Pumpkin carving time!

the smalls drew the faces and I did the cutting.

Honest Scrap

Have been awarded with an Honest award... thank you Return to Bohemia.
Her parents post is awesome go have a peak.

As a recipient I am instructed to do the following -

first

Thank and link to the person who nominated you.

second

Include their Honest Truths, and here are hers

• Like my dainty pal the Townhouselady, I too burp like a dude. My husband is constantly amazed, and when he tries to do it, he judges his own attempts "weak efforts."
• I always think I talk too much. But I have a lot to say and hardly anyone ever tells me to stop.
• I wish more people would act excited about life. I feel stupid sometimes by how much I enjoy little things. People look at me funny.
• I love Bruce Springsteen endlessly. If you tell me you don't, I judge you in ways you wouldn't like.
• I have way too much jewelry. I love it all. I can tell you about every single bit of it. I sold some of the really good stuff on ebay. I wish now I wouldn't have done that.
• I'm a smell freak. (and occasionally a smelly freak) If someone within 7 blocks of me has eaten garlic, I carry on about it.
• My biggest pet peeve is gum chewing. I think it's disgusting. Why not just chew all your food all day long, pop it, blow it into bubbles, stick it under chairs. What the hell's the difference.
• I was a Guiding Light watcher-- since 1978, and I was sad it went off the air. I know the names of the actors. I follow one or two of them on twitter.
• I stopped drinking 8 years ago. I didn't have one of those finding myself in the gutter moments, I just did it. When some people find out I don't drink, they look at me suspiciously and seem to be thinking, "Wow, she must have been really bad," and probably feel much better about themselves.
• I quit smoking too. I'd love one right now, however.

third) include 10 truths about yourself
So here are some truths about me...

• I think I may like brownie batter better then the cooked final thing.
• I somehow find putting the children's books all in place calming, even if the rest of the room still has toys and pillow strewn around, somehow its the books being cared for that brings a kind of odd satisfaction. 
• I think Northern Exposure and  Mad Men may well be the best two series I have seen thus far.
• I am an oatmeal fan . 
• I am a maple syrup snob, I just don't see the point in eating a good waffle or pancake with out the real thing, would rather go yogurt and honey if there is no proper maple syrup on hand. 
• I long to return to Nepal one day. 
• I love almonds, lemons, and very dark chocolate (not all together).
• It irritates me to no end when my husband farts (loudly) next to me in the morning (how can a person enjoy their latte and toast after that)??! I mean really.
• I can get sucked into a book or a film almost to the point where if the phone rings I can forget who and where I actually am. 
• I love the smell of a carpenters shop, wood shavings and so on (not the varnish sprays).  

five) The final step is to present this award to at least 4 others blogs you find brilliant in design/content or who have encouraged you.

My nominations go to 
Guusje's Appeltaart - oh what a positive woman, her blog always brings a smile to my face, quite the creative misses, and full of good ideas. 
Une Envie Del Sel - her blog is always a visual feast, and she is a able to express so eloquently the sweet magic of motherhood/childhood in such a way that it makes you stop and take note of your own life and children and the adventures that exist in the everyday (also a talented painter) with a good eye for style. 
MUS- ah if only I could read Dutch fluently! Her blog is stunning and here too a clever creative spirit with such good ideas! 
Last but not least a new discovery, The Plum Tree, where  I of late have been wandering to instead of a book, she writes so well. A small trip to India, I find her blog to have a very poetic sensibility, quite a delight. 

Persimmons you say

Discovery

(for me anyway but probably the rest of you out there knew all about it). 

I spotted this at the little fruit and veg stall down our road today and enquired about it to be told

 'it is a Kaki and is very good, don't eat the skin'. 

I tried it today and wonders of wonders... it is divine! So subtle and sweet, really am a convert and upon further research I discovered it is called a persimmon in English (have always loved the word but never knew what it was). Am now contemplating naming our house that (houses have names here), and ours doesn't have one yet. 

We do have quite a few bits of orange about the place. 

Apparently this one is from Spain (wouldn't it be cool to see them hanging on trees)!

Am thinking I may need to make an orange flan so that I can use the little stars as garnish.

(Am a bit of a flan - creme caramel addict)

Couldn't resist

While running a few errands in Valletta yesterday, I stopped to buy some good quality cocoa from a particular little old baking shop. While there I spotted a little display of maybe 15 different varieties of these and couldn't resist. I think they are little liquors that one could use to flavor cakes and things but am not entirely sure. No one in the shop could tell me, nor could they tell me exactly what the different types were in English (the box is entirely in Italian). I loved the size and nifty packaging, so chose a few (may be making chocolate truffles come christmas time you see). Wonder what Sassolino is?  Am guessing that the Prunella one I bought is some kind of prune liquor? and why the old witch looking lady?

(I included the cup to give you a sense of the size)

Monday morning wanderings

Gifts from our summer visitors
included the sharing of these photos,

(Morocco)

oh to travel as these two did!

Every couple I suppose knows another couple they admire in some way or other and these two are ours, good friends, travellers, fellow food lovers and always a joy to spend time with. True appreciators of life, the gritty parts, the unassuming wonders and the spectacular. Aren't good friends one of the sweetest parts of life. So glad they made it to our small island to visit. Here are a few glimpses from their most recent adventures if you want to see more look to their page here.

Cienfuegos, Cuba

Malta

Uruguay

Oh blessed Friday

POMEGRANATE AND WALNUT SALAD

A bit of a hectic week here, agreed to filling in for a science and Math teacher at a local private school, so full days of trying to bring forth all I had learned about plant and animal cells, the periodic table, algebra, the human musculature system and throw in gym and a music class and I was really pushing the extent of my natural abilities (am a big appreciator of music but singing myself oh my no).

But it is the end of the week and a little window of time today allowed me to make a salad (and write a post). This is a salad I haven't made for years- it is a Turkish recipe from a Mediterranean cookbook of ours.    A great use for pomegranate when they are in season, a nice side to lamb or a soup.

The recipe is as follows

1 cup walnuts chopped

half cup olive oil ( I used a bit less)

1  1/2 Tablespoons pomegranate syrup (but if you don't have it still would taste good I think)

1/2 chili flakes

1 cup pomegranate seeds

2 cups green olives chopped

1 large red onion chopped

1 cup plat leaf parsley chopped

I toasted the walnuts, then chopped them, added the rest of the ingredients and mixed the olive oil. chili flakes, and pomegranate syrup together with some salt and pepper, and added that last. Handy tip is that you can take out the pomegranate seeds under water and the seeds sink and the white bits float. Makes it so easy (usually the seeds often go flying cross the room).

Hope you all have a good weekend!

Rain or shine I am looking forward to mine.

Musings of Aunt Epp

Of late I have taken to washing up the kitchen before bed and listening to one radio podcast or another and one of my favourites is Woman's Hour (BBC Radio 4),  today I heard a bit about a book called Aunt Epp’s Guide for Life – From chastity to copper kettles, musings of a Victorian Lady by Elspeth Marr . Am most intrigued by it,  would be rather pleased I think this winter to curl up a bit with some witty words from a different era. You never know when a book may change your life right?  (must once again plug This American Life (NPR), a few weeks ago they had a whole show on this topic, how a book can change you.  

Give me 15 minutes

Calamari on the fly

One thing I have learned since moving here to Malta is how easy it is to create a whole fresh tasting meal using fish you froze some weeks or months ago! We needed to make space in our freezer and remembered the squid, a few hours after taking it out and my husband had whipped up some delicious and very fresh tasting calamari! He just cut it, fried it in garlic and oil for around ten minutes till it changed colour and the juices come out and thickened, set it aside and added some fresh chopped parsley, squeeze of lemon juice,  salt and pepper.  You can toss it with some fresh pasta or over a salad, such an easy and tasty meal. Growing up in the midwest, I thought Calamari was suppose to be like rubber but ahh no, it is tender and so delicious when cooked properly!

(Kid comments while watching their papa cut the squid included- "....but really where is it's nose?  how does it eat? Is that plastic inside?  "

It's not yet fall weather here, mdina strolls for ice cream, rooftop barbecues and trips to the sea side are all still happening (but probably not for much longer).

Cup of tea anyone?

Seriously considering a present to myself, who would not feel complete with one of these to greet you in the morning. Found here.

Morning stroll

Maltese Doors

A few, just to wet your appetite (for those that appreciate doors).

School Days

Feels like we really are back in the school year  here, maybe it's me or my memory but I swear I don't remember having so many notebooks when I was a kid, last night we were up til late covering (I counted) 16 little notebooks (thats just for the 5 year old). I really don't think I had Math homework when I was five (little Mr. T has 5 notebooks worth and three large workbooks just for math). Maybe he has a 'special' kind of teacher this year.

She certainly is specific, the Maltese notebook has to be covered in red plastic, the Science green, English blue etc. . The other thing was all the labels!!!! From paint brushes to glue sticks to folders (even his own little box of tissues was instructed to be labelled) , have schools lost the art of teaching sharing to kids?  I realised that I wrote my sons entire name (which is no short name) 32 times on these various labels. There is a good chance I may sign his name next time I go to the bank.

A loss

I heard today that Mercedes Sosa died, the Argentinean singer, at age 74. Since first hearing her music while at University I have been taken with the power and emotion in her voice (and the beauty of the lyrics). She has been in some ways one of the  'themes' of this last year as little destructo has become addicted to hearing the ' ah ha' (as she refers to it song) ,  which is the song Maria Maria... she will not stop requesting it until she has heard it, I can safely say that I have heard this song well over 100 times over the last six months . I do however still like it.  Am saddened by the news of her death, and think I shall take some time today to hear her other songs.

(by the way ignore the video that goes with this song, it was the best sounding version I could find online)

Nice weekend of picnics and country walks here. Hope you all enjoyed the weekend too.

Quiet

So we begin, it is still here, a soft calm after a night of raging winds, rain and lightening. I am alone with my little Stella and school days have started in earnest for the older two. The small still moments, of coffee hopeful thoughts of plans for the day and soon a view from the rooftop (laundry to hang while the sun peeks through). May you all be having some moments of peace and daydreams as you make your way through Friday. - J  

Or Perhaps Paris?

Oh the joys of FIP, I so love the utter randomness of this station. Today I came across this song and oh like a good cup of tea or glass of wine it is a pleasure. Her name is La Fiancee sadly she is not coming to Malta to perform any time soon, hmmm maybe we just need to go to Paris. If you want to hear some of her other songs go here.

The joys

Little Destructo

of parenthood sometimes are beyond measure, there are some lows however and today (which should have been my sons first day of  'big kid school' ) was one of those not so joyous days. He and my little destructo are sick with a cold/flu type thing, not pleasant I admit, but I had to go out and do a few errands with them (bread, milk, Medicine and garlic).  Mr. T (who is our most dramatic family member) decided that a small crowded pharmacy would be the best place to stage his dying moment, hands on his throat he gets on his knees and starts yelling- ohhhh I feel a like  I am going to ...BURP, NO NO  I think i am going to THROW UP!!!! I rolled my eyes and tried to have my cash ready to go, being next in line (having seen him 5 min earlier begging to go on the swings and asking for a crackers) I had a sneaking suspicion he was NOT going to throw up (he had also been saying this for the last two hours). Meanwhile little destructo had reached out of her pushchiar and was one by one pulling the bottles of hair conditioners off the shelf, reaching down in a flurry to gather them back up I then turn in time to hand the woman behind the counter the doctors prescription, and ask to buy some hand sanitizer..(maybe it's time to start carrying this in my purse) Bird flu seems to be on everyone's lips lately here. As the pharmacist  is reaching over with it I see the womans face go a little stiff, (this is mind you a minute after my sons throwing up declaration while splayed out on the floor occurred)  to the annoyance and alarm of customers in the que behind me. Just then I look down to see she-who-lives-for-sweets  L. (3) quietly running her mouth (open) along the  counter... so much for keeping the kids free of germs with hand sanitizers! Who knows how long she had been doing this before I noticed her. Yes- we were a spectacle no doubt about it. Never a graceful exist either with three,  trying to reverse a pushchair in a small glass shelved crowded space with a kids holding on to either side, and no one leaning forward to help with the door. I won't bore you with the further adventures of our walk into town but there were many.

p.s. Needless to say little Mr. T never did throw up and today (wed) his fever has gone AND he lost his first tooth! The school will not allow him back without a doctors letter however so back to the pharmacy we go (thats where doctors do their private hours), won't they be happy to see us again!

Wistful wanderings

Maybe it's fall setting in a bit here, maybe it's having had visitors from Germany these last two weeks, but (Mostly Berlin)  has me yearning to travel, to bring a book and wander through Berlin.. visiting some of the cafe's this blog has written about. I still have that tiny residue of Seattle with me I suppose, the love of a really really good latte, playful decor and a cafe that takes it's barista with total seriousness.

Post colour week : bit of blue

As suggested by Not Only in Thailand, a post colours of fall day- weekend blue.  It's Sunday here and we have just returned from five days in the North of Malta, in a small flat by the sea. 

The first picture is a bowl of peeled prickly pears ready to eat.  Am impressed with the shades of magenta, yellow, orange and green you find on the insides.

The sky skapes on Thursday and Friday were quiet spectacular, as the thunder storms rolled in.

Last beach days I think, the children had a blast. School begins here on Monday. May be time to put the buckets and spades away. It's been a good long summer.

Colours of Fall: Day Five

PLUM

Not sure if it totally counts but there are some nice shades of purple in this fabric by Heather Ross, and how sweet a name, Underwater Sisters (but really it's the octopuses that are the clincher for me) . This Fabric can be found on Etsy here at Uberstich.

Colours of Fall: Day four

BROWN

Not the most creative am afraid, we are at a flat by the sea right now, it's all blues, grey and big skyskapes of storm clouds. Decided to share this pillow, captures a bit of the feel of autumn for me.