KnitWit

Tastes of autumn

It's a well known fact that I heart autumn but I've really noticed that my tastes have changed this year. While in the past, I was happy to eat ratatouille all year round, I really savoured my last batch as I'm aware that aubergine and courgettes won't taste as good again for a while. But more than that I have really been wanting food containing squashes, corn on the cob, carrots and kale. Alice's photos of her new vegbox have been haunting me, as have Katie and Kate's allotment shots and its the Flower and Produce Show on The Archers. It appears I am obsessed with autumnal produce and am itching to get my container kitchen garden up and running so I can have my own veggies next year. I like to think that I will become south-east London's Alys Fowler ;)

Today, my meals have all included foods that I think taste of autumn. (As I write this, I can smell a bonfire, whoot!)

Breakfast

Plum jam on toast. I made the jam last week from this recipe which I can vouch for as being excellent. I hadn't made jam before, marmalade and chutney had been the extent of my endeavours so this was new ground for me.  I used two punnets of plums, no vanilla, and made one and half jars which tastes lovely and gives me a boost every morning on my toast. (It won't last long, I may have to freeze more plums)

Lunch
My first batch of soup for ages, Potage Bonne Femme by Elizabeth David, I love how luxurious it tastes when it is so easy to make and basically carrots, potatoes, leeks and stock with a touch of creme fraiche. It is probably a bit wintery for today but I really fancied it and will take leftovers to work which is always a bonus. Also even though I think it translates as Housewife's soup, I do love the idea that this is soup for the good women because I think good women always deserve excellent soup! 

Finally, dinner — apple crumble!
For the last few weeks, I have been (virtually) skipping to the farmers market for the last couple of weeks on an apple quest. Every week there seems to be new varieties available at farmers market and I have been sampling them all. All my apples come from Chegworth Valley who are opening a shop (in Notting Hill naturally), and are either organic or apples from land that is still in conversion. Most of all, it makes me very happy that they are a range of sizes and tastes from sharp small red apples to lovely Coxs. I always come away with a pick and mix selection and then get surprised at work with the variety of tastes and textures. Like many people, I like the section of Little Women where Jo is sitting in the attic, reading and eating a bag of apples and I'm determined that one day soon, I'm going to find me a sunny spot and read a trashy novel with apples on the side. Anyway, that was a long way of saying, I made crumble and it was tasty.

Completely unrelated: I went to see Emiliana Torrini last weekend at the Southbank and she was great. It is safe to say that previously I had been an unbeliever and thought she would be quite wispy and annoying, but she was really funny and witty and excellent live. Listen to her latest album, "Me and Armini"; I love the optimism of "Big Jumps" and defy anyone not to wiggle their hips to "Jungle Drum".

FO: Pom Cosy

Tea is one of my most favourite things. It's a bit of recurring theme with my friends and family - there are few things I love more than afternoons with a pot of tea with lovely people and quality conversation. This afternoon I'm meeting up with some of my top girlfriends to quaff tea, help plan a veggie patch in my friend's back yard and make some lists of things to do before we all turn thirty. 

I started this cosy in January as a housewarming gift for my lovely friend Sonya. However, while I managed to finish the sides and sew it up quite quickly, it did languish in various parts of my house for months until I got round to making the pompoms (and overcame my desire to keep the it for myself!). The pattern was from the same book as the Sheep, I am very pleased with the finished result. When parcelled up with some chocolate buttons from Greensmiths, Sonya was also quite chuffed. One of the reasons I like it is that before poms were added, it did look very like a sea anemone: I see more anemone/sea urchin cosies appearing in the future...

I knit it in Sirdar Click. While I don't usually knit with acrylic, I did want something very washable. I bow to the very sensible advice from Abby, Annabel and Ellen who helped me buy the wool: I think it helped to create a nice springy effect and I liked the effect of the floats on the inside.

All details are ravelled here.

If you haven't already seen it, I thoroughly recommend Kate's marvellous post on tea and the
exploitation of female knitters on Shetland. Well worth a read.

Beyond living memory

"My subject is war and the pity of war. The poetry is in the pity."
—Wilfred Owen


(Photo taken at Berwick church, Sussex as part of anti-war mural)

Tomorrow the last remaining UK veteran of the first world war, Harry Patch, will be buried in Wells Cathedral. The former plumber was conscripted into the army aged 18 and was the last remaining survivor of the battle of Passchendaele in 1917. I found it very moving that on returning from war, Patch didn't talk about his experiences for 80 years. He gave an interview in 1998, realising he was one of the last living links to the war.

While I was at school I became very interested in the poets of the first world war, and in particular Wilfred Owen — the quote above was stuck on my bedroom wall for many years. I am quite a militant pacifist (if there is such a thing) and I appreciate this is a difficult point of view for a lot of people — certainly it has led to difficult conversations with friends over the years but I'm sure that this interest in the first world war has instilled a deep belief in the pointlessness of war which has never gone away.

Thinking about the variety of different ways writers and artists have tried to communicate the horror of this war, I am always struck by the inadequacy of language to convey how horrific the experience must have been and the scale of losses suffered. The battle of Passchendale is a case in point: 325,000 allied casualties and over 260,000 Germans were killed. Over 99 days in battle, an average of 3,000 British troops were killed, wounded, or captured daily. (By contrast, in Iraq 4,330 US soldiers have been killed since the war started in 2003). In the end, the battle ended just five miles beyond the starting point. For me, that just doesn't seem like enough of a win.

One thing that struck a chord with me when I watched interview footage with Harry Patch as part of his
obituary, was the lack of animosity as he described how the Germans "suffered the same as we did" —  full of humanity and compassion for those involved. And although I can vividly imagine Septimus Smith in Mrs Dalloway, Prior in Pat Barker's Regeneration trilogy, feel like I was wading through the mud with the horses in Warhorse and listen to Benjamin Britten's War Requiem, there isn't anything quite like hearing from an ordinary man who was there. 

Thom Yorke heard an emotional interview with Harry Patch on the Radio 4's Today programme which had profound effect on him. Radiohead wrote a tribute to Patch which has been released today on the Radiohead website. It's available for £1 and all proceeds go to the Royal British Legion. On the Radiohead blog he 'hopes the song does justice to his memory as the last survivor.' I think it does but it isn't for faint hearted; it had me crying into my peppermint tea on first listen. Harry Patch had 80 years to think of the way to describe his experiences and for me I cannot think of a better way to talk about it then these simple words.

Harry Patch (In Memory Of)

I am the only one that got through
The others died where ever they fell
It was an ambush
They came up from all sides
Give your leaders each a gun and then let them fight it out themselves
I've seen devils coming up from the ground
I've seen hell upon this earth
The next will be chemical but they will never learn

Further reading: This article in the Guardian about cultural remembrance of the first world war is very interesting

The Farmers Market

One of the best things about moving to Blackheath (of which there are many and I am bound to bore your pants off with them), is the farmer's market. While not as huge as the Oxford Farmer's Market or as comprehensive as the Covered Market, it is a lovely weekly treat for me. Every Sunday there is a lovely selection of veggies, fruit, plants and flowers. I can feel myself creating excuses for why I need to be in the area every Sunday morning. Over the last few weeks I have developed an obsession with dahlias of which the lovely red beauties above are my latest haul.

This week it was a fairly bumper week of purchases, partly because I was cooking lunch for five, but mainly because there was so much amazing produce on sale — including yellow courgettes, plums and chillis. Since moving I have stopped my veggie box, which has made me realise that it is easy to fall into a vegetable rut. So this week I deliberately bought things I wouldn't usually choose, like globe artichokes, to experiment with.

Although I have been visiting my beloved for the best part of four years here, I haven't felt like a "regular" until just recently; I have finally started enjoying banter with the stallholders about my purchases, and I'm becoming excited about new foods as they come into season. This week, it was the first Discovery apples, and they look and taste mighty fine.

The Fourth Plinth

*Warning! Contains gratuitous Archers segue*

After work I went to Trafalgar Square to see Marian Cinnamond on the Plinth. Antony Gormley's Fourth Plinth project has been running for a week but is set to run for 100 days (until October time) and will feature 2,500 people over this time period. Tonight seemed to be knitting night because although plinthers had been randomly chosen, two knitters were featuring and Iknit had organised a knit around the Plinth.

I have to confess that I am slightly obsessed with the idea of the Plinth - I love the social aspect to it and I have found myself quite frequently wondering who is on it at various moments. I'm loving the range of the different things people are choosing to do, like raise awareness of a particular organisation, cooking food or having a tea break. I'm very jealous that one of my co-workers has a space on the Plinth although he is having no truck with my attempts of trying to teach him to knit. There is still time to knit a flower for Anne Makepeace going up on the Plinth on Sunday 26th July so I might just have to be content my doing that!

(And as I can't keep The Archers out of any discussion of the Plinth, I did think that although the contest for the Ambridge Plinth did start off in an inspired fashion with Jill Archer baking bread at height, the culmination on Sunday of Gormley opening the fete and Joe Grundy as the Angel of Ambridge was a tad disappointing I feel).

Anyway, we trundled along and knitted and got some slightly strange looks but had a lovely time nevertheless. Marian knitted with aplomb and also drank tea out of cup & saucer which was fab. Hurrah for knitters! 

Liz and Felix were there with Brenda Dayne. It was very nice to meet Brenda (despite not being an avid Cast On fan) and we somehow got on to a discussion about strawbale building. I have a secret desire to build a strawbale house and Brenda shares my enthusiasm.  As she is currently living in Wales and being active in searching for land I suspect she might be in a better position to make it a reality some time soon but nevertheless it was a lovely discussion. 

For strawbale inspiration, for people interested:
- North Kesteven District Council in Lincolnshire is the first local authority in the UK to use straw bales to construct social housing which I think is very exciting.
- Ben Law's amazing and beeeeutiful woodland house in Grand Designs can be seen here.  (It always makes me cry this episode)

(Liz and Brenda working it for the camera!)

We also had a discussion on knitting community and my militant public knitter views were exposed. (If it is possible to be such a thing) I have always felt strongly that knitting has a social role and I have always loved the way that with knitting, discussions across a wide range of topics (from personal, political & technical questions) intersect with projects and conversations almost seen knitted into the fabric of the knitting. I did get quite indignant when a local cafe owner argued that the knitting group would be better suited to a community centre rather than a busy, public cafe. For me, I love the reclamation of knitting from a largely private, domestic sphere and drafty community halls where it is too easy to ignore,to be a more visible social activity and it was nice to be able to celebrate this on a sunny evening in Trafalgar Square.

A-sides, besides and seasides

There's been a lot going on over the last few months — two weddings of people very dear to me, a holiday to my most favourite place, a new job, a new flat and a fest of wool. Much excitement and lots of time spent with some of my most favourite people. But also lots of changes to digest and some much needed time out.

I've read some books, done a modest amount of knitting, walked, paddled and eaten some tasty food. I'm sure lots of stories will feature here over the next couple of weeks while I find my feet but for now I shall leave you with a photo and a few of the things that I have been enjoying over the past few months...

- David Attenborough's Life Stories - Lovely short histories of animals and plants, I loved the one about sloths particularly.
- My new flat (more on that story later...) and becoming a regular London bus knitter!
- Florence and the Machine - my latest band crush, listen to Rabbit Heart loud and the drums sound so good (Raise it up!)
- River Cottage Spring - I still *heart* Hugh and they had a evening where they had to make food for the cafe using leftovers which I thought was just so good.
- Landshare, which I think is a really inspiring way of linking communities together through the sharing of land and growing of food.

John Hegley - Poetry for Oxfam

This poem that John Hegley recorded for the Oxfam Life Lines poetry CD makes me giggle, it is about folk songs.

Birthdays, Boats, Candles & Cakes

 

It was my birthday last week and I had a thoroughly lovely time. I tend to like staggering the celebrations and this year was  no exception.  I started on Wednesday evening with dinner at Waccaha after managing to leave my new hat in the pub. (It has since been reclaimed thankfully!)

Celebrations on the day included being treated to a lovely breakfast in Chapters in Blackheath, going by boat (!) from Greenwich to Embankment which is something I have wanted to do for ages. Inside it is a bit like a coach so I insisted we sat outside.

Then onwards to the Natural History Museum to see the Darwin Big Idea exhibition and giggling at John Hegley at Arts Admin. Poetry about guillemots seems very apt on my birthday – I am determined to find a video online to post of it. (My incredibly bad limerick did triumph in the poetry competition) Peppermint tea and hummingbird bakery cakes ended the day nicely.

Still prolonging the birthday joy, I had drinks in the pub on Friday where I was spectacularly late (even by my shoddy timekeeping standards) and continued celebrations on Saturday by going to an Anti-Valentine’s Massacre where my friend Catherine launched her new EP and then to an evening of bawdy songs with Bellowhead. (This including dressing in drag, men in makeup, a burlesque dancer and some of the rudest songs I have ever heard. You can check out photos here to get a favour of the evening.

Back in Oxford on Sunday, I had a lovely lunch at The Black Boy in (old) Headington with my family, which I can thoroughly recommend, lovely food and really nice atmosphere, with beautiful roses, pressies and lovely conversation. Finished up with fruit cake and candles and singing. Perfect birthday long weeked.

2008: Pick of the Year in Laraland

Having watched, listened and read various reviews of the year and being a fan of pick of the week, this is my pick of 2008.

Gig of the Year –Tough call but I think for me Lisa Hannigan @ Smith Square was  a late entry in this category. She was simply amazing, completely blew me away and did great covers of Tom Thumb's Blues, Lady is a Tramp and Free Until They Cut Me Down.

Strong contenders:
- Radiohead at Malahide Castle in Dublin, they came on underneath a rainbow and it was the first time I had ever seen them live.
- Spiers and Boden at Union Chapel. First time heard whole of Vagabond performed and thought it was pretty special.

Top albums of 2008: I couldn't narrow it down to just one but these for me were favourites this year.

- Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever ago.  It really grew on me, I thought it was dull at first.
-Lisa Hannigan – Sea Sew. Lovely lovely lovely and the CD case features knitting and embroidery. Very happy.
- Pete & the Pirates – Little Death. For sheer indiepop joy that has me jumping around.
- Spiers and Boden – Vagabond.  My favourite folk album to date features pirates, outlaws and all manner of vagrants.
- The Mummers: Tale To Tell. Fairytale gothic songs that soar and swoop all over the place with overtones of marching bands or fairground rides. I loved Raissa’s voice when i was a young teenybopper and she supported Suede at several gigs. And they rehearse in a treehouse - what is there not to like?!  

Book of the Year: - The Amateur Marriage – Anne Tyler.
Although I have to say that 2008 is one of my all time lows for reading. I seemed to read quite a few books that were either trashy or I was really underwhelmed by. Reading more (and better) books  is definitely on the list for 2009.

Film of the Year: - Sex in the City. 
I don’t think there is anything else to say. I loved it. All of it. Apart from the dead bird thing on her head in the wedding scene. (Why would anyone want a blue parrot stuck on your hair?)

Best political moment of the year: - Internationally: Obama winning in US. (Obviously)
- Domestically: 24 weeks Abortion limit defended (although frankly I think it is shocking it was ever seriously threatened) and sales of free range chicken going through the roof after last year’s big food fight programmes and Hellman’s mayo using free range eggs. 
Check out the f-word's UK top ten feminist moments of 2008 which is also well worth a read.

Worst political moment of the year: Boris – what was London thinking? Bah.  Incredibly depressing.

Craft achievements of the year: Overall I was a lot more productive than in the past with more finished objects...

I made my first garment (s) including (slightly odd) socks and my cardigan which is gorgeous and I wear a lot. I also completed by first sewing FO and finally finished the effing cushion. I knitted in the dark for the first time and hunted for treasure on worldwide knitting in public day with Kirsty and Alice. I finally got round to trying out fairisle which I love (still to blog), actually made soda bread rather than just talking about it, got into making muffins,  made some shrinkie-dink pins, reacquainted myself with letraset, experimented with more felting  and managed to spread some knitterly love with the bluestockings’ blanket for Felix.

Phew! I often feel not very productive and while there is a lot more that could be done, I don’t think that is bad all in all.

Favourite FO: Fabric bead Necklace. I love it. Everytime I wear it, I like how it looks and I get constant compliments on it. I’m hoping to make more in 2009 with slightly different fabrics. I’m thinking of making one with smaller beads to use up fabric scraps.

Largest knitting disaster: There has been a few, the slippers as a starting point, discovering that puppies and wool don’t mix has resulted in some interesting results.

Most ambitious project: Having talked myself down from the ledge of wanting to knit my director’s chair covers, I think this gong goes to the Having Hope socks – never having cabled and knitted from the toe up, I see now that this was quite an ambitious second pair of socks. All was well, if not slow until the cuff when I have spectacularly mucked up the cuff,  it is now frogged to the heel and I need to work out quite how to sort out the wreckage.

UFOs not touched in 2008: Witterings – it makes me look ridiculous, I might finish it and give it away, never has anything been so disappointing. Minisweater,  so little to do I can’t be bothered it seems, and the peg bag of death.

Blogtastic moments of the Year: Messy Tuesdays Love – I have loved all the variations that have sprung up on this theme and how different people have revelled in exposing the messier side of life.

Exicting new blog discoveries: This year I massively expanded the list of blogs I read by using the magical google reader. Although it seems a bit mean to highlight just a few but the following have become staple reads in 2008: Needled, Polkadotmocha, Other Stories, Dogged, Flint Knits, Yarnmonster, SixOneSeven, A Shrill Carmel & A Tiny Plot.

Doing this round up of the year reminded me about so much I haven't blogged or recorded but it also made me really appreciate all the comments and emails I have recieved from people stopping by here.Thanks for taking the time to read here and respond to my various ramblings and here's to a great 2009!

Not everything is as easy as yarn shopping

Recently one of my friends got married and the saga that became my wedding outfit was a bit epic. Many things were tried on, bought and returned to various shops. I cursed and gnashed my teeth, wishing I hadn’t stained the dress I meant to wear and wondered whether I could somehow just make an outfit.  On one particularly cantankerous day I found myself thinking “yarn shopping is soo much easier”. Maybe I could just wear wool to the blooming wedding and then I found this....
<enter sounds of heavenly choir>

I *heart* everything about this dress. It has seed pods on it.  The wedding was excellent fun...
In other news, I appear to be obsessed by mushrooms – this is a shaggy inkcap.

 I think it is an excellent specimen of a ‘shroom, I love how it looks. Apparently it is edible but I wouldn’t fancy my chances – it looks quite evil. I did in fact even start looking longingly at a field guide to mushrooms in a bookshop the other day and am excited that Autumnwatch* has done a downloadable fungi guide. NB. It appears that the 'Have Fun with Fungi' guide has been removed but there is still a very exciting  sounds of the night guide still up.

 Also my mum decided that key to her recuperation was beating the credit crunch through log fires – so J, my sister and I spent an afternoon stacking neat piles of logs all round her house. 2 cubic metres of logs makes quite a few piles! The toads will love it although I managed to look like I’d been up a chimney by the end of it. (I have an amazing capacity for dirt!)

Last night I watched the Picture Book programme about children’s books which I loved. (I have to point out that I was eating a bake using one of the Jamie Oliver pasta sauces, Red Onion and Rosemary, which was very tasty indeed and did add bliss to the event) I didn’t know that A.A. Milne served in First World War and was really affected by it so retreated to Ashdown Forest to write Winnie the Pooh after he was discharged. Also I recently discovered that Raymond Briggs' depiction of "blooming" Father Christmas was the first time a working class Father Christmas had ever been depicted which I thought was really interesting.

*For Autumnwatch viewers - I'm so happy that Nemo survived!