Cooking Hints 6-10

Digital Photograph - The Big Grey Barn

The Big Grey Barn

Thought I would share this big old barn with you. I am leaving for the weekend with my cousin, her daughter and her two kids to go visit my Mother. They are going to do the tourist thing in D.C. I am just going to see my Mother, my nephews, hang out, and take some pictures. Hope you all have a great weekend!

Vegetable and Fruit Collage Sheet #1

Vegetable Collage Sheet 1

I started looking for images tonight to go along with some kitchen hints I ran across in the middle of one of my journals. I often write down a recipe or a book someone recommends on a blank page, sometime later I will run across it and try the recipe or get the book. Tonight I ran across some cooking hints.
Looking the images I could not decide on one or two so I thought "Why not make some collage sheets?" I have not made any of those in a long time. I am not sure why,but anyway I made four of them tonight. I like them all. I think they are very Springy and would be nice in a garden journal. I will share them all this week along with a few household hints.
These collage sheets can be printed on 8 1/2 by 11 inch paper. Also,left click on the image. Then hit open link in a new window. Then left click and you will get the large size image. Hit save image and then print it. Hope you like.

Cooking Hints 1-5

Digital Photograph - The Pink Flower

Another view of a pink Rhododendron.

This reminds me of a Georgia

O'Keeffe painting.

Quote #16 - Grow

Four Letter Words - Grow

Digital Photograph - Pink Rhododendron Flowers

Digital Photograph - A Working Barn



I found this barn one afternoon after a trip to Dairy Queen with my cousin. The barn just called out to me to take her picture. This is a working barn. Someone stores things here and animals use it for shelter.It is nice to run across a barn that someone actually is using and it is not falling completely down. 



Flash and Shine...

I have been polishing away. The wine glasses to the left were a gift for my 25th birthday. Note the birds.

These are my boys baby cups. The silver champagnes are from my weddings.

This is one of my grandmother's tea sets that I inherited. The blue vase is a Tiffany. My favorite vase is the green depression glass vase of my grandmother's. Note the birds.

The etched wines were my grandmother's. Here are lots of just things I love. Note the birds.

Here is the tea set my mother carried back on her lap from China for me. I love it. I am a big tea drinker so this meant so much to me. Note the birds.

I thought I would share one of the shiny part of my new home with you. This is my china cabinet in the dining room. I have been spending days polishing and cleaning. It feels so good to have these familiar objects out and about to see.

The birds I keep noting are from Victorian times. Once upon a time a bought an antique box of tea inside was one of these birds. From then on I was hooked. I have been collecting them for years. I guess the Chinese put them in the boxes of tea as give aways. Sort of like the prizes in Cracker Jacks or cereal boxes. Victorian women would collect them. The most rare are the animal ones. The birds were fairly common. I like birds so birds are good for me. However, I do have several animals. I love them all.

Thought I would share these with you! Hope you enjoy!

p.s. the original post of this and the comments were deleted. I do not know if I did this or blogger. This is my best reconstruction.

Mother's Day Freebies

Two sweet little ones with bows in their hair. I love Mom's glasses.

Love the babies dress. So much work. I am always amazed that these women are able to keep their hair in place. My would be falling everywhere. No amount of bobby pins ever keeps it in place.

Look in those Mother's eyes and see love. I love this picture of three generations of women.

This is a very proud and happy Momma. Beautiful child. I am thinking it is a little boy because of the way they have parted his hair. I love how they use to let little boys grow their hair and have curls.



This Mama definitely has her hands full. That older one with the bow looks like he is full of mischief.  Such a sweet smile.



Here is a styling Mom and her son. He has the cutes little shoes on and I love her pearls with the pendant on them. The big sleeves on her jacket. A lot of thought and love went into this picture.

This is wonderful. Mom certainly can say the apple does not fall far from the tree with these two. They are adorable. I love how the photographer did the halo effect around the mother. I can not even imagine how much wash this poor woman has to do. All by hand also. I do not think they had washing machines then. If they did they were not like the ones we are lucky enough to have.

I am late getting my freebies out. And I am late wishing all you Mom's, Mama's, Mother's,Nana's,Mimi's and Grandmother's a Happy Mother's Day. I spent the day relaxing and catching up with two of my boy's. A lovely dinner with them and we actually moved a few boxes and went through a few others. A nice phone call with two others of my boys and a beautiful text from my son across the ocean.We usually talk the day after the holiday or special day so he can work for whomever has family in town.]That makes five sons if anyone is counting. All and all it was a wonderful day. Oh yes I must mention that I love my cards.I hope you all had a wonderful day with your children, with your mother or grandmother, someone who is special in your life. Today was a day  for remembering all the good times and those special moments you share with those you love. I have been blessed with a wonderful grandmother who loved me to death, an incredible mother who still teaches me how to mother and to be a woman I can be proud of, and sweet boys who have taught me more about life, myself, and given me more joy than I ever thought possible. Sweet blessings! Hope your day was full of

possibilities.

Digital Photograph - a door knob

I found this little beauty in a little mountain town near my home. I love the color of the door with the rusty patina of the door knob. I have not posted a door or knob in awhile. Thought I would start this rainy day off with something I love.

Digital Journal Page...Listen to Your Heart

This is advice that actually has some relevance to me right now. If I do not listen to my heart at this stage of life, I am in for some real disappointment. Do you always listen to your heart or are you following someone elses? [Some credits in helping me make this page - deviant textures, Tim Holtz stamp, a French Graffiti artist.]

Happy Birthday!



Just wanted to send out a Happy Birthday to my youngest son today. It seems like just yesterday. You truly were the best Mother's Day present I have ever had. You have turned into a gentle, kind, talented and remarkable man. If I could give you just one thing it would be Happiness. Enjoy your special day!  p.s. Love from all of "the Brothers".

Goodbye Maurice Sendak



Goodbye Maurice Sendak. I was so sorry to read of your passing this morning. You gave me and my boys so much joy reading your stories and enjoying the books you illustrated. We love the "Bears" series you illustrated. I read Where the Wild Things Are to my son Max every night at least once for many years and I do mean years. It was so refreshing to read about children that were a little grouchy and afraid, with attitude - just like real children in your books. Thank you again for all the wonderful bedtimes you gave to my boys and I. Peace to you Mr. Sendak.

Digital Photograph - The Window

It has been awhile since I have posted a window. I went downtown tonight and ate a birthday dinner with my youngest son,one of his brothers, his girlfriend
and his girlfriend's mother.
It was a lovely evening. The weather was very nice, the restaurant gave us a nice table by the open window so we could enjoy the night, and the food was very good.
The thing I liked the most was the company. Seeing two of my boys together was a treat. I love my son's girlfriend, and her mom and I were completing each other's sentences in no time. As I walked to my car I thought about all the nice buildings here. How downtown is really a thriving downtown.
Most of all I am so lucky to be where I am with so many people I love. Happy Birthday dear son, you have given me such joy.
I wish you happiness.

 I love this window. The peeling paint, the grunge, the rust of the metal along the panes, and the delicate fabric used for a curtain is such a contrast to the roughness of the brick. Isn't that a lot like life? The rough and tumble
along with the smooth and easy.
The ying and yang of life.

Digital Photograph - Peony

Peony

I found this beautiful Peony in one of the small mountain towns near my home. Last weekend and part of last week my cousin from Charleston came up to help me unpack and hang out. We spent one afternoon exploring and walking around this small town taking pictures and talking. Boxes get quite tedious after a while. This flower reminded me of the colors of my house. I hope you enjoy it.

Quotes #15 - how you made them Feel

Four Letter Words - Feel

A little more white pottery...

Here is an oak cupboard that is in the eating area of my kitchen. It is full of white pottery and ironstone. These things make me happy and I actually use most of the pieces. I have not unpacked all of my ironstone so everything is subject to change. The handcarved crow on the spindle is from a little furniture store in North Carolina. The owners friend carves them.

A look in my kitchen...

Today one of my son's helped me put up these shelves in my kitchen. Thought I would share the new cooktop and countertops with you. I still need to touch up the wall where the backsplash is. I think I will do all the touch ups at one time.

Here is a closer look at the shelves. I decided to use my "white" pottery on them. Some of these pieces are from my grandmother, others I have picked up along the way. I love the way the pottery looks against the creamy walls. I used Benjamin Moore Antique Linen over the house with white trim. The bathrooms are all white as is all of my downstairs studio areas. I think it looks very clean.

This shelf was original to the house. It sits in the corner of my kitchen next to the huge floor length window. I put these lovely two inch white blinds on all the windows of my house. The one for the big window is immense, still lets in tons of light but the birds do not fly into it any more. I thought I had really weeded through all my stuff before I moved. Downsizing is hard. You never know what will fit or what you will like till you see it in place. I am amazed at how much I still want to get rid of. I am trying to keep only what has meaning to me and what I really love. The rest can go. Any advice on how to go about this is needed and will be heeded.