city bubbles
City bubbles had another connotation during the pandemic, but I’ve used it for the title of this post because I came upon some proper actual bubbles while walking home from work the other night, thanks to a family with a bubble wand and huge bucket of solution. Their little children were running up and down a usually-busy street, joyfully trying to pop them and pleading for their dad to make more. Watching them, and trying to catch a few bubbles myself, was such a good way to end the working week.
I finished a baby blanket for a workmate of mine who has just had a new pēpē. To make this I used some DK possum-merino yarn in blue, pale pink, cream, brown and charcoal, and essentially kept adding new rounds as you would making a granny square until it was the right size. I finished it with a single crochet border in blue and pink.
And some weekend goodness - a rainy walk on the beach at Petone and time with books - I’m currently reading Amma by Saraid de Silva and have just finished A Beautiful Family by Jennifer Trevelyan. Both local writers and definitely worth your time.
And staying with local writers, I loved this short documentary (for free on RNZ) about Joy Cowley, and I think you will too - Joy, Full & Fearless. I was lucky enough to work on a project with Joy a few years ago and I pretty much adore her.
Sundays are for baking, and today I made a slice I’ve always known as ‘Autumn Slice’, so it’s seasonally misaligned for us right now but still great, and you can substitute any of the buts, seeds and fruit for whatever you have. This time I used dried cranberries, sesame and sunflower seeds and walnuts.
Autumn slice
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup dessicated coconut
1 cup rolled outs
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or other nuts
1/2 cup pumpkin or other seeds
1/2 cup currants or other dried fruit (optional)
1/2 cup soft brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
Mix these ingredients together in a big bowl. Then, in a saucepan, melt together:
100 grams butter
2 Tbs golden syrup
until combined and starting to simmer. Then stir in 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda. The mixture will froth.
Add this mixture to the dry ingredients and mix well. Bake in a shallow slice tin lined with baking paper for around 15 minutes or until golden. Let the slice cool completely (it will become more firm after half an hour or so) before removing from the tin and cutting into bars.