Rose garden

We finally arrived in the most beautiful season, SUMMER ! 


When you can stay in the garden from early morning to late evening. At least I do. 
My day starts at 6 with taking out the dogs for their  walk, breakfast in the garden, 
some e-mails can be taken care of at the same time, sorting out the to do-lists for the day and planning the daily tasks given to the gardener, cutting the flowers for the house and for the shop in town Un Momento Nordico. 
The antique English roses are just starting to explode into an amazing palette. Often an source of inspiration for cashmere sweaters. 
All meals are taken outdoors and I insist to think that they are tastier under the sun.

Ending the day with a nice glass of wine after dinner , to unwind and meditate.


Reborn,
Gunn


Coming up - Homemade bath salt with roses.

Ear cleaning

We.........are not very happy about this. But we have to go through it together. I am testing a product i am developing for cleaning the dog's ear. 


This time it is Sacchi , who has to be the one to help me. 
It is a light spray of a mix of good organic oils. I spray it into the ear , massage well and dry the ear with a cotton pad ( what we normally use for tonic water ) using the pinkie finger. I am very careful.


You can not see her after this session but i insure you that she is happy and clean.


Moving on with " naturnara for happy dogs",
Gunn

Papa al pomodoro !

Sig.ra Angela is back again. This time with Papa al pomodoro.

The first step is to dip the mature tomatoes into the boiling water until the peel brakes. It is easier to peel them, this way. Cut them into small pieces and place into a stainless steel pot.

We used Marjoram herbs.

  Add the leaves to the tomatoes with one piece of garlic and olive oil. Let simmer for half an hour.

Just like this.......

In the meantime, prepare the one day old bread into small cubes.

Grate some Parmesan cheese for the soup.  Add the bread and the cheese to the tomato soup and heat. it is nice to eat warm with a finishing touch of olive oil.

It might not be the most healthy dish I can think about, but I hope you enjoy it as much as I do,

Gunn

Mint tea

This is the first fresh Mint infusion this summer. 

How simple it is to feel better. I pick a few stems , rinse them and fill a glass or a cup. Cover with boiling water and let it sit for a few minutes. It's nice to drink it  with honey or an healthier choice would be rice syrup. 

This is a good drink after a meal for digesting purpose. Just keep in mind that it is stimulating and it is not recommended together with Homoeopathic medicine.

Mint infusion makes a refreshing skin splash (can be kept in the refrigerator for 3-4 days) or added in the bath.

Mint plants are decorative and easy to keep around on the balcony or at the window sill for any last minute ideas. 

A simple idea,

Gunn

Reading for pleasure

I already mentioned my favorite inspiration books in an earlier post. Perhaps reading is easier than being up at dawn collecting slugs ( Oh, I hate them ) and watering the plants that never is showing up. As i also said before that a real gardener never gives in. 

I put all the seeds in the vegetable garden just before we got thunder storms and hailing for about three weeks. So I would not be surprised if the carrots and other veggies will appear in the Chestnut hill ( below the Vegetable garden ).  All the work has to be started all over again, but this time I will invest in small plants instead of seeds.

I am slowly learning how to garden from books and mistakes. My father in law was the real gardener in our household for 20 years and just retired from this task. 

Monty and Sarah Don keeps me inspired and energized. It is good reading when I am having my breakfast in the garden, looking at the garden, thinking about the garden, planning what needs to be done in the garden.........and never doing enough.

It will eventually happen, i am not giving up.

I better return to the office to all my other projects,

Gunn

Bathing Beauty !

It's so hard to imagine that only little more than a century ago women in America were encouraged not to bathe, as bathing would "strip them of their femininity". Maybe we do, however, exaggerate a little nowadays, showering and bathing sometimes so often as twice a day, not because it may make us feel any less feminine - on the contrary - but because the soap many of us use does strip the skin off its natural protection against dirt, weather and wind. I can warmly recommend nara heltnaturligt bath foams. They are certified organic by Ecocert, which guarantees they don't contain any potentially harmful ingredients and are very gentle on the skin.

When I have the time I pour myself a nice, hot bath in the morning. It's a way to slow-start the day and gather my thoughts and energy to what the day will bring. My favorite product in the morning is my "deligthly" bath foam. It makes plenty of bubbles and surrounds you with a wonderful, energizing scent of orange and lemon. Orange and lemon are great fuel when you need that little extra to get yourself going, they relieve stress and put you in a good mood, and according to the theories of aromatherapy, lemon also helps "spring-clean" the mind, makes it easier to make decisions and see things clearly. 

nara heltnaturligt bath foams come in three scents. Besides "deligthly", we have "lovely" and "enchantly". 

"lovely" is a blend of Damask rose and chamomile - a very feminine scent; 

whereas "enchantly" contains essential oils of lavender, geranium and thyme, perfect when you want to unwind in the evening. 

Enjoy ! 

Gunn                                                              

Next !..Angela is back again...........................

Angela's Marmelade

Making marmalade in Maremma, Tuscany with Signora Angela and Erica is a feast.

I am having a couple of days away from home and was invited to visit my friend Erica's summer residence. This tiny tree gave lots of wonderful oranges this season.   It is the very first time i am having the opportunity to make a bitter orange marmalade from freshly collected oranges, as they do not grow in Sweden or in Biella.

Angela's bitter orange marmalade recipe.

1,5 kg of bitter oranges ( i think it is possible to use normal sweet oranges as well )

3 lemons

a pinch of salt

600 grams of raw sugar (this can be adjusted to ones taste)

Do not add any water

The oranges are soaked in water with lemon for 3 days. Note, that it is a good idea to poke a hole in the orange, for letting any possible insects out.  We are using organic oranges.

The water should be changed every day. 

Cut all the oranges and lemons into 0,5 cm thin slices.

........and into smaller pieces, personally i love when there is big chunks of the bitter peel on a toasted whole wheat bread.

Take away the beginning and the end of the orange together with the pits. 

Heat it all with a pinch of salt and add the sugar. Let boil slowly for about three hours.  Fill sterilized glass jars while it is still hot. Close well and turn the jar upside down and let it cool slowly.

 I think we where a great team together and had a very good time. 


My friend Erica Moggio is a fantastic Accessory Designer in Milano in her normal life. We worked together at Malo Cashmere and stay friends. I must say that quality time with your best friends, doing something special is the best and we will absolutely remember this moment during the dark winter months, when having our toast with Angela's marmalade.


Next coming up is " Bathing beauty "
Gunn

Get a life !

What happened ?

It is in the middle of May and an incredible sunny day and the garden has not been taken care for the last two weeks. If I am in the garden I feel terrible guilty about not being in the office catching up on what should have been taken care of. 

If I am in the office my mind wander to the garden and I prefer to walk the wheel barrow around , check out how far the roses are . Will them bloom tomorrow ? The hedge is overgrown and the pumpkin plants should be put into ground .

The only moment that i am lost and do not realize time nor the surrounding is when I am in front of my computers ( three ).

A few years back I said ( I can still hear my words ) that as I am a Clothing designer and I do not really need an computer. Got one anyway for fun a few years ago, just for e-mails. Little did i know that i fell in love with Excel, Words and Photoshop. I no longer keep notepads around. All my thought goes straight into the desktop. Even at 4 am...........when some thoughts are taking the place of sleep.

Well........i should be taking the time on how many hours I spend in front on my computer these days. I know for sure that is way too many. And I am not in my teens........what happened ? 

As my best friend Lalle Johnson, tells me once in a while..........Get a life !!!! 

Should I ?

Gunn

PS.This is an honest photo of my messy desk, just as it is. Reality check !

My best cup

Normally my day starts with a cup of tea. 
Mostly green teas, Sencha   ( hand carried from Tokyo ) or some healthy herbal tea. I love Japanese tea,  such as Kukicha or Bancha and we drink it in the office  through the day. It keeps us warm in the winter and refreshed in the summer with lemon, sage or mint.


In this cup there is Rooibos.  A wonderful red tea from South Africa. 
I am a big tea drinker and at special moments I do love to enjoy a cup of black tea in a nice and beautiful cup. 
My favorite is Earl grey Fleur or Lapsang Souchong.


My best cup at the moment is  from the collection Bersa, designed in 1960 by Stig Lindberg, one of Sweden's most important postwar designers. I sell these reproduction cups in Un Momento Nordico among many other tasteful ceramic, glass or porcelain objects.

Every moment is precious , 
Gunn

Granny's Pelargonium

 I must be quite nostalgic, allthough I would never admit it................

 But always make sure there is lots of Pelagonium or Garden Geranium 

( this popular plant has two names ) around the house when spring is showing up.   

 I think it is perfectly suitable to the house as I live in an old house from the 1850.

But most of it all it brings back memories of my grandmother. She loved to keep pink Pelagoniums in her windows. 

And as a young girl i was very fascinated by their colour and scent.

This plant came to Europe from Africa under the 17 th Century and is today our most popular in-house plant. We have about 400 common names and more than thousand species to chose from.

Some of them are tasty for salads, but mostly used for the perfume industry.

 We certainly inherit habits and taste.

Gunn

Sicily.

 I made a quick trip to Terranova on Monday and Tuesday to visit a manufacturer . 

It is half way between Palermo and Messina. 

Lovely and Heavenly to see the sea with 28° spring heat, although mostly from a car seat and the window. But trust me it is vitamins for the soul.

You just can not go to Sicily without eating this traditional pasta dish. A very tasty meal with  spaghetti, sardines, wild fennel and breadcrumbs. This is the season you find fresh fennel on the hills and when the sardines are the best.

If you like to try them at home, look at  the recipe at this great blog , specialized in food from Sicily.

www.allthingssicilianandmore.blogspot.com

Terranova is the land of lemons. So let's call it my paradise. 

 I brought these beauties back in my hand carry luggage on Easyjet

Last photo before leaving. Bye bye..........but i will be back again.

Snoopy

 I cleaned up around my desk the other day and realized 

that i have kept this comic strip with Snoopy for 8 years. 

It is pinned on the message board in front of me. I love this one. 

It has such a encouraging message.

Looking up.......and forward !

You can read the comics for free every day at www.snoopy.com

Ps. just got back from Sicily and will tell all about it tomorrow...........

Gunn

Sunday in the kitchen

When I bake, it needs to be a very simple recipe I can whip together in a few moments.  I had some leftover plums from the last year's harvest and I thought it would work well for a plum crumble for today's afternoon tea.

It turned out well and very tasty. I served it with Greek yogurt on the side.


IF........you would like to copy my idea. This is how I made it. I do not take proper measurement,  it is just by feeling , so be flexible.


A piece of butter ca. 100 gr ( I use danish butter )
Small oatmeal, ca. 1 1/2 cup
Spelt flour , ca. 1 cup
A handful of raw almonds, cut into small pieces
Raw brown sugar, ca 1 cup ( I prefer this sugar which I think is tastier )
I added some Grape seed oil last minute to make it softer as i used very little butter ( I think it's healthier )


Mix it all together in a bowl until you have tiny pieces sticking together. This is why it's called Crumble tart.


I used some Grape seed oil for the tart base and made a bed of the crumbs. Added the plums, already put away without the pit and cut in half. You can change to any fruit of your liking. 
Topped it off with a handful of crumbs and kept it in the oven for about half an hour.


I love to use Greek yogurt or creme fraiche on the side. For an interesting twist I sometimes add 2 tablespoons of Calvados.


Do you know that you can click on the photo to make it bigger ?




Enjoy,
Gunn

Geranium essential oil

My favorite organic essential oil is from the Geranium plant. It is an herb which is believed to create balance in the mind and body.

I noticed that my husband is sleeping better when i use an oil burner in the bedroom. 
Note .......he never sleeps. He is a restless Italian....

Geranium has an uplifting floral scent and can be added directly to the bath or in the massage oil.

It is said to be useful for treatments of cellulites, as it also has diuretic properties.

This is the reason why i used it in my skincare products.

Sleeping is heavenly,

Gunn

Shampoo for happy dogs

We are not the only ones getting showers after a day in the garden...........

Valentino is taking his bath in the one hour sunshine we had today. It is a good way to get used to each other and i praise him during this moment.

I simply use a large bowl that i normally use for flowers. He fits perfectly.

It is important to first rinse the coat with finger-warm water before you add 2 tablespoons of shampoo on his back.

His coat is carefully massaged and heartily rinsed until the foam is gone.

He is very calm and stands perfectly still, i think he is actually enjoying it.

Something i noticed using my natural pet-care shampoo is that the dogs are more relaxed and are not desperately trying to get out of the sink. I am convinced that it depends on the natural scent instead of the chemical one.

It is very important to towel-dry carefully. My dogs do not like the hairdryer, so i always have to select a sunny day. It is smart to start early with puppies so they get used to this treatment.

Puppies get easily cold, so I wrap them in the best thing i have, for example this wonderful Agnona cashmere plaid.

The product I use is my own " naturnara shampoo for happy dogs " and it contains only natural and organic plant extracts and oils. It is wonderfully therapeutic for dogs and puppies and kind to their coat and skin.

You can find it in my shop Un Momento Nordico in Biella


We both enjoyed it,
G

Scented showers

I would like to talk about showers today.

Perhaps because it's raining cats and dogs outside. When it's raining in Piedmont it never ends............... but i guess we are very lucky to have all this water filling our rivers.

Most of all after a very rainy Sunday in the garden trying to improve the look for this season.

You know that a " real gardener " never gives in, even drenched or with mud up to the ears.

Our daily routine since the ancient Greeks is to take showers every day or every other day to promote cleanliness. I think showers are more about an emotion and a therapeutic activity.

To wake up in the morning, to feel refreshed or to relax. I love to take long and hot showers, to let the hot water run on the neck and back.

I developed the shower gel for nara heltnaturligt with this thought in mind.

To enjoy and inhale the scented steam and let your senses take over.

Enchantly - Lavender and Geranium with a twist of Thyme. I suggest this for a relaxing mood.

Lovely- Damask rose and Rosewood with a touch of Chamomile. Wonderful with a flower scent and should put you in a feminine mood.

Delightly - Orange and Lemon with a slight touch of Clove. So refreshing and energizing.

If you wish to try this product, you can find it in my shop Un Momento Nordico in Italy or at Tomorrowland, Gallerie Vie and Des Pres shops in Japan.

I will take a Delightly shower later on,

Gunn