "logs" we had when we were kids. usually around christmas time. and because I just happened to have some dried apricots, nuts, and condensed milk I made some logs. its super easy, and delicious - especially when accompanied by warm tea and a blanket.

1/2 cup of sesame seeds

1/4 cup of almonds, chopped

1 packet of plain biscuits, crushed

1 cup of desiccated coconut

1 cup of dried apricots, chopped

1 tin of condensed milk

more coconut to roll

gently heat and agitate sesame seeds and almonds in a fry pan until golden. in a bowl combine all ingredients with a wooden spoon. then using your hands shape "logs" (i made three short ones) in a mound of desiccated coconut. shape firmly and place on a baking paper lined plate or container. refrigerate for an hour or more. cut into thin slices.

dearest little'un

2011-10-17T15:04:00.000+02:00

dearest little one,

my goodness you are twenty four and half weeks grown and you weigh around 600 grams. to celebrate on the weekend I baked a fresh 600g loaf of grainy rye bread. It was delicious, but the thought of you swimming around inside - my very own bun in the oven - is even better. your papa and I already feel like we know you so well, what with your kicking and wriggling and turning as we talk (and laugh especially). recently we bought your very first sling - it is soft and padded. I hope you will like nestling into it - close to our heartbeats.

love m + p

weekending

2011-10-16T20:36:00.013+02:00

adorning sills and tables with small notes of cheeriness,

harvesting and eating the bizarrely shaped cucumbers,

savouring the smell and weight of homemade bread,

delighting in baking that can be shared with others,

penning words to faraway kindreds,

reading gentle insights on caring for little ones, and carrying them too,

enjoying the crunch of popcorn cooked in olive oil,

resting in the warm embrace of a couch laden with pillows,

embracing a new work project that involves hands, paper, pens, thread, careful placing and revealing...

I hope you had much to savour in your weekend too,

for little feet

2011-10-13T20:43:00.000+02:00

tiny shoes - kimono style - for the winter babe (whose little toes will surely need to be kept warm) I made these ones from cotton, linen and fleece remnants. Find the pattern here.

dearest little'un

2011-10-10T10:23:00.006+02:00

dearest one,

I am waiting

differently this time,

a necessary waiting -

a pause

for stirring,

and growing

expanding,

preparing

in little ways each moment,

a tiny flutter of butterflies,

an awakening of some

kind of ancient love,

conversations late into the night

with my lover's hand against

the place -

you are

dancing,

its strange -

and wonderful

to imagine life

in a few more months

with you in our arms,

with so so much you.

friday things

2011-10-07T19:14:00.011+02:00

the sound of rain on the path,

the feeling of oats in my fingers,

the joy of receiving wool from afar,

the outdoor projects of my lover,

the gathering and slow simmering of pears,

the quiet folding of paper,

the collection of cuttings by the sewing machine,

the grey light through the curtains,

the gaze of my grandmas,

the warmth of soft soled shoes,

the belly growing and rounding,

the comfort of words hundreds of years old,

gladdens this friday soul -

how about you?

for my mama, who turns a year older today

2011-10-04T12:12:00.001+02:00

suddenly

the precious

is the branch of eucalyptus

a grey green emblem

of my birth place -

found in a nearby yard,

is a letter in my hand,

with familiar curling

y's, dotted i's, crossed t's

are the weathered pages

of poetry and prose

and the knowledge

that you thumbed them

through your fingers,

are memories

so carefully collected

in my heart

of your smile,

your smell,

your voice quietly

travelling through the house

is the anticipation

of hearing your breath,

seeing your face near mine -

and watching you love

my babe,

as you do me -

tenderly,

so tenderly.

dearest little'un

2011-10-03T14:53:00.006+02:00

dearest little one,

now you are twenty two and a half weeks grown we love you more than ever. today we had your ultrasound and saw you wriggling around and sucking your toes - what a clever, flexible soul you are! we took you to the australian embassy and basked in the sunshine below the nearby eiffel tower. its your grandma's birthday tomorrow and she's just bought tickets to be here with us when you arrive, I know you will love her as much as I...

sunday scones

2011-10-02T10:12:00.010+02:00

its sunday morning and the air is sweet with baking,

I woke up and thought I'd give the lovely Hannah of Sugar & Spoon's scone recipe a try - the addition of lemon zest is so good.

I also made some fresh lemon curd to go with them,

here's the recipe:

~no-sieve necessary lemon curd~

3/4 cup caster sugar

2 whole eggs + 2 egg yolks

zest and juice of two lemons

80 g butter

With a hand (or electric) beater cream eggs and sugar. add lemon and butter and beat. pour mixture into a small saucepan and stir on a low gentle heat until the mixture darkens and thickens. my mixture came out smooth so I poured it directly into jars - it should should keep well for up to two weeks in the fridge - it can be frozen too.

happy sunday dear hearts ♥

october 1st

2011-10-01T15:37:00.012+02:00

today begged to be herself,

unseasonably hot -

she told me early

to take it slow,

and move

untrammelled by the month's plans

and the busyness of weeks past -

today begged for colour

and making things,

with light feet

and sips of icy water

for the taste of things fresh and satisfying on our tongues,

for the hands to grant another inch to the blanket,

and commence the quilting of circles,

for the mind to draw plans for little clothes, overalls perhaps and a soft hooded coat,

and a slow savouring of words and song,

inside,

the little one wriggles

and i wonder if they are the movements

of a little she,

who like her mamma

wriggles

a lot

outside,

the trees sway

and the sun beats

a happy, steady tune

the cucumbers grow, little by little

and tiny violets creep over the beds.

a nice discovery

2011-09-30T07:30:00.000+02:00

hip horrah, hip horray! we surely did find a place that served pearl tea - and though the tea selection was as tiny as the shop itself and we had to queue up and wait for 10 minutes - the taste of those chewy, caramelised tapioca balls and icy cold green tea was worth the adventure. as was the sight of their wooden sign...

dearest little'un

2011-09-25T21:18:00.008+02:00

dearest one, tonight you are twenty-one and a half weeks and growing... often when I roll over in bed in the middle of the night you start kicking around, as though you too are finding a new position to rest and dream in. now you have little eyelids and your ears can hear us talking. every day I find myself speaking to you aloud, and lately i've been reading you poetry, lines like

"I walk, I lift up, I lift up my heart, eyes",

"to the trees and the stars and the fish in the tide"

and "what wondrous life in this I lead"

(indeed) x

crochet for the babe

2011-09-24T17:25:00.010+02:00

ever since I found out I was carrying this little one I have wanted to crochet wee little things. I have been limited by my very very small yarn stash - you see, I could only fit a few skeins and balls of this and that on the plane here... (all the rest is in a big plastic container back in Australia) I've made do, and so far the babe has little woollen pants made from my leftover cardigan green, a pair of soft booties, and a flat bunny both in organic, undyed Japanese cotton. I particularly like mr flat bunny, alex says he looks like a ghost bunny, but I think he's perfect for shrunching up and chewing - which I'm sure our little one will be very much inclined to do! I've just started on a hexagon shell and ladders baby blanket in a fine silk/wool blend. Now that the weather is getting cooler it is a lovely thing to curl up of a night in bed with the babe and hook a few stitches...

patterns: pants, flat bunny, booties and blanket

yarn: quince & co "osprey", quince & co "tern", pierrot organic cotton

morning ritual

2011-09-23T09:05:00.001+02:00

around the house

2011-09-20T16:04:00.001+02:00

we are slowing bringing life to our walls,

erecting shelves, hanging art, folding paper creatures,

in some cases temporary fixtures on unfinished surfaces -

like alex's poetry and an array of postcards

(next to the loo)

which we're beginning to love

permanently...

dearest little'un

2011-09-19T14:35:00.000+02:00

hello little one,
today you are twenty and a half weeks. you've been moving a lot lately, its a curious sensation in my lower belly - like a gentle tap of a finger or a muscle twitching. its rather nice. a few days ago we celebrated your papa's 29th birthday and he was showered with lovely thoughts and things. we had belgium meatballs and rich caramelised banana cake for a treat. we are so blessed to have him. most mornings you and i sit by the window and watch the sun shining against the foggy glass. i whisper you psalms and sip earl grey tea. in a few months time we will sit in that same place and i will hold you to my breast as the sun comes up...
love mama

birthdayness

2011-09-18T20:55:00.004+02:00

highlights from A's birthday included a big long sleep in, warm breakfast, the reading of hilarious birthday emails, cards from faraway, lover letters from nearby, enjoying a lunch of pumpkin risotto in the sunshine, and dark chocolate & orange rind brownies not long after, sharing dinner with friends, watching a compelling sci-fi movie on a projector, eating a super delicious, messy caramalised banana and mascapone cake, and soaking in the light of a new addition to the living room....

today twenty-nine

2011-09-17T08:44:00.000+02:00

i love you,

because you have had the worst and the best of me, and loved it all

because you twist your beard in your fingers when you're thinking

because you love music like you do boxes; rusty and interesting

because you write poetry on the bathroom wall to cheer me up

because you have a little spot of white hair on your left temple

because you can climb trees whilst drinking a strong latte

because you string up fairy lights around the clothes line

because you are so sensitive it bewilders and bestirs me

because you always do the weeding and never complain

because your face is beautiful to watch in conversation

because you see so much promise in abandoned things

because you fold and wrap and arrange with precision

because you stir in your sleep when I stroke your face

because you let me warm my hands on your back

because you glow among the company of friends

because your handwriting should be a typeface

because you like quirky romantic foreign films

because you might be a 18th century pirate

because you paint with earthy, fleshy hues

because a part of you in growing in me

because you tread softly about my soul

because you can grow trees in bottles

because you are wooed by the ocean

because you take photos of shadows

because you have the strongest hold

because you kiss me on the neck

because you own a bat skeleton

because you live by grace

because you are mine

(and more)

happy birthday,

sweet man

♥

an ode to the little brown bird

2011-09-14T15:18:00.004+02:00

little brown bird

each day

I catch glimpses of you -

a shimmer of golden light

and bare ground

where you were seconds ago,

every day

I leave crumbs on the path

for you to snatch up

and dance about

for a tiny moment

before I appear in the doorway,

I try to hide myself

behind the curtains

and watch you play

hide and seek

in the ivy,

jumping jack

on the wall,

how can I tell you

how much delight

your fluttering brings me?

i capture you in thread

to linger around your

form a little longer,

and every day

I scatter crumbs

on the path.

a recipe for a lazy morning

2011-09-13T18:50:00.002+02:00

Some time ago I was looking for rye flour in the grocery store and came across enticing bags of "farine de blé noir" not knowing exactly what this was I bought some. Turns out it was dark buckwheat flour - in France its most commonly used for making savoury crepes. So far I've used it for making a dense wholemeal bread and most recently for making lazy morning pancakes - which alex and I both agree are simply delicious - more so than plain wheat ones. here's the recipe:

1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 t salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup yoghurt
1 large eggs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1-2 tablespoons honey (you can add more if you want really sweet pancakes)

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. In a separate bowl whisk egg and honey together until light and frothy. Add flours and milk/yoghurt mixture alternatively - stirring slowly after each. Stir in melted butter. Heat a teaspoon of butter in a skillet or large flat fry pan and when hot cook spoonfuls of mixture - and flip over when bubbles appear. Repeat till all your mixture is used up. Enjoy hot or cold with maple syrup, honey, jam or even with a slice of cheese!

Personally, I like them best cold - but then again I also like my toast cold too...

dearest little'un

2011-09-10T22:24:00.007+02:00

dearest little one,

today you're nineteen and a half weeks grown and nearly half-way to when we get to meet you face to face. on a few occasions recently I have laid awake in bed wondering if my stomach might explode due to you growing so much bigger all the time and my middle so much tighter (your pappa said it was highly unlikely, and he was right). you'll be proud to know we got through our last week of french school and are trying to speak it as much as we can despite there being so many things to remember! to celebrate finishing we met up with our new german friend and ate fresh bread by the seine. I really wish you could see how red our geraniums are at the moment. i wonder too, if you've noticed how much makizushi we've been making and eating....

we love you so,

un cardigan pour l'automne

2011-09-06T10:15:00.000+02:00

meet sylvia,

she's my new wooly companion this autumn.

made from the delicious quince&co wool (dye colour "lichen") and a straight forward pattern you can download for free here (I modified it to fit a 36" bust and added 1/2 sleeves). all up it took me about two weeks to knit using the hours spent travelling the RER and metro into french school for the past month and while unwinding of an evening. she is so soft, lovely and warm without being too hot on the arms. i found the buttons for about $2 on ebay - they are made of pale green shell. i like the knowledge, also, that Sylvia really is parisian because this is where she has grown up... all she knows are the orchestras of chatelet underground, the streets of saint placide, and the jardin du luxembourg. how extravagant.

do you have any clothing companions for this season?

dearest little'un

2011-09-04T16:51:00.007+02:00

dearest little one,

today you're eighteen and a half weeks and to celebrate we took you to mama's favourite musee in paris and stood you in front of monet's waterlillies, matisse's lounging women, picasso's embracing couple and renoir's strawberries. it felt peaceful carrying you around. we enjoyed the cool autumn breeze and ate homemade bagels for breakfast. a few days ago we visited our midwife or in française - sage-femme which means "wise-woman". she is definitely that, and above all very kind and thorough. we talked about how we would like you to be able to come into the world as gently and naturally as possible. we listened to your steady little heartbeat too. love m & p

soaking in summer, an ode

2011-08-31T08:13:00.014+02:00

tommorow

the season changes formally,

but all around

in sky

and sights, smells

its already begun -

air in the mornings

that bites at the nose

as I empty out yesterday's tea leaves,

white crosses on the horizon

from planes flying overhead,

fogged window panes,

and the whiff of smoke at dusk,

small displays around the house

of what bright flowers we can find,

warmth of our bed,

that much harder to get out of -

a last collection of blackberries and dropping apples,

and growing anticipation for the green persimmons,

not yet ripe,

and I find myself staring at my uncle's beautiful life drawing - showing a woman catching the sun of her bare skin as she reclines against mattress and flamboyant wallpaper... in a curious way it sums up the summertime in france for me: the green backdrops, calm faces, a different side of the sun - somehow gentler, precious, fleeting.

yesterday evening as we walked home from the station I caught a sight of my neighbour on his sun-drenched balcony; sleeves and pants rolled up, sunglasses on, sitting in a plastic fold out chair, soaking... I think I saw a smile too.

a little reminder perhaps, to catch a last soak of the season while we can.

dearest little'un

2011-08-27T17:16:00.006+02:00

dearest little one,

early this evening at about 6 o'clock I stood over the sink picking lemon verbena leaves for drying - the sun was shining so bright and warm through the windows that I had to let you feel it for yourself. I thought softly, and quietly about you... about your senses forming, I wondered what you felt and heard in your space now. I wondered what we will learn from each other in the future. One day I will crush a verbena leaf in my fingers for your little nose to smell. And I am sure you will find some strange thing, perhaps a delicate cicada shell or a rusty peg form the garden bed for me to hold and treasure awhile. I look forward to that, so much.

love always, ma

a wonderful sight

2011-08-25T09:06:00.001+02:00

man with piano

playing bach

to Fontaine Saint Michel...

dearest little'un

2011-08-20T15:29:00.005+02:00

dearest little'un,

every week since I discovered you were there i've written you a little letter. my first letter was over 10 weeks ago. you've grown so much since then - you're about the size of an avocado. lately I've been feeding you apples and pears from our garden, glasses of milk, and homemade bread. sometimes I feel a tiny flutter, like a butterfly, and I wonder if its you dancing in your nine-month-long bath (I know I would be dancing if I could have a bath). its nice to have your company everywhere I go; like when I started french classes this week, and the time I picked these lilac clovers on the way home from the train station.

love, mama

merci

2011-08-19T22:46:00.005+02:00

today before language school alex and I ventured off into the marais district to visit the musee carnavalet (museum on the history of paris) and a quaint bookshop/gallery/deli/eatery/concept-store "merci" (thanks to a dear friend who supplied the address and said "I believe you will think that it is well worth a look"

She was right. We did like what we found; a space filled with books, interesting light fittings, hand carved wood furniture, leather boots, salvaged african fishing boats, herb gardens, found objects, picnic supplies, preserves, linen, antique doors, a perfumery, japanese stationery, coloured pencils and paper bags, and more - of which all the sales are donated to charity - hence the name of the store, thank you. Here a few images I caught while we wandered...

Right now

2011-08-18T08:58:00.000+02:00

at this moment,

I'm feeling so thankful

for pretty things that grow along the sidewalk

for new shelves in the kitchen, and the strong arms that put them up

for homemade bread and yoghurt

for our first harvest of green beans

for surviving my first two french classes

for a start to the babe's quilt

for the blue blue blue of summer

and for sleep-ins, kisses, hair pins, and museums too.

2011-08-17T09:23:00.002+02:00

A few days ago,

this here blog

turned 4,

share a madeleine

(topped with homemade yoghurt and a raspberry)

and a cup of earl grey

if you please

an old sky, and a new one

2011-08-15T21:32:00.006+02:00

today

3 months arrived,

three departed -

some things become more familiar,

others more foreign,

I want to tell you,

quietly,

that I miss home -

I miss the sky

I was born beneath,

the wintertime

(mid year)

that I have always felt

for twenty two years,

the sounds - the humdrum -

of the city,

and birds circling,

the softest hands

of my mama,

the eyes of my grandma -

peering into the ancient,

remembered days.

I fill myself,

my missings -

with psalms

and contemplation,

in the smell of bread rising,

in the company of my husband,

in the swelling within my womb,

in the complexities of a new way of talking -

vowels and consonants and rasping in my throat,

in the growing of my heart, with thanksgiving,

and I think a lot about you -

my web kin,

who for many years

felt oddly near and far away,

and now seem

so very close,

and precious.

Apples and Pears

2011-08-08T09:49:00.007+02:00

When life gives you tart apples and pears -

Make pie.

We have two pear trees in our garden and the big branches of an apple tree growing over our fence. Fruits of each are beginning to drop even though they aren't quite ripe yet. Rather them let them rot in the ground or get completely devoured by worms (many already had markers of said worms) I decided to wash, peel and slice them up for pie.

We've had apple pie two days in a row now... and my husband (and bebe) cry for more. Its delicious because its not too sweet - it tastes more like rhubarb. Here's how to do it:

:: Make a simple short crust pastry: 1 1/4 cup whole-wheat flour, 30g cold butter cut into little pea-sized cubes, 1/2 tsp of salt, cup of cold water. Using clean hands combine flour and butter + salt together with your fingertips until a meal is made. Slowly add about 2 tablespoons of water and mix to combine. Put more water in until a firm dough is made - if its too sticky - add a sprinkle of flour. Wrap dough and refrigerate until ready to use.

:: Make the filling: wash and peel apples and pears, cut away any brown or worm eaten parts, slice thinly. Melt about 2 tablespoons of butter with 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1teaspoon of vanilla essence in a fry pan - add apples and gentle sauté for about 5-10 minutes until soft. Add as much sugar as you desire (if using ripe apples you mightn't need to add any - since my apples are completely tart I add about 1/4 cup sugar). You can also experiment with adding other fruits like frozen raspberries or like I did with this one a tablespoon of Ikea linden-berry (cloudberry) jam.

:: Assemble pie (I like the free-form look): Taking 3/4 of your dough roll out to a thin round disk (about 25cm diameter) on a sheet of baking paper, move disk and paper to an oven tray, now arrange apples in a nice pile in the centre of the dough, leaving about 5 cm around of dough to fold up over the apples. Using the 1/4 of dough left - split into 4-6 balls and roll with your hands into strands for making a lattice effect over the pie. Brush with milk. Sprinkle cinnamon and/or granulated sugar on top.

:: Bake: in pre-heated oven at 190'c for 45 mins - 1 hr. It'll be ready when its golden.

:: Eat: warm, cool, cold, by itself (my favourite), with creme fraiche (alex's favourite), with ice-cream, yoghurt, cheddar cheese, whatever you wish. A cup of steaming russian caravan tea is a very fine accompaniment.

Happy week friends,

thank you for all your heart-felt words on the news of the babe,

it means so much to us

♥

2011-08-06T09:05:00.008+02:00

Meet our littlest one.

He/She is somewhere between a lemon and an orange in size.

And will be surfacing at the end of January thereabouts.

Such an unexpected surprise, but one we feel glad and blessed to carry and wait for.

♥

meet my dear, Janome

2011-08-05T18:21:00.009+02:00

Weeeee!

This week I got my very first sewing machine! I am so excited to begin fibre crafting again! You see, before now I have always used/borrowed/momentarily hijacked my mum's... and now that hers is thousands of miles and 24 flying hours away that is no longer possible. My parents were so very generous in giving me some money to put towards getting a machine of my own when I'd settled in France. My specifications for a machine were: something that is not too expensive, neat, easy to use, reliable. It didn't need to be fancy-pants-can-sew-a-house-and-make-espresso with a USB port and a computer interface.

:: I considered buying a German Pfaff - so that I could say triumphantly (when I felt the urge to sew something) "I'm just going to go pfaff for a while" or "wait a moment just pfaffing here"...

:: I considered a Bernina because lots of famous blog-crafters have them, then realised they were a bit too expensive and fancy...

:: I also considered an Elna just like my Grandma's, and because they're Swiss-made - then I found out they're now made in China and aren't nearly as good...

But in the end I settled on a Janome. I grew up on one after all. Its Japanese too. And Japanese things are awesome (think origami, sushi, whimsical children's cartoons, crochet books, underwear vending machines)

And my is it sweet. Not to mention all these wonderful stitches she does.

Only I'm a little sad almost all my fabric and sewing notions are back in Australia... except a few things my mum sent us a few weeks ago - including a bag I filled before we left with scraps of fabric I loved:

Which is just enough to make something lovely. Don't you think?

at our table

2011-08-02T23:55:00.001+02:00

One lovely, wonderful thing about being home again is preparing good food for us to eat. Now I'm not saying Polish food isn't good or fresh or plentiful - its just that a diet of bread, dill and boiled potatoes, cabbage salad and pig-related meat products for a few weeks on end doesn't digest the best in my body. That I missed being in the kitchen so much.

Since we've been back home I've been making up for it (and going a little crazy perhaps). I feel its a great blessing to prepare things for us to eat that are nourishing. In past three days we've supped on:

:: ploughman's lunches with raw vegies and fruit, grainy crackers, scottish cheddar and black olive tapenade.

:: glasses of cold tea with fresh lemon verbena leaves

:: homemade granola - recipe found via Soulemama - all I had in the way of seeds/nuts were almonds and hazelnuts but they taste just as delicious.

::hard boiled eggs and tea for breakfast in beautiful blue pottery we brought back from Poland

::red juicy tomatoes - with everything, and by themselves

::fresh parsley and basil and thyme from the garden

::hearty beef cottage or "shepherd's" pie

::homemade pizza with anything and everything (my favourite being beetroot and feta) - using a tasty olive oil dough recipe from Bread & Honey

Tell me, what have you been enjoying at your table of late?

Returning

2011-08-01T17:05:00.010+02:00

Last night we returned

after 18 days away

and 17 hours of driving,

upon arriving

I felt the afterglow

of a hot summer's day

and delighted

in the green

of our garden

and the

growth spurt of the lemon verbena

I turned the key in our front door

familiar smells of indoors

mingled gently around

my nose

I sighed -

for the first time

it felt like coming home.

adrenalin of the days past

turned to weariness

and as I opened the wooden shutters

to let the night air in,

I accepted once again

the quiet,

quiet roaming

of my soul.

in pen

2011-07-21T12:38:00.000+02:00

ostróda

2011-07-21T11:56:00.008+02:00

windy roads

flanked with forest

and half-finished modernising,

walls that have seen better days,

prussian blue signposts,

smells of cabbage,

dill and potatoes,

freshly cut watermelon,

a humble, crumbling apartment block

reflects the shadow of young men

wake boarding,

loud-music blaring,

an ice-cream dribbles

down a rosy toddler

around her; voices

thick and raspy

with rarely used constants,

and the crystal shine

of a lake,

scattered with waterlilies

white swans,

little boys fishing,

old men chuckling,

tourists,

wanderers,

like me

wide

with gazing.

Over lands we go

2011-07-12T15:21:00.007+02:00

We're off to poland tomorrow for a three week work project. We're driving all the way there - which includes passing through germany! It still amazes an island-grown girl like me how close everything is here in europe. among other things I am excited about the prospect of eating makawiec poppy seed pastry and capturing some polish scapes in pen. May summer/winter treat you well in the meantime. Be back soon ♥

multifoliate magic

2011-07-11T21:32:00.009+02:00

I have this blue hydrangea who has been putting on marvellous multifolate magic of late , blues - that in one squint of the eyes are brown, red, green, umber, purple, turquoise, burgundy

(I had to share it with you)