Knitting gets me to thinking...

I'm working away at a project that I never really thought I'd see the end to. When I first started slipping back into my knitting, my mother gave me some beautiful yarns, in the hope that I would knit myself a nice warm wrap for the coming winter. The colours were beautiful, the tones of autumn captured perfectly in a warm fuzzy blend, that promised to take some of my country background deep into the city with me.

My only issue with the yarns was the fact that the project was all one single stitch. The knit stitch. I would knit 140 stitches across, break the yarn to leave a tail, attach an opposing yarn, and knit all the way back. The result would be a long stretchy wrap, that was moderately fuzzy and had an attractive fringe on both ends. Attractive in theory, but I couldn't get myself interested in knitting the exact same stitch over and over again. After 5 rows, the project went onto the shelf, and eventually, into my sealed and packed away knitting container.

It's been two years, and I'm working on it again. I've made some very decent progress, and I'm over halfway done. I found that listening to audiobooks was a huge help, as it kept my mind busy while doing the same repetitive motions.

But, I got to thinking. Working on this wrap reminded me a lot about the work I was doing in my relationship. In a lot of ways, it felt the same way. Doing the same repetitive motions, over and over, sometimes distracting myself and just plugging away to get to the end result.

So, what am I creating with my relationship? Am I working towards a fuzzy shawl to keep my neck warm under my jacket, am I knitting a sweater to wrap myself in to keep safe, or a pair of socks to keep me moving through the times that come?

I haven't quite figured out what I'm weaving together with James. I probably won't have any idea until I look back at the partially completed project. I just have to keep reminding myself not to let it get so repetitive, to not see it as a chore that has to be accomplished to reach an end. I need to turn my relationship into a fun knitting project, one of the ones that keeps me occupied from start to finish, and that I revel in watching grow under my fingertips.

Perhaps it's time to teach him how to knit too?
Probably not the answer...

Blast from the Summer of '08

Today, I finished a project that I'd given up for dead. I'm not the only one to feel this way about the project either, everyone who has ever seen me knitting it agreed with me. It was probably never going to get done.

But I had a bit of spare time today, and sat down to try to finish the last mile.

The Nico scarf. A gorgeous bamboo yarn, that cost me over 50 dollars at a time when I barely had two loonies to rub together. It was a bit of a staggering investment at the time, but one I was happy to do for a very special guy.

Nico decided to take me under his wing soon after I broke off a two year relationship with my first serious boyfriend. We met each other at work, bonded over anime, and ended up spending the summer in each others company.

Nico encouraged me to finally file my taxes, take my customer service to a new level, learn to seperate sex from love, and how to find the most flattering styles for my generous ass. He sat with me through my miscarriage, answered the phone at 2 am to listen to me bawl, made my stylist chop my hair off and got me to colour my hair for the first time.

So Nico, here's to that night we spent running around Toronto, celebrating my recent break up with a new hair cut and a night on the town. Here's to singing Katy Perry at the top of our lungs down Queen St, and sitting on the Jack Astor's Patio giggling over the cute waiters. Here's to the morning shift, dancing around each other and trying not to drop everything. Here's to one of my favorite drinking buddies. Here's to Nico overcoming his initial reservations about the new man in my life, and accepting that I love to be in love. Here's to Nico, for still being around today.

Nico, thanks for that amazing summer, my first in Toronto. Thanks for making it so special to me, a summer I'm not likely to forget in a loooong time.

I hope this scarf keeps you warm this year, and that it lasts you for a good long while.

Thanks babe <3

Easy Homemade Granola

I went to make myself breakfast the other day, I was picturing an amazing yogurt parfait with my leftover frozen mango and berries. However.. The man I live with decided to empty my cupboard, and no granola was to be found!

I had to improvise.

2 cups rolled oats
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup whole almonds

In a large bowl, toss the oats with the cinnamon and salt.
In a medium bowl, stir together the oil, honey, brown sugar, and vanilla. Whisk until completely combined.
Pour the honey mixture over the oats mixture and use your hands to combine them: Gather up some of the mixture in each hand and make a fist. Repeat until all of the oats are coated with the honey mixture.
Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. Spread it out evenly, but leave a few clumps here and there for texture.

Bake for 10 min at 325, and flip with a spatula. Return to the oven at 5 min intervals, stirring each time until the granola is nice and crisp.

Serve with homemade yogurt, with some maple syrup drizzled on top, and fresh fruit to personal flavor.

Excellent!

Easy Chicken

I love making chicken.. but an issue I always tend to have is that it dries out. So... I came up with this.

Double handful of mushrooms
1 red onion

1 tbsp coriander
1 tbsp sage
4 cloves garlic
splash lemon juice
couple glugs of Red Wine Vinegar

Chop up the mushrooms and onions, toss them into a mixing bowl.

Throw the coriander, sage, garlic, and lemon juice into a mortar, and bash it all together with a pestle. Once it's good and mashed up, toss it into the onion and mushrooms. Drizzle some vinegar on top, and give it a good toss.

grease your pan with some olive oil, and put the mushrooms in. lay the chicken pieces on top.

Get some wax paper wet, and lay it over the chicken. Put it in the oven at 350 for about 20 min.

Smells SOOOOO good when it comes out! Serve with roasted potatoes and carrots.

Easy Peasy Pickles!

I got an amazing deal the other day, greenhouse grown Ontario baby cucumbers for 2 dollars a pound. I sent my boyfriend to pick up 3lbs.

Then.. I had to pickle them. I was slightly worried because I've never actually made any kind of pickle before. It's something my dad does almost every weekend, and while I know the theory.. I've never done it in practice. So here we go. Basic Dill Pickles.

3lbs pickling cucumbers (cut a small slice off both ends)
2 cups white vinegar
2 cups water
2 tbsp pickling salt
1 tbsp sugar

for each jar:
2 tbsp dried dill ( I used seed)
4 cloves garlic
2 tsp mustard seed

Basically, put your seeds and garlic at the bottom of a (still hot) sterilized jar, pack your cucumbers on top, and fill with boiling brine. Put a sterilized lid on top, and wait for the POP of success.

The garlic apparently normally turns blue.. I thought it was the strangest thing to see. But apparently it's normal, so I'm sticking to it. Make sure you wedge the cucumbers in such a way that it prevents them from floating and poking out of the brine.

Wait about 4 weeks before sampling, to make sure they've pickled properly.

Considerations

It's slightly awe inspiring how many eggs I'm going through now that I'm trying to eat healthy. I can't keep them in the fridge, and I used to watch them go bad on a regular basis!

My attempts at improving my diet are going really, really well. I've got 3 jars of pickles all set up, my garden planted, my spinach just beginning to pop out of their shells. I'm normally not a huge fan of spinach, and it's not a food I remember my parents regularly shelling out when I was a kid.

But.. I find I really like baby spinach with a bit of salad dressing, and I'm sure it'll taste great braised a little bit. They're growing so well, and I'm so proud of them. The only difficulty is keeping the kitties away from what looks like a litter box!

The basil.. Oh the basil. One of my favorite fresh herbs to cook with, and one of my greatest growing defeats. Turns out it's pretty delicate, and couldn't handle how cold the nights got here in Toronto last summer. As soon as I moved the plant indoors however, it did just fine. Never quite exploded like the mind though.

I bought this plant for 2 dollars yesterday from a little greenhouse down the street, and as usual, I'm in love. Fresh basil has a flavor that really pops out of a dish, and as such goes great with flavors like tomatoes, cinnamon, or even just the leaves tossed into a garden salad. (planted my garden mixed greens yesterday.. Can't wait for them to grow!) The stalks shouldn't be wasted, stir fry them into any dish for a nice basil flavour with a crunch.

Basil is a delicate herb, as I've already mentioned. The one I'm growing is a "Sweet Basil, or Ocimum basilicum, which lends itself beautifully to pasta, salads, or pesto. This is the variety most of us recognize from the grocery. The flavor is so much more intense if you raise it for yourself, the ones the supermarket raises are never really exposed to the elements, and don't develop the same flavor. Mine grows quite well in pots, and it LOVES some heat. The nights NEED to be above 13C, or the plant will suffer.

Don't cook it for very long! Or the flavor will be ruined! The flowers have a lovely scent as well, and should be planted next to tomatoes to provide their neighbor with some aphid protection.

My personal favorite basil recipe is a Jamie Oliver creation, and it just never tastes the same unless made in summer with fresh basil.

Slice up a red onion, and saute it with a bit of olive oil, a tsp of cinnamon, and the couple stalks of basil, with the leaves set aside for later.

When the red onion smells wonderfully sweet and have gone transparent, add a can of diced tomatoes and a can of tuna (if you can, used the tuna that's packed in oil)

You're done! Let that simmer for about 20 min to develop the flavors while you make your pasta of choice. Just before serving, sprinkle the reserved basil leaves on top of the dish.

Magnific. Best way to enjoy basil.

Thinking

I had a lot of thinking to get done today. I'm coming out of it no further ahead then I started.

I woke up alone today, even though my boyfriend had told me he would wake me up with him. I didn't make it to the tech office, so I haven't gotten the tools I needed to work on a personal project. Oddly enough, a project I wanted to undertake to make something beautiful for him.

I woke up alone today, and I couldn't find my glasses when I did. My eyesight is so bad that I spent a good half hour crawling around on my hands and knees before I finally broke and called my boyfriend. He knew exactly where I'd left them, as well as the location of the metropass I couldn't find. Needless to say, I feel stupid.

I woke up alone today, and felt like my world was falling apart. My boyfriend and I had a fight last night, and he was angry, or indifferent, enough to break his own rule about always giving a kiss goodbye. I can't help but think that he simply didn't care. My cell phone isn't ringing at all, while normally he texts me constantly during his shifts.

It's a day to sit and reflect. Study, learn, and apply. I learned how to make mayonnaise today, although I'm not sure how I'll be able to go through a cup of it in a week. I pondered finding a local egg farmer, and getting some of those beautiful eggs I remember buying up in mennonite country. I thought about my meat selections, and how hard it was to find locally raised meat. I dreamed about deviled eggs.

In the end.. Nothing has changed. I have my glasses, but I'm still in trouble with my boyfriend. I learned that making mayo would be relatively easy for me, and would save me some money, but I haven't made any. I'm making said mayo out of non-local eggs. I'm still meat starved.

And now I'm heading to work, a bit early because I don't want him to come home and have everything be so quiet and awkward. At least at work I can put on a fake smile and feel like it's worth it.