10/52

A portrait of my daughter, once a week, every week, as a one year old.

Hasn't every child had a sink bath?

We've held her extra close over the last few days. Our hearts go out to the families and friends of those beautiful children and teachers in Newtown, Connecticut.

Taking part in Jodi's weekly portrait series

Pinolates

These are my favourite ever biscuit. Big call, right? Crunchy on the outside, gooey on the inside. They are super easy to make it's almost not worth putting on an apron...but I still do (I may have a teeny collection of Anthropologie aprons). And the uncooked mixture keeps for up to a month in the fridge so you can bake them fresh when friends pop in. Yet another reason to love them so.

Or, like me, you can make a batch mid-December and bake them the night before you see your friends and present them wrapped in tea towels or popped in jars for Christmas gifts.

I snipped the recipe from a Karen Martini column in the Sunday magazine years ago, when I lived in a beautiful art deco building in Elizabeth Bay with my dearest friend. I think of that wonderful year in our shoebox apartment with the window boxes that overlooking Rushcutters Bay and the miniscule kitchen with standing room for one, when the breakfast table was always set and tea was brewed with mint leaves, late night runs for coconut gelato and sunrises spent on the lawns of Elizabeth Bay House in last night's clothes. I had known K for many years, but it was in that apartment that we were brought together again, and I fell in love. 

Isn't it magic that just the making of these biscuits has set about a little montage of my past to play out in my mind? 

*I was going to type out the recipe from my book, but I found the recipe online here - with some clever modifications to lower the sugar content. 
**Don't you think an uncooked batch would make a handy little present to a new mama with an endless stream of visitors?

Kitchen notes

 
Lately, in the kitchen...
...I've been brewing leaf tea every morning, and including a few sprigs of mint (reminds me of my best friend)
...Summer fruits are arranged in bowls or ceramic punnets on the breakfast bar, where they stay in sight and I remember snack on them throughout the day (I'm terrible at eating fruit)
...We're aiming to try a different 15 Minute Jamie recipe each week to move beyond the rather tired meals that have been on rotation
...I've been converted to knitted wash cloths for a while now (I bought mine from here)
...Used lemon halves are tossed in the sink with the washing up to add a little natural disinfectant to the dish water
...I've taken to hiding vegetables (sigh)...this is a delicious little banana loaf full of goodness which freezes well - and these healthy muffins are always a hit with the little one (I also add a heap of frozen spinach to the mix)
...Batches of biscotti were made for thank you presents - and I found some sweet japanese glass jars in the goldmine that is Top Dollar (gift tags were inspired by this crafty lady)
...I've stocked up on ingredients for the Great Christmas Bake-off (gingerbread men, pinolates, and dark chocolate rum balls)

What's been happening in your kitchen?

9/52

A portrait of my daughter, once a week, every week, as a one year old.

Head bowed, concentrating. This time it's a harmonica, usually it's a book. The majority of my photos of her look like this.

Taking part in Jodi's weekly portrait series

The Christmas branch and a little advent

Our Christmas branch went up yesterday. I added a few more ornaments to the collection, and keeping with the tradition I started last year, there was a new decoration for Saskia (the Paper Boat Press bird pictured), one for me (a small photo frame with a picture of my Granny), and this year, as it will be the first without K's father, I bought him a ceramic 'remember' star (also from Paper Boat Press). We're going to light 3 little tea lights underneath the branch every night until Christmas Eve, and there are a few strands of solar powered fairy lights strung up along the balcony and around our tree sculpture (a bare cherry blossom) in the back courtyard. It's as simple as that.

...

In mid November Kelly and I sent a special package across the seas. This year will be the first time that our dearest friend (and my cousin) will be overseas for Christmas, away from family and friends...and she's carrying a little baby. We gathered, thrifted and crafted 24 little gifts (for her and the little one), wrapped them in brown paper and twine, and attached cards with 4-letter hints for each present. We had so much fun planning the advent gift and bundling up the package, but the real joy is in knowing that our friend will feel loved (and missed) every day. 

(J, if you are reading, stop now! Spoiler alert!)...

Things which make for a swell family holiday

A sleepy coastal town with oodles of character, a cabin on the hillside with views of the ocean (and just a few steps down to a great beachfront cafe), lazy birthday breakfasts, a rainy day movie date in an art deco cinema, a calm inlet beach dotted with children in floppy hats, a (play) shop window with built in calculator buttons at the local park, a little one with ringlets gone wild, doting grandparents who make killer sandcastles, and a misty coastline.

*We stayed on the South Coast at Narooma - a sweet little town to take young children. Even the public toilets are bound to be a hit with the little ones (see my instagram feed).
**On Saturday we celebrated K's 32nd birthday. He was given Jamie's 15 Minute Meals, 1001 Movies to See Before You Die, a seafood lunch, a steering wheel cover from the USA and a jar of notes (32 reasons why we love you, as told to Mama by Saskia). Meu Amor, happy birthday. You carry my heart x

8/52

A portrait of my daughter, once a week, every week, as a one year old.

Ooo. Dirdies...She watches the birds and I watch her.

Taking part in Jodi's weekly portrait series