Oolong knits

Hyacinths, like tulips and daffodils are bulb flowers that blossom in early spring. Their care is very similar, almost identical. Although daffodils are a lot sturdier plants, that are easier to grow and care for. Again I have this and this and still this last link. I have a single one in my garden and I am afraid I do not have a photo of the poor thing, because the first time I saw it, its flower was drooping to one side, its stem broken. I do not know if it was the fault of the squirrel or the cat that frequently visit my garden, or if the poor thing just collapsed due to the weight of the blossoms, but it just did not live long enough for us to enjoy its beauty.

Aoife by Marie Wallin is a simple, beautiful and elegant sweater. It is also an easy raglan-sleeve pattern, with a bit of texture for interest.

Tulips are the most common flower on my garden. Their care is very similar to that of daffodils. Cut off (deadhead) the flowers once they have wilted to avoid seed production. Then allow the foliage to start yellowing before cutting it off. Here and here you can find more detailed information.

The ZickZack Scarf by Christy Kamm is a very easy knit with impressive results. It is also a free pattern on Ravelry. No wonder it is one of the most popular.

Here I start a series of post about my garden. This is an inherited garden planted by the previous owner. I have never taken care of a garden before and I must learn, not only to keep a garden, but, more specifically, how to keep and care for the garden I have. In this series I will collect information on maintenance care. The photo on the left was taken in mid March, before most flowers started to bloom. There are a few camellias on the back and a few daffodils in front. Soon afterwards, the camellia was covered in beautiful rose blooms and the daffodils were legion. Unfortunately this did not last for too long. No time for dwelling on it, a myriad of tulips soon replaced them. Daffodils Minimal care: Remove daffodil blooms as soon as they fade; otherwise, the bulbs will exert considerable energy attempting to create seeds. However, remove only the bloom, not the leaves and stem. Let the leaves dry and then, when it starts turning yellow, cut the plant down to its ...

Aran Waves by Kieran Foley. An extraordinarily beautiful lace pattern made with eyelets and dropped stitches.

As for any other craft, before beginning to sew you will need to buy a few basic supplies, but you don't want to buy more than the absolute minimum necessary, because you don't know how far you will want to pursue your new craft. People will disagree on what notions and tools are absolutely essential. Here I provide a possible list. Sewing machine You will probably want to buy a sewing machine, although of course hand-sewing is also a possibility for the deft hand (not me for sure). There are many options on the market, some costing as much as thousands of pounds, but as a beginner you are better off buying a basic machine with few options, which will be easier to learn to use and a lot cheaper. There are computerized machines which can do a lot of fancy things on their own, but many experts recommend a basic electric machine for beginners because these are simpler to use and easier to maintain. If you are very motivated and sure you want to sew your own clothes or othe...

Drachenfels by Melanie Berg is one of the most popular patterns on Ravelry, but I personally prefer On the Spice Market , maybe because of the lovely colour palette.

This is a very simple recipe I unvented. It was probably inspired by food I have eaten in Crete (or maybe some recipes from Morocco and Algeria that use preserved lemons instead of fresh ones). Below is the basic recipe, that you can use as is or, better still, use as the basis for your stew by adding to it ingredients of your choice. Ingredients (for 2): 500g of braising beef 2 unwaxed lemons 2 (or 1 big) onions 5 (or 3 big) garlic cloves 1 bay leave olive oil, salt, pepper Heat the oil in a pot and sauté the beef. Peel the onions, cut them in half, slice them and then add them to the pot. Peel the garlic cloves, slice them (or press them or just use them whole) and then add them to the pot. Add salt, pepper, bay leave and other favourite seasonings, like herbs or chilli. Now there are two options to add the lemons: The lazy and bitter Cut the lemons in quarters, squeeze a bit of their juice over the meat and then add the rest to the pot. The white part of the pee...