Weeks seem to Fly....

It's Sundaymorning.
Over the last weeks Bram hasn't been very well..Lots of worries and often fear about what is going on with him. So, the coming Tuesday we go back to the hospital for a check and a talk. It is not always easy to deal with it, but usually it works more or less in a good way. Since I tell myself not to complain about hanging up the laundry or do the shopping it goes better. The only problem now and than is the lack of good sleep. Last Fridaynight I was so tired that even picking up a bamboo knitting needle was way too much. Some weeks go by with lots of worries...some weeks seem to fly..

Complicated knitting as lace is not for me at the moment. I want it simple and mindless. So I picked up the beautiful yarn I got form Jon and cast on a pair of socks for my DH.

It is the Oak Ribbed Sock from Knitting Vintage Socks by Nancy Bush with a French heel and a round toe (both new for me). It was the first book I bought about socks and it is still one of my favourites.

More on Knitting.
Whenever I hear a colleague is going to Estonia, Latvia or Lithuania I always ask them if they can bring me a book on traditional knitting. So I got one about mittens, gloves and socks from Latvia. My colleague Edwin was so kind to bring it for me.

Written by Aija Jansone it is just a beautiful book. No patterns, but it tells the story about the knitting-traditions still going on in Latvia, and it is packed with beautiful pictures.

One thing I really liked was the story on Dowry mittens, which means that the whole family of the bride have to knit mittens for all guests attending the wedding.. So when they leave the party, they get a pair handed over. It is still done. They are colourfull and all will be different.

The family usually starts when the girl is in her teens, because knitting 400 pairs can't be done in a year. I thinks that is so wonderfull, such a nice gift to get.
But...how to get invited to a Latvian Wedding is the next question........

A little more on Gifts.
A few weeks ago I got a phonecall from our local Art Centre "Kunstenlab". They asked me if I would be interested in "Doing something during an evening on Econimics and our County" I had no idea what it was, but after some talks I decided to say yes to it. The meeting was last Thursdayevening in engineering works "Geurtsen" in Deventer. Different people with different backgrounds got lectures and had to discuss about the future of our county Overijssel. Economics doesn't have my particular interest, but it was really intersting and often funny to watch and hear them speak.
At the end of the evening I had to give a reflection. I found out that the average age was over 50, no other cultures were within the guests..and it was all white and mostly male. So I mentioned that and than I came to My point.
I had made a little gift for all guests which they have to share within there company.
Little boxes with the text: Delen is Geluk which is Share = Happines

Inside the box are 2 hankerchiefs with the text "Delen armt niet" (it doesn't make you poor when you share)to keep themselves and Geluk (= Happiness)to give to someone who needs some happines.

They all seems to like it very much and I hope they all share it with a good feeling.
I have done this project in different variations over the years. Hankies embroided with different words have been spreading out over the world. It is an idea very close to my heart and I always love it to make a variation on it, and to see the reactions on peoples faces when they get something.

New CookBook.
Yesterday I got a new cookbook. Since my childhood I have always loved cooking and baking. My Mum was quite good in cooking and I have always loved her food.
This one is by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi.

I remember walking passed the restaurant in Islington some years ago and in the windows from Ottolenghi was an amazing pile of different kind of meringues.(Recipes are in the book)

At that time I didn't had an clue what Ottolenghi was.. It just happened that I kept this picture in my mind.

It is my kind of food. Eastern food with a twist.
The photos in the book are mouthwatering...
Different kind of Breads...

Sardines filed with Bulghur, Currants and Pistachio....

Lots of recipes by Ottolenghi can be found HERE...
So, I might try some recipes the coming weeks..
Hope my Home will smell "Ottolenghi"...

Spring is round the Corner
Our little garden is slightly taken over by celandine.

This tiny little flower for me is always the best sign that winter is over. It will cover a big part of our garden were also the first crocuses are in bloom.

Our Gunnera stays warm under plastic foil. March and April can give frost, so better to leave it covered.