Struan Farm

Injustice More Likely!

Before this little exercise commenced I looked chestnuts up in my "Victorian Flower Dictionary" and learned that they mean "Do Me Justice." This seems fitting, since they have a prickly burr and must be cooked to eat. They aren't easily approached.

I was determined to try to make Sarah Raven's "Chestnut Pavlova with Caramelised Apples" from her book "In Season" using Struan Farm's chestnuts.

First, I had to boil the chestnuts so they were cooked. This was easier said than done, I found instructions for doing so here. Shelling the hot, cooked nuts and removing the skin was tedious. TEDIOUS. But I got through all that. At one point I wondered if it would have been better to toss everything out and try the recipe with a can of cooked chestnuts, but I persevered.

This actually looks better than it tasted.

Two pavs were sandwiched between chestnut cream flavored with brandy and topped with caramelised apples and chestnuts. I'm not sure if the chestnuts weren't cooked enough, since they didn't really puree but were quite floury. Perhaps I didn't go far enough in the food processor, that is a possibility. English cookbooks aren't always the most explanatory, they assume you know what you're doing.

So I may be giving our chestnuts a miss. John wants to roast them in the fire, I'll let him have a go and see what happens. 

 My apologies chestnuts, you are hard work, it seems I can't do you justice!

Amy, Accomplished

So while I simplified "Nellie," I kept going with "Amy." Decided that I needed to do more beaded raspberries and embroidery. I probably could (and should) have kept going on, but decided to call it a day.

(Truthfully, I do still think this hat would look spectacular with the beading and embroidery all over....) This is Lisa Cruse's "Amy Beret" knitted/felted hat pattern, it can be purchased via Ravelry or her website PDF. Embellishments are up to you!

Very Vivian

Hard to think of any embellishment other than tattered fabric roses for Lisa Cruse's "Vivian" hat design. I wanted black velvet roses really, since I envisioned her with an elegant, if slightly distressed look. (Think Barbra Streisand in "The Way We Were.") But after no luck at two fabric stores, I opted for a sheer black fabric and coppery taffeta instead.

The photos don't really do her justice. I'm still mulling over putting vintage gold glass buttons inside the roses, not sure as yet. And if I find some black velvet who knows?!

Tatum, Tackled

This is Lisa Cruse's design "Tatum Toque," I've called her "Te Reo Tatum" to give her a kiwiana flair. I decided to embroider "lazy daisies" with beads and/or french knots in the centers. Not sure she's done, but she may be:

I may need to mull this one for awhile....

Design Seeds: Coloring My World

This past week I stumbled upon Design Seeds, something that has literally rocked my world. Jessica creates amazing color palettes inspired by photographic images. I haven't pinned so much on Pinterest in one fell swoop since I went onto that site, I was beside myself.

It's the combination of color and photography that has my head (and heart) in a complete impassioned, inspired tizzy! 

Below is a copyrighted sample of the palettes she creates,  called "Spiced Tones," to give you some idea, but go to the website to see more and be truly inspired:

Be still my heart.

 

Nellie, Simplified

This past week I've revamped "Nellie," de-constructed the more elaborate embellishment I'd auditioned and pared her back to a much more simple look, one that I will definitely wear:

This is Lisa Cruse's "Nellie Crush" pattern. I ended up using leftover yarn that I felted to make the bow with a vintage belt buckle. Very easy, after test driving some other options that weren't!

Hedge in the Works

Exciting to pull into the drive this past weekend at Struan Farm and find that the plants we'd ordered from Wallis Nurseries in the South Island had arrived and were waiting patiently for us:

"Laurus nobilus," commonly known as Bay Leaf, fifty in all. They didn't get planted this weekend but since it has started raining again they will shortly!

Seed Saving

I like the idea of this, I really do.

Taking seeds from this year's zinneas and sunflowers to grow the next. Circle of life and all that.

The only problem is that this is seriously tedious work! I stashed several hundred seeds that I dried out in the hot water cupboard on trays, and there were thousands left to do. After a few hours of putting them into newspaper envelops I decided to toss what remained back into the garden to let Mother Nature (and the birds possibly) do the work that I haven't the time to do. I feel like I'm being wasteful, but only so many hours in the day at Struan Farm.

Attention "Thinking" Knitters: A Recommended Read

I recently purchased this great knitting book from Fishpond by Sally Melville called "Knitting Pattern Essentials."

It would be a useful addition to every knitter's library, but particularly those knitters (like me!) who tend to digress from patterns as written, or who want to knit designs of their own or copy garments. Thinking knitters. Lots of tips and tricks to improve designs and fit. Recommended!

Roast Quinces for Dessert

Nigel Slater's Roast Quinces, one of my favorite autumn desserts. Our quince trees at Struan Farm haven't delivered fruit as yet, but sister-in-law Anna has a surplus, lucky for us.

Recipe can be found here. Star anise, cloves, maple syrup. What's not to like?

Aotearoa Amy: Audition #1

I'm on a bit of a roll at the moment embellishing the various Lisa Cruse felted hat designs I knitted recently ahead of Lisa's visit to New Zealand for the Embellishment Workshops at Struan Farm. Of course, now that she's departed the country that is! She did help me felt and shape them, that was a valuable lesson in itself.

My latest attempt is this vibrant red "Aotearoa Amy Beret," Lisa's pattern is called "Amy Beret." I wanted to try to make the beaded raspberries that she taught the workshop participants how to make, and think these have come out reasonably well. You start out with a circle of black beads, and then build up the raspberry from there, with different colors. 

 

I'm not sure I'm quite done. Maybe another sprig of just leaves and flowers? Stay tuned....

Malabrigo: Wow!

My friends at The Web-sters in Ashland, Oregon have a tendancy to tempt me from afar. Most recently, their monthly newsletter announced the arrival of Malabrigo Merino Worsted. And the siren song of those vivid colors called out to me, really it did.

Here's "Glazed Carrot:"

 

Joined by "Lettuce:" 

 

Sigh. These beautiful vegetables are now stashed safely in the closet, biding their time. "Frank Ochre," a vibrant gold, is on the way to join them.

 

Chestnuts: Plan A

Here's the plan: chestnut pavlova! How Kiwi is that?

I found what looks to be an interesting recipe for Chestnut Pavlova with Caramelized Apples in Sarah Raven's cookbook "In Season.".

 

Sounds yummy, even if it entails quite a bit of work to cook the chestnuts before making the actual dessert itself. This is on the menu for next weekend, I'll report back.

Nuts on the Ground

Yes, the walnuts are starting to fall in the Pet Paddock at Struan Farm. And while it's still early days, since we have competition for them from turkeys, Clifford, and probably also rats, I need to hop to it and gather them up for drying and shelling.

We've also got a reasonable amount of chestnuts this year too. Those are harder to work with than the walnuts, but I'll need to come up with a use for them too. Hmmmm.....

Nellie: Audition #1

I finally had time this past weekend to start to embellish another one of Lisa Cruse's felted hat designs, "Nellie Crush." I hadn't had time to work on any of the hats during Lisa's recent visit and embellishment workshops at Struan Farm. Too busy hostessing!

But Nellie is probably my favorite of her designs, this is a hat that I will wear for sure.

I decided to let the embellishing go where it took me, "auditioning" what might work:

First I started with a diamond shaped bakelite buckle in the same orange as the one above, but I couldn't get that to stay flat on the hat, so moved to another vintage buckle in the same color. After cross-stitching the buckle on, I sewed beads up either side, then needle felted feathers of color on either side of the buckle. This still didn't do it for me, so what was next? I then took strips of ripped taffeta fabric and folded and tacked them across the top.

I like this, particularly with a redo of the needle felting. But it's a pretty extravagant look, and I simply don't see myself wearing it as much as I like it.

So I am going back to one of my other original ideas for this Nellie, which is to take a felted remnant from the same yarn as the hat, inserted into another vintage buckle, making a bow:

I'll deconstruct what I've done and put this on. It may stay this simple, since that would be me, or I might bead and embroider a bit more once I get the bow onto the hat. Update to follow.....for me the process is as much fun at the end result, since there are so many options to explore!

Weekend Flowers, Summer's Last Gasp

Lots of roses blooming this weekend at Struan Farm. Given the evidence all around us of the seasonal transition, I couldn't help but think they were giving us their last gasp of beauty for the year.

So it was roses and sweet peas for the table, with a few sprigs of snap dragons:

I'll miss those pink roses especially until next summer!

At the Market

Every so often we have a Sunday in town. Recently we were able to catch up with kids and grandkids at the Clevedon Farmer's Market. Ella and Livvy were brave enough for pony rides, too. Charlie decided to wait for another day.

Of course Livvy waited for the biggest pony, while Ella wanted the pink helmet!

We came home with fresh figs, Clevedon Buffalo Mozarella cheese, passionfruit, heirloom tomatoes, and kale seeds for the veggie garden. You can see why we love Clevedon Farmer's Market!

No One Home

Found this lovely little bird's nest on the ground when I was out gardening at Struan Farm. 

Fortunately everyone has long flown the nest!

Special Delivery

We arrived at Struan Farm recently to find that water tanks had been delivered up at the new house site for water for the new house, overflow of roof water for the new house, and for Jim's Hut. The overflow tank will be used to water my veggie garden and the orchard in due course.

John is organizing all this with our plumber Alan. The big tank has been partially filled with water piped up from our spring so it won't blow away in a strong wind in the meantime!

Quince on the Scene

We've started to see the signs of autumn here in New Zealand the past week or so. Amongst other things, this means Anna's quince are starting to drop, yippee. The two trees we planted in our orchard at Struan Farm are still a year or two away from bearing fruit, so I'm glad she's got them by the bucket load in the meantime.

They smell wonderfully fragrant, can't wait to roast them using Nigel Slater's recipe with star anise and maple syrup. p.s. pottery dish by Tasman potter Steve Fulmer.