Monthly Quote: October

It's almost becoming a tradition that I am one day late in posting the quote of the month, but I'm choosing not to let that put a stopper to the fun.

These past few weeks (September, really) have flown by so fast, and I'm sad I haven't been sharing more on this blog of what I've been up to. I hope to remedy this as the days grow shorter and the time spent indoors gets longer. Alasdair and I are busy bees, trying to bring life back into our new old house. So far we've finished the last wall on the outside that needed fixing up - we've put in new windows and new panelling, with a huge amount of help from my dad. He's really our go-to helper for all things related to the house. Since the daylight hours are shorter now, we've taken the work inside, just in time for the autumn storms and rains to test the quality of the work we've done on the outside. We're crossing our fingers and toes that we won't have to worry about anything on the exterior of the house for many years.

On the 1st of October we did the first bit of painting in one of the rooms; the library dining room, to be specific. The old panelling on the walls have tasted their first ever coat of paint, a base coat of white, to make the subsequent painting smooth and easy, and the ceiling was repainted tonight with its refreshing coat of paint today, as it had been painted before (a long time ago). We're hoping it'll only need this one coat of paint, but we'll make our decision once we've seen how it dries tomorrow morning.

While doing up the house, I'm working full-time as a sub in a nursery AND trying to get into pattern writing. It's a bit of a hectic time for me, and I'm not getting as much done with any of the things I'm doing as I would have liked. But I'm still practicing patience with my self, and trying to just do a little bit everyday and be happy about the things I do get done, instead of worrying about all the things I haven't been able to do in a day.

So - this month will see the release of the my very first knitting pattern! I'm frantically knitting a second sample of my Little Bumps Cowl, and pestering my mum to test knit a little sample for me, just so I can get some idea of the quality and clarity of my written instructions. I hope I'll be able to upload the pattern to my Ravelry shop by mid-October, and I so hope you'll all like it!

This photo is of a very thoughtful, and somewhat tired, me - wearing my own design. Not quite sure what to do with my hands when modeling knitwear...




It is every bit as soft and warm as it looks, I promise! And it wraps perfectly around the neck twice, which is just what one needs on a chill autumn day.

And now, to the quote I've chosen for the month of October, by yet another woman I greatly admire:

"Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns."

- George Eliot

As always, visit Vibeke and Ruthie for more inspirational quotes and other loveliness. 

Have a very delicious October, everyone, and I'll be back with more on the house and the knitwear, I promise! 

- Elise

Ginger citrus marmalade

This week, my boyfriend and I made marmalade, one of my favourite things to do, especially in autumn. We decided to try and make a small batch for once, since it's only the two of us who's going to enjoy it. We successfully halved a recipe, and was left with two jars of delicious marmalade - perfect!

We followed a recipe from a book given to me for my birthday two years ago, Pickles and Preserves, and I will give it to you in full as written in the book, for you to make also, if you like!

"Ginger Citrus Marmalade" 
To make 1.3 kg, or 3 lb of marmalade, you'll need:

"4 limes, (preferably unwaxed), scrubbed
2 large lemons (preferably unwaxed), scrubbed
2.5 cm/1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
1.2 litres/2 pints water
2 tsp ground ginger
about 900 g/2 lb preserving sugar
115 g/4 oz stem ginger, chopped

Cut off and discard both ends from the limes and lemons and wash the fruits thoroughly. Place in a large saucepan together with the chopped ginger and the water. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, or until the fruits are soft."



"Cool slightly, then drain off the liquid and reserve. Chop the fruits as finely as possible, discarding the pips. Return the chopped fruit to the rinsed-out saucepan or a preserving pan, together with the reserved liquid and the ground ginger. Add the sugar, allowing 450 g/1 lb sugar for every 600 ml/1 pint liquid. Heat gently, stirring frequently, until the sugar has completely dissolved. Bring to the boil and boil rapidly for about 15 minutes, or until setting point is reached." (I'd recommend boiling the marmalade for at least double that time, to achieve a nice jelly-like consistency.)



 "Remove from the heat and leave to cool for 5 minutes, then stir in the stem ginger. Ladle into sterilized jars and cover the tops with waxed discs. Seal with lids while hot, then leave to cool before labelling. Store in a cool, dark place. Once opened, store in the refrigerator."

Then, enjoy!



Photos taken with my Canon EOS 400d, with my 50mm lens. 

All text in quotation marks are copyright Parragon Books Ltd. 

autumnal musings

As I'm typing this, I can hear the sounds of cooking going on in the kitchen, and the smell of roasted spices. Ginger, cumin, cinnamon - all autumnal in colour and scent, somehow.
The other day we went for a walk to a lake outside Oslo, to get out of the city for a while, and to see how far the autumn has come, because when you're in the city most of the time, it is sometimes hard to stop and notice things properly. In small ways I'm trying to notice the seasons changing, and to actually live properly in the now. It's hard! But this week I'm going to make some marmalade, to accompany our weekend breakfasts as the weather gets colder, as well as continue my current knitting project in the most autumnal colour you could find - see my last post! I'm also trying to keep a somewhat regular weather journal, which is a new and refreshing thing for me to do. This year I've been more aware and observant of colours and textures than I've been before. I'm wondering if it hasn't accompanied my ever increasing joy in knitting in natural materials? I constantly touch, smell and stare at different textures and make mental (or photographic) notes of them so I can remember and keep being inspired by them.

Although our walk the other day wasn't primarily a walk to observe mushrooms, these pictures suggest otherwise:










And when we returned, tired in that good way from the exercise and fresh air, we ate the most delicious lamb stew. Don't be deceived by the slightly ambiguous look of this dish - it was truly wonderful! Eating seasonal is also part of my effort to stop and live here and now. That is why we're having lamb curry tonight!



I hope you are all enjoying the colder and darker days, wherever you are!

All photos were taken with Canon 400D, with my 50mm lens.