Workman's Mitts

Summer Days, Georgia O'Keefe 1936

We had an anniversary of sorts here recently, and of course Richard was a little more on the ball than I was...meaning on got my present on time and he got his a week later. Oops. I was lucky enough to get a vegetarian North African cookbook, some beautiful flowers and a biography of Georgia O'Keefe which I can't wait to start! I have always loved her work, and am looking forward to finding out more about her as a controversial art teacher and desert dwelling painter.

Richard is a big fan of The Clash, and Joe Strummer in general so I picked this book up for him (that I secretly want to read also) from Sophia's. Did anyone else see 'The Future Is Unwritten', the documentary made about Joe Strummer? Excellent, excellent. I would highly recommend if even if you've never been into The Clash. You will most likely cry, so be warned.

I also decided to make some handwarmers, as Richard works with his hands a lot and it has most definitely started getting colder! I've made a few of these, and so improvised on some of the patterns I've seen around. I LOVE wearing mine, so perfect for Vancouver's changeable weather, for chilly mornings, and knitting on the bus. It is a super easy pattern also, so why not give them a go!

Materials

Size 4mm needles

Cascade 220 yarn in 2 contrasting colours (or another yarn of similar weight, wool or alpaca will make them nice and toasty). One skein of each is easily enough to make your mitts, with plenty left over.

Yarn Needle

Abbreviations

MC - Main Colour

CC - Contrasting Colour

St - Stockinette stitch (knit one row, purl one row)

BO- Bind Off

Pattern

- CO 38 sts in MC.

- Work in 2x2 rib for 12 rows

- Work in St for 10 rows

- Change to CC, continue in St for 8 rows

- Change to MC, continue in St for 6 rows

- Work in 2x2 rib for 8 rows

- BO loosely

Finishing

Starting from the end you bound off, sew side seams together until you reach the end of the ribbing.

Starting from the bottom (where you cast on) sew up side seams, stopping about two rows after you reach the CC. This leaves the hole for the thumb.

Weave in ends.

Even though these might look a little small, remember they will stretch. However, Richard has quite narrow hands so if you want these either bigger or smaller just increase or decrease the CO stitches as you see fit (for a woman's hands I usually cast on 32). Oh, and if you ever need any help, this site is excellent as it translates abbreviations and has videos to show you what to do!

Liberty and Equality

Goodness me it's a rainy one today! Apparently I really do need gumboots here in Vancouver, and they are not just the Kate Moss Glastonbury-esque fashion accessory I first thought. My only problem is finding ones that fit (lets just call my calves.....curvy) and not millions of dollars. Anyway, it is lovely to be home now with slippered feet and a hot cup of tea.

It has felt like every day is election day around here lately. Canada voted a few weeks ago and Vancouver will be voting again this coming week (I think...) for their Municipal elections. I think most of us watched as America voted earlier this week, and I am getting ready to watch New Zealand vote tonight.

New Zealand was the first country in the world to give women the vote, something to be pretty proud of, and I believe involving yourself in the political system is vitally important. So....I am quite disappointed that my voting papers never arrived after trying to register twice and I have to watch New Zealand shift over to the National Party, with likely coalition partners that are even further right...and not ever really getting to take an active part in it.

If liberty and equality, as is thought by some, are chiefly to be found in democracy, they will be best attained when all persons alike share in the government to the utmost.

- Aristotle

Watching the U.S. election as it unfolded was such an amazing thing to me. We both sat here (beer and chips in hand) with tears in our eyes as Obama gave his acceptance speech. I truly never thought I would see the day, and seeing Jesse Jackson crying in the crowd of Grant Park summed up so much. A man having been with Martin Luther King as he died, a man who has fought long and hard for civil rights and taken part in his own fight for the presidency, and then to finally see a black man as president. What an amazing moment.

I think the thing that was so profound throughout the U.S. election, was the record numbers in which people turned out to vote and involve themselves in the political system. Something that John McCain said in his speech really resonated with me, that Obama had been able to convince people who previously thought they didn't matter, that their voice in fact could be heard in the electoral system. In my opinion it is still by no means perfect, but the sheer numbers of voters and the giant lead that Obama won by show that there has been a massive shift in thinking. Of course he convinced people by being a voice of change and hope, and a voice for people who previously had been unheard.


For these reasons, I am incredibly grateful that New Zealand as a system of proportional representation. I realise that it can be confusing, and that people don't like that it isn't a clear-cut resolution.....but, voices are heard. Voices that I myself don't always agree with, but they have every right to be in government because someone has put them there.

Now I just have to sit back and hope that there are enough leftist, hippy greenie voices making themselves heard back home today as I bake, knit under a quilt and keep an eye on the computer all the way over here in rainy B.C.

God Bless (North) America

So perhaps I am a little late to the party, with it already being November and all, but can I just say that Vancouver is putting on a Fall like no other! I'm not sure if it is just due to being away from home, but I really don't think I have seen colours quite like I have been when walking the Vancouver streets this past month. Not only are the trees celebrating, but thanks to Thanksgiving and Halloween it seems like everyone is celebrating the very fact that it is Fall. I love it. Those holidays add a whole new meaning to this longtime favourite season, and I love that it means you decorate with pumpkins, drink tea, wrap up in quilts and smell the leaves.

Living in the Southern Hemisphere you don't have pumpkins in October, so not only do we not decorate with them, we don't really bake with them either. I've noticed many a pumpkin recipe in blog-land and this unspoken understanding that pumpkin baking/cooking is just what you do in October. Strangely, I hated HATED pumpkin when I was little, so I guess making up for lost time (and just being way too excited at North America and is decorating holiday festiveness) means that I have embraced it wholeheartedly.

These pumpkin chocolate-chip cookies were my first pumpkin baking attempt, and boy were they good! I used Celine's recipe from Have Cake, Will Travel and can I just say - that woman is a genius, and will probably be the death of me. If I keep reading her blog for much longer you may literally have to roll me out of the house.

My pumpkin excited-ness got the better of me and I ended up with WAY too much puree, which lead to these delicious treats. Very easy, moist and with a slight nutty crunch due to the seeds.

Ingredients

2 Eggs (or equivalent egg replacer)

1 1/4 c Sugar

1/3 c Oil (I used sunflower)

1 c Pumpkin Puree

2 1/4 c flour

2 1/2 tsp Baking Powder

Pinch of salt

1/2 tsp each Cinnamon, ground Cloves, Nutmeg

1/4 c Yogurt

1/4-1/2 pumpkin seeds

What to do...

1. Mix 'eggs', sugar and oil.

2. Sift (really, I am very rarely bothered to do this) dry ingredients together.

3. Add egg mixture, pumpkin and finally yogurt to the dry ingredients. Fold in pumpkin seeds, but be sure not to overwork.

4. Bake at 375 degrees F for 20-25 minutes. You might want to sprinkle some sugar and cinnamon on top before doing this, to add a little extra crunch.

A quick note...if you're using canned pumpkin puree, make sure to get the unsweetened sort. Also, for an egg substitute I usually use half a banana per egg needed.

Happy Fall everyone, and Happy November too!

xx

Hey Hey, My My and twisted tea cakes.

Last Wednesday I got to see someone who, in my opinion, is one of the greatest musicians of all time. I discovered Mr. Young fairly early on, and developed a bit of an attachment. I'm sure much to the horror of my boy-band listening friends (thankfully I also loved NKOTB).

I didn't think Neil Young would ever be someone I would get to see live, so jumped at the chance when I heard he was coming to Vancouver. To be honest I was a little worried that it wouldn't be everything I'd hoped(i.e.Massey Hall in the '70s), and that he'd be a grouchy old man not wanting to play any of his 'hits'.

Lets just say, it was incredible. For a guy in his 60s, he totally rocked out! He pulled out so many classics, Cowgirl In The Sand, Cinnamon Girl, Heart of Gold, Hey Hey, My My, Old Man and of course Rockin' In The Free World and many others. He did a fantastic rendition of A Day In The Life for his encore while pulling strings off his guitar, and I was smitten.

Now If only could convince Joni Mitchell to tour....

Ok, completely unrelated but please observe the following.

Why yes they are small morsels of chocolatey, cookie dough goodness. I realise they have nothing to do with Neil Young (although I'm sure he'd like them), I was too excited to not share these with you.

Inspired by the Russian Tea Cakes Julie had bought over the other night, I wanted to make some for myself. However, Richard was begging for chocolate chip cookies....and I of course didn't have all of the ingredients for the tea cakes. So I did them with a twist.

Check out that chocolate! Ok, here's what you do...

1 cup butter
1 teaspoon/good squeeze agave nectar (the real recipe calls for vanilla, but I didn't have that - of course you may use what you like)
6 tablespoons icing sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar for decoration

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. In a medium bowl, cream butter and vanilla until smooth. Combine the 6 tablespoons icing sugar and flour; stir into the butter mixture until just blended. Mix in the chocolate chips. Roll dough into 1 inch balls, and place them 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

3. Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. When cool, roll in remaining icing sugar.

Real Russian tea cakes use chopped walnuts where I used chocolate chips but a) we didn't have any left and b) Richard wanted the chocolate.

Needless to say, they're amazing. Especially when eaten warm with a spoon. Perfect for a quick late night treat, enjoy!