Author name: Angela Baker

Christmastide Yarn Along

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I’ve been enjoying this book in the quiet of the early morning.  The prayers and passages are perfect for that time of day, while I knit a few rounds of a simple pattern and contemplate the season in which we are immersed.  IMG_0508[1]

The simple knitting that has kept my hands occupied while my mind is engaged with the reflections of Christmastide has been a pair of uncomplicated red mitts.  The mitts above are a pattern I have enjoyed making many times before.  These are for a gift exchange, and will get gussied up with a bit of needle-felting before they are delivered to their recipient.

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Red always seems like a good color for mittens.   My favorite mittens as a kid were a pair of red wool ones my grandmother knit long before I was born.  She ran out of wool before completing the last thumb, so it is a different shade – I always loved the quirkiness of that turkey red thumb against the vermillion of the rest.

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The children continue to read and re-read the large stack of library books piled up in the sunroom.  Hal, age 6, has really enjoyed An Orange for Frankie.  The pictures are lovely, and the story is one he likes to hear over and over.

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We picked up two big bags of satsumas this week, and I’ve kept a bowl of them out on the table for the kids to enjoy whenever they wish – it has already been refilled a few times.

After reading And Orange for Frankie, Hal and I read up on the tradition of giving citrus at the holidays – something we have in such abundance was once a cherished luxury.  St. Nicholas brings the children each a stocking on Christmas morning, and always leaves a tangerine in the toe – in Christmases past, it would have been the most treasured part, discovered last in the end of the stocking.

We were sure to really pause and savor the satsumas we snacked on as we read An Orange for Frankie one more time.  Hal also asked if we could make candied orange peels again – something we haven’t done in a long time.  I think that sounds like a very good idea.

Joining Ginny for the weekly Yarn Along, and also Frontier Dreams’ KCCO.

Needle-Felting Kit

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The girls wanted to share about a recent birthday gift they made for a friend: a simple needle-felting kit.

My kids – like many kids – really enjoy playing and crafting with bit of wool and yarn.  Ruth, in particular, has enjoyed needle felting ornaments and little animals for her siblings for quite a long time.  Ruth wanted to make a gift for her friend -who is also quite artistic – and Ruth thought she might enjoy making little wooly creations, too.

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First, we found a basket at the thrift store that met with everyone’s approval.  Then, the girls cut a block of foam from our stash of dense craft foam.  We added a needle-felting needle (Needle-felting safety rule #1:  Always store the needles in their block of foam!)

IMG_0521A visit to the Pendleton Woolen Mill Store provided the necessary collection of bright wool for decorating, while I included some balls of white and natural grey/brown spinning fiber to be used as the base over which the bright colored wool will be felted.

Very proud of my girls and their creative gift ideas.  I’m looking forward to seeing what they have made for each other and their brothers for Christmas.

If you have Handmade Holiday projects to share, please post a link in the comments – I would love to read about what you are working on!

 

 

Early December Nature Table

 

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Today it really began to feel like Christmastime in our home:

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Bea and I converted the nature table  from autumn to Advent.

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The Nativity figurines were a gift (from France!) and the conifer candle, picked up at the farmer’s market, is made from local beeswax.  The perpetual calendar is from MamaRoots.

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I potted up a Christmas Cactus cutting from my mother.  Hopefully, by next Christmas it will be in bloom.

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Ruth and I began decorating our little table-top tree.  (We always get our tree from the L’Arche benefit sale.)  The lights and star go on, and tonight or tomorrow we will string popcorn and cranberries.  Later in the week, come the ornaments.

More soon, but now we are off to Ruth and Bea’s Holiday roller derby scrimmage.

Hope you are enjoying the beginning of the Christmas season!

 

 

Grey Stripes and Good Books

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Slowly, slowly, we are beginning to decorate for Christmas.  Advent candles and readings at dinner…working with Grandpa on a new homemade Advent Spiral (because we currently use a little birthday ring from my preschool years in Germany)…Christmas toys appearing in corners of the house where the boys are sure to find and play with them.

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…and Christmas knitting continues in earnest.  George is growing like a weed and needs new hats.  While watching a documentary or two late at night, I knit up a little stocking cap for him (no pattern, just wingin’ it).  It is a study in grey, using leftover Kilcarra of Donegal tweedy yarn, and Brown Sheep Lamb’s Pride Worsted I’ve had in my yarn dresser for years.  George is really into wolves at the moment, and I am deliberating adding some ears to the top of the hat.

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In order to get library books in time for the correct season, I place holds on them 3 or 4 weeks ahead of time. We discovered years ago that if we wait to visit the library for books right when we need them, they will all be checked out.  Ordering well in advance is very important not only for seasonal books, but also to make sure we get homeschooling resources in a timely manner – and we have a home educator’s library card so we can place a hold on 40 items at a time.

This week, more than 20 winter books came in for us, and we have been pouring through them.  Right now, most are Arctic and winter nature books,and Waldorf-y books, but a whole stack of Christmas/Nativity-themed holds should be in at the library later this week.  With the darkness descending by 4:30 in the afternoon, we have plenty of quiet time to read through every book we’ve checked out.

Joining Ginny for her Yarn Along today.

Healing Salve Recipe

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‘Tis the Season to make Christmas gifts, and Bea and I started yesterday morning, making another, larger batch of comfrey-rosemary salve.  (Joining the KCCO today.)

Comfrey, also known as knit-bone, is touted as having strong healing properties.   I have used it daily on my broken ankle once the stitches healed (don’t use the salve on open wounds), but it is also commonly used on bruises and other injuries.  It is a soothing salve to rub onto bumps, bruises, sore muscles, etc – all of which are common place in a house with 3 roller derby girls and very active, energetic kids.

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Bea and I made this batch early in the morning before the other kids woke up.  At ten years-old, she can work with the hot wax and oil safely (with a little supervision, of course).

We have a $0.25 pot from the thrift store that is used only for beeswax-based projects.  Most of the jars were also from the thrift store, as well as some baby food jars given to me by a friend.

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I grow loads of Russian Bocking Comfrey in my garden because it is a dynamic accumulator and sequesters all sorts of minerals in its leaves – thereby making it a great fertilizer in the garden, as well as excellent duck forage.  It has deep tap roots (up to 12 feet deep!), which help break up our dense clay soil, and its delicate purple flowers are a favorite of bees – blooming for a long stretch.

I had picked the comfrey and rosemary a few months ago and dried them, but you can also order the dried herbs online if you don’t have a source in your yard.

Once you have the ingredients gathered, the salve takes only about 15 minutes to make.  Here’s our recipe:

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Comfrey-Rosemary Salve

3/4 cup organic olive oil 

4 Tbsp dried comfrey leaves

3 sprigs dried rosemary (you can substitute 2 Tbsp dried lavender if you prefer)

1 Tbsp vitamin E oil

3/4 cup organic coconut oil

6 Tbsp chopped beeswax

10 drops tangerine or 4 drops patchouli oil (if using dried lavender, substitute with lavender oil)

Directions:

– Infuse the dried herbs in the olive oil.  This can be done two ways:  either place the herbs and oil in a double boiler and heat gently over water (do not boil the oil over direct heat) for 30-45 minutes, or place dried herbs in the oil, cover and store in a dark place for 3-4 weeks.  (Note: Do NOT use fresh herbs – the water in them will cause your oil/finish salve to mold.  Herbs must be thoroughly dried.)

-Strain the dried herbs from the finished olive oil and discard them in the compost.

-Place the chopped beeswax, infused olive oil, coconut oil, and vitamin E oil in a pan.  Heat on medium-low heat, stirring constantly until all ingredients are completely melted.

– Immediately remove from the heat, and stir in the tangerine oil.

– Pour into jars, and let cool with the lids off.  Once thoroughly solidified, the salve will keep in a dark place at room temperature for 6 months or more. (Our kitchen was very cold when we made the salve, and it cooled very rapidly, resulting in cracks on the surface of the salve.  Next time, I will wrap towels around the jars or perhaps cover them with a pot so they cool more slowly.)

Back tomorrow for the Yarn Along!

Our Daily Bread

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We bake bread several times a week here.  When the girls were little, we only made bread once a week.  But now with four active, growing children, we can polish off a loaf every day – sometimes in just one meal.  Thankfully, it is an activity I have always enjoyed – especially when the kids help.  (One day, we hope to get a wood-fired bread oven built in the backyard that would be available for the community to use when we fire it up once a week.  But for now, we are content to warm the house on a chilly night by baking in the kitchen.)

IMG_8442Recently, I got together with some moms from our homeschool co-op, and a guest came to share her orange-glazed sticky bun recipe with us.  She also shared a beautiful poem
(found in an old cookbook) about the artistry and importance of the simple act of baking bread, and I want to share it with you:

Our Daily Bread by Grace Noll

An ancient rite, as old as life is old:

A woman baking bread above a flame

Its value is far greater than pure gold,

it is ageless, timeless, and the simple name

Of bread is wholesome as the summer sun

That has lit and warmed the fields that men might eat;

It is as clean as are the winds that run

Their light-food way across the waving wheat.

A loaf is only half a loaf unless

We share it, and unless we say

Our grace above it, asking God to bless

That bread that He has given day by day

O women, handle flour as you should!

It is a thing God-given, priceless, good.  

 

A Late November Pause

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Joining up with Ginny’s Yarn Along, and Frontier Dreams for the KCCO – Pausing from the work of the day to work on a warmer version of this scarf for a bit this morning – more Christmas gift knitting, of course.

The kids and I are still on a seasonal/ethical eating kick, and after finishing Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, we have started this book CD, and I’ve been thumbing through Edible Perennial Gardening.  A Michael Pollan book seems appropriate in this holiday season of time-honored, seasonal, traditional cooking:

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With Thanksgiving just a blink away, that’s all I have to share today.  Most of the day is devoted to cooking and prep for tomorrow – pie crusts, cornbread for the dressing, cranberry relish…food is always the epicenter of a holiday for me – a way to lavish love and appreciation on family and friends.

Wishing you a blessed and joy-filled Thanksgiving!

Mending and Muscari

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One of my favorite wool sweaters finally wore a hole in the elbow.  It was from the thrift store and had quite a bit of wear when I found it, but I liked the blue-grey color, and I’m always a sucker for wool.

Unfortunately, I didn’t realize there was a hole in the elbow until we were on our way out the door, and my eldest pointed it out to me.  With no time to darn it, I sent her back into the house for a block of foam, some roving and a needle-felting needle – I’d have to mend it while we were out and about.  Once we reached our destination, a few minutes of work and it was repaired, with a turqouise swirl and some polka dots for decoration.

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A week later, and the patch has held up quite well.  Ruth and I spent some time together planting Muscari bulbs under the Bavay’s Green Gage Plum, and I was glad to have my workhorse of a wool sweater on.

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Muscari are one of my favorite spring flowers, and the milder weather this week has allowed us to plant many more bulbs.  These delicate little blossoms do more than provide beauty for the gardener – all spring bulbs help suppress the growth of grass.  Grass fights its own battle, attempting to inhibit the growth of the fruit trees that shade it out, so planting bulbs naturally aids the fruit trees which they encircle.  IMG_0369[1]

While we were kneeling in the mulch to plant, Bumblebee, our Welsh Harlequin, came over to Ruth, begging for attention.  All the poultry know that Ruth will always drop what she’s doing to give scritches. IMG_0366[1]

In the winter, the poultry are loose in the yard, eating slugs, slug eggs, weed seeds, adding fertility to all the garden beds.  The trick has been how to keep them out of the beds already planted with garlic and mulched with straw (chickens relish scratching all the straw out of the beds and into the path).  They inevitably get under or over any temporary fencing we put up.  The solution has been to stake the fencing flat – so try as she might, Cookie can’t destroy the garlic bed with her scratching while we have our backs turned – but she can peck and find any seeds leftover in the straw.  (In the spring, when the birds return to their run in the orchard, the fencing comes up just as the garlic is germinating.)

Joining the KCCO today.  Back to tomorrow for the Yarn Along if I have time in the midst of Thanksgiving preparations and the girls’ derby scrimmage.

Thanksgiving meditation

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Thinking ahead to next week, we’ve been reading through a stack of library books about Thanksgiving – simple children’s stories as well as historical and anthropological recountings.

Worked into our everyday conversations is the topic of thankfulness, and what the act of giving thanks looks like.  In light of these conversation with the kids, I’ve been reading some Wendell Berry in the evenings, and was particularly struck by the notion that, no matter how much we toil and struggle, somehow the success of our effort lies upon something Greater.  And so, when we reap success in life, we can see the results of our own hard work, but also reserve the lion’s share of thanks for our Provider who comes alongside us and produces the harvest.

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Whatever is forseen in joy
Must be lived out from day to day.
Vision held open in the dark
By our ten thousand days of work.
Harvest will fill the barn; for that
The hand must ache, the face must sweat.

And yet no leaf or grain is filled
By work of ours; the field is tilled
And left to grace. That we may reap,
Great work is done while we’re asleep.

When we work well, a Sabbath mood
Rests on our day, and finds it good.

Wendell Berry, Walking Meditations

Neighborhood Nature Walk

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When the kids have abundant energy, and the weather is unusally dry, it’s time to bundle up and walk to Grandma and Grandpa’s.  The kids brought a basket to collect items for the nature table on their way.

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We’ve been reading books about Thanksgiving, but also about late-autumn as we prepare to shift into the winter holiday.  The kids were anxious to add items to the nature table while it is still decorated for autumn.  (At the end of the month,  the table shifts over to Advent and Winter decor.)

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George had more fun jumping in the leaves than collecting them.

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Bea brought her whittling gear, so that she and Grandpa could make spoons when we arrived at his workshop.

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Ruth, enjoying the crunch of the leaves.

More soon – crafting and good things from the kitchen!

 

Early Nights and Elf Cowls

IMG_0246[1] Although I’m originally an Air Force brat, and have lived all over, the Pacific Northwest has been my home for over a decade.  I cannot imagine living anywhere else.  There is so much to fall in love with here, especially for folks like us, who are undeterred by rain and love the outdoors.  There is one aspect of life in Portland that is rough for us:  the 4:30PM sunset this time of year. It is always a struggle to keep occupied and productive in those long dark evening hours.

The last few evenings, we have enjoyed watching Tales from the Green Valley on YouTube.  It is a BBC show in which archaeologists and historians recreate a year on a farm in 1620.  While we watched, I’ve finished a little project: IMG_0240[1]   This is the Little Green Elf Cowl pattern, using leftover Berroco Lustra (a wool/Tencel blend) given to me by a friend.  I have been thinking of knitting a few for Christmas gifts, but wanted to test-knit it first.  This pattern was a fun, easy, and satisfying.  I like the finished result – different than the average cowl pattern with its edging of diamonds. IMG_0249[1]I ended up only doing 12 repeats of the edging – not 14 as the pattern calls for – and still found it plenty loose.  Despite picking up fewer stitches for the top portion, it was almost too loose for my liking, and if I make another, the top will be done in smaller needles, or perhaps with fewer stitches. This time, I did a traditional bind-off, but it isn’t elastic enough, so next time I will use a shawl bind-off.

Joining the Yarn Along, and KCCO today.

Oregon Autumn Tart

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Sometimes, an abundance of ingredients in the pantry necessitates the creation of a new recipe.  We had bag of fresh local cranberries in the fridge, a few handfuls of lingonberries from the garden, and a glut of locally-grown hazelnuts.  A perfect collection of ingredients for a truly Oregonian Autumnal tart.

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Oregon Autumn Tart

Ingredients:

1 sheet puff pastry

For the filling:

2 1/2 C fresh cranberries and lingonberries, washed 

1 1/2 C granulated or unrefined natural sugar (you can use 1 C for a more-tart dessert)

zest of one orange (I prefer to use a microplane for a very fine zest)

For the topping:

1/2 C unsalted butter, softened

1/2 C light brown sugar

1/2 C granulated sugar

2/3 C unbleached flour

pinch of salt

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 heaping C hazelnuts, coarsely chopped

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Directions:

In a large bowl, combine butter, sugars, flour, salt and nutmeg.  Using a pastry cutter or a clean hand, cut butter into other ingredients until it is in pea-sized pieces.  Then, fold in hazelnuts.  Set aside. (Can be made one day in advance and refridgerated.)

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In a large skillet, combine berries, orange zest, and sugar.  Cook on medium heat, stirring often.  (As the berries pop, their juices will dissolve the sugar.)  Use the back of your spatula to crush the cranberries as the cook, and continue to simmer until mixture is thickened and all berries are beginning to cook down.  Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. 

While berries are cooking, roll out puff pastry to fill a jellyroll pan.  Place on parchment paper, and then in jellyroll pan.  Roll the edges of the puff pastry over and use a fork to crimp them down.

Preheat oven to 375F.  Spread cooled berry mixture evenly over the pastry with a spatula.  

Sprinkle streusel-nut topping over the berries, pressing it down gently.

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Bake for 25-30 minutes until pastry is puffed and golden, berries are bubbling, and streusel topping is begins to turn golden.

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Allow the tart to cool thoroughly before cutting into squares.  Serve with whipped cream if desired.

I confess, leftovers of this tart made for a pretty darn good November breakfast with a cup of coffee.

Hope you are enjoying all the good things of the season, too.

 

 

 

Archangel

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The forecast for today is miserable – snow, freezing rain.  In anticipation, we finished winterizing the garden and got the garlic crop planted and mulched (weeks and weeks later than normal).   The duck house and chicken coop have been mucked and loads of fresh straw added, since the birds are not yet acclimated to the cold weather just now coming our way.  With the outdoor chores done, we can keep to the house knowing everything is taken care of outside.

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I got a pot of white bean soup going first thing so I wouldn’t have to worry about dinner this afternoon.  As usual – no recipe, just using up what we have: to the soaked beans, we added 2 ham hocks, a finely chopped sauteed onion, 6 cloves of fermented garlic, La Ratte fingerling potatoes  (above) and Nantes carrots dug from the garden on Monday, and Fordhook Giant Swiss Chard plucked this morning (and cut up very finely so the kids will eat it).

I also threw in a handful of finely chopped golden raisins – they melt into the broth and add not only vitamins, but a subtle sweetness that complements the salty ham and adds complexity to the dish.  Later, Ruth will start a pot of brown rice and we’ll call that good for dinner.  Simple, nourishing, and perfect for a snowy day.

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While the kids are making a Lego explosion all over the living room, we’re finishing our book on CD and I’m hoping to cast on this beauty (a lace-weight adaptation of this pattern).  It’s been a long time since I’ve knit a shawl for myself, and I am already ahead on my Christmas knitting (thanks to all the time off my feet with that broken ankle), so I thought a small project just for myself might be okay.  The yarn is Malabrigo Lace, in the colorway Archangel – found on deep clearance online (with free shipping!).  Fingers crossed it will be finished in time to wear for Thanksgiving dinner.

Little Mitts – Free Pattern

IMG_0224[1]   As promised, I’ve written up my very simple pattern for children’s fingerless mitts to share with you.  But more on that later in this post.  First, Ginny’s Yarn Along and the KCCO:

IMG_0222[1]  The children and I are re-listening to Animal, Vegetable, Miracle.  Hard to believe it’s been four years since the last time we listened to it.  We are all enjoying it just as much as the first time. Bea got a new whittling book for her birthday, and we have been reading through it together.  Her grandparents also got her leather finger guards, and we have ordered a set of special carving knives to go along with her whittling knife. She loves whittling like I love knitting – it is good to see her find some handwork she really enjoys.

In between more complicated pieces, I like simple knitting projects to give my hands and mind a break.  I just finished two shawls and needed a simple knit to fill the void.

Here in the rainy Pacific Northwest, traditional mittens aren’t always the most practical – they get they get soaked and muddy.  The children wear their fingerless loves much more frequently.  This year they’ve all asked for new pairs for Christmas, so it was time to get knitting.

I love knitting these because it takes two hours to make a set – so a quick knit during busy gift-knitting season.  And using up odds and ends of yarn from previous projects is always a bonus.  Here’s the pattern:

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Simple Mitts for Little Hands:

Materials:

Yarn: Worsted or heavy-worsted weight yarn (such as Manos del Uruguay Maxima , or Brown Sheep Lamb’s Pride Worsted).  You can get three or more pairs from one ball.

Needles: Size 7 or 8 US double-pointed needles.

Gauge:  Not crucial.  Fits ages 1-3 (ages 4-7).

Make Two:

CO 26 (28) sts. ÂJoin in round.

Work in K1,P1 rib for 16 (18) rounds

K around for 2 (3) rounds.

Work thumb as follows:

R1: K1fb, K1fb, K around

R2, 4, and 6: K around

R3: K1fb, K2, K1fb, K around

R5: K1fb, K4, K1fb

R 7: K1fb, K6, K1fb

Small size – R8: BO 8 sts, K around.

(Larger size: R8: K around

R9: K1fb, K8, K1fb

R10: BO 10 sts, K around.)

Knit 6(8) rounds. BO Loosely.  Weave in ends.

Copyright 2014 Angela Baker. This pattern for personal and charity use only.

The pattern on Ravelry.

 

 

 

A short November day…

IMG_0210[1] A few images from the garden in early November.  There are a few carrots, and oca and potatoes to dig, and still an abundance of Swiss Chard and kale.  Most everything else has been harvested, although there is still some cleanup to be done, and there will be winter pruning in two months.  Here and there, a few calendula flowers are the only thing still blooming, but they are bent down with persistent raindrops. IMG_0219[1]   Tomatillos in their skeletal husks will germinate in the spring and yield a crop next year with no help from me.                 IMG_0208[1]   Hal commented that some of the grape leaves look like topographical maps.  IMG_0200[1]   The comfrey is still going strong where they ducks haven’t eaten it back.  Most of the new perennial fruit plants (a tiny baby Saskatoon in the red cage above – Shropshire Damsons, and Chilean guavas elsewhere in the garden) have comfrey nursemaids planted next to them.  IMG_0195[1]   The persimmon tree is on the cusp of a spectacular fiery display.  Hopefully by next year, there will be a crop of Early Fuyu persimmons left hanging once the red-orange leaves fall. IMG_0180[1]

The half-high and high-bush blueberries are just beginning to turn color.  They are four years-old, so in coming years – as they grow considerably – this whole side of the house will be awash in bright red blueberry and Aronia berry leaves in November.  IMG_0203[2]   Hope you have a cozy, restful weekend.  I’ll leave you with an autumnal Waldorf verse, of which I am always reminded this time of year:

The north wind came along one day,
So strong and full of fun;
He called the leaves down from the trees
And said, “Run children run”.
They came in read and yellow dress,
In shaded green and brown,
And all the short November day
He chased them round the town.
They ran in crowds, they ran alone,
They hid behind the trees,
The north winds laughing found them there
And called “No stopping please”
But when he saw them tired out
And huddled in a heap,
He softly said, “Goodnight my dears,
Now let us go to sleep.”

Little Mitts, Little Hands

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Strep throat and a chest cold swept through the family this week, so we have done little else besides snuggle and attempt to get well.  New “Triple Crown” thornless blackberries are waiting to be planted in the garden, the grapes and raspberries need to be pruned back for the winter.  However, nearly every item on this week’s “to-do” list this week has been abandoned in favor of long waits – for throat cultures at the urgent care, and antibiotics at the pharmacy.

I cannot sit still without some handwork to keep me occupied.  All of the waiting for medical appointments and snuggling with sleeping feverish children has afforded ample time to knit.  And knit, and knit.  I worked up a new, very simple children’s fingerless mitt pattern (the children always request mittens or some such for Christmas).   They are a quick knit – taking only about two hours to complete, and a great use of leftover worsted-weight yarn.

A few images from our week, although there isn’t much:

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On this morning’s trudge down to the chicken run to feed the poultry, I was struck by the beauty of the half-pruned Concord grapes on the chicken coop.  We lack the showy maple trees of the Midwest, but the grapes never fail to bring some autumn color to the garden.

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When George has felt like playing this week, he has been rediscovering the block basket.  In the early morning, when the other children are still asleep, he asks if he can go play blocks.

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IMG_0228[1]These mitts will be a Christmas gift for George – he loves anything TARDIS blue, and a friend gave me some incredibly soft Manos del Uruguay yarn, which knit up beautifully.

I think the kinks are ironed out, and will share the finished pattern (in toddler/preschool and elementary sizes) in time for next week’s Yarn Along.  Be sure to check back this weekend for more from the garden, and next Wednesday for the fingerless mitt pattern.

 

 

Yarn Along: Annis

IMG_0143[1]Joining Ginny’s Yarn Along this week.

Knitting: I’m finishing up the Annis Shawl in Brown Sheep Nature Spun fingering weight yarn.  The yarn was purchased several years ago on clearance, but I had never found the  right pattern for it until I recently came across “Annis” on Ravelry.

Reading: Just finished re-reading How To Make A Forest Garden by Patrick Whitefield.  Every time I thumb through it, I glean something new to apply to our landscape.

On a whim I snagged On Such a Full Sea, by Chang-Rae Lee from the library “Best Picks” shelf.  It is a Dystopian post-apocalyptic novel, and while I am only two chapters in, I must say that the writing is light years better than other novels I have read lately from the same genre.  The prose is absolutely gorgeous – rich and vivid, and yet not in any way combersome.  Not surprising, considering Lee has been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.

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The rain today is dreadful, so much of the day was dedicated to play and craft projects in the living room, reading and mathematics, and all the sibling squabbles that come from being confined indoors.

Wishing you a peaceful rest of the week.

 

 

 

Fall Chop n Drop

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Saying goodbye to the abundant tomato crop:  This year has been the best and longest tomato growing season since we started gardening in this location five years ago.  George and I spent yesterday ripping up, chopping up tomato plants, and stripping the last of the fruits from the vines.

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We had quite a lot of ripe/ripening tomatoes, especially considering a volunteer had picked a much larger quantity earlier in the week.  There were also quite a lot of tomatillos (bottom right).   Most years, the tomatoes are long gone this far into October, so we are lucky to be picking any.

We do take in the green tomatoes (bottom left) since they make very good chutney, fried tomatoes, and lacto-fermented dill pickles.

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As we pull up the tomato plants, I chop them into small (hand-sized) pieces and throw them right back on the beds.  As other spent plants die, they are also cut off at the ground and chopped onto the beds.  Soon, I will sprinkle coffee grounds, coffee chaff, composted poultry manure, and comfrey tea on the beds. Over our mild Oregon winter, the poultry will work through the beds, scratching the vegetable matter and helping it break down before spring.  Worms will come up to the surface and help turn the plant matter into compost.  There is no need to expend the effort to move it all to a compost bin, let it decompose, and then shovel it all back.  Letting it compost in place is a huge labor saver.

Chop and Drop is an energy-saving, soil-building concept in permaculture where biomass is accumulated through the chopping and dropping of excess vegetation.  Just as leaves and branches fall in nature, building up the soil, in the permaculture garden, the gardener accelerates that process by intentionally cutting back vegetation, and laying it on top of the beds.

In the photo above, you can see the ducks and Cookie the Buff Orpington looking for slugs and other goodies in a mass of vegetation I have just chopped and dropped around a white currant (far left) and a young Bavay’s Green Gage plum (small trunk at right).  As these materials break down, they slowly release nutrients into the soil, encourage the growth of beneficial fungi, and build soil fertility.   Keeping a cover of mulch also suppresses weeds, conserves water, and protects perennials from harsh winter weather.

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In a immature system such as ours, we still bring in wood chips several times year to mulch beds and import biomass.  Hopefully, in a few years, we will be producing enough biomass here at the farmette to supple the needs of all the garden beds and the orchard.  (More on that later in the week!)

At the end of the afternoon, my foot is quite swollen, and I’m very glad the ham n split pea stew was made early in the day, so I can put my foot up and rest before supper.  There is a lot to be done in order to put the garden to bed for the winter, but I think we got a solid start to the work before the driving rain returns tomorrow.

 

Elderberry-Rose Hip Syrup

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A friend very kindly picked me loads of wild rose hips.  These red-orange fruits of fall are loaded with vitamin C, lycopene and beta-carotene.  They can be dried for tea, or used fresh for syrup and jam.  (Take note – the seeds inside are covered with irritating hairs, and if the fruits are cut up, the hairs need to be removed.  The seeds and outside of the fruit are edible.)IMG_0069[1]

Late in the summer, when our elderberries were in full production (and I was still out of commission), my husband picked and froze loads of berries for me.    Adding the rose hips to my elderberry syrup seemed like a great way to boost the health-benefits of this winter-time supplement.

Here’s my updated recipe:

Elderberry Rose Hip Syrup

Ingredients:

5 cups fresh or frozen elderberries (see prep below)

2 cups fresh unsprayed (preferably wild) rose hips (see prep below)

thumb-sized piece of ginger, skin peeled off

5 cups water

4-5 cups organic unrefined sugar

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

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Step 1: Remove all stems – even the smallest ones – from the berries (see my notes on elderberries and cyanide here.  (If using frozen berries: Let the berries thaw slightly (as seen above),  then use a fork to easily knock them from the stems.  Discard all stems and leaves in the compost.  Rinse berries to remove any debris or spiders.

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Step 2: Rinse the rosehips, and remove any that are soft and mushy.  With your fingers, pull off the dried brown petals from the blossom end of the hip (also called a “haw”).  Measure out two cups of whole hips (the hips will not burst when cooked, so I don’t cut them open and remove the hairs/seeds for this recipe).

Step 3: Add berries, hips, ginger, and 5 cups water to a heavy-bottomed pan.  Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer with the lid off, for 45 minutes.

Step 4: Strain the liquid ad berries, using a fine strainer or clean tea towel, carefully crushing the hot fruit pulp as you do so.  Discard the mashed fruit.  Measure the quantity of juice.  It should be around 5 cups.

Step 5:  Add strained juice back to the pan.  For every cup of juice, stir in 2/3-1 cup of sugar (less sugar will yield a runnier final product).  Bring mixture to a boil, and boil, stirring frequently, until mixture is reduced by one-third to one-half, and thickens to desired viscosity.

Step 6: Add balsamic vinegar (or substitute with 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar for a brighter flavor), and stir.  Ladle hot syrup into jars, and store in the refrigerator for up to six months, or process in a hot-water bath canner.
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The syrup is very good over ice cream, or pound cake, or mixed with a little hot tea or brandy.

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As a health supplement, the syrup is commonly taken as 1/2- 1 tsp daily in the fall and winter.  My children enjoy it in a small glass of seltzer or orange juice.

Back tomorrow with some garden work from today.  Hope you had a restful weekend.

October bounty

IMG_0122[1]A few images from the past week:

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Picking highbush cranberries (Viburnum trilobum) back by the chicken coop.  There are many nurseries that stock this species (or group of species), but unless you acquire a variety specifically selected for eating, the fruit will be highly unpalatable.  These are from a specialty nursery and the fruit taste very much like a true cranberry (Vaccinium spp).

The birds get about half the fruit, but those we manage to pick substitute nicely for cranberries in any dish.  They also make a lovely red jelly, and dehydrate well.  If you have room, they are worth growing, especially as the plant is less fussy than true cranberries, and the fruit is ready weeks and weeks before the lingonberries.

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Bacon-fat rubbed all over a chicken before roasting yields a spectacularly crispy skin.  This chicken with roasted carrots and onions fed us for three meals: One roast chicken dinner, leftovers for pot pie, and a batch of bone broth.  The garlic, carrots, rosemary, sage came from the garden.

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Picking quince, which will be made into membrillo in a few days.  In the meantime, they fill the kitchen with a delightful floral – almost tropical – aroma.

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Checking on the few monster “Sweet Meat” winter squashes.  Because October continues to be mild, the vines are still green and growing, so the squash are still in the garden.   Looking forward to making soup, gnocchi, and roast squash from these giant beauties.

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Another blessing of the mild weather:  we continue to pick a handful or two of golden raspberries and Inca berries every day for snacks.

IMG_0086[1]Cleaning a gorgeous bag of wild rosehips picked for me by a friend.  They were made into elderberry-rosehip syrup – the recipe for which I will share later in the week.

 

 

 

 

On the Wheel

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It has been a long, long time since I’ve used my spinning wheel.  I am struggling to regain sufficient dorsiflexion in order to walk without a limp, despite doing physical therapy exercises religiously.  We brought the wheel downstairs so I could treadle and at least gain strength, and possibly mobility as well.  (First, the little bit of lavender merino yarn had to come off the bobbin so I could start spinning the KoolAid dyed pinky-orange roving.  I will ply it later.)

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George hung out with me and had a snack while I pre-drafted the roving.

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Attempting to get the wheel going was tricky.  My ankle is very stiff and the muscles in that leg are weak.  I found the tension had to be let way out in order to keep treadling and draft correctly.  It means I’m dealing with a bit of overspin, but right now the spinning is for the doing and not the finished product.  IMG_0032[1] IMG_0048[1]

The wheel tends to walk across the wood floor when the wheel gets going, so I keep a little rag rug my great-grandmother made underneath to prevent this.  My ankle can hold up for about 20 minutes of spinning, and then it starts to grumble loudly, but after a short break I can return.  The plate and screws and pins don’t bother me, for which I am grateful, and with time the soft tissue will stretch out more and the range of motion will improve.

IMG_0037[1]After a number of sessions, I managed to get a small hank of fingering-weight yarn spun, and started a second.  Not sure yet if I will knit it as singles, or ply it when I get the other half spun up.

Joining Ginny’s Yarn Along today.  More from the garden later this week.

 

Homebodies

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Autumn is settling in, and we’ve put the feather comforters and extra quilts on the beds.  My ankle hasn’t healed enough to drive yet, so we spend our week keeping busy at home.  Any moment it isn’t raining, we’ve been in the garden.

Some images from our quiet week around the house.  Above: Hops, rosemary, and comfrey drying in a sunny window seat.

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Collecting columbine seeds for Christmas gifts, and a few to sow around the garden.

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Baking bread.  The kids can eat a loaf every single day, and I certainly don’t mind baking.  This is molasses-shredded wheat bread (my kids love shredded-wheat cereal, and we save the crushed bits in the bottom of the bag for making bread.   Tossing a half-cup into the recipe adds a nice texture, and nothing goes to waste).  Butter spread on top when the loaf is warm makes for a soft crust children enjoy.IMG_9989[1]

The Nature Table is transitioning over for autumn.  It includes whatever the kids collect: birch bark, a paper wasp nest, as well as shells and rocks discovered in children’s pockets when we go to do the laundry.

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A volunteer brought the children a nest she found in our raspberry patch.  We find several every year around the yard, but the kids always get excited about them – they have an almost mystical quality because of their ephemeral nature, and each one is unique.

The perpetual calendar in the upper right is from MamaRoots, and was a birthday gift to Bea last year.  She dutifully keeps track of it for us, and it is one of the best instructional toys we’ve purchased.

IMG_0001[1]A few days in the sun, rotated a few times a day, and the hops and such have dried, and been packed into jars until we need them.

Autumn is always bittersweet – I love the baking, sticking close to home, the warm wooly things of fall.  But the garden winds down and is put to bed for the year, and the weather turns grey and rainy and chilly.  Especially this year, where I missed an entire summer laid up on the sofa with my leg, the changing of the seasons hits a little hard.  Fall is here though, and I’ve got to take the good things the season offers and be content… seems like the right time to bake some gingerbread.

Blessings on your weekend.

 

 

Pippins

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The Cox’s Orange Pippin apples are ready.  We didn’t get but just a few, as the tree can be fiddly in its fruit-bearing, and I had pruned it heavily the winter before for shape, not fruit production.

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Nonetheless, these are spectacular apples.  The flavor is purported to be one of the best in the world.  The first time I tried one, I was hooked.  And since they aren’t available unless you grow them yourself, we planted in a tree by the duck house.

And the color – a pumpkin orange undertone with mottling of red, yellow and pale green, and bits of russetting.  Beautiful, and not like any apple in the grocery store.  If any apple makes a case for heirloom apple trees in the home garden, it is this gem of a fruit.
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George and I cut back much of the horseradish (it will die back to the ground at the first frost, anyway).  Horseradish, rhubarb, comfrey, artichoke all put out large amounts of foliage which they shed come cold weather.  These large leaves make great mulch.  Since this horseradish was overgrowing the path -and I kept snagging my crutch on it every single time I walked by – a portion of it had to go.

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While I mulched a Juneberry with the horseradish leaves, George got some prime snuggle time with his favorite chicken, Nudge.  Nudge loves nothing better than a good snuggle with a gentle child.  If George doesn’t crouch down for her, she will attempt to flap up into his arms in order to be held.

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IMG_9897[1]The quince are getting closer and closer to being ripe.  Still green, but beginning to turn yellow.  I am dreaming of membrillo already.

Simple Kimchi Recipe

IMG_9947[1]   Most of us have come down with the first cold of fall.  If you ask me, nothing is better for a cold than kimchi.  The spicy sourness of this traditional food eases cold symptoms and it is rich in probiotic power.  (It is also good for easing morning sickness, especially when made into soup with noodles.)

Actually, one doesn’t need an illness or excuse to make and eat kimchi.  This lightly-fermented probiotic condiment is simple to make, and is delicious on anything from pizza to scrambled eggs.   Throw some in the middle of your grilled cheese and you won’t be sorry. There are many variations, but most kimchi starts with Napa cabbage.  From there, family recipes vary quite a bit.  I arrived at my own recipe after trying many, many different recipes, combining the elements I liked from each.  I also use a hot pepper paste recommended by the owner of my local Asian market, which I prefer to recipes calling for powdered pepper blended with dried shrimp, sugar, and other ingredients.

Here’s my recipe:

Simple Kimchi

  • 2-2 1/2 lbs of Napa cabbage
  • 1/2 cup kosher salt
  • 2 large glass or ceramic (non-reactive) bowls
  • cold water to cover the cabbage

Prepare ahead: Chop Napa cabbage into one to one-and-a-half inch pieces, including the ribs.  Divide the cabbage between the two bowls, sprinkle each bowl with 1/4 cup kosher salt and gently massage the cabbage a few times (do NOT used iodized salt.  It will give an off flavor to the finished product).  Add cold water to each bowl until the cabbage is covered (you may need to add a plate on top to help keep the cabbage submerged.)

Let bowls of salted cabbage sit at room temperature for 12-24 hours.  Then drain the bowls and rinse cabbage thoroughly in cold water to remove the salt.

Dry the cabbage with a clean tea towel, scrunching gently.  Place the wilted cabbage in a collander and allow it to drain completely.   IMG_9955[1]   Now that the cabbage is prepared, you are ready to put the kimchi together.  (A quick note:  The pictures won’t match the recipe exactly – Our Asian market was out of daikon, so I used three large carrots this time.  Kimchi is very adaptable.  Sometimes, if I can’t find daikon, I will use two Granny Smith apples, an extra carrot, or add another 1/2 lb of cabbage.) In one of the large glass bowls, gather:

  • One small to medium white daikon, peeled and cut into matchsticks
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and grated
  • 6 scallions, root end and the very dark green portions removed, and finely chopped
  • 1/3 cup Korean hot pepper paste (if your brand doesn’t include sugar, add 1 tsp sugar to it)
  • 1/4 cup fish sauce (Golden Boy brand is very good, but if you can’t find it, ask your local Asian grocer which s/he prefers.)
  • A thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, grated (including juice!)
  • 5-7 cloves of garlic, crushed

IMG_9949[1]   I used to use ground hot peppers, and mixed them with other ingredients, including sugar and dried shrimp.  One day, the owner of our Asian market saw me scanning the shelves and asked what I was looking for.  I told him hot pepper powder for kimchi, and he said, “You should try this instead.  It’s what all my Korean customers buy.”

IMG_9952[1]I’m very glad I tried it.  The pepper paste is delicious, spicy, sweet, salty, and makes a great kimchi.  I don’t like my kimchi super spicy, so if you do, increase the amount of paste to suit your taste.  If you are worried about using up the whole tub, it also makes a fantastic spicy rub for BBQ beef or pork.

IMG_9954[1]   The market has an overwhelming array of fish sauces.  The flavor can vary quite a bit, so if you aren’t sure which to pick, ask the grocer.  If you haven’t cooked with fish sauce before, be prepared – it smells horrendous.  But it is full of delectable umami flavor, and vital to the dish.  Flavor isn’t the only reason it is necessary, however – fish sauce is fermented, and will help jump start the fermentation of your kimchi. IMG_9962[1] IMG_9964[1]   Mix the ingredients in the bowl together until the garlic, ginger and pepper paste are thoroughly distributed.  Then, by hand (you may wish to wear a glove because the paste can make your skin burn a bit), add the cabbage and mix it into the other ingredients, scrunching it with your hand as you go. IMG_9973[1]   Put the kimchi into a fermentation vessel (or two quart jars), packing the ingredients in tightly as you go.  Amongst fermented condiments, kimchi is the most notorious for making a lot of liquid, bubbling over and escaping the vessel.  Because of this, I leave ample head space before adding the weight. IMG_9975[1]   Place the weight and lid on your vessel.  This will keep mold spores and other contaminants out.  If using a mason jar with lid and ring, leave the ring loose, so gases can escape and your jar doesn’t crack.  Place the vessel on a plate to catch any juice that bubbles over during fermentation.

IMG_9972[1]Leave the kimchi on the counter at room temperature for 24-72 hours, tasting it every day, and moving it to the fridge when it as bubbly and sour as you like.  Be aware that by the second day, a lot of liquid may have bubbled over.  This is normal, and a sign that the good bacteria are creating a health pickled food.  (Kimchi is lightly fermented, and unlike sauerkraut, is ready in days instead of weeks.  Leaving kimchi on the counter too long will result in a mushy, unpleasantly sour final product.  Once it is moved to the fridge, kimchi will still slowly ferment.  Enjoy it in the first two weeks after you make it for the best possible crunch and flavor.)

(Joining Wooly Moss Roots for her Gratitude Sunday today.  Very grateful that in the midst of feeling crummy, I can make something to help us feel better and get better.  It’s good to take care of my family after months of being unable to do so.)

More from out in the garden early in the week.

Hop Blossoms and Dragonfly Wings

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A few pictures from the last two days:

The boys helped me pick hops this afternoon, which we will dry for tea.  Usually, we pick them for brewing beer, but I’m told a few blossoms steeped in hot water with a little honey makes a very soothing bedtime tea, so we are going to try it this winter.

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Baking sesame-oat and shredded-wheat spelt breads yesterday so the kids could have a snack before derby scrimmage.

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My ankle swells very quickly, and I spent a lot of time with my foot propped up, reading to the children and knitting Christmas presents.  Dragonfly Wings is off the needles, but still needs to be blocked.  I enjoyed this pattern very much – it was easy and quick to knit.   Looking forward to see how it blocks up.

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Before the weather gets too cold and the comfrey dies back, I have begun collecting the leaves to dry, in order to make a batch of comfrey-rosemary salve.

More soon, including a recipe for the comfrey salve.