state of bliss

Last weekend...

2011-11-30T17:26:00.002+01:00

...we visited Museum of Childhood. It's a great place to take your kids to but I must admit that the collection of dolls is a bit overwhelming. All dolls are gathered in large groups and displayed behind the glass: so beautiful in their dresses, so original, so very different from today's dolls but at the same time I found them a bit... creepy? Their faces... disturbing. None of them smile.

And this doll was the one I admired the longest. The power of imagination. It belonged to a poor child in the beginning of 20th century and was made from a shoe. It kind of makes you wonder. How little children had in the past and how much they have now and sometimes they still want more.

We also went to see the Christmas market that is now open in the city centre. Edinburgh is getting ready for the festive season and it does look magical.

And we are getting ready for Christmas too. I stared making some decorations, the first batch of gingerbread cookies is done and first presents have been bought. I feel like this year I'm well organized, first time in years. Maybe because Little G. is big enough to help me (she cut all forty cookies for me, all by herself). So much fun!

Happy December Everyone!

Scottish autumn.

2011-11-21T14:53:00.000+01:00

It is simply beautiful. Warm and sunny and colourful. Some days start with thick fog and clear up just after few hours, showing off the beauty of this season. These photos are the proof. I took them in the beginning of November, during our trip to Lanark. It's our first autumn in Scotland and I love it. I admit, I anticipated cold and dark and rainy time and instead I'm enjoying these golden days filled with sun and crisp autumn air.

I'm still here...

2011-10-25T15:57:00.001+02:00

It's been so long since I last posted here that I don't really know how to start writing again. After short, cold, rainy and grey summer I fell down into black hole of sadness. The lack of sun and light wiped out any bliss from my days so there was really nothing I could share here with you (in the end, this blog is supposed to be about bliss and "all those little things that make life great"). But, luckily, it is all behind me (so I hope). We've been having beautiful autumn here, with reasonable amount of cold winds and rain. It is warmer now, in the end of October than it was in July. Leaves have turned red and yellow, the sun has lowered and the light is mellow. I do like it, a lot.

(the photos for this post are random; both taken in North Berwick )

I spy: F G H

2011-08-29T11:29:00.000+02:00

Joining Lete in her weekly I spy project: every Monday we share photos associated with a letter of the alphabet. Today we spy H...

I'm way behind with my spying so today I'm sharing also the letters that I have missed: F and G

f is for fruits

g is for ginger

h is for honey

Have a happy week!

Corner View: Homeplace.

2011-08-10T19:31:00.000+02:00

When I was a girl I dreamed that one day I would have a house in that exact place. Years had passed and I left my country (Poland) to live in another (England), then I fell in love with a foreigner and moved to his country (Italy) and then we moved again to England but then we decided to move from there to Scotland. So I guess this is our homeplace for now. We are where we are and we try to make the best of it. Because we know it's not going to be forever. Because we know our hearts are somewhere else and we're trying to figure out how to get there. They say: your home is where your heart is. And I think they're right.

For more corner views, please visit lovely Francesca.

Simple pleasures

2011-08-09T22:28:00.000+02:00

Some of you already know that I'm not very good at baking but for the past few days I've been feeling unexplained urge to make something sweet, to fill our flat with some delicious smells and aromas. Maybe it's the weather (cold and grey and depressing), maybe it's a memory from my childhood that comes to me every now and then (my mum baking cakes for afternoon tea) or maybe it's just because of all these great recipes out there, supported by fabulous photos that make my mouth water...

This afternoon I wanted to cheer us up a bit. I wanted to make something I'd never done before, something sweet and tasty but easy enough to bake. So I baked these chocolate muffins/brownies with mascarpone and raspberries.

The recipe for these muffins comes from this fantastic blog. For a long time now I've been feeding my eyes there with beautiful photos of deliciously looking food and today I finally decided it was time to start feeding our bellies too. I decided to try some recipes and the muffins looked easy enough to make and very tempting at the same time. And although I feared one huge baking disaster, I must proudly announce: I have finally baked something edible! And not only my muffins are edible, they actually taste good. Here is hope for my future baking :)

I spy: E

2011-08-08T22:02:00.000+02:00

Joining Lete in her weekly I spy project: every Monday we share photos associated with a letter of the alphabet. Today we spy E...

e is for espresso

(make it double, it's Monday today...)

From old folders: Camogli

2011-08-04T11:49:00.001+02:00

Camogli, beautiful Camogli... Small fishing village on the Italian Riviera, popular among tourists but still peaceful enough to enjoy its beauty. These photos were taken in September 2009.

Have a great day Everyone!

I spy: D

2011-08-01T23:14:00.000+02:00

I'm joining Lete in her Monday editions of "I spy...". Every Monday we show an image associated with a letter of the alphabet. Whatever comes first to your mind, whatever you see around you. You spy with your eye...

d is for drawing

d is also for dude (slow progress jumper for my dude)

From old folders: London calling.

2011-07-28T11:48:00.000+02:00

Thank you for your nice comments on my last post. Today's Thursday so as I said I'm posting first photos from my old folders. They are random images taken in London that I wanted to post long time ago but never did. There's many more. I keep finding lots of photos that were long forgotten on my computer. And next Thursday I might post some pictures from Italy. I miss Italy, a lot.

Weird thing: I don't miss London. I love London but I don't miss a thing from our life there. Maybe because I know it's only four hours by train from here. Settling down in Edinburgh happened quite smoothly and quickly and we love it here. We don't miss crowds and fast pace of the British capital at all.

Have a great day Everyone!

Corner View: Early.

2011-07-27T11:09:00.001+02:00

Once upon a time I used to be an early bird and I loved it. I loved waking up at around 4-5am just to make some coffee and read books until it was time to get ready for school/work. It was my habit for many years and today I wonder what happened to it? Am I really so tired that I am no longer able to lift my eyelids at dawn? These two or three hours before G. is awake would certainly help me to accomplish few things that I am not able to do during the day. But even a cup of espresso that C. brings me to bed early in the morning before he leaves for work not always really wakes me up. I think I should get myself one of those mugs with writing on them: "all that coffee in Columbia won't make me a morning person".

The photo for this Corner View is random. Early morning dew, sparkling in the rising sun. I found this image in one of my old folders. I decided to tidy up 25 thousands photos that are on my computer at the moment and I keep finding interesting images that I always wanted to post here but never did. I might start doing it now. "From old folders" sort of thing; let's say every Thursday I'll post one or two old photos here.

For more Corner Views, please visit lovely Francesca.

Thank you Cole for this week theme :)

I spy: a b c

2011-07-25T22:53:00.001+02:00

I'm a bit behind the schedule so I'm posting three letters at once. What fun!

a is for avocado

b is for breakfast

c is for crochet

***

Edinburgh: random images.

2011-07-05T11:06:00.000+02:00

(to be continued...)

Corner View: Positive thought for bad moments

2011-06-22T23:52:00.000+02:00

Her smile is my remedy to any bad moments. Whenever I feel down, she makes all dark clouds to go away.

For more Corner Views, please visit lovely Francesca.

Corner View: On my wall.

2011-06-15T11:51:00.002+02:00

The flat that we moved in here came fully furnished, including prints on the walls in each room, even our bathroom. I didn't like some of them so I removed them. I'm planning to have some of G's portraits printed on canvas and hang them on those empty hooks. But I do like that one print in the photo above. It hangs in on our bedroom wall. I think it's kind of dreamy.

Thank you Elsa for this week theme.

For more Corner Views, please visit lovely Francesca.

***

PS I'm sharing a free pattern for a summer hat over on my knitting blog, here :) Enjoy!

Sea treasures.

2011-06-03T16:52:00.002+02:00

When I woke up this morning, I opened the window as wide as possible and took a deep breath of fresh air. I could feel the sea... And to the seaside we went, G. and me, following the breeze and sound of seagulls.

I've never seen a beach as wide as this one. G. started running towards the water immediately. She was so excited! The beach was covered with medusas (medusae?) and other little sea creatures. We took a long walk, picking up seashells. There was plenty of them, half buried in wet sand. It reminded me of my childhood holidays at the Baltic seaside when I collected seashells with my sister. G. was overjoyed. We've collected quite a lot and next time we will definitely take a bucket and pick up some more. They will make a great decorative detail in our bathroom. I also have an idea how to use them on a rainy afternoon to keep my little girl busy.

We had such a joyful morning. When I looked at G. happily running on the beach, picking up pebbles and seashells I understood what is so great about having children. They let us re-live happy moments of our own childhood. Something I thought was gone forever.

***

Ps Thank you all for your nice comments on my previous post. Your kind words always make me happy :)

Have a great weekend!

Corner View: M is for...

2011-06-01T14:24:00.000+02:00

...moving...

...from one capital....

...to another.

We are still in the process of settling down, unpacking boxes, finding ourselves in a completely new place, dealing with post-moving mess (three boxes with some books, DVDs and external hard drive were lost by the moving company and there's no hope they will ever be found...).

We're loving it here. Everything is so different, new to us and exciting and the only downside so far is the weather: so cold, rainy and windy. Unpredictable and capricious. It feels like it's already autumn here. But the city is beautiful and there is so much to explore out there.

For more Corner Views, please visit Francesca.

New challenge.

2011-05-09T12:24:00.001+02:00

Kids Clothes Week Challenge starts today and I decided to participate. I have some nice yarns and fabric ready for this projects and few garments in mind that I hope I am able to finish before the end of this week.

I will be posting about it on my knitting blog, here.

If you would like to find out more about this year KCWC, please click on the image below to be transferred to Elsie Marley's blog.

Have a creative week everyone!

Corner View: By the sea.

2011-05-04T11:15:00.001+02:00

By the sea, Brighton 2005

***

Thank you for your kind words in your comments under my last post. Things are getting better and clearer. We are moving across the country soon and all this removal is taking quite a lot of energy but we're almost there. Soon I'll be posting from a city by the sea :)

***

For more Corner Views, please visit Francesca.
Have a happy Wednesday!

***

2011-04-19T15:17:00.002+02:00

So it is Spring, in full bloom.

Suddenly, the world around us has become so full of green. Birds sing again, the sun shines and people smile more often. It all feels good, now.

The past few weeks have been pretty heavy on us. With never ending illnesses and weakness, my unexpected hospitalization, sick child, broken toe, stressful search for a new flat etc., our energy supplies have been a bit too low. We all are on the mend right now, believing tomorrow's better.

Certain things became official few weeks ago and we're facing some big changes. We're full of anticipation, happy and a bit nervous at the same time. I will be writing about it soon. There are things ahead of us that we're excited about. But there are also first separations to go through, not understood by little hearts. And that breaks my heart too.

Corner View: Reflection

2011-03-30T12:16:00.000+02:00

Tower Bridge and Tower of London, reflected in the windows of the office buildings along the River. I captured this image few years ago, on cold winter afternoon during one of my lonely walks.

For more corner views, please visit lovely Francesca.

Happy Wednesday!

Hello Spring!

2011-03-29T11:52:00.000+02:00

Hello Spring! You've been very kind to us recently, spoiling us with the sun, fresh air, beautiful birds' singing in early morning hours. We take long walks to the park every day, we play, we get dizzy with the smell of cherry tree blossoms filling up the air. We're waking up from winter hibernation. We love you, Spring.

Week of colors: BLACK

2011-03-11T14:00:00.000+01:00

Black and white photography :)

I rarely post b&w photos here so decided to take advantage of today's choice of color. Black used to be my favorite when I was a teenager and then in my early twenties (I still own quite a lot of black clothes...). Today I'm sharing some of b&w images, a nice change from all the colorful ones :)

a good cup of cappuccino; make a wish...; tree in the park nearby; walk in Nervi, Genoa; Piazza De Ferrari, also in Genoa; old cinquecento in Siena, Italy;

Thank you, Francesca, for Week of Colors: it's been fun!

Week of colors: GREEN

2011-03-10T11:14:00.004+01:00

Today's green, the easy one since green is my favorite color. Here are some random green images I found in my photos:

morning dew; sweet juicy grapes; asparagus- one of my favorite vegetables; bookshop on Charing Cross Road, London; facade of a house in Lavagna, Italy; after the rain; in the park.

For some more greenery, please visit lovely Francesca.

Tomorrow's black. A challenge!

Corner View: Wood.

2011-03-09T10:42:00.001+01:00

My wooden needles... I don't have many of them but the ones I own, I love. Few years ago when I started knitting, I used to always buy metal needles: they were a bit cheaper and I simply didn't know the difference. But after some time I found out that knitting with wooden needles is more pleasurable and gives better results (in my case at least).

For more corner views, please visit lovely Francesca.

Happy Corner View Wednesday!

Week of colors: YELLOW

2011-03-08T10:58:00.002+01:00

Random images of yellow:

baking; G. reading her book about colors, wall decoration seen in a small village in Tuscany; facade of a building in borgo of Venaria Reale; flowers in my grandma's garden.

Happy Yellow Tuesday!
For some more yellow, please visit Francesca.

Week of colors: PINK

2011-03-07T15:11:00.003+01:00

I'm joining Francesca's Week of colors. Today's pink :)

flower in our little garden in Genoa; wall, also in Genoa, somewhere in Corso Solferino; yarn that I bought impulsively and never used it; G.'s map ball (dreaming of faraway places...); cover of a book I bought some time ago and haven't had enough time to go through yet; my old top, probably the only pink thing in my wardrobe.

.::this moment::.

2011-03-04T11:33:00.000+01:00

From SouleMama's blog: "A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."

If you'd like to share your moment, please leave a link in the comments.

Corner View: On my kitchen counter.

2011-03-02T16:21:00.000+01:00

Goodies from the farmers' market!

Actually, I took these photos some time ago. I wouldn't dare to take a photo of my kitchen counter today, it's quite messy. Our kitchen is so tiny that I keep most things like mugs and jars on the counter. It gets chaotic very quickly, especially when C. is cooking. He's a great cook but the kitchen looks like a battlefield afterwards :)

For more corner views, please visit lovely Francesca.

Happy CV Wednesday!

London Zoo.

2011-03-01T14:50:00.003+01:00

We went to the zoo last week. I'm not a big fan of those kind of places (seeing monkeys in cages or zebras shivering from cold makes me pretty sad) but C.'s parents (who came to visit us for few days) really wanted to take G. to the zoo. We thought: ok, it might be fun. And it was. We didn't see much though, we went quite late and we didn't consider ques to get the tickets so we didn't have time for everything. We loved bugs pavilion as well as butterfly "house" (it did look a bit like a bouncy castle from outside...). The weather wasn't great and we got pretty cold. Actually, the weather hasn't been great for days now. You can't believe how glad I am that February is over...

.::this moment::.

2011-02-25T16:38:00.001+01:00

From SouleMama's blog: "A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."

.::this moment::.

2011-02-11T16:42:00.001+01:00

From SouleMama's blog: "A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."

If you feel inspired to share your moment, please leave a link in the comments :)

Corner View: Favorite actor.

2011-02-09T22:14:00.000+01:00

(photo source)

The choice was really easy this week. Ralph Fiennes is definitely my favorite actor.

For more corner views, please visit lovely Theresa.

Searching for spring plus a little announcement.

2011-02-08T15:43:00.002+01:00

After many days of gray sky, rain, cold winds and depressive moods we've been finally enjoying a day full of sun. The sky is so gorgeously blue that I can't stop looking up. We had a quick breakfast this morning and we immediately left for a walk to the park nearby. It was a bit chilly but I swear I could feel smell of spring in the air. I do wish that this winter was over...

We looked with little G. for some signs of spring. Little green buds on trees, birds singing cheerfully. And we found these:

Aren't they pretty? Spring surely must be on its way...

***

I have a little something to share with you today.

After giving it a lot of thoughts I have finally found the courage to open my little shop. I've been knitting so much recently, mostly for babies and kids and I decided to put some of my knits on sale on Folksy. You can visit my little shop here. Welcome and enjoy!

Corner View: Evening sky.

2011-02-02T10:51:00.004+01:00

Winter evening sky. I took these photos around two weeks ago on our way back from the city. I didn't edit them, I just like the colors as they are.

For more corner views, please visit Theresa.

Tired...

2011-01-28T13:59:00.006+01:00

Hands up who's tired of winter. I am. I'm really fed up with the grayness outside, with cold weather, with runny noses and sore throats, with stingy wind and lack of sun. It's been so cold here for the past few days. Cold and ugly. And there's February ahead and I believe it's the ugliest month in London. I miss light, colors and warmth. I can't wait for this winter to be finally over.

We've been staying indoors quite a lot, trying to play and read books but being grounded at home with two year old active toddler is not always fun. We really miss going to the playgrounds in the park nearby. They are deserted during these cold days.

How do you deal with your winter blues? I'm planning to bake some cookies...

Happy weekend Everyone!

***

2011-01-13T21:35:00.014+01:00

Few images taken yesterday and today on the way to the shops. I decided to have my camera with me at all times, even when I go to get groceries. The weather has not been great lately so we stay indoors most of the time but when we go out, we try to have fun. Little G. loves splashing puddles, I love taking photos of her.

1/52

2011-01-07T17:57:00.002+01:00

First week of 2011 and what we've been up to:

I start baking pastry for breakfast. Such a nice change from porridge oats! It wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for this talented Mama Chef- she inspired me with her snail rolls recipe. Thank you, Cate!

C. bakes chocolate mint cookies. Yummy!

I hand dye yarn for the very first time. It's fun!

G. turns two. I can't believe it.

My new lens arrives. I'm in love with it.

New bread maker arrives too. We're so excited. I guess new year will be all about home baking and cooking.

Happy weekend Everyone!

Festive days.

2010-12-31T22:20:00.012+01:00

I hope you all had beautiful Christmas. We did. We spent our Christmas resting, eating good food, playing and enjoying our gifts; nothing special and yet it was special. Here are few images from the past days.

There are only two hours left of this year while I'm writing this post and boy!, what a year it was! I keep reflecting back and with all its ups and downs for us I still consider this year a good one. But at the same time I believe the New Year will be even better. I haven't done any resolutions yet. Have you..?

Happy New Year Everyone!

May it be filled with peace, love and joy.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T12:46:00.004+01:00

All the cooking is not done yet, some presents are still not wrapped, the sitting room is in a mess but no stress, no panic. It's midday and we're still in our pajamas, sipping coffee, enjoying this moment. G. has already started eating up Christmas decorations. She's not wasting any time ;)

Happy Christmas Everyone and may the New Year be filled up with only joy and peace.

Corner View: Tradition.

2010-12-15T11:58:00.010+01:00

I guess most of us think about traditions more around this special time of year. Initially I wanted to write about traditions cultivated in my family, the ones that I remember from my childhood, the ones I grew up with and took with me. But yesterday, when decorating our Christmas tree with little G. I thought about it and it hit me that now it is me who is setting up some traditions. I'm no longer a child and I have a child myself. Looking at G. happily helping me with decorations I thought of creating memories for her and traditions that one day she will leave her nest with. I thought about how important it is. I carry on traditions from my home but at the same time I add new ones; things we never did when I was a child. Baking gingerbread cookies, for example. I only started baking them after I emigrated to England. Since then every year (except for last year) I make gingerbread cookies and hang them on Christmas tree. This year G. is big enough to help with baking; I'd like this gingerbread baking to become a tradition in our little family as well as hand made decorations and hand made gifts: this year we have prepared all decorations by hands (only the lights were bought) and some of the presents are hand crafted as well (in my case, knitted). These are the new things that we add up to a long list of traditions that we carry from our backgrounds. We're mixing three cultures and traditions this Christmas: Polish, Italian and British. There will be Christmas Eve celebrated in Polish way: big dinner with borscht, dumplings and fish with the additional sit at the table for an unexpected guest. The gifts will be opened on Christmas morning as it is in Italy and England (in Poland many families open their gifts after Christmas Eve supper). There will be Italian panettone and mince pies, traditional British Christmas pies.There will be lots of resting too. So much to look forward to...

I'm off to find out about traditions all around the globe. Thank you, Cherry B for a fantastic theme this week. For more corner views, please visit lovely Theresa.

Happy Wednesday Everyone!

Blissful moments...

2010-12-13T16:47:00.003+01:00

We all went down with nasty cold last week and we haven't been well ever since. We had to slow down a bit with our Christmas preparation (the tree is only half decorated...) and take things very easy. C. stayed at home few days last week after his car-bicycle accident (he was the one on the bike) and although we all felt quite poorly, we did enjoy that time. Waking up to the smell of freshly baked muffins on a Friday morning, having coffee in bed and staying tucked up with little G. and our books felt so blissful, even if physically we were so weak.

And today's Monday already, brand new week and a big countdown to Christmas: there are so many things to be done, knitting to be finished, cookies to be baked, cards to be sent, presents to be wrapped etc. I'd better get started...

Happy week Everyone!

Corner View: Improvising

2010-12-08T12:19:00.002+01:00

Lately I've been improvising a lot when knitting. I start with a clear idea in my head but then, quite spontaneously, I decide to knit it differently. I never know how my project will turn out. Some get abandoned on the way (like this green mitten in the photo above), some come out nicely.

I also improvise when I cook. I never plan what I'm going to cook, when it's time for lunch or supper I open the fridge and that cook whatever comes to my mind. And I'm bad with following recipes. I like cooking, a lot.

For some more corner views, please visit Theresa.

Corner View: Rain

2010-12-01T16:25:00.003+01:00

This is such an old photo! Taken few years ago, when hiding from rain in warm arms of a coffee shop with a good book and a cup of cappuccino would happen so often.

These days I rarely visit coffee shops. And I also think that Starbucks knows very little about real coffee it they know anything at all. But that's just my opinion ;)

For more corner views, please visit Theresa.

Snow is snowing...

2010-11-30T10:27:00.008+01:00

These are the views I saw this morning from our bedroom and sitting room windows: the very first snow this season. I know there are people in London already complaining about this kind of weather (mainly because with just a little snow all city, unprepared, gets crazy and it is impossible to commute) but seeing snowflakes dancing in the air puts me in a very good mood. It brings me something back from my childhood. It's cold but I don't mind. I see the snow and I think: it's time for some Christmas preparations. It's time to bake some gingerbread. It's time to do some serious winter knitting. This is what I'm going to do today.

Happy snowy season Everyone!

4 days in Italy.

2010-11-25T22:57:00.025+01:00

Warning: this is image heavy post :)

Day 1: The arrival.
We flew to Milan (it wasn't possible to get direct flights to Genoa for our dates). On our way back from the airport we stopped in Arona to see Lake Maggiore. The day was perfect, sunny and crispy and the views were breathtaking.

Day 2: The wedding.
The ceremony took place in beautiful Zoagli, a small town on Ligurian coast. While waiting for all guests to gather and for bride and groom to arrive, I managed to snap some photos of picturesque surroundings. The weather wasn't great but it didn't rain much which actually was great: the ceremony took place outside Torre Saracena, an old tower overlooking the sea and the hills (very romantic scenery to get married!). We all gathered under umbrellas to witness this special moment of M. and T. tying the knot.

View from Torre Saracena di levante:

The bride looked stunning.

After the ceremony we celebrated that beutiful day in a restaurant Chiavari. And guess who had a lot of fun... Little G. of course. She totally freed her spirit: I'd never seen my girl so happy and cheeky and cheerful and crazy and out of control at once. She is so funny! We are happy we could be there for such a special occasion.

Day 3: Visiting family.
On Sunday, after lunch with C.'s parents we all went to see some of the family in Vernazzola, one of the nicer parts of Genoa, very close to the sea. The weather was really ugly that day, terrible rain and strong wind and I didn't take many photos to share with you. I like this "shark" boat, it looks funny.

Day 4: The departure.
We had our flight back to London in the afternoon so before going to the airport we decided to have a short walk in Milan. There's something I really love about Milan. Although the city itself looks a bit too grey and dark, there's this special atmoshere in the air. People smile more, I think. I'd like to visit Milan for longer than a brief moment. We only spent there few hours or so as we did last year as well.

The last five photos were taken in famous Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

Happy Weekend Everyone!

Corner View: different perspective

2010-11-24T11:07:00.002+01:00

Last weekend I looked at Genoa from different perspective. I was scared I might have discovered that our decision of moving back to London was a mistake but it didn't happen. I was sure we did right (so was C.). I did feel nostalgic though (my child was born there) but it's also true that we weren't happy there. We simply weren't ready to go and live in Genoa at that time. I'd love our little family to settle down in Italy one day but we know some things are worth to be waiting for.

Happy Corner View!

For some more different perspective, please visit Theresa.

PS I will post some more photos from our short trip soon.

Corner View: Anything goes.

2010-11-17T15:04:00.002+01:00

C.'s brother is getting married this weekens so we're going to Italy for his wedding. Last days have been filled up with some preparations, hunting for the right outfits etc. I feel strange about this trip. It's our first visit to Genoa since we came to London in January. I actually can't believe that we haven't gone there at least once in the past months. It only shows how we feel about Genoa, or, more precisely, about our life there. I haven't given much thought to it since we moved back to England. I don't miss Genoa but, with honesty, I do miss Italy a lot. Sometimes even painfully. But that is something I'd better save for the next corner view ("taking a different perspective").

For more CV, please visit lovely Theresa.

Corner View: Autumn

2010-11-10T12:24:00.002+01:00

Thank you so much for all your birthday wishes :)

Here are some random photos of autumn, in all its stages. From the first colors of late September, through rich colors of golden October to naked trees and foggy days of November. I enjoy them all.

For more Autumn corner views, please visit Theresa.

Birthday Girl.

2010-11-09T17:19:00.000+01:00

I get to blow the candles today, more than one of course. Today I think more than usual of time passing and life changing year by year. And I can honestly say that I like what I feel. I still have head full of dreams and no certainty they will ever come true but I like where I'm now in my life. I feel happy. Lucky. Blessed.

And maybe I get to blow the candles but guess who gets to eat all that chocolate cake! Little G., of course.

Corner View: Famous

2010-11-03T11:23:00.001+01:00

Few famous sights of London:

For more corner views, please visit Theresa.

***

2010-10-29T16:15:00.001+02:00

It's hard to believe how fast time flies by. The golden October is almost finished, days are getting dangerously shorter and the world around seems a bit gloomier but for some reason I do like this time of year.

I'm planning on craving pumpkins this afternoon; I'm working this weekend which means that I will miss the whole "trick or treat" thing. Maybe next year, if we are still here.

Happy Haloween Weekend!

Corner View: Pondering.

2010-10-27T11:48:00.001+02:00

I ponder a lot about our future. Where we are now and where will we be? Will we ever find our place, the place where we finally be able to grow our roots? And how long will it take us?

For more Corner Views, please visit Theresa.

Corner View: Holiday photos

2010-10-20T10:26:00.015+02:00

Here are some photos from our holiday in Sardinia, in May 2008. It was special. It was our last holiday as a couple without a baby and, at the same time, our very first holiday as a couple with a baby. G. travelled with us as a little bean in me: we'd just found out I was pregnant. My morning sickness just kicked in and I couldn't fully enjoy all that good food. I got terrible sunburn and was forced to stay indoors for two days. I looked like I put my head into beehive. But it was such a perfect holiday anyway. I fell in love with this beautiful island instantly. I know I want to go back there again. We always say that next time we'll go south but I will always feel tempted to go back to the same place where we stayed two years ago.

Now we spend our holiday as a family, with our little traveller:

For some more Corner Views, please visit lovely Theresa.

Corner View: Green/Nature

2010-10-13T13:03:00.013+02:00

Caring about nature and the world around us is so important. I already wrote about our ways of green living here but I don't think I mentioned that growing your own veggies and fruits is yet another way of being green. I know it's easy when you have a house with some space outside that you can turn into garden but living in a city doesn't mean you can't grown your own. Last year we managed to have our very own lettuce, radishes, herbs and carrots; we tried to grow tomatoes too but we failed (the photo below of beautifully grown tomatoes was taken in autie Rosanna's city garden where she also successfully grows other vegetables and fruits).

Wouldn't it be wonderful to live in a house surrouned by this amount of greenery? I often wonder if people living in this house are happier just because every day they wake up to this scenery. I bet they are.

I dream that one day we will have our own house with a garden to grow all kinds of veggies and to live our green happy life to the fullest.

***

For more green Corner Views, please visit Theresa's blog.

Elfie.

2010-10-08T22:57:00.005+02:00

I've been a busy bee recently, working on few project at the same time and taking any opportunity to knit one more row whenever possible (and believe me, it's hard to find a spare moment with a vary active almost two year old toddler around ;) ). Today when G. was having her afternoon nap I managed to finish this little green top. And I feel quite content with the way it turned out. It's yet another of my experimental knits: I had the idea in my head and I braught it out to real life. I enjoyed knitting this top: so very simple and quick. I aimed to make 6-9 months size but I think it actually is 12-18 months (I tried it on G. and it was a bit too short and a bit too tight but not very uncomfortable and she is 21 months now). After the top was done, I decided to call it "Elfie"- this forest green color and cable motif make me think of little elves.

I've got so many ideas for other knitting projects these days, I should start writting them down . If only I could strech days and nights a little bit... For a while now I've been thinking of opening my Etsy shop with little knits like this one. But I don't think I've got enough courage yet...

Circle in a square.

2010-10-07T16:38:00.016+02:00

I mentioned before (here) that art of crochet is a real mystery to me and I truly admire crocheters for their magical skills. Knitting always seemed to be a piece of cake for me if I compared it to my fruitless tries with crochet hook. While I'm able to learn new knit stitch and technics very fast, I could never understand the basic crochet stitches. Until I saw this:

photo by Tamara (click on the photo to be transfered to her beautiful blog)

When I first saw this blanket, I knew I want one too. It's just so cosy and colorful and I thought it would be a nice gift for G. So I decided to give crochet yet another try. And another... and another... It took a while until this mysterious tr finally stopped being a trouble and became treble. Finally, I have learnt how to crochet.

So now I'm making lots and lots of colorful circles and I can't stop. And then I close them in a square with pale yellow yarn. I like the result and I can't wait to comlete the whole blanket. I think I'm already addicted ;)

(Pattern: circle-in-a-square by Tamara Erbacher)

Corner View: Orange

2010-10-06T11:48:00.008+02:00

Few orange motives of the week:

sweet and juicy oranges start dominating in our fruit diet this time of year; as we all know they are great source of vitamin c :)

home made apricot jam sent from sunny Italy to rainy England; I love it on toasts. Today I woke up to the sound of raindrops heavily hitting the windowsills and felt a bit down but a toast with this apricot jam and an espresso put me back in good mood.

It's been quite chilly recently and for some little people it's time to wear their hats ;) This pumpkin hat is G.'s favourite.

For some more Corner Views, please visit Otli.

Promised notes on "Promise".

2010-09-28T14:56:00.011+02:00

I first saw Gedifra Riana Color yarn in the back of a local yarn store in Genoa, Italy, around one year ago. Its vivid blue colour caught my eye immediately and although I am not a big fan of blue, this yarn seemed so beautiful I was ready to buy it almost straightaway. The price- €6.00 per skein- was a bit too much for me tough so I left the yarn store empty handed.

Few months ago I was browsing haberdashery department in John Lewis here in London, and saw the same beautiful yarn. It was also on sale, so I didn’t think twice and grabbed it. I couldn’t really say no to £2.2o per skein, could I? There were only five skeins in the sale basket so I knew it would be only enough for a small project.

The yarn had been snoozing in my stash until some time ago I finally decided to use it. Having a basic idea of the project in my mind (simple top with short sleeves knitted in the round) I started my work. I didn’t follow any pattern and only trusted my own intuition. I just cast on and went with the flow and after few days the top was done. Of course I updated my Ravelry project page immediately and since then few fellow Ravelers have asked me to share the pattern. After few weeks I managed to write down my project notes and I’m finally able to share them.

“PROMISE” – project notes.

I named this top “Promise” because knitting it was very promising as well as the fact I actually finished it and it fits me perfectly is a sort of promise for my future knitting. I guess I will be more confident in knitting my own ideas and seeing good result of work motivates me a lot.

“Promise” was knitted in the round from top to bottom. To make it more interesting I decided to use lace mesh pattern which I adapted from this book.

I used 4 skeins of Gedifra Riana Color yarn.

Needles: 4.5mm circular (60cm and 80cm long), 4.5mm dpn (double pointed needles, for sleeves)

My gauge was: 18 sts and 28 rows for 10cm square

Lace mesh pattern (multiple of 3 stitches) for knitting in the round:
Row 1: k2, *yo, sl1, k2, psso the 2 k sts, repeat from * to last st, k1
Row 2: knit
Row 3: k1, *sl1, k2, psso the 2 k sts, yo, repeat from * to last 2 sts, k2
Row 4: knit

Abbreviations:
k- knit
p- purl
sl- slip
psso- pass slipped stitch over
m1- increase one stitch by knitting front and back of one stitch
m3- make 3 stitches out of one: knit through the back and front of one stitch- this will give you two stitches and create vertical strand between them; pick it up with left needle and knit it through the back: you’ve made 3 stitches from one
sm- slip marker

With shorter circular needles I cast on 106 stitches and joined carefully in the round.
Row 1: knit
Row 2: purl
Row 3: knit
Row 4: purl

Next row: pm, k1, pm, k12 (this will be the right sleeve), pm, k1, pm, k39 (this will be the front), pm, k1, pm, k12 (this will be the left sleeve), pm, k1, pm, k39 (this will be the back).

(Note: when dividing your stitches, for the front always take amount of stitches that is multiple of 3: this is important for the mesh lace pattern to work. )

Next row: k1, sm, m1 (knit the front and the back of the stitch: 1 stitch increased), k1, m1, m1, m3 3 times, m1, m1, k1, k1, m1, sm, k1, sm, m1, start lace mesh pattern and knit it to one stitch before marker, m1, sm, k1, sm, m1, k1, k1, m1, m1, m3 3 times, m1, m1, k1, m1, sm, k1, sm, m1, k to one stitch before maker, m1

Next row: knit one round

Next row: k1, m1, knit all right sleeve stitches to one stitch before marker, m1, sm, k1, sm, m1, knit in lace mesh pattern to one stitch before marker, m1, sm, k1, sm, m1, knit all left sleeve stitches to one stitch before marker, m1, sm, k1, sm, m1, knit to one stitch before marker, m1

Next row: knit one round

This looks confusing but it is really simple in practice: you will always knit the stitches between markers and always increase one stitch before and after markers by knitting them front and back. You do it every other row which means that you make increases and knit in lace mesh pattern in one row and the next row you only knit the whole round.

Keep knitting your top accordingly and try it every now and then to see if it fits and when it’s time to put sleeve stitches on scrap yarn (I did 11cm of lace pattern and it was enough for me to finish increases). You may want to change for longer (80cm) needles as you get more and more stitches. Also, because you're increases stitches, you will have to adjust your lace pattern while knitting.

Put sleeves stitches on scrap yarn, leaving one marker under each arm. Carry on knitting the body in round in stockinette stitch, decreasing one stitch before and one stitch after markers every 12th row= 4 stitches decreased every 12th row (I did 3 decreases on each side in total).

Knit few centimeters and then increase one stitch before and one stitch after markers every 12th row = 4 stitches increased every 12th row (I did 2 increases on each side only as I reached my desired length).

Knit until your desired length.

(Note: try your top very often to check if it fits you. Everyone has different body shape so you might need to increase or decrease more or less often. This project notes correspond to XS/S size only).

Last row: purl

Cast off.

Sleeves (both alike): pick up 2 stitches in armhole and move sleeve stitches from scrap yarn onto 4 dpn needles. Knit rounds in stockinette stitch until you get your desired length.

Last two rows:
1: *k2, k2tog, repeat from * to the end.
2: purl

Cast off.

I hope my notes can help some other knitters. I’m not sure if I’ve written everything clearly enough but I’m not professional in writing knitting patterns and based all these notes on my memory of how I knit my “Promise”.

Happy knitting!

***Note: These are my project notes written down to give other knitters some idea how I knit my top. These notes should only be treated as a guide in knitting your own “Promise” top and they musn't be used to knit garments for commercial purposes.***

Green

2010-09-27T15:05:00.008+02:00

Have I ever mentioned that green is my favourite colour?
What's yours?

September.

2010-09-21T15:36:00.007+02:00

Good news: G. is doing much better! She's been eating like she has never seen food before which makes us happy, she sleeps better and her digestive system seems to be recovering. I feel like a big heavy stone fell down from my heart. I can't stop looking at G.'s face: she looks happpy again, rested and without those horrible dark circles she had last week under her eyes. Let's hope it can only get better now.

We're having sunny September here; entering fall season seems to be smooth and enjoyable (from the weather point of view, I mean). I like September, the month on the border of summer and autumn, still warm but not hot, already cool but yet not too cold. Here are some photos I've taken during our walks to the park. I might be monotonous for a while and bore you with countless images of nature around us but I can't help myself. The sun is shining, my girl is happily running, the green's turning red and I like where I am. Life is good.

Happy Fall Everyone!

2010-09-17T18:43:00.001+02:00

Thank you all for your comforting and uplifting comments and e-mails I have received after my last post. So many warm words and thoughts- thank you for all!

G. slept through last night without any interruption which is almost a miracle. I don't want to sound too optimistic- she's been better for a day before and then it would all get back to the sick state again- but today has been going really well. She's eaten a bit more than usual without throwing it up and we even managed to go for a short walk to the park nearby. I do hope it can only get better now; she needs to get back her lost weight very quickly.

2010-09-14T16:26:00.003+02:00

Things haven't been great lately for our little girl. She's been sick for over three weeks now and we don't really know how to help her. We're running some tests now, hoping it's nothing serious. We are all tired, feeling lost and helpless. Seeing your child suffering is a nightmare. Every night I go to bed hoping to wake up back in happy smiley days. She's become so clingy she doesn't leave my arms. We're staying indoors most of the time, cuddling and reading and watching Peppa Pig, the only things that make her little happier these days.

After the rain (or: before the rain)

2010-08-23T21:32:00.007+02:00

It's been raining on and off today. We managed to get out for a short walk in the park. After the rain the air was fresh and it smelt like autumn. Can you believe the summer is almost over? I can't. I feel like I haven't had enough sunny weather yet. And these heavy clouds promise more rain...

Little sister's dress (or: big girl's vest top)

2010-08-17T15:33:00.014+02:00

Last week we had C.'s parents visiting. This time they came by car, bringing us some stuff that we left in our flat in Genoa in January. They also brought almost all my yarn and needles and started projects which made me really happy. I found this dress among them: I started knitting it before G.'s first birthday and left it unfinished and didn't really think it would suit her now. Long time has passed and now she is a big girl, defenetly too big to wear a dress in 12 month size. But I liked this dress and I wasn't keen on frogging it so this morning, when G. was still sleeping, I got up, made myself nice cup of coffee and finished this dress. Actually, it turned out to be a top.

I realized I didn't have nice buttons for this dress/top and decided to attach a crochet flower. The thing is that I can't really crochet, although I have tried many times to learn this craft. Crochet still is a mysterious art to me, hook is a wand, charts and patterns are a top secret coded information understood only to the chosen ones and any crochet project is just a pure magic to me. I own few hooks and every now and then I try to play with them but this little flower is actually the first crochet thing I successfully completed. I really feel proud; maybe there is some hope for me after all ;)

With some help of YouTube I managed to produce this little beauty:

I accessorized it with a pearl in the middle:

And then I attached the flower to the dress/top:

I'm really happy with the final result. And G. seems to be happy too :)

Project notes:
Pattern: Little Sister's Dress by Tora Frøseth
Yarn: RYC Cashsoft DK
Needles: US4/3.5mm

From the fields (or: from my childhood)

2010-07-15T15:07:00.009+02:00

One of those days spent in Poland we went to the fields to buy some strawberries, freshly picked up in the early morning. They were the last in season and once we get to the place, I could feel their sweet smell filling up the air. Although it was very hot, I didn't feel like going stright back home. I spontaneously decided to have a walk and I let myself run into the fields, surrounding the suburbian area where my parents live. The fields where we played and rode bicycles when we were children. So many memories came back to me.

Summer days...

2010-07-10T01:43:00.007+02:00

summer days
so full of colors and flavours
the sweetest taste of strawberries
and smell of freshly mown grass
and cheerful moments with the little ones
in the vast garden that is like an island of bliss
and the hours slowly passing by
under perfectly blue sky

images and tastes and little moments: they fulfill
my heart and my memory
they bring me peace

the older I grow
the more I feel my own roots

2010-06-21T14:25:00.006+02:00

I can't believe it's June.
I can't believe how cold it is outside, how uninviting.
We've been warming up ourselves with some ginger and lemon tea with generous dose of honey.

This chilly weather makes me want to have something warm and cosy around my arms. So I started a new shawl yesterday and I just can't stop knitting it... I simply love these colorful stripes...

Happy week everyone!

Little knit for a happy toddler.

2010-05-27T17:27:00.007+02:00

The other night I was tidying my bag with yarn and I came across one skein of Rowan cotton that I bought without a reason (yes, I do sometimes buy yarn without a reason...) and decided to knit a simple beanie for G. I chose Cecily Beanie (Ravelry link) pattern which is one of my favourite patterns for simple hats. It took me only few hours to knit this hat and I think it's just perfect for the cooler days here. And little G. seems to be happy with it.

When the beanie was ready, I decided to sew on few shell buttons- quite a pretty detail, I think.

I wanted to take proper photos of G. wearing the beanie but there was little cooperation from my little model. That's why the pictures are a bit blurry.

Project info:
Pattern: Cecily Beanie
Yarn: Rowan Handknit Cotton
Needles: US3/ 3.25mm

Isabella Plantation: a fairy tale garden.

2010-05-24T13:33:00.032+02:00

Here is my promised post about Isabella Plantation, full of photos- I took so many that day tn Richmond Park that it was really difficult to choose the ones I wanted to share. Isabella Plantation truly is a magical garden, especially this time of year. All flowers are in full bloom. The plantation is especially well known for its azaleas and rhododendrons but there is much more to admire. If you are a flower enthusiast you can walk there for hours, getting excited about all those colorful flowers around you. I especially loved the field of blubells...

If you want to know more about Isabella Plantation, you can read here.

Aubergine

2010-05-20T22:33:00.009+02:00

The promised post about Isabella Plantation is coming soon, I just wanted to share my latest finished project that went off my needles yesterday. It's just a simple cardigan that I knit for G., nothing special and yet special a lot- I think she looks so cute in it. I love its color too- I realized that purple has been one of my favourite colors lately.

It was such an easy knitting project and I'm so happy with the result. It really feels good to see my girl wearing a garment made with my own hands. Because of its color, I named it "Aubergine".

She seems to like the little shell buttons...

I have been knitting a lot recently and I guess I'll be posting here about my knitting adventures- due to limited time for blogging I'm no longer able to keep up my knitting blog.

Close to nature.

2010-05-17T14:26:00.019+02:00

Few days ago we went to Richmond Park, the largest park in London and one of my favourite places here. I think it's a great place for family day out and if you're tired with busy city life it's so easy to regain your peace and inner balance there. We had the chance to observe young deer (little G. got really excited about them) and we went to see Isabella Plantation-that actually was the main reason of our visit to Richmond Park and I'm going to do a separate post about it , as I took hundreds of photos... you know, addicted to flowers, addicted to macro... For now, I wanted to share the beauty of Richmond Park...

Corner View: Earth Day.

2010-04-21T20:23:00.010+02:00

These days, when the weather is so nice and the sun so generous, we often go with Little G. to see the ducks, swans and other birds the name I don’t know. They live in the channels nearby. They have just had their off-springs. G. always gets very excited about them but I get quite sad. I look at not so clean water and at their nests, built with straws, plastic bags and other litter. Once again, we managed to interfere with the innocent beauty of nature…

When I was in secondary school, I remember that on Earth Day we didn’t have any lessons. We would spend the whole day celebrating our planet and spreading awareness about future of the world. We would go to the nearest parks and forests and collect litter. We would have lectures about eco living and we would do lots of other activities, like painting posters on the subject. It was fun.

To me, Earth Day is every single day of year. One of my teachers in my high school used to say: “You want to change the world? Start with your backyard”. I believe that looking after your nearest surrounding can really make a difference. Do small things around you- it will all add up to a big thing for the world.

We do try hard to do our bit for the Earth. We segregate our rubbish and when we were still living in Genoa we also kept bin with compost in our “backyard”. We buy eco products for cleaning, sometimes it’s enough to use vinegar and soda bicarbonate. We try to use water wisely (“if it’s yellow…” rule for example). Cloth nappies, organic cotton clothes, organic food. Re-usable bags for shopping as I can’t really stand plastic ones and if it happens that I’m forced to take one- I feel very guilty. We don’t buy any products that contains vegetable oil- usually it is not specified what exactly is this “vegetable oil”; in many cases it is palm oil. By buying products containing palm oil you support the killing of orangutans and downfall of forests (be aware, read more: here, here and here). Another big NO in our family are cosmetics tested on animals. We do not want to be a part of cruelty. In our household you will never find products that belong to big brands like Procter&Gamble, for example. We go for ethical, organic, natural, fair trade goods. We read labels before buying things.

We all have reasons to care for our planet. Let's make Earth Day every day. Let's make it possible for our children to see the beauty of the Earth, our Mother. Let's care for Her because "when the last tree is cut down, when the last river is poisoned, when the last fish is caught- only then we will understand that we can't eat money".

***
For some more CV, please visit lovely Joyce who's hosting CV this week. Thank you for coming up with this beautiful theme about Earth Day, Joyce!

***
PS There would be a reason why we called our daughter Gaia... ;)

Corner View: One year anniversary.

2010-04-14T21:27:00.003+02:00

I can't believe it's been one year already. I still remember our first corner posts and my excitment about participating in this project. Wednesday became the nicest day in blogosphere, the day when we all can visit so many places around the world and learn about our friends' corners and share our own. It's been an amazing journey!

I've missed few corners on the way and the ones that I did I fully enjoyed. It's really hard to choose my favourite corner but there are few of them that I particulary like. Love. Dream. Unveiling. And coffee corner, of course. Looking at the photos now, I realized how much I miss Italian coffee; a real cappuccino (not this pseudo one served in high street coffee shops here) and a 80 cents macchiato caldo in a local bar. We can't have everything, can we? ;-)

Thank you all for visiting my corner. Thank you Jane for coming up with this fantastic idea. I'm glad I can be a part of it.

Spring...

2010-04-12T12:30:00.004+02:00

...finally. Days are getting longer and warmer and the sun visits us more often. There is freshness in the air that I breathe in and feel that everything can happen. Because everything is possible.

Life is much busier these days. We're slowly settling here and we know we won't be coming back to Italy for a while. I'm back to work, part-time, so I still get the chance to be with little G. as much as possible. She's growing happy and healthy and brings lots of joy into our world.

There is little time left for myself and I can't be online as often as I used to be. My blogs are a bit dusty but I hope that I am able to update them more often soon...

Corner View: miniature worlds

2010-03-12T13:06:00.007+01:00

In some miniature worlds there are hippos so small that even little girls have to bend to pick them up :)

And there are things so tiny like these pink socks: they used to belong to a precious little girl who was born prematurely. I got them from her mommy when I was expecting my girl and they were the sweetest gift ever. I still keep them, they're a treasure.

For some more miniature worlds, please visit Jane.

***

I'm sorry that I don't visit your blogs on a daily basis but these days I don't have too much time to be online. We are still in London and we have decided to stay here for longer. At the moment we're settling down which takes lots of time and energy. I hope to be back on track with my blogging soon...

Corner View: Coffee companion

2010-03-03T11:48:00.003+01:00

My best coffee companion is always a book. I love disappearing in a quiet corner of a coffee shop, sipping cappuccino and reading but, unfortunately, these moments don't happen very often to me these days.

For some more coffee companions, please visit lovely Jane at Spain Daily.

2010-02-15T19:53:00.006+01:00

Hammersmith Bridge, London 2010

We've been visiting London for the past few weeks and it seems that we'll be staying here longer than we originally planned. It's been a bit crazy but once we're settled down I will update my blog with more photos, I promise.

Have a great week :)

2010-02-02T13:23:00.003+01:00

I have been feeling uninspired lately...
I pick up my camera every day and I play.
But photos I take are no good, I don't like them.
I keep looking for some inspiration around me.
I don't give up.
*
Happy day Everyone!

The sky over Genoa.

2010-01-07T01:11:00.011+01:00

...yesterday afternoon....

***

Thank you all for your nice comments and birthday wishes to Little G.
I still can't believe how fast time flies by...

Have a happy day!

2010-01-03T17:09:00.002+01:00

“Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.”
—Elizabeth Stone

My Heart was born one year ago. She arrived on a cold winter night, in the room filled up with calm music and many faces. It all feels like a blur now but yet it feels so fresh, like it was yesterday. In the warm and soft light my Heart came into this world, from water to water and from water straight into my arms. Since that night I’ve been watching Her growing and changing, fulfilling our lives, bringing us joy and happiness. This past year with Her has been an amazing journey to all of us.

Happy Birthday my Girl!

2009-12-18T16:50:00.006+01:00

It has snowed a bit in Genoa today- first snow this winter and pretty unusual view to see here. I quickly grabed my camera and took few photos; most of this snow has disappeared by now...

Corner View: Books

2009-12-16T12:54:00.007+01:00

I'm a book addict but unfortunatelly I don't read these days as much as I'd like to. All these books are sitting on two shelves of our big library, waiting to be read. If only I had more time... I have already started some of them and some of them I read long time ago and now I want to go through them again (i.e.: "Magic Prague" by A.M. Ripellino or some books by Hrabal). Reading more is one of my resolutions for the next year.

Let's read some more:
jane, ladybug-zen, ian, bonnie, esti, sophie, cele, modsquad, caitlin, joyce, ani, couturecoucou, kim, a day that is dessert, natsumi, epe, kaylovesvintage, trinsch, c.t., jeanette, outi, schanett, ritva, dongdong, francesca, state of bliss, jennifer, dana, denise, cabrizette, bohemian girl, ruth, dianna, isabelle, amber, all the lovelies, mister e, janis, kari, jgy, jenna, skymring, elizabeth, audrey, allison, lise, cate, mon, victoria, crescent moon, erin, otli, amy, ida, caroline, lisa, dorte, kimmie, la luna dans le ciel, nicola, malo, vanessa, britta, virgina, april, rebecca, b, sunnymama, kyndale, samantha, karen, kristina, angelina, juanita , pamela, emily, dorit, sophie, janet, mcgillicutty, desiree, travellingmama, aimee, mirtille, madchen, guusje, boise, daan, woolie, 2ndspring, jenel l, tina, inna, lisa, ninja , ibb, urbaniche, allegria,line , conny , demara

Corner View: Evening

2009-12-09T12:26:00.003+01:00

Evening... a moment to rest. To slow down and relax. Day time belongs to baby G. and is pretty busy with my active little Pumpkin but evenings, when she sleeps safe and sound, belong to me. Having nice bubble bath with candle light. Watching movies cuddled up with C. Or catching up with reading/writing/knitting etc. Talking and planning and just resting. Yes, evenings sound good to me :)

Evening in other corners of the world:
jane, ladybug-zen, ian, bonnie, esti, sophie, cele, modsquad, caitlin, joyce, ani, couturecoucou, kim, a day that is dessert, natsumi, epe, kaylovesvintage, trinsch, c.t., jeanette, outi, schanett, ritva, dongdong, francesca, state of bliss, jennifer, dana, denise, cabrizette, bohemian girl, ruth, dianna, isabelle, amber, all the lovelies, mister e, janis, kari, jgy, jenna, skymring, elizabeth, audrey, allison, lise, cate, mon, victoria, crescent moon, erin, otli, amy, ida, caroline, lisa, dorte, kimmie, la luna dans le ciel, nicola, malo, vanessa, britta, virgina, april, rebecca, b, sunnymama, kyndale, samantha, karen, kristina, angelina, juanita , pamela, emily, dorit, sophie, janet, mcgillicutty, desiree, travellingmama, aimee, mirtille, madchen, guusje, boise, daan, woolie, 2ndspring, jenel l, tina, inna, lisa, ninja , ibb, urbaniche, allegria,line , conny , demara

Corner View: Home

2009-12-02T14:58:00.012+01:00

We don't have Home yet- we are still looking for our place on Earth; we are just like seeds in the wind, searching for the place where we could finally grow roots and call it Home. In the past five years I lived in eight different addresses. These photos above show corners of some of them. I learnt not to get too attached but yet I do. I sometimess miss those places. Especially window views since all I can see now from our sitting-room window is wall. This is the only place I won't miss when we finally move. I do hope that next year we are woken up by sun again.

Beautiful corners:
jane, ladybug-zen, ian, bonnie, esti, sophie, cele, modsquad, caitlin, joyce, ani, couturecoucou, kim, a day that is dessert, natsumi, epe, kaylovesvintage, trinsch, c.t., jeanette, outi, schanett, ritva, dongdong, francesca, state of bliss, jennifer, dana, denise, cabrizette, bohemian girl, ruth, dianna, isabelle, amber, all the lovelies, mister e, janis, kari, jgy, jenna, skymring, elizabeth, audrey, allison, lise, cate, mon, victoria, crescent moon, erin, otli, amy, ida, caroline, lisa, dorte, kimmie, la luna dans le ciel, nicola, malo, vanessa, britta, virgina, april, rebecca, b, sunnymama, kyndale, samantha, karen, kristina, angelina, juanita , pamela, emily, dorit, sophie, janet, mcgillicutty, desiree, travellingmama, aimee, mirtille, madchen, guusje, boise, daan, woolie, 2ndspring, jenel l, tina, inna, lisa, ninja , ibb, urbaniche, allegria,line , conny , demara

Corner View: Menu del giorno

2009-11-23T00:58:00.013+01:00

primo piatto: spaghetti al sugo di pesce spada
(first course: spaghetti with swordfish sauce)

secondo piatto: insalata vegetariana
(second course: vegetarian salad)

with freshly baked bread on the side

and a glass of home brewed beer

We eat out at least once a week, usually on Saturdays. First we do some shopping and than we look for a nice place to have our lunch. Every time we try to eat in different place but sometimes we come back to the same tratoria or restaurant if the food is delicious. And it usually is (but I am Italian food lover so it's difficult to make me disappointed). What you can find on the menu is differend kinds of pasta with wide choice of sauces, pizzas, salads, seafood dishes, soups, many kinds of bread etc... These photos above were taken last Saturday in a small bar/restaurant in the centre of Genoa and they show my choice from the menu that day.

Menu of the day in other corners:

jane, ladybug-zen, ian, bonnie, esti, sophie, cele, modsquad, caitlin, joyce, ani, couturecoucou, kim, a day that is dessert, natsumi, epe, kaylovesvintage, trinsch, c.t., jeanette, outi, schanett, ritva, dongdong, francesca, state of bliss, jennifer, dana, denise, cabrizette, bohemian girl, ruth, dianna, isabelle, amber, all the lovelies, mister e, janis, kari, jgy, jenna, skymring, elizabeth, audrey, allison, lise, cate, mon, victoria, crescent moon, erin, otli, amy, ida, caroline, lisa, dorte, kimmie, la luna dans le ciel, nicola, malo, vanessa, britta, virgina, april, rebecca, b, sunnymama, kyndale, samantha, karen, kristina, angelina, juanita , pamela, emily, dorit, sophie, janet, mcgillicutty, desiree, travellingmama, aimee, mirtille, madchen, guusje, boise, daan, woolie, 2ndspring, jenel l, tina, inna, lisa, ninja , ibb, urbaniche, allegria,line , conny , demara

Corner View: Cell phone madness

2009-11-18T10:43:00.002+01:00

It is supposed to be a wordless post but… in my case it’s photo-less one. I have to explain. Cell phone madness days are left far behind me. I used to be attached to my cell phone when I worked but I don’t use it very often these days. In fact, I don’t even know where it is now. If I needed my cell phone, I would have to first call myself from our landline to find it. But I don’t even remember my number by heart!

Let's look for some cell phone madness here:
jane, ladybug-zen, ian, bonnie, esti, sophie, cele, modsquad, caitlin, joyce, ani, couturecoucou, kim, a day that is dessert, natsumi, epe, kaylovesvintage, trinsch, c.t., jeanette, outi, schanett, ritva, dongdong, francesca, state of bliss, jennifer, dana, denise, cabrizette, bohemian girl, ruth, dianna, isabelle, amber, all the lovelies, mister e, janis, kari, jgy, jenna, skymring, elizabeth, audrey, allison, lise, cate, mon, victoria, crescent moon, erin, otli, amy, ida, caroline, lisa, dorte, kimmie, la luna dans le ciel, nicola, malo, vanessa, britta, virgina, april, rebecca, b, sunnymama, kyndale, samantha, karen, kristina, angelina, juanita , pamela, emily, dorit, sophie, janet, mcgillicutty, desiree, travellingmama, aimee, mirtille, madchen, guusje, boise, daan, woolie, 2ndspring, jenel l, tina, inna, lisa, ninja , ibb, urbaniche, allegria,line

2009-11-16T13:29:00.014+01:00

Some time ago we went to Piacenza to visit C.' relatives. After our lunch we decided to see some sites and we visited two medieval villages: borgo di Vigoleno and borgo di Castell'Arquato. We didn't have much time so we only explored them briefly but it was enough for me to fall in love with the beauty and atmosphere of those magic places.

Emilia Romagna is beautiful. I admired the landscapes in the light of setting sun and I felt myself falling in love with those vineyards and hills. And all people I met there seemed to be much happier. In fact, if we ever are able to move out of Genoa, Emilia Romagna is on our list. On the top of it.

Here are few photos that I managed to take. Enjoy!

2009-11-14T17:53:00.012+01:00

Somewhere in the maze of those narrow streets in historical centre of Genoa there is one of our favorite vicolo*: Via Dei Macelli Di Soziglia. It's very dark and long and doesn't look particularly attractive but it is where you can find the best organic food in the city. Or if you are after fresh fish and seafood. Or meat, if you like it. Almost every Saturday morning we pack our juta bags and visit our little but well stocked bio-store and do our grocery shopping. This is where we get our fruits and veggies from, along with grains, canned goods, teas and eco cleaning stuff. You can even get organic products for your dog or cat, if you have one.

I don't know why but it always puts me in a good mood when I come back home with bags full of fresh veggies and organic goods. I like to think that we really try to make a difference.

*vicolo- narrow, dark street or alley

Corner View: Favorite dish

2009-11-11T11:34:00.006+01:00

This week theme comes from Joyce and it's a tough one ;). I love food and have one zillion favorite dishes, so it is difficult for me to choose that particular one. But if I could have one dish right now, it would definitely be C.'s minestrone with fresh coriander leaves:

served with fresh, home-baked bread:

***

Thank you all for your supporting words in your comments. I hope this melancholy goes away soon..

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Favourite dishes in other corners of the world:

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2009-11-10T14:04:00.001+01:00

I haven't been feeling too well recently. I like to blame rainy days and gray skies for my low mood but deep inside I know, there is something else that makes me sad. Even with the sun shining- there is not that much light coming into my life these days.

Yesterday was my birthday. We had a small celebretion; just the three of us. Half a day in our pyjamas, evening meal in vegetarian restaurant. Simple but lovely. My little family is my light that keep me warm.

Apple crumble...

2009-11-10T12:55:00.015+01:00

We can't deny it: winter is coming. I can feel its breath in the air. I don't know why but when I think of winter, I think of apples and cinnamon. It's my favourite combination and yesterday I tried a new recipe that was passed by a good friend of mine (thank you, Blue!). Apple crumble... mmm... sweet heaven in mouth… We ate it almost all at once and we’re sure we’ve found a perfect warming up treat for this coming winter.

Ingredients:
1 kg apples
1 cup instant oats
¼ cup coconut shreds
½ cup flour
½ cup sugar
125g butter
cinnamon

Preparation:
Peel apples and dice them, mix them with a bit of sugar and cinnamon and simmer for about 10 minutes on a low heat.

Mix all dry ingredients. Add soft butter (cut into chunks) and rub it properly until mixture becomes crumbly.

Place warm apples in ovenproof dish and cover them with crumbs.
Bake in 180 degrees for about 20-25 minutes.
Serve with vanilla ice-cream and enjoy! (Believe me, you will…)

(Apple crumble just before putting it into oven. No picture after baking was taken- we ate it immediately! ;) )

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T12:51:00.003+01:00

Enjoy your day!

Corner View: Water

2009-10-28T12:40:00.009+01:00

The water of Mediterranean Sea :)

More beautiful corners to visit:

2009-10-27T17:49:00.010+01:00

Although the sun is still shining pretty strong in this corner of the world, the days are getting colder and it's time to get ready for winter. Lately I realized I didn't have any mittens for Baby G., so I decided to knit some for her. I started yesterday night and finished them this morning.

I must admit I'm quite satisfied with the result. I finally taught myself the magic loop method and I love it. You know, I truly hate sewing knitted pieces together so knitting in the round is a great option for me.

The mittens are thumbless and joined with a knitted string- this way they will keep G.'s hands warm and she wont loose them easily.