Things I love right now

Published on Thursday October 23rd, 2008

1. I feel a new color phase coming on. Soft greys, sunny creams, russets, bright tansy and sunflower yellows, navy and slate and icy blues, bark browns and greys, deep dark chocolates.

2. Rustic, simple shawls in earthy neutrals, like Terhi’s at Mustaa Villaa and Alexandra’s at Moonstitches.

3. Simple socks with just a touch of ornamentation, like Terhi’s here and here.

4. Cooking outside on the grill, even though it isn’t summer anymore. It’s right out the kitchen door under the porch overhang, so it’s just as convenient as the stove. Tonight before choir practice I’ll be tossing some Yellow Finn potatoes in olive oil, fresh rosemary and sea salt; stuffing some Anaheim and Gypsy peppers with mozzarella or Trader Joe’s beluga lentils (already cooked!) seasoned with lemon juice, toasted walnuts and some of the marjoram that’s taken over the herb bed; and dumping the lot on the grill.

5. The Japanese anemones and Joe Pye weed in my garden, which bloom faithfully from July through October.

6. Oregon apples from the farmers’ market. We favor Tsugarus, Akanes, Honeycrisps, Ambrosias, and Jonagolds in mid-October. I find the names of apples enchanting (I weep that I somehow missed the Black Gilliflower (Sheepnose) variety), and despite the luscious bounty of summer peaches and berries, they’re my favorite fruit.

7. Early-season West Wing episodes on DVD. I *heart* my fictional government.

8. David Copperfield. It’s our geekier-than-thou book club selection for December. We dig the classics.

9. My new Keen shoes from the REI sale, the only model that seems to be narrow enough for my feet. I went for the army green with orange stitching. They’re my everyday fall shoes, and I finally feel like a real Portlander now that I’ve got the Official Footwear.

10. Homemade chiya – the Nepali version of chai: Brew up a pot of black tea (I use Red Rose) with sugar to taste, slices of fresh ginger, and cardamom pods. Drink it like that for kaalo chiya (black tea) or add hot whole milk (1 part milk to 3 or 4 parts chiya is generally good, depending on the strength of your chiya) for dudh chiya. I made a big jar of kaalo chiya, removed the tea bags after they’d steeped, and have been keeping it in the refrigerator to reheat a cup whenever I want some (which isn’t quite four or five times a day, as in Nepal, but it’s been nice to have at tea time).

11. SouleMama’s blog, whence cometh the spur for this post. I’d like to be able to order a future family life out of this enticing catalog. Mine would take place on San Juan Island, but the rest – the cute and clever kids, the crafts, the walks in the woods, the little daily discoveries, the mad photography skills to capture it all – would be much the same.

11 Comments to “Things I love right now”

  1. mamie Comment Says:

    i thought the format looked familiar. i might have to start this myself. her blog makes my heart sing and look forward to all the moments to come as the little ones grow. my ideal setting would be salt springs island (oh, canada). not far from you then.

  2. Rebecca Comment Says:

    Oh, I adore her blog, too. Their life is such an inspiration!

  3. Nonnahs Comment Says:

    I love the idea of this kind of list- both reading others’ lists, as well as making ones own. It’s feels so good to be able to take a few moments and really live and appreciate what makes you happy. I think I should do this more often on my blog, too. 🙂

  4. Wendolene Comment Says:

    I love David Copperfield too. It was the final required reading for 8th graders from my school, and I’ve been hooked on classics ever since.

  5. meg Comment Says:

    I love this time of year – it always feels like new beginnings to me! I am looking at new color enthusiasms, new recipes (I love me some roasted gourds!), and a pile of books for the winter. I am so glad that I am not alone with these kind of lists!

  6. tracy3xl Comment Says:

    My look-alike to Tehri’s shawl is on the needles now, deep maroon with the ruffle to be that purple I picked up on Saturday. It’s a wonderful knit. Fall definitely begs the knitting, soup, and blankets. It’s surely my favorite!

  7. merete Comment Says:

    i agree but would give some of the things other names. have no idea about what john pye’s are. they are not in alice starmore’s colourlines and this is where i get knowledge about names of birds and plants in english from. comical even to me.

    and the apples of course have other names here but might taste just as good.

  8. Seanna Lea Comment Says:

    Chiya sounds delicious. I probably would take mine with milk. I’ll have to raid my tea shelves and see what I have to make it with (probably the only black tea is Early Grey).

  9. Jessica Comment Says:

    I love your list, it reminds me of the Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon–so lovely and full of tastes and images. Must go boil up a pot of that chiya now, yum!

  10. terhi Comment Says:

    Oh, thanks so much for the links! 🙂

  11. Shamaree Comment Says:

    I *heart* your blog.