1.12.11

storms, chilli and knitting


 I am so glad the geranium still has her flowers, the leaves have mostly left the trees now and the winter pansies are looking pretty sorry for themselves, she is the only proper flower left.



We're getting ready for winter properly now, collecting and chopping wood, we've now got oil in the tank, and the underfloor heating on (which is amazing!). 
And we've also done a big shop, spending far more than we'd initially intended...we have now got enough tins of beans, pasta, flour, uht and toilet roll for at least a few weeks!!   

It would seem that we did the 'apocalypse shop' just in time, as that evening there was a storm, crazy winds and lots of hail stones!! Enough to put the wind up us!!
As last year it hit about -14 up here we are starting to panic a bit as to weather we'd be okay if we couldn't get to town for a few weeks...


(shoddy photo, I know, but it was frrrrreeeeeezing!)


Aside from that, we have begun to bring a big of christmas into the house, I love the smell of christmas, cloves, orange, pine, all of them, I can't wait to get our tree! 
But for now I've settled with a few sprigs of scots pine and some festive cones to get me going....




As it is that time of year, I also get to bring out the goddess...of course, I mean Nigella. 
I totally love her!
I love her face, her cheesyness, her decorations, the dodgy sexual looks she gives the camera...EVERYTHING!

  


 I stole this book from my mum a few years ago now and I can't see her getting it back any time soon, it has so many lovely recipes in it, great for feasting ideas and also for edible gifts. Usually I make a ton of peanut butter cups, but this year, as I've been making getting into it, I decided to make some chilli jam. You don't need to buy the book to get the recipe, it's available online here.





I've never used jam sugar before, so I was a bit worried about the consistency of the dissolving sugar in the cider vinegar and the amount of time it was taking for the sugar to dissolve, but I think it worked out okay...It looks like jam!! 
James likes it, though I think its a little too vinegary... perhaps it'll become richer once it is cool? 


In other news, 

I have been knitting like a woman possessed and almost finished my first panel for my blanket! Its not entirely like the blanket which I saw and loved, but this way will work just the same. 
I love the colours, and I think I'll carry on the brown/purple/green/cream theme in varying tones in the other panels.



I am so excited about finishing it...as usual, I want it to be finished already!!


I can't wait for fireside cwtches under my own handmade blanket...it's going to be immense!


Though for now, I need to get on with making some more christmas decorations/presents.
xxxxxxx

2 comments:

  1. I love the photo's, your blog is looking so lovely. Although I can only reamyotonia on my phone at the minute which is a little annoying. That blanket looks amazing!! That must have taken a serious amount of time to do, but it'll all be so worth it when you can snuggle down on the sofa with it. :-)
    I love that Nigella book of yours... I saw some peanut butter cups on Pinterest the other day and straight away I thought of you!
    Love Ash
    Xxxxx

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