Thursday 11 October 2012

Darning, cooking and reading



My favourite cardigan, hand knitted using hand-dyed yarns by a Newcastle lass called Lorrie Marshall. I have three of her pieces and wish I had a dozen more; when I can afford them I buy them at the Knitting and Stitching Show. This one has been worn and worn and worn, and, indeed, has become very worn - into holes. You can't tell in the photographs but the yarn is very fine.



Ooooh, not a good thing to happen at all. Funnily enough when I discovered these holes I happened to read a blog-post about darning, I THINK written by Sue at The Quince Tree. It spurred me into action.
So I thought I'd do a spot of darning, using some hand-dyed (not by me!) yarns,and I think it worked quite well.


And I did one hole and was quite pleased with it, when I spotted some pieces of silk velvet knocking about the sewing room. Aha! Thought I, I'll PATCH the other holes. So I did, and I love the look. In fact, I'm not going to worry if any more holes appear, I shall continue to patch this garment until it is more velvet than yarn. How lovely will that be?




On the cooking front it has been soup.....roasted buttenut squash, mmmm.




I'd like to say I wiped the edges of the jug before taking the photo but have deleted the wrong one! Hah!


And this  someowhat brown, worthy looking sloppy mess on the Rayburn is actually a mixed grain risotto, to which I added some seafood , along with the leeks, garlic, mushrooms and spinach. That was GORGEOUS! The change in the seasonal weather has made us long for rib-stickers and warmth!

On the book front, I have been in a bit of a dry sterile kinda place, and unusually for me, unable to settle to read much. So I was putting some things away upstairs in the spare bedroom when I paused by the book shelf and picked up an Iris Murdoch; I suppose I've got about eight of hers. Anyway I started The Bell and really enjoyed it all over again - must be about twenty years since I first read it! Now I'm half-way through The Unicorn. Murdoch's books, to me, seem quite formulaic, in a very Intellectual Manner. For instance, she sets them always in a very rarified environment, with an isolated group of characters who don't seem to have any existence away from the plot. There is always an air of menace and sexual repression, and High Anglicanism or Roman Catholicism play a large part. Lofty academics are in abundance, and there is usually a stray homosexual with self-doubts to add to the boiling pot. They are books of their time, and would not and could not work today; attitudes have changed so much.(Fortunately, in the main!) I am enjoying the writing, though. I remember buying the first one, An Accidental Man, from a book club when we were first married and penniless. I had never heard of Iris Murdoch, and it was like a door opening for me into the literary world, though I had always been a reader.



Since starting to re-read these, I have been introduced to two new (to me) authors, from Blogland: first The Cornish House by Lisa Fenwick...thanks to Maggie at The Reading Corner,(bookloversplace.blogspot.co.uk) and also Red Bones, by Anne Cleeves which is from her Shetland Trilogy. (Actually I have read the first one, Raven Black, I remember now.) I found this reference on someone elses blog but I'm afraid I've forgotten whose.....leave me a comment if it was you, it was definitely one of my regular favourites!

Oh, and on the Listening front, I have mostly been head in the clouds listening to the new cd by Triette, my melodeon tutor's band which is absolutely wonderful. I now want to learn ALL the tracks on it!  wish there was some way I could enable you to listen on my blog, but you can hear three tracks if you go to www.triette.com and have a listen. I am struggling to learn the last track, Special Reserve, it is so lovely! Have a listen, they are superb!


Well, that's your lot this time, you'll note it was going to be a short post.....(sigh) oh well, I hope you enjoyed it! Catch up again soon..........

29 comments:

  1. Love your cardigan and it looks evenbetter darned and mended I enjoy seeing what books people are reading and oftenge them from the library so I can read them too. Blogland is like an enormous book group isn't it?

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    1. Thanks - I rather like it too, I envision patches and strips of velvet rippling all over it one day!

      It's great reading about other peoples' book choices; they don't always chime with me, but I've been introduced to some stayers along the way! Yes, agree re the book group!
      Lx

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  2. This month our book club chose Madame Bovary and I'm finding it very difficult! I think I've picked up an old version, my friends book looks easier to read! I think for the first time, I won't finish a book, life's too short! Ada :)

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    1. Ada, I have never read this, when I was rlegated into 4th division French at High School (which was actually a Spanish class, which I loved!) my ex-classmates began reading MAdame Bovary..in the French. It was considered a trifle risque, but I suppose they reckoned if it was in French that was ok!

      These days I like a book which just challenges me enough without making it a huge effort; I have to get some relaxation out of the exercise! Lx

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  3. Ooh the Cornish House looks like my kind of book! Lovely mending work on that gorgeous cardigan and butternut squash is a personal favourite of mine!
    Victoria xx

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    1. Hi Victoria, well there you are, without even trying I have satisfied your wanties with one swipe! one tries, one tries!
      Lx

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  4. Oh, I'm going to look for those books, I dying for something good to read!

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    1. I read the Cornish House in almost one go, quite good but I longed to give the step-daughter a hearty slap, and the protagonist a good shake for being a wimp and not shaping her up! Just started the Ann Cleeves one.
      Lx

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  5. I am typing this listening to Triette, toe tapping, grin on my face! And they have an album ... ooh, hubby was asking what I wanted for my birthday ... :D

    Do you know the music of the Gjermund Larsen Trio, that's what I've been listening to today. You might like it :D

    LoVe the darning ... and it and the patches are the perfect match for the garment :D

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  6. Just back to say ... the rest of the folk at home were drawn to the living room by hearing me playing Triette and we now have an impromptu Ceilidh going on in the living room. Now if only I had some of that risotto ... :D

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    1. Oh Annie...if you could bring yourself to have the cd for your birthday you would not be disappointed. there are some FABULOUS tracks on it. And it would be great for the band; they all did their degree at Newcastle Uni, the Folk Music degree, and later went on to be finalists in Sweden's Young Folk Group of the year. Ida (pronounced Eeda) lives in Sweden and the two boys live in Norwich - which is how Nick-with-the-glasses came to be my box tutor. They are all penniless, trying to make it, playing loads of gigs, teaching, and taking 'it'll do for the moment' jobs to pay the rent. SO talented, I'm glad you enjoyed their music.
      And hey, wish I'd been over for the ceilidh! Gjermund Larson Trio noted for further perusal! Lx

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    2. Not only has the Mr been instructed to order the CD but I will happily plug these guys wherever I can ... just the three tracks on the website are awesome!

      We're off to see Kate Rusby in a couple of weeks, and the Civil Wars a few days after that, the tickets are birthday gifts from two of my children. You can never have two much of folk music, of every type and nationality. But I still want to learn to play the box, and the fiddle and make the music myself ;D

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    3. Brilliant, Annie! They really deserve a wider exposure!

      Ah, haven't had my Kate Rusby fix this year, but I expect she'll be across to Norfolk some day soon. (But I still loved her old line-up, we have had this conversation before!!) have you checked out melodeon.net yet? I'm LOVING playing my box, I get much more satisfaction from it than my fiddle, though I do still play it. Lx

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  7. I do love your darning Lynne, looks fabulous indeed. I am lying in bed with my laptop and headphones on listening to Triette, such beautiful sounds in my ears. I love them all ...hhmmm I think a little addition to my list for under the Christmas tree might very well be happening :o) Thanks so much for sharing, just brilliant! xox Penelope
    ps. I LOVE butternut soup, I often squeeze an orange into mine it gives it a slightly perfumed fragrance if you fancy a little twist on yours one day x

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    1. Hi Penelope, SO GLAD you are enjoying Triette, and I know you will enjoy the rest of the album if you get it. I managed to play Special Reserve right through this aftternoon - but still very hesitatingly, it is tricky, but I am determined :-)
      Have been finishing off a winged heart for you ...will email tomorrow with details and you can decide if you'd still like one!

      I will certainly give the squeeze of ornage a go with the soup - I'll leave out the spices though, or at least change them a bit. Lx

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  8. Like you, lots of hot home made soups going on here too... I bought a Carnival squash, lovely looking little thing (the reason I bought it!) to roast for soup, and tomorrow am making spiced carrot and coriander. And a toffee apple crumble for Sunday.
    And the blog for books by the way isn't the reading room, that title belongs to someone else. It's the reading corner at a bookloversplace.blogspot.co.uk.
    I have since started another, more eclectic, bits of this and that....
    www.hometalesfromanorfolkbroad.blogspot.co.uk

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  9. maggie I do beg your pardon! I'll rectify that at once...and check out the new one too! Lx

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    1. PS I am rubbish at darning!

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  10. wow, what an amazing cardigan! You're right, it's the sort where anything goes and it still looks good. Thanks for your last comment. See, now you're putting me to shame because I do't even know what VIBER is! lol, oh well, we live and learn!

    S x

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    1. hehe! I only found out myself last month. My son spent ten minutes of skype time talking me through the process (God Bless skype!) How retired people without access to younger people manage in this technological age is beyond me! Mind you, When The Oil Runs Out us technophobes will come into our own!

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  11. Hiya! Your old cardi looks like a kind of faded technicolour dreamcoat, and by the time you've finished adding little patches of bright colour, it will be just that. Still, it'll get you through those East winds this winter! See you soon. I shall pop over for soup one day! xCathy

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    1. Hi CAthy, soup's on any time you like - just say the word.

      Lx

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  12. Lynne... hope you don't mind but I was inspired by your felt Christmas star and made one of my own, which is going to be over on my new blog, with credit to you naturally!

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    1. Maggie of course I don't mind - heavens, it's a felt ornament! I don't hold the copywrite to decorated stars, and anyway even if it were a 'Lynne Original' you would be welcome. Oh and I LOVE the title of your new blog! Lx

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  13. Hello Lynne, what an enjoyable post. Your sweaters are works of art and your idea to patch the one with velvet scrapes is genius. You're just adding a creative bohemian flare to it. I love how creative minds work. There is a magic to it :).
    I also agree with you about the autumn weather making a need for hardy stick to your ribs comfort food. Last week I made a chili one night and another night I made a stew. At the moment I have a meat loaf in the oven and oh, the house smells good.
    Thanks for your sweet visit, and the nice comment you left. I always enjoy hearing from you. Have and great week and stay happy, your blogging sister, Connie :)

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  14. Hi Connie,, yep, really pleased with my patching..roll on more holes, I say!

    The temperature has really dropped here, we are definitely into deep autumn now, but at least we still have some nice sunshine. And I love an excuse to make soups and casseroles. Lx.

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  15. Hello, Lynne! Well done to you, dear friend! You darning looks looks really good and I do love the yarn colors as well :o) Nice freezer you've got there! And your quilts are gorgeous! I just wonder how you manage all these things :o) Nice pics of Ireland, I want go there someday :o)
    Have a lovely week
    Love
    Natasha

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  16. Dear Lynne
    Have just called in from Sue's blog and saw your comment on my blog too. I think Sister of the Angels is a story about the same characters from City of Bells - I'm not sure that it is necessarily a sequel (but this comes from me not having read a City of Bells). Henrietta is the heroine and her father, grandfather, grandmother and adopted brother also feature. It is set in the City of Torminster and is a very Christmassy story, probably written for children. It is lovely though.
    Hope you have success in finding it. Sue also mentioned Henrietta's House which also features these characters, I believe.
    Best wishes
    Ellie

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    1. ELLIE i'm so sorry not have replied sooner! Thank you so much for this info. I have loved these books for years and years and would love to find another one.

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