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| Birthday with a special friend |
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| A cowboy and an Indian. Just love this. |
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| This reminds me of my Brother. Hating to have his picture taken, but so proud of the fish he has caught. |
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| Vrooooom |
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| Chimney |
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| Banana Pudding Pie
I have been craving comfort food lately. Maybe it is the change of the seasons. The cooler nights. Whatever it is, Banana Pudding Pie is one of those comfort foods I have been wanting. This is the "from scratch recipe". It is just as easy as substituting a store bought crust and vanilla pudding. It just tastes so much better. It is very easy and most of all you deserve it!
Crust:
2 cups of crushed vanilla wafer cookies
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
Filling:
3 medium bananas, thinly sliced
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 3/4 cups whole milk
4 large egg yolks
4 tablespoons unsalted butter,cubed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Get out a nine inch pie plate.
For the crust: In a medium bowl, stir together the crushed vanilla wafer cookies, butter and salt. Using the bottom of the measuring cup, press the mixture into bottom and up the sides of the pie plate.
Bake until light golden brown, approximately 10 minutes. Set on a wire rack to cool.
For the Filling: Place sliced bananas in bottom of cooled crust. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, combine the brown sugar, cornstarch and salt. Whisk in milk and egg yolks until combined.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 10 minutes.
Remove from heat. Stir in butter and vanilla.
Spoon the filling over the bananas on the crust. Let cool for 10 minutes. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the filling. Refrigerate until firm, about 3 hours. To Serve: Spread whipped cream or a whipped topping on the surface of the filling. Garnish with whole cookies around the edges and cookie crumbs on top. Enjoy! |
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| Turning into Fall
Everywhere I turn the signs of Fall are here. The nights are getting cooler. I am seeing flocks of birds in the sky. The maples have started to turn into gold. Leaves are falling.
Every year I wonder if I am ready for Fall. It is one of the prettiest seasons. Then again I can find beauty in all of the seasons. Makes it hard to like one season over another.
Fall is full of apples, spices, soups and stews. Crisp air. Beautiful scenery. The beginning of the end so to speak. I have learned to appreciate what each season represents and has to offer. Time to go apple picking.
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| Love her collar and the lace around her neck. |
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| Doesn't she look fearless standing there |
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| Those eyes |
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| Sisters - Friends for life |
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| She looks like she is ready to go conquer the world Today I scanned some backgrounds I created with my phone and some paint into my printer. From there I scanned them into my computer. I then scanned some Cabinet Cards from my printer into my computer. From there I made these digital collages. Lots of fun to play with. The backgrounds were pure play and fun. Something I needed on a dreary day. Hope you enjoy them. |
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| Dahlia
I grew Dahlia's this year in big pots by my garage. The yellow and red of the Dahlia's look so beautiful with the orangey brick of my 60's mid century modern ranch.
I took this picture with my new phone. I love how the droplets of rainwater you can see. The picture feels wet to me. I am having so much fun taking photographs.
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| Breaker Boys |
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| Cranberry Pickers |
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| Beet Harvesters |
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| Cotton Picker |
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| Factory Workers |
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| Shoe Shiner in the Bowery
These images represent what we should be celebrating this Labor Day. The Laws that guarantee everyone in this wonderful country that when you are at work you have rules and regulations that make sure you are safe.
That our children are in schools not factories or some other dangerous place.
That they are getting an education.
I look at these pictures by Lewis Hines and others and wonder if I could ever have let my boys leave the house to work in such conditions. Hard to believe that just a few decades ago I would have thought this was normal.
Today would have been my father's 95th birthday. Happy Birthday Daddy! I miss him everyday, several times a day. I woke up thinking how ironic it was that today was his birthday. As I watched the sun rise over the mountains I remembered some of his stories.
You see my father was greatly affected by the Depression. His mother died. He and his brothers were sent to live with his grandmother. They had to earn their keep. My dad started out the morning at the local dairy. He and his brothers delivered the milk. My father ran the milk bottles to the different houses. Picked up the used bottles and left the full bottles. He had trouble with one of his thumbs where one of the bottles broke and he was cut. Another time, he was running across the street to get back to the milk truck and was hit by a car. Thank goodness the cars were light weight then.
All of this was done before school. After school he delivered papers. It was a big deal when he finally was able to get a used bicycle. Living in Central Florida where there are lots of Orange Groves. He worked afternoons and weekends picking oranges and sometimes Pecans. There was very little time to do anything but work, study and church. He was kept very busy.
My Father had such a way of telling us stories. They were not just about the hardships but about how their hard work paid off. He told me once he was such a good football player in high school and college because he had dodged so many things delivering milk. I would give anything to hear another story. To ask another question.
I wondered today if I had taught my boys enough. If they had heard enough stories. Would they continue to grow into such great hard working men. As I looked across the valley and the sun shone on me, I realized I have to have faith. Just like all those mother's who sent their boys into the mines, or to the factories and fields. They will be safe, they will work hard, they know the stories.
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| This is a paper insert for a cigar box. I thought it was very interesting. Probably was from a batch of cigars and boxes that was handed out to men on Labor Day to show appreciation for a job well done. |
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| A wagon full of secretaries! |
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| The Brewers are out in full force |
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| Love the State Butcher's Aprons! |
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| Asking housewives to support union label goods. This is something we should all be doing. Supporting American workers and their products. |
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| Beauty Queens of the Labor Unions. I love it! |
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| The Dashboard
I found this old car sitting in a field not
to long ago. I was just fascinated by the simplicity of this dashboard. A clock, a lighter, I place for the key and a button for the heater. That's all folks. Now there are
so many things on the dashboard that it takes a few weeks to learn them all. Sometimes even then you are still learning what all it can do. I am not sure it is all necessary. I feel like sometimes it is just more "stuff" to
complicate my life. Though I am told it is to make my life easier. I like Simple.
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| Pimento Cheese
I thought I would share this recipe for Pimento Cheese with you this Labor Day Weekend. It is a staple in most Southern kitchens. Every women in my family makes
it and every recipe is delicious. My
mother and cousin Barbara are probably
the reigning queen's of Pimento Cheese.
My youngest son makes a mean Pimento
Cheese,also.
Cherry Peppers or Pimentos
First I want to talk about what is a
Pimento? It is a Cherry pepper. It is
very mild and sweet. Very low on the hot
scale. I buy them in the jar. However, you
can make your own by buying the peppers and
preparing them. Just saute them and slice them up.
My recipe is:
2 cups of shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
1 8 ounce package of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup of mayonnaise
1 4 ounce jar of diced or sliced pimentos, drained
Okay that is the basic recipe. Now you can add all sorts of stuff according to your taste. I am giving you what I add to make it delicious.
1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon of onion powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
a dash of Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste.
Once you have assembled your ingredients put them all in a large bowl. Take your mixer and mix on medium to combine all the ingredients. Salt and pepper to taste.
Refrigerate to set up around a half hour or so.
Now you have made your Pimento Cheese you can decide how to eat it. There are so many ways. You can serve it as a dip with crackers. Here in the South we like it as a sandwich spread. Two pieces of white bread, spread on the Pimento Cheese. I like my crust cut off. Or, a grilled Pimento Cheese for breakfast or lunch is delicious.
Into the dinner hour, Pimento Cheese makes a great stuffing for chicken breast. Slice them open, put in a spoonful or two of Pimento Cheese. Close with a toothpick or string. Brown chicken breast in frying pan then put in a baking pan and bake till chicken is done. Delicious.
Don't forget Pimento Cheese and your burgers. It make a wonderful topping. Or you can fill your burger with Pimento Cheese, grill, add a thick slice of tomato and have a truly gourmet taste treat.
Of course there is the BLT with Pimento Cheese, either grilled or not. Did I mention Pimento Cheese spread on an English Muffin with your favorite egg on top? The list goes on and on. Truly a versatile and staple to any kitchen. Enjoy.
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| 1904 Parade Float |
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| Cruising Down Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington D.C. with the Capital in the backgroud |
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| Waiting for the Parade |
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| The Baker's Union . Detroit is/was one of the big Union cities. They are all for worker's rights. The Unions hold big power. |
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| 1913 Suffragettes marching in the local parade. How much these women suffered so I could have the right to vote. I admire them more than words can say. Still waiting for equal rights! We are going into Labor Day Weekend so I thought these vintage photographs would be fun to share. I will post some more tomorrow. These might be fun copied and put in ball jars with candles for your labor day table. Or a nice banner made with them. Enjoy! |
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| Marbled Paper |
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| Marbled Paper
I found this marbled paper at a local auction. I thought
it was beautiful. I love the colors they used. Thought I would share them with you.
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| Face Jugs |
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| Hand Carved Rabbit |
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| Clocks
One of my all time favorite things to do is go to auctions. My love first developed when I was in college and living
on a bare minimum. I had to find ways to make everything stretch. I bought dishes and glasses, linens and quilts, artwork and pottery all for pennies. Most of it I still have.
Auctions really speak about the people who live in the area. Each one is different. Each one is always filled
with amazing things. They might not be something you want to take home with you but they are definitely worthy of your consideration.
I have seen so many different things at auctions. Whole houses broken down and sold in a weekend. Owners and relatives gathered round watching as their lives are scattered in moments. I have to tell myself that these things have found a new home, a new life. That is not something to be sad about.
This is a place where deals are made and people get
carried away. You always hope that you will witness a
minor feud over something. One person always leaves with the spoils. You can spot the different people pretty quickly.
The young couple looking for a few things to make their home theirs. They want a story to tell their friends. The dealers - the women who collect glass or dolls, the
sisters or friends that run a very profitable shop, the older men who look at the tools, the clocks, the way a piece of furniture is made then swoop in and buy.
These people are great resources. They can help you with the lay of the land. They often know whose belongings are up for sale, who is interested in what. I try to get there early, look everything over, get a good seat, talk to as many people as possible. You can figure out who and what
is going on pretty quickly.
The food at these auctions is usually pretty good. I usually eat before and have dessert there. The desserts
are usually homemade and delicious. Exclaim when you eat them. Let people know you enjoy the whole experience. Make some new friends. Even if it is for just a night. If you keep going you will run into a lot of the same people.
Some auction advice -
Decide what you what to buy, how much you are willing to pay and stick with it.
Do not go with any preconceived ideas about what you are looking for or want.
Yes, you can think I need a dresser, or a chest or maybe a table. Think vague.
Don't let what you think you want get in the way of the possibilities.
Sometimes auctions will be selling someone's collections
or a antique shop, or a household. It is ever changing.
The last auction I went to was selling a dealer's collection and shop of primitive antiques. The face jugs and hand carved rabbit were just a few of the things there. The prices were high. He was a well known collector and he had great taste. He bought authentic things and had been
in the business long enough to have a reputation.
I was fortunate enough to buy two of those face jugs. (the three sided blue jug on the bottom left and the large
brown and round face jug next to it)I also bought two beautiful paintings by an Atlanta artist I was familiar with and a Texas artist I was not. I had no expectations when I walked in.
The hand carved rabbit and several other hand carved pieces went for several hundred dollars. The clocks were sort of sad. They went below prices I had seen years ago. I bemoaned this with one of the gentlemen there. He told me he thought it was because there are no longer that many people who can fix clocks. The young people do not want clocks anymore. They all use their phones. True, I thought. It is an ever changing world. I hope you will get out and experience an auction or two. Let me know what you think.
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