tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40257696408025249832024-03-28T14:13:04.465-07:00Dewena's WindowThe real me is the woman in this window, manual typewriter in front of her but holding a pencil posed over paper. Deer nibble at shrubbery on snow-covered lawn, fodder both for her writing and for her life.
Or are they the same thing?
[Picture by illustrator Adrianne Blair in Faith Baldwin's Face Toward the Spring.]Dewenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330797553600987145noreply@blogger.comBlogger404125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025769640802524983.post-61463975819414295992024-03-21T11:00:00.000-07:002024-03-21T13:27:10.554-07:00Spring and Mrs. Daffodil<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMtauNFc1qHV43EBnJJCEOek3GZ6D9C5_yJaRkB_FMXSSYYFMfzu8rJceGvYlUSIB6knOkC-EVvZFKHUU0-zMNBTeZz6EffUP8CcHk396ixmnpmId_ewzguutDScd7Dg2VBJG45OKz-h5qw71LVNIPdyxIFxflibFoI-5Cwb9Eu2exseYCuVB8lCOx5nwE/s1067/IMG_7825.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMtauNFc1qHV43EBnJJCEOek3GZ6D9C5_yJaRkB_FMXSSYYFMfzu8rJceGvYlUSIB6knOkC-EVvZFKHUU0-zMNBTeZz6EffUP8CcHk396ixmnpmId_ewzguutDScd7Dg2VBJG45OKz-h5qw71LVNIPdyxIFxflibFoI-5Cwb9Eu2exseYCuVB8lCOx5nwE/w480-h640/IMG_7825.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Every couple of years I reread Gladys Taber's <i>Mrs.</i> <i>Daffodil </i>in March. It's almost wrong to say this is a novel when it reads instead as Gladys Taber's autobiography, with names changed. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">For example, Gladys' bosom friend Faith Baldwin (see the illustration of Faith Baldwin at the top of every blog post of Dewena's Window) is named Hope Alden in <i>Mrs. Daffodil. </i>During their annual week's visits, they read each others' manuscripts--that's true trust--settle the problems of the world, and go antique shopping together.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRRsbTF5k-xwzDsfCQumKLj4k5bRrOEoFUMipHWugJ7TAyf8mw6tYaAycQCqBodj_0qLsSmbICtklC6OZfjPorJvldhfWOWl_vI-kArCRU4_Ppvdo5BaMCm9AyYLrr8o6sBe5JwSNPJ7d8an6zDzB5dyb6FGBdLcSGM3uNVatIGi4WpqPg8CfITvceLgk9/s1067/IMG_7828.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRRsbTF5k-xwzDsfCQumKLj4k5bRrOEoFUMipHWugJ7TAyf8mw6tYaAycQCqBodj_0qLsSmbICtklC6OZfjPorJvldhfWOWl_vI-kArCRU4_Ppvdo5BaMCm9AyYLrr8o6sBe5JwSNPJ7d8an6zDzB5dyb6FGBdLcSGM3uNVatIGi4WpqPg8CfITvceLgk9/w300-h400/IMG_7828.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I always laugh with Mrs. Daffodil as she recounts the various hired help she and her lifelong friend and housemate Kay (Jill) employ over the years whose ineptitude causes the two women to work even harder than usual. This also brings to mind the five years I had the most wonderful helper named Pam and what I wouldn't give for her now. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWENN_eFokjD0qSr3Xx_Q3N7ALWqyJUzIKMpe1ZgfHD3CdbVkbI028ELw6HZqf-oKYJw_YLh29VpTB4_9lF4JkS-FyKA7m2nqzTyEGGYVDaIkdIMibSCA4Fqev25PJctGhyphenhyphenSNnnpUvycN2ABYMz6Wpg5CK9XSeI8F4UZwf7Ea2LA7Y3kixqXhkIg_bqjb1/s1180/IMG_1758.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1180" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWENN_eFokjD0qSr3Xx_Q3N7ALWqyJUzIKMpe1ZgfHD3CdbVkbI028ELw6HZqf-oKYJw_YLh29VpTB4_9lF4JkS-FyKA7m2nqzTyEGGYVDaIkdIMibSCA4Fqev25PJctGhyphenhyphenSNnnpUvycN2ABYMz6Wpg5CK9XSeI8F4UZwf7Ea2LA7Y3kixqXhkIg_bqjb1/w271-h400/IMG_1758.jpg" width="271" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">And I cry for Mrs. Daffodil at the end of the book when she says of her husband, someone Gladys rarely mentions in her books, the sentences that tell so much.</span></p><p></p><blockquote><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">She remembered Henry, but pushed the memory aside. Henry was an upright man, but life with him had been anything but one of those partnerships she read about. The truth was, she reflected sadly, that she and Henry had been entirely unsuited. They had just rocked along.</span></blockquote><blockquote><p><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">She said a little prayer for Henry.</span></p></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I read <i>Mrs. Daffodil </i>before falling asleep at night through the first spring like warm days of March when the daffodils bloomed behind the barn, those in the wild area that looked as if some former resident had forked up mounds of dirt where daffodil bulbs had been tossed.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmCLM3AZLVwvdxo0VZG1semx4RObd2V3ZwWP6fp3VtzgN38_CSsVE7tRzyVqPdfsmBI4je6jlNJ5IEPRDnAohlLU-2NiLUaT0ph9JrqIsPXRXi8JQLA-xLK9j4dV6n9c0jbXrL9H2V8mwND8ks_YCuhqEaZAszhSkT3cCtdWKQOEr4XQDOk1ANiVKt1rjt/s800/IMG_7851.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmCLM3AZLVwvdxo0VZG1semx4RObd2V3ZwWP6fp3VtzgN38_CSsVE7tRzyVqPdfsmBI4je6jlNJ5IEPRDnAohlLU-2NiLUaT0ph9JrqIsPXRXi8JQLA-xLK9j4dV6n9c0jbXrL9H2V8mwND8ks_YCuhqEaZAszhSkT3cCtdWKQOEr4XQDOk1ANiVKt1rjt/w640-h480/IMG_7851.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><blockquote><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">So warm were the days that James Mason</span> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">and BreeBree went to the groomer for a short haircut.</span></p></blockquote><p> </p><blockquote><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMIX17DoegcWx6TgaJtd6okrj-Yhb1FwXOSFsZm9FoGV0kxDv-fcl9GB22h_EONQaA7ZoZBhcIb2kQmtVXGoQYaxfwk7ECtEgy8pIDv8wViB01d8pWrtTyeou2_KNZJcxakG9-Wd4KivMrnGeQEz0H77zGOsPPPSdU4XmaPszzyDFbxuqt4ntEYM4mqCv0/s889/IMG_7797.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="889" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMIX17DoegcWx6TgaJtd6okrj-Yhb1FwXOSFsZm9FoGV0kxDv-fcl9GB22h_EONQaA7ZoZBhcIb2kQmtVXGoQYaxfwk7ECtEgy8pIDv8wViB01d8pWrtTyeou2_KNZJcxakG9-Wd4KivMrnGeQEz0H77zGOsPPPSdU4XmaPszzyDFbxuqt4ntEYM4mqCv0/w576-h640/IMG_7797.jpg" width="576" /></a></div><br />And I read <i>Mrs. Daffodil </i>when March became her true chilly self.</span></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI-cHR2y1v8nz6ADGCH2LOYkSd9Wc3hrRy5lhxdqfpoi-jFoVeyQy2hDAGmcB9IfAFtDguXvWV9qgpDTfNbhems_-aP_iXp_fp8aPtMU06VjhsgJIUG2KXlmzMndpVsUV1XYWB6vaLeNWiEazMSTDwTWSo5vVmKdksWG1tKI90vAqFTyEwFPB9BeJMJ29q/s800/IMG_7868.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI-cHR2y1v8nz6ADGCH2LOYkSd9Wc3hrRy5lhxdqfpoi-jFoVeyQy2hDAGmcB9IfAFtDguXvWV9qgpDTfNbhems_-aP_iXp_fp8aPtMU06VjhsgJIUG2KXlmzMndpVsUV1XYWB6vaLeNWiEazMSTDwTWSo5vVmKdksWG1tKI90vAqFTyEwFPB9BeJMJ29q/w640-h480/IMG_7868.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p> </p><blockquote><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I lit candles at night as the temperatures fell, especially this pretty one from Court that was a Christmas gift and smells divine.</span></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9J2LDW8dciho48VV8r0PBmkvJuMEwgSzvAc2SKI3DX2IB0Fp5-zY1wrFk0Onr7FEzi3i6qEyoJiBy4XBIp_Hj2qFxaGlkB6MLg9osW28uMNZvB1bFBawMJpNqRzA-O9Gsz_9fJNYwEvUYrTZ4f16Gd2E3IBZIHUuD8lp1gO2JsUDdt4M_-D3tCLrwv5hJ/s1099/IMG_7281.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1099" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9J2LDW8dciho48VV8r0PBmkvJuMEwgSzvAc2SKI3DX2IB0Fp5-zY1wrFk0Onr7FEzi3i6qEyoJiBy4XBIp_Hj2qFxaGlkB6MLg9osW28uMNZvB1bFBawMJpNqRzA-O9Gsz_9fJNYwEvUYrTZ4f16Gd2E3IBZIHUuD8lp1gO2JsUDdt4M_-D3tCLrwv5hJ/w466-h640/IMG_7281.jpg" width="466" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I finished <i>Mrs. Daffodil </i>and went back to some old Peter Shandy mysteries, and in the daytime I listened to biography audiobooks while doing some spring chores. I listened to this one in honor of my <i>Star Trek </i>trekki sons and found it to be a fascinating account of a complex man--<i>both</i> Leonard Nimoy and Mr. Spoke. [Sorry, typo--Mr. Spock!]</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipq51foxXi_O2-vce7tADwS4RFr4oCyaVmJffzmerXooqgaWzqGi-MUJZbmY5oPOb9BAt7c-6gy32mNEIIi6wPidOwxImTVHqJI-nsQYIc7DDHVnJVwACPKrU6y8JQb5tBn8wugEBN1s7Nf5JbuXHMF1XYn60B9KAJwXc38ejqnL3zN1b-5iwPA7R6q1ZJ/s906/IMG_7856.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="906" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipq51foxXi_O2-vce7tADwS4RFr4oCyaVmJffzmerXooqgaWzqGi-MUJZbmY5oPOb9BAt7c-6gy32mNEIIi6wPidOwxImTVHqJI-nsQYIc7DDHVnJVwACPKrU6y8JQb5tBn8wugEBN1s7Nf5JbuXHMF1XYn60B9KAJwXc38ejqnL3zN1b-5iwPA7R6q1ZJ/w566-h640/IMG_7856.jpg" width="566" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I hung some spring tea towels in the kitchen...</span></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU-Yv0ImI1tJtbObzIhDgcWoIBuhZvBSRBYaksa0p0m3fVEFReD9Y8NtxK5BA-pRR3LgWmHDlhXugOdNdtzwZjuhyM0NGtLlkR_rKbkczBM-xlc4DVVNNow8xExk_Cs-72BKehSQ-IG5IvL_XyJNFczMoK38bf8K5pT-WWiFw0MQOQwwOqL13C9X0iNuux/s1067/IMG_7920.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU-Yv0ImI1tJtbObzIhDgcWoIBuhZvBSRBYaksa0p0m3fVEFReD9Y8NtxK5BA-pRR3LgWmHDlhXugOdNdtzwZjuhyM0NGtLlkR_rKbkczBM-xlc4DVVNNow8xExk_Cs-72BKehSQ-IG5IvL_XyJNFczMoK38bf8K5pT-WWiFw0MQOQwwOqL13C9X0iNuux/w480-h640/IMG_7920.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Cleaned out some kitchen drawers...</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm9sxmzjBUDuja9cFCSw8qSasQK42JpLRsNWSfNJWTctMtKLXdS313lb6T667TAlP42YzktVJkSACwePYwPRQqEjSrOtWx77aJuHddsePWIlU5lETlWHjBik1ijFtjAw6b-fxEF-RrmBcVbxo_f28vn1Z1FQ1G27yhXVyvJdKi3EfDv3-Iv7sxd9NE4etp/s944/IMG_7919.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="944" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm9sxmzjBUDuja9cFCSw8qSasQK42JpLRsNWSfNJWTctMtKLXdS313lb6T667TAlP42YzktVJkSACwePYwPRQqEjSrOtWx77aJuHddsePWIlU5lETlWHjBik1ijFtjAw6b-fxEF-RrmBcVbxo_f28vn1Z1FQ1G27yhXVyvJdKi3EfDv3-Iv7sxd9NE4etp/w542-h640/IMG_7919.jpg" width="542" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">And up went a few little sweet things on the kitchen shelves--the Peter Rabbit cutout saved from Christy's childhood.</span></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirUEV8W07iqv6sHK1D7IWsS-VHyPfciXAlNRYyXPtc3dtofHKeY8LMd7-_nG-4rje1w8mfs6JG4ixuu7aB9sUqo3VDsJXpCkoUlc9DvONuLTce5HTvaA5Hh64pqCRN3mP-FlU-waU6lnb8lCIefGi4JzhNAe4WjJxOJ_vfPoEJNqzRQlorIbjmGPwGigc4/s800/IMG_7917.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="687" data-original-width="800" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirUEV8W07iqv6sHK1D7IWsS-VHyPfciXAlNRYyXPtc3dtofHKeY8LMd7-_nG-4rje1w8mfs6JG4ixuu7aB9sUqo3VDsJXpCkoUlc9DvONuLTce5HTvaA5Hh64pqCRN3mP-FlU-waU6lnb8lCIefGi4JzhNAe4WjJxOJ_vfPoEJNqzRQlorIbjmGPwGigc4/w640-h550/IMG_7917.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I mixed up some buttermilk waffle batter one day for a special waffle breakfast with Tennessee country sausage, hashbrown casserole and eggs. Melted butter and hot maple syrup.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ2z5X1I0xP48VX7x9esGoqJbAV-iORJTjK8sYAMe4RgMcsnOZ5Kw_Z1OGzgBgEjPqF2nDpOJqgyPaHx0PYA-kykr8ur4nZhWUPH7DQ8mooCkhc-z09IRr_t7Aa0j1HlXJIKAIxgGDCThro0bX76wSJnogrZPimkc1vN2jY_6vwB8roGtwqxk2GyvK0VTK/s1067/IMG_7861.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ2z5X1I0xP48VX7x9esGoqJbAV-iORJTjK8sYAMe4RgMcsnOZ5Kw_Z1OGzgBgEjPqF2nDpOJqgyPaHx0PYA-kykr8ur4nZhWUPH7DQ8mooCkhc-z09IRr_t7Aa0j1HlXJIKAIxgGDCThro0bX76wSJnogrZPimkc1vN2jY_6vwB8roGtwqxk2GyvK0VTK/w480-h640/IMG_7861.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>Attended by our guests, Christy home for the weekend and her big brother who dashed over to see her. If only I had managed to get her whole beautiful face in the picture!</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxrQvmpkAC370-7tM6fr_QZUvY1-7Z-eoapGE1Hd7j9xlh0szOK5EUr-qiYTOf4136ljFuz-Bp4bgIsUIi3Doau71H9wBSY28n09BXAdcLfptQdxUOeV8K0z7YBnBPFsITyEfsf0ftvv0Qt9BKf3G0919tsEzTjHs3ljGaiA542_xdgncU7JerXKMmSxch/s913/IMG_7863.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="913" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxrQvmpkAC370-7tM6fr_QZUvY1-7Z-eoapGE1Hd7j9xlh0szOK5EUr-qiYTOf4136ljFuz-Bp4bgIsUIi3Doau71H9wBSY28n09BXAdcLfptQdxUOeV8K0z7YBnBPFsITyEfsf0ftvv0Qt9BKf3G0919tsEzTjHs3ljGaiA542_xdgncU7JerXKMmSxch/w560-h640/IMG_7863.jpg" width="560" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">And RH and I will be getting another visit from family Easter weekend, our granddaughters and their parents!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Can you guess where they were one day on spring break?</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJyusn5qaJ8harxge9LfPS8yPxzRMp88XiLSqo_9EhLdpzFLvB1bh2eQ0APVHQT6We1zo23KRr4gu9xZ_GAe2-qiIkE60Dh9ghzwucFXCQ3PKKNcrKngewJ7bQZY9PmMgUDoJ-JT6ePxvK2IqzHQIjBMs-2sw3nO1-FBd2H0HdjZ4L6h5QctlRtAtIqglq/s800/IMG_1536.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJyusn5qaJ8harxge9LfPS8yPxzRMp88XiLSqo_9EhLdpzFLvB1bh2eQ0APVHQT6We1zo23KRr4gu9xZ_GAe2-qiIkE60Dh9ghzwucFXCQ3PKKNcrKngewJ7bQZY9PmMgUDoJ-JT6ePxvK2IqzHQIjBMs-2sw3nO1-FBd2H0HdjZ4L6h5QctlRtAtIqglq/w640-h480/IMG_1536.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Now that's way too easy, isn't it? And I know you can guess how much I enjoy visits from family, even quick weekend ones. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">For such is the stuff of bliss, isn't it, dear readers? And Mrs. Daffodil? </span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p>Dewenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330797553600987145noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025769640802524983.post-23955087554544076692024-02-14T08:00:00.000-08:002024-02-14T08:00:00.129-08:00Happy St. Valentine's Day to All<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWGwFRYry79oZtXyRvrU_DfYrT4U8Wuncw-M8tIiE99HyHdSgb_vnjd8ihGdngV9kvxnbFDHyxfqU8TgkuhyphenhyphenmR8QKg-5P1YfkES2unihStcwXoY252pzHm4DCAaVqK-PpDxt9TKHhM_aNB_3AdIwUVjVEokpPwwnKNkvMReZ_lAVJqOp6HAGB2CIu1oCLJ/s958/us%201960.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="958" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWGwFRYry79oZtXyRvrU_DfYrT4U8Wuncw-M8tIiE99HyHdSgb_vnjd8ihGdngV9kvxnbFDHyxfqU8TgkuhyphenhyphenmR8QKg-5P1YfkES2unihStcwXoY252pzHm4DCAaVqK-PpDxt9TKHhM_aNB_3AdIwUVjVEokpPwwnKNkvMReZ_lAVJqOp6HAGB2CIu1oCLJ/w534-h640/us%201960.jpg" width="534" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">RH and Dewena</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">1960</span></p>Dewenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330797553600987145noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025769640802524983.post-10896265114277660372024-02-12T14:30:00.000-08:002024-02-12T14:30:00.126-08:00Tiny Bits of Valentine's Day Decor and Fish Majolica in the Kitchen<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEildFtdqJ9byc_l8mk2LTWjL6wDBNFDiUSCq6Jz3JQiJCP-unrBaGuHOKTG0z3_MolCrcXeSMnppMEnKNzESZfxX-N0JIauc2goapKMAOBpOiyLpyRJzLne2HKujV6DUHcXmLisU4gX0MZmCF0BkiWSitKHfFkoSV0GjEQa6jvIZqLJdZPeCR-5riUr4GRj/s967/IMG_7763.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="967" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEildFtdqJ9byc_l8mk2LTWjL6wDBNFDiUSCq6Jz3JQiJCP-unrBaGuHOKTG0z3_MolCrcXeSMnppMEnKNzESZfxX-N0JIauc2goapKMAOBpOiyLpyRJzLne2HKujV6DUHcXmLisU4gX0MZmCF0BkiWSitKHfFkoSV0GjEQa6jvIZqLJdZPeCR-5riUr4GRj/w530-h640/IMG_7763.jpg" width="530" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">My Valentine's Day decor is sparse and all ends up in my kitchen. I honored the Day on a pretty little pink blackboard my granddaughter made me two Christmases ago. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">And put a fabric heart in the handle of an odd lid I found at Goodwill and hung on the wall.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAW7iGMJnpMtqqP1BW6YZF5XBwBEPkTqtTMHaH9NtNRjLY32o-jblZ8yraQJWo06IlEklCROiJVFobZe6qQyHqo_DxQGOlbe6PWQcT6dXsvPdwgFM8OHU8ofh0znTAXRVlg7QLFnQQSHaVv7FOO5eh50NHbkAyOYBx89RgbZynA5U7pnuemXY7Tk76QidH/s1067/IMG_7760.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAW7iGMJnpMtqqP1BW6YZF5XBwBEPkTqtTMHaH9NtNRjLY32o-jblZ8yraQJWo06IlEklCROiJVFobZe6qQyHqo_DxQGOlbe6PWQcT6dXsvPdwgFM8OHU8ofh0znTAXRVlg7QLFnQQSHaVv7FOO5eh50NHbkAyOYBx89RgbZynA5U7pnuemXY7Tk76QidH/w480-h640/IMG_7760.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Two little hearts adorn a tea towel.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3MRwHnILcz7PUqvRKx5-XgzrMkMf8u1MIEkaPZLYRZvG1ZSW6mJeKm1l1izH_vd6Z_Hfty4r4QiEW7tNa620TXiKuOd9FyCr5Nxo0fnvBVsqlo6onZ81_7ExGVNr1VE9lMGJt9RyLan_KdNfMUzgJA-jaT9i3uBLlcYR8C-kZEKE5R0CpKJP-huZOKD_I/s1067/IMG_7777.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3MRwHnILcz7PUqvRKx5-XgzrMkMf8u1MIEkaPZLYRZvG1ZSW6mJeKm1l1izH_vd6Z_Hfty4r4QiEW7tNa620TXiKuOd9FyCr5Nxo0fnvBVsqlo6onZ81_7ExGVNr1VE9lMGJt9RyLan_KdNfMUzgJA-jaT9i3uBLlcYR8C-kZEKE5R0CpKJP-huZOKD_I/w480-h640/IMG_7777.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I found this vintage St. Valentine's Day card in an antique store many decades ago. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtaWFuofyc8bv_hzaNKKHqCtJgTNpP5zD_dPOgWm4N9rZliqVv3Ti8IOm4pYlgkUFtl3tm7OahSLFQPZG2l9TIQ90y1yCADeC2cbJb3G3HGTLhcILZ3MBGBtJC4voyIHQxQQhDfDORrO4pxloziQF-VWpYC9SUlp9cj3_on26OW5oWdfdhIoJR64LvqV0U/s1026/IMG_7766.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1026" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtaWFuofyc8bv_hzaNKKHqCtJgTNpP5zD_dPOgWm4N9rZliqVv3Ti8IOm4pYlgkUFtl3tm7OahSLFQPZG2l9TIQ90y1yCADeC2cbJb3G3HGTLhcILZ3MBGBtJC4voyIHQxQQhDfDORrO4pxloziQF-VWpYC9SUlp9cj3_on26OW5oWdfdhIoJR64LvqV0U/w500-h640/IMG_7766.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Valentine cards from our granddaughters always get saved and displayed.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOd4eLoDsI-uGTEqGrk_j7_rKoYZtMcbVlNrTGmsih9fLdHp7ZKKKNXnIGvCBCwSLvM5yJnyGE1h23RIlh4BqAUOTvODQQyKcueScy0VurasWYb0kt4kNuHnivbvFY7Fgrhmpu-V2LsiLqoPOMfedPyjnWIHUjAAcFAU4GiafQOmmlifYXyTBfp5SSC5Jt/s1067/IMG_7768.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOd4eLoDsI-uGTEqGrk_j7_rKoYZtMcbVlNrTGmsih9fLdHp7ZKKKNXnIGvCBCwSLvM5yJnyGE1h23RIlh4BqAUOTvODQQyKcueScy0VurasWYb0kt4kNuHnivbvFY7Fgrhmpu-V2LsiLqoPOMfedPyjnWIHUjAAcFAU4GiafQOmmlifYXyTBfp5SSC5Jt/w480-h640/IMG_7768.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">That's about all I have but I love their presence in my kitchen. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Last week I took everything off my open kitchen shelves and cleaned everything, the top shelf with RH's help. A couple of years ago I took everything decorative off the lower shelf and filled it with glass jars of rices and beans, etc. that I used frequently but I began to miss having <i>pretty </i>stuff there. So most of the food items went in the pantry (which is a coat closet back near our bedrooms) and I brought in some favorite <i>pretty</i> things.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlxtNlFTfuyaiV1UcouPJ543i89Vt6mcmJij-hFsxauURxowpcFMpnfIW9rNunXADrk76Gopy6E1HRpMgDhnTUPzpb47jBXDQC1miVvZHnqqlZM89m2BujuuGfByIntdXwosev0FJGLMBmHP3rZL4C2ANMG-JUM_HJPFdahMsLhyphenhyphenCgNxkW_grKtLhEeswH/s1067/IMG_7730.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlxtNlFTfuyaiV1UcouPJ543i89Vt6mcmJij-hFsxauURxowpcFMpnfIW9rNunXADrk76Gopy6E1HRpMgDhnTUPzpb47jBXDQC1miVvZHnqqlZM89m2BujuuGfByIntdXwosev0FJGLMBmHP3rZL4C2ANMG-JUM_HJPFdahMsLhyphenhyphenCgNxkW_grKtLhEeswH/w480-h640/IMG_7730.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I put up some of the early 1900's Italian fish majolica I collect including this large platter.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCSquN3Q_Mu94NTpCZT_kYhjZi7En6J9s2z_bXWC3mHx9FZ05hc3lwPODOGci1bbsrLvbBt9IxXc6BzWY1_ujFo3AKp9ocTmBR114nQUEDoQ4uvjx7zrLGe5Y_XFBQ50cF-QDoc8Zg1B-HzaaOXr8s3R5y7KFQ3B3uKz4dMfVqwYYnRZqf5LoP85tdl4Yb/s801/IMG_7564.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="801" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCSquN3Q_Mu94NTpCZT_kYhjZi7En6J9s2z_bXWC3mHx9FZ05hc3lwPODOGci1bbsrLvbBt9IxXc6BzWY1_ujFo3AKp9ocTmBR114nQUEDoQ4uvjx7zrLGe5Y_XFBQ50cF-QDoc8Zg1B-HzaaOXr8s3R5y7KFQ3B3uKz4dMfVqwYYnRZqf5LoP85tdl4Yb/w640-h640/IMG_7564.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">And the gravy tureen that still has the rare spoon for its tongue. And I had RH hang one of the little bone dishes above it. I have stacks of small plates too and might add some of them.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3wjVUwleQYNmK8JwZSbJeOAyqKDrMvZCx24lJXlCedhWbazw0c0WN4Qg7sXFGbeRp0c6YK8KTyFkjUMFnjXUb0b0io09zAtRUXdzwh9VzfnsR156ao4PlYrH4XrVxTwEc9ZUk7-tmlWEgbStfmeZuX-qKKioavT1MiQh89-OyLAYR7RSsP1HdmYqk6apF/s950/IMG_7559.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="950" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3wjVUwleQYNmK8JwZSbJeOAyqKDrMvZCx24lJXlCedhWbazw0c0WN4Qg7sXFGbeRp0c6YK8KTyFkjUMFnjXUb0b0io09zAtRUXdzwh9VzfnsR156ao4PlYrH4XrVxTwEc9ZUk7-tmlWEgbStfmeZuX-qKKioavT1MiQh89-OyLAYR7RSsP1HdmYqk6apF/w538-h640/IMG_7559.jpg" width="538" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">A small English platter went up, all of these fish making sense to me as I could easily give up all meats and only eat fish. Not so, RH.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYhXxZeecgGqW79dQKR3fHbiICBjYo5UHPE-6hyGTgG-zJYPLcMPaFkh24dpKkXr2v6MuyM7LlTP5rgPlTV97rnCzlChdz5qkagXV2yuIkmc_7-s3o_lV1VJSKcZf7zayJMoDbEARZFjPVvygWVMtq5BybhZpNWg7ZG9OER_GCQm8xMheFW56e7GBJbAcB/s1067/IMG_7761.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYhXxZeecgGqW79dQKR3fHbiICBjYo5UHPE-6hyGTgG-zJYPLcMPaFkh24dpKkXr2v6MuyM7LlTP5rgPlTV97rnCzlChdz5qkagXV2yuIkmc_7-s3o_lV1VJSKcZf7zayJMoDbEARZFjPVvygWVMtq5BybhZpNWg7ZG9OER_GCQm8xMheFW56e7GBJbAcB/w480-h640/IMG_7761.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p><br /></p><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I must zoom in on Maddie who was clipped to my Christmas calendar that daughter Christy gave me years ago, a reminder of her schnauzer who will be 15 years old this Valentine's Day! Maddie's health was very worrisome a few weeks ago and we were so relieved when she got better.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieGMNvJpldJpihev03n3CR86M8swpgojx0ZE3hyF1ZXnXONK4aC2p4Gk9R7_Yb-e2-gXLbj0tlDDmOPqzFZx5MM-n_cavYiEAreDYRXNw-jsI8fik4N6E5k5O7uBZc9JSL94RoIQWI5Of7cQ03i_PYLxx3oNRBOUWi3Wgtl9ZgAvhke1i5ivasr4qfw70s/s800/IMG_7762.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="765" data-original-width="800" height="612" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieGMNvJpldJpihev03n3CR86M8swpgojx0ZE3hyF1ZXnXONK4aC2p4Gk9R7_Yb-e2-gXLbj0tlDDmOPqzFZx5MM-n_cavYiEAreDYRXNw-jsI8fik4N6E5k5O7uBZc9JSL94RoIQWI5Of7cQ03i_PYLxx3oNRBOUWi3Wgtl9ZgAvhke1i5ivasr4qfw70s/w640-h612/IMG_7762.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I can't resist showing you my asparagus candle again. When RH's brother was letting me choose things from his estate sale inventory a couple of years ago, this vintage asparagus candle and two large orange "coral" candles I display on top of my china cabinet were some of my favorite finds. I love this candle!</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnkCEqjmBN1Ug4pvJu47cXuiD6fFRHmx5i0FIJ8gjIwl4ec8MWsuq0wuCJ8zVbfQ6C2vV6iDT1zvWz0ENHLgNZE7z5nc1TV27N-3UoxgNKsIIdMGW_2UFB9rBRKah3ygcG1F4Iz7evcVmGMlqTmUkZjmNrx1vzRCwH7Vlo8w44PoLLQo18e8aQnFP42_8m/s2716/IMG_7568.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2716" data-original-width="1912" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnkCEqjmBN1Ug4pvJu47cXuiD6fFRHmx5i0FIJ8gjIwl4ec8MWsuq0wuCJ8zVbfQ6C2vV6iDT1zvWz0ENHLgNZE7z5nc1TV27N-3UoxgNKsIIdMGW_2UFB9rBRKah3ygcG1F4Iz7evcVmGMlqTmUkZjmNrx1vzRCwH7Vlo8w44PoLLQo18e8aQnFP42_8m/w450-h640/IMG_7568.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I think it's magnificent and display it on the top shelf beside a special old Royal Doulton "Countess" platter that was my mother's. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">On the door to the kitchen porch I display seasonal tea towels year round, mostly vintage. I just packed away my Christmas vintage tea towels and despite not having any vintage Valentine's towels, felt like these make a nice February showing, especially the cherries in honor of President George Washington. I know, I know, the cherries were a myth but I don't care.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyV_TssPaIyOW8ee7ylkGtJV1alK5eRSS2rqBcbM_qbyjTvvfd28ev56I13mWHRiP9H7LgbJY8K6QfWxfl737R25nYF_PsCj4DFz239TdCHHXpePP5wA2b6fo7TX6yRY7b_hiYq5I3Nme7R6ef7UdXky1VOYtxmr78k5iNNWcg-d8LdQl4wsd2EXsnUpiE/s1034/IMG_7778.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1034" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyV_TssPaIyOW8ee7ylkGtJV1alK5eRSS2rqBcbM_qbyjTvvfd28ev56I13mWHRiP9H7LgbJY8K6QfWxfl737R25nYF_PsCj4DFz239TdCHHXpePP5wA2b6fo7TX6yRY7b_hiYq5I3Nme7R6ef7UdXky1VOYtxmr78k5iNNWcg-d8LdQl4wsd2EXsnUpiE/w496-h640/IMG_7778.jpg" width="496" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I'll show this last picture to answer a question that Melanie recently posed, Where do I keep all my different china patterns?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Some are kept handy on this dry sink in the kitchen. Always my Blue Willow, now topped with winter patterns. At Christmas a stack of Spode Christmas Tree was there, easy to grab, and in summer I keep a stack of blue and white Independence Hall plates. Sometime I'll try to get pictures of the other places I stash china. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIvm9gjEyillqoa5ihyUcdKfYV0eiSujxu_ZcghpoxR1NCbJ4o6FXsHquRXTRwtCx3YzHiMIt32HioZ2GIjoHUxO0xyiz8_gLLbeekkjTEZ-XQe1Pq0TlRTFXurL6KN8pgPsrYj2qapvD8WWY81szgPmf1oWhEza-MIq8DH9I0aTbLBT0EPoPV1QwryMy1/s1067/IMG_7751.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIvm9gjEyillqoa5ihyUcdKfYV0eiSujxu_ZcghpoxR1NCbJ4o6FXsHquRXTRwtCx3YzHiMIt32HioZ2GIjoHUxO0xyiz8_gLLbeekkjTEZ-XQe1Pq0TlRTFXurL6KN8pgPsrYj2qapvD8WWY81szgPmf1oWhEza-MIq8DH9I0aTbLBT0EPoPV1QwryMy1/w480-h640/IMG_7751.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">That's all for today but I have a very old photograph of myself and RH to post on St. Valentine's Day, one I had forgotten about and recently found.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I always feel I should apologize for so many pictures but I do love seeing pictures from my blog friends' kitchens and hope some of you do too. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Please stay well, everyone! Our daughter is sick with COVID for the third time in a year and is feeling absolutely crummy. And yes, it is possible to have it that many times because there are at least three variants out there. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Be safe, be kind to yourself and others. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPU9yHTN2ndeoHQXzYeKMT2mo_2O5a_aYAPjAQJEBVv1EwqoRhjwSZZOrF5ol_qyH_ottBNlIqVNR25qv-Ibgwn8tRrP_785Uy7_WfUpQBwA39JsWYiecTsW_Ls8P4CADInuvF0tALB1pBhMEdBApa5SlN_CacaIhJswFxEPYH9BnPxEb2yIfBgX0p9kct/s800/IMG_7736.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="792" data-original-width="800" height="634" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPU9yHTN2ndeoHQXzYeKMT2mo_2O5a_aYAPjAQJEBVv1EwqoRhjwSZZOrF5ol_qyH_ottBNlIqVNR25qv-Ibgwn8tRrP_785Uy7_WfUpQBwA39JsWYiecTsW_Ls8P4CADInuvF0tALB1pBhMEdBApa5SlN_CacaIhJswFxEPYH9BnPxEb2yIfBgX0p9kct/w640-h634/IMG_7736.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p>Dewenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330797553600987145noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025769640802524983.post-73425875563023080402024-02-09T09:42:00.000-08:002024-02-09T09:54:35.261-08:00Of February Joys <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCpsb52GMotrMiGQNKC30RZgIaRYwyY5QHn4MAiU8ts6mZ9ndSZmDSin3l3gPVfXDyk7BC0aPs_w1ZtkhqKo4A17OPA5cjWVYczAhO0elndDiARIxUypLPr1n3UB9dmNQyI98KP4sVgaSRoT0FTW63wnlO86wMOfW7k0tBEDlu7LlNNs9EsRMtsCDsZpCE/s1067/IMG_7500.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCpsb52GMotrMiGQNKC30RZgIaRYwyY5QHn4MAiU8ts6mZ9ndSZmDSin3l3gPVfXDyk7BC0aPs_w1ZtkhqKo4A17OPA5cjWVYczAhO0elndDiARIxUypLPr1n3UB9dmNQyI98KP4sVgaSRoT0FTW63wnlO86wMOfW7k0tBEDlu7LlNNs9EsRMtsCDsZpCE/w480-h640/IMG_7500.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Paperwhite narcissus are such a joy to me. This is my second batch, the first one started in early December. I order 24 Ziva bulbs and use most of them in three or four containers around the house for Christmas. I put polished rocks in the containers, fill with water up to barely touching the bulb and keep them cool and dark for almost two weeks until roots are full and small pale green shoots appear when I bring them out. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY-hCi3SMSIWYDEkRK3LPpr-3hlNzhWQSTtgtwMv7nP8P_TKfbSlwfq4P0_UcuFI2cnpq1VXJsiHj5RP4ErnDFxNg2LWKrxLIz1Y_B9m57SlYoH4Udd-_FnR1vZwz7masygapYxFoY3_N9oifQhUKypMNlWoY7oO6vZ5ocAxXA3qpIUUjXYghCeI03l80X/s1067/IMG_7490.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY-hCi3SMSIWYDEkRK3LPpr-3hlNzhWQSTtgtwMv7nP8P_TKfbSlwfq4P0_UcuFI2cnpq1VXJsiHj5RP4ErnDFxNg2LWKrxLIz1Y_B9m57SlYoH4Udd-_FnR1vZwz7masygapYxFoY3_N9oifQhUKypMNlWoY7oO6vZ5ocAxXA3qpIUUjXYghCeI03l80X/w480-h640/IMG_7490.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Then I have enough bulbs left for one big display and I believe the second batch are even more special, filling my kitchen with their perfume.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfX83SbIej_Ey88oOkzFXQTrGTKBtkF22iadWm4cjWNGNh9c1r6v-pbSbUTHRhHpEOxJmtrHy1S7AzPAzN59PU_eU7gNgpiam73x8f_rll18gtIMFNnwdsPaBP7jPqvnNnE_zALrh2xcY9WAZgRlZCvOFnUPUXD_Sk6eAlLbXBuziYuiWV2jzYukP-CySD/s928/IMG_7104.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="928" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfX83SbIej_Ey88oOkzFXQTrGTKBtkF22iadWm4cjWNGNh9c1r6v-pbSbUTHRhHpEOxJmtrHy1S7AzPAzN59PU_eU7gNgpiam73x8f_rll18gtIMFNnwdsPaBP7jPqvnNnE_zALrh2xcY9WAZgRlZCvOFnUPUXD_Sk6eAlLbXBuziYuiWV2jzYukP-CySD/w552-h640/IMG_7104.jpg" width="552" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Do you see that sweet face above? James Mason and his sister always bring me joy! And he's in another episode of disc disease pain right now so I'm trying to keep him resting and inactive as much as possible while the meds work. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">This gives me the opportunity to write a blog post and I wanted to tell you about</span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"> the absolutely amazing apple pie I made before Christmas. It's from a 2007 </span><i style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Cook's Illustrated </i><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">magazine and it was a labor of love, taking me all day. Was that just me and my slowness? I mean, I always take triple time that recipes say it's supposed to take. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Tnt5bTn9yOpjpDgWr6fmrc-puWL-IUup8bSya_kpNTDG7o1fkd8cNdqW60EXaXtKyfgJ3tnGiAu9kKdu1-NUaO-Dcdo0FitRNbBg-SJG6nqCRHQh6seBCrLbRQQXXG4SRSdLJ2TU3TVYcukzVUmOdTk0y0LLvYd0p3_qMPLhrcz-V-DXMHGOAaE8-MNv/s960/IMG_6117%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Tnt5bTn9yOpjpDgWr6fmrc-puWL-IUup8bSya_kpNTDG7o1fkd8cNdqW60EXaXtKyfgJ3tnGiAu9kKdu1-NUaO-Dcdo0FitRNbBg-SJG6nqCRHQh6seBCrLbRQQXXG4SRSdLJ2TU3TVYcukzVUmOdTk0y0LLvYd0p3_qMPLhrcz-V-DXMHGOAaE8-MNv/w534-h640/IMG_6117%20(1).jpg" width="534" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">I can't give you a link to this recipe because you have to subscribe to it now but you know a pie crust is going to be good when it calls for two sticks of butter and sour cream. After I put it together in my Cuisinart, formed it into two balls and put it in the fridge for two hours I started peeling the apples. [I took pictures each step of the recipe but am sparing you most of them!]</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyA9fJYMhyphenhyphengLgpL6XGetrKyjWzVOPL__QLwCx-D6GyI3B63jCJcoPGw82F975gTQ7RMRLMVYAJkBnrg87pIjIymO4Q-CLsPMWm93g5fxFL1npoBEPh9KgFi7Xe4jVRH7kff4E0hCC60d8ggfOeqsErUUEF3IRNKect3mXBQrYETkisGSUtOxJhKlyhOa9r/s856/IMG_6151.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="856" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyA9fJYMhyphenhyphengLgpL6XGetrKyjWzVOPL__QLwCx-D6GyI3B63jCJcoPGw82F975gTQ7RMRLMVYAJkBnrg87pIjIymO4Q-CLsPMWm93g5fxFL1npoBEPh9KgFi7Xe4jVRH7kff4E0hCC60d8ggfOeqsErUUEF3IRNKect3mXBQrYETkisGSUtOxJhKlyhOa9r/w598-h640/IMG_6151.jpg" width="598" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">This is the step that was a surprise to me but is supposed to be so much better than using raw apples. I cooked the apples in a Dutch oven, along with the white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, lemon juice and zest for 20 minutes AND then put the cooked apples on a baking sheet to cool for 30 minutes. I started to skip this step but decided to follow everything as written. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Have you ever cooked the apples for an apple pie?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Then I put the apple mixture in a colander and drained out the juices to discard. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Then it was time to roll out the dough into two rounds. And then the rounds of dough went back into the fridge for 30 minutes on parchment paper! After that I lined the pie plate with one round and poured the apples into that and sprinkled with lemon juice. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Time to top the pie with the second pastry, slits cup in, brushed with egg white wash, and sprinkled with sugar.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif6X3vhSORMbPbGrqcaqkpdhuZiOMoCCBWseOsMwa7jnXuDQ4mqxOTx435j-k2W1QxMJmJCfp21wet8y4Y-UXHqW75Q6PEnSAsXJnM8DgEJ1BG30szIPa7kmDSdqpqWypMCCRwtqQo7DfCyJpPylaGouYPZuggPkPfIk-_6vzsKDvR2bK3c4TI9URUFj83/s874/IMG_6155.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="874" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif6X3vhSORMbPbGrqcaqkpdhuZiOMoCCBWseOsMwa7jnXuDQ4mqxOTx435j-k2W1QxMJmJCfp21wet8y4Y-UXHqW75Q6PEnSAsXJnM8DgEJ1BG30szIPa7kmDSdqpqWypMCCRwtqQo7DfCyJpPylaGouYPZuggPkPfIk-_6vzsKDvR2bK3c4TI9URUFj83/w586-h640/IMG_6155.jpg" width="586" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">After baking at 425 F. for 40 minutes (recipe called for 45-55 minutes) I took it out and then had to wait 1 1/2 hours to cut and eat.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx0m4zfxUHgYaG1jvJXjxCr1BMkPT9ffQKvtq7yzY181ctkeDzA-IDL_4U8_tjxKjWSxx1XrHe5cf0aOPEjHbR5eHo_s3Hunr-j__OcUcWahyphenhypheneiBJYQ5ZCp8SiiplP4d4QlSGCBeJtPwxsrPpWTrRoEiS8249ptNUiJaoWlYupjC6xpdpYzlsRERB8aGZ3/s943/IMG_6160.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="943" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx0m4zfxUHgYaG1jvJXjxCr1BMkPT9ffQKvtq7yzY181ctkeDzA-IDL_4U8_tjxKjWSxx1XrHe5cf0aOPEjHbR5eHo_s3Hunr-j__OcUcWahyphenhypheneiBJYQ5ZCp8SiiplP4d4QlSGCBeJtPwxsrPpWTrRoEiS8249ptNUiJaoWlYupjC6xpdpYzlsRERB8aGZ3/w542-h640/IMG_6160.jpg" width="542" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Lord have mercy, was that apple pie the best I've ever eaten!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvBEOiO8Dz3dHRMGJGT2MSJApZ99yVAVYCl9s4Nk6VqIRFoGdHfSCZaNhWVK0dvSS6LnyvmNN7k4A6Y7LLnS7TykW14CkDZrXGUt_dVVwcHbsCtLUjycJsANbgnSNgH8OOfcr5lG2slNJI7-Idtah3oMsJW-zI0fWY2KfqdGai01RD30On0oz0STnRGCWh/s2722/IMG_6159.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2604" data-original-width="2722" height="612" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvBEOiO8Dz3dHRMGJGT2MSJApZ99yVAVYCl9s4Nk6VqIRFoGdHfSCZaNhWVK0dvSS6LnyvmNN7k4A6Y7LLnS7TykW14CkDZrXGUt_dVVwcHbsCtLUjycJsANbgnSNgH8OOfcr5lG2slNJI7-Idtah3oMsJW-zI0fWY2KfqdGai01RD30On0oz0STnRGCWh/w640-h612/IMG_6159.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Okay, maybe it didn't take me all day but it took me hours and hours. And I'll never make it again unless we have company there to help us eat it because apple pie, even good apple pie, is not so good after two days and the critters and birds got the rest. The crows were particularly fond of it. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Time to help James Mason get up and go potty. My to-do list mainly consists in taking care of him for a few days while squeezing in some basics as I can. I certainly won't be making another apple pie anytime soon. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">What are you all up to now?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh07L8oOeZkCBvTcF8JyosHEPtWeCBrt5Yt57L4iLY1HptssTMTwcXlheToDG_oO0EAhP5F5rJVipRJ2QB6-3xnhDJnL7qdaMYYnzlc2OURr0vUVfbwYTKGuzrPyDsnIJKHQC3_ESrxSbH_cT4Ho5tEIZFQ6wWozHuj6TcQAfcUfs3LiYIwTO_TBO7U2Pfe/s1067/IMG_7516.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh07L8oOeZkCBvTcF8JyosHEPtWeCBrt5Yt57L4iLY1HptssTMTwcXlheToDG_oO0EAhP5F5rJVipRJ2QB6-3xnhDJnL7qdaMYYnzlc2OURr0vUVfbwYTKGuzrPyDsnIJKHQC3_ESrxSbH_cT4Ho5tEIZFQ6wWozHuj6TcQAfcUfs3LiYIwTO_TBO7U2Pfe/w300-h400/IMG_7516.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhab89gcay1fxzq0Fb0oQEU3ybDjowXGRIiyuHpJPuNMqjRM9M_rmgaV4-BplhyphenhyphenFp0rw0f7ghy97pYy_TB51YAUC5eCiy5KcgoYNcf16taB8Bemqt-C60OBouK_ONNmo2qP5LTvdHL5KywriJnhONZ3Lb0imTHYiBTLVRFhkZKecbYAwmYEk0oVANxfIMcc/s1600/Dewena's%20Kitchen%20sign.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhab89gcay1fxzq0Fb0oQEU3ybDjowXGRIiyuHpJPuNMqjRM9M_rmgaV4-BplhyphenhyphenFp0rw0f7ghy97pYy_TB51YAUC5eCiy5KcgoYNcf16taB8Bemqt-C60OBouK_ONNmo2qP5LTvdHL5KywriJnhONZ3Lb0imTHYiBTLVRFhkZKecbYAwmYEk0oVANxfIMcc/s320/Dewena's%20Kitchen%20sign.jpg" width="160" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><p></p>Dewenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330797553600987145noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025769640802524983.post-77152645986695096942024-01-27T09:30:00.000-08:002024-01-29T13:13:16.337-08:00Here's to a smile for my 10 year blogging anniversary!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMN1ubzfInMIH426LOx8OpoxTIdFM-oedyL5ZjxdIOYmKQgRNgglKgzXybQ_Q6zeGDct7gUZNcEdDntPbvwrv7mfsydZYLYpH6hXlfqYkacBq1xluIclrLHepY4ccpBFhSiyKZqSw9_UNudSZAJl0aGb2zC2YKvYfbwMspiIYsc00DOrujwwmMWH_hIdOt/s1067/IMG_7411.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMN1ubzfInMIH426LOx8OpoxTIdFM-oedyL5ZjxdIOYmKQgRNgglKgzXybQ_Q6zeGDct7gUZNcEdDntPbvwrv7mfsydZYLYpH6hXlfqYkacBq1xluIclrLHepY4ccpBFhSiyKZqSw9_UNudSZAJl0aGb2zC2YKvYfbwMspiIYsc00DOrujwwmMWH_hIdOt/w480-h640/IMG_7411.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Even though I've blogged for twelve years at <a href="https://awindow-lookacrosstheway.blogspot.com/" style="font-style: italic;">Across the Way, </a> it was ten years ago, January 27, 2014, that I first published <i>Dewena's Window. </i></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">We had snow there at Valley View that day and RH caught Katie Belle crossing the barn bridge. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvQ1Vp0A3J3HP9_24ltyaB2P6ghyphenhyphenU2XMhZfodjKzGyHcd6eKBUCinX8teEP-MByg11ZwB0oUK4m2ZXpo1AbmChzr6t2TcGVdZz64CI1MOC7pMTkUBRyyjiy5T5wt1iKHKGmc6AbQOqHwI5EA-T-qrjySN0TkCPQFUmNYuBwsXAAm0fzTrkCh-li8brx9uw/s800/snow%20pix%201-31-10%20017%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="708" data-original-width="800" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvQ1Vp0A3J3HP9_24ltyaB2P6ghyphenhyphenU2XMhZfodjKzGyHcd6eKBUCinX8teEP-MByg11ZwB0oUK4m2ZXpo1AbmChzr6t2TcGVdZz64CI1MOC7pMTkUBRyyjiy5T5wt1iKHKGmc6AbQOqHwI5EA-T-qrjySN0TkCPQFUmNYuBwsXAAm0fzTrkCh-li8brx9uw/w400-h354/snow%20pix%201-31-10%20017%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Here at Home Hill this past week there weren't many paw prints in our beautiful snow. Our dachshunds said <i>No thank you </i>when asked if they wanted to go potty.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg86T1SI0wKoECn0pgDHODnEDE5yQGmfO3wNEU5VpWqQ0S_xH5klyNE4SE3eVL43Nc1pyWE_U_8HMqekcp5qWEmGOe9hlvZ89Xr5i-kcXKvCVcCeL7KCcUwh400Z6mSwoGCbJpC2iNHkAd_tQQOvSFC5zcTD2u70V6NLoSAoLTQ3vKLM4Pf0glsUQDauAB5/s1067/IMG_7378.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg86T1SI0wKoECn0pgDHODnEDE5yQGmfO3wNEU5VpWqQ0S_xH5klyNE4SE3eVL43Nc1pyWE_U_8HMqekcp5qWEmGOe9hlvZ89Xr5i-kcXKvCVcCeL7KCcUwh400Z6mSwoGCbJpC2iNHkAd_tQQOvSFC5zcTD2u70V6NLoSAoLTQ3vKLM4Pf0glsUQDauAB5/w480-h640/IMG_7378.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">But I loved the beautiful and rare 8 1/2 inches of snow we got here. From the first day it started falling, I couldn't keep away from the windows...</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikYEiQDpROIPggxiPodg2RFPpCf8BAp9AhqwNrkuE2kOetWHsCgZvAFNbon-52lVO0-wMbGZ7SUjyYBn4GpCsCWU4zE-jqUU30m_WSrRCgacJPLKj45Nq6hBI4uXvx2g7mmpeaYGSzOrqEQBQFvurYmPfzo163rtMKYxEppwSA5cFJUdKKk3HmD8YJSG4L/s1067/IMG_7353.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikYEiQDpROIPggxiPodg2RFPpCf8BAp9AhqwNrkuE2kOetWHsCgZvAFNbon-52lVO0-wMbGZ7SUjyYBn4GpCsCWU4zE-jqUU30m_WSrRCgacJPLKj45Nq6hBI4uXvx2g7mmpeaYGSzOrqEQBQFvurYmPfzo163rtMKYxEppwSA5cFJUdKKk3HmD8YJSG4L/w480-h640/IMG_7353.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /><p>until the pond froze solid...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwkuJ_3jNSS-Uw1HTYR2-j64jJK6sBwqPpXOEgCBeMAvTVdA0MN8b45O0W2MqG1srPBEyBwebq3HuhtaLfScUpJTKsQzlYrtoLgOVm46pQRPX7VhCmlCmhbhvsHbI0UPPsUsknjoQsVD0MhDOehLK0_vv978697yJDy6npEFG1sOXUroZgmErvTSlRpk2Q/s1067/IMG_7417.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwkuJ_3jNSS-Uw1HTYR2-j64jJK6sBwqPpXOEgCBeMAvTVdA0MN8b45O0W2MqG1srPBEyBwebq3HuhtaLfScUpJTKsQzlYrtoLgOVm46pQRPX7VhCmlCmhbhvsHbI0UPPsUsknjoQsVD0MhDOehLK0_vv978697yJDy6npEFG1sOXUroZgmErvTSlRpk2Q/w480-h640/IMG_7417.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p>and even when we had to keep faucets dripping and doors under sinks open.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTxqtytGajB4lfrRZYIGvdP2b81gA5eLDk5dP4fdRa8HAN2HT5CDRvzjOOSHXZ5f1Myn9prqSemEnnZctkhN4WBpUoUQT3yP2sfxzJvlztIGIsNW6JBfljvc6X_xvCIZqZVGBE7Oht0dGvwJeCV2Wr44u0tZGrPWGCfBORCVK4mbaAq213q2jrU-Up04Jo/s1067/IMG_7402.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTxqtytGajB4lfrRZYIGvdP2b81gA5eLDk5dP4fdRa8HAN2HT5CDRvzjOOSHXZ5f1Myn9prqSemEnnZctkhN4WBpUoUQT3yP2sfxzJvlztIGIsNW6JBfljvc6X_xvCIZqZVGBE7Oht0dGvwJeCV2Wr44u0tZGrPWGCfBORCVK4mbaAq213q2jrU-Up04Jo/w480-h640/IMG_7402.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p>Of course I'm not the one who had to go outside and feed the birds.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqyGCdHkZG-Via9TKcy-YAyE-NntELPwejn3HgrxuIcQWwlBGLJmEcOUOmamaIDnwKf6aVu7GXbiUNCaUDzCoepst35V_I5u90Fxagb_xd1aufl2B6xAgoihnhzW9EA_RsFi8c8IsE95g0MJMXkNMmVNkL3hPX2F4Dj9skf-OWP0ZyeWx0iEeZK3hynqon/s1067/IMG_7379.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqyGCdHkZG-Via9TKcy-YAyE-NntELPwejn3HgrxuIcQWwlBGLJmEcOUOmamaIDnwKf6aVu7GXbiUNCaUDzCoepst35V_I5u90Fxagb_xd1aufl2B6xAgoihnhzW9EA_RsFi8c8IsE95g0MJMXkNMmVNkL3hPX2F4Dj9skf-OWP0ZyeWx0iEeZK3hynqon/w480-h640/IMG_7379.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p>Or climb ladders to thaw ice dams or to shovel paths clear.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbxXEtBtq9Fmtg6djUIibQiZkUX1ga-ky_TQgW08EreMYSDdk-f0OIcauIvGUHbhZRzg3h-DIusVbOGiFaITl_i42bJqc60RTquYTx9dyBZShhOkSvfTTNbZqHy6A3mPDyZiIA-qzMWlD5EJsU_bd8N5nreAKdLm7DMd_kH4zDcLFOUOdt7wBopzI5Etd0/s1067/IMG_7418.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbxXEtBtq9Fmtg6djUIibQiZkUX1ga-ky_TQgW08EreMYSDdk-f0OIcauIvGUHbhZRzg3h-DIusVbOGiFaITl_i42bJqc60RTquYTx9dyBZShhOkSvfTTNbZqHy6A3mPDyZiIA-qzMWlD5EJsU_bd8N5nreAKdLm7DMd_kH4zDcLFOUOdt7wBopzI5Etd0/w480-h640/IMG_7418.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p>And you already know that I'm not the one who spent hours outside when the salt truck ran over our water line.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS4WOVQgli2cZZjB1uDgp2rl7mPC4L9_JRGuAg8vgHQ4UEBBYkR3MZ91c77yQonBZv390GnjQfNYP6p_KniPc9YSwBNcCobLtdi0krgz27Jz8nw0KpAeZcW2MluOykm40uIjK6eIMBZiRGFPuDd8NXHKs3-5emj_-ekE3ZiCnihHzmJ0QPlA55c21g-hwD/s4032/IMG_7467.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS4WOVQgli2cZZjB1uDgp2rl7mPC4L9_JRGuAg8vgHQ4UEBBYkR3MZ91c77yQonBZv390GnjQfNYP6p_KniPc9YSwBNcCobLtdi0krgz27Jz8nw0KpAeZcW2MluOykm40uIjK6eIMBZiRGFPuDd8NXHKs3-5emj_-ekE3ZiCnihHzmJ0QPlA55c21g-hwD/w480-h640/IMG_7467.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p>But I loved every minute of our snow and was sad to see the rain melt it yesterday. </p><p>What I did do, always do when it snows, is cook. Not the grilled cheese, tomato soup and Rice Krispie Treats I always made when I had children at home for snow days but what we were craving; salmon mousse with dill sauce for me, pinto beans for RH, and strawberry shortcake for both of us.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitKjZZghY0mtzkZwiTcwudoFztGJFbsHci2Dy8p_x5QGXhGfoKvPhSwGFVpZ6T-Mr9Hr62TOUzvjix4bcZGE3Y8FRgsejthWPY_zfTKyH6p0fy_VAt8LOTUDHiW5EhBAWcDXAyXaXiT0EgFec4KWzCj4nGKCH4Uss2nbm04KCcvlrcP2eEg1j4Fvycxdpo/s1067/IMG_7430.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitKjZZghY0mtzkZwiTcwudoFztGJFbsHci2Dy8p_x5QGXhGfoKvPhSwGFVpZ6T-Mr9Hr62TOUzvjix4bcZGE3Y8FRgsejthWPY_zfTKyH6p0fy_VAt8LOTUDHiW5EhBAWcDXAyXaXiT0EgFec4KWzCj4nGKCH4Uss2nbm04KCcvlrcP2eEg1j4Fvycxdpo/w480-h640/IMG_7430.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p>The Salmon Mousse was from<i> </i>one of my favorite cookbooks,<i> Helen Exxum's Cookbook, </i>1987. and it was from The Gordon Lee House in Chickamaugua, Georgia, served at charity fundraisers with celebrity guests attending. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5bRHKIIlVa-7inJ3TgW_gu30Wb2B-2fFHihRyPPsEd5GMr1elJmtAkcPSmb0y3QCTbYJK7D9kwBgTIEICPTjlASHxU413jcpp_SkePpSTBfJ9fPd-Fec8LI1JDWTDT2Is1ZhMOUi8CJJfMLEpK4TF8X82csD0vxba3l9AjY61CZqHgH4hsssL8-v7HWDs/s1067/IMG_7432.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5bRHKIIlVa-7inJ3TgW_gu30Wb2B-2fFHihRyPPsEd5GMr1elJmtAkcPSmb0y3QCTbYJK7D9kwBgTIEICPTjlASHxU413jcpp_SkePpSTBfJ9fPd-Fec8LI1JDWTDT2Is1ZhMOUi8CJJfMLEpK4TF8X82csD0vxba3l9AjY61CZqHgH4hsssL8-v7HWDs/w480-h640/IMG_7432.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br />You might remember that I'm that rare person who loves anything with gellatin in it, aspics, mousses, jello molds, you name it, if it slides down the throat as smooth as gellato, serve me a bowl. </span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTHGNqdTZEBKeKxq0C3yrosugfSdX0g-tt_sr1WvK3p_javSGVrGekgECHsaL3zBrY6QU5pAijed2UoYY0Kb3sXSi-3GAj5Wa2mCFGpAOJunOCQmKpj2oeFxGm_Cc4sMQvCnHX7gT7E2-770vNrZUePh6cQ1hPzjzzNpfZRUf1I3k3OoBy80umvQaGMEWK/s1067/IMG_7425.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTHGNqdTZEBKeKxq0C3yrosugfSdX0g-tt_sr1WvK3p_javSGVrGekgECHsaL3zBrY6QU5pAijed2UoYY0Kb3sXSi-3GAj5Wa2mCFGpAOJunOCQmKpj2oeFxGm_Cc4sMQvCnHX7gT7E2-770vNrZUePh6cQ1hPzjzzNpfZRUf1I3k3OoBy80umvQaGMEWK/w480-h640/IMG_7425.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Unusual for me, my Christmas decor is 90% packed away now but I've kept out a few things I can't part with yet. Which is better than February 2nd when I usually pack it all away. The china above is one of two patterns I love to use in January and February. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">And here's the pinto beans I fixed, Rancho Gordo's that are the creamiest pinto beans ever.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgtlkdpyKfmqUJESQeLHGM0U9-whK14x_ZyihIq4uTOH-3hdE5D8y_oun8TXU3QKZOGkM0krjN-qKlzxJCtDMjWOF8lrq6Ugz8HAhxt6PnMfxmXbUiUPccF1HYvK8P9-FVFARnHj04ijSQtRvhJWJAiJtoWuWEXNc7Zic02pWeoASu6t1womc1IOEsaplj/s1067/IMG_7439.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgtlkdpyKfmqUJESQeLHGM0U9-whK14x_ZyihIq4uTOH-3hdE5D8y_oun8TXU3QKZOGkM0krjN-qKlzxJCtDMjWOF8lrq6Ugz8HAhxt6PnMfxmXbUiUPccF1HYvK8P9-FVFARnHj04ijSQtRvhJWJAiJtoWuWEXNc7Zic02pWeoASu6t1womc1IOEsaplj/w480-h640/IMG_7439.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I soak them overnight in purfied water, in the fridge if I have room, and when I cook them until tender the next day I follow Rancho Gordo's advice and never add anything like vinegar to it, or salt as they toughen the beans. I know some cooks say that vinegar in it solves the problem some people have with gas but Rancho Gordo's advice to that problem is to just eat more beans. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Normally, my pinto beans have a whole bunch of chopped cilantro added to it but we weren't running to the grocery store on our snow day. I do add a bottle of Guiness Stout to mine after the beans are tender and lime juice, chicken or beef broth, olive oil, bay leaf, cumin, thyme, salt and pepper. And sometimes a ham bone goes in the pot after the beans are tender when I have one in the freezer. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">No cornbread with our beans this night because I had my buttermilk biscuits as the shortcake for our Florida strawberries.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeVazjVJeBQXMfZniRi3iD_beCSa85TDl4-12rpxk_v-VBNVhzuemx4Nkm4jFMuq6kmXzyAt7p66rX1KgPq8OKtDx8ziDGC1Whprh08mqRJw2LUlfcJLhBWdzIGIE_KQ5VWMbiJTzDMLDcY8uuc99TeTUYQMWrLPQggXgT1O22NU957gzO38pj67jnptzF/s1067/IMG_7441.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeVazjVJeBQXMfZniRi3iD_beCSa85TDl4-12rpxk_v-VBNVhzuemx4Nkm4jFMuq6kmXzyAt7p66rX1KgPq8OKtDx8ziDGC1Whprh08mqRJw2LUlfcJLhBWdzIGIE_KQ5VWMbiJTzDMLDcY8uuc99TeTUYQMWrLPQggXgT1O22NU957gzO38pj67jnptzF/w480-h640/IMG_7441.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Thankfully I had some heavy cream in the fridge so we had whipped cream with our berries too. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">What's your favorite thing to cook when it snows? Do you ever crave something weird like I do? Has anyone ever eaten Salmon Mousse? I bet not, thus no recipe here. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">January is almost over. How has it been for you, on a scale from 1 to 10? Compared to some years, I'll give this one a 10. That's right, a 10. And this is from someone who always used to agree with author Abbie Graham:</span></p><p></p><blockquote><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I am not wholly committed to January. I do not entirely trust it as a month.</span></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">God bless you, dear family and friends. In January and always. </span> </p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg42BtkYvSKEpbgBwal6opsqOQRa1pQvc-riiihLqWiyXxuR5SGNn7hRsMpu0Hvv7tPnbP20j8RIqid7xeZTzxlOLGA4GQnrOsSKxNVOtzvUwYRLJfWn74ThZy2YuD384ab_f4eKnj2kPkwMXaEFn9ZH43pAR5Iy5k8dCO_OfPfgnuheX2feSbpQ8pCv2oE/s1067/IMG_7437.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg42BtkYvSKEpbgBwal6opsqOQRa1pQvc-riiihLqWiyXxuR5SGNn7hRsMpu0Hvv7tPnbP20j8RIqid7xeZTzxlOLGA4GQnrOsSKxNVOtzvUwYRLJfWn74ThZy2YuD384ab_f4eKnj2kPkwMXaEFn9ZH43pAR5Iy5k8dCO_OfPfgnuheX2feSbpQ8pCv2oE/w300-h400/IMG_7437.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><blockquote><blockquote><p><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><i>"When it snows, ain't it thrilling?"</i></span></p></blockquote></blockquote><p></p>Dewenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330797553600987145noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025769640802524983.post-28541133826770796532024-01-22T15:48:00.000-08:002024-01-22T15:48:01.694-08:00Can we pretend today is January 2nd?<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTkyA2OTf4wG1apCkzpDLvhsHcNKt3fbHCXaF0JpUyc52EWUAXabC0Kb2fKkSyjzfMYnqCoUTJrxnb7E4Nr4z05qJsH1eOQSpm3XsxOsUf4QCWk5ryugVAwcnt_2NWuaup7nG2-JZTlF_hU_73UwfA1TcbJnEqcqS3cjGVde_K9gSwfYSNbL9Is7kZ98oS/s1067/IMG_7342.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTkyA2OTf4wG1apCkzpDLvhsHcNKt3fbHCXaF0JpUyc52EWUAXabC0Kb2fKkSyjzfMYnqCoUTJrxnb7E4Nr4z05qJsH1eOQSpm3XsxOsUf4QCWk5ryugVAwcnt_2NWuaup7nG2-JZTlF_hU_73UwfA1TcbJnEqcqS3cjGVde_K9gSwfYSNbL9Is7kZ98oS/w480-h640/IMG_7342.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p><br /></p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Can we pretend this is the day after New Year's Day 2024 and I'm publishing this blog post in a timely fashion? </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Only two days before, on New Year's Eve 2023, my pretty Karen Adams calendar was posing for a picture for the last time that year.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj54xSP-Rjexa-4hqjuUeOjnaCNKJfJTs3gidWdZVoG1X4exNkJn1KQwZ5juSwAnw6SQczyAGLwzGHJVhUFabVYlSbKWkWam5mn0kXhoooaLlWM8s2SKjGxJvFVmeGFeZNdcaMcYU3Fw7VcunUN6k9VEiworQfsxEk3dgB5nTs22eJdxXD_-HxMAQHy8rGJ/s1067/IMG_7009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj54xSP-Rjexa-4hqjuUeOjnaCNKJfJTs3gidWdZVoG1X4exNkJn1KQwZ5juSwAnw6SQczyAGLwzGHJVhUFabVYlSbKWkWam5mn0kXhoooaLlWM8s2SKjGxJvFVmeGFeZNdcaMcYU3Fw7VcunUN6k9VEiworQfsxEk3dgB5nTs22eJdxXD_-HxMAQHy8rGJ/w480-h640/IMG_7009.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">December's page was almost too pretty to say goodbye to and I still hadn't opened that green tube holding "Stress Away" that was a Christmas gift from my daughter-in-law, a roll on essential oil product that I've used for at least 8 years. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Boy, was I going to need it along about January 20th when this happened in our front yard...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkK4yKz6axm7FFWJ7fBo2jWI7iSOgIX5pAG0I1LzFA4X_EF6VUJ5UqNikfIwjLL2y4fmoiJ5Mg-6Bric9C2WxL3WcsYlSsjB70MPkskUcjka0h4bPFF9Icdz01hGV4EB8jAQKkmOZYUkaCi6P8k05THhkmV8LSK-bovbNd5huth7AM13Iq3P3ATWDJV-Gj/s800/IMG_7467.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="763" data-original-width="800" height="610" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkK4yKz6axm7FFWJ7fBo2jWI7iSOgIX5pAG0I1LzFA4X_EF6VUJ5UqNikfIwjLL2y4fmoiJ5Mg-6Bric9C2WxL3WcsYlSsjB70MPkskUcjka0h4bPFF9Icdz01hGV4EB8jAQKkmOZYUkaCi6P8k05THhkmV8LSK-bovbNd5huth7AM13Iq3P3ATWDJV-Gj/w640-h610/IMG_7467.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br />That's right, a big salt truck slipped backwards into our yard and wasn't able to get back on the icy road. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">After watching vehicle after vehicle slide into the ditch of our long road frontage that afternoon we were first very happy to see the salt truck come to the rescue. That is, until he slid backward into our yard and broke our water meter and line and we were not only without water but water began spewing out into the yard, soon giving us an ice rink. Oh, and the white car is where someone in the neighborhood abandoned his car there and walked home. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">The good ending to that night was that three trucks and four supermen from our local utility district came and worked in the dark to restore our water. And as far as we know, in all the vehicles up and down our street that landed in the ditch that day, no one was hurt. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Now, back to pretending it's January 2nd! I'm going to attempt to embed a video of our family Christmas party on December 23rd hosted by daughter-in-law Court in our old Valley View.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzzV1bOkW1TEGTrMnAdiEMnwy8k2NmuyD8d0AtH-mdR1N2IMv-NQ8iUb3hcE8DGUJ1t37BjXF_GBKxmOUbeuA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I hope that works! It was a wonderful night with everyone there except for our dear daughter Christy and son-in-law Bryan who now live in northern Florida. But her sons Luke and Alex were there with Alex's family. In fact, we had four generations of our family there including our four great-grandchildren! </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">It was such a joy to join together as a family at the house that was our home for over 26 years. While there I couldn't help remembering all the Christmases and Thanksgivings and birthdays that were celelbrated and all the good times in the kitchen cooking and eating together. I'm so grateful to Court for hosting all of us!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Now, on to New Year's Eve. Let's have dessert first, shall we? Last post I told you I was going to make a Boston Cream Pie so I must show you that, but don't expect a cake where the chocolate glaze just drips down the edges because if a little chocolate is good, more is better.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxVu3mtW3_mCj0OKxztMaSaDSRGycONAKfSdvGxD_bfI2F2NrvPxSGwjhkLhfa7HSm2693IyIPCUeutA2e-la_NYXS4Lrn1lSP5AYgMkyV2UIWVVKqSdN18xYPmj56tMY4LhZK-PPnZpp0qJcyp20U-yUexb1dRO-WyQp_fGMchE5cPyjwL3e-5rT_0b_l/s1067/IMG_7232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxVu3mtW3_mCj0OKxztMaSaDSRGycONAKfSdvGxD_bfI2F2NrvPxSGwjhkLhfa7HSm2693IyIPCUeutA2e-la_NYXS4Lrn1lSP5AYgMkyV2UIWVVKqSdN18xYPmj56tMY4LhZK-PPnZpp0qJcyp20U-yUexb1dRO-WyQp_fGMchE5cPyjwL3e-5rT_0b_l/w480-h640/IMG_7232.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">A homemade cake deserves a pretty presentation so my Boston Cream Pie went on my milk glass cake stand and called for damask napkins and my wedding silver and wedding china. The television is set on YouTube's Hobbit House fireplace.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkV9ITIQ0a_yiWLKfoxBflfwaBa0coqR1DNt0LUJjxraqsKXZ4fX-0y11NQ5kl431Aj2nKIXrFwgIzvXg6HIWoGZtZZ3bVb3Z7MmjNyHQcCzya0wVw5FdIMw9L4_f59_qa74DMX7ctwm5uYiRjGu9QEPjjAgpA7pHCrz5TEEXDUT2mmgQuo45cZ0HedK64/s1067/IMG_7242.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkV9ITIQ0a_yiWLKfoxBflfwaBa0coqR1DNt0LUJjxraqsKXZ4fX-0y11NQ5kl431Aj2nKIXrFwgIzvXg6HIWoGZtZZ3bVb3Z7MmjNyHQcCzya0wVw5FdIMw9L4_f59_qa74DMX7ctwm5uYiRjGu9QEPjjAgpA7pHCrz5TEEXDUT2mmgQuo45cZ0HedK64/w480-h640/IMG_7242.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">The cake was the best Boston Cream Pie I've ever eaten, including the first piece I ever had, in a Miami Beach restaurant when I was 18.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0npxKhFeBNE6vFShi_2ieSaXzMtb_So-BzZWtVTODng7kwOgXl9u9BbPS7ERHylVhSm4NUI4H1J0bD36P78LfiaJaYhCbXmpJjWDBv8myZDoQjYb1M0MM3EkawTHoS91c3dLTMRya1raR5-QJKhedt8iFybHI75QvhrswT6tSTTrmdMeKTUoTInX7elbI/s1067/IMG_7238.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0npxKhFeBNE6vFShi_2ieSaXzMtb_So-BzZWtVTODng7kwOgXl9u9BbPS7ERHylVhSm4NUI4H1J0bD36P78LfiaJaYhCbXmpJjWDBv8myZDoQjYb1M0MM3EkawTHoS91c3dLTMRya1raR5-QJKhedt8iFybHI75QvhrswT6tSTTrmdMeKTUoTInX7elbI/w480-h640/IMG_7238.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">We did share our cake with our firstborn son and his family but RH and I looked forward all day to our slice at night until it was gone. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;">This was a Cook's Illustrated recipe back when my dear Christopher Kimbell </span><i><span style="font-size: x-large;">was</span> </i><span style="font-size: large;">Cook's Illustrated and I subscribed to the magazine for years. If you search for Wicked Good Boston Cream Pie you can find where food bloggers have the recipe for it. I now find Christopher Kimbell on his podcast, Milk Street. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I did end up making braised salmon with caramelized onions from my Mediterranean cookbook by Nancy Harmon Jenkins.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRfRdtYeDwt2Kb4-qaFH1VltOEvfT8e2Q9M06Ri_wvE_6gerlScfJZkFDtrKENAUzFYIKjPpSibY9FR7PnOJAJbjg3BKQT9lNKCY99MG7_EmiAqm5Zv5QTYePLVr4pP3g4c1YWUx-bZna7WuBb31h7zDoWoxjf20BkfvWhHx7AFLO8PzcoIklhLYoh_rEN/s1067/IMG_7249.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRfRdtYeDwt2Kb4-qaFH1VltOEvfT8e2Q9M06Ri_wvE_6gerlScfJZkFDtrKENAUzFYIKjPpSibY9FR7PnOJAJbjg3BKQT9lNKCY99MG7_EmiAqm5Zv5QTYePLVr4pP3g4c1YWUx-bZna7WuBb31h7zDoWoxjf20BkfvWhHx7AFLO8PzcoIklhLYoh_rEN/w300-h400/IMG_7249.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br />And made potato salad to go with it. I froze individual portions of the salmon that make delicious lunches.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpZV7GcqdPi9KCTiMTeDjIcpnKeBL8NB-ovn7nQlirnQ-qy5-jt28ZZek2kQx1r3mMKJWnJCwly7-OekdzRoGtYRRzX_Y2by393IKZNv45QAIAjCR9V6eGAzL4Cb3paYjezvRSL4lPSMPMNEY9RITZfL16Y1H_T6UWMDDp7r-4KMXEHPHevhLESST2uE13/s1067/IMG_7251.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpZV7GcqdPi9KCTiMTeDjIcpnKeBL8NB-ovn7nQlirnQ-qy5-jt28ZZek2kQx1r3mMKJWnJCwly7-OekdzRoGtYRRzX_Y2by393IKZNv45QAIAjCR9V6eGAzL4Cb3paYjezvRSL4lPSMPMNEY9RITZfL16Y1H_T6UWMDDp7r-4KMXEHPHevhLESST2uE13/w480-h640/IMG_7251.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /> That's pickled green beans on the plate too, part of a big gift box from Court.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMurRQ5GF8dyNTp6jK8tWJFsb6c-BHQRDC3H6axHXIj6p4dSZ1J8yEB2Dchz_0gVgLn4G5v0tPt6WPJz1tYrxDv_F-7YSBsVjEkLCKIyeBc2z4HTS8pIdxokLzdvzFIDF7KzlNeNZoJhldq-W_K0go1BUavDE5zW8wxvTKhe6jbdYSFMLmSVn1c6AFoAR3/s1067/IMG_7248.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMurRQ5GF8dyNTp6jK8tWJFsb6c-BHQRDC3H6axHXIj6p4dSZ1J8yEB2Dchz_0gVgLn4G5v0tPt6WPJz1tYrxDv_F-7YSBsVjEkLCKIyeBc2z4HTS8pIdxokLzdvzFIDF7KzlNeNZoJhldq-W_K0go1BUavDE5zW8wxvTKhe6jbdYSFMLmSVn1c6AFoAR3/w300-h400/IMG_7248.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br />On New Year's Day we got busy in the kitchen early. RH washed and cut two large bunches of collard greens for me. They do quickly cook down.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf0bH7Gj4YQ3xgOCq3Lsy1Y8SrtikaurUt6OJGsuudm9QDlxQtrTyLYTH5NAWcGauP36UbjTyUmA3hqG3SvQiQ5Kgt3DFiTFKci44HWmW4lzffkoE2ltqexanK3tkREl5RIiVQld1McycBw525F6fIJa0LMhfOOEK0lqg1sUxogVkyibziuDXKKuqGpuUt/s1067/IMG_7169.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf0bH7Gj4YQ3xgOCq3Lsy1Y8SrtikaurUt6OJGsuudm9QDlxQtrTyLYTH5NAWcGauP36UbjTyUmA3hqG3SvQiQ5Kgt3DFiTFKci44HWmW4lzffkoE2ltqexanK3tkREl5RIiVQld1McycBw525F6fIJa0LMhfOOEK0lqg1sUxogVkyibziuDXKKuqGpuUt/w300-h400/IMG_7169.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p><br /></p><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I also had black-eyed peas cooking early, soaking them overnight first, and Rancho Gordo's are the only dried beans I buy. Here's my last order from them of dried beans and their wonderful spices. I even gave Rancho Gordo products for Christmas gifts! </span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrfn5xATEGS0qlcMSDfHwCffkYx_KwJ2lzDdF4pYcekejgZoX-iyOpK_e4zLSai1SFzm9zs7TR_rjMZv_Qax3zW6y8nbhAoJXx3BmBYMNcDMP6QrCm6FdEOcAMZdWV0FLdEL81NWgl_2dYu1WTPEFKYULHJqH4sgF9BEDIUV2PdMga_hbm8a4gngqVBw9C/s1067/IMG_6386.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrfn5xATEGS0qlcMSDfHwCffkYx_KwJ2lzDdF4pYcekejgZoX-iyOpK_e4zLSai1SFzm9zs7TR_rjMZv_Qax3zW6y8nbhAoJXx3BmBYMNcDMP6QrCm6FdEOcAMZdWV0FLdEL81NWgl_2dYu1WTPEFKYULHJqH4sgF9BEDIUV2PdMga_hbm8a4gngqVBw9C/w480-h640/IMG_6386.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">After getting the collards and black-eyed peas cooking, I started on the pork loin roast.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbjI9vT7O5S0FYRzy-v_1NmaHHNYGsTmhcIQyrETq4StnFi2GflufR2pgniic_RIUnGlvmVE8or8iMeXPgFad84Hbb5dcMkGoBKj0da6Y47GQAejVcW3GvSx_zjeE8_VdRPMtvmKOdobL7xH5isjLv06UVexksrIsW40IhOb9NXyOz05GmOCr8RgUB8GqR/s1067/IMG_7178.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbjI9vT7O5S0FYRzy-v_1NmaHHNYGsTmhcIQyrETq4StnFi2GflufR2pgniic_RIUnGlvmVE8or8iMeXPgFad84Hbb5dcMkGoBKj0da6Y47GQAejVcW3GvSx_zjeE8_VdRPMtvmKOdobL7xH5isjLv06UVexksrIsW40IhOb9NXyOz05GmOCr8RgUB8GqR/w480-h640/IMG_7178.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi08wYF1ZIl9X6UCW1Isz2q_uyEPvoiAsGAvIlP9dYiQMHJYc72cCaLWXh2um2j24IU7YZOaX3uX-UOFrtZTrX2Bef5cpLpRz7SutomqhQ-AO5bJ9_x2SopoRZ1Fcxt78CSCyVds-_xl5MrvK9b4kUsyGVyOuo2IrADvLosrPlHTW8d_XN46fVrVpZwPE-a/s855/IMG_7179.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="855" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi08wYF1ZIl9X6UCW1Isz2q_uyEPvoiAsGAvIlP9dYiQMHJYc72cCaLWXh2um2j24IU7YZOaX3uX-UOFrtZTrX2Bef5cpLpRz7SutomqhQ-AO5bJ9_x2SopoRZ1Fcxt78CSCyVds-_xl5MrvK9b4kUsyGVyOuo2IrADvLosrPlHTW8d_XN46fVrVpZwPE-a/w374-h400/IMG_7179.jpg" width="374" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrxyim_Tiir6XiHz6jokUmsJr7LiMbSfMiDpL7MTXpAwJROnhPk7RzNyFjMzj4j2TgNUvOk-mh0Oz6IZvHaiUGlpxljfPelXy7tctP2wTjpMlQipWKiZ4aVlGJOAXJSN0ru5i-oNgKIELJvXGqHSEHrsZjwCwZBN5gNrRH8WNZBcxGXlhyphenhyphenbYBuPdDtLgVF/s1067/IMG_7182.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrxyim_Tiir6XiHz6jokUmsJr7LiMbSfMiDpL7MTXpAwJROnhPk7RzNyFjMzj4j2TgNUvOk-mh0Oz6IZvHaiUGlpxljfPelXy7tctP2wTjpMlQipWKiZ4aVlGJOAXJSN0ru5i-oNgKIELJvXGqHSEHrsZjwCwZBN5gNrRH8WNZBcxGXlhyphenhyphenbYBuPdDtLgVF/w300-h400/IMG_7182.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">That's prunes and apricots in the final gravy.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi96gtkkwMCBdXZQQ4V6t8lnfoAEpBdg1bNsV_yq1CscSMuEwUJmv5SvLfriRQU4ZUmIfMt0hehYUweuQnB5geTcpEPCymWqWc_BlGZHe0MYA1stnC_6lfOjZbEe5xHNwXugsErFXtpxSQu9RwEX-wRltpWEt1UrwR2In1_G7NUyZkZVQx9N21fpAYFcXcj/s800/IMG_7181.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="794" data-original-width="800" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi96gtkkwMCBdXZQQ4V6t8lnfoAEpBdg1bNsV_yq1CscSMuEwUJmv5SvLfriRQU4ZUmIfMt0hehYUweuQnB5geTcpEPCymWqWc_BlGZHe0MYA1stnC_6lfOjZbEe5xHNwXugsErFXtpxSQu9RwEX-wRltpWEt1UrwR2In1_G7NUyZkZVQx9N21fpAYFcXcj/w400-h398/IMG_7181.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2lnuefl6bl5w1I1XcD0CgHDR20u2_nb0q_Jpybsszg2JXIlXrFnYYDhOg31zqWfoofx9sz-v-a-yCXBSTcTteLfvSj10tfwll0dliw6W6KaBXUYQD6FYv08g-_o3u-krgnDRxecF1NsFNeyUzINhRPt0T0eCxLh2ablkmOQ1xLU8aCNPFHAm_oge6snV4/s1067/IMG_7187.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2lnuefl6bl5w1I1XcD0CgHDR20u2_nb0q_Jpybsszg2JXIlXrFnYYDhOg31zqWfoofx9sz-v-a-yCXBSTcTteLfvSj10tfwll0dliw6W6KaBXUYQD6FYv08g-_o3u-krgnDRxecF1NsFNeyUzINhRPt0T0eCxLh2ablkmOQ1xLU8aCNPFHAm_oge6snV4/w480-h640/IMG_7187.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I begged for a break in football games while we ate and got to watch a favorite Christmas movie.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiER0-2eSYFBvE3LulrhjR3PhysKEOHrPRv5qgeqcn5ZJ1AcLckigkN0095bUbitNdzuSP6TPeVeai3og6aFPMiYIuy5GIO1EuJVQfP_eZ3xsVEXxgnJSpypvY9Gc4Ebwf95SJVZXw_ub8I3Lm_sLblb644mr_Lv5BRF4CxZuNGKWZ9kfwO0aZq_icW8zg8/s1067/IMG_7195.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiER0-2eSYFBvE3LulrhjR3PhysKEOHrPRv5qgeqcn5ZJ1AcLckigkN0095bUbitNdzuSP6TPeVeai3og6aFPMiYIuy5GIO1EuJVQfP_eZ3xsVEXxgnJSpypvY9Gc4Ebwf95SJVZXw_ub8I3Lm_sLblb644mr_Lv5BRF4CxZuNGKWZ9kfwO0aZq_icW8zg8/w480-h640/IMG_7195.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Do you recognize it? I should have cropped out our red sofa. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I'll end with a quotation that was the inspiration for my pork roast recipe, even though mine did not end up as beautiful as the one in the quotation from a favorite old 1975 book.</span></p><blockquote><p><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">The Omars always ate dinner by candlelight. It was restful, provided a cozy atmosphere, and seemed right in the old house in which they lived. Barbara Omar was an expert in bringing forth the beauty from everything she touched, and she never minded the extra work. She was an excellent cook and the dishes she served often resembled magazine displays. He was a lucky man to have such a wife...He turned his attention back to their meal--the pork roast was almost too pretty to carve, he joked, so beautifully decorated with apricots, stuffed prunes, and parsley. This was the life he loved--a dear family which showed its love, good food, and the warmth of home.</span></p></blockquote><p> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">From <i>The Golden Acre </i>by Thyra Ferre Bjorn</span> </p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">I want to be Barbara Omar when I grow up!</span> </p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I'd like to sincerely thank those who read this terribly long post--even if you just scrolled through, which I wouldn't blame you for doing! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">RH and I wish you a safe and blessed 2024,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Dewena</span></p>Dewenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330797553600987145noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025769640802524983.post-37729421514753112023-12-31T06:56:00.000-08:002023-12-31T07:04:02.869-08:00The Last Day of the Year 2023<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzwrhWBqO_cb_HtHMEeWWhy7mRgpaGPxBuD_lyF4JHCeHn0i-Ua7BBj_OikDdGrQTRo9D7_JNToxLTPGKO1b28FYpGtEFO4UIMuLG12v_IfCxRO9LL8LGpDgKRdu8Flyk_T9H7zjff10g99OeWVwKwKlfZEqbH_dxFLz68TkdAfQBvulM1EWEODlURrfSg/s1067/IMG_7141.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzwrhWBqO_cb_HtHMEeWWhy7mRgpaGPxBuD_lyF4JHCeHn0i-Ua7BBj_OikDdGrQTRo9D7_JNToxLTPGKO1b28FYpGtEFO4UIMuLG12v_IfCxRO9LL8LGpDgKRdu8Flyk_T9H7zjff10g99OeWVwKwKlfZEqbH_dxFLz68TkdAfQBvulM1EWEODlURrfSg/w480-h640/IMG_7141.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Yesterday I entered important dates in a new 2024 calendar, ready to be hung in the kitchen on January 1st. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Early this morning I chose the book I'll use for my daily quiet time in 2024, God willing. I rotate between a few, this past year being one of C.S. Lewis's writings. All of December I've been using an Advent devotional of C. K. Chesterton's writings and will continue it through Twelfth Night. Some days the entries in this Advent book haven't seemed very relevant to me but others remind me of why I love Chesterton's pithy wisdom.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9UGsVC3ZUE3XhpoBxRcBl3_X9sFsDxXpvbIoR6HnrsQQYizZ729GMMVk46e_0g4T__8o2Bs6SaDy_r9qYOemj8DkgnzmwiE19WBchs0-rnU9hO-WIYiqf99dcWTQ73eJF-yOJDzmcm16nQGywglzNj4E75xR3W8kCpPiOowcr2NGkdse9n0oJq9cha_u9/s1067/IMG_6337.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9UGsVC3ZUE3XhpoBxRcBl3_X9sFsDxXpvbIoR6HnrsQQYizZ729GMMVk46e_0g4T__8o2Bs6SaDy_r9qYOemj8DkgnzmwiE19WBchs0-rnU9hO-WIYiqf99dcWTQ73eJF-yOJDzmcm16nQGywglzNj4E75xR3W8kCpPiOowcr2NGkdse9n0oJq9cha_u9/w300-h400/IMG_6337.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">This year I'm putting this one on my desk, my beloved Richardson Wright's little <i>A Book of Days for Christians, </i>one I used in 2020. </span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiftGO4OdUGjYaWcHem_zw-Z1FXfrWeWoxKeVpuWtT1OV4IP8qcUk8-igStJp-zwuqZFSw58dr5a77r3EMSkfByOuIsjfsJy1HpDh4-eASnpxNv27180-zc5TrnUTIQKZb7IDyDJnS9PfpqfI4vZEei_DEYy0F1EKM_PFLZSTue_n4LLe366Lli3vSMreqU/s1067/IMG_7138.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiftGO4OdUGjYaWcHem_zw-Z1FXfrWeWoxKeVpuWtT1OV4IP8qcUk8-igStJp-zwuqZFSw58dr5a77r3EMSkfByOuIsjfsJy1HpDh4-eASnpxNv27180-zc5TrnUTIQKZb7IDyDJnS9PfpqfI4vZEei_DEYy0F1EKM_PFLZSTue_n4LLe366Lli3vSMreqU/w300-h400/IMG_7138.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Wright, a cradle Episcopalian, editor in chief of <i>House & Garden </i>for umpteenth decades in the 1900s and author of a stack of my favorite books, keeps it short, a paragraph or two, leaving time for scripture reading.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">After I hit publish on this post I've managed to squeeze in before 2023 ends, I will go to the kitchen and begin cooking the pastry cream for a dream recipe I've wanted to make for ages, Boston Cream Pie. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKz_27zR1fWfz0qdcEXGqtdrDbOB8MgqBL4KgoSL7Cy9UZWG3l7gN9l7fzHMzVOoqEyv_n8rMkWSGKgvWzcjEgQeQbYKjvJ3X-rkRv16wsMYowkeWaePf7a48UM_VnQk5kDZUR9pBo0HxslUYgw21GgW3PSlvxb34xDFDnYB6RxY5CwKhm3GYhuZxbmER0/s1067/IMG_7156.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKz_27zR1fWfz0qdcEXGqtdrDbOB8MgqBL4KgoSL7Cy9UZWG3l7gN9l7fzHMzVOoqEyv_n8rMkWSGKgvWzcjEgQeQbYKjvJ3X-rkRv16wsMYowkeWaePf7a48UM_VnQk5kDZUR9pBo0HxslUYgw21GgW3PSlvxb34xDFDnYB6RxY5CwKhm3GYhuZxbmER0/w480-h640/IMG_7156.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Then I'll make and bake the two cake layers and next comes the chocolate glaze and into the fridge to chill for three hours, which may mean we'll be eating this pie/cake when the ball drops in NYC, as slow as I am.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">My main dish for the evening will be easy, the salmon recipe I use half the time I cook salmon.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Starting with a beautiful side of wild caught Alaskan salmon...</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRG0EP_0FcYMY3x879L38wl023thQqTRAFAht9e49hePJEmZc_XwsWsu00hdo5FdhV9ipfSDnSN7Yy53DEz4mBqG2XQqUe5KA69a4i_4oNfapzTGRKn0wUQqxAtJ3kiKkennk2BMo27CR_I-vIYVYr7py6CxK4x0B0jkxPIGozr7pfZSrVhUCWjQ-E4dqc/s800/0206201828a%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRG0EP_0FcYMY3x879L38wl023thQqTRAFAht9e49hePJEmZc_XwsWsu00hdo5FdhV9ipfSDnSN7Yy53DEz4mBqG2XQqUe5KA69a4i_4oNfapzTGRKn0wUQqxAtJ3kiKkennk2BMo27CR_I-vIYVYr7py6CxK4x0B0jkxPIGozr7pfZSrVhUCWjQ-E4dqc/w400-h225/0206201828a%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">and a scrumptious lemon/garlic/butter sauce...</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcpoMYtML8OBCPMBNw_xUBCk1OxSEVw4fktvZBy5Vc4HLDZUHQVfhup8-E1IgC1Sd8d0jGS118O-FPcIpnhWywPERDT2pf94xYloYbWzBvW8ejVT3Vntp8iwrPPxDyZyDyua4jRDAf3SLRfvF730QiE3pRABdrZ5R9MJ2js3OqGxXG7ItITCjNQuO3_eZ7/s800/0206201834b%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcpoMYtML8OBCPMBNw_xUBCk1OxSEVw4fktvZBy5Vc4HLDZUHQVfhup8-E1IgC1Sd8d0jGS118O-FPcIpnhWywPERDT2pf94xYloYbWzBvW8ejVT3Vntp8iwrPPxDyZyDyua4jRDAf3SLRfvF730QiE3pRABdrZ5R9MJ2js3OqGxXG7ItITCjNQuO3_eZ7/w400-h225/0206201834b%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I end up with my easiest favorite salmon recipe...</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHmIepCYhfF8gco7NWxEM-vsWAXWvUi907_LnJpamdvACQI1KFdN1Sm-G5fdSnzhoyM1CQXS4gCvOw5-7ZgpwUg4biyBhnzH3w8_U9lkbRxnX4Zh0pulMYk5jNKSOzzupjb4pB1r6Zetk7au8Ih2oC_nlP-MejhHzH9rK7fjmIZj7Uc7QzBO0PRtYYetoU/s800/0206201900a%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHmIepCYhfF8gco7NWxEM-vsWAXWvUi907_LnJpamdvACQI1KFdN1Sm-G5fdSnzhoyM1CQXS4gCvOw5-7ZgpwUg4biyBhnzH3w8_U9lkbRxnX4Zh0pulMYk5jNKSOzzupjb4pB1r6Zetk7au8Ih2oC_nlP-MejhHzH9rK7fjmIZj7Uc7QzBO0PRtYYetoU/w400-h225/0206201900a%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">But tonight I'm going back to the first fantastic salmon recipe I tried decades ago from a Mediterranean cookbook for Braised Salmon with Caramelized Onions. I'll let you know how it turns out.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Yesterday I spent hours (I told you I'm slow) making a big bowl of potato salad loaded with celery, onions, olives, and eggs dressed mainly with apple cider vinegar/olive oil that soaks in the fridge with only a little mayo added in the end.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLbm8C2ZGmTMOtzW59hkLVBZWAxUZOl7JIYdViryKK5of3THSQpuGxSOBXDf6o0_LNqW0qquXDk77bT2M9WGYBAvpgRvWm2AeFW0uFl_kMG43C00gDAQiYjxna13wwV6GO8T-5wo3GH5erUYYnsOb_NOATe2aZnL2MosTkWBu3SIaR8itQzy7OXwroFRC_/s1067/IMG_7158.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLbm8C2ZGmTMOtzW59hkLVBZWAxUZOl7JIYdViryKK5of3THSQpuGxSOBXDf6o0_LNqW0qquXDk77bT2M9WGYBAvpgRvWm2AeFW0uFl_kMG43C00gDAQiYjxna13wwV6GO8T-5wo3GH5erUYYnsOb_NOATe2aZnL2MosTkWBu3SIaR8itQzy7OXwroFRC_/s320/IMG_7158.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">To me, salmon and potato salad with a little champagne is THE perfect meal and ending that meal with a sliver of Boston Cream Pie is a perfect end to New Year's Eve. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">So time to snap to it. If you happen to read this, please feel free to only say "Happy New Year," or nothing at all because with all honesty I have to say it may be Tuesday and Wednesday January 2nd and 3rd before I give myself the gift of two days off to catch up on my blog world buddies. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Because there is that Boston Cream Pie to make today and a pork loin, collard greens, and black-eyed peas to cook on New Year's Day. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">This was my view from the kitchen window this morning before I sat down to write this post...</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZR45Zn8iEMyhaiqJM6FxeFJjJXOcjOoP9EgnkxrrLNC7MKXH-IJMAUxIx8jd3UtiWvmtI9BoWuy5mhQLVP94071EP2tCaDqFudaYdmDFS0ystIAURk0-YhFIinvr0qIgH_rVUtbdv2knZB8L_KGt-2u8NJXLZ-uBqdsfsMWlkZCTQQLFdMsXhuKeHOT_p/s1067/IMG_7149.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZR45Zn8iEMyhaiqJM6FxeFJjJXOcjOoP9EgnkxrrLNC7MKXH-IJMAUxIx8jd3UtiWvmtI9BoWuy5mhQLVP94071EP2tCaDqFudaYdmDFS0ystIAURk0-YhFIinvr0qIgH_rVUtbdv2knZB8L_KGt-2u8NJXLZ-uBqdsfsMWlkZCTQQLFdMsXhuKeHOT_p/w300-h400/IMG_7149.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I do so love pink clouds!</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">A very happy and healthy and safe New Year's to all of you,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Love,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Dewena</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">"There now, we have reached the end of our year's eating and drinking. For 1,095 times we have sat down to refuel our bodies and cheer our spirits. Fats cannot harm us. We are ready for whatever the next year brings. <i>Allons!" </i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><i> </i>Richardson Wright</span></p>Dewenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330797553600987145noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025769640802524983.post-14952279348058971482023-12-08T12:52:00.000-08:002023-12-13T10:32:25.570-08:00I Love the Music of Christmas!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA0UutItooQPbYXyK2UEZrbA4XipgsZq5DmGxPcIUIQ0eKzCAuvPLZR4Q9iEvPitmaAezQINcX712eaIywJcVx6sYBSEBUtr8q5oxyEa8MlEMP20cE0tcr5L5niSlmZapnZMqXr-bx4bSsnM9EfBT6oI33FDEHQw4basKyA5BDVYgDRcpCk725OOXO_jGo/s800/Scan%202018-12-9%2017.52.32%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="770" data-original-width="800" height="385" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA0UutItooQPbYXyK2UEZrbA4XipgsZq5DmGxPcIUIQ0eKzCAuvPLZR4Q9iEvPitmaAezQINcX712eaIywJcVx6sYBSEBUtr8q5oxyEa8MlEMP20cE0tcr5L5niSlmZapnZMqXr-bx4bSsnM9EfBT6oI33FDEHQw4basKyA5BDVYgDRcpCk725OOXO_jGo/w400-h385/Scan%202018-12-9%2017.52.32%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Here I am, 15 years old, sitting on the floor in front of the new stereo Daddy bought for our family. I think this was earlier than Christmas as my sister Deb reminded me that the first albums bought for the new stereo were South Pacific and Flower Drum song as Daddy and Mama had seen the Broadway shows in Chicago recently. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">But as my sisters and I were discussing on FaceBook, come December after the new stereo came to our home, our parents took us, as always, to downtown Nashville after dinner out to view all the store windows, especially to the beautiful Christmas ones at Cain-Sloans Department Store.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">We went to the record department where you were allowed to play the albums in sound booths before purchasing them. And there we each got to choose a Christmas album. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Friends, this was a really big deal! Our parents were not extravagant but music was important to them and so they bought a piano when I was about ten years old and began piano lessons for us, beginning with me, the eldest. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGCsFeQjdO-4QBsbgtaFkCigoZjZLu4W5W4jH-q2b6LU6wLzQ259gGnP1Lc6zZBYn3Gm65rjWIdspOpPIM20aO14kNNAGZIzYMrabQScX5SO0ednyW-JrjULDRE0A7nVbFZRRioBLoX6TWezLLIqwlmaqn7ZZsgdvyyn9Xp13EyTBy1EUPH59PIf_izIQp/s1204/Scan%202018-12-9%2017.53.48%20copy%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1204" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGCsFeQjdO-4QBsbgtaFkCigoZjZLu4W5W4jH-q2b6LU6wLzQ259gGnP1Lc6zZBYn3Gm65rjWIdspOpPIM20aO14kNNAGZIzYMrabQScX5SO0ednyW-JrjULDRE0A7nVbFZRRioBLoX6TWezLLIqwlmaqn7ZZsgdvyyn9Xp13EyTBy1EUPH59PIf_izIQp/w426-h640/Scan%202018-12-9%2017.53.48%20copy%20(1).jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">By the way, that piano, a Gulbransen spinet, that came back to me after my little sisters grew up, was with us at our previous home, Valley View....</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3qIXZ5l1jRJ-KrXftefV8gPRpIqTySUOP2kQkwC9PRB92w_yJzuTriT4o7vXvfK7UxOv6A0hvYmsHysADXfgLGvKv0C8SJH8B-bBoZbjZi12icc0RmNIsqM2fQopsVZ2mmfHt_rvym8OiPmOv8-0HH7-prBAKPEphdODcVNuJVU951EX8lsS1AgJgdV7d/s1200/IMG_7252.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3qIXZ5l1jRJ-KrXftefV8gPRpIqTySUOP2kQkwC9PRB92w_yJzuTriT4o7vXvfK7UxOv6A0hvYmsHysADXfgLGvKv0C8SJH8B-bBoZbjZi12icc0RmNIsqM2fQopsVZ2mmfHt_rvym8OiPmOv8-0HH7-prBAKPEphdODcVNuJVU951EX8lsS1AgJgdV7d/w426-h640/IMG_7252.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">And now belongs to our granddaughters! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I must also include a picture of another tradition in Nashville as my sisters and I were growing up. Our parents always took us to the large Nativity Scene that was sculpted by Italian sculptor Guido Rebechini and displayed in front of Nashville's Parthenon, the world's only life sized replica of <i>the </i>Parthenon, built in 1897 as Nashville was called The Athens of the South. Inside the Parthenon is a 42 foot gilded sculpture of Athena. As you can imagine, Nashville's Athena has sometimes caused controversy in this city of a church every block or so. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">But outside, from 1953 to 1967 was this glorious Nativity Scene that enthralled us as children when we joined the quiet crowds that went to experience its solemn beauty telling of the night of Christ's birth, Christmas carols playing softly on loudspeakers.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcY3at_lF8jojIFuxjCD-Yy-BXJirCLx8yZFp8B-DArfdtxNzUP5sMz8c_w7Yu23XkZ9wfBZnH8SL59jCa1D86uYCCvPELJrBGPOLNa8ucJ1iKjqlWJ4Zo_gDlhgzo4xLkH79dGaPeGN278DkkpmxDyRMwiGX458sL_B2LewNtvdQeB2M9v0MYlUncsGii/s800/2a3323a529b8966161761e66b2f4e4c1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="469" data-original-width="800" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcY3at_lF8jojIFuxjCD-Yy-BXJirCLx8yZFp8B-DArfdtxNzUP5sMz8c_w7Yu23XkZ9wfBZnH8SL59jCa1D86uYCCvPELJrBGPOLNa8ucJ1iKjqlWJ4Zo_gDlhgzo4xLkH79dGaPeGN278DkkpmxDyRMwiGX458sL_B2LewNtvdQeB2M9v0MYlUncsGii/w640-h376/2a3323a529b8966161761e66b2f4e4c1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I begin listening to Christmas music the first day of November and don't pack my albums away until February. I'm old school and like to handle my albums. I tried music via Pandora a decade ago when my kids set me up with it but after a few weeks went back to my CD albums, wishing that we had never gotten rid of our stereo and LPs a long time ago.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I love it that two of our kids have now gone back to collecting and playing LPs. How about you? How do you get your music now? Those of you who celebrate Christmas, when do you start listenting to it?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGvXxzr4MBbkTdYz3reTxk4Yqnu5kbMwBT-cvFZyJ2FAbgxaJ35MoqUWcKL6C7VvJCq3_OxRnIaTYwKK8Te8eAVXXdFLwFje8r1JzWyp-vTaqrqv96vWLUmwADKaMpUzBs6L9uVi465L3M_n-RK_e78SOsDb4aGwJePmlqYB-G-wI9jb_2zohuIvBJssLn/s1849/WHC%20jan%201938%20graphic%20for%20Christmas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1849" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGvXxzr4MBbkTdYz3reTxk4Yqnu5kbMwBT-cvFZyJ2FAbgxaJ35MoqUWcKL6C7VvJCq3_OxRnIaTYwKK8Te8eAVXXdFLwFje8r1JzWyp-vTaqrqv96vWLUmwADKaMpUzBs6L9uVi465L3M_n-RK_e78SOsDb4aGwJePmlqYB-G-wI9jb_2zohuIvBJssLn/w277-h640/WHC%20jan%201938%20graphic%20for%20Christmas.jpg" width="277" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Dewenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330797553600987145noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025769640802524983.post-49907974507352258482023-12-07T09:44:00.000-08:002023-12-13T10:32:51.093-08:00I Love the Lights of Christmas!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCXUyWDdMnxFGnIfmWvkpjhDk1gYrW5s4trQGKANYAcZmI-AkxMBmSNEH7J1yzOjhY8xkG3_Auh0zE8_BpWwrB2gRkhfBoFJhkdn7rWZLjL_c5Fp0uHeMZd5oj4efQZrgqIFGrywPalbE4pM-cEXOim1ZT3MPMEbnByazr5btOl7pa4_YxuWv6qJLgueWW/s575/IMG_1171.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="575" data-original-width="564" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCXUyWDdMnxFGnIfmWvkpjhDk1gYrW5s4trQGKANYAcZmI-AkxMBmSNEH7J1yzOjhY8xkG3_Auh0zE8_BpWwrB2gRkhfBoFJhkdn7rWZLjL_c5Fp0uHeMZd5oj4efQZrgqIFGrywPalbE4pM-cEXOim1ZT3MPMEbnByazr5btOl7pa4_YxuWv6qJLgueWW/w393-h400/IMG_1171.jpg" width="393" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Ever since my Uncle Jack and Aunt Etta drove me and my little sisters around at night when we were very small to look at neighborhoods that had the prettiest Christmas lights, that has been a favorite Christmas activity. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">But now that RH's night vision is not the best, I am so thankful that one neighbor across the street from us, high on a hill, has had a beautiful display every December for me to enjoy the last two years since their house was completed. I simply step out on either porches and let my phone capture pictures. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">When I took pictures of it last December I didn't realize someone was photo bombing them. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Look who was in our yard!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIAE6GmvixyUQMToUcE6xUcaw8BdQ3hBmIkHBekVp5VEa5HRxGrBxMJjQ-fvCICoK9qtXE_4RBE-lcxtDVvqEAN1fRxhdPiTeKZzW8DhmBZFgaH1VbIy-LfsC-tyeE6ZJSDgllwBEB58oOAf1gM8t9peogon2wo7lO81JwoW2fgdEsdjxt0RYbLAXSQNYg/s1067/IMG_3427.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIAE6GmvixyUQMToUcE6xUcaw8BdQ3hBmIkHBekVp5VEa5HRxGrBxMJjQ-fvCICoK9qtXE_4RBE-lcxtDVvqEAN1fRxhdPiTeKZzW8DhmBZFgaH1VbIy-LfsC-tyeE6ZJSDgllwBEB58oOAf1gM8t9peogon2wo7lO81JwoW2fgdEsdjxt0RYbLAXSQNYg/w480-h640/IMG_3427.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> Herds of deer visit our yard all the time but it is only the males who seem to come at night. Our other nighttime visitors are possums, raccoons, a fox family, and one beautiful skunk with a white topknot. There's also a groundhog who lives in the old barn and comes out in the mornings. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">And that's about it for this December post, dear friends, but at least I've made a start. For two months now I've waited for Mohs surgery on my forehead where squamous cells were found and the surgery was Tuesday. All the bad cells were removed in the first cut and they didn't have to go deeper, very welcome news for me as I had been told it was likely advanced. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">I've spent the last two months, after our experience with RH's heart conversion was safely past, getting ready for the surgery and the downtime after. My house was completely decorated for Christmas, meals were in the freezer, my fruitcake made, BreeBree and James Mason taken for their spa day. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">So now for 7-10 days RH will take care of the house while I obey the no lifting, no bending over orders. I go back in mid December to have a small bad spot taken off my knee but it should be a simple procedure. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">With some downtime ahead I hope to post here because I think it will keep my spirits high during a time when I'll be quite homebound. I'll try to faithfully visit blog friends, especially once I get rid of this headache. One eye is black today and I still feel like I want to yank my eyeballs out and wrinkling my forehead accidentally is excruciating but that should get better as soon as I can take the pressure dressing off and the stitches are gone. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Meanwhile I am so very thankful for all the prayers. I am looking forward so much to enjoying every single day of the Christmas season, in a quiet way, with the promise of family coming in from out of town nearer Christmas.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">May your own December be blessed and Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah to all who celebrate them! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">With love,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Dewena </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">(I don't think I'm responsible for all the different sizes the print turned out to be here but who knows?)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrLAE-oHDpKsozRCQ7Y9U-SgDtj84LDo6klmyrKsR9hm8VSXTSa-n2z4WmkcgjdwExWpyBDzbiZBr8z2wRNN49C8Gql7HNGRyCLxZEhPV2ePuGrp_ACbFvTBSMZjMoYFOsl9myubhyphenhyphenPROpH7AlgNBVZcKYGmCG-z_wjyCLVBVWADk5YeNyXfDFBo42l0UK/s1849/WHC%20jan%201938%20graphic%20for%20Christmas.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1849" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrLAE-oHDpKsozRCQ7Y9U-SgDtj84LDo6klmyrKsR9hm8VSXTSa-n2z4WmkcgjdwExWpyBDzbiZBr8z2wRNN49C8Gql7HNGRyCLxZEhPV2ePuGrp_ACbFvTBSMZjMoYFOsl9myubhyphenhyphenPROpH7AlgNBVZcKYGmCG-z_wjyCLVBVWADk5YeNyXfDFBo42l0UK/w276-h640/WHC%20jan%201938%20graphic%20for%20Christmas.jpg" width="276" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p>Dewenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330797553600987145noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025769640802524983.post-74119674916292677792023-11-15T08:00:00.000-08:002023-11-15T14:07:22.080-08:00Ca. 1970, Our Firstborn's Bedroom<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXPNbiXN92CfuKZsHXzltZJvQ6zMlVlD0vqMvKK822tejI4KF-uBTRuNwBOL5JWBXsgShB1199o40btbd9DnmGi1XxMzSfNdMh6ImTosJ0AigyTAE4IAY2t3pnBXS4JCWG7H5S2B9OBP3f3-dKfZMcSaP547SndQoehAkJIMXAJ26DNpJkB2WIkJ38-oCZ/s800/Scan.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="549" data-original-width="800" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXPNbiXN92CfuKZsHXzltZJvQ6zMlVlD0vqMvKK822tejI4KF-uBTRuNwBOL5JWBXsgShB1199o40btbd9DnmGi1XxMzSfNdMh6ImTosJ0AigyTAE4IAY2t3pnBXS4JCWG7H5S2B9OBP3f3-dKfZMcSaP547SndQoehAkJIMXAJ26DNpJkB2WIkJ38-oCZ/w400-h275/Scan.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I don't remember if the orange walls were my idea or his but I do remember that his bedroom even then reflected his many interests: science, model airplanes, Lego masterpieces, hermit crabs and guinea pigs. At two he was taking apart his robots and putting them together again. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Did he love orange or did I, which is a possibility as I still do. Here's a current picture of his old bedroom found on Zillow showing that the original Armstrong flooring I chose is still there on the floor over 50 years later. This was not a flat printed pattern; you could run your finger around each raised embossed circle. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzXsH57glnMNEom8A5_GcsIwdnqQzRml1f5I5l70GY1JfVpzNsFoJRSMnEni9KQWlNwuv5cUKFS5NATau-IR210QLPEK3pL76N6ApZNJ0MMD6ag_S4ESlYhaXlMLHa-f89j3g9Dg4jwI0YTP9BSrjRGnQ150YpCqQB6pQOyUCnefBNUWYIleiYSv0DkxMX/s800/IMG_6235.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="800" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzXsH57glnMNEom8A5_GcsIwdnqQzRml1f5I5l70GY1JfVpzNsFoJRSMnEni9KQWlNwuv5cUKFS5NATau-IR210QLPEK3pL76N6ApZNJ0MMD6ag_S4ESlYhaXlMLHa-f89j3g9Dg4jwI0YTP9BSrjRGnQ150YpCqQB6pQOyUCnefBNUWYIleiYSv0DkxMX/w400-h333/IMG_6235.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><br /></p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">You're probably thinking "What was she thinking?" but I still think it was kind of cool and the homeowners did leave it all these years. Our little boy loved it.</span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">He grew up to be my next-door neighbor at Valley View for sixteen years and repaired and mended anything I needed fixing and came down the hill for coffee almost every morning. You better believe I miss that!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Today his interests are still many and varied, from collecting and repairing vintage classic radios to his own g<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@GeigerCounterVirtualMuseum">eiger counter virtual museum channel on YouTube.</a> Instead of hermit crabs, a passel of Chihuahuas share the home. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Every year for his birthday he asked for a Hershey Bar Cake, a dense chocolate cake that needs no icing other than a little powdered sugar. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid_KyjJCmt62IxielWhWSxHtuJIzXxHuWBiAM7dHBMyrC8t8vnwIn4fNsxi9NpO9SkDYwRYvzM78S0lLeL7-qRuUYepxnENsPyxhtEdNZ5yevwybp7NzsK1nlEO4cnNAmuKZAILXJ7QkSBeriIT6Ldg3iTnxrrbjZa9EOg_BoD2jHx2hsO0Qa9PqWcAZSy/s1067/IMG_4947.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid_KyjJCmt62IxielWhWSxHtuJIzXxHuWBiAM7dHBMyrC8t8vnwIn4fNsxi9NpO9SkDYwRYvzM78S0lLeL7-qRuUYepxnENsPyxhtEdNZ5yevwybp7NzsK1nlEO4cnNAmuKZAILXJ7QkSBeriIT6Ldg3iTnxrrbjZa9EOg_BoD2jHx2hsO0Qa9PqWcAZSy/w300-h400/IMG_4947.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.hersheyland.com/recipes/classic-hersheys-milk-chocolate-bar-cake.html">The recipe is here, </a>straight from Hershey land itself.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">For some reason I made the cake this summer for him instead of waiting until his birthday and he came and picked it up.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtAhvUpJ69wESDSsw2oR-PDU7b8URJmN6gPPYFYnuhrZzhkipUteyaJj6gtojZXpQ3p1LpUuKQMA6pAqOJEHKIRStVik4jmoKtST727ipAbZ4NOBgHPhPUoPykDWuro0bQCs75-Jn_6clYyCbK7fn7P1rLO4vv8kCm3zFwKFq_agM17Gbtck0sMZMhPS7C/s1067/IMG_5435.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtAhvUpJ69wESDSsw2oR-PDU7b8URJmN6gPPYFYnuhrZzhkipUteyaJj6gtojZXpQ3p1LpUuKQMA6pAqOJEHKIRStVik4jmoKtST727ipAbZ4NOBgHPhPUoPykDWuro0bQCs75-Jn_6clYyCbK7fn7P1rLO4vv8kCm3zFwKFq_agM17Gbtck0sMZMhPS7C/w480-h640/IMG_5435.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">This time I used a tube pan instead of my bundt pan.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Here's a family trivia note, over the years I collected vintage Hershey cocoa tins and one year I received a Hershey Christmas house from my dear neighbors that proudly was displayed each Christmas. When RH and I downsized and moved, we passed on all my Christmas houses to various family members and naturally all my Hershey collection went to my neighbors. We just don't have room for my Christmas villages here at Home Hill but I still miss arranging all of them.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX7td9v37W_cPwVtEnbgp2gAC7VR0FTrFgfXmHY4EoonaoE_4BnQhmgDrl_i13Tw9_3BmUT9HSWRfrhZNo8e6y1IGFWR8xeIIvY9eZ-MktZHAOc10hFzjtnAMtES7R_NGTCs1e50rJbsYhwlFlCOKuzpK5-rhR0Pw6mTFgF3ndaNaNyvrWdg_vHFr1mU4N/s1034/Hershey's.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1034" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX7td9v37W_cPwVtEnbgp2gAC7VR0FTrFgfXmHY4EoonaoE_4BnQhmgDrl_i13Tw9_3BmUT9HSWRfrhZNo8e6y1IGFWR8xeIIvY9eZ-MktZHAOc10hFzjtnAMtES7R_NGTCs1e50rJbsYhwlFlCOKuzpK5-rhR0Pw6mTFgF3ndaNaNyvrWdg_vHFr1mU4N/w496-h640/Hershey's.jpg" width="496" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">When my firstborn's birthday came up this fall I wasn't in the mood to make another Hershey Bar Cake so I asked him what I could fix instead and the request was for Chicken Tetrazzini. I forgot to take a picture but I always make at least two from my old <i>Southern Sideboard </i>cookbook when I make it so here's a picture from another time.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFagui_u35HzAM2AYmIiP4oUtuoDeJeGT00OD4pzxUtSiFaPjsnohdcLSTQnZhTPJTtKIf9tGS79FnVJZsl2coCJNptOG9BmlnP8LOpWfhOSqeq4SL5bKIDnd4bL03X-PjmMIDfl0RithACs8pTiNYvcDDF62eLNrwWsDprwJruT0dfAqjJdQtJsCTWLhc/s1067/IMG_8459.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFagui_u35HzAM2AYmIiP4oUtuoDeJeGT00OD4pzxUtSiFaPjsnohdcLSTQnZhTPJTtKIf9tGS79FnVJZsl2coCJNptOG9BmlnP8LOpWfhOSqeq4SL5bKIDnd4bL03X-PjmMIDfl0RithACs8pTiNYvcDDF62eLNrwWsDprwJruT0dfAqjJdQtJsCTWLhc/w300-h400/IMG_8459.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">And then the following week I decided I just had to bake some kind of cake for my boy and made a fall favorite, Mrs. Collins' Sweet Potato Cake from an old newspaper recipe. He generously shared half the cake with me and his dad.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisFmB74CFNgBwyMhXcyqqJJicJOWsM4ANIsEmnu7z5VBKjNmIHbLsT1LU5Bf0hIlki_hcUVnGVRsC-eYiDg9SysJrcChqmjIOKxchg5HsIjstrgbDI8xLFiLmCMv6Mcvk-iHIb9_ic67x0IhJXHr_yNQNKKb09xAPgXT69Makf5tYDfuJrtKrHSoIsw3E8/s4032/IMG_6063.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisFmB74CFNgBwyMhXcyqqJJicJOWsM4ANIsEmnu7z5VBKjNmIHbLsT1LU5Bf0hIlki_hcUVnGVRsC-eYiDg9SysJrcChqmjIOKxchg5HsIjstrgbDI8xLFiLmCMv6Mcvk-iHIb9_ic67x0IhJXHr_yNQNKKb09xAPgXT69Makf5tYDfuJrtKrHSoIsw3E8/w300-h400/IMG_6063.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">No link for the delicious recipe but here's a picture of the recipe. I used my favorite Greek olive oil instead of the vegetable oil it called for and liked it even better.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4OlNYqfzw72UjxG6cAYhGz0G223fB_o96dnRJ3SwOFHFm3pO8M4pWPHhsZUTpN-hGJwpf6pBMKt7wwbcNCbAopUS106sCJgXG1I-lr9NLIRS4SMNSu7204sJLJSv9nW-oN3VYRyZCACANm6jS9T39VDETVbtREE53TOTlteN2UggSSn1pIdVvHdaGp7-g/s810/IMG_6062.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4OlNYqfzw72UjxG6cAYhGz0G223fB_o96dnRJ3SwOFHFm3pO8M4pWPHhsZUTpN-hGJwpf6pBMKt7wwbcNCbAopUS106sCJgXG1I-lr9NLIRS4SMNSu7204sJLJSv9nW-oN3VYRyZCACANm6jS9T39VDETVbtREE53TOTlteN2UggSSn1pIdVvHdaGp7-g/w395-h400/IMG_6062.jpg" width="395" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I have to admit that even though the orange floor in our firstborn's bedroom remained through the years, the orange walls did not. I'll close by showing a picture of its change when he was a few years older.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT9V2PXfLTzYzRijWMdQ_qmt4ugUbBKa4jfD-NseUM45jFzL2QgBSZBAZtpb0pvgSNFAsVqdnp3s7HNEJqnmmd3TfRBBpG-cIS3t2ELaFKXblNb-QIQaVKIkruMuH-cUlcCZrt0P8Q7CmTvylHtZ-N7QX8jntYAMBo-voDnUH26eo8g5VEnwm54OhZZWaR/s800/Scan%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="574" data-original-width="800" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT9V2PXfLTzYzRijWMdQ_qmt4ugUbBKa4jfD-NseUM45jFzL2QgBSZBAZtpb0pvgSNFAsVqdnp3s7HNEJqnmmd3TfRBBpG-cIS3t2ELaFKXblNb-QIQaVKIkruMuH-cUlcCZrt0P8Q7CmTvylHtZ-N7QX8jntYAMBo-voDnUH26eo8g5VEnwm54OhZZWaR/w400-h288/Scan%201.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">It probably fitted in more with the current style then but looking back at it now it doesn't seem nearly as much fun as those orange walls. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">That boy though? Now he and our daughter-in-law have grandchildren themselves and he still scores two <i>F's. </i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><i>Fun and Fascinating! </i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>Dewenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330797553600987145noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025769640802524983.post-2925950906601221962023-10-31T16:36:00.185-07:002023-10-31T17:33:12.757-07:00Goodbye October with a little bit of Halloween<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZaCksuR0D3rdEhfWasTwCBbMGJdSrWckUec8ouZkkgsYVoiE0ycq2u0gMXLdhoaXaVgVckD9F3rUc9K4XkN1UEBDm4YjY-ESgyCTYFM-KsZ5nQ6Bhy-7rnz714mrMwIhSqmdbiE8N0vFHUChM6wFEvWuxKsZhyphenhyphenG4I6CnKvmx4N2oHAbYEbuj83mRVvQLw/s1067/IMG_5878.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZaCksuR0D3rdEhfWasTwCBbMGJdSrWckUec8ouZkkgsYVoiE0ycq2u0gMXLdhoaXaVgVckD9F3rUc9K4XkN1UEBDm4YjY-ESgyCTYFM-KsZ5nQ6Bhy-7rnz714mrMwIhSqmdbiE8N0vFHUChM6wFEvWuxKsZhyphenhyphenG4I6CnKvmx4N2oHAbYEbuj83mRVvQLw/w480-h640/IMG_5878.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">My few Halloween touches will come down tomorrow. Always a dachshund and corgi family, this Halloween card from Zack years ago seemed to be the exact image of our dear Penelope who we lost not long after I started blogging in 2012. She comes out every October along with treasured hand-painted cards from daughter-in-law Wallace. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Zack recently had a birthday and as always he requested his birthday pie, a peanut butter cream. I used to make a homemade graham cracker crust for it but lately just buy one from Keebler. This year it shattered but Zack still loved it.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh-Ygq-omXnLWiT56QwD-Xx0QD8ceoM-cI0_-ZDDmYeNfX6q-qp3Z1HO6JfMKVTEu6DsYlr5mxn18c1WoGbQSTPPesjW3PVt15Zo-1O8PKHWqDrwJ8McYgWELefLv06N1vXhTrKDETLDvg9ZbVA4R7GsGESZXlCqiacqPu4-5YjwWbGnWtul1gsuk8G96B/s1002/IMG_5911.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1002" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh-Ygq-omXnLWiT56QwD-Xx0QD8ceoM-cI0_-ZDDmYeNfX6q-qp3Z1HO6JfMKVTEu6DsYlr5mxn18c1WoGbQSTPPesjW3PVt15Zo-1O8PKHWqDrwJ8McYgWELefLv06N1vXhTrKDETLDvg9ZbVA4R7GsGESZXlCqiacqPu4-5YjwWbGnWtul1gsuk8G96B/w510-h640/IMG_5911.jpg" width="510" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">He also asked for deviled eggs so I sent him some of those, using my old standby recipe from a Mary Emerling cookbook.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV_q3z54r69ohnUXCRL7UscP35s5p24Rm6kjZH_09XTGmPELyCCeEwOd9Cn3nCCBoNP0uR98JiO8FHYZyHtu927BqftVabZIvZx_5ahDRcxye7dWV93Zfwa1tSZbO4gKg0Ybb6R15hNGF-4w-L5Oqqswao-pAZG58KRgn8a5Lr0MQHEbuI7f3phcNWU4-e/s1067/IMG_5914.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV_q3z54r69ohnUXCRL7UscP35s5p24Rm6kjZH_09XTGmPELyCCeEwOd9Cn3nCCBoNP0uR98JiO8FHYZyHtu927BqftVabZIvZx_5ahDRcxye7dWV93Zfwa1tSZbO4gKg0Ybb6R15hNGF-4w-L5Oqqswao-pAZG58KRgn8a5Lr0MQHEbuI7f3phcNWU4-e/w300-h400/IMG_5914.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">And from the freezer a tuna fish casserole I'd put away for him when I made one for our own supper one night.</span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN0y1JkpKvKFfmBv2hXrpno441wQHojphDlySYMGgNrL6CB92RmguwOmyIQ4C0AvfCxjRIPO6Wa-NE1DikR5W1___YixanUVzmGbuMUl0xd3mGb3_vjX0b67zZWSU1W0QQspIf509NxASAT77CsZ26eFp13EcMqsrBSxpaPuYsXXxLtRnQfmktAqvlwUp7/s1067/IMG_5887.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN0y1JkpKvKFfmBv2hXrpno441wQHojphDlySYMGgNrL6CB92RmguwOmyIQ4C0AvfCxjRIPO6Wa-NE1DikR5W1___YixanUVzmGbuMUl0xd3mGb3_vjX0b67zZWSU1W0QQspIf509NxASAT77CsZ26eFp13EcMqsrBSxpaPuYsXXxLtRnQfmktAqvlwUp7/w300-h400/IMG_5887.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Can you tell I'm a paprika kind of girl here? <br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Here's another old Halloween card that comes out each year, one from our daughter Christy.</span><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLY4Rb2hgX-AS1h1PlA9M4RNLScD5lc2uunqZXZ-tcTCmoTjAsOVedUCx1RwAzXqyfYqxpJZ7R3S7OyWgGWHamEqhpDupzZlDzJ7ja5n95USD9Ie2rk_bL87AOOLSoVTXCtEOJe-As-_0bfgmBukrzhRrzk6qiymQJxKCiaKskw3537vn0dRpnh1UALlT3/s1067/IMG_5880.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLY4Rb2hgX-AS1h1PlA9M4RNLScD5lc2uunqZXZ-tcTCmoTjAsOVedUCx1RwAzXqyfYqxpJZ7R3S7OyWgGWHamEqhpDupzZlDzJ7ja5n95USD9Ie2rk_bL87AOOLSoVTXCtEOJe-As-_0bfgmBukrzhRrzk6qiymQJxKCiaKskw3537vn0dRpnh1UALlT3/w480-h640/IMG_5880.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I meant to show a picture of a beautiful vase of flowers Christy brought us when she was here earlier.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTOVeYA7EzsMWq8DkFFtAM3WcYh9z0pgSZWJwiG0Paohu3_csgxrl6G06w_FwRRdEUn6Rx39WhYLFPQx0nz1RHqolnVa09UYuCDXcYki_jRtElJa8uWQ7qWSgUp2eyNwcOlOsgMBVglVQRKtXEFcWf0aDsJgMOdkwv9sT_Fk9umDpJOgbZkDA_4hAtrpQC/s1067/IMG_5743.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTOVeYA7EzsMWq8DkFFtAM3WcYh9z0pgSZWJwiG0Paohu3_csgxrl6G06w_FwRRdEUn6Rx39WhYLFPQx0nz1RHqolnVa09UYuCDXcYki_jRtElJa8uWQ7qWSgUp2eyNwcOlOsgMBVglVQRKtXEFcWf0aDsJgMOdkwv9sT_Fk9umDpJOgbZkDA_4hAtrpQC/w480-h640/IMG_5743.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I loved those gorgeous purples! And kept enjoying her flowers as time went by and I broke them up into little arrangements all over the house. Here's a little one I put in my bedroom.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqllRYoEP8gX2icNCRzUa6jo-E59dL4Pchh71jHkegbGl1qSALnpI9n1BcQvl2PH-LlA7XJaHSAIEiUVtKZMoBgeLfgjMMEapjOq38EA_VI6SXYKQUxzs5V8U9Q5UmmTs5PDiapnKQMIzLpYixXhkcA_ImdbMbnqOQgvAYIYFA4jV-OzEksbDPmmfZobGI/s1067/IMG_5790.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqllRYoEP8gX2icNCRzUa6jo-E59dL4Pchh71jHkegbGl1qSALnpI9n1BcQvl2PH-LlA7XJaHSAIEiUVtKZMoBgeLfgjMMEapjOq38EA_VI6SXYKQUxzs5V8U9Q5UmmTs5PDiapnKQMIzLpYixXhkcA_ImdbMbnqOQgvAYIYFA4jV-OzEksbDPmmfZobGI/w480-h640/IMG_5790.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">And naturally I had to save the roses to dry.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizr1wnhj-H5eHxN2a-wGP94X5nJZDNKyLfQ6HoM-vYOBCtVsjKhjXRniXTt5XTfGW7cafTfhaIngpPyMM8hZqtKxBHml4xTHm6TTtb_3D3vYWlzunWQzKVdx6Aum7r2urG079mvn0G2xlC6f_eeEpQ2DmMJI1E5dUaDyiuKp0SmHMBCodUmoCsHiA2Ji_y/s1067/IMG_5788.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizr1wnhj-H5eHxN2a-wGP94X5nJZDNKyLfQ6HoM-vYOBCtVsjKhjXRniXTt5XTfGW7cafTfhaIngpPyMM8hZqtKxBHml4xTHm6TTtb_3D3vYWlzunWQzKVdx6Aum7r2urG079mvn0G2xlC6f_eeEpQ2DmMJI1E5dUaDyiuKp0SmHMBCodUmoCsHiA2Ji_y/w480-h640/IMG_5788.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">In the morning I'll change that cute October page on the calendar my daughter gives me each Christmas. Even though I look forward to my favorite month of the year, November, I'll miss my cute pumpkin and bats on my bedside table. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Down will also come the bat hanging in my kitchen, part of a Halloween card Christy sent us many years ago.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWrayJp7OAdsjwM8ZXpH9fN_lTCdrn5_Z4zRm01ljI81vWPatTHrqHtBH3Ik4TF6wB2rp89VnaruLNgGE4rwQtrMGGibSEq_bJfSZtfr5sOgTU6Z8g-Y5mse2MPZrLyXCkxU0VWWxzwS4JqvOTSqKmPmLpNkpyYM_-Sl89hXyHHaeCrnd_VKlDWrNzwZEf/s1025/IMG_5868.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1025" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWrayJp7OAdsjwM8ZXpH9fN_lTCdrn5_Z4zRm01ljI81vWPatTHrqHtBH3Ik4TF6wB2rp89VnaruLNgGE4rwQtrMGGibSEq_bJfSZtfr5sOgTU6Z8g-Y5mse2MPZrLyXCkxU0VWWxzwS4JqvOTSqKmPmLpNkpyYM_-Sl89hXyHHaeCrnd_VKlDWrNzwZEf/w500-h640/IMG_5868.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Can you spot him? </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Here's one new gift that will come out each autumn to be enjoyed, a Fresh Cut Paper bouquet from my sister Deb that arrived during supper of our 62nd wedding anniversary!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCry0kYxNlavhzCjZxtIOyxAlt46f8PD4eY3tAuURie0iXmR_MTccT94baOOVFdjROClcgfO3OuknBE00gXWj52gn_nT-JXmUz046MZHa4-rCONVw2JaC-BEi3XZ2mbS573uVAMkOKEmTjr9F4NqPpyW4z9Wki2OZteXpJIJMuXkFkIeBNGJi_vxtKyoaU/s1067/IMG_5817.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCry0kYxNlavhzCjZxtIOyxAlt46f8PD4eY3tAuURie0iXmR_MTccT94baOOVFdjROClcgfO3OuknBE00gXWj52gn_nT-JXmUz046MZHa4-rCONVw2JaC-BEi3XZ2mbS573uVAMkOKEmTjr9F4NqPpyW4z9Wki2OZteXpJIJMuXkFkIeBNGJi_vxtKyoaU/w480-h640/IMG_5817.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">It was such a fun surprise and we have enjoyed it at every meal!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Halloween is a little tame at our house these years but I do take a childish pleasure in it. Maybe because I have so many memories of fun Halloweens growing up and then of those with our children when they were still at home. We even had two grandsons growing up next door to us at Valley View who visited us in their costumes.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I've enjoyed seeing pictures online of our two granddaughters in their costumes today, one as the Mouse Scout and her big sister as, of all things, a Starbucks drink created by their mother Wallace, including silky whipped cream on top!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I've needed these sweet tugs on my heart this week, in a time when hearts are so heavy with the news, in addition to having another daughter-in-law lose her father this week. She and her four sisters and their mother are grieving at this unexpected loss. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">So I'll take a little Halloween cuteness gladly and look forward to the holiday season coming up, every minute of it. And I'm very glad to report that I followed the advice of a blog friend and tried switching my browser to Chrome and like magic all my sign-in problems on my blogs were fixed! I can even comment on my own blogs now and imagine that I will be able to on others as well.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Please be well and safe!</span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Love to all,</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Dewena</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p></div></div>Dewenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330797553600987145noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025769640802524983.post-75347861871163593242023-10-13T05:44:00.002-07:002023-10-13T07:31:52.148-07:00An Anniversary and Family News<p> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Hello dear family and friends,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">On September 19th at our annual exam we learned that RH's heartbeat was irregular. After seeing his cardiologist we were told that he was in full-blown AFIB and a cardioversion was scheduled for October 2nd, with possible open heart surgery if the cardioversion failed due to the other serious heart condition RH has been treated for during the last 20 years.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">This possibility turned our world upside down but we were immediately wrapped in the prayers and support of our family. All four of our kids were here the day before to be with us, our daughter flying in and stopping by Whole Foods on her way to our house to bring dinner.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP382zrFIpTfvWIaFzgemPzveRhzxeiAOpIilB0m_Y10xgVwHlrGa8GT7YlNf-CsMclUacBnOxXlvkAa9o9DUJmqNw6SZsYbNoWugRjZAOmdEYRs_8VdqjVdy03IjN_cop6_MOk6jgzPjcvMPrfM3K0wtjQ5GDBBkUVwCtPAJ642iGcSSGNtNhZILR2FYx/s1067/IMG_5738.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP382zrFIpTfvWIaFzgemPzveRhzxeiAOpIilB0m_Y10xgVwHlrGa8GT7YlNf-CsMclUacBnOxXlvkAa9o9DUJmqNw6SZsYbNoWugRjZAOmdEYRs_8VdqjVdy03IjN_cop6_MOk6jgzPjcvMPrfM3K0wtjQ5GDBBkUVwCtPAJ642iGcSSGNtNhZILR2FYx/w300-h400/IMG_5738.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Next our three sons arrived, one from out of town.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3VY-q8LEzg9nb2OCRP6k9DOhrUjgh2kKXyJzvQMKxTHR-OqNUikWW4Up1BNLx_Z7qThR3bq8uSqbvNWFjEy66rRRn_gD72vd12eNvevtd8raniRtZ0pmt6jlsVVl8rN7-gKWxZlcLi8B1zTpf84WANqZR4k-rhSNq1ddDx3ocU20y6tCQF_xa6T8Ng-5k/s800/IMG_4925%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="562" data-original-width="800" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3VY-q8LEzg9nb2OCRP6k9DOhrUjgh2kKXyJzvQMKxTHR-OqNUikWW4Up1BNLx_Z7qThR3bq8uSqbvNWFjEy66rRRn_gD72vd12eNvevtd8raniRtZ0pmt6jlsVVl8rN7-gKWxZlcLi8B1zTpf84WANqZR4k-rhSNq1ddDx3ocU20y6tCQF_xa6T8Ng-5k/w400-h281/IMG_4925%202.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">This picture of our kids means the world to us! </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">RH doesn't look sick here but he had been a very tired guy lately.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">After our delicious supper we cleared the table for some distracting hands of Texas Hold 'Em, accompanied by some sweet and hilarious memories of childhood, and a round of admissions to mom and dad of stories we'd never before heard. Groundings were immediately issued.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg49atQjOD6nASJqYta1y2UR6egwgUTqGshX1otS7-fkcUnEDsPf7vIu9kbcpVZnhhCz6FTsjDKbtV4y3XxIaLUMTWea2WpKP4T1PAJ2P7VC7ML3srBo7zfgwcgtLZG6R4NGW4DDNNj1BjqstO5mj6RKfG1d-SbSuRBmBZhn4mO9lsePc39qu8juFjiuH0Y/s800/IMG_5746.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg49atQjOD6nASJqYta1y2UR6egwgUTqGshX1otS7-fkcUnEDsPf7vIu9kbcpVZnhhCz6FTsjDKbtV4y3XxIaLUMTWea2WpKP4T1PAJ2P7VC7ML3srBo7zfgwcgtLZG6R4NGW4DDNNj1BjqstO5mj6RKfG1d-SbSuRBmBZhn4mO9lsePc39qu8juFjiuH0Y/w400-h300/IMG_5746.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Everyone left by nine so the old folks could get to bed. It had been an anxious night made much easier by the presence of our precious daughter and sons.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Early the next morning our daughter came to pick up her dad, two of our sons met them at the hospital, and our youngest son came to stay with me as it was better for me to stay home. It wasn't an easy decision but I had my guy's promise..."I'll be back."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Although ten people were in the operating room in case of emergency open heart surgery, our daughter got the call to go to the recovery room where the doctor reported a perfect one shock only needed to restart RH's heart.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Here's our daughter with her brothers when they got the news, happiness showing on their faces.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVRnMWFjJCmwqwLbYUnMh7ExwdT2x0ks9B8lpFIM2nVJcPFomX7buwnx2iD3x8OAxkhds4ziTymAypFCtO4yyKjJMOyM3UWDmmEILyv7PUWk12-FjFcavfgA2AsOYqKTnlknR3chGUyDPs-kGqOxzU-Msaa41BWNecafcPSS25RzI_TZ0Y22cw6RWLsgfW/s1067/IMG_2340.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVRnMWFjJCmwqwLbYUnMh7ExwdT2x0ks9B8lpFIM2nVJcPFomX7buwnx2iD3x8OAxkhds4ziTymAypFCtO4yyKjJMOyM3UWDmmEILyv7PUWk12-FjFcavfgA2AsOYqKTnlknR3chGUyDPs-kGqOxzU-Msaa41BWNecafcPSS25RzI_TZ0Y22cw6RWLsgfW/w300-h400/IMG_2340.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">and,</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1rZATRlJOR4Yw968ePBGfKLCF6fB029TpP6Yf1kt4AIApCT7a_iYqTeMa-iUnS2xD9zkS7vv4dcvFDEhhry9CCoy9dyOQ_FmfGAVCXjYWVkhyphenhypheniyHyk7qXxqUJPsG-MrapOc7VOkv79gWLR-hdRq_6RV2SuNiiQqGX6LO0yuB2hfRxfvWq_NiRjAxRUmzQ/s1067/IMG_2337.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1rZATRlJOR4Yw968ePBGfKLCF6fB029TpP6Yf1kt4AIApCT7a_iYqTeMa-iUnS2xD9zkS7vv4dcvFDEhhry9CCoy9dyOQ_FmfGAVCXjYWVkhyphenhypheniyHyk7qXxqUJPsG-MrapOc7VOkv79gWLR-hdRq_6RV2SuNiiQqGX6LO0yuB2hfRxfvWq_NiRjAxRUmzQ/w300-h400/IMG_2337.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p></p><p><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">RH kept his promise to me and indeed he came back!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">It was simply amazing how soon they were able to bring our woozy guy home, mainly with instructions to guard against falling for the next 24 hours as the anesthesia wore off, and reasonable carefulness for the following week. He'd been put on Eliquis the week before but other than that his instructions were not to drive for 24 hours and to rest.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Of course we all pretty much spoiled him rotten but he seems no worse for that either. He's minded me pretty well since the kids left for home, in fact I have to say that the days since have been some of the happiest ever.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">And, drum roll, today on Friday October 13, 2023 we're celebrating 62 years of marriage. (62 years ago was also a Friday the 13th.)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Although RH and I have been deeply saddened and horrified by the news this past week of the terror attacks on families in Israel, and our prayers remain with Israel, and much else seems trivial compared to that, I wanted to record here the precious gift our family received by RH being restored to us.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">We are so grateful for the gift of life and our family.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtGf5pFc6gJnzPuyI8bP3pgw784fBSKdQtS_h-d9mifCwlc5aECKHit3qWmkxqWvCrh4kAB77Wc66JPKh6kC-XUYh5vZrfzqE4A9Qo2pe5vnnot7ySJnT6j1lIxI5d9xN5PJCsl66EkkkoMK8BhljI-dPTULcoCZInKLoyW-aj5hSKrELIDqBj8peuoGvN/s911/IMG_8846.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="911" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtGf5pFc6gJnzPuyI8bP3pgw784fBSKdQtS_h-d9mifCwlc5aECKHit3qWmkxqWvCrh4kAB77Wc66JPKh6kC-XUYh5vZrfzqE4A9Qo2pe5vnnot7ySJnT6j1lIxI5d9xN5PJCsl66EkkkoMK8BhljI-dPTULcoCZInKLoyW-aj5hSKrELIDqBj8peuoGvN/w562-h640/IMG_8846.jpg" width="562" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /> P.S. I'm not sure this post will publish as I can't seem to sign in to my blogs even though I've signed out and back in over and over. And I just tried publishing comments on other blogs and it won't let me, even when I try to anonymously. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I can't even leave a comment here on an old post of mine! Help, does anyone have any advice?<br /></span></p><p></p>Dewenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330797553600987145noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025769640802524983.post-62842660900824535252023-09-23T12:39:00.000-07:002023-09-23T12:39:09.123-07:00Feeling Overwhelmed<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYaw58MqRrplGQ6qRMquG_U3rWnYcCbYeE6R4veGjNP4tHrpBqa0uLyVXP0HeTSJ6YG4b1gH87Azlalm_M6dk3gJfknlL1QGdzoe-QJ5327Qp8_PMVRCm0tzVBX2GqpTmNgRJLx87Zu_se-hEENK5laL-BSuzhcIKoUhbcen2wamJe82Z0Nivi0dAYg_jA/s800/1020151638a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYaw58MqRrplGQ6qRMquG_U3rWnYcCbYeE6R4veGjNP4tHrpBqa0uLyVXP0HeTSJ6YG4b1gH87Azlalm_M6dk3gJfknlL1QGdzoe-QJ5327Qp8_PMVRCm0tzVBX2GqpTmNgRJLx87Zu_se-hEENK5laL-BSuzhcIKoUhbcen2wamJe82Z0Nivi0dAYg_jA/w640-h360/1020151638a.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I am feeling overwhelmed. Today is officially Autumn and I wanted very much to post something, anything, for the first day of my favorite season of the year. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I know I had files on my desktop ready for Autumn in late September but in a spirit of creativeness a week ago I practically covered up my desktop with possible future files to post and my screen is wall to wall files.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Do you ever do that? It drives my son Daniel crazy when he sees Mama do this! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">It's been a busy and yes, stressful week, but also one that makes me feel that one of the roads back to normality and enjoying this special time I look forward to all year is NOT dropping out of the blog world this time. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">And so my way back and out of feeling overwhelmed is to at least post a fall picture and this one from Autumn at Valley View where my kitchen looked serene and simple was the one. <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Maybe another day soon I'll be able to untangle my desktop files and find something to blog about. Meanwhile I wish peace and serenity to everyone in this beautiful season called Autumn.</span><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><p></p>Dewenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330797553600987145noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025769640802524983.post-57330139445757530402023-09-03T11:00:00.206-07:002023-09-03T11:00:00.157-07:00What is it?<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsTGWL9sqlGTPqxlhX5aI0IpU_7Vppwgy8wBGq4hFwrgvTspEPdf_sKRp-7FSjTT8Yecug2w4Y3Xdv_I7NqnF-u4nHXwgKJeo2BOa28KWpb1tc4WdMGWCEaDzfQiLaVTSZ1nT3VN1CLFR84Q9B95KkP1z-6cRSDAnar6F1OQ8m_13YuzZzoa7D_u1qhDgp/s1067/IMG_2023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsTGWL9sqlGTPqxlhX5aI0IpU_7Vppwgy8wBGq4hFwrgvTspEPdf_sKRp-7FSjTT8Yecug2w4Y3Xdv_I7NqnF-u4nHXwgKJeo2BOa28KWpb1tc4WdMGWCEaDzfQiLaVTSZ1nT3VN1CLFR84Q9B95KkP1z-6cRSDAnar6F1OQ8m_13YuzZzoa7D_u1qhDgp/w480-h640/IMG_2023.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Care to take a guess before reading further?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmzVEZztpAGBfKMS5xU300ghJ80eEVWIUlMowGhJNLYJpw1a_V9GexvjYh4X0I18_oxHfP_O8Ogk5hR63rmgyyBfVWXg1yGMNXclfHErm-0MfiUTlu1rIjhrzTKyZZqXIRk6C6XKC7wTL8XAwz4jdLjOL2Xuq55p8dqkLVtrNuc6D6SjRoJlUytcXDoO44/s1067/IMG_2024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmzVEZztpAGBfKMS5xU300ghJ80eEVWIUlMowGhJNLYJpw1a_V9GexvjYh4X0I18_oxHfP_O8Ogk5hR63rmgyyBfVWXg1yGMNXclfHErm-0MfiUTlu1rIjhrzTKyZZqXIRk6C6XKC7wTL8XAwz4jdLjOL2Xuq55p8dqkLVtrNuc6D6SjRoJlUytcXDoO44/w480-h640/IMG_2024.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br />It was our supper one July night of 2022 that I never posted. July is past again but I'm posting it now as July of 2024 is too far away to risk waiting again.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAxxsINbWo2ZboebiqF0IqmplgbyDx7nQm0Fi-TExZj7debu0NZjmV_-Hw0AJLrfdYHrj2jaJtU9BzstYwCeHc7dIXZhhpuOMikSumIoP2I-Ddl_Zk30dOc9bGDd44bgMQEhy70uFJ1NzLw4lAVqR-l8Y-ec7WCSEfODwA6YGpQs6ANgzyp2bLZ9FQ57cq/s1067/IMG_2021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAxxsINbWo2ZboebiqF0IqmplgbyDx7nQm0Fi-TExZj7debu0NZjmV_-Hw0AJLrfdYHrj2jaJtU9BzstYwCeHc7dIXZhhpuOMikSumIoP2I-Ddl_Zk30dOc9bGDd44bgMQEhy70uFJ1NzLw4lAVqR-l8Y-ec7WCSEfODwA6YGpQs6ANgzyp2bLZ9FQ57cq/w480-h640/IMG_2021.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">We had this odd meal with french bread and smoked salmon leftover from the salmon RH usually smokes for Independence Day.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjul2r7Xa_64X3fqkBzBpKsJtPom2NA-cS3WVHeTiQP7rl__Ot2dzrtbHVJEb7wANBtYiEYeZDaX6TuSsc0RcGugEOA61OJg5eTzeqsQ_p9bT-9dSvm2nphgOcA1zY5wZqiJ7s3GAufNhj552FZHcoE840v2-wbmbmmjYsQB8SjAqKzrE1RXcP3mxsJJpAO/s803/IMG_2038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="803" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjul2r7Xa_64X3fqkBzBpKsJtPom2NA-cS3WVHeTiQP7rl__Ot2dzrtbHVJEb7wANBtYiEYeZDaX6TuSsc0RcGugEOA61OJg5eTzeqsQ_p9bT-9dSvm2nphgOcA1zY5wZqiJ7s3GAufNhj552FZHcoE840v2-wbmbmmjYsQB8SjAqKzrE1RXcP3mxsJJpAO/w638-h640/IMG_2038.jpg" width="638" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">That's a tiny oil painting I did almost 50 years ago inspired by Childe Hassam's flag paintings. It comes out every July and goes back in the cupboard in September.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">But what is in my glass soup bowl?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5bNcnuWLsz7Hcpeli42F_1TwaA7FnpESYVndFxpcmCYVBM5823nEwJ7wsbeYX9NY2Q2jO-EwX55LJmeiD29zjC5zuglerlrlITyLU-6VZubMhII6oRiJMHrvMrUXj_i7DREQi3gkD8KcxNeh6lZ53CikffHPFcjKOYF7Qlz1Pu4fqHELnhPAc-1IAIE2T/s1067/IMG_2023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5bNcnuWLsz7Hcpeli42F_1TwaA7FnpESYVndFxpcmCYVBM5823nEwJ7wsbeYX9NY2Q2jO-EwX55LJmeiD29zjC5zuglerlrlITyLU-6VZubMhII6oRiJMHrvMrUXj_i7DREQi3gkD8KcxNeh6lZ53CikffHPFcjKOYF7Qlz1Pu4fqHELnhPAc-1IAIE2T/w300-h400/IMG_2023.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">The soup is cucumber and the two red circles in it are Watermelon Gelée, both recipes by Greg Atkinson, chef and proprietor of Restaurant Marché on Bainbridge Island, Washington.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I couldn't find a recipe link for the typed copy I've had in my files for years and can't remember where I first found it. The Watermelon Gelée was delicious but the next time I make the cucumber soup I'll use Vincent Price's recipe as it really needs Vincent's cream, chicken broth, and a leek to enhance its flavor. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">The gelée--pronounced <i>huh-ley</i>--has 3 cups of watermelon chunks, 2 tablespoons of sugar and 2 teaspoons of lemon juice pureed, strained, 1/2 cup of the liquid put in a saucepan and 1 envelop of gelatin sprinkled over it. Soften 5 minutes then put saucepan on high heat and stir until gelatin is dissolved and juice begins to boil. [I stirred in some Trader Joe's Chili Lime seasoning.]</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Put a pinch of black sesame seeds in each of 4 paper cups [or foil cupcake liners] then stir the hot gelatin mixture into the remaining juice and distribute evenly between the four cups, over the sesame seeds. Chill till firmly set then tear the foil away from the gelée and put on top of the cold cucumber soup. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ5neFfw15fhOh_cfqqzecXWkwXqz0otweEdd883lyykXy0Bhrt9By-JvGKhXbJN4zpkyKSGvBewsN8Gbc6czTSyFTrVoe9ZV7hQscUaRBLISqJ1B0wDpDwAbrMFiPy279mIVe5wx98H2qv0sgwhk0blAh-rrK5VrmjX4ofqah3jVvnBFeDAPbPFHypuf0/s1067/IMG_2033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ5neFfw15fhOh_cfqqzecXWkwXqz0otweEdd883lyykXy0Bhrt9By-JvGKhXbJN4zpkyKSGvBewsN8Gbc6czTSyFTrVoe9ZV7hQscUaRBLISqJ1B0wDpDwAbrMFiPy279mIVe5wx98H2qv0sgwhk0blAh-rrK5VrmjX4ofqah3jVvnBFeDAPbPFHypuf0/w480-h640/IMG_2033.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">This was a fun and pretty meal so I hope you'll understand why I didn't want to waste my year old pictures. My room in the picture above has had some small changes this summer when I began taking some things away from it. I moved all the Blue Delft and Royal Copenhagen out of the room and put it all into the 10 x 12 room outside our bedrooms that I call the antechamber where I have more blue and white china.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Two more pictures to show. You can't have a light meal such as this without having a good dessert.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieM2g9cRj6nykJeHfih0bJrftvdWX71ddh3KnL37xg9A4wE0ch4vHy5DTDcK2Reg93JvpCOAYsOlGRfD5V-Ml4McAskjkEwBIIDj3UPmYx4sdSRaiDMsO_r9TEXar23LzlLp0GTh4fc8AbnqoJfFE3p_NQM7BXfOx3c6EwmRMEkJKzyw9jikAaQF2usCvQ/s1067/IMG_2464.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieM2g9cRj6nykJeHfih0bJrftvdWX71ddh3KnL37xg9A4wE0ch4vHy5DTDcK2Reg93JvpCOAYsOlGRfD5V-Ml4McAskjkEwBIIDj3UPmYx4sdSRaiDMsO_r9TEXar23LzlLp0GTh4fc8AbnqoJfFE3p_NQM7BXfOx3c6EwmRMEkJKzyw9jikAaQF2usCvQ/w480-h640/IMG_2464.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /> This delicious thing was a Lemon Cornmeal Cake with Lemon Glaze and Crushed-Blueberry Sauce from <i>Bon Appetit </i>that I did find a link for. <a href="https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/lemon-cornmeal-cake-with-lemon-glaze-and-crushed-blueberry-sauce">Here!</a></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Be sure and notice the pretty vintage silver spoons I used. They're monogramed but I've never been able to figure out what the initial is. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXdkQNixlTzBpJffP1Hq8it6rI9IIbg5bGp_Y7kkLppDexBxPh_PHyq2zeFbmet8ityiHuNoJkKOKdO2dnJyHhiJwTSRcmN9WFSRB7MVis5OW0D7wUQBwxHXggzDV8JE_TeflQAiOKRLQ_UvBZJ4adfv9lulbYzdPVugpGaNIn2Z5jobU4_D2wpXr4Yhjr/s1067/IMG_2471.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXdkQNixlTzBpJffP1Hq8it6rI9IIbg5bGp_Y7kkLppDexBxPh_PHyq2zeFbmet8ityiHuNoJkKOKdO2dnJyHhiJwTSRcmN9WFSRB7MVis5OW0D7wUQBwxHXggzDV8JE_TeflQAiOKRLQ_UvBZJ4adfv9lulbYzdPVugpGaNIn2Z5jobU4_D2wpXr4Yhjr/w480-h640/IMG_2471.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /> Are you ever tempted to cook an odd recipe? I do it all the time even though sometimes they don't turn out well and RH says: "Why don't you just cook your old recipes that we know we like?"</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I ask you, "Where's the fun in that?"</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span><br /></p>Dewenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330797553600987145noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025769640802524983.post-18390893901542964672023-09-02T06:28:00.000-07:002023-09-02T06:28:02.191-07:00"No Time Like the Pleasant"<p> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Once again I've been inattentive to my dear old Window, something that always seems to happen in the summer. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">While I had stacks of posts meant for June, July, and August, it's always difficult to know what to post when I do return.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">And so this time, at the end of the summer months, here's a Kitchen Window picture that exemplifies <i>sunshine </i>at this favorite place in my home.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiWV1CnAWS2sUq9BC9aTLrGMz2oWuzDbKfqyLT2KXxiOA9kJ71ZQinNMFBmWTdx6C7yTvBUYDDxFzOa7OoseBLrdaXS6LqieZDsSzlctlEpTHwfSVoVX5Taqxfo5XDmya7HwqkzGE1LrNP1JadCMmDPGKoC1bj3Vhd09yJPQ7msg1ljtlyZAvLNaWYHF9u/s1067/IMG_5574.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiWV1CnAWS2sUq9BC9aTLrGMz2oWuzDbKfqyLT2KXxiOA9kJ71ZQinNMFBmWTdx6C7yTvBUYDDxFzOa7OoseBLrdaXS6LqieZDsSzlctlEpTHwfSVoVX5Taqxfo5XDmya7HwqkzGE1LrNP1JadCMmDPGKoC1bj3Vhd09yJPQ7msg1ljtlyZAvLNaWYHF9u/w480-h640/IMG_5574.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">My large kitchen window is the view I try to picture when the 2 a.m. gremlins do their best to keep me awake after a bathroom trip. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I know this window will be there waiting to welcome me when I get up in the morning to let BreeBree and James Mason out to go potty, where I stand drinking a glass of water while they're outside in the garden. <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">It will mark another day made exceptional by the sheer grace of being alive.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Take that, you nasty 2 a.m. gremlins!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5sy_Ju2WxE9o_HWCEQUWjulyObvWAfxUgVA7x2FryPc9Dz-XYoi2P49OcV5jFUldnyTMRiXhLgkOF6MIvgMXtrMy1v7jdn9BCT5k272LzrYn5iGn6mcD0JQ7Ss0u6DM09yO0bnGm6hSiFzJK5G3q5M_PyrPo8wugdJX5qzDREwR29uYH3I6kQGj4T7IoD/s1067/IMG_5572.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5sy_Ju2WxE9o_HWCEQUWjulyObvWAfxUgVA7x2FryPc9Dz-XYoi2P49OcV5jFUldnyTMRiXhLgkOF6MIvgMXtrMy1v7jdn9BCT5k272LzrYn5iGn6mcD0JQ7Ss0u6DM09yO0bnGm6hSiFzJK5G3q5M_PyrPo8wugdJX5qzDREwR29uYH3I6kQGj4T7IoD/w480-h640/IMG_5572.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I'll leave you with wishes that your summer has been full of pleasant days and with this quotation I love that I found in one of my vintage magazines:</span><p></p><p></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">There is no time like the pleasant.<br /></span></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I found this delightful sentence by Oliver Herbert in <i>Ladies' Home Journal </i>of August 1952. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Mr. Herbert, a true gentleman author of the early 1900's, a gift from England to America, was known for his pithy <i>bons mots, </i>and Amen to this one.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Being completely absent to that talent I very much admire those who possess the talents of brain and tongue issuing a <i>bon mot.</i> After learning about Mr. Herbert's books that he both wrote and illustrated, I would like to become more acquainted with him.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">My very best to my family and friends who visit here, all of whom are the <i>pleasantest! </i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">There truly is <i>"no time like the pleasant," </i>right?<i> </i> <i><br /></i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span> <br /></p><p> </p><p></p>Dewenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330797553600987145noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025769640802524983.post-71051858139564661082023-06-06T14:31:00.001-07:002023-06-06T14:31:20.053-07:00What A Family!<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxoSQukKo4775jj3Nnt5HK7PZbRgfrLtMnVStK9JdycleMrgGU35fglI7IKNCEQj4O2kDJEOPcPOIe5iO1OzUa7t9-gnULUhYRrsSogAgzkycHFCIpGsJW_vc6pj86bgAIH-zpxeCKBOQe-PadUw4rPon4W8DE2NJPh5fR3RXCdo2q4k3DJSFrfjzMrA/s800/IMG_3269.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxoSQukKo4775jj3Nnt5HK7PZbRgfrLtMnVStK9JdycleMrgGU35fglI7IKNCEQj4O2kDJEOPcPOIe5iO1OzUa7t9-gnULUhYRrsSogAgzkycHFCIpGsJW_vc6pj86bgAIH-zpxeCKBOQe-PadUw4rPon4W8DE2NJPh5fR3RXCdo2q4k3DJSFrfjzMrA/w400-h300/IMG_3269.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Those dear faces! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I love each and every one of them! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">All there recently to help celebrate my birthday.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL8kg0gIdz2rq1LPhYVklMsXpJm50P0OKN6c_oov1UEwwX48KUFEUs9UbsbZuwrTA0fvurE_i0v8P_YMa8pRlcrfoIrDWNrfdK5AUuQLC0yJQV-FFayyevJgq0mosUaZ-TX-DEIcUdbjMhh75O7d45eDZlgztLtKBsVrizUJO9hdzlUVXnKvUb_1XqIQ/s800/IMG_4660.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL8kg0gIdz2rq1LPhYVklMsXpJm50P0OKN6c_oov1UEwwX48KUFEUs9UbsbZuwrTA0fvurE_i0v8P_YMa8pRlcrfoIrDWNrfdK5AUuQLC0yJQV-FFayyevJgq0mosUaZ-TX-DEIcUdbjMhh75O7d45eDZlgztLtKBsVrizUJO9hdzlUVXnKvUb_1XqIQ/w400-h300/IMG_4660.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEAg8UXME9Bmrn024AM4eaYFxI3ChyhCJzOHrvy56ZlJcdW2dSRh0zfiEshEBI6DpmP-CbLvMJhC6c3A3usj5XSREupoXgSL62zfSMB8Abfx6rrCGOhJ9cijWtNrxMNyMC6FdVolTfi9kMw5gVEVog1m2CUE9DfP5n2EcbHfxV38jL4bNRlYPgDUzIig/s1067/IMG_1065.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEAg8UXME9Bmrn024AM4eaYFxI3ChyhCJzOHrvy56ZlJcdW2dSRh0zfiEshEBI6DpmP-CbLvMJhC6c3A3usj5XSREupoXgSL62zfSMB8Abfx6rrCGOhJ9cijWtNrxMNyMC6FdVolTfi9kMw5gVEVog1m2CUE9DfP5n2EcbHfxV38jL4bNRlYPgDUzIig/w300-h400/IMG_1065.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /> <br /></span><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhr0CQMmuYtjIY7ge2Dm_r2AnG3Q3XPViRzqfx9j_34kpaHh_NY4BnOpQ1fiT4jpkeT5EZDI4_Mecc218oJlWuszKQZgwFaQc5tsJSO0dk2lImJionsn-ycwaYzaNBaW3brxicS4aBG2dT4BcZcVgs45g9Rv59Wm7mnz6nxt0Pj0KE4nOP_DHP9bF9PQ/s696/IMG_1063.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="696" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhr0CQMmuYtjIY7ge2Dm_r2AnG3Q3XPViRzqfx9j_34kpaHh_NY4BnOpQ1fiT4jpkeT5EZDI4_Mecc218oJlWuszKQZgwFaQc5tsJSO0dk2lImJionsn-ycwaYzaNBaW3brxicS4aBG2dT4BcZcVgs45g9Rv59Wm7mnz6nxt0Pj0KE4nOP_DHP9bF9PQ/w400-h310/IMG_1063.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFTbiK-uZpfHlHDrSljekGKh2xRhtwRRf8BypdW6iBTcwfaYyT3u1f8z9H8E0snObKZYqyzADvc4jyY_Ql9J2nnLaz6OlZWHOLYH4PjcYCAGmYeECNdNHQMd_c1ucCUYShDwlpdoNCxcSlzpT6Q8emjET0hCyjpgzLW4gMN7ftAKWv_Sxbhc38Hqz3Qw/s913/IMG_4690.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="913" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFTbiK-uZpfHlHDrSljekGKh2xRhtwRRf8BypdW6iBTcwfaYyT3u1f8z9H8E0snObKZYqyzADvc4jyY_Ql9J2nnLaz6OlZWHOLYH4PjcYCAGmYeECNdNHQMd_c1ucCUYShDwlpdoNCxcSlzpT6Q8emjET0hCyjpgzLW4gMN7ftAKWv_Sxbhc38Hqz3Qw/w350-h400/IMG_4690.jpg" width="350" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">It was a rare treat for me to go out to a nice restaurant. RH and I just don't get out nights much anymore and we stick pretty close to home instead of going downtown. <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">The staff at The Optimist in Nashville served us the delicious seafood they're known for. I wish I had a picture of a granddaughter eating her first raw oyster, and then the second and third!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I felt as if I were Julia Child in her first French restaurant in the movie <i>Julie & Julia </i>as the browned butter pecan whole flounder was expertly deboned for me.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbkZR4o3JIRmXer9vuBbfb939XrljEF9nCYnlcELu3FBxoBa9JRR4r0N95E36GSePNjxIVAU6Lpo9ARqhTh9NncfL1lLjGJElZTfpkyYIaBNCagijzqtX34AlhNUJZne9Su8Urz_iTvqgSC7MehByDuMdUm6mLcqA6_85D6rIC3E-PMnzwEYfk7hdCSg/s1067/IMG_4671.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbkZR4o3JIRmXer9vuBbfb939XrljEF9nCYnlcELu3FBxoBa9JRR4r0N95E36GSePNjxIVAU6Lpo9ARqhTh9NncfL1lLjGJElZTfpkyYIaBNCagijzqtX34AlhNUJZne9Su8Urz_iTvqgSC7MehByDuMdUm6mLcqA6_85D6rIC3E-PMnzwEYfk7hdCSg/w300-h400/IMG_4671.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I think three of us ordered this dish while one ordered scallops with sweet corn and bacon vinaigrette, one ordered the New England lobster roll, and quite a few ordered the dry aged Kansas City strip with ramp butter. <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">The kitchen even fixed a chicken dish for this sweet young lady...</span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinltCW0WZnGudy9ZJYdQ049KTooXt3chmG38eeYPu3vlRXPnpV5YiYmp62psFZU1qt50e85i9X6lHxuhIGnnnP1jFZEJtP_y8VikgPs30gYwaooH4kytE5ZVB1Mefweh2WmivwMeTZuDjzQnheaG3J5E15sAGRLFcqZTpSCiklyF_yFowPgCRpb5NuVg/s1067/IMG_3267.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinltCW0WZnGudy9ZJYdQ049KTooXt3chmG38eeYPu3vlRXPnpV5YiYmp62psFZU1qt50e85i9X6lHxuhIGnnnP1jFZEJtP_y8VikgPs30gYwaooH4kytE5ZVB1Mefweh2WmivwMeTZuDjzQnheaG3J5E15sAGRLFcqZTpSCiklyF_yFowPgCRpb5NuVg/w300-h400/IMG_3267.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">And soon we left with take home desserts, mine being a yummy chocolate pudding cake enjoyed before an early bedtime for a very tired birthday girl.<br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">And the next day brought another gift when my granddaughter, above, and her mom and dad gifted me with this...</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfr3F_k3CXcDWCD7z2yGZmmrvy32MNMgqKotxKIgffPB9Fwzv3mltKgeQFVGzaJsx9DiLlxVYlbui71aUn0H96CGxczZjyhpQmhoJ9DnDr6D_KvVfaIAuq4p-YE72GZaObsm8trueT6BLmrTnE27ycPVF7TOH8Nvk-f0BSz0iKR3k_HEGUkxGA7QqgUw/s1067/IMG_4735-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfr3F_k3CXcDWCD7z2yGZmmrvy32MNMgqKotxKIgffPB9Fwzv3mltKgeQFVGzaJsx9DiLlxVYlbui71aUn0H96CGxczZjyhpQmhoJ9DnDr6D_KvVfaIAuq4p-YE72GZaObsm8trueT6BLmrTnE27ycPVF7TOH8Nvk-f0BSz0iKR3k_HEGUkxGA7QqgUw/w480-h640/IMG_4735-1.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">That's not a photo op, friends! This little one worked for hours with her dad scrubbing the siding and railing and floor on our front porch and across the front of the house as well as washing windows. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">And she claimed it was fun! She's always outside at home helping her dad and mom with yard care.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIhwdriszacR9Reb4pE3cXEOCC-Ep6g74hmojtl6ODYg9TCZ-UMCkY1hrVo2SjcvbguUwh9PdcjXcxORvF3PO3qYHR_jTIcS6nJucb8XzJi1I11DwpZ3sNLIP5_vRVjzsHB7Fb2-WjisMNRnWixGdbHyGCg-a7mfIx8PF5_IUfLFd7ou_XJhLBqXnU1w/s1040/IMG_4720-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1040" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIhwdriszacR9Reb4pE3cXEOCC-Ep6g74hmojtl6ODYg9TCZ-UMCkY1hrVo2SjcvbguUwh9PdcjXcxORvF3PO3qYHR_jTIcS6nJucb8XzJi1I11DwpZ3sNLIP5_vRVjzsHB7Fb2-WjisMNRnWixGdbHyGCg-a7mfIx8PF5_IUfLFd7ou_XJhLBqXnU1w/w308-h400/IMG_4720-1.jpg" width="308" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Tree limbs and holly bushes got trimmed away from the roof and hauled away.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXLZX5AAhtK0ho8gWbGHcdomikyybLNuPUlffvH2K_KJdj1g3DtSiInKz5JCHheir3u4SykiN5F17pK9SEokwL8e4VPHNpwEfjd6DdKTCM5JSFkF-1UHgNzb_1lJAMzQBmrXNCRUVgB9vjjkcC5bx4Pu93wwKMa-VzGzxD7Ptjh3ywyTW7ZHv0XX__4Q/s913/IMG_4664.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="913" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXLZX5AAhtK0ho8gWbGHcdomikyybLNuPUlffvH2K_KJdj1g3DtSiInKz5JCHheir3u4SykiN5F17pK9SEokwL8e4VPHNpwEfjd6DdKTCM5JSFkF-1UHgNzb_1lJAMzQBmrXNCRUVgB9vjjkcC5bx4Pu93wwKMa-VzGzxD7Ptjh3ywyTW7ZHv0XX__4Q/w350-h400/IMG_4664.jpg" width="350" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I couldn't get a good picture of my daughter-in-law because she was bent over for hours weeding the front beds <i>and </i>planting seeds and pots of plants that RH hadn't got around to. <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkeHc_K3awneZkBHcvZSPa5o-TX0VElflKMBbSHR55avLWtHfb9WUI0FbQmzGmlbsYY8YiUANCFcvATe1FHw7NduD7M1lhD4tsl_Vgcu2k7EEsX_GfAGCWaZAlI0xV-Cn_VfquMC0S-CjgM7Hfzhb_oLfRmik5fdfIvb2c7HmmUaqZ_MUFK00SzSwA_g/s899/IMG_4723.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkeHc_K3awneZkBHcvZSPa5o-TX0VElflKMBbSHR55avLWtHfb9WUI0FbQmzGmlbsYY8YiUANCFcvATe1FHw7NduD7M1lhD4tsl_Vgcu2k7EEsX_GfAGCWaZAlI0xV-Cn_VfquMC0S-CjgM7Hfzhb_oLfRmik5fdfIvb2c7HmmUaqZ_MUFK00SzSwA_g/w356-h400/IMG_4723.jpg" width="356" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Even big sister helped out when she wasn't helping her Mimi inside!</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmXIdhTpK8km4YxdWovw_a9FIzE5Hi-JhWF3ABh80LWR6zoHUU4DZSWvNnmbNkyD4yrIUeMYewIo9hHE605Fy82vXbastBx0A_Q7kR0TaVGc4_Z99xYQZXb17JpcL5_qoUq-eiXXeFfkpWWKT_COy7YYLsaaJefypDy6j0eOEJluudTD4DaN8lPhMeHg/s953/IMG_4741.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="953" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmXIdhTpK8km4YxdWovw_a9FIzE5Hi-JhWF3ABh80LWR6zoHUU4DZSWvNnmbNkyD4yrIUeMYewIo9hHE605Fy82vXbastBx0A_Q7kR0TaVGc4_Z99xYQZXb17JpcL5_qoUq-eiXXeFfkpWWKT_COy7YYLsaaJefypDy6j0eOEJluudTD4DaN8lPhMeHg/w336-h400/IMG_4741.jpg" width="336" /></a></div><p><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I couldn't believe how much they all got done to help us with so much that needed doing. My front porch alone was an answered prayer and I'll try to do a post later on about that but here is one picture of my clean front porch that has been greatly decluttered now of my vintage primitive collection that had grown out of bounds until there was hardly any place to sit. </span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEnMHLMY2CY2dMsRoTojoilYpAUKxeVSFIdkWrovEg6xfZiDQtXJJpOAMwextR8pOFOGUlScAVYQXLcLDamLbsix9-lQRJ6GSjLbErzM2-E0sLiWQkQEudf0TSZnye9ZMaYS-cQSkJNjjMnRofMcFCNMAQGGCqg8cx_VOnV4rI4x6vV4iqOfYGz6o4cw/s1067/put%20back%20for%20porch%20post%20after.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEnMHLMY2CY2dMsRoTojoilYpAUKxeVSFIdkWrovEg6xfZiDQtXJJpOAMwextR8pOFOGUlScAVYQXLcLDamLbsix9-lQRJ6GSjLbErzM2-E0sLiWQkQEudf0TSZnye9ZMaYS-cQSkJNjjMnRofMcFCNMAQGGCqg8cx_VOnV4rI4x6vV4iqOfYGz6o4cw/w480-h640/put%20back%20for%20porch%20post%20after.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">But it was the back garden that everyone gathered in that late afternoon after more family arrived. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg38imD2nAMZs8TkNCsekXRJ8jCKBLh5yCYE0eu3T7hA-U4v81iDjr0xT5zcOqpThCPc-q4DPTfeBW_6x1vyx7FcGdnTy75YsmJ9VXGWM6l-uQ3aVvKu_ueNdT_JATpI30-OHPtrWW-TFkLa-sjiQVIGGNEpb-wSInJYmjynUJ9wkg89hy-CCXGyyJNoQ/s800/IMG_4785.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="584" data-original-width="800" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg38imD2nAMZs8TkNCsekXRJ8jCKBLh5yCYE0eu3T7hA-U4v81iDjr0xT5zcOqpThCPc-q4DPTfeBW_6x1vyx7FcGdnTy75YsmJ9VXGWM6l-uQ3aVvKu_ueNdT_JATpI30-OHPtrWW-TFkLa-sjiQVIGGNEpb-wSInJYmjynUJ9wkg89hy-CCXGyyJNoQ/w640-h468/IMG_4785.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I took this garden picture the next afternoon when I was in the kitchen and looked out and saw all the garden chairs pulled to the sunny patio and wished so much that I had taken one the day before of all the people who sat in the chairs.</span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">We all talked for hours, laughing at old family stories, and going inside to the kitchen to sample food--I'd baked a double recipe of biscuits, roasted pork tenderloin, and made a green bean casserole, all thrown together while my helpers worked in the front yard. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">RH had worked for days in the garden after we'd visited the family nursery down the street from our old house that was having a 25% off sale. I spent my Christmas money and some of my birthday money on pots of annuals in bloom for the added color I craved as well as herbs and pepper plants for the kitchen porch. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Below is a picture of this garden spot when we moved here seven years ago when there was nothing but grass and trees and a few bushes. The sunflowers covered the old well.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3GwfCcT3iG-1cVwnBhucGGRhkV_mVIZi0vpyt8nRuMudsaBwITomfii8KvaRQcxbmLeELvrSBFHRaCtOpA96KhLgSD9GuSX2opwOJJLnbFQCRDlNsDMJu8bxxjpamR-fBJAO9v0gcV_4umE0hW_CtE0sYY6GwDeM1HtZxXFOb-U7ka9DSbI51sp6IBg/s800/IMG_4607.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3GwfCcT3iG-1cVwnBhucGGRhkV_mVIZi0vpyt8nRuMudsaBwITomfii8KvaRQcxbmLeELvrSBFHRaCtOpA96KhLgSD9GuSX2opwOJJLnbFQCRDlNsDMJu8bxxjpamR-fBJAO9v0gcV_4umE0hW_CtE0sYY6GwDeM1HtZxXFOb-U7ka9DSbI51sp6IBg/w400-h266/IMG_4607.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">RH has given me this gift of a garden to look out over while I'm working in my kitchen and a place for us to sit and talk and watch BreeBree and James Mason play. <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">And I thank him continuously for that. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I know this is far too long but it <i>was </i>my birthday and so I'll show you two more pictures taken inside my office where my daughter and grandson kept me company after granddaughters and their parents got back on the road to drive home, always an emotional time for me.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Here's a picture of my handsome first grandson and me, and my lack of smile is because I hadn't brushed my teeth yet after eating, not because I was as sad as I look.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh32d-FHnFy12jPcLdG-zYjE5gNDNlT5NmMd8Z1POuIgucOmSEEdi90VpBa83CuYzyXKczjYTJMhLZpraey31ZLD2IJuI7M-DPVGN5yzHPGS1-SWGa19Ktp_5GTPcQmUe1pfAIzi5eKUNfj83puEUsC2D53icOVnlHT3bR7xAPaH76_MDRuo6VrJ7aDKg/s1067/IMG_1154.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh32d-FHnFy12jPcLdG-zYjE5gNDNlT5NmMd8Z1POuIgucOmSEEdi90VpBa83CuYzyXKczjYTJMhLZpraey31ZLD2IJuI7M-DPVGN5yzHPGS1-SWGa19Ktp_5GTPcQmUe1pfAIzi5eKUNfj83puEUsC2D53icOVnlHT3bR7xAPaH76_MDRuo6VrJ7aDKg/w300-h400/IMG_1154.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">They did coax a smile out of me for this one with my beautiful darling daughter.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMDpEJSxqwrFJsvWXMXOIFYEPRAPR1vEa-dXXq9y74Nbb28-Zdtgk2NzwZoXl5mRBaj-MvQAcDEvE9Fcjpc3sS_7g3Pau1NUhqFJnw08o-8vNKIYOWlyjwyrty6xGBqQq6Dr6_14mQtkPhtneoHuJMzPv2nasvxGRBxK4Ca6pf4CP2DY-46h4doJEOmQ/s1236/IMG_1153.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1236" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMDpEJSxqwrFJsvWXMXOIFYEPRAPR1vEa-dXXq9y74Nbb28-Zdtgk2NzwZoXl5mRBaj-MvQAcDEvE9Fcjpc3sS_7g3Pau1NUhqFJnw08o-8vNKIYOWlyjwyrty6xGBqQq6Dr6_14mQtkPhtneoHuJMzPv2nasvxGRBxK4Ca6pf4CP2DY-46h4doJEOmQ/w414-h640/IMG_1153.jpg" width="414" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">We had an hour to visit some more before she and our son-in-law had to leave for the airport. And there was a special birthday gift from her that took me completely by surprise. I'll share that with you when the third part of her three-part birthday gift arrives soon by mail. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">A hint about what it is: it has to do with blogging. But no, you'd never guess it so you'll just have to wait. <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I stretched out celebrating my birthday the whole month of May and now I'm stretching it out into June! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Many thanks to my dear blog friends who left me birthday wishes in my last post. They blessed my heart! <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">And my thanks and love to my wonderful family, every one of you. You made it a birthday to remember! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih05325qruv3f1wF2JFIgNvikoc2OZcRR6BrZMxp4G2T5gr_BMKWeAky-98jVIB2N2Lg86CMEC9cW1TE7weZuPeyJiKGENVsrlI52aCGx_KU81Haz-Hk1VyV1ooammMZDikHQpW3GzLzoBl-V-QX_4O8dYWHtlFEVK81ACO1EhoOHl97cMNg00kRbdpw/s1067/IMG_4790-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih05325qruv3f1wF2JFIgNvikoc2OZcRR6BrZMxp4G2T5gr_BMKWeAky-98jVIB2N2Lg86CMEC9cW1TE7weZuPeyJiKGENVsrlI52aCGx_KU81Haz-Hk1VyV1ooammMZDikHQpW3GzLzoBl-V-QX_4O8dYWHtlFEVK81ACO1EhoOHl97cMNg00kRbdpw/w480-h640/IMG_4790-1.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /> </span><br /></p><p><br /></p>Dewenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330797553600987145noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025769640802524983.post-18219623374912961622023-05-19T12:39:00.001-07:002023-05-19T12:39:47.963-07:00The Gifts of May, Including Celebrations<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuqS_GcYOJeLss41w-6FM-cK2117sBXjTAiqpP5LRiVbBgGUHN4JW4BN57CvlohKWsKov6YtPezYaekKDmklxvTuVP64Pf7TDvabeHeaWek9WKhSf6Z1ZSZYtacR758zOt7aTXSuxmqXElkiB8Jqd-CggNkSQBh41xWvXWUonA1jQlIwtZ4qXCB83N_w/s1067/IMG_4515.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuqS_GcYOJeLss41w-6FM-cK2117sBXjTAiqpP5LRiVbBgGUHN4JW4BN57CvlohKWsKov6YtPezYaekKDmklxvTuVP64Pf7TDvabeHeaWek9WKhSf6Z1ZSZYtacR758zOt7aTXSuxmqXElkiB8Jqd-CggNkSQBh41xWvXWUonA1jQlIwtZ4qXCB83N_w/s1067/IMG_4515.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdbBR01YBp5PXi7_KcIuasOmcVtvI7DfdqbwOizpJl9yK6DO0rsTexT5cIAa0GFImDUI7YdPrd_xLFhUQkj_ejva7xHof6dYs0wH83wH_s278PA1U4FPqtj7ibHI0CkMg7dzeIsKBxAWcdxdx7kVC4SojQ5B5JhCisQ8o8ju9RwroD9T3KQPVpCqLONg/s1067/IMG_4515.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdbBR01YBp5PXi7_KcIuasOmcVtvI7DfdqbwOizpJl9yK6DO0rsTexT5cIAa0GFImDUI7YdPrd_xLFhUQkj_ejva7xHof6dYs0wH83wH_s278PA1U4FPqtj7ibHI0CkMg7dzeIsKBxAWcdxdx7kVC4SojQ5B5JhCisQ8o8ju9RwroD9T3KQPVpCqLONg/w480-h640/IMG_4515.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /> <br /></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">May is my favorite spring month, for many reasons. Partly because the view out of the living room window shows the porch covered in purple clematis, with the young Kousa dogwood across from it putting on more and more white bracts each year.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrrf9QPfPWbemGJg4e3TzcsBmQojqLE7B9Fw_YMhlH4rRwVbHSorqyNVdK-nCJnEMeDIMbaCaiW7MVW19-JOOWCRRs-1-VKkaUjSMh2hj-CVR8thimwTjkfutcuVVoXt72dRUMME3zRXuzWm12CE-wIIVHvdFJUkBXQ5QaTDPGZdXfJJrqf4CnySm3-w/s800/IMG_4575.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrrf9QPfPWbemGJg4e3TzcsBmQojqLE7B9Fw_YMhlH4rRwVbHSorqyNVdK-nCJnEMeDIMbaCaiW7MVW19-JOOWCRRs-1-VKkaUjSMh2hj-CVR8thimwTjkfutcuVVoXt72dRUMME3zRXuzWm12CE-wIIVHvdFJUkBXQ5QaTDPGZdXfJJrqf4CnySm3-w/w640-h480/IMG_4575.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /> Another gift of May is the gift of birthday cards arriving that I display on the kitchen shelf to enjoy all month long. Some of them are Mother's Day cards but even more birthday cards will be added when I celebrate it <i>again </i>when out of town and out of state children come in on Memorial Day weekend. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I love stretching out a celebration, don't you? So don't feel sorry for me when I show you what I had for dinner on my actual birthday, frozen pizza. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio4TLxClalV22eIKyhFD3iB8XZjqUbd7FLYii7W84kld4-94qsQNcP8WXOZ0FYQHWYklsBLyJSndQdC-BGjNLbirBFmc6hiLrMyMA0MaRxcKPgaY7VAq_SY3OIMmrf410Y_EU0g5CKL-wE9B9WmKmRChymQu9wLvj72f2iMSmM7Ja1RLol2rmNHXhxWw/s1067/IMG_4510.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio4TLxClalV22eIKyhFD3iB8XZjqUbd7FLYii7W84kld4-94qsQNcP8WXOZ0FYQHWYklsBLyJSndQdC-BGjNLbirBFmc6hiLrMyMA0MaRxcKPgaY7VAq_SY3OIMmrf410Y_EU0g5CKL-wE9B9WmKmRChymQu9wLvj72f2iMSmM7Ja1RLol2rmNHXhxWw/w480-h640/IMG_4510.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /> That's right, I asked RH to pick up a frozen Screamin' Sicilian Pizza and fresh arugula because it's a favorite treat. I pile on the arugula as soon as the pizza comes out of the oven and drizzle it well with Greek olive oil and tons of freshly ground black pepper. And I think I had Cherry Garcia ice cream for dessert. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">It was a wonderful birthday full of cards in the mail, texts and phone calls and FaceTime visits, and one in person visit from my firstborn son who joined me for lunch. Didn't even think to get a picture then or when two grandsons dropped in on me that week <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I had another birthday treat a few days later when my favorite way of entertaining occurred--when family brings the party to me! All I had to do was set the table.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinI5aUBJO2EIOtplOqjMBO4YyaHrwoeWB1Rf8fv2jH4Y1ApLUtmo52cwWFFt30lNV6_1ju-4dFo2F69Ce6ClJTIT4Bc4lmILWLZunPRcdqO9ZUXVDSRWUOse30xci1DVhKkKHVTzIMBXQjHUe6O5fEyMdj9I9R4Z3lD0ZrDqtYnuRFXR3qHcu65Oe16g/s800/IMG_4717.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinI5aUBJO2EIOtplOqjMBO4YyaHrwoeWB1Rf8fv2jH4Y1ApLUtmo52cwWFFt30lNV6_1ju-4dFo2F69Ce6ClJTIT4Bc4lmILWLZunPRcdqO9ZUXVDSRWUOse30xci1DVhKkKHVTzIMBXQjHUe6O5fEyMdj9I9R4Z3lD0ZrDqtYnuRFXR3qHcu65Oe16g/w640-h480/IMG_4717.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Zack and Stacey brought my birthday dinner to me along with beautiful flowers for the table!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp-LOll6tg_IFqKv5jwLG0nS_LERND1fOdvvO-B6CiDpuUy9JfqL0CtrRGabUm0Qbhg1PDuuo7UJZ9qdyq8jAGSufLhQbhoSqYVVJIWiOAiPFPWBRPCJzMX3sYrpZP719rPxqz1jXutSB2uiIQevWNt_gVwaSn9_Z-FPl8I8bbYGX5Tgd3w0H6pzcSlw/s1067/IMG_2159.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp-LOll6tg_IFqKv5jwLG0nS_LERND1fOdvvO-B6CiDpuUy9JfqL0CtrRGabUm0Qbhg1PDuuo7UJZ9qdyq8jAGSufLhQbhoSqYVVJIWiOAiPFPWBRPCJzMX3sYrpZP719rPxqz1jXutSB2uiIQevWNt_gVwaSn9_Z-FPl8I8bbYGX5Tgd3w0H6pzcSlw/w480-h640/IMG_2159.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">The dinner from Carne Mare in Nashville was fabulous, the Salt-Baked Florida Red Snapper for me (seafood lover) and various cuts of steak for the others. We had potatoes with rosemary and parmigiano and broccolini with garlic and oil and delicious salads.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">And the signature bread along with birthday greetings from some of the restaurant staff. The bread is to die for!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidSKbITmAy02_kxhOgzkx01WLnges5vlW78EmiIZZAYHEhwbKzVIPZDyaOwgEuY66NSbsiT4-MJx1y6L98FYt4HQgOXxBB_a1DDxzlm83l70gT5zXAkVQ3UCJWvI4DwnbNYY_7uMkidxvPLoBHNotDI8WSfkj_zhy4a1TxIsTiQI9kWaF6SUCAarFarg/s1067/IMG_4557.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidSKbITmAy02_kxhOgzkx01WLnges5vlW78EmiIZZAYHEhwbKzVIPZDyaOwgEuY66NSbsiT4-MJx1y6L98FYt4HQgOXxBB_a1DDxzlm83l70gT5zXAkVQ3UCJWvI4DwnbNYY_7uMkidxvPLoBHNotDI8WSfkj_zhy4a1TxIsTiQI9kWaF6SUCAarFarg/w480-h640/IMG_4557.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">And the most scrumptious 17-layer espresso cake with chocolate caramel mousse I've ever had, gilded cherry on top. I stole a picture of it from their website.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidDE71LkaqBxT5zULzveLiQWwwDS7kMa3UsUsf2sU49mEq_C2ovRbxLUaFJ4tdB3Iy75s66Dx6EVOsxyGvlfZ6kmJG3aGGsjWLJ0jBYFf-qSWb2q286_YnhrlbTI5srDWJqsOWaCdqyhPzOYo0friO0Wtaj4rIpuWCMZu02AQ4StgfaEcrxEI5KbzeWA/s985/IMG_4558.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="985" data-original-width="810" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidDE71LkaqBxT5zULzveLiQWwwDS7kMa3UsUsf2sU49mEq_C2ovRbxLUaFJ4tdB3Iy75s66Dx6EVOsxyGvlfZ6kmJG3aGGsjWLJ0jBYFf-qSWb2q286_YnhrlbTI5srDWJqsOWaCdqyhPzOYo0friO0Wtaj4rIpuWCMZu02AQ4StgfaEcrxEI5KbzeWA/w526-h640/IMG_4558.jpg" width="526" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /> I stretched out my piece for three nights and then RH gave me half of his. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Even better than the dinner were the birthday hugs and conversation at the dinner table for hours. It was so much fun, something that even those of us in our eighth decade need. Maybe even more so, lest we forget. A big thank you to Stacey and Zack for a delightful evening!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR0op9Y2k4SgqmbYuqDtPgMjz9DzlJUIrxKd6INRYN2rREFhax3lLNGhcizlgD8PrvQv-8MqG3RZ8rIvuYScyENbT_onmQVEZ36rysT8F2yDnw61IsxR9cc5ddL5Ng1zpVpKqYWRWMNggAaNpY-4NjgZtkAY1bLHOgaSiLaR5wVh_l5ZH4nz1dJtIkNg/s800/IMG_4727.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR0op9Y2k4SgqmbYuqDtPgMjz9DzlJUIrxKd6INRYN2rREFhax3lLNGhcizlgD8PrvQv-8MqG3RZ8rIvuYScyENbT_onmQVEZ36rysT8F2yDnw61IsxR9cc5ddL5Ng1zpVpKqYWRWMNggAaNpY-4NjgZtkAY1bLHOgaSiLaR5wVh_l5ZH4nz1dJtIkNg/w640-h480/IMG_4727.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /> God willing, I'll soon be posting here in a couple of weeks about my second birthday dinner. Stacey, lucky girl, will be in Italy then so RH and I will be looking forward to seeing pictures of her trip when she gets home. Meanwhile, this mama is looking forward to having all her chicks come home to Nashville for another celebration. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Because those are the best gifts of all, right?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Thank you, beautiful month of May!<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span><br /></p>Dewenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330797553600987145noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025769640802524983.post-34129416380852644562023-05-04T11:00:00.252-07:002023-08-10T11:22:11.984-07:00Old Fashioned<p> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Take my word for it, you can't find a synonym for <i>old fashioned</i> that makes it sound any better. I know, I tried. There's stodgy, musty, passé and worse. The best I could come up with was <i>timeless</i>.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I'm not talking about the cocktail but did find it interesting that the Old Fashioned remains the top selling classic cocktail internationally. No, I'm talking about myself.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Every year during high school Prom season I think about posting this picture of me before my senior prom. This is the year I do it.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDHG98kl2vWgo4jrdoJdIgGTt0IDpAzTfYLx_ZOyP9bt_LdJXhqcuo-TcNoL_MqWYrVJvt4pl7AYatlDgwwujDy1r31aAuJdMnv231xtc7oxsBTV9TO8DyXJdk1hZGTlWOmZ05zyoYfUf-wdymRTDzYY3roj_YUiImb6nTgS4z2TkiUmbqJMYSnVKahA/s800/Scan%202022-5-18%2011.29.24%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="798" data-original-width="800" height="638" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDHG98kl2vWgo4jrdoJdIgGTt0IDpAzTfYLx_ZOyP9bt_LdJXhqcuo-TcNoL_MqWYrVJvt4pl7AYatlDgwwujDy1r31aAuJdMnv231xtc7oxsBTV9TO8DyXJdk1hZGTlWOmZ05zyoYfUf-wdymRTDzYY3roj_YUiImb6nTgS4z2TkiUmbqJMYSnVKahA/w640-h638/Scan%202022-5-18%2011.29.24%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Taken in 1961 in my parents' living room, here I am in the dress I begged my mother to make after not finding one I loved as much as I had loved the one bought for my junior prom. Prom dress styles were becoming less bouffant but I still wanted an old fashioned one. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I asked Beth, a talented girlfriend, to draw the one I dreamed of and she nailed it.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibJX0jCPx1AFhYaJpBQlj1E8qCdw3Us-bQT5d2_9IHoOT1aSpUHu6KryVEkIxM0txhqVcyQXHaUvAXxByYVdyBp31tjCvETBkyoxV8E6kDIu6d1abacoe0fpInhcWBRNmRdjHLR2xLAurhmMWukEcW0_dG7mwHHvlHAPIQw8iG_0Tw6UPXq3rl4tgw4w/s895/Scan%202022-5-18%2011.30.47.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="895" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibJX0jCPx1AFhYaJpBQlj1E8qCdw3Us-bQT5d2_9IHoOT1aSpUHu6KryVEkIxM0txhqVcyQXHaUvAXxByYVdyBp31tjCvETBkyoxV8E6kDIu6d1abacoe0fpInhcWBRNmRdjHLR2xLAurhmMWukEcW0_dG7mwHHvlHAPIQw8iG_0Tw6UPXq3rl4tgw4w/w572-h640/Scan%202022-5-18%2011.30.47.jpg" width="572" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">My 23 inch waist (up an inch since my junior prom) didn't do justice to Beth's design but Mama did her best and combined two Vogue patterns and yards of material. My curly hair didn't do well in a french twist so Mama's hair stylist pulled it to the side in the best Southern Belle style she could. RH had the florist make up a pink rose wrist corsage and one for my hair.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I adored it and thought Mama was a genius but it has to be said, none of my three younger sisters ever wore it to <i>their</i> proms. <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">If you need proof that I am even more old fashioned now, here<i>'s </i>a picture that proves it.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><i></i></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzNO2GWnFI_oNVDAMrOyw5L0kdEg15VLnMxxCsDv5fjv28h7-jRGL5ABR2Tq_jBOu8P4TxP1-UmwJaVGvV2X0Tyh4nRO3KkCwItb5l3ycpcLUqJJ0rLM1SZQ277A5bGIXxG3rVL4tGtq3tbQK-LDYL6EQGqVW1QOswT-p-hEZp12x5B1aEH_WLXJKAVQ/s1067/IMG_4320.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzNO2GWnFI_oNVDAMrOyw5L0kdEg15VLnMxxCsDv5fjv28h7-jRGL5ABR2Tq_jBOu8P4TxP1-UmwJaVGvV2X0Tyh4nRO3KkCwItb5l3ycpcLUqJJ0rLM1SZQ277A5bGIXxG3rVL4tGtq3tbQK-LDYL6EQGqVW1QOswT-p-hEZp12x5B1aEH_WLXJKAVQ/w480-h640/IMG_4320.jpg" width="480" /></a></i></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">That's right, I collect Vera Bradley purses. Hey, they used to be popular with women other than grandmothers. High school girls even carried them!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I bought the black and purple one on the bottom years ago in Dillard's because my shoulder was hurting and I couldn't take the weight of a leather handbag. And it wasn't cheap!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">By the way, that's our dear Otis and Milo there beside the purses, in heaven since 2017.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Last year I found the green and black one, shown on top, at the Goodwill and decided it was just right for spring, and retired the black and purple one for winter's use. And then last summer I found the white and blue one at Goodwill and it became my summer purse. It has a few worn spots but then so do I.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Next came the purse that would complete my seasonal collection, an autumnal olive green and brown Vera Bradley, brand new and found at Goodwill.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxX6yNo17eGaaISeoS662gn41clhmGkCkeKNWAPUFj7s-nS4go4YFhWy-zyFH9AI5vynpXNMyuZD30uVheKGh6N49spDuxiqPrBuNivPBa1gfZSQ0hm5CdlOZHC9EWMIVplvGtTF8gpcga1bkEhWBhNLO699Sxcmj7sch4k5ebYc1plax-sVhV64rb5w/s1067/IMG_4323.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxX6yNo17eGaaISeoS662gn41clhmGkCkeKNWAPUFj7s-nS4go4YFhWy-zyFH9AI5vynpXNMyuZD30uVheKGh6N49spDuxiqPrBuNivPBa1gfZSQ0hm5CdlOZHC9EWMIVplvGtTF8gpcga1bkEhWBhNLO699Sxcmj7sch4k5ebYc1plax-sVhV64rb5w/w480-h640/IMG_4323.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br />Notice the pretty birds in the pattern and the cute tortoiseshell-like toggle?</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicC9ZgYV5yqrhaPIa9eeO8gHf5QFTtYKZt-MrtHaIruWBm5CBDcM4jS3RvvnBixWvAYvivE8KY98ljCR9V4tiJeLJTDeHIyNEEJ-N_OJgmggN1TArAqfFyx71gxljfrSop86Tq_mYW4-T3qjEI3PEbbVwanwO0LXDSmD1Fu-Pc9fy-Va0O3FdyxMZnmA/s1067/IMG_4325.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicC9ZgYV5yqrhaPIa9eeO8gHf5QFTtYKZt-MrtHaIruWBm5CBDcM4jS3RvvnBixWvAYvivE8KY98ljCR9V4tiJeLJTDeHIyNEEJ-N_OJgmggN1TArAqfFyx71gxljfrSop86Tq_mYW4-T3qjEI3PEbbVwanwO0LXDSmD1Fu-Pc9fy-Va0O3FdyxMZnmA/w480-h640/IMG_4325.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /> Life was complete. I now had a Vera Bradley purse for each season. There was no reason to go by the handbag section at Goodwill. Until they moved it right by the checkout lane.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">And there she was, a like new gorgeous purse that surely had to be a Vera.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGGg_gOdD6zfP_BSuMySgothdFiJr0St8jMS5nqusDihVRS_Tol2r2YGWHun9-Rn4YbTbp2Gwducj1e8C7STOlc1y4zT_iZUB8uM1gdjT4qYYnqY8m5tm6w3qb2ZClHvqnOQA17IITZs2maqrXIXYze8uj24LBVq9ptmmFqTE8qV2i7WNukDj33qIROw/s1067/IMG_4328.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGGg_gOdD6zfP_BSuMySgothdFiJr0St8jMS5nqusDihVRS_Tol2r2YGWHun9-Rn4YbTbp2Gwducj1e8C7STOlc1y4zT_iZUB8uM1gdjT4qYYnqY8m5tm6w3qb2ZClHvqnOQA17IITZs2maqrXIXYze8uj24LBVq9ptmmFqTE8qV2i7WNukDj33qIROw/w480-h640/IMG_4328.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Oh, it was lined with red cherries and poppies!</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTXpR9AE-EAUCgjwAVtNsvpbq0vm28v40wlBJmmNg2IBbpR0Ny_77rt2PFt6CHusBCwgubr5s-iC_nJsTwCFFSrzy8NUIaoKag-7QMMtNL6zaWI-g0M-Q39I1MzO4FXzmGl7a0U37wTSEz4VhJrE01baNhzTIZXG5ePDlGQ0pr1E0QeyYdb0rVoFMGLA/s1067/IMG_4330.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTXpR9AE-EAUCgjwAVtNsvpbq0vm28v40wlBJmmNg2IBbpR0Ny_77rt2PFt6CHusBCwgubr5s-iC_nJsTwCFFSrzy8NUIaoKag-7QMMtNL6zaWI-g0M-Q39I1MzO4FXzmGl7a0U37wTSEz4VhJrE01baNhzTIZXG5ePDlGQ0pr1E0QeyYdb0rVoFMGLA/w480-h640/IMG_4330.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">But where was the Vera Bradley tag?</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDJE9aOjxCTBukN-MNYba3exh3rgp9HD3z242BIvB3xMTCffT29pqzhZ93mx0bBZ9KSFgaNaQG7pVH2OBTui-V8FT0U5wvKZA-NqlAD25SfGpAS9mq1ZYWUDi_-X243LCpgNvpcd0geJfPbYIbFVmqDD4CxzXpRz6wTi4TQF10j_osx-PfQSGInYfqBQ/s1067/IMG_4333.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDJE9aOjxCTBukN-MNYba3exh3rgp9HD3z242BIvB3xMTCffT29pqzhZ93mx0bBZ9KSFgaNaQG7pVH2OBTui-V8FT0U5wvKZA-NqlAD25SfGpAS9mq1ZYWUDi_-X243LCpgNvpcd0geJfPbYIbFVmqDD4CxzXpRz6wTi4TQF10j_osx-PfQSGInYfqBQ/w480-h640/IMG_4333.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">There it was, my <i>July </i>and <i>August </i>Vera Bradley purse! Just when I thought my search for Vera purses was over, it occurred to me that there could possibly be a MONTHLY collection out there waiting for me.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Yes, I'm old fashioned--stodgy, musty, and passé. But I still go weak-kneed when I look at pretty clothes and confess to following three or four YouTube fashion <i>influencers. </i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Do you do that? It's not that I watch them for ideas of clothes to buy. I'm too stodgy for that but a girl can always dream.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Here's a dream dress I fell in love with last fall when it was shown in a <i>Garden & Gun </i>November issue (from Lela Rose in Dallas).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjALtI0sD6xN59YHEcVew6ziW-HUclb6lhIaEQdLrozpN6U47oPdB8_GJek-_rkNs7Fiuh-dwzAEI9cIrlT7CcZR7PVHzf_BRpLBGPi5eMdQYYchbmq1yXozN0Qfd8zEXT51WmNnkcU4qD4Yh5p0QSyKlufk_rLb_WYG8lnz650XkW3VH7s3KMv7N1yZw/s1459/Scan%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1459" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjALtI0sD6xN59YHEcVew6ziW-HUclb6lhIaEQdLrozpN6U47oPdB8_GJek-_rkNs7Fiuh-dwzAEI9cIrlT7CcZR7PVHzf_BRpLBGPi5eMdQYYchbmq1yXozN0Qfd8zEXT51WmNnkcU4qD4Yh5p0QSyKlufk_rLb_WYG8lnz650XkW3VH7s3KMv7N1yZw/w350-h640/Scan%203.jpg" width="350" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Who knows why a particular dress wins the heart of a woman just about to leave behind the seventh decade of her life, but this dress won mine.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Notice how the neckline falls just below the collar bone (clavicle)? Once upon a time, for my senior prom, I had a pretty collar bone, one you could see, and a 23 inch waist. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I may be old fashioned and have misplaced my waist and collar bone but I still love a pretty dress.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Wear one for me, will you?<br /><i><br /></i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /><i> </i> </span><br /></p>Dewenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330797553600987145noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025769640802524983.post-85144681703765168062023-04-11T12:00:00.202-07:002023-04-11T12:11:02.112-07:00Books and Baking <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjcKib5Zbot9UlsLnjiai_geG99XD6rKxnWOnzA8O00RPOk4jImumEhdOZl5NDzEliRuP39rbVVfV7ThTDCViirE5NelC_ogx6NMbU0wv3yvx0Xe4coPHsr_FfXGgK43LquQplTiNyqhamV_J6qLw6fRbJEN94M-Ucn-sWoZNPYzf3fuil6m20rQ0Tfg/s883/IMG_3958.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="883" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjcKib5Zbot9UlsLnjiai_geG99XD6rKxnWOnzA8O00RPOk4jImumEhdOZl5NDzEliRuP39rbVVfV7ThTDCViirE5NelC_ogx6NMbU0wv3yvx0Xe4coPHsr_FfXGgK43LquQplTiNyqhamV_J6qLw6fRbJEN94M-Ucn-sWoZNPYzf3fuil6m20rQ0Tfg/w580-h640/IMG_3958.jpg" width="580" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Hello dear friends and family! This blog post was meant for early March when hyacinths were in bloom in our garden but March slipped by and then I hoped to publish it near Easter.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Then my old Mac aged out and I've been fumbling around on the new one. Finally my priorities changed when we expected a visit from our two charming granddaughters and their parents. The girls took this selfie on my phone when they were here and left it to surprise me--see why my priorities changed! Can you blame me?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsKp9Tars_Tp1kvuKKQeLZiVKH0O_lWUHgAUayiXWwcGLT0WkPgTVEHQscLrZeZbivZ6SGSaFxl63EXOE8VV-Uq5VoVPPKt9XNnCJ6s2izOk57lAQE1D6ExMPRl3AVeSz95tFHrG4ItaF3Tn1eTdlmdjab3gfh9EoN_MHL7XNB8-mObMFscL_aEGx-7w/s800/IMG_4239.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsKp9Tars_Tp1kvuKKQeLZiVKH0O_lWUHgAUayiXWwcGLT0WkPgTVEHQscLrZeZbivZ6SGSaFxl63EXOE8VV-Uq5VoVPPKt9XNnCJ6s2izOk57lAQE1D6ExMPRl3AVeSz95tFHrG4ItaF3Tn1eTdlmdjab3gfh9EoN_MHL7XNB8-mObMFscL_aEGx-7w/w640-h480/IMG_4239.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /> But waste not, want not, so here goes with one book and the other two will be covered at <i>Across the Way. </i>I'll try linking to it,<a href="https://awindow-lookacrosstheway.blogspot.com/"> here.</a> If it doesn't work I'll try to correct it after both posts publish.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJlJRcwTr0L5i16o1RhGtskc4MIy2R-MZlMuocT1ExUHtTiGbWVm0MxI37ac7Lo5hyUuNsr9ktb0o_fwo-lMRH4i1-q5-faClGxro05anvwgbnvdK8yKZecjPfVAuxMpCoJiNG3tfUnU-dc0yHoBKFj8aLTcy4F5d5Jto_wdtQCDq1_Ug2XjTkomOmVg/s1066/0%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJlJRcwTr0L5i16o1RhGtskc4MIy2R-MZlMuocT1ExUHtTiGbWVm0MxI37ac7Lo5hyUuNsr9ktb0o_fwo-lMRH4i1-q5-faClGxro05anvwgbnvdK8yKZecjPfVAuxMpCoJiNG3tfUnU-dc0yHoBKFj8aLTcy4F5d5Jto_wdtQCDq1_Ug2XjTkomOmVg/w480-h640/0%20copy.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /> <i>Confessions of a Closet Master Baker, One Woman's Sweet Journey from Unhappy Hollywood Executive to Contented Country Baker </i>is by Gesine Bullock-Prado. And yes, she is the sister of Sandra Bullock.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimo6tFWpaWnjjHaSg4kqgDPJac4juRUWzB1dhZrKIGyXF6XmyNFF1cBVNZdmJESioY_32hltrmVqYRHduae7hwBpzw3HMNQt6ecmbb0LS8qAlATUWgZmHZf0-4eG0BFpT38s7GezQYYE_LBXKcbZBjJYvd27DYI2wI1uICU6SOQnJuqGAcLQqS5pBXzw/s1067/IMG_3966%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimo6tFWpaWnjjHaSg4kqgDPJac4juRUWzB1dhZrKIGyXF6XmyNFF1cBVNZdmJESioY_32hltrmVqYRHduae7hwBpzw3HMNQt6ecmbb0LS8qAlATUWgZmHZf0-4eG0BFpT38s7GezQYYE_LBXKcbZBjJYvd27DYI2wI1uICU6SOQnJuqGAcLQqS5pBXzw/w300-h400/IMG_3966%202.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /> I enjoyed this account of how Gesine went from being a lawyer to Hollywood executive to owner/baker of Gesine's Confectionary in Montpelier, Vermont. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrYvu9HK0nLACrt2T8WwASsZLuShn32mNQyP__dN9pR1y2djkuU1pOwIH7JqtQk9toa7IGEBxpYCa8rlml_mO7l9lRk3y2UQuXp0hBE1vJOzKV2FMqFlvKgf3qP_y6ShvBCJyw9WhYsFTJ5aJK5woTuGdf9Oi85Zl-3rdlnmb2fZPuutpJh28yG7hJTA/s1067/IMG_3968%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrYvu9HK0nLACrt2T8WwASsZLuShn32mNQyP__dN9pR1y2djkuU1pOwIH7JqtQk9toa7IGEBxpYCa8rlml_mO7l9lRk3y2UQuXp0hBE1vJOzKV2FMqFlvKgf3qP_y6ShvBCJyw9WhYsFTJ5aJK5woTuGdf9Oi85Zl-3rdlnmb2fZPuutpJh28yG7hJTA/w300-h400/IMG_3968%202.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">It was interesting learning a little background of the sisters' family life with their father and opera singer mother. </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9jrHGBkT9I0_m8MtjMvXF_J9DRq3VdUlTyWE8zE2NyZ_7tSZfTWlxUcSdRsX49Rar3dqizCp7U4bupQWKSbpZCUnk18aImttPtN6frXdOVeDoeND3TXahe2tSehUHCVMuCEUd1HPVG-BVqXL6bb6quX75OBzyNfCkIrorB6XUOAipgkjPvfQIEA7XCQ/s1067/IMG_3973%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9jrHGBkT9I0_m8MtjMvXF_J9DRq3VdUlTyWE8zE2NyZ_7tSZfTWlxUcSdRsX49Rar3dqizCp7U4bupQWKSbpZCUnk18aImttPtN6frXdOVeDoeND3TXahe2tSehUHCVMuCEUd1HPVG-BVqXL6bb6quX75OBzyNfCkIrorB6XUOAipgkjPvfQIEA7XCQ/w300-h400/IMG_3973%202.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I enjoyed learning about the life she shares with her husband who illustrated her book. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitvfiYFmgWgyMbB2G6MjyXRGY3XZDiDbbmpXUX-zGvg3whqY31570F1VXqg_gOly155Kk665bjrEKjBz6wTrw6b0MMkYoJz9bPSlqFKSZgua0Nl0ajb0VKSNUKis57VWtNppvi0tHrAKn_34PompTpQf8tdYLGQM1vtfrD7F7ThjKYEVXDnNpBpZCOoA/s1186/0-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1186" data-original-width="890" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitvfiYFmgWgyMbB2G6MjyXRGY3XZDiDbbmpXUX-zGvg3whqY31570F1VXqg_gOly155Kk665bjrEKjBz6wTrw6b0MMkYoJz9bPSlqFKSZgua0Nl0ajb0VKSNUKis57VWtNppvi0tHrAKn_34PompTpQf8tdYLGQM1vtfrD7F7ThjKYEVXDnNpBpZCOoA/w480-h640/0-2.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Since our grandson Drake and his wife Emily have been sharing eggs with us from their olive egger hens this spring, it was the perfect time to try Gesine's recipe for Golden Eggs. One morning I set out the eggs and gathered my ingredients. </span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzjK-BO4wrl6ACotuyN1wd2dkCaYx2vgZ_XNpZgwPPk9NjkvCuC5Ysb5fk-A7YpoAj84SolxVfL-WfqCUKTIlJps0kOogQMtJcRZ0kkw4dqt0kw77Snx7kNx05wirj3uX5lzkPF4pxc9CI1ADCmCNdXjt4NYA984mRyDf576KtrIByE4_OLLueDTA3iw/s956/0-5%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="956" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzjK-BO4wrl6ACotuyN1wd2dkCaYx2vgZ_XNpZgwPPk9NjkvCuC5Ysb5fk-A7YpoAj84SolxVfL-WfqCUKTIlJps0kOogQMtJcRZ0kkw4dqt0kw77Snx7kNx05wirj3uX5lzkPF4pxc9CI1ADCmCNdXjt4NYA984mRyDf576KtrIByE4_OLLueDTA3iw/w536-h640/0-5%202.jpg" width="536" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">By mid-morning the scent of freshly grated nutmeg and vanilla was in the air. That's the last little bit of vanilla I made in a bottle of cognac last spring so I hope it lasts until the new bottle ages for six weeks.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">What makes the cupcakes extra special is that you dip them in melted butter and then roll them in cinnamon-sugar. So scrumptious and they make a nice Easter treat.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Here's a link to Gesine showing how to make her <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYAcztrGllI">Golden Eggs on YouTube. </a>Gesine's are prettier than mine but I don't believe hers could taste any better than these. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijRoU_Zewsd7D4XF2s85Kj2PwBeQzSK1qQDuD_5t-GWk1SaYyB491cYeW0Lx4okk-YF_cPmKuk6ASMkvCNkgfh_BXdBqGxPL6QCI21BrubCl1S5UqKql4PVXP9djKmXZOPPzVR_Z3qvdmdObsRtTIGcfDUecgauROy64KQfaNFdm2_r-LHKZ1YRIranA/s1186/0-6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1186" data-original-width="890" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijRoU_Zewsd7D4XF2s85Kj2PwBeQzSK1qQDuD_5t-GWk1SaYyB491cYeW0Lx4okk-YF_cPmKuk6ASMkvCNkgfh_BXdBqGxPL6QCI21BrubCl1S5UqKql4PVXP9djKmXZOPPzVR_Z3qvdmdObsRtTIGcfDUecgauROy64KQfaNFdm2_r-LHKZ1YRIranA/w480-h640/0-6.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I sent this dozen to son Zack's crew at the job, froze 4, gave 2 more away, and that left 6 for RH and me. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Thank you to Drake and Emily for being so generous with these eggs. Here's a picture of them and our two precious great-grandchildren!</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOTBZRBCZvejhxlXdKsbWrPLSEPAVMZOkGc3_kR-HpYl4-sULwnO35NMF908qqona6AKaWOJZF_fIVhUD1svOHnfjpNyolGAt2bm1G1J9AYxqs7hZzbMCtHeYSJnMb6c_0lcvhjoxR7mTRkob4MHpjJlRjM1WcWcdd8Tm0hOuFtdg_7iMEvSFyBTrO0w/s979/Resized_20230409_150526.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="979" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOTBZRBCZvejhxlXdKsbWrPLSEPAVMZOkGc3_kR-HpYl4-sULwnO35NMF908qqona6AKaWOJZF_fIVhUD1svOHnfjpNyolGAt2bm1G1J9AYxqs7hZzbMCtHeYSJnMb6c_0lcvhjoxR7mTRkob4MHpjJlRjM1WcWcdd8Tm0hOuFtdg_7iMEvSFyBTrO0w/w522-h640/Resized_20230409_150526.jpg" width="522" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I also made a huge bowl of potato salad with a dozen of these eggs and it was a beautiful color with all of those orange yolks. I shared big jars of that with family too. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Thank you for reading. Please hug your children or grandchildren tight and tell your loved ones you love them every chance you get. If you're from the Nashville area you're even more aware of the importance of that ever since the morning of March 27, 2023. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I listen to the Sunday services from the Covenant Presbyterian Church have felt so heartbroken for the tragedy and loss affecting the church and school family as well as all of Nashville. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I admit I've felt hopeless about anything ever changing to prevent more children from being slaughtered in mass school shootings in the United States of America. But with thousands of students here in Nashville and across the states protesting--future voters--some day this may stop. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I pray so. <br /> </span><br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZCDgQ_q9DOEopGwyt3fBFdXw4CBpaVXvlYcP1eWkUNuW9YaxMCHtebedzh4ScGqBuFebppDsenktT9MBr87XrsEN-pOLN9NcOUr0Ex_yU5C3cpMySErlPrS9xvXcLrnlQ6lc0tUkQOJam6EbTAosxB_IwZeFlXfwrRGfnrOs7sWFLvJUkyzGrhrZcYw/s846/IMG_4231.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="846" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZCDgQ_q9DOEopGwyt3fBFdXw4CBpaVXvlYcP1eWkUNuW9YaxMCHtebedzh4ScGqBuFebppDsenktT9MBr87XrsEN-pOLN9NcOUr0Ex_yU5C3cpMySErlPrS9xvXcLrnlQ6lc0tUkQOJam6EbTAosxB_IwZeFlXfwrRGfnrOs7sWFLvJUkyzGrhrZcYw/w606-h640/IMG_4231.jpg" width="606" /></a></div><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Playing poker with PawPaw and making sure he doesn't cheat. </span><br /></div>Dewenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330797553600987145noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025769640802524983.post-79395104857530148452023-02-28T09:00:00.378-08:002023-02-28T09:00:00.154-08:00Capirotada for Dessert and The 27 Ingredient Chili Con Carne Murders<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAD4osQQnvlBKrXSZDV5stkc09GEJASOGUgNObX0h0GcnHcwaOecb3oq4zhDx1hX2538j5_nUI2vOE-y5UeL_EpiKnh5p_P5guxa9-FuP2xEVtw7CONJN4S_0UOmwqS4w1Wc8QLBIhyvwy-IkD9EnGx4fTW4o41tMnomg3gfIzEAmdhZMXc1krlWiwFQ/s1067/IMG_3509.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAD4osQQnvlBKrXSZDV5stkc09GEJASOGUgNObX0h0GcnHcwaOecb3oq4zhDx1hX2538j5_nUI2vOE-y5UeL_EpiKnh5p_P5guxa9-FuP2xEVtw7CONJN4S_0UOmwqS4w1Wc8QLBIhyvwy-IkD9EnGx4fTW4o41tMnomg3gfIzEAmdhZMXc1krlWiwFQ/w480-h640/IMG_3509.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Capirotada is Mexican Bread Pudding and traditionally eaten during the Lenten season but I learned about it in <i>The 27 Ingredient Chili Con Carne Murders. </i>While it officially was written by mystery writer Nancy Pickard, the book was based on the notes of Virginia Rich who passed away after writing three of my favorite mystery books.</span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Virginia Rich's sleuth was Mrs. Potter, Genia to her friends, and Genia was older than me when I first began reading the culinary mysteries in 1982, <i>The Cooking School Murders,</i> and now I am older than she was in the books. That's how long I've been reading these culinary mysteries!</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Rich, a chef and newspaper food writer, is credited with writing the first mystery book in the culinary genre unless we count Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe back in the early 1930s. When she passed away her family found folders of notes for future books, including for <i>The 27 Ingredient Chili Con Carne Murders. </i>Nancy Pickard was asked to continue this one and went on to write two more Mrs. Potter mysteries. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I tried the recipe for chili but honestly like my own better. This has been such a cold winter that chili has been almost a weekly staple here<i>.</i></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i></i></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf_oF-STL5M6AzRDJM6yb9QUJ4vwm9P-unhF-Lb6sg5JNBPRCD12OJheiRxFauLfpjHVqX2-Lxy07e1Tkfarhwa3z0FK2sjQAseYT7BjXzmk_T2Gd8zBzrnjV7L6O_YB0ac-BtK9S7TjiRLBmFHR4a2KuqGttCr0oIh50zXKowUzW4uG3YCf6RVyZS_g/s1067/chili.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf_oF-STL5M6AzRDJM6yb9QUJ4vwm9P-unhF-Lb6sg5JNBPRCD12OJheiRxFauLfpjHVqX2-Lxy07e1Tkfarhwa3z0FK2sjQAseYT7BjXzmk_T2Gd8zBzrnjV7L6O_YB0ac-BtK9S7TjiRLBmFHR4a2KuqGttCr0oIh50zXKowUzW4uG3YCf6RVyZS_g/w480-h640/chili.jpg" width="480" /></a></i></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><br /> </i>But for the night I tried this fabulous bread pudding recipe I made my vegetarian tortilla soup.</span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio4bFA6huxgBhpG6fBEz9Eu28LARiv32gfhA-3-PORBUu7QDFVPlazLFtwRhR33se1C8IC6qucmrjtbOWF6Et65ga-kjkjJU54C691rOCandlqyOZtNdylQPLcbfNagqk5IAcYzvdazzzMFSgTo9ImuRZaftDho78-pvZuKinBMYsHpIDQJLHbNKluhg/s1067/IMG_3539.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio4bFA6huxgBhpG6fBEz9Eu28LARiv32gfhA-3-PORBUu7QDFVPlazLFtwRhR33se1C8IC6qucmrjtbOWF6Et65ga-kjkjJU54C691rOCandlqyOZtNdylQPLcbfNagqk5IAcYzvdazzzMFSgTo9ImuRZaftDho78-pvZuKinBMYsHpIDQJLHbNKluhg/w480-h640/IMG_3539.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">That's basically where I chop onion, bell pepper, red bell pepper and garlic and saute before stirring in Rancho Gordo chili powder (absolutely fabulous chili powder), cumin, paprika (also Rancho Gordo and so pungent), and oregano (you guessed it, their Mexican oregano, excellent since I used all of the truly superb oregano from Crete that Poppy sent me). I add a box of low sodium vegetable stock, fill it again with water and add, canned tomatoes, some Bob's Red Mill pearl barley, rice, and frozen organic corn and green beans, and sliced frozen okra (that adds such a great consistency to vegetable soups), jar of Trader Joe's Salsa Verde, and as little salt as I can get by with, plus freshly ground pepper, naturally. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR-2HuQWwUQfMIT2V3Zop7h2QhG__8qGr5QhqsoMFa5GO-qPIcuEh3lzIUiBKiSwFhRPerfs1NcfqbcGdknZuF_oV8EUpZmTDan1jnaZFuM8TeEvyTzzkN6uBShvdJD_FjrssfbNkkRXoPOu2PiQDxL4SFVEH2xl1T8JWzuuC3ICq08ttdnqix99M1Rg/s828/IMG_3539%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="828" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR-2HuQWwUQfMIT2V3Zop7h2QhG__8qGr5QhqsoMFa5GO-qPIcuEh3lzIUiBKiSwFhRPerfs1NcfqbcGdknZuF_oV8EUpZmTDan1jnaZFuM8TeEvyTzzkN6uBShvdJD_FjrssfbNkkRXoPOu2PiQDxL4SFVEH2xl1T8JWzuuC3ICq08ttdnqix99M1Rg/w386-h400/IMG_3539%20copy.jpg" width="386" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Top with chopped cilantro, scallions, jalapeños, and lime juice. I don't even miss the meat but RH prefers meat in his so when I make chili I put plenty of beef or chicken in it.</span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I made this meal in January while our Christmas trees were still up. I didn't quite make it to February 2nd this year but took the trees down on January 25th. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTMxJeXP1yHbjHJQCJAvWTN93on2ch3J7g4B68zwZH2zOZRF2HUr-CbCMLtBiQYsiIiIOlfZQXHu2iXdhOc-bWiINJFxDbKarxMNowEhy9v9uSa-gXCceePCwZkEkHgXZmOY4twDH8OxmKgN7rbK5iz5jF_tK3Lj1ACXpFBsmb-G_ue_1JQof5jTe-0g/s1067/IMG_3524.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTMxJeXP1yHbjHJQCJAvWTN93on2ch3J7g4B68zwZH2zOZRF2HUr-CbCMLtBiQYsiIiIOlfZQXHu2iXdhOc-bWiINJFxDbKarxMNowEhy9v9uSa-gXCceePCwZkEkHgXZmOY4twDH8OxmKgN7rbK5iz5jF_tK3Lj1ACXpFBsmb-G_ue_1JQof5jTe-0g/w480-h640/IMG_3524.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">And of course the poinsettia was fitting with the dessert of Mexican Bread Pudding where I used my two favorite plates for Mexican food of any kind.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUQ6rBCQpIqjNfAcfwTR5bZBhb40bxqRu8_tJMF8E7AYUG8S8ZLIOavgnmFqM_FdwJt8L1S9WvFioCExmhvetsFmTCfkLMXke26j05XKogcdgSAhLlnMFzxsQGafTBWNgsZm-NYCI4XZrWFCVknQwYarkmuroFGNNlwgUSiItUbmo_GG1lMwfgrsa7_Q/s1067/IMG_3528.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUQ6rBCQpIqjNfAcfwTR5bZBhb40bxqRu8_tJMF8E7AYUG8S8ZLIOavgnmFqM_FdwJt8L1S9WvFioCExmhvetsFmTCfkLMXke26j05XKogcdgSAhLlnMFzxsQGafTBWNgsZm-NYCI4XZrWFCVknQwYarkmuroFGNNlwgUSiItUbmo_GG1lMwfgrsa7_Q/w480-h640/IMG_3528.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I've had this small tablecloth for decades and remembered to pull it out of my tablecloth closet--yes, I have one where they all hang.<span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJxepYry_DO6b4KJ7zIALtecBQXmIo6txku4A-8WjCe3rwkNdgsJh6koRK28i6ait_zRgvrbTFNoV_DMJ1aM8ag6sg6UY9-ToUPMJ2bxMveOQ9rzJcLE3diKzvahbzElRZ0KS4Wcp8pEshXtPQs_wv-y2jcfNU669o0zFWe5M76_WHXmP8rVLwP57LtA/s1067/IMG_3530.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJxepYry_DO6b4KJ7zIALtecBQXmIo6txku4A-8WjCe3rwkNdgsJh6koRK28i6ait_zRgvrbTFNoV_DMJ1aM8ag6sg6UY9-ToUPMJ2bxMveOQ9rzJcLE3diKzvahbzElRZ0KS4Wcp8pEshXtPQs_wv-y2jcfNU669o0zFWe5M76_WHXmP8rVLwP57LtA/w480-h640/IMG_3530.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">And here is the scrumptious Mexican Bread Pudding that was in the book, where people seemed to eat it even as an entree. <br /> </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz7AxRnZrmPAbm54GdsF34B5LKf1xsCsNeNhmGGvPJaHEjl_LRVvO9-RaYCejCs9GBMCH6bX8YgZ5QseEou4-zwuaT8S9N23rYeb_QNmIf7HgJkYM1Mgm70-zdPbybIRMucuiOROAjaXLRWy_m_N3D1IiXbLO4lUCzHIwMIrfyKNwMkkr-qG6UQddvhA/s1067/IMG_3543.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz7AxRnZrmPAbm54GdsF34B5LKf1xsCsNeNhmGGvPJaHEjl_LRVvO9-RaYCejCs9GBMCH6bX8YgZ5QseEou4-zwuaT8S9N23rYeb_QNmIf7HgJkYM1Mgm70-zdPbybIRMucuiOROAjaXLRWy_m_N3D1IiXbLO4lUCzHIwMIrfyKNwMkkr-qG6UQddvhA/w480-h640/IMG_3543.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I found other recipes for Capirotada online but the one in this book was the only one I found that used a loaf of <i>raisin bread </i>in the recipe. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I'll type out Nancy Pickard/Virginia Rich's recipe as it is in the book. I'll be making this again and by the way, the book that takes place in Arizona near the border on Mrs. Potter's cattle ranch is full of interesting characters and I felt that Pickard did a nice job of carrying on Mrs. Potter even though I'm partial to Rich's first three, <i>Nantucket Diet Murders</i> being my favorite.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">If you have a favorite culinary mystery author please tell me her or his name!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Capirotada;</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">To one quart boiling water add 2 cups brown sugar, 1 whole clove, 1 stick of cinnamon, and 1/4 cup butter. Simmer until a light syrup forms, then remove the clove and cinnamon. Cut one loaf of raisin bread into cubes and dry in 250 F. oven until crusty. Rinse one cup of raisins in hot water, then drain. In a large buttered baking dish, continuously layer the bread cubes, raisins, 1 cup chopped walnuts, 1/4 pound grated Monterey Jack cheese and 1/4 cup grated longhorn cheese until all ingredients are used. Spoon the hot syrup evenly over the bread mixture. Bake in a preheated 350 F. for 30 minutes. Serve either hot or cold.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">From <i>The 27 Ingredient Chili Con Carne Murders </i>by Nancy Pickard:</span></p><p></p><blockquote><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Juanita's capirotada could pass for either a dessert or a full meal, depending on one's appetite. Made with half a pound of cheese (a quarter pound each of longhorn and Jack), one whole loaf of raisin bread and a full cup of chopped walnuts, it boasted everything from calcium to fiber, especially when made with multigrain raisin bread instead of ordinary raisin bread. Some people ate it straight, Ricardo liked it with real whipped cream, Lew Porter had preferred ice cream, but Mrs. Potter was always happy to slosh it around in plain old milk.</span><br /></span></blockquote><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">The recipes in Virginia Rich's Mrs. Potter mystery books always work and I make some from each of them often. I still want to try another one from this book, the Chili Rellenos, because it calls for using a can of condensed milk. I'm trying to picture how that would taste.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">What do you think?</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0KqfW7OGN8S_Mci2wNzYO6NkgDEIwAGOIvQLzIKCyCpGoFDMV8ULmOSMI9WIdTczLEWVk0k6FlOZuLqIJbCzo4UQZ_0YX1Zc9dPdVdK8Piwk5c8eBiRBibyGHViuj-g0_R7_Wclr_4PkOKZSrf5gZPMoVlZhkpB1YRGL-1n4moJ0rrQQqVIhbumBiCw/s1056/Dewena's%20Kitchen%20sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1056" data-original-width="528" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0KqfW7OGN8S_Mci2wNzYO6NkgDEIwAGOIvQLzIKCyCpGoFDMV8ULmOSMI9WIdTczLEWVk0k6FlOZuLqIJbCzo4UQZ_0YX1Zc9dPdVdK8Piwk5c8eBiRBibyGHViuj-g0_R7_Wclr_4PkOKZSrf5gZPMoVlZhkpB1YRGL-1n4moJ0rrQQqVIhbumBiCw/s320/Dewena's%20Kitchen%20sign.jpg" width="160" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br /></p>Dewenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330797553600987145noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025769640802524983.post-19177678216758658422023-02-22T09:00:00.311-08:002023-02-22T09:00:00.156-08:00Did You Know About the Secret Lives of Cardinals?<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhch3JYFIWSdQCsPDQAqZEC_Zs0DzZwbRwI3tcPp3T9iJK76WANSpON9pAdmmc0VZ9XL_C4z4azO-B31cKn5n0KEIDy016t6Gt6dzr1Dbjs4Jhjvlt2tqw0a6dTtJLBJ2UyS8wbNdNPG37drxCB7WWiy8uDQFyyUlnXF6LsYo-9GSPR8VvGXhk2hWUGmQ/s1067/IMG_2058.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhch3JYFIWSdQCsPDQAqZEC_Zs0DzZwbRwI3tcPp3T9iJK76WANSpON9pAdmmc0VZ9XL_C4z4azO-B31cKn5n0KEIDy016t6Gt6dzr1Dbjs4Jhjvlt2tqw0a6dTtJLBJ2UyS8wbNdNPG37drxCB7WWiy8uDQFyyUlnXF6LsYo-9GSPR8VvGXhk2hWUGmQ/w480-h640/IMG_2058.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">February, the month of love, brought us a few surprises this year, one of which was a new visitor to our bird feeder.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This <i>pale</i> female cardinal has graced us with her presence daily and RH has caught her in his phone lens many times, rarely catching her completely still.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsxd871PYK5FI2nVuPg4vai7xBZyZU6D4qhgk5UcOUuhQ6ciKG62VmvIkpjOlbQMCzwAQf7xPMviYjFOz6FGeRFeKHWtK7dVIFtgALVNW1kv1A4Z5FK0wuo6fnWxcKtfO0grvB1-6z7eTIRV-IXO1WKR1lI3zBxqHx2ESZ6rNkUFLKz3_NA_kAVqRjgw/s1028/IMG_2057.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1028" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsxd871PYK5FI2nVuPg4vai7xBZyZU6D4qhgk5UcOUuhQ6ciKG62VmvIkpjOlbQMCzwAQf7xPMviYjFOz6FGeRFeKHWtK7dVIFtgALVNW1kv1A4Z5FK0wuo6fnWxcKtfO0grvB1-6z7eTIRV-IXO1WKR1lI3zBxqHx2ESZ6rNkUFLKz3_NA_kAVqRjgw/w498-h640/IMG_2057.jpg" width="498" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /> And never with a good closeup of her eyes, the telling attribute to determine whether she is an Albino cardinal or a Leucistic cardinal, Albino having pink eyes or Leucistic with black eyes. </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEEejTJnaZusEsdhnvxlcQgs6L4Vp9XzCcDawnRMCgVBCdGt7acBSbet1aMJllnTUw2igyS2JeNGCytPuFzkN0zqQ2wZECTsjfRfC7H6ODGGPrqTuoKu8GrmSx1gxXVErXqqdeDXkwC0PEuWiZzKgaeXIIhCOHGD1IE51LPSHxdmYr_6F6-bNgcOPWnQ/s1190/IMG_2079.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1190" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEEejTJnaZusEsdhnvxlcQgs6L4Vp9XzCcDawnRMCgVBCdGt7acBSbet1aMJllnTUw2igyS2JeNGCytPuFzkN0zqQ2wZECTsjfRfC7H6ODGGPrqTuoKu8GrmSx1gxXVErXqqdeDXkwC0PEuWiZzKgaeXIIhCOHGD1IE51LPSHxdmYr_6F6-bNgcOPWnQ/w430-h640/IMG_2079.jpg" width="430" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">However, when I look at the videos of both kinds of cardinals her coloring looks like the Albino cardinal. </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Here's her mate, or at least we think so...</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYexn6an_hE_B8tVPMYummbAwEfwHdSIXYhqjqBkKSti1NCajSu8M_SH_qN6k57FX8j-WBObIBOk7e8Xjdo79eKi0AXMYAcmQoaS7zFFpRe-5pBhRdkl6T-l9KgwgrAAXX7gPoHyRLVI49AaJp4sKT2HG2bqVf8iOoV7j1wr8TtdVcHQbP4XxDjVTLIA/s849/IMG_2101.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="849" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYexn6an_hE_B8tVPMYummbAwEfwHdSIXYhqjqBkKSti1NCajSu8M_SH_qN6k57FX8j-WBObIBOk7e8Xjdo79eKi0AXMYAcmQoaS7zFFpRe-5pBhRdkl6T-l9KgwgrAAXX7gPoHyRLVI49AaJp4sKT2HG2bqVf8iOoV7j1wr8TtdVcHQbP4XxDjVTLIA/w378-h400/IMG_2101.jpg" width="378" /></a></span></span></div><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I had always been told that cardinals mate for life and I remember crying the time I saw a handsome male cardinal fly into the window and fall to the ground with a broken neck. Something like that always breaks my heart, doesn't it yours? Because I also hurt for the bird who has lost their mate. </span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I mean, I have been known to bawl when reading an old recipe for how to cook <i>swans</i>! How could anyone?</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This month I've googled Albino and Leucistic cardinals, of course, <i><a href="https://chipperbirds.com/leucistic-cardinal/#:~:text=Despite%20their%20unique%20coloration%2C%20leucistic%20cardinals%20are%20not,bright%20red%20or%20orange%20coloring%20of%20other%20cardinals.">here,</a> </i>and <i><a href="https://www.onthefeeder.com/do-cardinals-mate-for-life/">here</a> </i>for whether cardinals do truly mate for life. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Turns out I probably shouldn't have worried so much about female cardinals. First of all, it is the <i>female</i> who chooses her mate, based on two things mind you, his bright red color <i>and </i>his ability to give her lots of baby birds. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Yes, cardinals do basically mate for life...<i>but</i> young females have been known to ditch a mate who fails to give her a full nest and they very quickly choose another mate when <i>widowed. <br /></i></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>AND </i>the little stinkers have been know to cheat on the males. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Who knew??</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">All this reminds me of the old tear-jerker movie with Meryl Streep<i>/</i>Jack Nicholson, <i>Heartburn</i>, where she goes home to her father and crying, tells him her husband is in love with another woman. What is she going to do, she asks him.</span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">"You want monagamy, marry a swan," he tells her.<br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">And that classic Nora Ephron line brings back another memory, visiting in the home of a school friend while growing up and her mother, when we told her of exciting news in our young lives, would look amazed and say, "Well, I'll swan!"</span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Now, how do I end a weird post? </span> <br /></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><p><span style="font-size: large;">Did you have pancakes yesterday morning for Shrove Tuesday breakfast? We enjoyed ours with the first vase of daffodils from the wild garden behind the barn.<br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_jdp4gE-j0ms3NRmCNUMFOm-m_BfbmavNqat9puhOnvgw41LdvbFY8mYVgtFb4gDEtcP_UkGEvHBe_OLC3qhvufobGGh5FFEvrWPhT66BksCGDgQ-bW5qgMPpC6MNMTGlM4jN3nCpvRjkmXB6h44C0napVJgWfcvlrBoQfVmBEBNKe9aTVC8531EwTw/s1067/IMG_3807.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_jdp4gE-j0ms3NRmCNUMFOm-m_BfbmavNqat9puhOnvgw41LdvbFY8mYVgtFb4gDEtcP_UkGEvHBe_OLC3qhvufobGGh5FFEvrWPhT66BksCGDgQ-bW5qgMPpC6MNMTGlM4jN3nCpvRjkmXB6h44C0napVJgWfcvlrBoQfVmBEBNKe9aTVC8531EwTw/w480-h640/IMG_3807.jpg" width="480" /></a></div></span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <span style="font-size: large;">I'm a winter girl and still hold out hope for a true gorgeous deep snowfall for Middle Tennessee but I have to admit that I'm appreciating the signs of Spring around me. We're even supposed to have record-breaking high temperatures this week that will bring on more buds and blooms. And that also means that our one lilac will get freezer burn again this year. </span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">And all around us soon will be the whimsical sight of male birds courting females. If they only knew!<br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></span></p><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span><br /></p>Dewenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330797553600987145noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025769640802524983.post-62357729553847106532023-01-30T12:19:00.004-08:002023-01-30T12:19:54.230-08:00A post in January, by the skin of my teeth.<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4sBsMIhqw5GGixRX9ivQRgct0LFUpYYfFkc_FCb_rrzvNVg9TCYrjbuPEOFb_pV1wplMxAXr0qfXy6yeFiOWKqMebqCUc_nOGg9IRBHf35nELQKXwPtddT2fyYSSCo0_BE3I3E1nScQvVGBtYAGQTc63m5dthQB-_F0ARU294yQE4XPUD8M759Vwr6w/s1067/IMG_3443.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4sBsMIhqw5GGixRX9ivQRgct0LFUpYYfFkc_FCb_rrzvNVg9TCYrjbuPEOFb_pV1wplMxAXr0qfXy6yeFiOWKqMebqCUc_nOGg9IRBHf35nELQKXwPtddT2fyYSSCo0_BE3I3E1nScQvVGBtYAGQTc63m5dthQB-_F0ARU294yQE4XPUD8M759Vwr6w/w480-h640/IMG_3443.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Faith Baldwin, pictured in the header of <i>Dewena's Window </i>all these years, writes of wanting to express her thoughts but not always being able to:</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #4c1130;">...to pin the butterfly wing of the valid emotion to paper with the key of a typewriter is usually to destroy it.</span></span></span></blockquote><p><span style="font-size: large;">If talented Faith Baldwin felt this way can you imagine how often I doubt my ability to put into words my thoughts here? Today as I try to get in one January post after one of my frequent absences from my blog, it seems even more difficult for me. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">And so, I'm starting back with another picture of the current year's beautiful Karen Adams calendar that my sweet daughter has given me each Christmas for a decade. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsPgRl2qLhzSYkGymCBgjirALcReMg1vcsAR6Ydltb-qB67cScZPMgJAqfXTTYqYfqaNhi-N1XIXCv8yYQ5yRgVOzMKhTtx_-T1Icj3bA3q-GdKb1KDbQeEA9vG3UFkzR_YZIaYgZGMU5dBELmkh3UKTATA2O-xTCaBNnPGrEvu7z05XnS5DkKseSSrw/s1067/IMG_3472.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsPgRl2qLhzSYkGymCBgjirALcReMg1vcsAR6Ydltb-qB67cScZPMgJAqfXTTYqYfqaNhi-N1XIXCv8yYQ5yRgVOzMKhTtx_-T1Icj3bA3q-GdKb1KDbQeEA9vG3UFkzR_YZIaYgZGMU5dBELmkh3UKTATA2O-xTCaBNnPGrEvu7z05XnS5DkKseSSrw/w480-h640/IMG_3472.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /> It is always a pleasure to open my new calendar because I know that Christy is opening hers too. You can bet we're thinking of each other every first day of the new month. Both Christy and I love pretty packaging too and Karen Adams' packaging is always a delight. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Karen-Adams-2023-Calendar-Supplement/dp/B0B6RQBXB9/ref=sr_1_1?adgrpid=1343604865967180&hvadid=83975571041673&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=64811&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvtargid=kwd-83976322363083%3Aloc-190&hydadcr=4492_10261395&keywords=karen+adams+calendar+2023&qid=1675106416&sr=8-1">Here's a link to this </a><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Karen-Adams-2023-Calendar-Supplement/dp/B0B6RQBXB9/ref=sr_1_1?adgrpid=1343604865967180&hvadid=83975571041673&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=64811&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvtargid=kwd-83976322363083%3Aloc-190&hydadcr=4492_10261395&keywords=karen+adams+calendar+2023&qid=1675106416&sr=8-1">year's just in case anyone is interested.</a><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV4vPod3ErhzJq-gG9JcLfwlLuMQZCerw2g1Ijo1cU2qa8foietWwhz7SavOKUgg_07WhVrsf1DQ22RStnEXc08SWMcG4Kkh9q-ITMfY1zN71UXz7GocxfEnhGxvZbsZiUcYxc0OgnDNZQHEG_1aWjwUhTI4MuIwIObRRH44ZDxHnlcLE8eoypMj0Tpw/s955/IMG_3469.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="955" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV4vPod3ErhzJq-gG9JcLfwlLuMQZCerw2g1Ijo1cU2qa8foietWwhz7SavOKUgg_07WhVrsf1DQ22RStnEXc08SWMcG4Kkh9q-ITMfY1zN71UXz7GocxfEnhGxvZbsZiUcYxc0OgnDNZQHEG_1aWjwUhTI4MuIwIObRRH44ZDxHnlcLE8eoypMj0Tpw/w536-h640/IMG_3469.jpg" width="536" /></a></div></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Here I'm packing last year's calendar away where it went in the cabinet of my bed table along with those from years past.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I wonder how long it would be before they would fall on the same day and I could reuse them? Probably not in my lifetime?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">And to add another picture to this post, here are RH and I at the family Christmas party at a son and daughter-in-law's house.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT3SQOLx5VBHbUwV4byYdsYS4BYAy9qrFBAn6PWFWR8LAkdXeszNkdqtzpAiSry3SjWgjPPbSrthUBdGUKX2Q8bLntz4yFv-Tj84AGJoYoHOwnLMgoMbOLXvtLTEGjhC19y8jkWDW4oPJk0Qi3jnKj60SiSKwjsDE6LNch0hXp9VFDL8mWFmVg0-wEnw/s1067/IMG_0533.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT3SQOLx5VBHbUwV4byYdsYS4BYAy9qrFBAn6PWFWR8LAkdXeszNkdqtzpAiSry3SjWgjPPbSrthUBdGUKX2Q8bLntz4yFv-Tj84AGJoYoHOwnLMgoMbOLXvtLTEGjhC19y8jkWDW4oPJk0Qi3jnKj60SiSKwjsDE6LNch0hXp9VFDL8mWFmVg0-wEnw/w480-h640/IMG_0533.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I hope that all of you had a beautiful Christmas and a happy and blessed New Year's Day. So many friends of mine have gone through another bout with Covid or have had their first bout of it recently. Take care!</span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I won't go so far as to wish you all the bliss of winter days because I don't think there are many who love January and February as much as I do, but spring really will be here before we know it. So I'll just end with wishing you daily comforts and joy until she arrives.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Here's a picture of our darling daughter taken one Christmas morning that seems like only yesterday:</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibSJmzMXcI4Ky6Dtc5-urQiut0TloF4C3RDvvW2UMcApCP-2olnAwEiIvkRlim_uNesIMvS-QyKTf3reyqykhBZHAZnwkvGn1HV_tRBLv5VapHAKvFPwlkXu9kWbbJ0gPy8oNGmIW-p-FFKbVzX-56NrkB4z3924jyMoAlExNNFfeyIn2gFGA8BwcPdw/s800/Scan%2022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="800" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibSJmzMXcI4Ky6Dtc5-urQiut0TloF4C3RDvvW2UMcApCP-2olnAwEiIvkRlim_uNesIMvS-QyKTf3reyqykhBZHAZnwkvGn1HV_tRBLv5VapHAKvFPwlkXu9kWbbJ0gPy8oNGmIW-p-FFKbVzX-56NrkB4z3924jyMoAlExNNFfeyIn2gFGA8BwcPdw/w400-h280/Scan%2022.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">See you soon! (That's one of my resolutions for 2023!) <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span><br /></p>Dewenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330797553600987145noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025769640802524983.post-86948662008335185232022-12-17T09:00:00.194-08:002022-12-17T13:39:21.678-08:00Calling Gladys Taber Fans (A book by her daughter and some Christmas at my house)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaxkxpaHZV-P6QCNq91dSb80Y7WbcijOdrJ4wN6g9fwQDR_NO1V1pB0isq3H46muxLn97qJmF_1xYxc_I2S0BkzDtSZnjycT8hAmkZJfEORqTJtG4H7xWzP9DXxxiVSs6OCar-CWu7WBurROtnl0NuNuzrHqPMxFGhBcFc_47x_2MsKrB1Nw-2a2AP_A/s1067/IMG_3164.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaxkxpaHZV-P6QCNq91dSb80Y7WbcijOdrJ4wN6g9fwQDR_NO1V1pB0isq3H46muxLn97qJmF_1xYxc_I2S0BkzDtSZnjycT8hAmkZJfEORqTJtG4H7xWzP9DXxxiVSs6OCar-CWu7WBurROtnl0NuNuzrHqPMxFGhBcFc_47x_2MsKrB1Nw-2a2AP_A/w480-h640/IMG_3164.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">There was another side to our dear Connecticut countrywoman. For a time she lived in the biggest city of all, New York City where she taught at Columbia University. Oh, to have been a student of Creative Writing with Gladys Taber for a teacher!</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Her only child, daughter Constance Taber Colby, despite growing up in Southbury, Connecticut, raised her two daughters in Manhattan.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLSUoxKG6dhAQSQfJgRz291MAvYvt7Dd1c9Ru_RD_lZV5_bfePsfKx-3XD6ppgwNcsSW-hx1Tg8VIE99ryR13mgS-PfCOOcRbKTTpvC29-TE14VYunODw5ZGTzeXe_jyMEZ_n3JpBtZDuFz8b-Fso6x7ZpjWHAUkUcfGcTed0U2Sp3mTZh8iYljAtxig/s1067/IMG_3159.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLSUoxKG6dhAQSQfJgRz291MAvYvt7Dd1c9Ru_RD_lZV5_bfePsfKx-3XD6ppgwNcsSW-hx1Tg8VIE99ryR13mgS-PfCOOcRbKTTpvC29-TE14VYunODw5ZGTzeXe_jyMEZ_n3JpBtZDuFz8b-Fso6x7ZpjWHAUkUcfGcTed0U2Sp3mTZh8iYljAtxig/w480-h640/IMG_3159.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /> <i>The View from Morningside, One Family's New York, </i>published in 1978, is the story of the riches that the City That Never Sleeps offers for children. For Constance's girls, who early on fell in love with the subject of Tudor England the way some children fall in love with a sport, New York was rich with resources for their passion. </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzkyGAxRJ0JtyXcWZrK2GkZ7P4plAlR3IWdNib8-kRhjfOsTKWzPXY_LFkf8SCJnkQyk3Tc-CPfqV3TejZGmGUnvJOPdDwumvIKq8Cuhz5j70_ZVfb2lg0oYvge7ybmZjLaaCUpDIohktZmPp1-G2RHUeqhaI9cpE2j_bqZV0m3SshzukT3ok1N9qB2Q/s1067/IMG_3276.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzkyGAxRJ0JtyXcWZrK2GkZ7P4plAlR3IWdNib8-kRhjfOsTKWzPXY_LFkf8SCJnkQyk3Tc-CPfqV3TejZGmGUnvJOPdDwumvIKq8Cuhz5j70_ZVfb2lg0oYvge7ybmZjLaaCUpDIohktZmPp1-G2RHUeqhaI9cpE2j_bqZV0m3SshzukT3ok1N9qB2Q/w480-h640/IMG_3276.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /> Interested in the Tudor period? For Colby's daughters there was the Metropolitan Museum, the Morgan Library, the New York Public Library, the Cloisters, Renaissance concerts all over town, Renaissance dance at Lincoln Center, Elizabethan cookery at Riverside Church, and the New York City Ballet.</span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVQ_WX6IcI9SqGA42rSzZsRwAmfBydbsZu3ZLsNESkegNyFrId6g_OOegMvbEFjfp2K7Mtx14FpGQzFJm35j5zW3BLQte5lB6HzNmzxYmha4Gjujbk1QEM9c5rlUnrdfHObPdM8hXkBPjCFO1vWq3kQbOdrduVzUjoRkYrvE2Fo0w_ydOgHgucJAtCzg/s1067/IMG_3300.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVQ_WX6IcI9SqGA42rSzZsRwAmfBydbsZu3ZLsNESkegNyFrId6g_OOegMvbEFjfp2K7Mtx14FpGQzFJm35j5zW3BLQte5lB6HzNmzxYmha4Gjujbk1QEM9c5rlUnrdfHObPdM8hXkBPjCFO1vWq3kQbOdrduVzUjoRkYrvE2Fo0w_ydOgHgucJAtCzg/w300-h400/IMG_3300.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">As Colby's daughter Anne says in the book, "living in New York was the next best thing to living in London."<br /> </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivNTUgvPKsN8oQF67EzgzHLcZFJvC_sw6rrlc7ZToGy1-Tp9nXOay_OjkHcQoUZVthtZh6lF7G1Wn3vmn2V0N2fE6TkWfiWF9l6SDqrxb35GmwqX3zz_gZPQRibghviBKmUAiKlsjJGi4-8AHiCV3LQRJR6YRZ4yjXl3Y_HU0Lp3Yzg_VJPsZ2AtrmxA/s1067/IMG_3295.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivNTUgvPKsN8oQF67EzgzHLcZFJvC_sw6rrlc7ZToGy1-Tp9nXOay_OjkHcQoUZVthtZh6lF7G1Wn3vmn2V0N2fE6TkWfiWF9l6SDqrxb35GmwqX3zz_gZPQRibghviBKmUAiKlsjJGi4-8AHiCV3LQRJR6YRZ4yjXl3Y_HU0Lp3Yzg_VJPsZ2AtrmxA/w300-h400/IMG_3295.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">For fans of Gladys Taber, her daughter's book is not to be missed. For those who love New York this book should be fascinating, including those who like me have never been there. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7e9VsQaEhy7Tb8DsEX26y2zepqNOvoSWfsB636qtoO2Ek78_J8yhSQGLir7QsFFof1DyppgpvUWQivKi_N2szLZoqwYS_sVAnjyHMLh7QzwwLtI1zu2914RYwX6dQ9fUSXDCoKIyZ9MOoo104wEOGY4ojZChkqGrCpET8_HoDkOVVhvKX9R90ZdBGrA/s1067/IMG_3294.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7e9VsQaEhy7Tb8DsEX26y2zepqNOvoSWfsB636qtoO2Ek78_J8yhSQGLir7QsFFof1DyppgpvUWQivKi_N2szLZoqwYS_sVAnjyHMLh7QzwwLtI1zu2914RYwX6dQ9fUSXDCoKIyZ9MOoo104wEOGY4ojZChkqGrCpET8_HoDkOVVhvKX9R90ZdBGrA/w300-h400/IMG_3294.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm definitely more of a Country Mouse than a City Mouse. I live in a 1935 cottage in what was once farmland outside of Nashville, Tennessee.</span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Before that I lived for twenty-six years in a 1920 farmhouse where sausage once hung in the smokehouse. I love the country!</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">In this house I'm enveloped by old board paneling that calls for country style. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0QL1gbJmyTVPAmMSUP4JBqrL4Vv9XJzbI63bBOr0fUn95F12WU8jl-Nzbiygo_KITkFK9qVp10uYYxzwQ9F3f2frLPAbEbhbHRJ5TZTw6HBfSfV9RGP3BKBqKfXw2Jtr3-fz54Yj7XAuq_WtydZ37V2euI7BOGDAMfJd_DChCWkkbFoeFHUv8N317iA/s1067/IMG_3259.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0QL1gbJmyTVPAmMSUP4JBqrL4Vv9XJzbI63bBOr0fUn95F12WU8jl-Nzbiygo_KITkFK9qVp10uYYxzwQ9F3f2frLPAbEbhbHRJ5TZTw6HBfSfV9RGP3BKBqKfXw2Jtr3-fz54Yj7XAuq_WtydZ37V2euI7BOGDAMfJd_DChCWkkbFoeFHUv8N317iA/w480-h640/IMG_3259.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">But the older I get the more I lean toward what goes with the first true antique RH and I purchased as newlyweds.</span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuMiWkBh1EB1I4f8uYp4Etp09v7SQszdUU62dnsHCj82kEsQ3p9UG7xJlbp1ddKSg8zlnzawT1BILR6LYLK7f_2lKxrIF42URJbn1786dKolDI_DsYdC9oJlbt0BqhUA2wXzZpS3ZdD6IsqiY8zj1Yfh9Zvp_OvRbQvYy2En7_rmigzLHNUHT5nuIyqg/s1004/IMG_3349.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1004" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuMiWkBh1EB1I4f8uYp4Etp09v7SQszdUU62dnsHCj82kEsQ3p9UG7xJlbp1ddKSg8zlnzawT1BILR6LYLK7f_2lKxrIF42URJbn1786dKolDI_DsYdC9oJlbt0BqhUA2wXzZpS3ZdD6IsqiY8zj1Yfh9Zvp_OvRbQvYy2En7_rmigzLHNUHT5nuIyqg/w510-h640/IMG_3349.jpg" width="510" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /> An 1800s Staffordshire Blue Willow ironstone platter.</span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAAzPwSWNZIdIHqDSxwRLUeVMpkigvR1hFsM2YhTn0SegtuaCeH_p_ts0vrZD28zAgbmr2ipiJbtDSppAmItSHRSryyShQCTRpoFD3Y8U5A-bqD4IO5pkDJQ5unjwn-JAXqf3jM1sAMfiQIgC_nhcN3doigBTb5zjJVmWaZIA2zd3AYC_aD6UQudZ94w/s1067/IMG_3351.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAAzPwSWNZIdIHqDSxwRLUeVMpkigvR1hFsM2YhTn0SegtuaCeH_p_ts0vrZD28zAgbmr2ipiJbtDSppAmItSHRSryyShQCTRpoFD3Y8U5A-bqD4IO5pkDJQ5unjwn-JAXqf3jM1sAMfiQIgC_nhcN3doigBTb5zjJVmWaZIA2zd3AYC_aD6UQudZ94w/w480-h640/IMG_3351.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">There's not anything more country than Blue Willow and it's just as comfortable in a humble cottage as in a Georgetown townhome dressed to the nines with Chinoiserie.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmKr0A6czHcH3Fj45UeQ6kuT3KHgd3Jnwafq2ZZsfE_tI8uGyX2DcTTjf83pbQdiEoZrd-08zDnp6QyWc3pJowIzJKVNdUOtR4JQ2PZSusAoDS4nr40oe85odFUMUN_VdhDtwFnC_Cq2o9bNNHdmVTXzLK7hyR5G_wiEDdYceuHzNrFcRb8QbTZhOmTg/s1067/IMG_3291.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmKr0A6czHcH3Fj45UeQ6kuT3KHgd3Jnwafq2ZZsfE_tI8uGyX2DcTTjf83pbQdiEoZrd-08zDnp6QyWc3pJowIzJKVNdUOtR4JQ2PZSusAoDS4nr40oe85odFUMUN_VdhDtwFnC_Cq2o9bNNHdmVTXzLK7hyR5G_wiEDdYceuHzNrFcRb8QbTZhOmTg/w480-h640/IMG_3291.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Speaking of Chinoiserie, I think a touch of it looks well on our eighteen year old Ethan Allen red leather sofa. So does BreeBree, don't you think?</span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Ztvzj6qwo3cPr3V1HYbc2q-FxPfDSXxcahHO8m4VsR2vgmLn0VNmCJNmNg6LNaOxwLZnGKX-zDfJCV8Ihpq7dY27-Bj_FPMaJwE_Nhovz_xUmvBSIvN6mkwW3Rgx4rRizUk8qh23PNwQjL728H9ZmheRzFMgTwvBUOQx0ZzgHTwo9YzTxExyLcwgSg/s1067/IMG_3340.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Ztvzj6qwo3cPr3V1HYbc2q-FxPfDSXxcahHO8m4VsR2vgmLn0VNmCJNmNg6LNaOxwLZnGKX-zDfJCV8Ihpq7dY27-Bj_FPMaJwE_Nhovz_xUmvBSIvN6mkwW3Rgx4rRizUk8qh23PNwQjL728H9ZmheRzFMgTwvBUOQx0ZzgHTwo9YzTxExyLcwgSg/w480-h640/IMG_3340.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Here is a Christmas pillow I found on Etsy with a red amaryllis in a blue and white cachepot. The front is like a hooked wool rug, the back a velvety fabric, with zipper and quality insert. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmNxVLhO7e3JVz9kzUoIOY3Skt_7HcWJEMAlfAXS0Rlme2yDBEnb-nbSAwl7awlSxn_kdSXh68h-eccQgIdYs4mZ8o-KgTVabQg3AtW4-Dj6gWWM34DHZPMOmSrrRC5S4k1PHEkycVw8tN3G3BdOUt5Zhj4l9eImPuK1Qsm2xkmcboo1_fvzrN7XI1RA/s1067/IMG_3255.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmNxVLhO7e3JVz9kzUoIOY3Skt_7HcWJEMAlfAXS0Rlme2yDBEnb-nbSAwl7awlSxn_kdSXh68h-eccQgIdYs4mZ8o-KgTVabQg3AtW4-Dj6gWWM34DHZPMOmSrrRC5S4k1PHEkycVw8tN3G3BdOUt5Zhj4l9eImPuK1Qsm2xkmcboo1_fvzrN7XI1RA/w480-h640/IMG_3255.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">It's fancy but is perfect with an old wool tartan throw from Canada.</span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAEloL6dVLCdcimUvH4hEJ4ELMhNMx116qeEZC6axKA6elxSyWtVLwFiREN-v06o7KRbAs_yOrEN3o2jgmz79-Z6Ee-8IPXlIgLI09djeF637OUVZjvvQSmy2m4JoRnk0BOCf-k28NHNX1VbClcpHCsPUeM7xfY7GhwXf31riJSaOAWSB3C7FycVZz9Q/s1067/IMG_9435.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAEloL6dVLCdcimUvH4hEJ4ELMhNMx116qeEZC6axKA6elxSyWtVLwFiREN-v06o7KRbAs_yOrEN3o2jgmz79-Z6Ee-8IPXlIgLI09djeF637OUVZjvvQSmy2m4JoRnk0BOCf-k28NHNX1VbClcpHCsPUeM7xfY7GhwXf31riJSaOAWSB3C7FycVZz9Q/w300-h400/IMG_9435.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I will keep it out through winter and must get a picture of it with our Black Pearl amaryllis from White Flower Farm, which won't bloom until after Christmas anyway, as it did last year when I could not get the lighting in this picture to accurately show the rich dark red. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiENIKbRrmVRGCgFojBd3UlHerh2g2b2UX-JenfSKteTYEVcaMTdJxcNhzTKzV-y1Vm4xuTBZass7I2PdLbuuK9QXbp_a5U85oJzfFvLPsOLz2AkTqnbQMgbsggJL4kIRDvhIUgL8iKFMK2OKEt5hqYn-iRhzPKhk6tzMuqEoRm2ZxCuKw78VmVVC5tzA/s1067/IMG_0258.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiENIKbRrmVRGCgFojBd3UlHerh2g2b2UX-JenfSKteTYEVcaMTdJxcNhzTKzV-y1Vm4xuTBZass7I2PdLbuuK9QXbp_a5U85oJzfFvLPsOLz2AkTqnbQMgbsggJL4kIRDvhIUgL8iKFMK2OKEt5hqYn-iRhzPKhk6tzMuqEoRm2ZxCuKw78VmVVC5tzA/w480-h640/IMG_0258.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">If you're interested in Constance Taber Colby's book on raising a family in Manhattan, you can find copies of <i>The View from Morningside, One Family's New York </i>for under $10 online, unless you'd rather pay $43 for it on Amazon. I wouldn't!</span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Any thoughts on whether you would be up for raising a family in a big city? Cons and pros?</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Are you ready for Christmas? I need at least another month! <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">[I do appreciate every comment you leave! For some reason I can no longer publish comments from my phone even though I've signed in and out from Google over and over trying to. I have to go to my laptop in order to publish them so sometime I'm delayed in getting to it. And emails about new posts from me are no longer being sent out and sometime after Christmas I will try to figure out what to do instead. Thanks for your patience!] </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjebTNGxaZ9IdwQVBvFe-PGPb2PfVGqMu_Cs0XASFaJa11kZKhNtKOA8Tgklf9nEbrfhfnhOYOKbe9V5u9e3VZhO2Ar8qi4wS6F8TfimKa10KhbiLIL_s3bvgmXkR7cnyGNIn-RF_z99af7pxESOqT1NMN3RdLK54DBzw-rarLJWzdP_WeLwvs8qrqu0w/s1849/WHC%20jan%201938%20graphic%20for%20Christmas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1849" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjebTNGxaZ9IdwQVBvFe-PGPb2PfVGqMu_Cs0XASFaJa11kZKhNtKOA8Tgklf9nEbrfhfnhOYOKbe9V5u9e3VZhO2Ar8qi4wS6F8TfimKa10KhbiLIL_s3bvgmXkR7cnyGNIn-RF_z99af7pxESOqT1NMN3RdLK54DBzw-rarLJWzdP_WeLwvs8qrqu0w/w276-h640/WHC%20jan%201938%20graphic%20for%20Christmas.jpg" width="276" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /> </span></span><br /><p></p>Dewenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330797553600987145noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025769640802524983.post-75373640423951383032022-12-16T10:00:00.009-08:002022-12-16T10:00:00.169-08:00Coconut Cake, Top of the List, Almost<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwvK9Ka2IUWelFlFuZ0o4T21vkKLM3bKjnw6vEXYlYzszmMLOhf0fQ9D3ww7Eti7uHLTVMhiaGGXT9ULJ1TDuHnq7NfJ49WVUulIxSLsEyKdNmPZD0JFtpq0VAi01iNColEJiP-9aQU7S2z8XHHDIgXFckfXkPcSovdHP4zL6c8zuBb2kDsa9m4DsOBA/s1067/IMG_9854.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwvK9Ka2IUWelFlFuZ0o4T21vkKLM3bKjnw6vEXYlYzszmMLOhf0fQ9D3ww7Eti7uHLTVMhiaGGXT9ULJ1TDuHnq7NfJ49WVUulIxSLsEyKdNmPZD0JFtpq0VAi01iNColEJiP-9aQU7S2z8XHHDIgXFckfXkPcSovdHP4zL6c8zuBb2kDsa9m4DsOBA/w480-h640/IMG_9854.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">No, we haven't had snow yet. I made this coconut cake when we had a beautiful snowfall on January 3, 2022 because it just didn't get made before Christmas of 2021.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ZOrggCwZ-ZsOlk5WItI66cqsxSDe6tN8jkJ1cKeDCnWGQxn5pXtN-aq4YONIWVXnLae9RI3pdB7bQfJBxe2gBQEcf5ctPjVgabuNV_msJBAkvZZYeaB1zeBdPdCTGc_Lqfvb1DrdgUT-01Js8UTaDcUfJW_8_m_Xt3b210MNcpEmULLyWUaehKRyCA/s1067/IMG_9762.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ZOrggCwZ-ZsOlk5WItI66cqsxSDe6tN8jkJ1cKeDCnWGQxn5pXtN-aq4YONIWVXnLae9RI3pdB7bQfJBxe2gBQEcf5ctPjVgabuNV_msJBAkvZZYeaB1zeBdPdCTGc_Lqfvb1DrdgUT-01Js8UTaDcUfJW_8_m_Xt3b210MNcpEmULLyWUaehKRyCA/w300-h400/IMG_9762.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">But I'm thinking back to November of 2020--you remember that year, don't you? The year the world shut down and many of us had Thanksgiving in our house, alone?<br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJxGj1gXNty0QFpGvOq2EZZnUpyk9MF8Unwt-Gzk_J7oZWA0z5AbpQvlDeAykykzx_LmVlD_Xbh_Et_XMnlkVzysd_5baNgtKKegHjRlnRJQYe0nE9Oe2O8MhJEbi97AQeHCGdu_sTvtZ2olERqsEWIL7REyuuRtdb3LlQnH22AWIR-Y79PwWv9QGI4w/s1067/IMG_9767.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJxGj1gXNty0QFpGvOq2EZZnUpyk9MF8Unwt-Gzk_J7oZWA0z5AbpQvlDeAykykzx_LmVlD_Xbh_Et_XMnlkVzysd_5baNgtKKegHjRlnRJQYe0nE9Oe2O8MhJEbi97AQeHCGdu_sTvtZ2olERqsEWIL7REyuuRtdb3LlQnH22AWIR-Y79PwWv9QGI4w/w300-h400/IMG_9767.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">That November I started watching every new Hallmark Christmas movie premier. Religiously. It had been that kind of a year.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm59EMtvHCsUG-3Kx1_4IwucTm2OzpcI63QkUpUnWPQKNE8QXiRCbIsZtczciG_NIP0kQiajPGUvzp9Nf3xLGGnbHU1nj9JfMuYuWVeyIqEKXD-qWAm4ZoiybIdLhu0bT9H4nevT9YUqaYreEBBXud8Ucg38qKVqs9BDVUMSGpt6z1nsrgnFmt-sLsXA/s800/IMG_9769.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm59EMtvHCsUG-3Kx1_4IwucTm2OzpcI63QkUpUnWPQKNE8QXiRCbIsZtczciG_NIP0kQiajPGUvzp9Nf3xLGGnbHU1nj9JfMuYuWVeyIqEKXD-qWAm4ZoiybIdLhu0bT9H4nevT9YUqaYreEBBXud8Ucg38qKVqs9BDVUMSGpt6z1nsrgnFmt-sLsXA/w400-h300/IMG_9769.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I even kept a pen and notebook nearby and titled a list--"What Hallmark Movies Taught Me About Christmas."</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Top of the list was...<i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Baking is good! <br /></span></i></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></i></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhptNGQkCXzuuTLN2T1iYVJr-Ai1dH-WX7L-4Jv-W-iwFR44OSJQUoyya_IQsqMiBTXYwVEPRBx1zF8UUFZ-Mp31Jx6PPJrv7eBj8dcMPqCnwvvp2w92RGiZPbwphtNUlQQiPl3Yt_1AV2eajD98XKkdGjG-Ai_l7ergWBDtCiG06ff-SfBcrINPrhseQ/s1067/IMG_9772.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhptNGQkCXzuuTLN2T1iYVJr-Ai1dH-WX7L-4Jv-W-iwFR44OSJQUoyya_IQsqMiBTXYwVEPRBx1zF8UUFZ-Mp31Jx6PPJrv7eBj8dcMPqCnwvvp2w92RGiZPbwphtNUlQQiPl3Yt_1AV2eajD98XKkdGjG-Ai_l7ergWBDtCiG06ff-SfBcrINPrhseQ/w300-h400/IMG_9772.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></i></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://awindow-lookacrosstheway.blogspot.com/2012/11/stir-up-sunday.html"><span style="font-size: large;">Fruitcake is top of my baking list (my White Fruitcake with no citron posted here "Stir Up Sunday")</span></a><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Coconut Cake is not far behind. </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO3wLbfxFiV94ARbOiRNcNXfj01pR37kyukyOWWVQRz-8-iehQc5OrzwhfZ_CpjKbPv2waln_ITv0CA-OxTQgEH0TrKEcEhHS5ZD967lyKV02Fbu8xAoZ8UG-GWmO-bBK7xuedr66vmOg3hHOp53H10Q4ga97PHoHIpJQp9VTpwkuF1qkhbR1Fv0BvnQ/s1067/IMG_9845.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO3wLbfxFiV94ARbOiRNcNXfj01pR37kyukyOWWVQRz-8-iehQc5OrzwhfZ_CpjKbPv2waln_ITv0CA-OxTQgEH0TrKEcEhHS5ZD967lyKV02Fbu8xAoZ8UG-GWmO-bBK7xuedr66vmOg3hHOp53H10Q4ga97PHoHIpJQp9VTpwkuF1qkhbR1Fv0BvnQ/w480-h640/IMG_9845.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /> One of my favorite childhood Christmas memories is of Mama making her Coconut Cake with lemon filling on Christmas Eve and it being refrigerated overnight and eaten cold on Christmas Day.</span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj02R91_r-Yu_ypiBItpzbWrw4gjNlk_IPAm8wVT4RQjc9dYkUbqYgjUOhKcw8LiErxprQ5cvafHQJccujr2DkAfRnjYxPf1KMmplPXfr8aSuS8DEkuUbJKkoTTh9xrTIGhiTCJqbE48K-jmPNyNAZGFo6LcPSKf4r2dhfTgAXs_8-ae0GmKupJTSb2gw/s1067/IMG_9877.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj02R91_r-Yu_ypiBItpzbWrw4gjNlk_IPAm8wVT4RQjc9dYkUbqYgjUOhKcw8LiErxprQ5cvafHQJccujr2DkAfRnjYxPf1KMmplPXfr8aSuS8DEkuUbJKkoTTh9xrTIGhiTCJqbE48K-jmPNyNAZGFo6LcPSKf4r2dhfTgAXs_8-ae0GmKupJTSb2gw/w300-h400/IMG_9877.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></span></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;">It was a serious project requiring Daddy's help in poking an ice pick into the eyes of the fresh coconut to save the coconut water to pour over the warm cake layers, tediously removing the shell from the meat, and finally grating the coconut meat, sometimes resulting in scraped knuckles. </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0HqdYAxM_3xYEgmEUukusykz4anFWVBfTYu1DUa85MlJzx1S28PZ4-xXRjGpTgkIFECgzB6j1Vyr_E-Kzef-jJ3oZ88tAB2B-Amj833U1sX9zJSfywe2P3SLGdMjpscUVB9bzyrAK3mE9ne4vL6jtYRJidHvwtOxlMCbOv1PJq9WCBbFKlHVLMaDjeQ/s1067/IMG_9974.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0HqdYAxM_3xYEgmEUukusykz4anFWVBfTYu1DUa85MlJzx1S28PZ4-xXRjGpTgkIFECgzB6j1Vyr_E-Kzef-jJ3oZ88tAB2B-Amj833U1sX9zJSfywe2P3SLGdMjpscUVB9bzyrAK3mE9ne4vL6jtYRJidHvwtOxlMCbOv1PJq9WCBbFKlHVLMaDjeQ/w300-h400/IMG_9974.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">It was a cake straight from heaven!</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirkRlkzHp-WnN2fOMBfoARp0Mnh2DEumzVfZdyhpjdiTsFBI6RO8vAKQV_8R7sQ9o8FRDzSSjTTdQ7IGdXWMzYyw3E9U2wkPW_EoSs33wRKeUpnQR6Cx-SiIRiZmloGzxzOnIxipuMBhUAx5nY2R8ggNlMW9dMEFXn3zYGo0gaFX7_FbuKJxh6TMX10g/s1067/IMG_9859.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirkRlkzHp-WnN2fOMBfoARp0Mnh2DEumzVfZdyhpjdiTsFBI6RO8vAKQV_8R7sQ9o8FRDzSSjTTdQ7IGdXWMzYyw3E9U2wkPW_EoSs33wRKeUpnQR6Cx-SiIRiZmloGzxzOnIxipuMBhUAx5nY2R8ggNlMW9dMEFXn3zYGo0gaFX7_FbuKJxh6TMX10g/w480-h640/IMG_9859.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Foolishly neglecting to secure Mama's recipe before she left us for her heavenly home, I've tried several recipes. One was very good and also very time consuming:</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://dewenaswindow.blogspot.com/2015/02/tamar-adlers-everlasting-meal.html">See my post Tamar Adler's <i>An Everlasting Meal </i>here!</a></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I finally found a recipe that was very close to Mama's in Eugene Walters, <i>American Cooking: Southern Style, </i>a Time Life book and a fascinating history of Southern cooking.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I have four cookbooks from the Alabama author, who I "met" through Pat Conroy's cookbook. He taught me never to use the <i>black dust </i>that you put in salt and pepper shakers, that the essential oils in peppercorns help with digestion when freshly ground. Although RH still demands his black dust.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQzkd0lu7Ln4s-PXXYQ-erAi7EXGUs6qme5d9e5ysd6oA-gq8K56VR2-5wuarF9AlCfWd4mOCPHZ8ZUj99jFSOCjyUOlB2GnDJvY0c7EYNU7Au0FrVWsBhh-sJ1MA874L8mUIMHvHSyExRlEP_WMDL2xRUQCbIb5rwaDFiKBlv5do2zEIp51dJpyefag/s1067/IMG_3140.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQzkd0lu7Ln4s-PXXYQ-erAi7EXGUs6qme5d9e5ysd6oA-gq8K56VR2-5wuarF9AlCfWd4mOCPHZ8ZUj99jFSOCjyUOlB2GnDJvY0c7EYNU7Au0FrVWsBhh-sJ1MA874L8mUIMHvHSyExRlEP_WMDL2xRUQCbIb5rwaDFiKBlv5do2zEIp51dJpyefag/w480-h640/IMG_3140.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I wish I could link to Mr. Walter's recipe for Coconut Cake with Lemon Filling but it's not online. I will link to a recipe I substituted for his frosting recipe that required me to boil to 239 degrees. I found one at <a href="http://addapinch.com.">addapinch.com.</a> It was delicious even though not like Mama's. Maybe hers was whipped cream based? But I did make Eugene's recipe for cake instead of the one at add a pinch--those 8 eggs separated won me over--and I am going to put his recipe for lemon filling at the bottom of the post because it's become my foolproof go-to recipe for that. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3hILo6sj1gkWjrugPdtUSsuBGwgg12hM93NvrE70kPVNjjLMxqKPp5NEW4u7wlnYJLy7a4TCnP-vC49qQbWpVbunjLfzn18JXHCP_bXG1cI-PPLIbp6Py5Bg7ukti2YZQOacUy3rVRWSlASC8vKFbAe3liJncyRjrk8C1Vv7aZl93f3N9IB5BABDGIA/s1067/IMG_9861.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3hILo6sj1gkWjrugPdtUSsuBGwgg12hM93NvrE70kPVNjjLMxqKPp5NEW4u7wlnYJLy7a4TCnP-vC49qQbWpVbunjLfzn18JXHCP_bXG1cI-PPLIbp6Py5Bg7ukti2YZQOacUy3rVRWSlASC8vKFbAe3liJncyRjrk8C1Vv7aZl93f3N9IB5BABDGIA/w300-h400/IMG_9861.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Full Disclaimer: I did not buy a fresh coconut and poke out his eyes! Despite using Baker's coconut flakes the frosting was excellent. It was one of those times when we didn't see any family to share my baking with so eventually the remains went to the birds. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz6IYjz7wmzaortlyFBjvxEDsMK0RaUmheXFYCFJ4exyIyYQTnt3fS9lLrGjCryiKuomWlOcUNYjnko3BUWpRtc4pN6UNPfrAUMBSmu0yhi_AD-hLQdU91717FYv_j5OCfzkgJ_DOakC-5iocLw_neJX3IFgP0JfBUDyx_pv9IfzqQtmVIzEkndhxUsA/s1067/IMG_0029.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz6IYjz7wmzaortlyFBjvxEDsMK0RaUmheXFYCFJ4exyIyYQTnt3fS9lLrGjCryiKuomWlOcUNYjnko3BUWpRtc4pN6UNPfrAUMBSmu0yhi_AD-hLQdU91717FYv_j5OCfzkgJ_DOakC-5iocLw_neJX3IFgP0JfBUDyx_pv9IfzqQtmVIzEkndhxUsA/w480-h640/IMG_0029.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Take my word for it, RH had hardly turned around and all our resident crows and bluejays were fighting over their dessert of the day. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Eugene Walters Lemon Filling:</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">1 1/2 cups sugar</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">1/4 cup cornstarch</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">1/8 teaspoon salt</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">2 eggs, lightly beaten</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">2 tablespoons butter, cut into 1/4 inch bits</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">2 tablespoons finely grated fresh lemon peel</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">2/3 cup strained fresh lemon juice [I did not strain it]<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">1 cup water</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Combine the sugar, cornstarch, salt and 2 beaten eggs in a heavy 2 quart saucepan and mix well with a wire whisk or wooden spoon. Stir in the butter bits, lemon peel, lemon juice, and water. When all ingredients are well blended, set pan over high heat.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Stirring the filling mixture constantly, bring to a boil over high heat. Immediately reduce heat to low and continue to stir until the filling is smooth and thick enough to coat the spoon heavily. Scrape the filling into a bowl with a spatula, and let it cool to room temperature.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">What's top of <i>your </i>baking list for Christmas?</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTBGn7r_7n4frAw4ACSYVjNWWG9MWJqn1gu9yOprnFHe8krs-GXLBuiwwQxR1f9N3wOxAYf3c_A2r2OqhLXW7OIHeH5qBY_JqkK9OJDz2qSCDmfmzTJyXJeSCBkKZySa0LJIUUKSUg8bCqqMGioQd7NamGaYQ12XH9gy9CYQIytT4pbCxCSVQSD36EbA/s1849/WHC%20jan%201938%20graphic%20for%20Christmas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1849" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTBGn7r_7n4frAw4ACSYVjNWWG9MWJqn1gu9yOprnFHe8krs-GXLBuiwwQxR1f9N3wOxAYf3c_A2r2OqhLXW7OIHeH5qBY_JqkK9OJDz2qSCDmfmzTJyXJeSCBkKZySa0LJIUUKSUg8bCqqMGioQd7NamGaYQ12XH9gy9CYQIytT4pbCxCSVQSD36EbA/w276-h640/WHC%20jan%201938%20graphic%20for%20Christmas.jpg" width="276" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /> </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /> </span></span><br /><br /></p>Dewenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330797553600987145noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4025769640802524983.post-62618156426877999462022-11-29T16:39:00.000-08:002022-11-29T16:39:00.328-08:00Our Thanksgiving Day<p> <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Oh dear, looks as if I'm once again slipping in an only post for the month at the tail end of the month. This November calendar page is too pretty not to share.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvL1y_F9sjTm0isbbnj0tG-XUipIHw5ct4ryHxqqdnENaZpOXhiqzZBQtyHkafZZVf9aF0z8-6iuvkxOEMi4eHsZ0FSQWexs4WfIYZdf-Ptrm_lAhqYUH58eOxuK405w_3PJrIpc9BA3OfHSC0NE7baCX1_3P3H4zZg4-6X0mjddcfThKaLRJDU-T5bg/s1067/IMG_2960.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvL1y_F9sjTm0isbbnj0tG-XUipIHw5ct4ryHxqqdnENaZpOXhiqzZBQtyHkafZZVf9aF0z8-6iuvkxOEMi4eHsZ0FSQWexs4WfIYZdf-Ptrm_lAhqYUH58eOxuK405w_3PJrIpc9BA3OfHSC0NE7baCX1_3P3H4zZg4-6X0mjddcfThKaLRJDU-T5bg/w480-h640/IMG_2960.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">I know Thanksgiving Day in the U.S. is over and Christmas in our friendly skies of social media has long begun but I'll stop to record our Thanksgiving Day and then try to get with the program.</span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Our Thanksgiving Day:</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">There were lots of dishes to wash, even for dinner for two. This was not the year for the clan to gather, due to one thing or another. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAOx8nKQVA-5fZWRqUaPVEJ16AZNu5PYXElPbCUz8w7ikVe1MNJc8Io9fduBqFcddeQRhm9xUgFNvp9JWD5P-cHrt_VhMVNwEa_9h5XTrKPIwSpPupbL6AOkqlYKm86pqk9cDcmmQohFrySANeKY3QZ4DnWTDHg_4d58310rWqbdhJJWQ05CPyZM8YXg/s1031/IMG_3004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1031" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAOx8nKQVA-5fZWRqUaPVEJ16AZNu5PYXElPbCUz8w7ikVe1MNJc8Io9fduBqFcddeQRhm9xUgFNvp9JWD5P-cHrt_VhMVNwEa_9h5XTrKPIwSpPupbL6AOkqlYKm86pqk9cDcmmQohFrySANeKY3QZ4DnWTDHg_4d58310rWqbdhJJWQ05CPyZM8YXg/w310-h400/IMG_3004.jpg" width="310" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;">I made buttermilk biscuits to go with our breakfast and saved four of them for my cornbread dressing, making the cornbread the day before and thawing out a few slices of sourdough bread. And my cranberry sauce was waiting in the fridge. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">After breakfast I made the pies up quickly. Pecan, an old favorite recipe that doesn't call for any corn syrup, only a pound of brown sugar, 3 eggs beaten, 2 eggshells of milk, a big splash of vanilla, some salt and lots of pecans. And a chess pie, of course, RH taking some of both to share with family. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Next we put a turkey <i>breast </i>in to roast, but used my old <i>Bon Appetit </i>recipe where I baste the turkey with a mixture of maple syrup and Calvados. Then I mixed up the cornbread dressing (the onions, celery, and parsley chopped after breakfast) and popped it into the oven as soon as the turkey came out, adding in the drippings from that.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I ended up deleting all my food pictures I was going to use here because, well they were just food, but have to show you my dressing because it was so pretty this year. And so delicious!<br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj62lfkPYrNaw6czXJHlqxlfn29wyVsGcqwaSFOhnxQ7EZwRDf8jpjfXNL0rVkZHqzp-pVxatyQTQNWClHhFx2mMdkPmi9e4ddWgUc8uA-eWU0bcBfN8WIFRV88vttgPY69bEwXpbOixHvx0FSP4_ogHZj_ZO0UzIGfZhG6cXrh348m6rEP9MdtoD_Kog/s911/IMG_3041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="911" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj62lfkPYrNaw6czXJHlqxlfn29wyVsGcqwaSFOhnxQ7EZwRDf8jpjfXNL0rVkZHqzp-pVxatyQTQNWClHhFx2mMdkPmi9e4ddWgUc8uA-eWU0bcBfN8WIFRV88vttgPY69bEwXpbOixHvx0FSP4_ogHZj_ZO0UzIGfZhG6cXrh348m6rEP9MdtoD_Kog/w562-h640/IMG_3041.jpg" width="562" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">We really fudged on the rest of the meal, no homemade rolls, only a partial package of Bridgport rolls in the back of the freezer that I put out to rise after breakfast, brushing them with butter and sprinkling celery salt on them. Try that on your rolls sometime!</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">There were no family casseroles, something that would have been unthinkable in the old days. I didn't even have the energy left to put the fresh asparagus I'd bought into the oven. By afternoon I did well just to set the table for our Thanksgiving for two.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivsQfqh6Vu71AaLRP3VHd7bFn9mB6SyFgG8tZX76bhrpOs9RkrFiTM1ulxTM1eqeuMMMIOWmH1QTqgt0CV5opZ54neSaKnz81arqA7YmC5tDeGwL1h38aD3Jp7jlbNUSlYJ11mFiX__RgRHqitBOP4yziDcmVntG6HzxAjhwJTlYwpC9RC9jjxfSi7GA/s800/IMG_3022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivsQfqh6Vu71AaLRP3VHd7bFn9mB6SyFgG8tZX76bhrpOs9RkrFiTM1ulxTM1eqeuMMMIOWmH1QTqgt0CV5opZ54neSaKnz81arqA7YmC5tDeGwL1h38aD3Jp7jlbNUSlYJ11mFiX__RgRHqitBOP4yziDcmVntG6HzxAjhwJTlYwpC9RC9jjxfSi7GA/w640-h480/IMG_3022.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">My vintage damask tablecloth with beautiful pheasants on it was left hanging in the closet and two placemats went on the table instead.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">But my very old Spode dinner plates were a given. Here's a good picture of them.<br /> </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgTKeybEte9mcznRPck0xBzhO839JWe_UMBj8Yn7rLv8NkWdAlaVjo8XNjS_pXKukXAPPlDB_Hj8AvHuHrUJ5k0dJ3wAxFdzsL3WMQWnlXEG8HdLjtUHH6OnQ36jZmhoSeM6Kglc0e9Q-ao_afzPFk842c7UGq85J6dF5RhXA14PkBQmDBN6WQIk9uwQ/s929/IMG_8743.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="929" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgTKeybEte9mcznRPck0xBzhO839JWe_UMBj8Yn7rLv8NkWdAlaVjo8XNjS_pXKukXAPPlDB_Hj8AvHuHrUJ5k0dJ3wAxFdzsL3WMQWnlXEG8HdLjtUHH6OnQ36jZmhoSeM6Kglc0e9Q-ao_afzPFk842c7UGq85J6dF5RhXA14PkBQmDBN6WQIk9uwQ/w552-h640/IMG_8743.jpg" width="552" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;">Aren't they gorgeous? I found 11 plates of them on eBay over fifteen years ago. Oh wait, here's a picture of the damask cloth and the plates where I set the Thanksgiving table many years ago at Valley View!</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4OAlA6UV8dYHfW3nM46t0Yt3HSyXwO0AaAm8sKaMfoWUyrTqtg5GM0kDxCXY91ppqnNnVOQZABSErX0FsJaNCVbwsP-A0VFeyRes10V4zuKFIa0r_Qxh-eU8qcQlggHRCf59bBHyRIOn9dQpCdw4myJvA4F1X5wOuwxnM0DXLZIouSr0VTqgm-R7PQQ/s944/Family%20Pics%20178.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="944" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4OAlA6UV8dYHfW3nM46t0Yt3HSyXwO0AaAm8sKaMfoWUyrTqtg5GM0kDxCXY91ppqnNnVOQZABSErX0FsJaNCVbwsP-A0VFeyRes10V4zuKFIa0r_Qxh-eU8qcQlggHRCf59bBHyRIOn9dQpCdw4myJvA4F1X5wOuwxnM0DXLZIouSr0VTqgm-R7PQQ/w542-h640/Family%20Pics%20178.jpg" width="542" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">And another year there when some of our children must have been dining with the in-laws so a smaller table was set in my kitchen. Looks like a pumpkin tablecloth was used that year.<br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0T6Gb-MyZwV5j_dhsJUGAiefqfaY70ZxlLlrqwoIOkiaMMS6TA69xgiicErvc3qEjMUT6kI5n0uJroF6bjVnw0Kuspj4Bvkl5RSaIeeFVrEZCMKipWmB91vR0wmKNE8mTOMk9UbKgAeQI1yTRzYG9zgOH74ZY3A_fuNQEyuNtVSKJHGqaorAlkBb_rQ/s800/IMG_0070.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0T6Gb-MyZwV5j_dhsJUGAiefqfaY70ZxlLlrqwoIOkiaMMS6TA69xgiicErvc3qEjMUT6kI5n0uJroF6bjVnw0Kuspj4Bvkl5RSaIeeFVrEZCMKipWmB91vR0wmKNE8mTOMk9UbKgAeQI1yTRzYG9zgOH74ZY3A_fuNQEyuNtVSKJHGqaorAlkBb_rQ/w640-h426/IMG_0070.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /> Now I'm going all mushy missing those days at Valley View and the kids that sat around the table. Must get back to our 2022 <i>table au deux.</i></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I simply must point out my favorite autumn glasses with pheasants. I dearly love them!</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ufk3AZ9Zxh0cf15k8FBDGENLZlOXJhZK6SEdYvHanRA2eBndBdvzbIU9eL7Rv02L77R6AbfxLm41_KTzn7VXEOduL2kn2cz3EPEPwnXazz7j9XtsQrkpl57YVGlt2MTu4FrnNE1UCuARC9F85dPYjTSvfZHqKBqoUa9Odfb5X8FSU8vADn_0tGsc8Q/s1067/IMG_3051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ufk3AZ9Zxh0cf15k8FBDGENLZlOXJhZK6SEdYvHanRA2eBndBdvzbIU9eL7Rv02L77R6AbfxLm41_KTzn7VXEOduL2kn2cz3EPEPwnXazz7j9XtsQrkpl57YVGlt2MTu4FrnNE1UCuARC9F85dPYjTSvfZHqKBqoUa9Odfb5X8FSU8vADn_0tGsc8Q/w480-h640/IMG_3051.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">And the cranberry sauce went into the two little bouillon cups that I saved from a whole set of them when we downsized. They're Royal from Austria.</span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><i> </i></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKA1zkC1wcPf837wmpXpOk-9J7Ax8qOwMt0DC6ioi072Ldl-_oHmLfRzYzB0mD_w_hcXbAW7U_ER4WJ8z18dYRKjZOZLcqxqbR0saLMQusdCIWD43fdqyUYiB1LvchxCfVfYozCmo5gRmB-SsJBVOUQLu3BxIAN48U3X3R6sS5QmPmhlVfBkpVc6gkpg/s760/IMG_3049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="648" data-original-width="760" height="341" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKA1zkC1wcPf837wmpXpOk-9J7Ax8qOwMt0DC6ioi072Ldl-_oHmLfRzYzB0mD_w_hcXbAW7U_ER4WJ8z18dYRKjZOZLcqxqbR0saLMQusdCIWD43fdqyUYiB1LvchxCfVfYozCmo5gRmB-SsJBVOUQLu3BxIAN48U3X3R6sS5QmPmhlVfBkpVc6gkpg/w400-h341/IMG_3049.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">And that's it, folks, our Thanksgiving Day meal, without the casseroles or fresh broccoli or asparagus or homemade rolls. I truly didn't mind because my dressing and the cranberry sauce is always my favorite part of the Thanksgiving dinner.</span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ug0Wwwhj33Qipxt53-9VuyuG3UuDwGOA35Sy6qF-PUBaoEPgPBYJ76gxh369nqWxBGZEujVt-mQVgKGEpXGn-Zbm3GqdGtOuy0XOA3Un9loCfRil_uZWTFEr5HHxetMIKm-jPxxmix231FqvGfnq4b5HziDCEZDdbAxU_0eeCqBX7vUBzosfSo6Uzw/s1067/IMG_3046.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ug0Wwwhj33Qipxt53-9VuyuG3UuDwGOA35Sy6qF-PUBaoEPgPBYJ76gxh369nqWxBGZEujVt-mQVgKGEpXGn-Zbm3GqdGtOuy0XOA3Un9loCfRil_uZWTFEr5HHxetMIKm-jPxxmix231FqvGfnq4b5HziDCEZDdbAxU_0eeCqBX7vUBzosfSo6Uzw/w480-h640/IMG_3046.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /> We'd kept the dishes washed all day and the dishwasher empty so we put the food away and cleaned up the kitchen quickly, washed up the pretty pieces of china, etc., that I wouldn't put in the dishwasher come hell or high water, and we were done.</span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Ready to snuggle with the dachshunds in front of the television. Don't ask me what we watched. I'm still too tired to remember.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Don't shake your head. Some day you too might be too tired at the end of the day to do anything other than stare at the television and not remember what you watched. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">In my defense, I've been through two months of worsening back pain, until I can honestly claim it was excruciating. To the orthopedist where an X-ray showed a compression fracture and all the worry that went with that possibility. Next a MRI and then two weeks later a followup appointment where I thankfully learned that it was not a compression fracture! Just arthritis and some degenerative disc damage. My physical therapist was glad to hear that and now has me on more aggressive therapy.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">RH will be very glad when he no longer has to unload the bottom shelf of the dishwasher, get the laundry out of the dryer, and vacuum--what am I thinking? There's no way I want to start doing the vacuuming! Not when he's so good at it.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPThFK-Rm66buf7q9NidS5wu8JCM1BSi24_mvvu_TzYrUV0-2XnQO3K4qDJNB0XjPIOEW2iQVldkTIO8HZ36J9_oR9Z73jMxTKCmNyGlG1z_53KnJoYl6f2WgGAFNNvrF24nDm2iiroADWdSDoZJ0GURAX4DX8EVfbBI78oRaL8_9GcF8c-hj3ktix5A/s1067/IMG_2972.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPThFK-Rm66buf7q9NidS5wu8JCM1BSi24_mvvu_TzYrUV0-2XnQO3K4qDJNB0XjPIOEW2iQVldkTIO8HZ36J9_oR9Z73jMxTKCmNyGlG1z_53KnJoYl6f2WgGAFNNvrF24nDm2iiroADWdSDoZJ0GURAX4DX8EVfbBI78oRaL8_9GcF8c-hj3ktix5A/w300-h400/IMG_2972.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Men should always do the man stuff, don't you think? Like fishing and hunting and vacuuming? </span></span><br /><p></p>Dewenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07330797553600987145noreply@blogger.com10