This Year at Pieliekamais: A round-up of 2014

In honor of 2014, and some of the lessons that this past year has brought me, here's a Top 10 of 2014:
10. A tool you can use -

this year, Pieliekamais got a bit more user-friendly with the addition of the "search" function (you'll find it at the top of the page, below the Pieliekamais heading). Use it to search Pieliekamais for content. Thank you to my sister for the idea!

9. The most popular post at Pieliekamais continues to be

the oven-baked salmon. This salmon is one of my favorite dishes to make, and it comes out great every single time. I've recently experimented with lowering the oven temp to 175C and having the salmon fillets in for 20 minutes, and that also works out great.

8. One of the most fun recipes I've tried this year is

the "dirt and worm dessert." I experience a very happy sense of satisfaction when I look at this picture, because it cracks me up. Smiley.

7. The most ambitious project here at Pieliekamais this year has been

blogging for 31 days straight - joining The Nester's 31 Day Writing Challenge. My topic was 31 Days to More Abundance. In this post, which also contains all 31 parts of my series, I share the lessons learned, and a few surprises.

6. I'm the most pleased that I tried this recipe in 2014:

the nettle soup. I love that I can go to the woods close by and pick some nettles that moose and deer mamas and their calves (occasionally) trample on. Nettles in soup taste excellent, the leaves are meaty, like spinach. And there is no stinging.

5. Speaking of woods, I've been very happy that I could share some of

the goings on of the local forests. I learned from a friend that there are people in, for example, Paris, who miss being out in the woods and in nature. If I can bring you guys some fresh air from Sweden via Pieliekamais, that makes me very happy. I am so very grateful to have all this bounty almost on my doorstep.

4. What would the great outdoors be without animals -

here are some happy sheep. I wish for you, my reader, to connect with some being every day.

3. One of the best things in life is


movies. Here's a list of five very cozy ones, perfect for winter-, and most other, evenings.
Photo credit: imdb.com

2. Pretty pictures - I was very pleased with how the photos for this carrot cake turned out:

And yes, I selected the flowers for my garden this year 90 percent based on how the flowers would photograph.

1. When in doubt, do dishes. Cooking is also almost always a good idea.

To you, my reader - thank you for being here this year! I hope you too are excited about a brand new year, a new leaf, a fresh start, a new beginning. Tomorrow morning, many things will be the same, but some things will be different. It is a new year.

For last year's Top 10 on Pieliekamais, head here (the post is in Latvian).

Also, for anyone who needs permission to change into pajamas and snuggle up on the sofa with a good DVD box - this is it. Happy New Year!

Thank you for stopping by Pieliekamais! See you next year!

31 Days: Celebrate!

Hello, and welcome! Please join me in celebrating the close of this 31 day writing project, 31 Days to More Abundance.

Some notes -

The hardest part
The hardest part was letting go of my original plan. The willingness to make peace with the fact that a post will end up nothing like I had imagined was what helped me the most to get a post out every day.
Once I hit "publish", I was usually too tired to reply thoughtfully and "properly" to comments from you, my lovely readers, and that's one thing that I did not like.
I also had to let go of reading other 31-dayers "properly". Some days, I just took a quick glimpse at two or three other 31 day writers, but didn't read the entire post. That was the biggest difference from when I was "just" a reader of 31 days. As a reader, I could not get enough of my favorite bloggers' posts. This time, when I was one of the writers, I appreciated brevity.
Practical tip for next time: keep it short!

The most fun part
The most fun part is right now, when the project is done and I have this experience under my belt.
Practical tip for next time: enjoy the journey more!

The most surprising part
During this month of October, many things happened. Not a time to continue with a blog project, right? Wrong! The most surprising part about this challenge was that it gave me a constant. A feeling of "I've got this". This is something that I never expected. Thank you. I am grateful.
Practical tip for next time: Trust that something new will come out of going through a process and sticking with it.

Another plus
Another gain of this project is that I found two very neat series and actually learned something new: I read Amanda Bacon's 31 day series on Alaska (ever wondered what "termination dust" is?), and I also found what must be one of the coolest 31 day topics ever, "31 days from a tractor seat". I did not know that there are girl farmers who bring their kids in the tractor with them during harvest time. I am amazed and humbled, and thank you, Val, I really learned from your posts.
Practical tip for  next time: good graphics do sell. I clicked through to Amanda & Val's blogs because they had cool "buttons".

I'd like to thank the Nester for creating this tradition of writing for 31 days in October.

Thank you for following along!

You can read the entire series, 31 Days to More Abundance, here.

Note: This is not a sponsored post.

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Day 31: Connection, Together

Savor the connection with another being. A lake counts, as does a tree, a bird suddenly on your windowsill, a potted plant.

You know when your cat looks at you and you just know that she is thinking "oh yes, now is the time that I am going to (like every night) race around the apartment all wide-eyed and pretend that I do not understand that you're trying to make the bed. I am going to (like every night) run under the sheets and race around and cause you to squeal. This is our game!"

Play the Memory game with a kid and secretly chuckle and feel your heart swim over with love when the kid decides to "help" you when it's your turn by peeking under the boards just a leeetle.

Those times when you're plowing through a DVD box with someone, and an episode ends, and you look at each other and say, "another one?"

When such moments happen, drop your shoulders and your to-do list, melt into the moment and savor it. Time expands, or stands still. You're calm, and happy. Abundance.

Thank you so much for reading along this series! The 31 days have now come to an end, and the project is finished. To celebrate, there's going to be a little after-party tomorrow afternoon, November 1, 2014: I'll post some notes on the project, share some links, and I'd be happy to answer your questions about "31 Days to More Abundance" - please feel free to leave a question in the comments. See you tomorrow!

Thank you for stopping by Pieliekamais!

Day 30: New Beets

Today, I have some new beets for you:

Friends, you are looking at a variety of the beetroot called "Polka" in Swedish and "Candy cane" in my translation. I am happy to report that I have now tried this type of beet twice, and I love it! Who knew that you could grow beets like this!

Let's take a closer look:

this is what the candy cane beets look like unpeeled. To cook the beets, I cut off the root part and the stem part, halved and/or quartered the beets, and cooked them for about 15 minutes in salted water.

As you look at these gorgeous roots, you might be thinking, what stunning beauties, I am going to show off with them very much. Well, hold your horses, because this is as pretty as it gets. Cooked, my candy cane beets lost much of their color and most of the pattern. (I don't know if cooking the beets whole would have made a difference.) One last look at these pretty ones,

and here is the cooked version (below). Note that the beets are already peeled in this picture, and I tried to make them look as attractive as possible.

What do candy cane beets taste like, then? They taste great. Like regular beets, but a little sweeter. I used these beets in a warm potato salad with cannellini beans, feta-like cheese, and fried button mushrooms. The candy cane beets lent lovely pops of color to the salad without making everything pink like regular beets would maybe do.

More beets?
Here are some beets that my friend grew and how to cook them (in Latvian).
Here is a beet-fennel cream soup I made from Gwyneth Paltrow's book "It's All Good".
And here is a traditional Latvian soup that we only make and eat during summer, when it's unbearably hot outside, our "cold soup" prominently featuring beets.

Finally, it is thanks to this post that I have a renewed interest in beets.

I hope you feel abundance when you try a new vegetable or a new root, and like it. I do.

Thank you for stopping by Pieliekamais!

Day 29: Why Is There Sand in My Handbag?

Today's abundance tip is this:

whenever you can, empty your handbag at the end of the day. Nine times out of ten, you'll thank yourself for doing so.

I came to this realization one day when I was pawing through my bag in search of something and suddenly I felt sand there, rough grains of sand.

Why is there sand in my handbag?, I thought. There was no sand, but I had put a couple of digestive cookies in my bag "for later", cookies that I had forgotten about and carried with me for a good week or two, during which they'd crumbled to "sand".

When you empty your bag at night, you'll often find:
- food that can be popped in the fridge and eaten later
- an important receipt that you want to save
- some brochure or other piece of paper that you want to read later, but won't get around to for a while and will probably keep on carrying with you for a while (paper weighs a lot)
- your planner that you needed to take a look at anyway
- your overstuffed wallet (edit!)
- your phone that needs charging
- shoes (need to be aired)
- random tissues or handkerchiefs
- a water bottle that needs to be rinsed out
and much, much more.

I hope you feel abundance next time you have the energy to give your bag the once over (I'm not saying empty your bag completely and shake it out every night, a once over is enough). The feeling of abundance - if not immediately as you're unpacking the bag (old plastic wrapper from some sandwiches, nice), then the morning after, when you pick up your bag on your way out the door and feel that you did something seemingly small, but important, for yourself.

Here are two things that I also often carry with me: this, and this. I read in a glossy ladies' magazine that some women carry hard-boiled eggs in their purses for the perfect power snack on the go. I have yet to try this. I am fascinated (a hard-boiled egg in your handbag, really? A quick snack between those meetings? Almost the same as whipping out an apple, yeah?), but I am not saying no.

Thank you for stopping by Pieliekamais!

Day 28: Stress Busters

What often gets in the way of feeling abundance? Thoughts that stress us out. Today, I'll tell you about two things that help me stress less, smile more:

1. "Un-dramatize!" This is something I learned from a very wise teacher. ("Avdramatisera" in Swedish.) Un-dramatize means don't give whatever is stressing you out so much power. Un-dramatize is the fastest way to help yourself feel calmer almost right that instant.
I usually say to myself (can't remember which book I got this from, M.J.Ryan, probably) - "millions of people in the world right now are experiencing this/going through this. You'll be fine."
Example: you're late for something for some reason, and you start to spin around and stress out. Un-dramatize! So, you're a little late. Millions of people in the world are late, we're human, that's life. You'll be just fine. And just like that, you can act more calmly, have your wits about you, and maybe even make it on time.

2. Sometimes, if I'm lucky, I'll remember to think of some funny, talented people when I'm stressed out. I cannot simultaneously think of Will Ferrell and be stressed out. I just start to smile. The same goes for Owen Wilson (I love his work in "You, Me and Dupree").

I'll end with one of my favorite quotes from Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy:

"I don't know how to put this, but I'm kind of a big deal. (...) I have many leather-bound books, and my apartment smells of rich mahogany." 

Don't you feel better already?

Photo sources: 1, 2, 3. ´

Thank you for stopping by Pieliekamais!

Day 27: Some Very Neat Feelings

Welcome to Day 27 of 31 Days to More Abundance! To read all the posts in this series, head here. Today's post was first published on September 28, 2013. For this post, I'm adding one new neat feeling at the end of this list, a feeling that makes me feel abundance in that way when you almost feel relief and well-being course through you whole body. Enjoy!

1. Settling in for a long drive
2. When you pick up your face cream and the jar feels heavy (=won't need to get a new one for a while)
3. Seeing that one of your favorite bloggers has posted again
4. Finding one more of something you thought you were out of
5. Putting on brand new dish-washing gloves
6. When you need to wrap a present in a hurry and you find you have everything you need on hand, and it's pretty
7. Seeing a bee gather honey from something you've planted

8. Being on time, a little early even
9. When your favorite magazine comes in the mail, and you discover that it's really thick this time
10. Slipping into clean sheets
11. When you recognize a moment that calls for kindness, and you choose to be kind
12. When you're in for the night

Happy Autumn!

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Day 26: Craftsmanship

Craftsmanship and the feeling of abundance go hand in hand for me. Earlier this fall, I had the pleasure of experiencing not one, but two types of craftsmanship in one day.

I did not know that there is a Latvian company that builds such luxurious beds and headboards (see below) right there in Latvia. I'm glad I happened to visit the store and showroom of Nakts Mēbeles, and even happier about the fact that I got to learn a bit more about the materials and how the beds are made, and that there is an actual old factory restored that's in use today. I loved the hot cocoa color of this headboard:

and the texture of the fabric was so cozy.

Very neat details, and I also loved 

this gallery wall (below) with the company history in photographs. I love the browns and the creams, and the gold here.

I am fascinated by people who are experts at something, people who are passionate about their thing, people who put in the time. It was therefore a pleasure to meet Žanis Raivo Behmanis, the sous-chef of the restaurant Kuk Buk, the creator of this:

My friend and I were presented with this "compliments from the chef" dessert tasting menu. I was very excited and so happy that someone would take the time to create something so beautiful. My friend said that a tasting menu like this would be an excellent ice-breaker for first dates, and I agree - there's nothing like bonding over a new experience, nothing like exploring all these tastes on one plate. I loved that the overall dessert theme was so Nordic early autumn:

we were treated to beetroot mousse made with cottage cheese and served with lingonberry chutney (above), pumpkin cream, a truffle brownie, meringue and a smoked apple jam.  And why not decorate with baby salads? Pretty and delicious. There were also raspberries and blueberries, the whole plate was a wonderful surprise, but the best part was getting to meet the chef and talking to him briefly about what's cooking now and in the future.

For another lovely combination, take a look at this chocolate-basil cake.

New here? Happy to see you! You can read all the posts in this 31 day series here.

Note: This is not a sponsored post.

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Day 25: Culture Codes

One of my favorite things to read is culture codes. There's almost nothing like being on the other side of the world and suddenly you see something that reminds you of home (like a Norwegian salmon sandwich for breakfast in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, or seeing a long hauler from your country when you're far away from home). The more places you get to know, the more codes you learn. Today, a very Swedish phenomenon for you. Who can tell me what this is?

I first encountered this in a print ad, and I thought it was broccoli cream soup or similar. Well, kids, you're actually looking at a Princess Cake, a classic Swedish cake.
Let's take a closer look:

as you can see, the cake consists of a simple "sugar cake" sponge layered with seedless raspberry jam, vanilla cream, and whipped cream. All of this is topped with green marzipan. One important thing to know here is that in Sweden, whipped cream is always made without sugar (which was a shock for this Latvian to discover).

So while the Princess cake might look very heavy and sugary, the unsweetened whipped cream in combination with the raspberry jam actually makes for a very "fresh" tasting cake (if you remove the marzipan cover, which is meant to be eaten, but it also makes this cake too sweet for me).

To get neat slices, run your knife under hot water, quickly shake the knife off and cut (no need to dry the knife with a towel). Run the knife under hot water after each cut.

The Princess cake comes in different marzipan colors (pink, yellow, white, and even blue), but this lime green is the classic version.

I hope you enjoyed learning about this classic Swedish treat. 

Thank you for stopping by Pieliekamais!

Day 24: Smooth Moves

Today's abundance tip: if you would like to be happy for almost the entire time while you vacuum the floor, do this -

replace the glider pads of your vacuum cleaner. Glider what? The small pieces of felt-like fabric that were once glued to the hard, flat plastic areas of your vacuum cleaner nozzle. The soft pieces that are now probably so worn out they're hardly even attached anymore.

I've done this a couple of times, and the effect of this tiny action is fantastic. Suddenly, the vacuum and I glide around. It feels almost like an infomercial. (Note that glider pads of this type work best on hard floors, like linoleum or wood. Carpet vacuuming is different.)

This time, I did not try to find glider pads that would be an exact or a close match to my vacuum cleaner model. I bought the cheapest glider pad pack that I could find (at the grocery store), and just improvised with sticking the tiny grey felt-like pieces on the nozzle.

I had prepared the nozzle by removing whatever was left of the old glider pads, and I also made sure the plastic was free of any dust or dirt. I stuck the self-adhesive pieces on, and then decided to wait at least overnight so that the glue would really take (not sure if it was necessary, but it made sense to wait).

Also, I am saving the "skeleton" (the part of the glider pad that was left over once I removed all the pre-cut pieces, you can see it in the baggie in the picture above) - there is glue on the back of the entire square, so I'll just cut out creative pieces when it's time to replace some worn out ones.

Bonus abundance tip today: All this glue talk reminded me of a great book by Marina Lewycka, We Are All Made of Glue. I absolutely loved it. If you're looking for a book that will feel like you have a smart and compassionate friend to come home to, this book is it.

Note: This is not a sponsored post.

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Day 23: Gratitude

"Gratitude is magic." - M.J.Ryan

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Day 22: Imperfect

Today, I am inviting abundance by

accepting imperfect.

I got these kitty and puppy stickers on sale, and I'm thinking of using these stickers for address labels for my Christmas cards this year. No, they won't match. Nope, this pale pink and muddy mint - not Christmas colors. No, they're not my dream Christmas labels. But I'm thinking that addressing a few stickers now will maybe help me get the Christmas cards out on time this year. Imperfect, but it might just work. I'm starting to stockpile non-Christmassy stamps, too.

I received a card in the mail yesterday - a "real" envelope among the bills, with my friend's handwriting on it. Seeing it was such a treat; it made me so happy. Here's hoping that come December, an envelope with a "sad kitty face" address label might bring a friend a smile after a tough day.

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Day 21: Create

Every fall my city organizes a Culture Night. It's free, open for all, and this one-night festival has grown so much over the years that you could walk around all night and there would still be new surprises to discover. One of the most striking pieces I saw this year was this -

a flower dress made by Ellika Daunfeldt and Emelie Smedeby of the florist school Floristutbildarna. The piece is called "Nature's Haute Couture", and it was on display at our art museum. I just love all the details, and I am in awe of all this creativity.

Below is the front of the dress, with a few more details:

those two soft grasses on the shoulder strap - so beautiful.

I am so grateful that I got to see this piece live. Today's abundance thought is this:

when someone makes something that takes your breath away, enjoy it - every morsel, take it all in, because this enjoyment will make you create something amazing in turn.

Thank you for stopping by Pieliekamais!

Day 20: Go Out and See Things

... and let yourself be surprised. Like what you like. Allow yourself to imagine.

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Day 19: You'll So Thank Yourself For Doing This Come Christmas

Today's idea for creating more abundance in your life is this:

organize your address book. Yes, it's a big job, but you'll be so glad you did it.

I hadn't majorly edited my address book for quite a while, so every time I'd need to look up an address quickly, I would need to be super careful about not scattering all the notes I had tucked inside the covers "to be filed away later".

While editing, some decisions were easy - get rid of any duplicates, throw away anything that's outdated. Yet other decisions - you tell me. What do you do with phone numbers and business cards of your grandparents who've passed away? (I miss you.) Throw away a card with your grandma's handwriting on it? (I didn't.)

As a result of this edit, I realized I need to stick all the wedding programs and birth announcements in a separate box. I also cannot bring myself to chuck envelopes that the kids in my life have addressed to me - seeing their handwriting just goes straight to my heart, and makes me want to be a better person. So I am open to the idea that some pages in my address book will resemble a scrap book.

I am not completely done with the "big edit", but I'm happy with the progress I've made. Now for the title of this post - from this point on, I am officially gearing up for this year's Christmas cards. Writing Christmas cards is one of my favorite traditions ever. My now much neater address book will be a pleasure to work with.

Finally, a super realistic bonus tip: snap a picture with your phone of the two or three addresses you use the most but don't know by heart. I've done this, and I look the addresses up in my phone (among the pictures) all the time.

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Day 18: Apples and Oranges, With No Sticky Hands

I don't mind eating an apple (or an orange) for a snack from time to time. What I do mind is getting apple juice on my hands. Here's my solution:

I slice and core the apple, pop the slices in this little container, and bring it with me. Then I eat the apple slices with a fork. The same principle applies to oranges. You're welcome.

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Day 17: Choose to Notice Abundance Right Now

Abundance: open your eyes and look at all that you already have. Instead of thinking that maybe I should plant some heather and decorative cabbage (a very classic Scandinavian autumn thing to do), I choose to

appreciate how much of my summer garden is still blooming. I sowed these little beauties back in February, and look at them bloom their little hearts out today, on October 17! (We've been having a very mild autumn.)

What will you notice today?

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Day 16 : Closed loop "recycling"

Today I'd like to tell you about a very neat way to create abundance for you and for your neighbors:

start a "free stuff" place.

In my building, we have one wall near the elevator bank that is the dedicated "free stuff" place. Got something that's not useful to you anymore, but it'd be a pity to just throw it away? Stick it by the "free stuff" wall!

Not everyone bothers to make a sign that says "free stuff", but we've put things there for so long that by now, everyone knows that anything that is put by that wall is fair game.

Just recently I scored nine (nine!) DVDs. That is quite a few hours of absolutely free entertainment - thank you, my neighbor!

What is absolutely perfect about the "free stuff" wall is that this "swap" requires no actual and potentially awkward contact with your neighbors. Your old stuff moves on, which is absolutely perfect from the environment point of view, and it takes you almost no time at all to do this good deed.

Examples of things I've "recycled" this way is books, house plants, magazines, flower pots, DVDs, and old balcony chairs.  I am amazed that everything goes, usually in a matter of hours.

What could you stand to remove from your home today? Is there an item that's not serving you anymore, but would make someone else's day?

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Day 15: A Warm Meal

Thank goodness for leftovers.

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Day 14: The Simplest Recipe

The simplest recipe for more abundance is this -

go out in nature. I need to be out in the woods just like I need coffee, and just like I need the internet sometimes. Look at what I discovered recently -

how beautiful this light, puffy type of moss looks together with the still green leaves and ferns. The moss looks almost like snow, but it's not, and the green against the pale, pale green, almost silvery white of the moss looks so lush and happy. It's like a winter fairy-tale in autumn; magic.

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