Confessions

Um... so  some months ago I bemoaned organized parties, favors, etc. and well I now need to do some confessing ... I crossed over - I went deep into the party favor realm,

 but tried with every inch  NOT to give in to plastic crap and too much sugar-in-wrapping... so after some thought and late night sewing and painting sessions I came up with these for my littl rock collecter girl child (aka too often lost in the middle child).

In truth this was really her first 'party' complete with friends from 'school', written (and enveloped) invitations, games and party favours!

She (now four year old), enjoyed every tiny bit of it (specially dragging round her extremely quiet yet devoted big brown eyed boy who she adores). There was musical chairs, pin the tail on the donkey and pass the parcel.  The chocolate cake came out better than anticipated and kids went home sugard up and  tired out, clutching small cloth bags filled with home made tid bits. One local Maltese mom commented to me when she saw the gift bags"..well you certainly must have a lot of time on your hands...." how can I possibly say... are you off your rocker... this is pure and simple nutty somewhat guilty mum slash/crafter... nonconformist who can not sit by and let Disney make profits on plastic s#$! from china speaking. Sorry I am usually not very aggressive but ... this comment took me off guard, naturally I smiled politely and shrugged my shoulders.
  

The earlier mentioned shy boy (notice the heart on his crown) made by hers truly, rock collector Madame.

Aside from the airplane addicted boy who went into run around- zip up mode from the get go (he isn't so good at handling excitement or change in routine..thus.... we often refer to this fellow as our spirited child).  Meanwhile little D. proved she was not only a star greeter and host  but a dancer and a champ at particpating in every activity - she nearly won at musical chairs to everyone's disbelief!

We may have a few years of quiet picnics in the park now ... till I build up to a joint girl party in full glory (no nothing pink).... will give it a year or so....

p.s. It is my lovely mother in laws house featured in most of these photos- this is where the party was held (logistics I won't get into here).

relief

As autumn storms rumble overhead and flashes of lighting light up the windows, the house falls quiet again. Another day ending...the children all bathed and tucked into bed.

A short while ago from between the requests, whines, spills, homework spread, cooling chocolate cakes and bubbling vegetable soup came the memory of a song.. a song that from first hearing it got under my skin and enchanted me, and now I turn to hear the soaring voices again... cascades of melody melancholy dark depths and soaring hights... (if you haven't seen it, in my humble opinion it is well worth  taking the the time to find)  The Chorus, a French film.

Here is a bit of what I am talking about. this is a fancy version of the particular song that swooped in and pulled me out of feeling defeated amid the mess, ticking clock and long list of things I did not manage to get done today.

*funny thing was when I did find it and play a few songs, all three children stood completely still, oddly transfixed.. in particular little Destructo who at the end started trying to sing with it.

unassuming beauty .....Gidra

Not sure what it is called in English but after a small mix up at the vegetable stall I ended up with this (had asked for beetroot greens).  I was so struck by the beauty of it that I decided to take it home with me.

So thought/challenge of the day, find something of beauty in a place you don't normally expect to find it.

Happy Friday

With the smells of orange blossoms filling even our little dusty stone ally, am inspired to put pen to paper and write a letter- (one of my goals this year has been to stay in touch with old friends by post and not just through the screen). So of course stationary is an important question (will embark on stamp making one of these days but more birthday parties to prepare for in these parts) so till then.... isn't this nice?

Take a look at what else is in their etsy shop here at paper pastries

or this

or something like this at http://www.etsy.com/shop/SilhouetteBlue

.

daily pleasures

I came round the corner this morning and under our list of things to buy and meal ideas for the week was this drawing, my middle child - the very nearly four year old had just finished, she explained it was a caterpillar holding balloons (and yes those are doors all over it's body). very time I look at it, I can't help but chuckle. kids are funny.

Nice quiet moments - busy on the day's masterpieces... or is it rock painting day again?

New life- the seeds have woken and every day the children rush out in their stocking feet to see how the little sweet peas have grown (we planted them a week or so ago). Small moments of joy, for them and for A. and I watching.

Christmas books on the mind today...

A moonlit hour restless and what a discovery (thank you internet), I can't wait to get this book for the children for christmas.

 and then there is this one, which I remember reading as a child.... (is it obvious I had hippie parents with a name like Juniper and books like this).

and ohhh and a new illustrator discovery that I must share-

Lizbeth Zwerger (new to me) but I do think I may have seen the cover of her thumbelina at the library in Brighton. Love her style of drawing.

breath

As I got down our laundry flapping away in the wind and drizzle I captured a view from the rooftop this morning.

Oh glorious rain (it seems to be sunny and bright 49 of 50 days here, so today I am loving the dark grey stormy sky today and the chance to have some cozy time with the kids (school holidays at the moment).  So it's potato stamps, playdough and some all together baking lined up (and maybe some sewing for me).

Must say we have had a great weekend here, largely filled with cooking, eating and socialising. Can say in all honesty we have been cooking up a storm in this little house, from five course dinners for a dinner party on Friday to six (each different, large French savoury tarts for a Sunday birthday gathering), and sweets wise a sour cream mace tort, a chocolate mousse with a fig and honey whip cream side, and a plum upside down cake. Some of the mains included pumpkin, feta, toasted walnut and mint fatyer, a greek cypriot beef stew and a roasted cumin and beetroot soup (looked nice with the intense red drizzle of yogurt and fresh parsley garnish but I had no clean hands to grab my camera).  I found the beets so striking (featured above) that I took this photo. Sadly that is the only food photo I had a moment to capture over the weekend. Juggling cooking and three smalls means you are on the move at all times.

It's been a feast of smells and colours here, always seems to bring my husband and I closer together, which is always nice,  we both love cooking.  The flip side of when the kitchen and food take up priority is the effect it has on the rest of the house.... the piles of laundry and scattering of toys, crayons and papers seemed to have gobbled up the rest of the house so we, ok 'I'  am digging my way out today. Strong cup of coffee at my side and the intention to blast some music. Am ready for the day.

Hope you are too.

Oh and guess who has joined our family!

Little Pepito the monkey (made by talented Elise over at My Funny Valentine).

Check out that cool tail!

Destructo is one lucky lady!

film time

Last weekend I went to see the film Julie and Julia, and loved it. So so enjoyed it. Could be because i am missing the states just a little bit (the Halloween/Thanksgiving season can do that). It may be partly to the fact that I could relate a bit with the blogger story line (bar the fame part)  but probably has more to do with the fact that I have always been a fan f Julia Child and I do think that Meryl Streep did a fantastic job. If you are debating seeing this film- just go- see it, it's good. Good food, good music and a little window on a particularly sweet marriage.

Oddly enough, after not seeing a film in what feels like ages and ages I actually managed to see two last weekend.  The other was our first family film outing, we went  to see UP (popcorn and all) and enjoyed that too...  Really made us smile ( the Mr. and I ) kids all liked it too.  So there you have it - two film recommendations right here from the epicentre of culture and class, miracle alley,  malta!
 BTW That seriously is the name of our street.

Birthday

Candles, cakes and balloons! Little D (also known as Stella) had a bumper time, I think she just couldn't get over that the songs, presents and the cake were all for her (who me.??!! seemed to be the look on her face throughout the day). This was followed by sheer glee and delight- chocolate cake I can put my hands into!?! Presents that at last I can unwrap with abandon??!!  Yes it was I think perhaps far more fun than having my own birthday, getting to see how happy she was throughout the day. Needles to say it was a three ring circus come dinner time (with family and friends round) so I did not manage to take any photos but we did take a few at breakfast, featured above.

signages

I was inspired by Melissa over at  Tigerlily Tinkering some weeks ago, loved the idea of taking note of local fonts found in signs in her area. So in her honour I have taken a few photos of my own. There certainly are some local sign treasures to be found in the small streets of Malta! This time the fonts are the focus, to follow will be some of the actual names (hairdressers salons here are particularly funny I find). 

oh and guess what desctructo is two today!!! Cake to bake and child to indulge!  

Time for a coffee....

....this cafe is a new favourite, a perfect spot for a good latte and croissant while in Valletta, especially when I am in the company of sweet little destructo who (it must be said) loves nothing better than chasing after the pigeons and saying hello to every moving thing within sight. This newly refurbished old cafe which is just next to the library is perfect, an inside outside place with ample room to run and very friendly patient staff. Did I mention they also have both almond and apricot croissants, something not so easy to find here in Malta.  

May your week be starting smoothly with warm milk and strong coffee at your side.

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.