It’s been a rough week health-wise, filled with more tests, more specialists, more doc visits, so I’m trying to make it as pleasant as possible by filling my other moments with tasks and projects that I love.

I’ve started doing puzzles again, smiling to myself as I remember how much I love doing them. They remind me of Christmases past where a puzzle on the game table was always on the go for anyone fancying a few minutes of searching for just the right piece. The library was getting rid of stacks of them so I nabbed a few featuring beautiful scenes from Europe and am excited to clear off the veranda table as a designated puzzle spot.

I’ve also been reading, a lot. It’s amazing how much reading you can get done waiting for appointments. 🙂 I always have a stack of books on the go, and here are a few from my stack this week.

“Food DIY” by Tim Hayward. I’ve been researching how to make my own prosciutto, salami, duck terrine, and bacon, and this book is a wealth of practical, funny, and inspiring information.

Food DIYI love history, any history, so I’m thoroughly enjoying “1913” by Florian Illies. It captures the lives and events of 1913 through the lives of people who would impact the 20th Century for good and for ill. I’m fascinated by the intersecting of personalities I’ve only ever studied on an individual level: Rilke and Freud, Hitler and Stalin, Kafka and Proust.

1913 by Florian IlliesThis month I have started knitting lessons, taught via Skype by my knitting wunderkind friend, Marie, from Knitting the Moment. To augment my studies, and give me inspiration to see me through the frustration of dropped stitches and befuddling techniques, I’m reading “Knitting Around the World” by Lela Nargi. I love seeing the intricacy of works from around the globe and learning the history and traditions of various cultures.

Knitting Around the WorldI’m also doing a bit of re-reading, delving back into books that have touched my heart and opened my mind. I love reading autobiographies and biographies, learning what shapes and alters the beliefs, hopes, dreams, and choices of people. “The Dance of the Dissident Daughter” and “Almost There” are two such books, gifts from dear friends that drew me right in and alternately comforted, shook, affirmed, startled, freed, and awakened me.

womens autobiographiesSo much reading requires the accompaniment of comfort food, so I turned to my old favorites: hot scones slathered with butter and lingonberry jam.

fresh baked sconesWhat are some of your most pleasurable projects? xo

Scones

Ingredients:

2 cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp raw sugar
1/2 cup cold butter, grated
2/3 cup cold milk
1 large egg

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 450 F (210 C)
  2. Stir together flour, baking powder, sea salt, and raw sugar. Add grated butter and toss with flour mixture to distribute evenly. Cut in more if pieces are too big.
  3. Mix together cold milk and egg and pour over flour mixture. Toss gently with a fork until it holds together.
  4. Turn over onto floured surface and mix with hands only until it forms a ball that holds together.
  5. Press ball flat until about 3/4 inch thick and cut into 8 triangles. (You can bake as is or brush tops with beaten egg and sprinkle with raw sugar.)
  6. Bake 10-12 minutes until golden brown on top.
  7. Serve warm or cool.