Two Today

Little Man eating pizza for the first time.

Little Man is two today! Look how little he used to be. That is a big boy in the other picture. He refused to take his crown off after kindie (they celebrated it there yesterday). Too cold to only wear the crown tough. Oh how I love that little man.

Happy birthday!

Mamma
xxx

Playing outside Grandma Mommas place. He has not hurt his cheek. They painted a car there in honour of his b-day.

What My Tea Tells Me

Trinkets and Things

Example of 'stuff'. Cute mushroom thingy on my bag.

Even though I try to be all zen and anti materialistic I have to be the first to admit that I like things. And I like buying new things. And recently I have noticed that  lot of my blog posts have been about new things and my excitement over them. Like here, here and here. And here...

Now, I'm trying to be all environmental and anti-waste, and I'm now going to argue that my mountain of things actually makes me contribute less to the ever increasing mound of recyclables at the dump.

Quality.

For some reason (maybe age?) I have turned into my mum. I check the labels of clothing to make sure they are pure wool, cotton, linen, silk. I research my purchases. And I spend more money on the stuff I am sure I will love for a long time.

And I've started making stuff. The positive spiral of investing time and energy in a project should never be underestimated. And I love that it makes my 'stuff' unique.

I do actually have som key questions I ask myself before I buy something, like:

• What use does this item give me?
• Do I have similar things at home?
• Can I fix/repaint/repurpose/move/alter something I already have to satisfy the 'need' I have to buy the item?
• Can I afford it? (Actually glad I have this limitation)

I probably have loads more of self examining questions, but I must confess that buying stuff makes me feel good. Fortunately so does making stuff, playing with Little Man, taking pictures,  etc ect.

So I think I'm safe. For now.

Working Halloween

Ah, to lie flat in a pumpkin patch for work is bliss. I like this Halloween work magic. In the night they have to cover the orange babies with blankts. They freeze. Litterally. But they´re soo sweet. Giving eachother chubby hugs.

Tray Crazy

I think I have started to collect trays. From having a couple, it´s definately turned ino a collection. Here is my newest addition. I love the way the design totally suits my pomegranite. The tray is bought online at Sweet Memories. I got some cowboy sheets for the bed there as well. I think I´m geting addicted to receiving packages in the mail too. Even if it is self presenting.

Sunday Session

A great lazy Sunday. Rainy and windy out. Breakfast in front of kiddie shows. The fire making it sleepily warm inside.

Baking oatmeal cookies with chocolate and hazelnuts. Little Man eating the chocolate pieces out of the dough.

Watching my favourite shows while Little Man naps. Coffee and fresh cookie.

Taking a loooong warm shower, without interuptions. Going to the in-laws for dinner. Potato dumplings (komler), one of my faves. Checking out the last of Dad-in Laws flowers.

Boy in bed. Asleep. House warm. Me curled up with book.
Bliss.

Three Courses, Four Friends

Had a beautiful night with good friends and good food. Everything turned out just like I wanted it to, and everybody loved the food. With copious amounts of sauvignon blanc I can definitely say that the evening was a total success.

As promised. Recipies and pictures below. By the time we got to dessert I think my tipsyness overpowerd my ability to take a good photo of the panna cotta. In stead close your eyes. Imagine fresh fragrant and sour passionfruit hitting your tounge followed by clouds of light creamy fluffyness with a tangy aftertaste. It was heaven in a glass.

Most chuffed with the pumpkin salad though. I made it cheffy-style. Right in fromt of the guests eyes.

Nigella move over.

Pumkin and rocket salad with toasted walnuts

1 butternut squash or 1/2 pumpkin

Rocket salad

Walnuts

Sea salt

Pepper

White wine or white balsamic vinegar

Dijon mustard

Extra virgin olive oil

Sugar

Cut the pumpkin in wedges and toss in a little olive oil and sugar. Roast in a 225 degrees oven for about 40 minutes or untill brown on the edges.

Put walnuts and a little olive oil in a pan and gently fry. Salt to taste.

Make a vinaigrette from the mustard, vinegar and olive oil, and toss the rocket in the dressing.

Pile dressed rocket on plate, put warm pieces of pumpkin and warm walnuts om top.

 

Pumpkin

 

 Rocket salad

 

 Walnuts

Wild mushroom risotto

500 grams aborio rice

3 dl white wine

1 liter chicken stock

1 large onion

3 cloves garlic

500 gams wild mushrooms. I used porchini and trumpet chantarelles.

Sea salt

Pepper

Extra virgin olive oil

Butter

100 grams Parmegiano regiano

Lemon

Parsley

Sauté the mushrooms in a pan with a little butter, take off pan and leave aside.

Sweat the onions and garlic in butter and olive oil. Add rice, and let the fat soak into the grains untill they become translucent. Add the wine, and let the rice completely soak it up. Ad hot chicken stock a cup at a time, stirring almost contantly, and leting the rice soak up the stock between each go. Salt and pepper to taste. When rice is al dente add mushrooms, the juice and zest of one lemon, cheeze and parsley. Serve with more parmegiano and parsley on top.

Aborio rice

  

 

Trumpet chantarell

 

 Porchini mushroom

 

 Parmegiano regiano

Panna cotta with passionfruit

5 dl cream

1 dl cream, whipped

50 gams sugar

2 vanilla pods, split with seeds scaped

2 limes

4 gelatin sheets soaked in cold water

10 passion fruit

Put 5 dl cream, sugar, the zest of one lime and vanilla pods and seeds in a pot and warm gently. When slightly warmer than fingerwarm take off heat and add the juice of the limes and melt the squished out gelatin (now soft) in the warm liquid. Cool a little, sieve, then gently add the whipped cream. Pour into wine glasses and put in a cool place to set.

When set add the scraped out pulp form the passion fruit on top of the panna cotta.

Bon appetit.

Winter Warm Worms

Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous.

Ahhh, that lovely and talented Sandra Juto. I feel like I have been moving in her new studio with her, and I have been drewling over her lovely lovely Wrist Worms for quite a while now. I was never in doubt of the colour though. Yellow is my colour crush of the mo.

So I self presented myself (yes, it is a verb) a pair. Oh, they are all the hand made beautifullness I imagined. And still actually a bit warm for the season. My Dad commented that they would be ideal for fishing (maybe a new sales point. In man colours made for man hands?).

Oooh, and not only did they come with gorgeous Swedish stamps, but also with a card and a pocket calender! It is already in good use at work. (See below.) I love these kinds of details.

Jealous?

I would be.

Pocket calender. In my work space.

Foodieness

I´m a foodie. I admit it. I love pleasing people with food. I love getting praise for my food. I love the intoxicating feeling of tasting something wonderful. Especially if it is new to me. I love sharing that feeling.

One of my favourite things is to grow my own vegetables and herbs. It gives me immense satisfaction to create something colourful, tasty and comforting out of something I have pulled out of my own (or my Dads) soil.

Now I´m excited. Remember those pressies I blogged about back in august. They were for some special friends. The kind free from duties.

Tomorrow I´m giving them what I love the most. Food cooked from scratch. Good ingredients. And made with love. I can´t wait. I´ve been planning and replanning the menu in my head for the last month or so. And it´s ready. I want to keep it a surprise, but I can tell you it involves home dried wild trumpet chantarelles and pumkin from Dads garden. Sigh. I can´t wait.

I will post recipies after the feast is devoured.

Confession #7

I´m a gaming nerd. I love computer games, but I try to stay away from them as I get totally hooked. And it´s not like I need more reasons to play with my new baby,  Lucy Queen of Narnia (Luce for short), than I already have. (I might as well hook her up intraveinously).

I´ve already posted about it way back when. My favourite (till now) has been Samorost, but now I have a new favourite from Amanita designs.

In Machinarium you get to "be" the cutest little robot. I played throught the demo last night, and I am already totally hooked.

And for those sceptics out there. This game is an award winning point and click classic, and a logical challenge. Just made fun in a special universe with a really sweet robot.

It´s out. Check it out.

All pictures are screenshots from the Machinarium demo here.

My Day: Bytesize

 

Breakfast. Double cappuccino and carrot cup kake.

Have had a beautiful day that included good friends, good hugs, good coffee, and good photography.

 

 Lovable poster. I want to be that cocky champion.

 

Bike bar (that middle bit). With sculls. Season appropriate.

 

Old school fire alarm. 

 

Old pharmacy. Now clothes store.

The shop has been here since the 50´s.

Organic indulgence. One of my true faves.

 

Some more Nuart. Gorgeous.

Kitchenscapes

My newly made tablecloth inspired some colourful kitchen photos. The red chairs are new to me, but of course old. Some old people in the appartments above my office were going to throw them out.

 

 

 

 

 

Rusty Texture

I love rust. The colour. The corrosion. The texture. It expresses a life lived. Experiences made. And natures way of always winning. Of course some warm Autumn light helps it on.