Told you I was charmed, here are just a few more... admit I am a fan of the palat in Munich .. a lot of natural earth tones... did come to the conclusion that mustard yellow and this kind of orange seem to be  the city's signature colours.

Chocolate and jewlery shop...not a bad combo.

 Yes Schmuck is Jewlery, (it's not how my mother used it growing up).

The coolest paper store I have ever seen, I walked in and thought that just maybe I had died and gone to heaven... the walls were covered in the most exquisite papers, (three rooms worth, floor to ceiling)..

A seriously dangerous for a person such as myself.... I think I looked as if I was seeing god.... mouth open in a daze of disbelief.

Pictures can not do it justice. I did come out with a blank book to add recipes too.

Wish I had taken some shots of their Japanese paper section... it was very inspiring. Such beauty.

See, we caught fall!!!  Just at the end of her golden exit.

And back we are to Malta... weekend stroll in the countryside with friends.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Childhood home

 Am missing the smell of a cooking turkey and the zesty tang of cranberries and orange zest bubbling on the stovetop. Then  there is the busy whirr of tidying the house, polishing the silver, finding the good linen and usually borrowing extra chairs from neighbours. Someone vacuuming, someone playing old Marvin gay albums and some combinations of the sisters beginning on the evenings sweets while drinking tea or wine and chittering like birds. Digging up grandma's stained hand written recipe for pumpkin muffins, or opening the heavy volume of Joy of cooking looking for just the right gravy tips. Brothers trudging off in the snow for the last minute forgotten items.
The temperature in Wisconsin would usually start to have that sharp cold edge and occasionally with the darkening afternoon light came the quiet entrance of snow. I come from a big family and during the Thanksgiving meal it always multiplies to include old family friends, new partners, new children and any visitors who happen to be in town that day.
Am thankful today for good friends close and far and family in all the spread out places you are, and for having a home, and being able to cook food for the ones i love (even if they complain). My heart goes out to those who are far away from loved ones and those that may not be living in safety and warmth.

* Here in Malta its 80 degrees, sunny and just like any other day. A work day, a school day a hang out the laundry and run to the shops for milk day but I am baking some pumpkin for a pie.

Hello again!

Been away- sorry the silence.

First was knocked down with a cold and a two year old who decided it was high time to act the part in all the frustrating determined will-power ways she can.

Second was a birthday (this time my own) so no party favours to make.

And hey hey a trip- minus children!!

I love my children, every inch of their teeny grubby (did I say that?!) little bodies but a three day break with the Mr. was absolutely grand. First time we have been alone together in five years (for more than a night)- amazing that it's been so long!! The sheer delight of simply checking ones bags in at the air port and strolling (safely and calmly through duty free bottles of expensive alcohol (usually this is a continuation of high stress due to the three free ranging sets of hands running in usually three different directions ensues).

So even that first hour alone together waiting for our gate to be posted was like the honeymoon we never had! To meander our way through a new city, no time schedule, good beers to try, nice wholesome dark bread around every corner and so many nice cafes!! Best of all was to lie in bed, reading the paper or talking - UNINTERRUPTED...so am  feeling revived and wanting to relocate to  Germany.

rather fancy this as my house.....

A few pics of Munich- a truly delightful city!!

 I even got a small taste of fall!!! The smell and crunch of some autumn leaves... love love loved it!

Hope you all have been well!

p.s. I may have to post a few more Germany pictures, was mighty charmed by our visit!

Meet Mims

After seeing how happy little D has been with her soft monkey toy (posted earlier about), I decided to make a soft toy for a friends daughter who just had her second birthday. Mims is 20 inches long and made of cotton. I made up the pattern and am now thinking I would like to try sewing a few more, and some little clothes.

She may well be off to the mountains soon.

Happy Feast of St. Martin!

 I  believe that it is actually on November 11th (as noted over at Appletarte) but it is celebrated here today. One local Maltese  tradition for St. Martin which is still carried on here is giving children small cloth bags full of nuts, dried fruit and fresh fruit. My husband's parents however remember walking through the small streets here as children carrying lanterns made of pumpkins and singing. Mostly they remember fondly the shadows of the lanterns cast on the walls.

Today I made a traditional Maltese St. Martines Cake (it is delicious) and has become a favourite for runner for the start of the Christmas holidays in our house.

It tastes lovely and makes the house smell  of christmas, cinnamon, oranges and cloves... !

Here is the Recipe

Maltese St. Martins Cake

250 grams dates chopped
200 ml boiling water
125 grams self raising flour
(if you live where there is no self raising flour then use one cup white flour and 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp baking powder).
200 grams toasted hazelnuts or walnuts
100 grams dried figs chopped
1 egg (lightly beaten)
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp cinnamon
zest and juice of one whole orange

First let the chopped dates soak in the boiling water for at least one hour. then add in the other ingredients (setting aside a handful of the nuts to sprinkle on top), lightly stir and bake at 350 F or 180 C for 30 min.
Simple as that and so good next to a hot cup or tea or coffee.

*Note it is not a very sweet cake so if you like you can add a tablespoon or two of brown sugar but really the dried fruit and orange juice sweeten it just fine.

Bit a South London ...bit a Brooklyn

ok some new music has gotten under my skin....feel the urge to share, these are the XX - listen (twice if you can.. the second time round and it starts to sound really quite good). Maybe it's me- Brighton- bit of Electrolane... who knows...let me know what you think!

also of note is this good looking childrens book- listed among the New York Times best illustrated new childrens books... like the bizarreness...amid normal every day...(perhaps this is also evidence of the fact that I  have a house full of deep sea appreciators.)... oh sorry this book  (TALES FROM OUTER SUBURBIA ) says it is meant for 12 year olds... darn. .. 

but this (All The World)  looks good too! 

ok- some more melancholy type music- for your rainy day ears... Sharon Van Etten

...oh Brooklyn,  home to so many gifted artists!!

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.