We stopped on the way home. . .

We are back in Florida but we spent two nights in Portland before we flew back. I love that city! We stay at the Regency as we have for several years. We love the location and the personnel and the amenities. You can read about it here. 

The weather was glorious - definitely Fall.

We don't venture far from the hotel but we did have an oyster outing. The name of the restaurant is Eventide Oyster Company. On their business card is this quote from poet and essayist  Leon-Paul Fargue: "I love oysters. It's like kissing the sea on the lips." Yes.

My sons live in and around Portland so we went to a restaurant that they have been raving about. If you love oysters and are in the area, it is a must. One chooses the variety of oysters from a menu. They are also on display when you enter the establishment. The wait staff is most knowledgable. We tried different varieties. They are served on beds of crushed ice with varieties of accoutrements. You can read about the menu here. I love oysters just with lemon but the horseradish ice was wonderful.

The slaw was made from purple cabbage and was delicious and a change from green cabbage.

We chose the Beau Soleil oysters from New Brunswick as one of the choices. Wonderful.

We shall go back on our next visit!
So, we are back in Florida. I have a cold. It seemed as if everyone on the plane was sneezing and coughing. Re-entry into the southern home has not been as speedy as I would wish. However,
we are back and the cold will go away.
Have a wonderful week!

(Fried oyster on a bun with pickles)

Chilly nights mean chowder

The nights have been chilly. The fall days have been beautiful. The market had fresh haddock so we made chowder. I say we because Jack does all the chopping. I oversee the whole process and carefully measure the wine before popping it in the oven! This recipe is somewhat unusual because it is baked in the oven. You can see the recipe here. This recipe is quite forgiving and adjustable. 2 hours at 325 degrees works well. Sometimes when feeling more diet conscious, I use skim milk with a bit of cream.

We like chowder, or "chowdah" as we say in Maine, in a mug. The recipe came from a community cookbook A Taste of New Hampshire.  The book is a collection of recipes from the New Hampshire Division of the American Cancer Society and no longer in print.

Now the boiling water and wine (optional) are added and the casserole is covered and baked. A salad and some crusty bread make a wonderful dinner.

Hope everyone has a wonderful week!

Better than a box of chocolates. . .

Well, almost. And, of course, it would depend on the chocolates. But for right now, this package is enough for me!

I have always loved Liberty of London fabrics. Always. You can read a bit about them here.

I frequently browse Etsy when I am awake earlier than "o-dark early" and have been know to do a little retail therapy. The Liberty Tana Lawn is not readily available in the states but I found a site on Etsy that had a collection of 40 pieces which was more than plenty for the project that I had in mind! Alice Caroline's Etsy Shop can be found here. My package arrived from the UK by Royal Mail.

There was lots of candy fabric in that envelope. It is hard to choose a flavor color.

So what I shall do is use a little bit of each one.

Yes, I am going to make a quilt for my Miss Maggie Rabbit - on my Featherweight sewing machine.

Earlier this summer, Claudia from Mockingbird Hill Cottage shared her Miss Maggie. I ordered the kit from Alicia Paulson at Rosy Little Things. I love a complete kit made up of quality components.

I need to finish Maggie who will be known as Mabel when we get back to Florida and we are settled. But her wardrobe is done and she will be done when her stuffing is stuffed.

So, I shall start this little quilt soon.

Thanks for stopping by.

Set in his/her/their ways

I am sure you have heard this phrase used to describe someone. I never thought it would apply to me but it does. And it applies to Jack and it applies to us. It is getting worse. My son wanted us to go home a different route so that we could see what he has been working on. We don't ever go that way. We only go a certain route.

Sunday nights we have homemade pizza. This means we do not go out nor do we entertain and there are almost no exceptions to this.

We don't drive anywhere on a holiday weekend in the summer in Maine. We only shop at certain stores.

They used to say that Gram Potter was set in her ways. She couldn't come home from shopping without buying something. Grampa Lane didn't like to travel far from home. Gram Lane did not share her fudge. My mother did all her work in the morning - nothing after lunch except maybe a bridge game. I do nothing after lunch and if I had fudge, I probably wouldn't tell you!

Christmas is our favorite holiday. We decorate early and enjoy the way our home looks. Because we both missed some Christmases when our spouses were so ill and after they died, we treasure our holidays.

I shall order the live tree for delivery as soon as we are back in Florida. It will be delivered the day after Thanksgiving.

The creche will be unpacked and arranged.

The ornaments shall be "hooked" and ready to be hung.

The coffee table will be decorated. I usually have one or two different ones throughout the holidays.
I am looking forward to all of this. No rush - no disorganization - just enjoyment.

Are you set in your ways?

Second time around....

I love this phrase "the second time around". It is open to all sorts of interpretations. Normally, I would think a new love. I can check that one off for sure. My life with Jack is contentment and partnering. It works. Neither one of us planned for the cancer that took our first spouses. We are so fortunate to have found this second chance.

Those of you who read my blog and perhaps follow me (and even leave a comment here and there) know that internet in the summer is costly and slow and inefficient. It is much easier for me to post on Facebook from my phone. I have learned that making albums to add my pictures to my blog is a Gigabyte demolisher. I have decided to let my pink pictures have a "second time around".

My doll house is a second time around effort (or second childhood). I had this very same one as a child. I have no idea what ever became of it but I found one in Florida and it lives in my studio. The bathroom is pink! I found some more furniture this week. Another box will be sent back to Florida!

Another second childhood time around is my Madame Alexander doll. She has lived in the original box for many years and many moves. I felt she needed and deserved a new outfit.

She is now sitting near my Featherweight in my studio. It has been a long summer for her but I shall be back soon and she is not in a box anymore.

I love vintage pottery. Things made with pride in our country deserve a second chance - one of the reasons I love this pattern Blossom Flite made by Hull Pottery in Crooksville, Ohio in the early 20th century. 

So, this is just a taste of second time around in my life and times.

I am joining Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday. It has been a while. Stop in if you have a chance.