These are the fruit of a very common and often beautifully hemispherically shaped tree called Myrica Rubra or Yama Momo. Not known to many people, the fruits are delicious, transformed into jam or liqueur or just as they are, picked from the tree. The taste is sugary sour, depends on how ripe they are, and I really like them a lot. Back in Germany I loved those wild berries like the Elderberry or Blackthorn. Both fruits have fantastic possibilities. Elderberry Jam for instance is, like everything that is made of this fruit, uncomparably to any other taste I know and one of my all time favourites. Or take Blackthorn Liqueur... and it's such a fun to go out and collect the fruits, what you have to, since they are not being sold at the groceries. The same with the little berries of Yama Momo which are just about to be ready to be collected.
If you like to see what can be done with the blossoms of Elderberry bushes check out the Off Topic section naehblogger PeRu. It's all in German but there are nice pictures to get the idea.
I absolutely fell in love with that cute guy my master used to play with when he was a child. The design is remarkably simple and it is such a pleasing doll. Dagny was patiently waiting for it to be finished as I was knitting it and even told me where to attach the eyes and the rest of the face. That was so cute of her. To refer to his roots I called him Hans, which was a common name back in the old days in Germany.
Some of you told me that you had quite similar toys when you were a child, usually made by your mother in sometimes nice colours, sometimes rather seventies like colour combos which could be very special...
If I weren't so shy I would love to ask you all to do your version of this familiar looking, once so popular toy and bring him back into the children's rooms - which he really would deserve.
As our children would, since he is a really pleasing one.
My Friday's WIP, traditionally being late, would be this here...
Some time ago I stumbeled over wonderful smocked dresses for girls on Flickr (here, here, here and here) and immediately put Smocking on the list of things I want to do. Before I even thought of actually do some steps into that direction, my neighbour and fellow crafter Kagemusyan-san did make her first attempts to smock keeps on telling it wouldn't be too difficult... So this week she gave me a book with detailed descriptions and many pictures, showing the different patterns for smocking, and I will finally give it a try, though it already reminds me very much on cruel crocheting adventure, just by looking at the instructions... (What might be not the best omen for Hillary, who would like to learn how to smock, too and who, as we all know, isn't on too friendly tones with crocheting herself).
But I will try.
Before I forget: To show you the 'refreshing' style of the summer issue of Craft Cafe I uploaded two photos on my Flickr account. Please take a look here.
Meine Lieben, ich bin heute leider zu faul fuers Deutsche, ich bitte um Entschuldigung. Ich moechte heute etwas backen und verziehe mich nun lieber in die Kueche, als weiter hier am Rechner sitzenzubleiben.
PS: Sagt eigentlich irgendjemand ausser mir zu seinem Rechner Rechner oder habt Ihr alle PCs oder gar Computer?!