the knitted birdcage

nearly the end of school

2011-06-05T17:13:00.000-07:00

Thursday, February 10 2010

2011-02-10T08:07:00.000-08:00

happy sha-na-ka

2010-12-04T07:18:00.000-08:00

happy thanksgiving

2010-11-25T09:33:00.000-08:00

My first Lemon Meringue Pie. Thank you Ina Garten, you are the lemon curd beneath my wings....

more school

2010-10-14T15:01:00.000-07:00

The teacher at work with her students.

Ursula's school

2010-10-07T10:31:00.000-07:00

When I came home this morning, after dropping the girls off at school, I found this scene on Ursula's bed.

The students are playing hangman.

It appears frog is passing a little cheat note to hedgehog...

food for love

2010-09-24T17:31:00.000-07:00

I have a friend, who has fallen in love with a lovely woman from Spain. He lives in New York. She lives in Barcelona. Nightly, he has eaten gloriously fancy dinners out. Oysters, lobster bisque, a very good bottle of wine to wash it all down. Dining escapades all over the city are carefree adventures by bicycle using up lots of cash.

Now he needs to save his money for airplane tickets to Spain. Twice a month! Gone is the midnight Margaux with a wild mushroom tart and swathes of Saint Nectaire, it's grilled cheese sandwiches for this love struck boy!

Food for Love

Pesto from the masses of basil in our garden, standard but good.

3 large garlic cloves
1/2 cup of pine nuts
2/3 cup grated parmigiano
salt
black pepper
3 cups of basil leaves
2/3 cup of olive oil

In the food processor, garlic first, then everything else. I toast the nuts a little bit, then add the oil. Keep it a little chunky. I often lighten up pesto with a little parsley or arugula added in. Lots of crusty bread to mop up the bowl. There are so many cherry tomatoes in the garden that I have been frying them in olive oil, very slowly, just until they are about to burst. Good with pesto but I still prefer a cool tomato salad with red onions and a sharp vinaigrette.

Happy travels...

friends

2010-09-22T10:24:00.000-07:00

The girls were great friends this summer. It was the first time I saw them really trying to understand each other and accept each other's differences in order to get along. They had a good time being sisters.

home again, again.

2010-09-21T19:17:00.000-07:00

Imogen reconstructed crabs,

Ursula played with Imogen,

and I crocheted a tree.

home again

2009-09-10T11:02:00.000-07:00

dancers

2009-06-29T14:00:00.001-07:00

candy day

2009-05-01T14:01:00.000-07:00

On Fridays after school and after a good week of homework done with a smile, one for each night, the girls are allowed to do whatever they want. It is always a movie and candy for dinner. Tonights fine dining includes chocolate crayons, smarties, red licorice and candy necklaces. And glasses of milk, of course.

vignettes are piles

2009-04-30T10:03:00.000-07:00

First wood working piece. First drawing of a person. Clay hand print. Paper crown. Ursula at two months. Imogen's pillow present. Paper flowers. Storybook. Happy ghost in a milk jug.

There are so many piles I think I want to photograph and catalogue them all. Piles, groups, stacks, displays, they are all over the place in our apartment. Sweet, weird, messy little scenes. Scenes I should probably dust or clear up or something.

Part of a gingerbread house. Painting by Imogen. Fairy candles. Ceramic snake sliding through the background...

monday

2009-04-27T06:52:00.000-07:00

another newly minted bike rider

2009-04-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

Now the sisters can ride bikes together. This morning they dressed in fancy dresses and are riding in the park. Like a couple of dear old ladies...

little bags

2009-04-22T07:36:00.000-07:00

I made this little bag for Ursula's bears. I used a piece of linen for practicing embroidery stitches and I lined it and braided a handle. She is entirely uninterested. I can't even find the one I made for Imogen...

Curious little people, I don't always know who they are. We have been talking a lot about being ourselves, not getting caught up in other people's stuff, too much. Standing up for ourselves.

The message is sinking in, they like to tell me, ' I'm not you, Mama.' and,' I don't think about it like you do.' I am pleased and proud, they will be strong and brave women....

But still, I lined them. I've never lined anything...

rainy with a cold

2009-04-21T08:13:00.000-07:00

I'm lousy with a cold today. And the teapot doesn't have a handle making it pretty tricky to pour the tea. I could buy a new one, given that this one is really not that useful, but I want the perfect teapot. A teapot that reminds me of teatime in Ireland, coming in at five from a god awful rain storm, soaked and cold. No matter how many miserable days there are that afternoon tea is so warming. And pleasant. Biscuits from the tin, when I was a kid we had jam tarts and sponge cake.

The teapot has to remind me of New Zealand too, tea was always at four, with something freshly baked. Scones. Squares. All so delicious after a long afternoon of gardening.

Late night tea, toasting bread at the fire place, which I think I never did but I think I did because I read so many Enid Blyton mysteries as a kid.

In the meantime, who needs a handle...

guest - imogen on sewing

2009-04-17T07:11:00.000-07:00

Today I sewed doll clothes, using my old dresses. I made two identical outfits. And I am going to get fabric on the weekend to make more outfits. I took sewing lessons at my school and I like sewing. Maybe you could try sewing as well.

Soon I am going to make clothes for other people and me. And make a store.

six layers

2009-04-16T15:48:00.000-07:00

When the girls were babies I started a tradition of making birthday cakes with a layer for each year they are old. Six layers makes a big cake. I don't think it occurred to me that they would one day be 14, 19 and 25...

We took this cake to Ursula's class this week. Imogen helped me make it, she did the icing and the animals. It has jam, whipped cream, chocolate, blueberries, strawberries and masses of icing.

It was a huge success and completely eaten up. One boy complained it had too much icing and too much fruit. The other kids had two pieces.

easter sunday

2009-04-12T16:59:00.000-07:00

I spent much of today looking up in to this tree while the girls ran around looking for chocolate and playing near a stream. Very relaxing. We had ham sandwiches and chocolate bunnies, such a good lunch.

this morning

2009-04-08T10:06:00.000-07:00

I bought some Modge Podge for Imogen and her friend to make Easter eggs using paper cut outs and blown out eggs. Tomorrow. So I thought I would try it out and it really is quite fun. Brush it on and everything looks great. I used old music scores and drew from some flowers that I had made from paper a while ago. I made it on the back of a cereal box with a tiny bit of blue paint..... Now it is a birthday card. Happy Birthday!

the world to me

2009-04-03T06:17:00.000-07:00

When I first started thinking about a blog I wanted to name it the world to me. It seemed a little sentimental for a title but I would like to keep that feeling, of the swirl around me; light, children, snack bags, raindrops, bus stops, oceans, memories, trees, new shoes, ideas, dinners... it is an endless list but my list in my world that is sometimes overwhelming but also filled with delight. Bits and pieces past, present and future.

I am making a chocolate cake inspired by the scent of water. When I lived in New Zealand we used to make this very cake during sheep shearing, berry picking and house building seasons. (Sometimes I worked as a cook.) It is raining in New York today and reminds me of those cup of tea filled days when baking a cake was the only way to dry out the house and, well if there is cake then there needs to be another cup of tea to go with it...

what i like about her

2009-03-29T09:40:00.000-07:00

1. You are a lovely person, kind and caring to everyone.

2. Clever and then some.

3. Imaginative and creative, I love your pottery, painting and writing.

4. You convinced me to buy you nail polish - very tricky.

5. Great dancer.

6. You are a hard worker and I love it when you want to challenge yourself.

7. Seeing you curled up on the sofa reading and drinking tea is so dear.

8. You swim and skate and ride a bike and play soccer and hockey and ski.

9. You are my little nibbles.

10. You are patient with us and your friends and your sister and I know that isn't easy.

11. You glow, radiating sweetness and happiness.

12. I love how eager you get and excited you are by new ideas.

13. I love your ham, cornichons and grated carrot sandwiches.

14. You stick up for yourself more and more, and I am proud of you.

15. Brave and strong and beautiful.

16. Ursula says she likes you because you share.

17. I like you because you are so sure of yourself and being 7 isn't easy but you are doing a really good job.

18. I love you everyday dearest girl.

19. We all do.

things i like about ursula

2009-03-28T18:22:00.000-07:00

I just read the best list at The Lumber-room. She made a list of things she likes about her little brother, his birthday is the same day as Ursula's. Such a lovely funny list I want to make one for each of my little girls. So,

what I like about you, Ursula.

1. I love how hard you work at everything you do.

2. The little smile you make when you aren't so sure.

3. You are a real trooper and game for any crazy adventure your crazy parents take you on.

4. I love the way you use your index finger to make a space between words when you write.

5. You are loving, empathic, impossible, loopy, warm and so delicious to hug and cuddle up with.

6. The way you dress yourself in colors and designs that only you could pull off.

7. You taught yourself to read.

8. The funny fantastic stories you write.

9. Sometimes you notice something about me, 'that's a pretty hat, mama.'

10. You are a clever little bean.

11. You aren't afraid to correct me and have consequently saved me from a few pickles. Like the time I almost sent 100 party guests to the wrong address...

12. You look up to your big sister and stick up for her.

13. You are the funniest person I know, however, we need to work on some of those riddles...

14. I feel like I can trust that you will take care of yourself and get what you need from school and teachers and friends and us.

15. The projects you make, like the portrait museum and class.

16. You look so funny in your swimming goggles.

17. How proud you look on your bike. On your skates. Especially on those skies.

18. I love how tall and strong and beautiful you are, I can't take my eyes off you.

19. I love how loving I can be when I am with you, I can't imagine my life without you and I am so, so happy that we have an Ursula.

roller queen

2009-03-27T17:50:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday big girl.

portrait museum

2009-03-26T08:44:00.000-07:00

Ursula has opened a museum in our hallway. She wants to make a portrait of each of her stuffed animals. These are the first two portraits...

She has put a little chair in the hallway and is working on a sign announcing that her museum is open. She is also offering a portrait of anyone's favorite stuffed animal for a dollar. It is all so dear and sincere.

Sometimes I can't even believe how much I love her...

knitting

2009-03-24T14:23:00.000-07:00

These are the first few rows of the knitted copper wire for the birdcage. It's going to take a while...

cooking

2009-03-23T07:06:00.000-07:00

I made this banana bread for snacks for the week. We seem to have a lot of brown bananas in our lives. It is so good and of course gets all eaten up in two days.

When Im was making salad dressing last night she was inspired by this fantastic video to wear garlic goggles. We love everything Jill and Jenny do in this cooking series.

blurry ursula

2009-03-22T17:34:00.000-07:00

She is on holiday for two weeks. What are we going to do? Tomorrow's list includes shinning all the shoes, sharpening the pencils, making banana bread and tomato sauce. I think we are going to have to get creative...

happy spring equinox

2009-03-21T07:57:00.000-07:00

galette

2009-02-26T11:37:00.000-08:00

This month I have been making galette. Some with pears and chocolate, some with raspberries and blueberries and some with apples and honey. Galette remind me of those bags people have for their car rooftops. People look so breezy zipping down the road with just a few things tossed in to the rooftop bag. Quick jaunt, no fuss. Galette are like those bags, quick little tart, no fancy edges or pie dishes.

Here is the recipe,

Pastry

1 1/4 cups of flour

8 tablespoons of butter

1/4 teaspoon of salt

3-5 tablespoons of icy water

Last week we were in Quebec for a lot of winter holiday fun. Five feet of snow and ice, it was very cold. I put the butter, salt and flour in to a bowl and left it outside for 10 minutes and then I worked the butter in to the flour while standing outside with the bowl in the snow. As nutty as this sounds I finally understood what recipes mean when they say keep the butter cold, it made the most delicious, light and perfect pastry. At home I put the bowl with the ingredients in to the freezer and keep the kitchen cold. Keep putting the bowl back in to the freezer if the butter starts to get too soft. Once the water is mixed in I smear or frissage the dough. Watch this video to learn how.

Then back in to the fridge for at least 1/2 an hour. Heat the oven to 425C, roll the dough out in to a circle and plop berries that have been tossed with sugar and lemon juice in to the middle. Pick up sides of the dough and fold over the berries in a circle gluing with egg yolk and sprinkle the whole lot with a little more sugar. Back in to the fridge or freezer for a few minutes and then straight in to the hot oven. The whole delicious thing should be done in 30 - 35 minutes or until everything is bubbling and baked deep brown. Don't worry about all of the bubbly bits that ooze out the sides, that is the best part. Let it cool and serve with whipped cream.

Delicious.

abacus

2009-02-26T09:51:00.000-08:00

Springtime in New York City is almost here. I want to make an abacus, for birds, out of dried fruits and bits of bread rather than beads. Blogging is fun but it is a lot of work if it means I have to make the abacus in order to photograph it. How about a picture of a weir instead...