Serendipity

A Valentine for Charlie.....

2012-02-02T11:29:00.000-05:00

As many of my followers know, I have been going through boxes and boxes of "stuff". It took me a long time to have the energy and will to do so. I have found some real treasures including this Valentine sent to my father in 1921. He was born in 1916. He died in 2001. I miss him. I was thrilled to find this in one of the boxes.

I will keep it displayed through Valentine's Day and then put away for another year.

He was a cutie as you can see.

I am joining Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday's Valentine celebration.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Meatballs and Spaghetti and Chocolate Truffles....

2012-02-01T04:38:00.000-05:00

We had friends for dinner this past weekend. Jack did the cooking. It was wonderful. I set the table and chose the dessert. We always make the sauce ahead so the day of the dinner can be more relaxing. The last minute stuff in the kitchen for company no longer works as well for us as it used to.

The sauce and meatballs were made. The house smelled wonderful all day.

A few simple hors d'oeuvres before dinner. Nothing fancy.

Then the dinner....

The meatballs were perfect.

Then espresso and dessert. The heart shaped truffles are from Nancy's Candy Kitchen. They are delicious.

I set up the dessert on the Welch cupboard and used trays so that I could serve on the coffee table. It worked well.

This tray belonged to my Dad.

I remember him serving drinks on the porch and using this to carry them out. There is a stamp on the back which is quite worn but says Wenham Workbench, Wenham, Mass. Google failed me. I believe it is lucite with aluminum sides. I have been reorganizing the dish closet and have found some items I had forgotten about.

I hope everyone is having a good week. I know today will be good for us because we are having leftovers!

It's a mystery.....

2012-01-26T06:49:00.000-05:00

I have been knitting quite a bit. I will be a great aunt in March so of course there is baby knitting but there are also some projects that I am working on and trying to finish. I spend one day a week at the knitting store and would like to do two but appointments keep getting in the way. Maybe next week.

I am stringing beads for a scarf. I do this when the light is good - very tedious but I like the bling of it with a black dress.

And then I started the Mystery Knit. I have no idea what it will be except big. And there is pink in it! Each week a set of directions are sent by email. I just completed week two.

There is pink, purple, fuschia, coral, orange, olive, and red and more as the yarn self stripes for an interesting effect.

I have all this left!

And of course I don't know what it is because it's a mystery! I shall keep you posted. Now back to that baby blanket.

I am joining Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for another Pink Saturday. Why not stop by and say hi?

Another road trip....

2012-01-25T07:43:00.000-05:00

Last weekend we went to Arcadia again. This little Florida town is full of antique/stuff shops - sort of something for everyone. Arcadia is a combination of Old Florida and the old Wild West.

We went into most of the shops. I am only looking for certain things as space is becoming a problem.

I love dishes and glassware but I really do have enough.....I think.....

McCoy pottery calls my name and I love old silverplate flatware serving pieces.

Then it was time for lunch.

We had a light lunch....

Another fun day. I found a small McCoy vase and 4 soup/gumbo spoons.

Visit to a Garden

2012-01-22T05:44:00.000-05:00

We recently spent some time with good friends in Naples. A visit to the Naples Botanical Garden had been discussed on other visits but was a reality this time. It was wonderful! My favorite part of the garden was the Children's Garden which had an enclosed butterfly house. You can read about the garden here. And you can get a free app for your iPhone or iPad at the app store.

As usual I was up very early and caught this sunrise from their lanai. It was a good sign. A trip to my friend's knitting store, lunch with the husbands and then off to the gardens.

The flowers were beautiful. The landscape was gorgeous.

I shall visit again. If you are in the area, the gardens are a treat.

Roses Make Me Happy...

2012-01-19T06:48:00.002-05:00

Actually flowers make me happy. Whether they are on the coffee table in my grandmother's vase or in the garden, I love to look at them. I love this color. My color choices tend to favor the corals and peaches with a touch of yellow.

I miss some of the programs that I used to have before I got the Mac. Photobucket has some effects for photos. The collage was created with a Fresco effect. I like to turn the photographs into paintings.

Picasa lets me make a collage.

Hope your day is happy! I am joining Kathy at A Delightsome Life for Home and Garden Thursday. Stop by and visit her and see all the wonderful posts.

Finding Pinks Around the House.....

2012-01-12T06:47:00.004-05:00

When I think about the colors I have in my home, I don't necessarily think Pink! But a closer look reveals a lot of pink here and there.

From pottery to fabric...

Treasures from my mother, grandmother and mother-in-law have touches of pinks. These wonderful ladies who were so much a part of my life have been gone for a while but when my fingers touch something they made or gave me, wonderful memories surround me.

So as you can see, a little pink here and a little pink there....

Happy Pink Saturday!

I am joining Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for another Pink Saturday. I shall start looking for more pink for next Saturday.

What's new for the New Year.....

2012-01-08T07:24:00.001-05:00

I have made no formal resolutions this year. However, I have made some agreements with myself that I hope to uphold. First, I shall try to stay out of all and I mean all political discussions this election year. I shall look the other way at first and then get up and leave - just so you know.

I am also tired of spending money on restaurants with food that is not prepared on site. We rarely go out to dinner but lunch is something we both enjoy. We are cooking at home and having wonderful lunches. Today we shall have onion soup courtesy of Ina Garten. I shall make some open faced cheese sandwiches to accompany.

Last year my word was accomplish and I did actually accomplish quite a bit. I have projects I need to finish this year and I shall try but I am also going to try to enjoy my home and the life we have here in Florida for the cold months and Maine in the summer. I find myself drifting away from some of the quilting and leaning toward knitting. My niece and her husband are having a baby in March and the needles are clicking away.

My knitting skills need to be sharpened a bit and I am amazed and thrilled at the information on the internet. I am also lucky to have a wonderful yarn shop near by. If you are in the Sarasota area and love to knit, be sure to visit A Good Yarn. You will be overjoyed.

I spent the day knitting there on Friday. Good company and good knitters. I had not brought a project but admired a blanket on the table. Very quickly, I was knitting thanks to the wonderful staff. Because this blanket is knit out of leftover sock yarn, I could buy a bag of colors called "Sock Bites" from Pagewood Farms. Perfect.

There are lots of bright colors for this baby arriving in March!
While I was at The Cotton Patch, a quilt shop in Sarasota, I found these wonderful labels. They are called "Sprinkles" and made by Izzy and Ivy.

I will use this one on the blanket.
A new knitting bag is ready to go for the next knitting day. I have a new little point and shoot camera (in orange) thanks to some Christmas dollars. I shall also take my iPad to show pictures of my beautiful grandchildren and my other projects.

I hope you all have a wonderful week!

A New Year

2012-01-01T09:22:00.003-05:00

I was visiting blogs the other morning and stopped in to see Snap at Tales from Twisty Lane. She had this framed and featured. The more I thought about it the more I liked it. I tried to google but could not find anything even resembling what she had so I went to Word and created/copied this idea. There are some wonderful, funky fonts to download at dafont. Thank you Snap and to the person who created this. It says it all!

I think I shall keep this frame filled with seasonal thoughts. This looks nice on the Welsh cupboard and will greet guests as they come into the house.

Santa brought me a Food Saver. Jack and I cooked all week. The freezer is full of some wonderful meals for the next month. We had ham for Christmas dinner at our friends' house. Nothing would do but for us to cook a ham. We made pea soup in the slow cooker.

We ate it before I remembered to take a picture. I served this with Anadama Bread made in the bread machine. House smelled wonderful all day.

Happy New Year to all my blogging friends. I wish you all the best for the coming year.

Christmas Eve in Florida

2011-12-22T06:03:00.003-05:00

At times it does seem odd to have all the windows open while looking at the Christmas tree and listening to Christmas music. Coming from northern parts, it took a while for me to get used to celebrating without snow! I miss family and friends up north but we have friends here and they become our family for this season. I celebrate Christmas in July with my children and grandchildren up north!

I am ready this year more than any other year that I can remember. We started decorating the house right after Thanksgiving which created a calming effect for me. I enjoyed writing my cards in front of the tree. I baked with music playing in the background. Most of my gifts are homemade or vintage pieces that I am re-gifting so that there was not last minute panic which saved me and my pocketbook! As I wrapped each one, I took my time. The packages look pretty good for someone who is ribbon-challenged. I think the teddy bears I made years ago helped the process along.

There are some wonderful cooks out there in Blogland and this year two recipes were on my menu. Pam of Pam's Midwest Corner shared a recipe this summer for Italian Sausages Roasted with Grapes. We decided to have this for Christmas Eve and we were not disappointed. I served the sausages with creamy polenta but they are wonderful with mashed potatoes. You can print the recipe here. Thank you Pam. You can visit her here.

We started the meal with an Antipasto. I like to try different meats and cheeses. The composition is fun and a light drizzle of good olive oil and the vinegar of your choice complete the presentation. I usually use red wine vinegar but Balsamic is also a good choice.

This year I made individual plates which included Mortadella, Provolone, Milano salami, Piave Fresco (the cubes) and white sardines with marinated olives. I arranged these on a bed of Spring greens.

Then dessert! I have been intrigued by this since Thanksgiving. Another wonderful cooking blog that I follow is Schnitzel and the Trout. Susan shared this recipe for Orange Ice Cream with Dried Cherries and Toasted Pecans. You can see it here. You can visit her blog here. Thank you Susan.

I served the ice cream with Forgotten Cookies and a small bit of Drambuie. There are hundreds of recipes for these cookies. Google and see which you would like to try.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a Wonderful New Year to you all.

Christmas in the studio

2011-12-18T05:50:00.001-05:00

The year we became engaged my parents had a cocktail party to introduce Rich to their friends. My Aunt June (a Christmas diva) came to help my mother decorate. There was a tree in every room and each tree had a theme. I cannot remember them all clearly. In my room was a bride's tree and it was white as I recall. In the bathroom was the Santa tree. My mother saved those decorations in a baggie and I have kept this for many, many years. I meant to do a tree last year but never got around to it but this year it happened.

The baggie contained candy canes, 2 chains of bells and the Santa heads attached to pipe cleaners. I added the paper dolls (never too old for dolls). The tree is from Pottery Barn.

My quilt shop had kits to make these dolls. I like it when everything you need is included so you can come right home and start the project. If I have to drive all over town to gather this and that, I often lose interest in the whole thing! These dolls were ironed to a backing and cut out. I placed them in the tree and on my desk.

The colors are quite seasonal!

Now it is time for a cup of coffee, looking at the tree and a few last minute cards!

Almost Ready...really.....

2011-12-15T06:10:00.001-05:00

The menu is planned and some of the gifts are wrapped. It is very early in the morning and the house is peaceful. This is my favorite time of the day. The lights are on on the tree and the coffee will be ready in a minute. Jack is still asleep but not for long and another day will start soon. We have errands to do. I remember my parents doing errands. They would take all day and I would just shake my head. Most likely we will be gone a good part of the day!

This time of the year brings back many memories of my childhood and growing up in a little town in New Jersey. As I set the table and decorate the house, I bring out many of the things that belonged to both my grandmother and my mother and I treasure them. You will see them on my Christmas table next week.

This year I have used many recipes from blogging friends. My dinner and dessert will be from 2 wonderful cooks who blog and share. I will write about these recipes next week as well. I wouldn't want to spoil any surprises!

The embroidery machine has been busy and the tea towels ~~that are never to be touched~~ are on display. Even the guest bathroom is ready.

Well, I have really rambled this morning. I need to get out of this chair and get that coffee. I am joining Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for another Pink Saturday. Be sure to stop in and see some wonderful Holiday posts.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Soup, Sandwiches and Cookies.....

2011-12-05T06:14:00.001-05:00

I hope everyone had a good weekend. We spent most of the time in the kitchen! The house is decorated, the Christmas music is organized and there is just a feeling of contentment. I am reminded of growing up in a small New Jersey town. This time of year there was lots of snow and we would go sledding - fearlessly I might add. In those days the street would be closed to all traffic but sledders.

We would only take a break for lunch. We were rosy cheeked and hungry and my mother would have lunch ready. More often than not there would be a bowl of tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich.

I am a huge fan of Ina Garten and her recipes. So that is what we made. You can find the recipe here. We doubled the recipe.

Mom never added basil! Or Creme Fraiche!

After this had cooked for the allotted time, the food mill came out and finished the job. We froze bags of this for future lunches. I don't know about you but I have been disappointed recently in many of the lunches we have in restaurants. This lunch was not a disappointment.

We reheated the soup in the top of a double boiler and then made the grilled cheese sandwiches with extra sharp cheddar.

Lunch was good. Then I made cookies.

You can print recipe here. A neighbor in Maine gave me this recipe years ago. It only makes 3 dozen so they usually all disappeared after school and before supper.

Have a wonderful week!

Enjoying the view.......

2011-12-01T08:56:00.001-05:00

The downstairs is about as decorated as it will be until I set the table for Christmas Eve. We only have one place to eat inside so I wait until closer to the day. I know there are those who don't like to decorate so early but I do for two reasons. I have arthritis and I cannot rush at the last minute without paying serious consequences and Jack and I love sharing this holiday as we both had some very empty ones before we met. I write my blog very early in the morning and was wonderful to come downstairs this morning while it was still dark and turn on the lights on the tree. A cup of coffee and the day started beautifully. Maybe tomorrow I will make cookies!

I was reading Lines from Linderhof the other day and saw her making pomanders. Years ago I made these but had not even thought of them for quite a while. Thank you Martha! Jack sat with a bowl of whole cloves and a knitting needle and I unwrapped the ornaments and put them on the tree.

This year we have a real tree. I am so used to a prelit artificial tree that the lights are not as even as I would have done years ago....There is always next year.

A few years back we saw a wall hanging in my quilt shop and nothing would do but I had to make it.

The wall hanging is done in tiles and then sewn together. It was done on my embroidery machine and has a gazillion stitches and took a long time. Jack ~~nagged me until it was done~~ was a great help with his words of encouragement. The design is by Anita Goodesign. You can see her designs here.

I am joining Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday. This holiday season we can post either pink or holiday.

Happy Pink Saturday!

Memory Monday

2011-11-26T15:54:00.001-05:00

I am joining Donna at Brynwood Needleworks for Memory Monday. This is a post done in December of 2009 for Pink Saturday with a little reformatting.

I love Christmas and all that goes with it – the music, the decorations, the food and the reason for its being. I always have. Growing up in New Jersey, we always made a fuss about Christmas. Gram Potter would come to visit from Sussex and there would be a wonderful dinner at Uncle George’s in Green Village. There was always a new dress, a doll, and books. My dress was usually red. The books were so that my sister and I would not bug the adults as they celebrated in another room.

Each year there would be a new ornament or two for the tree. As we got older, my sister and I got to help pick them out. My mother liked to decorate the tree. Each strand of tinsel needed to go on separately. It took forever and the lights could not go on until the tinsel was on and it took forever….. My dad would offer to help but one at a time did not work for him. The front of the tree always looked better.

I found this picture buried in a box while I was cleaning out paperwork. It was taken in 1953. Such different times. Gram Potter (my dad’s mother) was truly an influence on me even after she was gone. Her love of her home, her gardens, her family and friends was legendary.

Notice my sister has the Madame Alexander Bride doll ~~and~~ ~~I have a fake smile~~…….I loved Madame Alexander dolls. I still think Santa may have made a mistake on that one….

Getting a head start.....

2011-11-26T09:11:00.001-05:00

Thanksgiving was wonderful. I didn't take pictures. I think I was on strike or some such thing. However, I will do a recap soon. I gained 5 pounds just from the potatoes and the dessert. Yesterday we started the decorating. I know it seems early but when one has a blog, holidays are perfect subjects. I am determined this year to shop the house and try to use what I have.

On the coffee table, I started with a shawl from Chico's that I have had for a couple of years. I have collected PB Mercury for a few years and I arranged some on top. I have a glass container from PB which I filled with ornaments.

I even found candles - you know the pretty ones that you hesitate to burn. This year they will be lit.

The sofa table by the stairs has a simple arrangement. The Vietri plate makes a nice background for the angel, I think.

I started the Welsh cupboard but we need to get some boxes out of the attic before I can finish that job.

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day and that this Holiday Season brings good tidings for you and yours.

Discombobulation!

2011-11-18T06:09:00.001-05:00

I am discombobulated! Each November we come back to Florida and and every June we go back to Maine. Although there are always little inconveniences associated with the change, we have never had it be this difficult. We were delayed a day by the storm. Arrived at the house to have the neighbors tell me that the AC was cycling on and off and the pool was losing water. The new AC ($$$$$) was installed and the pool pump replaced ($$$). I had arranged to have Fios for phone and internet and that took all day and messed up my alarm system ($$). Fish tank sprang a leak (messy and new one $$). We did save the fish. Jack had a toothache and emergency dental services were required($$$). Whew - probably TMI but explains why I have not been blogging or visiting too much. Thanks for listening! I think the beautiful Christmas cactus helped.

I have a fondness for vintage pottery. We did get out and about for a day and I found some for the studio. I have a Murphy bed on one wall which looks like a bookcase when the bed is not in use. I am using the shelves to display the pottery I have collected.

My plans to get the house organized and then live in my studio aren't quite happening yet. However, the last of jobs for the house should be finished today and Jack is making chili. Tomorrow I shall start some Thanksgiving dishes that can be prepared and frozen.

Think onions!

Have a wonderful weekend.

Holiday Projects......

2011-11-11T04:50:00.001-05:00

I know it is early to be talking about Christmas but it will be here before I know it and I have many things I would like to make before the holidays. I make most of the gifts I give to family and friends or I gift items that have been in the family and need to be passed on to someone who will treasure the piece that is living on a shelf in a cupboard.

And I like to make calendars. Last year Shutter Sisters provided templates for 2011. These templates could be used with Photoshop. This year I found the templates here. I struggle with Photoshop but managed to make a start this week. I would love to make my own templates but I don't see that in the near future!

The templates provided by Rick LePage are wonderful and so I began. The hardest part is choosing the photos you want to include and getting them in a place where you can add them to the template.

I am still playing with my photographs and choosing the ones I would like to use. I print them myself on 5 x 7 photograph paper. Someday I will have them printed elsewhere but for now I do them myself.

I am joining Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for another Pink Saturday! Below is one of the designs I am thinking of for February and it is PINK.

Happy Pink Saturday!

This and that on a Monday morning.....

2011-11-07T06:08:00.001-05:00

I was awake very early this morning...It will take awhile to adjust to the time change. We are getting settled. It takes longer each year. It is the boxes we pack and ship. I am ~~ridiculous when it is time to go north~~ learning that I really will not accomplish all the projects I ship to the cabin. The cabin is for photography and one or two very small projects.

This is fabric in a box. I have almost finished this quilt. Almost is the key word. The whole studio is sort of a shambles as I find a home for everything in the boxes.

The desk is a mess.

I have a weakness for McCoy pottery. I have rearranged the shelves and will show you pictures later.

Yesterday I had just had enough of studio chaos. I accepted that I will probably not be knitting socks and instead started a baby blanket designed to be made with leftover sock yarn.

It is called the Zig and Zig Sock Yarn Pram Blanket and was designed by Debbie Orr. You can find the pattern here. It was a real treat to leave the studio for a bit but today is another day and I will be putting away the last box and getting ready to work on projects for Christmas.

Hope you have a wonderful week!

Home at last...

2011-11-05T05:42:00.001-04:00

A nor'easter changed our travel plans this year. Our flight was cancelled. However, I commend Jet Blue for the way it was handled. I received an e-mail that included new flight information for the following day. We were able to have the room at the hotel for another night and avoided the airport scene. It was a long day as we were up at 3am but the room was lovely and and we were happy to just hunker down for an extra day.

This post is sort of a good news bad news one. The good news being that we got home safely and the house was clean and sparkly and the refrigerator was stocked, dinner was almost ready and there were roses on the table. Thank you.

My grandmother always had a tin of these cookies called rocks. They make a most wonderful ice cream sandwich!

So all seemed well. The pool had a new pump. It was faulty and my neighbors had to fill my pool. It was not the most pleasant experience with the pool company. They were very angry that they would have to replace and eat the cost!!!!!

The air conditioner was cycling on and off every 20 seconds. A service call brought the news that a new one would be needed. There was no point in putting a huge amount of money into an old system. So that was my week! Hope yours was better.

I am still unpacking and arranging "stuff" - more on that later.

A little break....

2011-10-28T05:17:00.002-04:00

I will be back next week! I need to unpack the boxes I shipped, fill the pantry, and all the other chores that go along with being away for 5 months. My internet will be reliable and I will not be worried about exceeding the gig limit on the useless modem! I am anxious to see my home and get my studio going. Have a great weekend blogging friends. See you soon.

Around town and in the backyard.....

2011-10-25T16:39:00.000-04:00

Except for the very last minute ~~stuffing~~ packing the carry-ons - I have finished! Hopefully I have every charger for every electronic device! The trip back and forth has become slightly difficult since my hip replacement. The intimate attention from security is quite invasive. I don't have a solution and they have been professional but still....I am a white haired, arthritic older person. Oh, well.

Jack's yard attracts deer because of an old apple tree in his front yard. I wanted a picture so I set up a blind of sorts. I raised the blinds and placed a chair and chose my lens and camera. I thought about camouflage clothing but didn't want to spend the money - just kidding. Jack had knocked the apples off the top of the tree earlier with his snow rake. I sat and waited and sure enough across the road they came.

He posed for the camera. I got lots of pictures (I almost said shots!!!). The light was beginning to fade. Hunting season starts next week....

Today we took a ride looking for stone walls and old barns.

This barn and home are being restored. I will look forward to seeing what they have done next year.

There was no traffic so we stopped on the bridge in Bolster's Mills.

The sky over the lake was amazing.

It was a good day! Hope you are having a good week!

Finishing is a good thing.....

2011-10-20T08:58:00.002-04:00

We are right down to the wire as we finish up packing and organizing to head back to Florida. I must remember not to bring so many projects next year as I shipped back a large box of yarn and fabric I never got to use. However, I did make another mug mat to match the teabag holder that my friend Rett at The Gazebo House made for me. You can visit her blog here. Notice the pink flower!

A friend in South Portland taught me to make flowers. She had given me this felted hat a couple of years ago. It is fuchsia (pinky purple). I bet you can see where I am going with this....

The flower looks nice on the mug mat too. Notice the pinks in the mug mat (Kaffe fabrics).

Some projects completed!

The Fiesta cup and saucer are not pink but were the best match for the fabric.

I am joining Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for another Pink Saturday and I bet you guessed!

I had my mammogram this past week. I hope you have had yours.

Happy Pink Saturday!

Ramblings and wanderings.......

2011-10-17T16:16:00.001-04:00

We have left the little red cabin. She is clean and ready for winter. She hibernates for 7 months and waits for us to come back in June. While Jack finished the sweeping I took some pictures. We divide the closing chores!

The path used to be part of the narrow gauge railroad which made trips from Harrison to Bridgton. I will do more research next summer.

The colors have not been as brilliant this year with all the rain and wind but the colors are still beautiful.

The recent sunrise was spectacular. The morning was cold and here I am outside before 6am in my jammies and slippers taking pictures.

I wish I knew what kind of bush this is. Might be chokecherry but I just can't pin it down. If anyone knows I would appreciate the name.

Have a great week!

Not Pink but.....

2011-10-14T10:52:00.000-04:00

One of my blogging friends has opened an Etsy store. You may know Eileen from The Pink Home. Her photography is beautiful and she has been designing her own fabric for Spoonflower. Here is the link to her blog. You can read about Spoonflower here. Eileen has another blog called The Art of Living Beautifully. You can find it here. I think of Eileen and I think PINK. Her blogs are inspirational so I hope you will stop by and say hi! I may have to get some more fabric.

I saw this Christmas fabric and ordered it right away. I am not sure what I shall do with it but I shall come up with something.

I am joining Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for another Pink Saturday. I hope you all have a

Happy Pink Saturday!!!!

Look what followed me home....

2011-10-10T09:43:00.000-04:00

I have always been a collector. When I moved to Florida, I was brutal in my downsizing. Now I write this blog and I find myself collecting and gathering once again....I had 2 Singer Featherweight sewing machines. I sold one and gifted the other. I never really missed them until recently. There is a blogger who uses one....I can't remember who it is but something stuck in the back of my mind. I looked them up on eBay. Last Sunday we were supposed to go to the fair but the weather was horrid so we went antiquing. And there right as I walked in was a Singer Featherweight in all her glory. What's a girl to do????

She runs like a charm and has all her parts. She was made in 1955. I was 11.

Now if I could just get this quilt sewn together!

Relish the relish......

2011-10-05T10:12:00.001-04:00

We did it. We have talked about it for a couple of years. We found green tomatoes and we made green tomato relish. Above is my Gram Potter's meat grinder - a Russwin made around 1901. I have found that grinding the ingredients for the relish gives a texture that I prefer. However, the relish has also been made in a food processor.

I chopped and Jack used the grinder.

One of the first posts I wrote is about this relish and you can find the recipe here. The spacing was a real issue for me back then!

We added some hot peppers for a little zing!

We salted the mixture to draw out the excess liquid and then rinsed and drained the mixture. The rest of the ingredients were added and then cooked on top of the stove until dark and thicker. The cabin smelled wonderful!

Until next year!

Gingerbread on a Pink Plate

2011-09-29T10:09:00.000-04:00

While we were away last weekend, we indulged a bit. Jack and I rarely have a dessert but this was just too good to turn down. This recipe is from my friend's mother. They are both wonderful bakers who excel in traditional New England favorites. The recipe was originally from a Rebekah cookbook.

These community cookbooks are full of wonderful recipes. The directions are not always precise but a little experimenting can soon figure the recipe out!

Mother's Gingerbread

2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon each of cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger
1/2 cup oil
1 cup molasses
1 cup very hot water
Beat all together with mixer. Spray 9 x13 pan with baking spray.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until done.

The lace doily which looks like an heirloom was made on an embroidery machine. Just amazing what these machines can do.

This little plate was made by Carr China from Grafton, W. Virginia. The pattern is Dayton with a Greek Key border. Carr China made restaurant and diner china for years and it is now very collectible. You can read about the company here.

I am joining Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for another Pink Saturday. I hope you will stop by and say hi!

Happy Pink Saturday!

A weekend away.....

2011-09-26T10:06:00.000-04:00

We spent the weekend with friends in South Portland. I now have "material" for several postings! So I should be right back! We had our "beach" cocktail party last weekend and I served this Baked Brie but it disappeared before I could get a picture. So I made it again for our friends this weekend.

Baked Brie

3/4 cup apricot jam or preserves(not jelly)
1/4 cup honey 
1/4 cup brown sugar 
8-inch wheel of Brie, about 2 pounds
3/4 cup slivered almonds

Whisk the jam, honey and brown sugar together and set aside.

Cut off the top portion of the rind. Using a spoon, scoop out the center of the brie round to within 3/4 of an inch of the sides and bottom. Try to do this in one piece. Save this cheese. Spread half the jam mixture over the bottom. Replace the scooped-out cheese, and top with the remaining jam mixture. Sprinkle the almonds over the top. Cover loosely with foil and bake in a preheated 350° oven just until melted, about 30 minutes. Remove the foil for the last 5 minutes of baking. Serve with crackers, apple slices or a baguette.

New words to live by......

2011-09-21T09:28:00.000-04:00

Someone once said, "There comes a time in your life, when you walk away from all the drama and people who create it. You surround yourself with people who make you laugh. Forget the bad and focus on the good. Love the people who treat you right and pray for the ones who don't. Life is too short to be anything but happy. Falling down is a part of life, getting back up is living." Being alive is a gift, being happy is by choice.....

As we come to the end of the summer and get ready to head back to Florida, us "beach people" have a gathering at Jack's house in town.

Last summer was the year of the hip for me. This summer others had health issues which were quite serious. We look forward a healthy season next year. We celebrated with some food and drink.

The words were posted on Facebook.

Have a wonderful week!

Pink Saturday

2011-09-16T08:44:00.000-04:00

I will repost a Pink Saturday from the past this week. I have fallen so far behind this month. This is most likely because I am trying to do too much. Combine that with the lack of consistent internet at the cabin and you will understand.

I think my favorite color is sort of a peachy, salmony pink - or at least it was today when I saw the whiskey barrels planted with these lantanas in North Conway. We ran errands today and while Jack went to get the car, I raced to snap pictures of the flowers.

They are just the softest color. I love the yellow with them.

We came back and put away groceries and I took my little stroll around my little garden - very little stroll as garden is very little...

This pansy was peeking around a geranium.

The geraniums are the same lovely color.

I am joining Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for another Pink Saturday. Please stop by and see all the other participants.

Happy Pink Saturday!

In with the old and out with the new....

2011-09-13T10:35:00.001-04:00

I know that seems backwards but we are loving older items that have been cherished and made in America. I admit to my compulsive behavior regarding dishes so when I saw these at Deb's, I was a goner. I thought they would be perfect for Jack's house. He said no but this is a picture of unpacking dishes at his house.

The dishes below have been packed up and will go to a good home.

My mother had a set of dishes called Brown Drip and these remind me of them but the inside is a lovely teal/aqua/turquoisy color.

So I had to set the table. And take pictures.

The name of the pattern is Country Fare. It was manufactured in the 1950's by Louisville Pottery. Some is stoneware and some is pottery. Redwing Pottery made some of the pieces as well.

Now I have to cook something!

Flora McFlimsey

2011-09-08T09:47:00.002-04:00

On a trip last year to our favorite antique shop (Deb's Flowerbed Farm), I came upon 2 little round pictures that reminded me of one of my favorite childhood books. We hung them in the hall and really didn't give them much thought. This summer, however, I took a closer look and, although they are not signed and only prints, they reminded me of Flora McFlimsey. I thought that they might even be some of Flora's friends from other books. Their names were written in the same script used by Mariana throughout her books.

(I had trouble getting good pictures because of the glass.)

Mariana (Marian Foster Curtiss) created Flora McFlimsey. Life Magazine wrote an article about her and you can read it here. The doll was named after Flora McFlimsey of Madison Square who had nothing to wear! The poem can be read here. This poem was written by William Allen Butler and made fun of society ladies and their need to always have a new outfit.

Flora a had a trunk full of clothes and she lived in an attic with some old broken toys. It had not always been like that. Once upon a time she had been the favorite doll of the "girl with the red top shoes". Now it was Christmas Eve and something wonderful was going to happen. Flora wanted to see the Christmas tree.

Her arms and legs came to life and she made her way downstairs to the most beautiful tree she had ever seen. Noise in the chimney announced Santa's arrival and Flora hid behind a chair. Santa was missing a doll for one of the girls so you can guess what happened next. The other dolls made fun of Flora and her old clothes but then the "wonderful" happened. Her trunk appeared. Her original blue velvet dress, hat, ermine muff and little gold locket soon replaced the dusty clothes from the attic. The angel from the top of the tree helped her dress and did her hair. A little lace handkerchief and a small bottle of cologne were tucked in the muff and there was pair of white kidskin gloves on her little hands.

Then all the clothes in the trunk were hung on the tree one by one. And then it was Christmas morn and Flora was in the arms of a little girl who loved her - no longer forgotten in the attic.

I found a copy of this book through one of Amazon's sellers. The little girl in me still thinks about a doll with a trunk full of doll clothes in perfect condition. Do you remember Flora?

I am joining Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for another Pink Saturday! Please be sure to stop in and see all the other wonderful pinks.

Butterflies in the garden.....

2011-09-02T07:49:00.000-04:00

I had two photography goals this summer. I wanted to take pictures of hummingbirds and butterflies. The hummingbirds have totally avoided my lens but yesterday the butterflies danced all over Deb's garden. We went to my favorite antique shop and there they were and I even had my camera. And the flowers were pink and perfect for Pink Saturday with Bev at How Sweet the Sound.

I have written before about Deb's Flowerbed Farm in Bridgton. Not only does she have wonderful "stuff", she has beautiful gardens around her lovely home. And she has butterflies. And she has dishes ....but more about the dishes next week!

We have more rain coming this weekend. Hopefully no more hurricane weather. I hope everyone has a safe holiday weekend!

Happy Pink Saturday!

So long Irene....

2011-08-29T09:54:00.002-04:00

What a day! Now the storm is over and the sky is blue. It was a very long day. No serious damage but still damage. Some of the trees that graced the edge of the lake are now in the lake and a huge tree fell and split about 10 feet from the cabin. We had undecorated the gardens and I am glad we did or they would have been decorated with many branches. The porch on the cabin got wet from around the windows as the rain and wind roared. Luckily we did not lose power.

What amazed me was the lack of coverage for our area. Maine was barely mentioned and even the stations in Portland failed to mention that the lakes region was being slammed. We found it difficult to get information.

I hope those of you in Irene's path fared well. And thank you to all of you who sent emails and comments here and on Facebook. I shall try for a more creative post later this week.

Now the cleanup will begin.

Pink around the house....

2011-08-26T09:25:00.001-04:00

I am an Etsy fan. As I have worked on my hexagon quilt, I have used Etsy for fabric. During one of my shopping expeditions (when not playing with Pinterest or Angry Birds....), I came across TygerLily. What caught my eye was the fabric she used to make her desk set. This French Journal fabric is one that I am using in my quilt and an absolute favorite. Now I will have desk accessories to match the quilt that will hang in the studio when I get back to Florida.

While we wait for the hurricane I cleaned out the garden a bit.

The marigolds and zinnias have been beautiful.

I played a bit with Picnik.

I am joining Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for another Pink Saturday. Be sure to stop in and see all the other Pinks.

And if you are in the path of this hurricane, please be safe.

Thank you Mario Batali

2011-08-24T14:32:00.001-04:00

The eggplants at the market spoke to me from their basket. Well, not really.....We decided to have eggplant parm for dinner in an attempt to have a "meatless" meal. This concept is quite foreign to us but really something we need to address. So I bought two lovely eggplants and brought them back to the cabin. Now normally I would do the flour, egg and bread crumb routine. And then I would almost fry them. I googled and found this recipe from Mario. You can see his recipe here. I used this as a starting point and like everything else, I changed it a bit as I did not make the sauce. I used a jar of his sauce which I happened to have in the pantry.

I baked the slices of eggplant at 450 degrees after lightly oiling the sheet pan. They were ready in about 15 minutes.

Then I began the layering.

They baked.

They were wonderful!

Happy summer dinner.

Noticing changes....

2011-08-23T06:57:00.000-04:00

The nights are cooler on the lake and when I got up very early this morning I noticed the mist on the lake. This is a sure sign that summer will soon be over. Time seems to move very quickly as I get older. We took our weekly trip to North Conway for groceries and then a stop at Sherman Farms for corn and a few other items. The farm grows flowers as well and it was a good day to photograph some of them. The sunflowers seemed to be dancing. So I took a gazillion pictures.

They were in various stages of blooming.

I also took pictures of the zinnias. This zinnia is called Candy Cane and I fell in love with them. I will try to find them for my little garden.

I have had a little time off but now I am back. I accomplished some of what I had hoped to do but not as much as I would have liked. There is just so much to get done - of course, I am probably trying to do too much.

Have a great week. Jack is making his sauce today and I am working on my quilt. Should be a lovely day!

Thank you Mr. Holden.....

2011-08-12T06:36:00.000-04:00

There are certain teachers that I remember. Some I remember fondly because I was good in their subject and others not so fondly because I wasn't. I am sure that Mr. Holden was a fine gentleman but I struggled with some of his math classes. In fact, if I had to do a word problem that started out with "two trains leave Chicago an hour apart at such and such a speed...... I would weep." I now know the answer. It doesn't matter what time they leave or at what speed they are going - they will both be LATE! So, after I struggled with algebra, we went on to two years of geometry. Again, I struggled. But something must have sunk in....I make quilts. I am working on one made up of hexagons. These hexagons come together and make stars. I sit here with graph paper, a protractor and a compass (and an eraser) and make templates for my quilt. So, thank you Mr. Holden.

Not all the pieces are sewn together yet and not all of those that are fit perfectly! Piecing this type of quilt by machine is challenging! I have been really inspired by the quilters that are participating in this QAL (quilt a long). The fabrics I have seen are wonderful.

The next two weeks are going to be quite busy so I am taking a little break. I am still having issues with this modem in the cabin and I need to resolve that. I need to do some blog redecorating and make relish! And of course, there is this quilt!

See you soon! I will do some visiting and catching up!

We have some winnahs.....

2011-08-09T09:20:00.004-04:00

Or you could say winners if you are not from Maine!

The prizes

The winners

Cass at That Old House

Bonnie at From a Writer's Kitchen

Sherry at Country Wings in Pheonix

Thank you all for being such wonderful followers and leaving such lovely comments. If you will email your addresses, I will ship things off!

Candied Pink Hexagons

2011-08-04T16:36:00.000-04:00

I have been working on my hexalong quilt (see my sidebar). It is quite addictive. I was wondering what to share for Pink Saturday and looked down on the floor which I am using for my design wall and had an ah-ha moment. There is a lot of pink in this quilt. SewFresh Fabrics on Etsy has been a life saver and Lynne of Lily's Quilts has helped with some fabric identification.

I also ordered from the Fat Quarter Shop. I didn't bring any fabric with me this summer except the Dr. Seuss fabric for my grandson's quilt. Then I saw this quilt and that was the end of the knitting....

I am joining Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday. Stop by and see the other PINKS!

I am waiting for one "giveaway" to arrive. Hopefully the drawing will be on Monday. I apologize for the delay!

Little Bit of Everything and a drawing for the GIVEAWAY

2011-08-03T06:13:00.001-04:00

The summer is just moving along. It seems we go from weekend to weekend. We have plans now right up to the middle of September. The reservations have been made to go back to Florida. Can't believe where the time goes.

My youngest son was here with my grandchildren on Sunday. I gave them the quilts I had made and we had a lakeside photoshoot.

They swam in the lake and then had lunch. We

did a little shopping on Amazon (I have trained them well LOL).

I am organizing the drawing which will happen this weekend. Entry closed on Monday at noon. Teapot and paper are at hand. So stay tuned - you could be a winner.

Mussel Chowder

2011-07-31T06:58:00.000-04:00

I love to cook. I am married to a man who loves to eat. It works. He doesn't like it if I change the way I make something. He doesn't know that so often I just make it up as I go along and I can't always remember what I put in the dish or how much of it! I am a firm believer in olive oil/garlic/white wine which can also be changed to butter/shallots/beer and so on.

We often have mussels for dinner. I saute shallots in a mixture of olive oil and butter, add the mussels and a healthy "splash" of white wine. Meanwhile I have cooked pasta and tossed that with pesto. When the mussels have opened I dump them on the pasta and then drizzle some of the broth on top of the dish. I usually serve this dish with grated parm and crusty bread.

However, there are always leftover mussels and broth. We saved it. I had grilled corn (removed from the ear), pancetta, and a small potato. A chowder of sorts was born. I cooked the pancetta and added the diced potato and some of the leftover broth.

When the potatoes were tender, I added the corn (about a cup), and about a cup of cooked pasta. I also added fresh thyme. Some dry sherry perked it up a bit. Just before serving, I added some heavy cream and the mussels.

Some crusty bread for dipping. Yum.

Hope you have a wonderful day.

The First Pink Saturday Post and a GIVEAWAY

2011-07-29T09:40:00.000-04:00

This post is number 300 and the last chance to enter my giveaway. I have been writing names on little slips of paper and putting them in a teapot. One day next week the lucky winners will be drawn - so stay tuned.

I thought it fitting to show one of my first Pink Saturday posts which was a mosaic. The photographs were taken at Deb's Flowerbed Farm in Bridgton, ME. Jack and I stop there frequently and always find something to bring home with us! Deb gifted me this pretty little vase and I have it in Florida.

Today's pink will also be a mosaic of pinks from the garden.

I hope you will stop by and see all the other lovely pink creations. Beverly of How Sweet the Sound is the gracious hostess for this fun weekly event.

AND remember the giveaway. You will have until Monday at noon to post a comment to be entered in the drawing. One entry if you leave a comment and two if you are a follower!

Dr. Seuss at the lake and a GIVEAWAY

2011-07-23T09:26:00.000-04:00

"How did it get so late so soon?" Dr. Seuss

The above quote sums up my feelings of late. Another birthday, another season at the camp and memories of my former life are all contributing to this sense of time going by.

This quilt is for my grandson. I made one for my granddaughter earlier in the spring. Hopefully they will be here next weekend and I can give the quilts to them then.

I fell in love with the fabric. I used to read these classic books to my children.

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind." Dr. Seuss

Is this not the truth?

"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go..." Dr. Seuss

Theodor Seuss Geisel was the author of many books for children. His quotes are wonderful. You can read about him here.

My GIVEAWAY is coming up soon. There will be 3 drawings - one for each 100 blogs! 1 entry for each comment and 2 entries if you are a follower!

Coneflowers and Lace and a GIVEAWAY....

2011-07-22T09:49:00.000-04:00

The summer seems to be just flying. It is time for Pink Saturday again hosted by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound. This event is one that I participated in almost since day one of my blog. My blog topics jump all over the place from food to quilting to knitting to dishes. However, pink is a constant particularly in the summer with the flowers.

It has been quite "warm" in Maine this week so we tried to do our food shopping early. I have been looking for Queen Anne's Lace to photograph. There is a butterfly garden near the Chamber of Commerce so we stopped there and I took pictures. No butterflies but lots of bees!

A little milkweed tucked here and there.

And some lace for the Queen....

Don't forget my giveaway to celebrate 300 posts. I entry for every comment. Followers get 2.

Be sure to stop in and say hi to the other pinks and have a great weekend!

All over the place and a GIVEAWAY

2011-07-19T17:03:00.000-04:00

As I am getting used to this new format in Blogger I realized that I have written 297 posts! So there will be a giveaway to celebrate 300! All you have to do is leave a comment on this post and the next 2 and I will enter you in the drawing. If you are a follower, you will get 2 entries for each comment. Only one comment per post! I have not completely decided on the item but I am almost there...

I have just been taking it easy these past few days. Without reliable Internet my blogging has been sporadic at best. I can write the blog with the iPad (giving new meaning to one finger typing). However, I am not enthusiastic about the process. So I have been knitting, reading and taking some pictures.The new modem has arrived! And it works! I spent way too much time on the phone with tech support. The modem was faulty.

I love the yarn from Three Irish Girls. My favorite yarn shop in Sarasota carries this gorgeous yarn and many others. If you are in the area be sure to stop at A Good Yarn and be prepared to visit a while. Their website is www.agoodyarnsarasota.com..

I took a vacation from knitting a few years back but now love to make scarves and shawls and SOCKS! Now having said that I have only recently had success with socks. I have knit three socks. Not a pair - just three different ones. 2 don't fit and I don't have enough yarn to finish the third. However, I am not discouraged because I have no fear of turning the heel anymore and I am making slipper type socks which fit. I am determined though to have a pair of socks that fit by the end of the summer - maybe even two. As for the single socks that are done and waaay to tight, I'm not sure if I can deal with knitting the matching one right away....

I started an exercise class today. Thought it was time. Stretching and strength training....And I signed up for Kim Klassen's Skinny Mini e-course for Photoshop. And I signed up for a Quilt a long. Both buttons are on my sidebar. I am going to my version of this quilt below.

The quilt is called Candied Hexagons and was created by Kerry Dear. I saw it here at Quiltsalott. The photo is by Liz at Broderie. The fabric is on the way as are the templates. I empty the plate and then I fill it right back up again!

Playing with pictures

2011-07-18T09:51:00.000-04:00

When I made the transition from a PC to a Mac, I missed some of the programs I had for my photographs. Slowly but surely I am finding new ones that can change my photos into paintings. However, the USB modem for Internet at the cabin was not very cooperative to say the least!!!! Luckily I had my iPad. Blogger doesn't allow me blog on it but I found 2 programs that are quite user friendly. I can save an online draft with BlogPress and do some photo manipulation with Photogene. Both these programs can be found at the app store.

Hope everyone has a wonderful week! The new modem has arrived and I am keeping my fingers crossed.

Peachy Pinks

2011-07-15T07:32:00.000-04:00

They are just the softest color. I love the yellow with them.

We came back and put away groceries and I took my little stroll around my little garden - very little stroll as garden is very little...

This pansy was peeking around a geranium.

The geraniums are the same lovely color.

I am joining Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for another Pink Saturday. Please stop by and see all the other participants.

Happy Pink Saturday!

2011-07-14T08:00:00.000-04:00

I love asparagus. Pure and simple is good for me but we wanted soup. I did lots of research and combined and created and made it. It was good. You can print the recipe here.

Cream of Asparagus Soup

A blend of online recipes

2 bunches asparagus (about 2 pounds)
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (I was generous)
5 cups chicken broth (I make with Better than Bouillon)
2 sprigs of fresh thyme, stripped (I used more)
Good glug of dry vermouth
1/2 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper
a squeeze or two of lemon

Cut the tips from some of the asparagus and set aside. These will cooked briefly in lightly salted water and used as a garnish.

Snap asparagus to remove tough ends and then cut the stalks into 1/2 inch pieces. In a large heavy pot, cook the onion in butter over low heat until softened. Add asparagus pieces and salt and pepper to taste. Cook and stir for about 5 minutes. Add broth and thyme and simmer covered for about 15-20 minutes until asparagus is very tender. Cook asparagus tips separately until tender - about 3-4 minutes.

Puree soup in small batches. I used my Cuisinart. You could use an immersion blender or a blender as well. Return to pot and add cream. Stir in vermouth and a squeeze or two of lemon. Garnish with tips and serve.

Enjoy!

I added the cream after I was done with this step but forgot to take a picture. I have days like that!

Have a great weekend.

When enough is enough....

2011-07-12T16:06:00.000-04:00

Moi? I find myself wondering if I am going too far with some of the photography. As we made our bean soup last week, I kept saying to Jack, "Wait a minute while I take a picture!". Then I have to put my glasses on and see if it turned out. When we go to a restaurant I make everyone wait while I take pictures of all the orders. If I came to your house, I would probably take pictures of your table. I would also take pictures of your kitchen and all the prep work going on. Do you do this too?

I have a friend in Maine who has commented on some of my tablescapes saying that he would like to see some food on the plates. I laughed and said I either set the table or I cook.

Notice I took a bite out of this breakfast. I forgot about pictures.

Have a great week.

Tomatoes, flowers and socks

2011-07-11T16:58:00.000-04:00

The tomatoes are ready at Sherman Farms. We go twice a week and buy lots. Soon I will get a bag of green tomatoes to make green tomato relish. But tonight we will have Insalata Caprese. First a nice thick slice of tomato. Then a nice slice of Buffalo Mozzarella which is topped with another slice of tomato. I drizzle the stack with good olive oil and gently tear some basil leaves. Sometimes a sprinkle them on top and other times I garnish as I did for tonight.

A snapdragon and some opal basil complete the plate. I used my Fiesta plates for tonight. We have had a lot of company so I thought I would fuss just for the two of us. We can go back to paper plates tomorrow.

Yes, the countertops are linoleum! I love them.

The zinnias are blooming in my little garden.

The bee balm is just starting to burst open.

And I finished a sock and started another one AND it fits. I will do another sad post about my ~~fat sausage feet sock~~ first unsuccessful effort another day.

Have a great week! I am still having issues with my modem.

Quilts in the cabin...

2011-07-10T10:05:00.000-04:00

We are covered with quilts. I would like to share some with you. My modem for my computer is not reliable so the iPad is what I am using (giving new meaning to hunt and peck).

I gave my son and his fiancé this churn dash which I made years ago. I forgot to photograph it so he obliged. Thank you Jeff.

I made the wall hanging for Jack after he admired it at a local quilt shop. It hangs over the bed at his house. On the bed is the quilt I made which we refer to as the "wedding" quilt.

Folded at the bottom is a rail fence made years ago but recently quilted.

Also a few years ago I made a mystery quilt. In fact I made two of the same one! I traded cutting and piecing for finishing a sweater. I have hung this one on the wall in the cabin.

I was able to finish this blog with an internet connection elsewhere. Thank goodness. I am done with the quilts for now. I hope to be adding them to my quilt gallery tab soon.

Hope everyone has a wonderful week. I am going to knit and look at the lake!

The Party's Over

2011-07-04T11:05:00.001-04:00

The Birthday Party that is...

I have had a wonderful birthday/ month this year. I cannot believe I am 67.....I feel so young at heart. This past year has been a good one.

I focused on photography for my chosen presents. Jack got me a tripod and a remote switch. I'm going to try for the hummingbird and butterflies this year!

My new camera bag is wonderful. It is spacious and holds my Mac. When it is loaded it is heavy but I would only pack it with everything for travel. With just my camera and an extra lens, it is a perfect pocketbook!

My niece sent me a book of her wedding pictures made by Apple. What a treat. The new hip made it impossible to attend. Love the green shoes!

The final birthday installment was from my oldest son.

My oldest son is a fan of Etsy shops. Many of his friends are most creative and he supports their art. I have received many lovely gifts. His friend Sunday White makes wonderful owl and bunny pillows. You can see her work here. What is spectacular about this pillow (besides the fabric and the excellent workmanship) is that I just got a quilt back from my longarm quilter Lynn in Florida. The quilt is a wall hanging and/or throw I made a few years back. The fabric is from "Down Under" and "Downeast".

The quilt will go in my studio on the ottoman and the pillow in the chair. Very pleased.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful 4th! I am off to photograph the rest of the quilts.

Pink and Red for the 4th of July

2011-07-01T08:11:00.000-04:00

Pink and red with a little green thrown in that is...

We pass this barn on our way to go shopping in North Conway. This week Jack parked the car and I took a few pictures. The barn proudly displays the American flag. Last summer a sunflower grew against the barn making a lovely vignette.

I am hoping for a family picnic this weekend. Growing up in New Jersey, the 4th was a big deal. We would either be at Uncle George's in Green Village or Gram Potter's in Sussex. Wherever the setting, the food was wonderful.

Often if Uncle George had come back from a fishing trip, there would be fish and he was the master of cooking them on the grill. He often came to Maine to fish and the background in this picture is much like the view from the porch of the cabin.

My sister and I were perfect little angels at these outings.

If my family does get here for a cookout, I will make Deviled Eggs and Potato Salad. There will be Baked Beans and various meats on the grill. The green part will be the pickles I have made courtesy of Lynn at Happier Than a Pig in Mud. She shared two recipes and I made them both.

I am also joining Beverly for Pink Saturday. Please be sure to stop by and say hi.

I wish you all a safe and happy 4th.

Cabin Life

2011-06-27T10:30:00.000-04:00

I have enjoyed Brenda's posts about living small. Her blog Cozy Little House has been talking about the benefits of small dwellings both from an ecological and emotional standpoint. Perhaps this is why I love the little cabin so much. I found this cabin the summer after my husband died. It was here that the healing began. Some wondered how I lived in such primitive surroundings. When I met Jack, he loved the cabin. That was the first hint about how well we would get along. It had always been his wish to spend a summer by the lake - the second hint. A kiss stolen on the cabin porch was the first page of the first chapter of the new life.

The cabin is not ours. We rent from the wonderful owners who have graciously allowed me to add some furniture and decorate a bit. Quilts hang from the loft railings and Fiestaware fills the cabinets.

Last year my resolution for the new year was to accomplish. I did. This summer I plan to enjoy these surroundings more than I ever have. I need to blend relaxation and accomplishment.

The porch has a glider. We found a table and chairs for the porch and have most meals outside on the porch. This weather the past few days has forced us inside.

Cookouts are a frequent occurrence. Watermelon is a favorite.

More to follow.

Rambling in and about the cabin...

2011-06-25T15:25:00.001-04:00

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The birthday month is still in effect. My favorite lovely presents are a new tripod and a new camera bag. I am a lucky girl.

Internet connecting has been difficult making for frustrating writing. The weather settles over the lake and the connection doesn't stay connected. So now I am trying Blogpress. I am going to ramble a bit because I am experimenting.

I would like to be able to edit pictures and there is probably a way. All I know is that I am spoiled by all the tools available when I am online.

I got 4 quilts back from my quilter Lynn and will be sending one to her this week.

Some Dr. Seuss fabric found its way into my stash and a quilt for my grandson was created.

I read Lynn's blog Happier Than a Pig in Mud and we made a Pickle Pot. Not sure how to enter a link with program so just look in my sidebar and you will find her and a link to Miz Helen.

Well, we are off for a birthday breakfast and then just a relaxing day. I hope the rain stops as I would like to photograph the quilts outside.

Pinks in the park...

2011-06-25T10:13:00.000-04:00

We are lucky to be close to Bridgton. We can do basic shopping there, see a movie, go out for lunch and, then in June, there are the peonies.

The park in Bridgton is Shorey Park and it is right next to Highland Lake. This time of year there are peonies. I had thought there was a story about how the main street in Bridgton came to be populated with peonies but Google couldn't help today. This year (because I can walk), we parked the car and I strolled around an took pictures of these glorious flowers. I love the cloud-like fluffiness of the regular peonies but the single peonies are outstanding. I wouldn't presume to give these peonies names but I always thought they were called Japanese peonies.

I am joining Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for her weekly Pink Saturday! Please stop by and see the other pinks. Happy Pink Saturday!

Closer and closer.....

2011-06-19T15:47:00.000-04:00

I got up bright and early and straightened up the cabin. Jack made a dump run (no pickup at the cabin). Then I went out to my little garden and took some pictures. I wandered down the lane to my neighbor's and took some pictures of her flowers. There is a lady slipper growing wild in her garden but that shot would have had to be a "crawl on your belly" vignette - too hard to get up in the woods. So I wandered closer and saw her amazing Irises. I came back to the cabin and played with a still life. So let me share the results with no more talking.

Have a great week!

Pinks, Picasa, and Picnik

2011-06-17T05:54:00.000-04:00

The peonies are from the market. Ours are not quite open yet. The fragrance was intoxicating on the porch of the cabin.

I am really enjoying the ability to edit photos in Picasa using Picnik. I like playing with the photos. I find that I like to have a frame around the picture. I miss the frames from Photoscape but Macs and Photoscape are not speaking. I also miss the ability to turn my photos into artwork. However, I am researching filters that might be able to do this. In the meantime, I am going back and forth between the 2 programs and blogger.

A touch of white from Jack's Garden

Cosmos with a filter and the blossom from a scented geranium

I am joining Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for another Pink Saturday. Each week bloggers celebrate the color Pink with wonderful photographs and stories. If you get a chance, stop by.

Birthday Man

2011-06-16T07:19:00.000-04:00

Today is Jack's Birthday. 10 days from now is mine. Neither one of us know where all the years have gone. We have been together for almost nine years and we both have lifetimes before us. We shall celebrate this day and our lives together.

We shall sit by the cabin and look at the lake and my little garden. Hopefully the weather shall hold so that grilling will be a possibility.

See you tomorrow. His birthday present today is me turning off the computer!

Soup for supper....

2011-06-14T10:21:00.001-04:00

It has been damp and cold in the cabin. Jack wanted soup to help with the chill. My mother had always talked about cranberry beans so when I found a package of beans at Williams-Sonoma, I decided to give them a try.

I googled some recipes for cranberry bean soup and sort of combined the ones I found - taking what I thought was the best from each one.

We soaked the beans overnight.

I used 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks, and 2 small onions - all chopped and diced the way we like them.

A hunk of chopped Pancetta was tried out with a little olive oil.

I used a big pinch of Kosher salt and a few dashes of black pepper. Fresh garlic has been disappointing recently so I have been using minced garlic from the herb and spice rack.

When the vegetables looked ready, I added 6 cups of water and a small can of chopped tomatoes. I used a half a teaspoon each of Better Than Bouillon chicken and beef. Herbs from the garden simmered slowly. Two bay leaves completed the herbs and a glug of red wine for good measure. We have also started using the rind from Parmesan cheese. It is a very subtle flavor that I like with tomatoes (remove before serving).

We cooked the mixture for a little over an hour. Almost done. It was very good on this cold damp day and there are leftovers for tonight!

Hope your weather is getting better! See you on Pink Saturday!

Cabin Fare

2011-06-13T06:39:00.001-04:00

We had a run around day yesterday. We went to Trader Joe's and Whole Foods. We then went out to lunch and ate far too much of course! So, a simple supper seemed in order.

I made a frittata of sorts. There is no precise recipe. I sliced Roma tomatoes and covered them scallions which I cut with scissors. I season this with sea salt and ground pepper. I used 5 eggs. I whisk the eggs and add a big glob of sour cream (we use fat-free) and a handful of grated cheese. I have used many mixtures. Last night was Mexican 4 cheese. Pour this mixture over tomatoes and bake for about 30 minutes at 350. The top should be slightly browned.

It was a rainy, cold and damp day. I couldn't get on the Internet with my computer which is very discouraging. The iPad is a godsend. I am using an app called Blogsy and it is allowing me write a post. However, I cannot correct a mistake after I have published. I need to study their directions a little more - could be user error!

Have a great day.

Cabin and Computer

2011-06-12T14:42:00.001-04:00

I am having a hard time getting on the Internet this year. Thank goodness for iPad and Blogsy. A trip to Verizon will take place this coming week.

Meanwhile I have playing with pictures.

Blogsy is an interesting program. I am still in the learning curve!

Stay tuned. It is raining. And it is cold.

Happy Birthday to me.......

2011-06-11T10:28:00.000-04:00

A few years back I started celebrating my birthday for the whole month of June. There were several reasons which I am unable to recall.... But it really works for me now.

Last year I upgraded my camera thinking that my pictures would automatically be much better. Some of them were.

After much research and e-mailing back and forth with some of my blogging friends, I decided on a 50mm lens (thank you Diane aka the Blue Ridge Gal). I have been playing for 2 days.

I love to take pictures of flowers and food. Close-ups with lots of detail are my favorites. Cropping is my new best friend and I am thrilled that Picasa and Picnik now work together.

Happy Birthday to me, Happy Birthday to me.....
June is a good birthday month!

Summer Garden

2011-06-10T04:55:00.000-04:00

One of the delights about being in Maine for the summer are the flowers. I don't have a lot of them at the cabin but I do have containers that I place around a tree next to the cabin. I can see them from the porch.

By the end of the summer, this little area should be quite full of flowers. I will get some more this week. I like zinnias and snapdragons for cutting and the rest I like for looking.

I am joining Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday. Be sure to stop in and see all the beautiful pink posts.

Happy Pink Saturday!

Back in the cabin....

2011-06-08T16:56:00.000-04:00

We went from this last Friday.

Now we are here.

My sons and grandchildren met us at the airport. There were even flowers.

My youngest and the grandchildren raced to the grocery store and the garden center.

We made a start.

The internet connection seems spotty today. Tomorrow is another day! Good to be back in blogland.

Taking a little break

2011-06-01T05:37:00.000-04:00

I will be taking a few days off while we travel north and get settled in the little cabin by the lake. I am surrounded by boxes, lists of "do not forgets", lists of things that must be done before we leave, and a dust rag and a vacuum. Jack has undecorated the lanai and will install the clear hurricane shutters on the sliders (a job that requires a special vocabulary not suitable for small children). Tomorrow we will ship boxes as we fly and don't check luggage. This transition is time consuming and seems to take longer each year. However, once we are settled the summer will be very relaxing.

The cabin is small and this picture is taken from the beach. I will have to take more pictures this summer. This is the view.

Below is a slideshow of some of my "stuff". I have been playing with slideshows and movies. See you next week about this time.

Just for the Hull of it.....

2011-05-27T11:39:00.000-04:00

I am joining Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday's Birthday. I have participated in this event since my beginnings in the world of blogging. I never knew how much "pink" I had and how much more would find its way into my life. I love vintage pottery. And I love Hull Pottery and now I have started collecting to fill the shelves that house the Murphy Bed in my studio.....A minimalist I am not.

This pattern is called Blossom Flite and was manufactured in the 50's. There are not a gazillion pieces so it is conceivable that I could collect most of them and the prices are fair.

And the inside of the pottery is a glorious pink!

First I found the teapot...then the creamer.

Ebay had the covered sugar.

I found a cornucopia on Ebay.

I hope to find some more this summer.

Please be sure to stop by and say Happy Birthday Pink Saturday.

Beverly, thank you for the awesome job you do!

Almost time....

2011-05-22T06:58:00.000-04:00

We live in two places. In the summer months, we are in Maine - a place dear to my heart. The rest of the year we live in Florida - another place dear to my heart. Florida is my home and houses all my "stuff". Maine is where I live more simply but I still need "stuff". So as we get ready, I am surrounded by boxes. We fly so we ship. Each year we try to limit the number of boxes but.....

This year has been a good year. I have made many changes and accomplished many of the projects that have been cluttering my life. I have organized (needs to be done again). However, the light at the end of the tunnel is not a train. The new hip has had a lot to do with this as being pain free and mobile certainly are attitude enhancers.

Blogging has gone pretty well too. I have 209 followers and will soon celebrate 2 years of blogging. The Mac and I getting along quite well these days and will spend the summer in Maine where we will share more quality time together.

I miss many of the Windows programs that I used in my blog but I hope to take an e-course in Photoshop this summer.

Have a wonderful day. The world is still here. And the boxes are calling my name.

A French Dinner

2011-05-20T07:06:00.012-04:00

The slide show is now in my sidebar. I will take some time next week to figure out how I could have made it part of my post.

A few weeks back we had dinner with friends. Our friends love dishes, food and flowers as much as we do. So the day was chosen and all we had to do was bring a bottle of wine and I brought my camera.

I should have known when I saw the chef that we were in for a wonderful meal!

He was consulting with Julia

and the two of them chose.

The table was set and there was a lovely centerpiece.

The light in the dining room changed throughout the afternoon.

Blogger's Quilt Festival Spring 2011

2011-05-15T10:58:00.002-04:00

I am joining Amy for the Spring 2011 Quilt Festival. You can read about it here or click on the button on my side bar. The inspiration is from Kaffe Fassett'e Museum Quilts. For the quilts in this book, Kaffe draws upon textiles from the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. I fell in love with the apparent simplicity of this quilt called Floral Columns. He suggests collecting these bold floral prints and arranging them so that they flow. Here is the inspiration from his book.

Here is my quilt....

The quilt hangs on the wall behind my chair in the studio. A folding screen behind my chair holds more quilts.

Please visit the Quilt Festival and see all the wonderful quilts!

Better late than never.....

2011-05-14T06:08:00.000-04:00

Fresh Market had peonies and I had to buy some. They are a little pricier than some of the flowers at the market but it was Mother's Day!

I filled an antique vase with them and put them on the pine coffee table. There is a subtle scent and they are soft like clouds.

We had friends in for dinner. Jack made his sauce and I made up individual antipastos. Dinner was delicious! I wanted something different for dessert. Ina talked about simple Italian desserts on one of her shows and I tried one. I had a small bottle of Vin Santo. You can read about it here.

Arranged on an antique glass plate were a clementine, biscotti, chocolate covered caramels with sea salt and the Vin Santo. The biscotti was dipped in the wine and followed up with a slice of clementine and a bite of chocolate! Perfect end to a lovely meal.

I am joining Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for another Pink Saturday.

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-07T07:11:00.000-04:00

Happy Mother's Day and Happy Pink Saturday!

I am doing an edited rerun today as I spent the week finishing and starting to organize for the trip up north. Each year the process seems to take a little longer...
I thought this post was fitting for the day.

The “sandwich” board belonged to my mother. Nothing smelly was chopped on this board. I remember this board so well. We walked to school and walked home for lunch and walked back to school and then walked home. There were no school lunches until I moved from the borough to the township. Lunch was very often an egg salad sandwich or tuna salad or PBJ and Campbell’s soup.

When my sister gave me the board, the pink bowl came to mind. My mother gave it to me years ago. It was the egg/tuna salad bowl.

Notice the fork with just 3 tines. That was the egg salad fork so that there would be larger chunks of egg in the egg salad. My mother had two so my sister and I each have one.

I love the designs on the bowl. I believe at one point they were nesting bowls with blue and green bowls. They must have perished along the way.

I think we will have egg salad sandwiches today!

I am joining Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for this weekly event. Be sure to stop by and say Happy Pink Saturday and see what the other “pinks” have shared.

This and that....

2011-05-02T16:16:00.002-04:00

I have been on a mission to finish quilts. I have put the binding on 2 more quilts. The last step is the most tedious for me. I know others find the hand sewing relaxing. My favorite part is picking out the fabric. I love to cut the fabric and piece the designs. The quilt below is a design from the quilts of Gee's Bend. I had read about these quilts and the women who made them and I was fascinated by the color and the design. I was pleased to see that kits would be available. Last summer I gave this to a friend to piece for me as I recovered from hip replacement surgery. He did an outstanding job and the long arm quilter dis a wonderful job. I sewed the binding so it was a collaborative project.

I was interested to see that Pottery Barn was working with the Gee's Bend Foundation and reproducing a quilt for sale. You can see the quilt here. You can read more about the quilts here as well.

In the early 90's, my friend Patti and I would race over to Keepsake Quilting in Center Harbor, NH. We would just make piles of fabrics and buy a half yard of each. We would take turns picking the pattern. It was fortunate that we both liked stars. This quilt was created. This is mine and hers is almost identical.

We watched Notting Hill, The Shag, Mystic Pizza, Pretty Woman and I still hadn't finished sewing on the binding. Big quilt. When I downsized, blue and white no longer worked and I had stopped making the antique looking quilts. I was more enamored of Kaffe Fassett and color. So I gave the quilt to my sister. The quilt was quilted by hand by the Amish in 1993 but no binding. We were chatting about 3 weeks ago and she mentioned the binding.....~~In a weak moment of complete insanity~~ I sweetly offered to do this job for her. She must have hung up the phone and raced to UPS because I got the quilt 2 days later. I will ship it back tomorrow.

I have updated my quilt gallery at the top of the page. I am in the process of photographing all of my quilts here in Florida. I will do the same when we get back to Maine. Four more quilts will go to the quilter on Thursday. I am finally getting to the bottom of the almost done pile!

Have a great week!

At times like this....

2011-04-30T13:12:00.000-04:00

These past two weeks have brought some sadness. We had to say goodbye to my son's dog Minnie (aka Mintie Girl and Bat girl). It was time and the decision had to be made. She was 15 and had a good life. She will be missed terribly. My son is heartbroken. I am too.

While I was having lunch with my friend Donna at Brynwood Needleworks, her dog Fezzik (many of you know him) was having "manhood" surgery and he died of complications on Friday. He was just a pup. My friend is heartbroken. I am heartbroken for her.

Many of you know Donna. She is a warm and wonderful woman with an outstanding sense of humor.

This post is for families, friends and good dogs. I will be back the first of the week.

"What's this?" you ask....

2011-04-25T06:54:00.000-04:00

A few weeks back I got a package from my friend Jackie in Surrey. If you follow my blog, you will recognize her name. And if you have read her blog (and I think you should), you will know she loves tea and in particular Yorkshire Tea. So I had to Google Yorkshire Tea and after reading about it, I had to have some. I found it at Amazon. You can read about it here and here. It is a lovely tea.

In the package was an apron, a tote (which will go back to Maine with my knitting projects) and a tea towel. What a treat. So here are a few pictures.

Of course I had to get a new little teapot. Just because....

I love the lid.

And the teapot designs.

And, of course the tea...

Another pot

Scenes on the tea towel

Thank you Jackie!

Happy Easter

2011-04-23T09:17:00.000-04:00

A Simple Supper

2011-04-20T06:38:00.000-04:00

Easy suppers that we can eat on the lanai are my favorite "good" thing. I have gotten so many ideas from all you bloggers out there. I thank you. We had ground beef, Rotel tomatoes, and flour tortillas but no taco seasoning. So I made it. Easy. No preservatives and I can control the salt. You can print the recipe here.

1 Tbsp. Chili Powder
1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp. Onion Powder
1/4 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
1/4 tsp. Dried Oregano
1/2 tsp. Paprika
1 1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin
1 tsp. Sea Salt
1 tsp. Black Pepper

The above makes enough seasoning for 1 pound of ground beef. We saute onions and peppers and set aside. We cook ground beef and drain well. Add seasoning, 1/3 cup water, 1 can Rotel tomatoes, and onions and peppers. I serve with chopped lettuce and grated cheese on flour tortillas. Easy. The seasoning can be adjusted for personal tastes. There is enough for the two of us to have another meal.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful week! We are having a quiet Easter weekend and I hope to catch up on some projects.

Before I forget....

2011-04-18T09:44:00.001-04:00

I just want you to know that Blogger's spam detection works! I have had some issues with Blogger since changing from Windows to a Mac but slowly but surely they are being resolved. Owner/operator error has also played a part in the mess I had to deal with in the last couple of weeks!

One of the changes I made in the comments section was to get an email notice when someone posted a comment on my blog. Very nice. Before that I was compulsively checking my blog very frequently. This also enables me to email back if someone has a question. Very efficient.

So imagine my surprise when I received emails from some shady lady escort services in London with pictures!!!! I went quickly to my blog and no questionable comments were posted thank goodness. However, Blogger's spam detection had stopped 21 spam comments. Thank you Blogger.

I have a new filter for my camera by Digital Concepts. There are 4 filters which magnify in different strengths. The rose is magnified 10 times as is the silk poppy below.

These were not expensive. I ordered them on Amazon.

We had dinner with friends and here is a collage. I will post more pictures later this week.

Have a great week!

I have a story....

2011-04-13T15:46:00.000-04:00

Before I tell this story, I need to set the table for you. My friends and followers know how much I love dishes and "stuff" and how I have tried to replace some of the items my grandmother and mother had. I also wanted transferware but just couldn't decide what color I wanted.

Red Cliff Soup Tureen

I found the candlesticks in Arcadia, FL which has an Old West feel with lots of antique shops. The candlesticks were made by Fostoria and the pattern is Queen Ann which later became Colonial. And in the back of the store on a bottom shelf were the dishes. Transferware! Yup and it had all the colors so I didn't have to choose. There were luncheon plates, cups and saucers, fruit bowls, bread plates and one serving bowl. The dishes are Woods Ware and the pattern is English Countryside. I follow Nancy Daily Dish. Nancy is the queen of transferware so I quickly checked her Etsy shop and she had some of this pattern. She had dinner plates, soup or salad bowls and an oval platter. She doesn't have them any more....

I found the sherbets covered with dust in another shop. They are needle etched. I love the green base. I will look for some goblets to add just a little more green to this setting which I know I will uses again. The glass plate underneath is American by Fostoria as are the water goblets.

The wine goblets are Kent York by Val St. Lambert and although not terribly old are a nice match for the table setting.

While we were waiting for one of the stores to open, we went into another store. I like to look through the silverplate flatware and look for some of the patterns that I remember and that my gram had. There was a chest with a service for 8 in a lovely pattern. It was very reasonable and shortly thereafter was mine. I came home and went through my book and there it was. Replacements.com was my stop and listed all the pieces made in this pattern. I had them all but the cake and pie server. The name of the pattern is Fortune.

I love the fact that the design is on the back as well.

I keep my silver in plastic bags and store it on a shelf in my dish closet. I thought I would just check and see if I had a pie server that would look nice with my new pattern. I certainly did. My grandmother had the matching pie server. I was thrilled. I happily set the table with my new dishes and silver. I used pieces that had belonged to my grandmother as well.

I know this feeling...

2011-04-13T10:47:00.001-04:00

My email for the blog has changed. It is working with another one of my emails but I didn't change it and PhotoBucket is down so I can't make a new button or a slide show.....