Yummy, Yummy, Yummy

 My sister and brother in law came to visit this week.  One of the nights they were here, they took us to eat at the Inn where they were staying.....  And here are a couple of pics.  The first was an excellent chicken dish with rather fancy presentation.  The whole meal was beautifully presented AND most important.... excellent.

 

And the next picture shows me with my dessert.  The Pastry Chef at this Inn was a contestant on "Hell's Kitchen" on the Fox tv network  and came in third.  SHE is very good and creative.  I loved the look of my dessert and it tasted good too. It was a chocolate mousse.

(If you look closely at my hands you can see the thumb splints I have to wear 

because of very bad arthritis in my thumbs!

Now, we don't always eat like that, mostly because I enjoy cooking and over the years I have learned to cook in ways that my husband likes too. But it was a wonderful treat and we enjoyed the evening and of course the visit with my sister and her husband.

We had another friend here for dinner last night.  Here is what we had from my kitchen.  Not quite as fancy presentation (I will have to work on that!!!  LOL) But very good anyway.

The Salad was a spinach salad with cut up oranges, fresh grated Parmesan cheese, some slices of red pepper, a sprinkling of  sugared Walnuts and dried cranberries and a Raspberry Vinaigrette.

And served with herb bread.

Next, I made sweet potato fries sprinkled with dried cranberries. They were baked not fried.

And finally we had Chicken Shish K Bob, with chicken, peppers and onions.  They were grilled.

It was all YUMMY.

And lest we forget, we also had dessert...  It was a Boston Creme Pie, from the Bakery at the grocery store.

We have definitely eaten well this week and it isn't over yet since Father's Day festivities are coming up.  Maybe I will have more food pics on Monday.

Happy Father's Day to any dad's that might read this.

Second TeaCup Tuesday in June

Here I am again.....
This week I thought I would show a couple of "different" cup and saucers.  These are the traditional cup but instead of a saucer they have had plate.  So you save dishwahing later I suppose.... don't need a separate plate.  The have a small indent to the side of the plate where the cup sits.

This first set is made by Tuscan, Fine Bone China.

I couldn't find a name. I thought it looked very similar to the various Chintz patterns.

And this second set is by my favorite maker, Royal Albert.   It is called Orange Blossom.  I looked on line to see if I could learn more about it.  One picture that I saw showed it a LOT more vibrant... the gold part anyway.  That might have been made earlier or later.  Don't know.  And another one I found is also called Orange Blossom but it is from the Blossom series and quite different in design.  I think that one is probably newer.

 .

Hope you enjoyed today's offerings.

After you visit my post today be sure to check out  these other tea posts.

http://www.marthasfavorites.com/

or http://artfulaffirmations.blogspot.com

                                                            ALSO: Rose Chintz Cottage

Traveling Art Supplies a couple of garden pics

If you read my post on my Rust Garden you know I like to put "fun" things in my gardens.  Here are two pictures I took yesterday.   The first one is my bottle tree.

And another one of a little garden area that holds an interesting chair, among other things.   I found it at a flea market last summer,  I got it from the same guy that made the bottle tree form for me.

And here is the beginning of a new project................

We aren't on the road as much as we used to be but enough and for long enough periods that I have decided I need to make a traveling art kit...  I always seem to have to buy something I forgot to use in travel journals........
So, thanks to a post I read about on the Remains of the Day yahoo list I found a pretty good answer...........

http://caatjesartsy stuff.blogspot. nl/2012/06/ my-travelbag- of-art-supplies. html

Caatje worked out a great plan for traveling art supplies and tells all about it on her blog,  I will modify her plan a bit to suit my specific needs (because it will also require a few sewing supplies.)  But thanks to the inspiration I received from her post I am planning on getting my STUFF together for our next jaunt.

Tune in later for the pictures.  I am inspired today but my next week will be full with company and then some travel for ourselves.  So can't really do any more about this at the moment.  I will probably be making lists and starting the "planning" today.  I do have the perfect bag.  My Quarter Connection Doll house group has a convention every year and part of the gifts are usually some type of organization tools that include a carry all.  I have several items so will have to sort through and see what is most useful.

So keep in touch............
Oh yes, and tune in for another Tea Cup Tuesday.  I have one ready.........

My Rust Garden

While visiting a good friend in Maine last summer I was inspired to create a "rust garden" in my yard.  My friend uses interesting pieces of rusty junk in various spots in her gardens to add interest.  I have often included interesting items in my gardens but never really concentrated on Rusty items..... until now!

I had a small garden area that used to hold herbs.  I had pretty much stopped paying proper attention to it and the garden was getting pretty ugly....   so in the fall I cleared it out and began adding rusty items I had found and my husband had found.  I added some here and there and planted Sedums, all different varieties.  I did not know there were so many different types.  I also added a lot of hens and chicks which seem to like growing in our area.

So here are a few pictures of the garden....................

The is the rust garden cleared out, ready to receive...........

 And Bentley is on guard, ready to protect...............

The winter residue doesn't look too good in the garden but the plants survived as you shall see............

I still need to do a good overview picture but here are some pictures to show you what I have planted. And you can see the various "rusty items.  

 Here you can see that all the plants green up nicely.

                        I thought these rusty old metal gears were perfect for the hens and chicks.

And if you look closely in this picture you see an old rusty stroller (I found it in Virginia on our trip in March.)

 And   here is  "MY MAN RUSTY"    I just bought him this week at our favorite flea market in Leesport.
    for a mere $8.00.  And he is holding a gerber daisy I found for just $1.00.  Really good sales this week!

Hope you enjoyed this quick little tour!.  I will update the pics later if there are any dramatic changes. If you click on the pictures you can them bigger!

First TeaCup Tuesday in June

Just a quick visit today....
    The cup and saucer I have chosen to share with you is from Queen Anne.  I think Queen Anne makes some of the prettiest cup and saucers that I own.
                          This one features some pretty little wild roses. I was not able to find the pattern name
anywhere on line.  Maybe some of you know.  But I really like it because the flowers are in full bloom but soft and so pretty.

After you visit my post today be sure to check out  these other tea posts.

http://www.marthasfavorites.com/

or http://artfulaffirmations.blogspot.com

                                                            ALSO: Rose Chintz Cottage

Another day, another finished quilt project.

 I was UNPLEASANTLY surprised to discover I have Lyme Disease.  Too much time spent outside I guess.  But I wanted to and needed to work in my garden.  I guess I will have to be more watchful.  It was caught pretty early so a three week course of antibiotics should take care of it....  At least the doctor thinks so.
So back too better things.... like my sewing machine!

The little quilt I showed a few days ago is finished.  I have to admit it feels awfully good to be able to say finished!
 And here it is....  now, what shall I work on next..............................

I am using it as a table topper next to my bed.  I really like it and I especially like it that it is DONE!

In case you are wondering, most of my projects these days are small.  I don't need any bed sized quilts and don't have room to quilt them easily so will continue to work on the smaller sized things.

Final Tuesday in May

Hard to believe May is already almost gone.  Also hard to believe it is "only" May with all the hot summer temps we are receiving.  But here I am with another blog entry on Tea Cup Tuesday.

This time I have chosen a pretty little set I recently added for sale in my antique shop.  The manufacturer is Crown Staffordshire.  I haven't been able to find the actual name just yet.


 The pieces I have include three cup and saucer sets (I only show two here) and a sugar and creamer.

There are lots of tiny blossoms all over it including my always favorite PANSY. 

I think the sugar and creamer are as dainty as the flowers on their sides.

Here is the mark, sorry it is so light.  According to information I found on the internet this mark was from 1930s on.  The lady I bought it from probably bought it in the 50s or 60s.  Don't know for sure.

After you visit my post today be sure to check out  these other tea posts.

http://www.marthasfavorites.com/

or http://artfulaffirmations.blogspot.com

                                                            ALSO: Rose Chintz Cottage