Sunday, December 16, 2007

Pepparkakor

When I wrote the last post, I could not imagine such a warm response. After I published it, I turned off the computer hoping that too many of you would not be disappointed. I have been reading your comments and they have touched me. Thank you, I did not expect this at all and I do write this to you, not to myself, I have my bedside diary for me, so I’m glad you are out there reading. Thank you again to all of you. Heavy scent is lingering in the house at the moment, it is almost too heavy. I have been baking pepparkakor today. I myself don’t care for them very much, but I love to decorate them and they belong to Christmas. I could not imagine not having them at this time of the year. Everybody seems to be making them. They are served in every single coffeeshop and there is no way you can escape from them. So me too, I bake them and the kids and the dogs love them.

I make cats for Tina. It gives her a great pleasure to have one in the morning after a night in the hay. She and Mr Kille have very weak truce and frontier incidents are almost daily and each others food bowls are raided frequently. I try not to take sides but sometimes I do have to step in. Neither of them is winning although I suspect Mr Kille would if he wanted to. I would gladly make dogs for Mr Kille but he does not like gingerbread. Unfortunately I have not found any catnip dogs, just mice.

I usually make a gingerbread house too and this year is no exception. Here are the parts, this will again be a bird feeder filled with seeds (= candy). I only make one house a year and even though I’m quite old and have had some practice, this is always a bit tricky. Lets hope this will work out and I can post a picture of it some time next week.

22 comments:

  1. Lene, I have just read your last post and am getting caught up- so I will add my comments here :)
    You are obviously a craftswoman and it doesn't matter whether it is knitting, spinning, weaving, sewing, or even walking and dreaming that you are writing about. I come to your blog because you are a craftswoman with words. Writing is the unrecognized craft here and you are as a good of an artist in that area as in the other more material realms. We enjoy what you share and the bit of the Arctic north that you are able to show us. I have enjoyed reading you blog and will continue to visit when you leave a little tidbit here and hope that it is something that you will continue to find some enjoyment in!

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  2. I would be sorry if your blog was no longer here. You describe a world that is fascinating to this east coast united states woman. Our lives are so different but at the same time there are so many things we share. I understand the desire to do more than knit. I have done all kinds of crafts over the years and as long as I have something to do with my hands, I am happy. Be happy,Lene, and share what makes you happy. Maybe you will spark an interest in a new craft for someone.

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  3. Oh! I always love seeing your gingerbread house creations, they're straight out of a picture-book! Looking forward to it!

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  4. Lene, I want to say, that your posts hold a great fascination for me and I also would be sorry if your blog was no longer here. All the best, Rena

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  5. Anonymous22:06

    I have not read the other comments, but thought I would share with you why I come.. or why I read certain blogs.

    Sure, I love your knitting. It is elegant and beautiful and inspiring. That is what first drew me.

    But I continue to come because I get a glimpse into life in a different part of the world.. different seasons, different traditions, different in wonderful ways... and yet at the same time, very much the same. I enjoy the virtual travel, the photos and the image of you and yours about your daily lives.

    So I will still come, no matter what you blog, or how often. My horizons are expanded.. sometimes even by the smallest things.

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  6. I love the baking, especially the little cats!

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  7. Anonymous01:49

    Lene, I, too, would also miss your blog if you decided to stop writing. Please write about what pleases you, and never out of a sense of duty. I have enjoyed reading your blog for quite a long time.

    Write on!

    Annie

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  8. Lene, I saw your pic on Jo's blog. You are beautiful!
    Do you share recipes? I just make simple ginger cookies for Christmas along with oatmeal raisin cookies. Oh yes, I do make a three ginger ginger cake - dry, fresh and candied ginger! Yum!
    I look forward to the gingerbread house!

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  9. Anonymous03:25

    I'really don't remember how I discovered your blog about one year ago...but I do remember how I loved it at first sight ! Don't mind if knitting is not your main craft for as long as you want it not to be...My thoughts reach the same idea that cindy/snid posted as first comment...I love reading your blog because you give us something interesting and true to read, talking about life, happiness and blues days, children and family, hopes and fears...and your crafts, soooooo many of them...
    Love it, love it...
    If you take a break, it'll be ok if you need it,but I'll be waiting, hoping you back...

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  10. Anonymous04:09

    Hi, Lene!

    Oh, yes, you are VERY old! :)

    I made pulla for solstice at church this afternoon, and they were a very big hit. May I distribute the recipe? A lot of people asked for it.

    I looked up the pictures you mentioned, of your Advent calendar illustrator. Very beautiful, but too sex-role restricted for me. And there are no men, only moms and little children. Very idyllic, though.

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  11. Oh how I love Pepparkakor. And the smells of it baking filling the house. And yours looks quite perfect. Wish I could smell it, too.

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  12. Lene, I am sorry I missed your last post, I found you through my interest in knitting but I love reading about your life and I love your photos, they are beautiful. I finally started blogging after reading lots of blogs and I decided to make it a blog about knitting, crafting and family. I will come and read whatever you write as i am interested in your life and knitting and anything else you choose to write about. But above all else you must do what ever you feel most happy about. Jane x

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  13. Anonymous17:48

    Lene, as a faithful lurker for the past two years, I've come to value your blog for many reasons. But most important is the glimpse it gives me of the inner world of a versatile, talented artist who makes the world enchanting, even in ordinary things. I can see how much time and effort it must cost you to create the little gems that are your public diary. Whatever you decide to do in future, I am grateful! Thanks and love to you.

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  14. Anonymous18:30

    I should be very sad if you no longer blogged, no matter what you choose to write about. It's always a treat to see what you've been up to, both art and craft wise, and in your life in the far, far North.

    Pepparkakor sounds rather like the Danish "Brune Kager" that I make every year from my grandmother's recipe. But brune kager have cardamom, along with the other spices, and dark corn syrup instead of molasses, and they are decorated with an almond. Perhaps you might like them better? :)

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  15. Anonymous20:04

    There is more to life than knitting! I like reading about living in a different part of the world and all of the things that other people who knit do.
    Joanne

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  16. Hi Lene, I must say when I read in the past about your gingerbread bird house making, I thought that was such a splendid idea! I have even found myself telling friends about you and the gingerbread. I would love to make one too. My three wee folks here would love it! Does your family eat it and when? Here in Québec Canada, it is a big thing to have doughnuts with nutmeg. My childhood dogs and present pets love it and it made me smile to hear the same goes on at your house.

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  17. That felt heart is just precious! I, too, am catching up after a few days. I'm sure I found you because you were a knitblog but I stay for the glimpse of a world so different (and yet, not, if our crafts were to be compared) from my own. I'm anxious to see your gingerbread house! I've never tried one from scratch!

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  18. Anonymous05:58

    Hi Lene! MMmmmm...your cookies look delicious. Are the pepparkakor treats anise flavored? My DH and I make an anise cookie recipe of his (German-Russian) grandmother's with anise oil. Let me tell you, the licorice smell permeates the house for a week! It makes my DH so happy that I try adjust to it! I saw your gingerbread bird feeder put together, I believe it was,
    in last December's post. So cute. So cute. The little felted heart gave me ideas! I made a little red felted Christmas coat for our neighbor's little Yorkie Terrier. I just have to finish putting a little heart on the side of it with a buttonhole stitch and monograming an "H" on it for "Harry"!! It is 2050 Monday evening here so, I will read your Monday entry now and and send a comment on Tuesday. Take Care. Jeanie in Missoula, Montana USA Post Script: It's snowing!

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  19. It's interesting that you mention readers might not return if there is no more knitting here. I always think the same thing and often feel the pressure to produce specifically FOR the blog. And I have far fewer readers than you do.

    But of course I come here because I have been reading your words for a long time and now I'm interested not in the crafting, but in the crafter. I often wonder how your winter is going and how your daughter's health is. I think about your girl in the city and hope she is safe and well. I was wondering when you'd post your gingerbread creation and what would be the next picture in your beautiful Advent calendar.

    I don't often comment here but whether you write about wheels, needles, looms, snowmobiles, ballet dancers, doghouses, reindeer, the blueness of your darkening landscape or the berries around your house, I will be interested.

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  20. I really should make some pepparkakor this year. Both of my parents are half Swedish with a parent each who was born soon after their parents came to the US. We made pepparkakor every year. My mother still does, but I got out of the habit of planning the chilling and rolling into my schedule.

    Really, I knit as my main craft, but it's far from the only one I do. I don't think I know any knitters who don't do other crafts sometimes. Who knows, I may see something here that will lead me in a whole new direction.

    I really hope a knitting blog doesn't have to be exclusively knitting. If it does, I'm in trouble with mine.

    http://www.karenjoseattle.com

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  21. Anonymous04:20

    Lene, It is Tuesday evening,l858 on the clock. I was anxious to get to your blog to see what you have been doing today. Of course, I wasn't disappointed! The little bookmarks are marvelous. Thank you so much for not only the gift but the instruction and wonderful how-to pictures. When your little elves popped up on the computer screen yesterday, I laughed right out loud!! Even though it was a while ago that you made them, if you remember anything else about them, please let us know. My knitted gifts are complete....the felted slippers, handbags and one little dog coat! May I share my pattern source with everyone? "VOGUE Knitting on the Go" - FELTING. ISBN1-931543-64-X My little book states, first edition, 2005. Today I finished knitting a sock for myself. So, I am wearing it! On the other foot is one of my DH sporting socks. I will start the other sock later tonight. Wishing all of you my Best of Wishes. Jeanie, Missoula, Montana USA P.S. Can't wait to try my hand at the little bookmarks. Thanks again.

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  22. Anonymous21:15

    Lene . . . I have been smitten with your blog since coming across it. Simple and kind, artful and delightful--you inspire! As my recent hand surgery has left me knitting-less, I have read and admired across fiber activities of all kinds. It is reading and dreaming that have kept me calm in my life's busy-ness! I have taken inspiration to try the cookie-cutter felted bookmarks as knitting is still a ways off. My daughter gave me a needle-felting kit which has come out of the stash!

    Thank you for helping me on my knitting and healing journey!

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