Our Life On the Pond

Closure

2011-12-04T07:20:00.001-05:00

I hate the word closure...it is meaningless to me....things may bring comfort but closure...really? really!!!!

Closure brings to mind...stuffing something in a drawer or closet...closing the door fast so nothing falls out and turning away scurrying off to live life, muttering "Okay that's over"....how can anyone minimize a loved one to that point? Do they really believe it is that easy? Even more confusing to me...people actually admit to having closure....that is unbelievable to me...if I am to believe them then I am stunned at how superficial they are...while I care not to judge or compare...it does leave me stunned and amazed. If they have closure does that mean they never think about the person again....do they not weep for their loss, do they not look back on sweet memories with joy and thankfulness to have had that person in their life...how in the world does one put a person in a closet and close the door....wipe their hand and move on...I revel in my memories...I weep with my memories...I never want to not do that...there is peace and comfort in both the bitter and the sweet....it is these things that made my life full...never boring...never to be hidden or run from...

Even more interesting is finding out who came up with the thought or concept of closure. Can you imagine who that idiot might be...probably some learned academic who supposedly knows so much more than a lowly widow or parent who has lost a child...it is definitely someone who has never experienced loss or who has lost and can not deal with it.

I realize no one can live forever with the initial intensity of loss but grieving can actually be comforting if you allow yourself to go through it rather than run from it. There is a Pink Floyd song titled Comfortably Numb....I have been comfortably numb for some time now and there really is nothing wrong with it as far as I am concerned. If I had sought out closure I would have missed so much since Bob has died. I am better in so many ways since I have allowed grief to control me...I have let grief take me to the bowels of despair, I have wallowed there, I have been enveloped in sorrow and loss, I have let grief have it's way with me...grief will slowly release it's grasp on you...but you must first let it consume you. If you hastily search for this thing called closure how in the world do you mourn then survive a better person.

I do not claim to know what others feel but the more I talk to others in similar circumstances...it is those who have let grief own them for some time that seem comforted to me, they were never lost just comfortably numb for a while....and closure would not have been a good thing because one can ever close off a loved one and quite frankly really who would want to.

Elizabeth

Thoughts

2011-11-19T23:11:00.002-05:00

My husband died on February 1st of this year. He was diagnosed with lung cancer. The first question was always "Did you smoke?" So if he said yes...does that mean he was guilty of doing something horrific and deserved this diagnosis. I feel bad for those who have smoked...it is legal and accepted by our country. Our government wants to control how much salt we eat, how much soda we drink, what our children eat in schools, and even stop the use of Christmas trees but they have yet to ban cigarettes...if smoking is so bad why not ban it?

The unanswerable question for us was why did my husband get lung cancer? He never smoked...never....bought a pack when he was a teenager and everyone borrowed them before he had a chance to smoke one. Being the good hearted guy yet frugal guy he was, he thought why buy them if I am not going to get to smoke, so he never bought another pack and hence he never smoked in his life yet he got lung cancer...tragic as far as I am concerned.

When he was diagnosed I went out and bought five journals...I believed I would fill them with notes, thoughts, reflections and who knows what else...he died in a mere few months and I never even filled one...there was not the time we had hoped for...his cancer was aggressive and unrelenting...it would not stop killing him...it took him with force and never gave him a break...it never gave me a break....we never had a chance.

I have written so much since...in the beginning it was constant...it seemed to be the only way for me to make sense of anything...I did not want to ever forget any of my feelings...I needed to write my thoughts down for fear I would loss something...what I would lose, I really did not know but I wrote.

I don't write nearly like I did...my despair has lessened...who really can continue to live with that kind of intensity? I discovered much about myself and others...I have found comfort in solitude and never been lonely. I have had family and friends lift me up and quite frankly save me from my despair. I learned the apathy of grief is life saving...for me grief lead me not to care about anything...nothing mattered. I wanted to die...it is strange to not care ...yet I did not care to be here living on this earth. I wanted my husband and the only way to get to him was die...when I would wake and he had not come back my thoughts were consumed in dying...but grief in it's mercy if that is how to describe it enveloped me in apathy as the months passed. I did not die and my thoughts at moments of darkness and sorrow turned to having to do something about dying...yet grief's apathy was life saving...the inability to care meant I couldn't even bother to get up and do something about dying...I did not even care about moving...I learned grief really is even life saving...I can think of no other way to describe it other than this.

I have learned I can ramble on and make sense to myself even when I read it back a week later.

Early on I ached to dream about my husband but I could not...dreams never came...I did dream one night that I had started a fund raiser for some sort of treatment to save his life...but when I woke reality once again reared it's ugly head because he was already gone. I became desperate to dream about him...I wondered if he was buried deep within me and if I dreamed of him that would mean I was letting him go and would not get him back...yet I needed to see him...so I turned to the Internet and googled "can't dream about dead husband".

That search lead to a website dedicated to cancer patients and families. I signed on and posted my despair...a woman answered me and said she also ached for these dreams...from that point on I felt normal and not alone...I was never judged, I was allowed to ask questions...still trying to find a cure for my already dead husband...how pathetically sad....yet no one ever judged or questioned me...As time went by I even offered advice to folks who were new to the site...in a spot only weeks before I had been...

This past summer I read a post that was desperately looking for an answer...this woman was reaching out..begging for help...why did her husband die so quickly...she was in pain a pain I understood...so I wrote to her...

We wrote back and forth and learned we were the same age, both nurses and actually shared much more in common. Our relationship has developed over these past months as we have shared our fears, despair, our moving on and just about everything. We even have similar senses of humor so we have had some great laughs over things "lying widows" would only understand. I am thankful for Merrilee and for her generosity of time, understanding, patience, guidance and willingness to share...I would have never met this dear woman if my husband had not died and sometimes I wonder how to rectify my thankfulness at the expense of our loss...we have both expressed this to each other time and time again.

I continue to journal my thoughts and have for some time...I have shared some entries with Merrilee, today with you...If you are someone who has lost a spouse...the blog A Widow's Voice will bring you much insight and hopefully comfort and help you realize you are not alone...that grieving has no time table, no expiration or must use by date...it is individual but as individual as it is...there are those who completely understand and will make you realize you are not alone, you are not crazy, you are not silly, you are not taking too long to get over your spouse...this is one thing I have learned for sure...no one and I mean no one understands the lose of a spouse unless they have lost already...it is unimaginable...no one is capable of understanding this...be thankful for that.

I now will share my journal entry for today....

Random Thoughts 11/19/2011

The Buddha said suffering is caused by desire...if we stop desiring then we stop suffering. Is that the evolution of grief? As we move on and further away from the physical being and our ability to imagine the face and the voice of our loved one....our grief and suffering starts to subside...as much as I have begged for Bob to come back he does not...as illogical as that request is...as much as I have cried to the heavens for him to return...he does not...and now I realize as painful as it is...he is not coming back...so my desire ebbs...my requests are no longer directed to the sky...my desire weakens due to the realization and the actual acceptance of reality...and now I cry less, I look forward with no direction but I still look and I no longer feel the rawness of loss...I seem to suffer less...my desires no longer include him. That saddens me...and as I write this I do not sob or weep as I used to, I simply have a single tear slide down my cheek.

Today I seem to reflect more than usual...so many memories have been flooding back lately. Most include Bob, some reach further back to my youth...and so many just make me laugh...a full out loud laugh...a laugh that has been buried so deep within me I thought I may never hear it again. A laugh that may slip out with other people within hearing distance...will they notice she is laughing again...she has her sense of humor back...

My reflections so often turn to the goodness in my life. Maybe it is the fact Thanksgiving is coming up...but the question I always return to as I think is something I have been asking myself for so long...what did I ever do so good to deserve all this...my family, my love affair with Bob, my good life.

Bob's family always said and even recently a dear friend of his said...I was the best thing to ever happen to him. I simply smile and nod...I would love to know what they mean but I don't ask...I wonder what made him different with me...because I knew him for so long before we ever got together and I always thought he was absolutely great! What changed...what made him different with me?

I think further...I have done nothing great or life changing in this life or world of mine. I have not been a leader changing laws for the betterment of all, I have not built a medical camp in some foreign country to take care of starving children, I have not laid my life on the line for my country...I have done nothing. Actually most of us do not do these things...but we do give ourselves to someone else for a moment in time...is this our good deed, our sacrifice...to make another person's life better...do we willfully enter their world so they can leave better...if so...then I will leave better because of Bob...

Dinosaur Kale Chips - YUCK!!!!!

2011-11-14T14:22:00.002-05:00

So as I said after making the kale chips I would report back...DISGUSTING!!!!! What a waste of time, olive oil and really nice kale. Sometimes foodies get on a kick, ever notice that? Well I don't know how many kale chip recipes I have seen but they pulled right in hook, line and sinker. I fell for it..healthy alternative, really tasty, sophisticated crunch blah, blah blah...from my point of view the only thing healthy about these chips is the energy I spent walking around the farmers market carrying my overladen basket...oh yeah...I got a good stretch when I bent WAY OVER to throw them in the trash. They had beautiful eye appeal and the presentation was lovely...so crispy and crunchy...better for you than fried...but the flavor PURE YUCK! I tried them on several occasions over a period of days trying to be fair...but I had to be fair to myself as well and when I came to that realization into the trash...I know the compost pile would have been the "proper" place but quite frankly I don't want these chips ever making their way back to me in any form i.e. compost in my garden growing really tasty things! Oh well...complained long enough...the bad is behind me and I move on...

Beautiful dinosaur or tuscan kale.

I cut the very tough tough stalks away from the leaves...

Kale leaves prepped with olive oil, salt and pepper rubbed all over the before going into a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes.

Kale baked to a crisp...

Truly gorgeous presentation...shiny, crisp and looks great just gather and placed into a vase for serving. After this it is all downhill!

The fun part of cooking is trying new things and as we get more experienced over time when just reading a recipe a seasoned cook or baker can know before putting one ingredient on the counter what the results will be...that is why so many of us just love reading cookbooks.

This time I got fooled...big time!!!!!

Elizabeth

The Snappiest Gingersnaps Ever!!!!!

2011-11-06T10:22:00.003-05:00

I enjoy a good gingersnap but have never been able to find a recipe till now that gives that heat at the end. Got my latest issue of Cooks Illustrated and there was a recipe for gingersnaps. I love Cooks Illustrated because they put so much work into making a recipe "right". I can attest to that because for a several years I actually tested recipes for this magazine. They take their recipes very seriously. Long before it is published a lot of work and testing goes into making sure there are no problems. The fellow that developed this recipe spent a great deal of time figuring out how to get the tops to crack, get the burn at the end of eating the snap, getting the cookie to that dry crunch so typical of a classic gingersnap and just making a darn good cookie.

Basically it all comes down to the increased amount of baking soda used for the rise, how long the cookies are in the oven, rotating the baking sheets midway through the baking time and most of all...using cayenne pepper for the burn!

After I made the cookies the cayenne was in fact what has always been lacking in all recipes. Rotating baking sheets did indeed play a crucial roll, you just have to do as author dictates and you are insured a perfect gingersnap. A timer is necessary or you can a little mixed up...

Very easy recipe can be found in the current issue of Cooks Illustrated. Melt butter in skillet...and meanwhile get your mise en place in order...this guarantees no errors...

Place butter in bowl with eggs, molasses and add flour, spices and leavening. This recipe calls for lots of ginger, cinnamon, cloves and cayenne!

Blend till all ingredients are moist.

Cover and chill. This makes a very very wet dough...you will wonder how in the world will I make a dough ball...but...it works...trust the guy who put in all the hours developing this recipe!

After chilled, with cookie scoop make your cookie balls...this recipe makes 80 cookies...

so scoop scoop scoop!

While cookies are in oven...I made more balls and kept them on the parchment paper, so an easy transfer was possible.

Voila! Wonderful gingersnap cookies with the traditional cracked top, snappy and crunchy and most important the burn at the end!

So grab some milk or "a cuppa" and enjoy!

Elizabeth

A Morning in Rhode Island

2011-11-03T11:09:00.001-04:00

I woke early as usual...and thought what a great morning to walk The Wall. If you live in Rhode Island and especially the South County area of our state you know immediately where The Wall is. It is like saying I am going to The Block...Block Island of course! The Wall is in Narragansett...it starts or finishes at the light by Narragansett Town Beach and extends past the Towers, Coast Guard house and continues up to the fishing pier...most walkers start at one end turn around and go back to where they started...I have no clue how long the walk is but it is a good one! Many mornings I swim laps at the gym in the cold months or warmer weather I'll swim in the pond but this morning The Wall beckoned. I knew I would be there before the sunrise so this made it a real treat. When I got there people were already there with cameras on tripods to capture "Ole Sol". As the sun rises almost everyone stops and watches it and many pull out camera or their phone and start clicking away...it really is amazing to see everyone pause for the sun...me included. What adds to the beauty are the waves that lick the rocks...at low tide gentle and forgiving but at high tide more stern and if a storm is churning out to sea...sometimes a rain coat is needed as the heavy spray can drench you.

This morning the tide was low and the smell of salt just permeated the air...it was a perfect morning at The Wall...

Up comes the sun. It looks like it is completely exposed but the lower half is actually a reflection of the upper half on the ocean at the horizon. WOW!

The sun's reflection on the rocks below the wall.

The wall as the sun rises...actually this is just part of the wall...looking toward the fishing Pier.

The sun on the Coast Guard House a well know and much loved restaurant. When hurricanes come in every window is covered with plywood and then it is the storm against the CG House...so far the CG House wins! Don't you just love the anchor carved into the stone.

The sun on The Towers...also constructed of stone. Weddings and parties are held on the upper floor...what a wonderful building and landmark.

The sun a little higher in the sky.

The Newport bridge as seen from Narragansett.

Someone climbed over the wall and went down onto the rocks and built a cairn...actually there were many of these rock formations down there...wonder how many survive high tide?

After my walk I went over to Jamestown and went onto Beavertail....love it here as well...This is the lighthouse at the point of the peninsula.

This fellow was off and running to somewhere...fishing I suppose.

The rocks on the west side of Beavertail...water very calm. In the distance is that boat..he sure is making time!

Fort Wetherall...GORGEOUS...need to say nothing else.

View from Fort Wetherall to Castle Hill...the Inn is to the left of this picture on the hill. We have gone there for Thanksgiving for years. What a meal...what a property!

A closer view of the Castle Hill Lighthouse.

Then onto The Dumplings...a cove that has small formations of rock that project out of the water...hence the name...There are wonderful homes in the quiet area as well as a marina. Can you see the house on the distance?

A wonderful old home built on one of the rocks...The house is called "Clingstone" which is so appropriate. This home is often featured in magazines and newspapers because it is so unique. It is privately owned and the family takes good care of this treasure and gathers here for wonderful get togethers.

A closer view of the Newport Bridge...decided to head home this morning...though I really could have gone over this bridge and gone to more of my favorite places.

I love Rhode Island!!!!!

Elizabeth

Casey Farm Farmers Market

2011-10-30T11:45:00.003-04:00

Yesterday morning I stopped at the Casey Farm Farmers Market. It was so cold and windy my walk around to all the vendors was done with vigor...no browsing, all business this morning. The wind coming off of Narragansett Bay while welcome in the summer months was not what anyone was enjoying this time! I think the Casey Farm Market is my top favorite...so many vendors...so many choices...so much activity! You never know what is going to be happening...one week I went live music was included...it was fabulous.

Yesterday live lobsters, oysters, mussels and other shellfish from local shell fishermen was abundant, baked goods from local bakers made choices very difficult, a wood fire pizza oven was set up selling the most delightful pizza, produce everywhere...kale seemed to be abundant and so many varieties...anyone that loves kale knows it is always sweeter after the first frost just like turnips...one reason to welcome the cold weather! Honey, cheeses, apples, fresh meats, eggs and so much more...a wonderful place to shop...

So home I came with a shopping basket full of wonderful items...had to wear my leather gloves to shop yesterday...just as I was leaving the cold rain started....YIKES!

My cornucopia of purchases...absolutely wonderful...love spreading everything out and just admiring my bounty!

Flowers from Robin Hollow Farm are always a treat. The selections are many and the varieties are never run of mill...each variety is kept in tall containers so you can pick and chose

Yesterday I had a bouquet made up of all things fall...mums that actually smell like mums which told me these are a fabulous outdoor perennial not a hothouse forced variety. Tall on the stalk kale heads, veronica, amaranth and a feathery filler I am not familiar with...all put together and just beautiful...wrapped in waxed tissue and I was a happy girl.

Over to Olga's Cup and Saucer and I got a huge croissant enhances with cinnamon...hard to make a choice for sure. I can remember when Olga's was next to Walkers Farm Stand in Little Compton years ago...it was a treat to go and visit then...nice the business has grown and moved...now in the Jewelry District in Providence and also at the farmers market, makes getting delicious bakery goods a little more convenient.

I always love a good cheese...today I bought a Hunters cheese from Farmstead ...a delightful company that offers more than I could ever describe here...there is also a wonderful bistro at their Providence location worth every minute of your time visiting. Check out their Farmstead website...I also picked up some salted rosemary shortbread rounds which I have yet to sample but just the thought of a shortbread with salt and rosemary seems absolutely dreamy.

Produce purchases included celeriac, garlic, little butternuts, and dinosaur kale. Plan is to make a butternut, celeriac and apple creamed soup for later this week. The dinosaur kale also know as Tuscan kale I plan to bake with olive oil, salt and pepper to make kale chips...which seem to be all the rage right now...so I figure I'll join the crowd to see what all the talk is about. Will let you know the outcome!

My gorgeous bouquet was placed in a wonderful antique silver plate basket vase. Ohh La La!!!!!

And now that all is taken care of...time to eat that croissant with a couple of pieces of hunter cheese and a cup of coffee.

What a great Saturday morning...

Elizabeth

Things I Refuse to Eat

2011-10-19T09:49:00.002-04:00

I love to cook, I love to eat my own cooking, I love to eat other people's cooking and I love to eat at a restaurant...I think I have a pretty good palate and it includes a wide variety of foods. But then I got to thinking about what I don't like but even more what I won't eat...that means what I refuse to eat...

I was able to come up with my list quickly...why...because I know exactly what I will not put in my mouth...ever, never, not happening.

THINGS I WILL NEVER EAT

Anything so spicy hot it burns the skin off my lips.

Reptiles...and if eels are not reptiles include them into this category.

Anything from the neck up...

or anything from the knees down

Nothing that still has a heartbeat or is physically moving...

No internal organs...

No male or female reproductive organs...

Will not eat anything with curry powder in it.

So that is my list...not long, not complicated, not hard to adhere to.

Elizabeth

Cold Hands Warm Hearts - Mrs. Bartlett's Mittens

2011-10-18T08:56:00.005-04:00

I love to knit...sweaters, scarves, hats but especially mittens. Knitting mittens is relatively simple and a great project to take to appointment waiting rooms or a get together where you are just sitting and need something to do. Watching TV is a perfect time to knit as well.

There is no left or right so that makes it easy...very little counting is required so if you get distracted no big deal and they are a great conversation starter. Someone always watches and wonders what you are making...some just ask out right and others just watch and when they see the thumb finished...that is their ah haa moment...they exclaim "Oh it is a mitten" like they just discovered the wheel!

I have been knitting this mitten pattern since I was 10 years old in the Coventry Hillhoppers 4-H Club. Mrs. Bartlett my leader taught me how to knit and I am forever grateful. She was patient and kind...two great attributes needed for teaching 10 year olds. She had a pair of embroidery scissors I envied. A gold pair which looked like a stork and when you had to use them to snip a piece of yarn the ends opened like the beak of a bird. When I was old enough to afford a pair I found them in a yarn shop and bought them. They are made in Italy and when I was a young woman I thought I was quite sophisticated using my scissors from Europe. They are tucked safely in my notion bag that I keep in my knitting bag. Whenever I use them I always think of Mrs. Bartlett and the wonderful gift she gave me, the ability to knit mittens for gifts and now I donate them to a winter program here in Rhode Island. Mrs. Bartlett's generosity of giving time to the 4-H program and teaching little girls to knit and cook is a priceless gift...I often wonder if she ever knew how she changed lives forever. Because of her I sit in a waiting room without being restless, I can make a wonderful handmade gift, a conversation between strangers ends with smiles and some little hands in Rhode Island are warm in the cold winters months.

I knit mittens all year round. I buy piles of skeins of yarn in different colors for both boys and girls...so I always have something to grab when I need it. When November comes around I pack up all the mittens and place them in the 'Warm Hands Warm Hearts" bin at our local bank. From there they find their way to some child in need...I am hoping someday I may see a pair on some little boy or girl...it will make me happy and again reaffirm just what a wonderful and generous person Mrs. Bartlett was.

Thank you Mrs. Bartlett wherever you are.

Elizabeth

Tuscan Herbs - Delightful

2011-10-13T15:05:00.001-04:00

One of my favorite blogs to read is A Cook With A View...

I met Joseph at Williams-Sonoma one day and have been enamored since then. He is so knowledgeable and is so willing to share his wealth of knowledge always tempered with a wonderful sense of humor. Joseph also gives classes which I have yet to take but they all tempt me...he cooks in season using ingredients he finds at local shops and farmers markets. What a wonderful way to approach each season.

I was looking out my kitchen window and wondering what I was going to do with all my herbs since the cold weather is just around the corner. With the threat of a frost last week I gathered up all my basil and made another batch of pesto. I happened to be looking at Joseph's blog and decided to make his Tuscan Herb blend...since all the herbs are in my garden, my garlic is cured. and I have plenty of salt in the house...I had all that was needed to make this this recipe.

I gathered and washed the rosemary, parsley, sage and thyme. I did this in the evening so I stored most in a damp paper towel in the fridge...the sage I kept in water.

My mise en place...

The work for chopping till fine takes 20 minutes...and as Joseph says REALLY!

This is the start

5 minutes in...

10 minutes in...

15 minutes in...

After 20 minutes and one sore right arm...the blend is placed on a parchment covered rimmed baking sheet to dry...once dried I place in my tin container for storage. Since I doubled the recipe I had plenty to gift as well.

My first meal with the Tuscan Herbs...a whole roasted chicken served over polenta with gravy and topped with baked to a crisp oyster mushrooms...

FANTASTIC!!!!!

The recipe off my iPad (just click on the photo to enlarge)...or visit the A Cook With A View blog...

While this blend is drying your whole house will be perfumed with the most delightful aroma!

I made a buffalo meatloaf this past weekend and used just a couple of pinches of this herb mix and WOW what a difference.

Enjoy!

Elizabeth

The Wonderful Milk and Honey Bazaar

2011-10-11T15:24:00.013-04:00

One of my favorite places to purchase cheese is at the Milk and Honey Bazaar In Tiverton, Rhode Island. Located within the iconic Tiverton Four Corners area this little shop is worth stopping at. There is such a great assortment of well over 100 varieties of cheeses as well as pates, charcuterie, olive oils, olives, vinegars, honey, crackers and much more.

When I drive in on the gravel driveway I can't wait to get inside. Once inside the cases beckon with so many choices. What makes shopping here so wonderful is that the owner/cheese monger is so welcoming. She offers samples before purchase, explains the varieties with great detail and experience. This particular day I visited with my nephew Seth.. We tried a 2 year and 5 year old Gouda...the difference was very noticeable and we quickly learned we like the younger Gouda...it was so much milder, something we would have never known just looking at a cheese at a supermarket. We sample a few others and once again I tried a soft spreadable goat cheese...UGH! I just can not tolerate that flavor...we learned the reason the cheese is stronger in flavor at times (most of the time as far as I am concerned) is that a male goat is in close proximity when a female goat is being milked. Apparently a hormone is released and this will account for a strong "goat" flavor. I vote all males should be on the next property when milking is going on!

A wonderful photo taken by Seth of the building...

I bought a nice wedge of parmigiano reggiano...

A great piece of Geit In Stad...a goat cheese but firmer then the spreadable "yucky" kind...

and a two year old Gouda....

a photo of the inside...

a blurb from the brochure...

the paperwork...

the facts!

So if you are in the area, make a point of stopping by...well worth the time. Oh and don't forget to go just a few feet down to Gray's Ice Cream for the best ice cream in Rhode Island.

Elizabeth

Common Sense Organizing - Spices and Herbs

2011-10-03T13:02:00.001-04:00

Okay...who uses a phone book any more? I look numbers up on google, check my contacts list on my mac or iPad or the number is already in my contacts list on my cell phone and/or in my contacts list on my uConnect in my car...even voice activated. Yet I have devoted a whole drawer in my kitchen to phone books...both commercial and private. Be they books like a Hallmark phone book for addresses and numbers or books sent that list info to club members of groups we belong to. Yet I have a drawer full of books I have not looked at but is full simply because that is the "telephone book" drawer and that is it...well not anymore...telephone books to the recycling bin and now I have a spice and herb drawer which is fabulous. Just common sense but we get into these habits and for some unknown reason and get stuck...guess because it is comfortable and we have no need to change...Well I have the need to change...so sick and tired of searching for a certain spice or herb and having to a times empty the closet looking for a rarely used item way in the back. I decant all my herbs and spices and put them in little tins with window covers and then use a P Touch to label them with content and any pertinent info if need be...like how much is needed to add to a cup of flour etc. when making a pizza dough etc. Now I have easy access and life is wonderful in the spice and herb department as well as the extract and flavoring department of my kitchen.

The telephone book drawer...also kept menus from local restaurants...almost all are on line now so the most current menus are accessible 24 hours a day with a few clicks. Why you can even place an order on line at some places...so good by old menus as well.

Big roomy drawer awaiting a new and useful purpose.

Old spice, herb and extract cupboard. See the piles that I had to go through...mind you three deep as well!

With the tins out, the bottles are now on a three tier stand and easy to get too...how easy!

The drawer now transformed into five rows holding all my spices and herbs..neat, accessible and a common sense solution to making cooking even more enjoyable. I love the Herbs de Provence jar so I do not decant that little lovely...it always conjures up a good feeling when I see it. A roasted chicken with Herbs de Provence is just heavenly...makes me always think of the lavender fields in Provence, France.

Even had room for my over sized tins. The KAF indicates I purchase this particular item from King Arthur Flour. Don't you just love the P Touch...I could get carried away and label everything. I have to remind myself this is my home not a retail store...

I used bamboo spring loaded drawer dividers to make this little miracle happen...

A common sense solution to an easy and fixable problem and a just a nicer way to work in my kitchen...

Okay I must admit I still have to organize the tins alphabetically...but so far I am thrilled with the results.

Am I the only one in the world that after straightening out a drawer or cupboard keeps going back, opening the door or drawer and admiring the wonder of it all?

Elizabeth

Fabulous Little Salad...Packed with Flavor

2011-10-02T12:42:00.003-04:00

A few posts back I blogged about pickles red onions...boy are they delicious. I jarred some up and gave them as gifts and also took some to the bluegrass jam. Of course I kept some for myself and actually going to whip out another batch later today. So so good....actually irresistible.

With the remainder of my last batch I made a little salad so filled with flavor it was incredible. Each component was a stand alone flavor but putting each one together for this salad was a mouthful of tastiness...and the eye appeal was just drop dead gorgeous. I don't know about you but after I make something that is just beautiful I can just look at it for so so long...just stand at the counter, bent over looking at the item and then every once in awhile take a deep breath as I get so close my nose almost touches it...it is an experience from the moment I decide to make something to the moment I put the first bite in...

So this is that little salad I made...spring mix greens, kalamata olives, crumbled Narragansett Creamery feta cheese, pickled red onions, a little salt and fresh ground pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.

So good and healthy too!

Elizabeth

A Wonderful Day Of Bluegrass Music, Food, Family and Friends

2011-09-27T16:24:00.001-04:00

I had the opportunity to attend a bluegrass jam with my nieces, sister and brother in law at the waterfront cabin of friends on Queens Lake up in northern Massachusetts. The cabin was built back in the 1930's by Fred's grandfather is absolutely lovely. The architecture, the fireplace and setup is exactly what you would expect and more!!!!! It was a wonderful day and night of good music, good friends and family and the food was beyond words...lots of good cooks...a fantastic day. The weather was a New England classic...cool, crisp, sunny with just a slight breeze. The day went into night and the clear skies over the water was all one could hope for. WHAT A DAY!!!!!

Fred and Richard all "dolled up" with their chef's jackets...looked like they belonged at the Ritz, only the food was a lot better than the Ritz! Look at that smoke emanating from that grill...what was under that hood was the closest to perfection I have ever had...

Musical instruments were played and displayed.

A duet off to the side...isn't this scene wonderful.

The musicians just kept coming in...

Meet a new friend...Bill...quite a fellow...

Ladies setting up for the feast!

Fred is known far and wide for his tomatoes...he raises more heirloom varieties then the biggest commercial growers in the country form what I can tell...this compote of tomatoes with a secret elixir is absolutely delicious...it is served in a huge stemmed pedestal bowl...gorgeous eye appeal!

Homemade baked beans, soup, relishes, sauces, salads are just a few of the bounty offered that day.

The table overflows...

Are you drooling yet? Look at these pork butts...these were under the hood...honestly they are drop dead beautiful - to look at, smell and taste...

Fred slicing and explaining the smoke ring...a true sign of a perfect pork roast...

The line was long for this treat...

When the sun set and the night air got chilly, we moved inside by the huge stone fireplace and the music and conversation flowed...

Wibbie uncovers a jigsaw puzzle she works on...every once in awhile she will stand to sing and it is just lovely to hear her sweet voice...

Lefty and Fred...

A fiddler in the background...
Great photo of Fred...

Looks like this fellow is happy to making music...

So it was a great day...I am so pleased I was invited and was able to spend time with these wonderful folks...

I hummed all the way home. Of course that was when I wasn't licking my chops...man that roast was good...

Elizabeth

Use Those Tomatoes in a Simple Summer Marinara

2011-09-25T11:13:00.001-04:00

The tomatoes continue to roll in...though the vines look pretty tired. No complaining just explaining! Love having tomatoes to use in salads, add to an omelet, eat out of hand and when you just have got to have some pasta...having a few tomatoes in the house makes it so easy to whip up a simple marinara sauce.

Really all you need is the tomatoes, some olive oil, salt and pepper to taste, garlic and basil...this time of the year with my garden devoted to this kind of cooking the only thing I have to buy is the oil.
Taking my own garlic that has now cured since digging was completed in mid July...it is pressed over the ingredients and put on the heat.

The beginning....

The end....quickly reduced to a thick, tasty sauce.

Healthy, flavorful, and satisfaction in a bowl...a few ingredients, a few minutes and a multitude of ways to use this homemade sauce.

Gotta go - the pasta just reached the al dente stage!

Elizabeth

Blueberry Cake with Lots of Memories

2011-09-24T19:08:00.003-04:00

This is a wonderful blueberry cake for anytime of the year and any occasion. I was given this recipe many many years ago by a friend. Elaine stopped by the house with this cake wrapped beautifully wrapped with an envelope attached with the recipe. What a wonderful gift. We loved the cake but sharing the recipe was something I will always cherish. I have made it for family gatherings, sent it with my husband to his club meetings, given it as gifts, always made it for an annual steak fry we have attended and I have even been asked to make it as a birthday cake by a friend for her husband. This fellow is now suffering from a memory loss illness. I decided to make it recently and stopped by their home as a surprise with it. When I went into their home he really did not recognize me but when I said had his favorite blueberry cake he lit up like a Christmas tree and talked about this cake for some time. I later received a wonderful thank you note letting me know as soon as I left, a pot of coffee was made and he ate three pieces of cake! Boy am I glad I made that cake and delivered it that day...

This is the original hand written recipe and envelope that was with the cake Elaine dropped off back in the 1980's...it has yellowed over time is totally covered with butter fat and sugar. I love to touch it and think about all the times I have made it. I also always think about how generous Elaine was to share it with me.

I like to gather all my ingredients before starting as there are a few steps but once organized things go quickly and smoothly. To start sugar, butter, lemon zest and vanilla are creamed together till light and fluffy. This insures a light batter.

Next sour cream and eggs are added. This adds more fat for flavor and tenderness. This is no time to use low or no fat. If you are going to invest the time and funds to make a cake use ingredients that insure the best flavor and texture.

Dry ingredients follow...flour and the leavening products - baking soda and baking powder.

This is a dense batter so do not be surprised by the weight. Grease and flour a tube pan and add 1/3 of the batter...ingredients are layers to insure flavors are in every bite!

Next a layer of blueberries that were tossed with sugar and walnuts. Now another 1/3 of the batter is spread to make another layer.

Then the other half of the blueberry filling and them the last third of batter is spread.

Top the cake with a sugar cinnamon mixture and bake in a 350 degree oven.

Viola!!!!! A wonderful blueberry cake. This cake freezes well. I always freeze loads of blueberries in the summer when they are plentiful...this insures me I have the most important part of this cake available to me in the deep of winter.

Okay I must admit...I never just make one cake. I always make two...one has proven over the years to never be enough...

Time to put the coffee on and toast Elaine as "her" cake is sliced!

Elizabeth

Portuguese Caldine (Kale Soup)

2011-09-23T20:29:00.001-04:00

Every once in awhile you just have to have a hearty bowl of soup...this Portuguese Kale soup certainly fits the bill and it is nutritious as well. Kale is full of minerals and vitamins that just make this soup an all around winner. This recipe is an Emeril Lagasse recipe. Emeril is a native of Fall River Massachusetts where there is a large Portuguese American population. This makes it a treat for us living nearby...the sweetbread is delightful, the chop suey sandwiches are a must and this soup is a gem. We are fortunate to have the authentic Portuguese chourico available to us and this is what I used in this soup...if you can not find this sausage you can use the Spanish chorizo that is more widely available in most parts of the country.

This is the authentic Portuguese sausage I used in the soup.

Heat olive oil in the large stock pot and then sauté the chopped onion and sliced chourico for a couple of minutes.

Next sauté the red beans and white navy beans that were soaked overnight to soften. Also add the chopped parsley and minced garlic.

To this add the chicken stock, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and bay leaves. Let this simmer for about 1-1/2 hours.

Beautiful herbs from the garden.

Peel the potatoes and cut into bite size pieces.

Pull the kale from the stiff stems and tear into bite size pieces.

Isn't this kale gorgeous!!!!!

All torn and into for the stockpot.

A wonderful hearty bowl of soup as a starter to a meal or this can be a stand alone as a meal...be sure to have a loaf of crusty bread as a side to dip into the broth. This is simply soup at it's best...I am willing to bet you won't stop at one bowl.

Elizabeth

Simple, Easy, Delicious Red Onion Pickles

2011-09-22T09:31:00.002-04:00

Saw this simple recipe in the weekly food section of our newspaper. Decided to give it a try...what a pleasant surprise...so so so delicious...sweet, crunchy, a little heat and extremely tasty. This recipe can be made in under 15 minutes...prep is quick, cook time is just minutes and the results are well worth the tears that may run down your cheeks as you slice the onions!

Into a saucepan combine 5 garlic cloves that you have halved, 1-1/4 cup rice wine vinegar, 2/3 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon dried red chili flakes. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for minutes.

Peel the onions, cut them in half, and then slice each into 1/2 inch rings.

Add the onions and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes over medium heat,or until the onions soften. Transfer the onions and liquid to a storage container and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks and serve chilled. Makes 1 quart.

These are just gorgeous to look at but it is the crunch and flavor that will win you over. Good on a sandwich, on a salad, or just as a side. You won't be disappointed if you make these!!!!!

Elizabeth

Adore this Poem...Makes me think of my Father

2011-09-19T10:30:00.003-04:00

The Island, by A.A. Milne

If I had a ship,
I'd sail my ship
I'd sail my ship
Through Eastern seas;
Down to a beach where the slow waves thunder -
The green curls over and the white falls under -
Boom! Boom! Boom!
On the sun-bright sand.
Then I'd leave my ship and I'd land,
And climb the steep white sand,
And climb to the trees
The six dark trees,
The coco-nut trees on the cliff's green crown -
Hands and knees
To the coco-nut trees,
Face to the cliff as the stones patter down,
Up, up, up, staggering, stumbling,
Round the corner where the rock is crumbling,
Round this shoulder,
Over this boulder,
Up to the top where the six trees stand....

And there I would rest, and lie,
My chin in my hands, and gaze
At the dazzle of the sand below,
And the green waves curling slow
And the grey-blue distant haze
Where the sea goes up to the sky....

And I'd say to myself as I looked so lazily down at the sea:
"There's nobody else in the world, and the world was made for me."

Swordfish for Supper

2011-09-13T12:08:00.004-04:00

Went into Wickford, passed go did not stop went directly to Gardner's Wharf for the best fish in the Ocean State! A wonderful selection and fish so fresh you are almost sure you saw a gill move and a fish in the case wink at you...then to top off the shellfish section is brimming with briny treats and then even more Pete the owner is a wealth of knowledge and willing to share and answer any question you have. Joanne who works there as well is a delight to talk with as she selects the best piece of fish out of the case and skillfully cuts it and wraps it for safe passage home. I decided on swordfish and it was gorgeous and fresh. An easy steak to cook and a fast prep to the grill.

Look at this steak...it is perfect!!!! Firm, fabulous color, no odor...the definition of fresh fish.

All I do is give it a light olive oil wash, salt and fresh ground pepper and then - off to the hot grill.

I decided on a simple ginger lime sauce...simple the operative word. A melted compound butter, in a sense....

First peel the fresh ginger with the bowl of a spoon or use your paring knife...which ever you prefer.

You could use a micro plane rasp to grate the ginger but I prefer a ceramic ginger grater....guess because I have one that is the only reason why...they both do the job...with the ceramic grater there is a bowl to capture the juice so be sure to save the juice when using the rasp. Do not want to lose any of that flavor!

Into a small sauce pot...grated ginger, lime juice, lime zest, butter and some salt. I add salt because I almost always use unsalted butter...salt enhances the flavor so just add enough for taste. Melt and done...simple simple simple.

While the sauce is being made...place the swordfish steak on a hot prepared grill. Clean the grate while cold and rub with a bar cloth or paper towel drenched in oil..this removes any old residue and makes for a non stick surface on the grate...do this when cold. Once prepped, turn on the grill or light your fire...preheat and then place your fish on the grill. Rule of thumb...10 minutes per inch of fish...so this fish was about one and half inches thick...cook time 12-13 minutes total...turn half way through cooking time. Be sure to use a clean plate to bring cooked fish in to prevent cross contamination. Sometimes I line the first plate with plastic wrap and place the prepped fish on that...once on the grill I simply remove the plastic wrap and my clean plate is available to bring the fish in. Just saves a step.

Fast, easy and nutritious meal...grilled swordfish steak topped with a ginger lime butter, warm quartered beets and steamed beet greens from the farmer's market. YUM!!!!!

Elizabeth

"A Mess" of Fresh Green Beans New England Style

2011-08-22T11:37:00.004-04:00

My pole beans are producing fabulously. I have always planted bush beans but this year decided to go with pole beans...wanted to try something new but also wanted to add an additional focal point to the garden beds. The tripods I built from really long stakes at least six feet long stakes I bought. They are green plastic coated stakes which I like because their color blends with the bean stalks so there is not interruption of eye appeal. Tied them at the top with biodegradable green garden hemp and voila...sturdy tepees for the beans to crawl up and boy did they. The tendrils just reached put and would have made "Jack" proud...bean stalks to be in awe of. They produced wonderful beans...tender and delicious.

Now what to do...steam them, saute with garlic and olive oil, roast, grill, add to a ratatouille, I mean the worlds the limit...BUT....no New Englander would ever pass up at least one good mess of beans with potatoes and salt pork. From the time I can remember every summer at least one meal a week while green beans were in season we had a meal that was a nice hunk of crusty bread and a big steaming hot bowl of a mess of string beans. Why they are called a mess is something no one explained to me...quite frankly I do not care..that is part of the tradition and charm...so just let it be. An easy meal to prepare and one full of nutrition and memories.

Start with fresh green beans from the farm stand or your own garden. Tradition dictates that both ends are snapped off and beans are snapped into thirds or fourths. Never whole and never the tip end left on...never! It does not matter that it is now trendy to have the pointed tip left on...do not leave it on when preparing a mess of beans...never...got it!

Add to a pot big enough to hold all the components covered with water.

Add quartered potatoes..skin on skin off this is choice...and also a few lardons of salt pork. Salt pork adds a bit of fat for additional flavor....and is mandated if sticking to tradition. I mean really is that little bit of fat going to put you on the coronary care unit?

Cover with water, top with the lid and bring to a boil...reduce the heat and simmer till potatoes are tender. This is always best the next day...but if you can not help yourself...grab a bowl and fill with potatoes and green beans...you do not have to eat the salt pork it was used for flavor but you may see someone pop a piece in...this is where I draw the line. Now mash the potatoes down and put a bit of butter on them...if dry I add a bit of the bean broth from cooking pot to make them moist. The green beans are to be sprinkled with apple cider vinegar. Break a piece of crusty bread from a baguette...grab the bowl with a fork, find a comfortable spot and dig in. Delightfulness in a bowl.

This is such a wonderful easy meal to make in the summertime...New England nostalgia in a bowl.

Excuse me while I get seconds.

Elizabeth

Genovese Basil Pesto

2011-08-05T13:19:00.008-04:00

My nephew Seth and I attended the early buyers Trade Secret show this past May in Sharon CT. It was wonderful to see all the unusual and rare plant stock as well as see the wonderful garden antiques. This show is attended by many folks looking for something different...gardeners wanting to add something unusual to their landscape and this is the place to find it. What makes it even more fun is that celebrities also attend...Bunny Williams world renowned interior decorator who actually was the founder of the show, Kevin Sharkey head of design for MSLO, and of course Martha Stewart herself! Seth actually had his picture taken with Martha once she did some shopping on her own...what is amazing she actually drove herself to the show in a huge black SUV...

Well enough of the elbow rubbing....the prize for me was I found Genovese basil....this is the basil pesto MUST be made from. No substitutes will do. It is flavorful, tender and a beautiful green. By rights the youngest leaves should be used but my basil grew a little faster than I had a chance to pick...but the pesto is divine. I hope to get a few more batches before fall...basil is a tender annual here in the northeast so once the cold sets in basil can not handle the frost.

I picked armloads of basil this morning...you can also see a few tomatoes and an eggplant peeking out of the basket as well.

Ingredients gathered to make the pesto....only thing missing in this photo is the garlic. All else accounted for - olive oil, pine nuts, walnuts, salt, parmigiano reggiano and of course basil.

The cheese is wonderful...I prefer parmesano instead of pecorino romano which is really called for...I am not found of many sheep's milk cheeses so I stick with Parmigiano a cow's milk cheese and truthfully how can anyone pass up this delightful top shelf cheese!
All cubed and ready to whirl around the food processor.

Processed to perfection. The best way to buy cheese is in a wedge and grate or process as needed. Henry at Chef A Roni a wonderful food expert and teacher explained that the least surfaces exposed to the air the moister the cheese remains...so if you grate it long before using you have exposed a multitude of surfaced to the air and set up a perfect environment for dried out cheese...really is common sense when you think about it...

Save the rinds and freeze to use in a sauce or soup at a later date...

Wonderful garlic...
Basil and salt to bowl after the nuts and garlic have been processed.

Slowly drizzle the extra virgin olive oil in to make the pesto paste...how delightful is this green oil!

Last but not least add the cheese for one last whirl...

Pesto in containers for gifts...I put pesto in covered containers that can be given away as a hostess gift when the occasion rises...for me I like my pesto in zip lock bags in the freezer.

Containers labeled with content and dated.

Stored in freezer...
Bags stack well...oh I spot a bag of frozen shrimp that needs to be addressed so why not!

Add the peeled, deveined shrimp to a pot of water with a lemon, bay leaf and peppercorns. Start with cold water...and bring to a boil - meanwhile...

Make a cocktail sauce...so simple...ketchup, juice of half a lemon, prepared horseradish, and a few drops of Tabasco and voila!

By the time the sauce is made...the shrimp is done...do not over cook when the shrimp is pink it is done! REALLY!

So there you have it...a nice shrimp cocktail and of course an authentic basil pesto...

Summer is here for sure...

Elizabeth

First Easter with no Beloved Yellow Peeps

2011-04-24T22:23:00.002-04:00

William Feather once said - Something that has always puzzled me all my life is why, when I am in special need of help, the good deed is usually done by somebody on whom I have no claim. Thank you Jesseca for my Easter phone call message...

Hit The Brakes...That's A What Pulling A Cart In Jamestown

2010-08-10T15:21:00.011-04:00

My father and I have breakfast out together every Sunday for almost 20 years now. After a good meal we take a ride and have seen many places, people and things tooling around southern Rhode Island. We especially like Beavertail on Jamestown as you never know how the Atlantic will be from week to week. From as calm as a mill pond to a raging, churning ocean each week we are visitors to a view well worth returning to...

We leave the mainland via the Jamestown Bridge and take the quiet roads to the lighthouse past the windmill, past Dutra and Windmist Farms on the left and Watson and Hodgkiss Farms on the right, whiz by the bait shop on the flats where the owner sits sipping a mug of coffee and proceed to the village. After stopping at the four way stop we pass The Secret Garden and several more shops to the corner and bear right to the causeway at Mackerel Cove....then past Fort Getty and onto Beavertail.

This week as we passed the garden shop...we saw a beautiful wooden two wheeled garden style cart with a young lady sitting atop this pony drawn cart....hit the brakes that was not a pony we passed by but a COW....a cow pulling a wagon...did we devour too many eggs...had that single slice of bacon clogged our cerebral arteries...were our optic nerves pinched....NO that cart was being pulled by a cow!!!!!

As we drove along Beavertail Road all we could talk about was what we just viewed....unbelievable...couldn't be...never saw this before...who would think a cow would do such a thing...why was this cow "trotting" down a public road pulling a wagon masquerading as a pony?

We did our usual sightseeing at the point and proceeded back over the same route. As we approached Fort Getty...there was that cow again pulling that young lady up Fort Getty Road to the farm.

I had my camera and Dad and I had a very strong desire to get up close and personal to this sight. Left blinker on and we proceeded just by the cart as it rolled along...put the van in park and out I jumped...sure enough this was a cow.

I was greeted by the most charming girl I have met in a very long time. I asked if I could take a picture and she not only agreed but stopped her cow and posed. She was so personable and chatty. Any question I asked she answered and was very patient in explaining. I asked her her cow's name and she told me Daisy..which made me smile but then said "So, I'm driving Miss Daisy"...now I laughed...I like this kid! I asked where she was returning from and she had been to breakfast in town at of course a little restaurant called "A Slice of Heaven". I explained to her that my niece Emily belongs to 4-H and has a cow she shows at fairs. She told me she does not show cows but raises dairy cows for milking. She wanted me to tell Emily, that cows are very easy to train but most important - "Anything a horse can do...a cow can do better"

So there you have it....when you think you have seen it all...a charming young lady and her cow show up to prove you wrong!!!!!

Driving Miss Daisy on a beautiful August Sunday morning....

Learning about this amazing pair...

Daisy in all her glory....

Off they go....

I'm so glad I can still be amazed...

Elizabeth

Independence Day 2010 - Annual Family Celebration

2010-07-07T12:14:00.011-04:00

What a grand day we had this year at the annual July 4th celebration on the pond...We counted over 55 family and friends in attendance...WOW!!!!! Everyone pitched with the work and cooking making this party a snap...there were tasty appetizers, salads and desserts to compliment the grilled hamburgers and hot dogs...

It was a hot day so lots of folks hit the water...many just kept a low profile and exchanged stories as some family members we only see at this time of year. My brother-in-law lead us in saying grace before the meal begins, Ray and Randy led us in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and Loretta sang the song she wrote titled "America". Patriotic music filled the air during the day and was really cranked up when the fireworks started...during the fireworks Donna signed all the words to each song...she did a wonderful job...her signing was lyrical and beautiful as the music played. Simply said - A Perfect Day!!!!!

The annual group photo at the flag pole...

Patriotic decorations hang from the canopy...in the background Ed and Lisa off to hit the water...

Kayla brought a couple of friends...what a super photos...love Kayla's tee...

Emi and Nattie ready to jump in...both girls took off their life jackets this year and started swimming under water...another generation of family waterbugs hits the pond!!!!!

Husband pointing something out in a photo to Bill...a deep conversation which lead to me losing a bet....

Three generations of women...Loretta (mother and grandmother), Melanie (daughter and mother) and Kayla (daughter and granddaughter)...

Brittney and Nattie...love this photo

This year's grill masters...the husband and wife team of Layne and Whitney...thanks for manning the grill guys!!!!!

This picture of cousins...Randy, Brittney and Seth needs no explanation...

New family members...love their curly hair...absolutely adorable

Talk, talk, talk...

Aunt Whitney and Nattie...

Brittney leaving the day cabin to pass out the annual shortcake treats...Brit and Seth made many trips with boxes loaded and returned with empties...the ladies worked an assembly line inside putting the shortcakes together with homemade cakes, blueberries and strawberries topped with whipped cream...these patriotic desserts are always a hit!

Caleb and Jesseca (niece) were here this year...so good to have them here...Jess spent many a summer day here when she was just a kid...she would fish all day and I couldn't get her to take a 5 minute break to eat...she not only caught fish...she would name them and keep them in buckets...at some point she could "tell" by their eyes they needed to go back in the water at which time she would throw them back in...she learned to take them off the hook because I refused to and told her to wait for her father when he picked her up in the evening...no way would she wait that long so she learned all by herself...good for her good for me....

More talk, talk, talk...

Randy crowned "Pond King" with a pond weed tiara!!!!!

This outfit on Olivia leaves me at a loss for words....a fashion statement for sure just don't know what it says...for her Mom (my niece Sandie) I am sure it said safety...but everyone else who saw it stopped in their tracks...they took a long long look, then looked around to see what someone was thinking...an exchange of OMG via eyes was made, followed by a good hearted laugh and a "she is going to flip when she sees this picture when she is older and say what was my mother thinking?!"

Nephew Herbie and brother-in-law Mark chit chatting...Herbie trying to cool off by pressing a cold soda can to his cheek...

Fire in the hole....

No couch potatoes here...but there are plenty of float potatoes especially on this hot, hot day...

The bonfire kept low early in the evening for the kids to toast marshmallows to eat plain or to make a s'more...I love this time of night...watching the kids toasting and taking orders from the grownups...someone always remembers to burn one for me...love that marshmallow char!!!!!

Enjoying shortcakes....

Olivia checking out the boom booms...

My hubby Robert and his sister Loretta found a good spot to view the fireworks....the Pond Association had a great show this year...

A beautiful aerial display....

"Bombs bursting in air"

The campfire cranks up....

Getting ready for the final, earth shaking blast...a great way to sign off from another wonderful, fabulous, fun filled, heart warming celebration of our country's Independence Day...

Elizabeth

Hot Enough For You!!!!!

2010-07-07T11:42:00.002-04:00

Is it hot enough for you yet????? I passed my hot enough last Sunday yet the thermometer just kept going up...today it has gone down just a smidge...I can't wait to jump in the pond...a few more chores and then I submerge till the sun goes down...I like to swim laps at the gym but now that the summer heat is here I swim in the pond...even this water is getting a bit warm so I may have to hit the salt water in Narragansett Bay for the next couple of months especially if this heat continues...

I have included a couple of garden photos that I hope will "cool" you off...

Try to find a cool spot....don't forget your pets and the older folks you know....I have yet to receive a call from any family member or friend regarding my well being...so it is safe to assume I am still considered not old enough for a "lifeline check" call...

Elizabeth

Getting Ready for our 4th of July Party

2010-07-02T12:53:00.006-04:00

Looks like we are in for a hot one this year...bathing suits are ready for a jump into the pond, paddle boat is fired up, row boat cleaned out and oars secured, and plenty of towels for drying off folded and in a big pile. Burgers and hot dogs are in the fridge, piles of rolls and condiments await a tasty treat off the grill. Family and friends are in charge of appetizers, salads and desserts...so old favorites and new recipes are sure to find their way to the serving tables. What a great day we have in store to celebrate our country's independence.
The flag pole has a new coat of paint and new flags hang. Old flags are ceremoniously burned each year. Bought some grass that looks like sparklers...love them at the base of the pole. This is an old wooden porch column that we painted, drilled holes in for the flags and topped with a gold painted eagle. This is where the group photo is taken every year...love looking at the old ones and look forward to the new one to add to the album.

Our niece Sandie and the kids gave us these towels at Christmas...so they hang off an old vintage wooden canoe towel holder in the day cabin...absolutely love these things...leave it to Sandie to find them...she has an eye for the unusual!!!!!

Chairs and benches are placed about for sitting, resting and of course napping....

The wood pile is ready for the bonfire...everyone on the pond has them along their beach fronts...gorgeous as the sun goes down and dark overtakes the daylight...fires glowing against the water with the smell of wood floating in the air. Around 9:30PM the pond association sponsors a fireworks display. Boats filled with families slowly make their way to a favorite spot for viewing. We fortunately just line our lawn chairs up and look to the clear skies. We play patriotic music full blast over a super sized sound system and everyone sings "This Land is Your Land", "America the Beautiful" and "God Bless America". We include lots of marches as well...a neighbor down the pond always says her favorite is hearing Kate Smith!

Another spot at the other end of our island...these two trees are called "The Wedding Trees". This is where my dreamboat and I got married many moons ago...followed by a clambake...great day!!!!!

Another spot to sit...love this bench

Another bench made by the same fellow....

I filled the faux bois planter this year with shade plants...ferns and coral bells...nice look!

and even the chipmunks are taken care of...

So the preparations have started...looking forward to a day of good food, fun, fireworks and celebration. Will follow with more photos after the party.

Happy 4th of July!!!!!

Elizabeth

Be sure to check out Show and Tell Fridays with Cindy...this is a fabulous blog!!!!!

A Rose By Any Other Name Would Smell As Sweet - Shakespear

2010-06-05T17:47:00.003-04:00

How lovely a rose is...the appearance, the texture of the petals, gloss of the leaves and oh yes the fragrance...They are a delight to see in a garden and in a bouquet they add another level of elegance like no other flower.

I find it a fussy flower to tend to but my father has taken to raising them and his bushes are magnificent. He takes the time to water, feed, spray and prune and his hard work pays off. His climbers are admired far and wide. I asked him if he would plant of couple of roses for me if I bought them. Not knowing anything about roses I chose tea roses and ordered two from White Flower Farm. Tea roses are a breed to themselves, yet my father has tended to these two finicky plants and the results are a gorgeous plant.

Today we had the privilege of attending a rose lecture at Deer Brook Estates in Exeter, RI given by Michael Chute, a master rosarian. Mike & his wife Angie are expert gardeners & rose-growersas well as authors of “Roses for New England: A Guide to Sustainable Rose Growing” and founders of Rose Solutions landscape consulting service.

I learned so much in this lecture. While I will still not grow roses, I learned so much about them. It is always fun to learn new things and today I got a head full of new knowledge. Mike was informative and entertaining. He held our attention and gave a wonderful talk. He and his wife brought wonderful examples of roses which were delightful to see and smell.

The photos above are the pink tea rose my father is raising for me...simply a classic beautiful rose.

For now I stick to my peonies, lilies, iris, camassia, hosta and what have you...but I will admire and maybe even envy a little the rose experts the Chutes and especially my Dad...hard work does pay off.

Elizabeth

EXTRA EXTRA - Ed is on the front page of the Providence Journal

2010-06-02T14:03:00.004-04:00

My brother in law, Ed Palmer made the front page of the statewide newspaper, the Providence Journal on Memorial Day. Ed marched in his hometown parade Hope Valley, on the Sunday before the holiday. It was quite a surprise to wake up and see Ed on the front page and to top it off - above the fold!!!!!

A fabulous photo of one of our favorite vets!

Elizabeth

I Love A Parade - Especially This Hometown Event on Memorial Day

2010-06-02T11:36:00.015-04:00

Who doesn't love a parade. The one held in my hometown of North Kingstown in the village of Wickford ranks up there as my favorite. Three school bands, hay wagons pulling the local theater group, the karate school with guys chopping wood blocks with their feet and hands, old cars and trucks, dogs, two horses, the hobby shop, a walking lighthouse hawking the new Plum Beach license plate, politicians, boy scouts, girl scouts, rainbow girls, police and fire departments and most important military veterans and vehicles...because this is really why the parade is held. Once the parade rounds the Main Street corner...the color guard assembles and the flag is presented, we sing The Star Spangled Banner, pray, Taps are played and a wreath is tossed over the bridge into the cove in honor of all our military lost at sea...soon that wreath floats out of the cove into Narragansett Bay and then it finds its way to the Atlantic Ocean. This sad tradition is poignant for so many reasons. Once this solemn ceremony is completed...time to strike up the high school band and the parade continues to the cemetery for another service there.

Wickford is a village full of small shops, restaurants, old homes a drug store and art galleries. Quaint is probably the best way to describe it. For us it was where we went to the library after school. The dentist, hardware store and dry cleaners were the main reason to go to "town".

The grand stand....modest but the center of attention...during the ceremony

Shops on the main street

More shops...

My brother in law, Mark was part of the parade...great photo....

My husband driving Mark in the backseat and my dad in the front passenger seat....convertible belongs to Dad...

This is where the wreath is thrown into the water in memory of all military lost at sea.

Military vehicles in the parade...

more...

We were told by a parade "official" that this year the parade had the most military vehicles ever.

My niece Natalie standing with a local police officer...she really wanted to meet him and this fellow was very pleasant and understanding...love this photo

My niece Sandie's dad and his wife were in the parade...they had the summer schedule for the NK Chorus painted on a board in the back of the truck for all to see

This lady is a local 'legend". She always drives around town in this car which has a "moo" horn. you can't miss her or the car. She runs a rescue for pot belly pigs...that fact leaves me with a lot more questions than answers...one of which is - How many pot belly pigs are being abandoned that a woman must devote herself to this cause?

Candy being tossed out for kids to gather...

Band music adds to the festivities

Some of the local police department

Rhode Island is issuing a new Plum Beach Lighthouse license plate...so the mascot was in the parade...

Town fire and rescue

The Wickford Yacht Club used a sailboat as a float...the club is where local kids learn to sail on Narragansett Bay...many a regatta is held by the yacht club as well...

Cub Scouts

Boy Scouts

The cast of Alice in Wonderland....a production to be held later this month...

Decorated Farmall tractor

One of two horses in the parade...

A look down the main street at the crowd....

All in all a wonderful parade on a somber day to say Thank you to all who have given of their lives to serve and protect our country and especially to remember and honor those who gave their lives so we remain free.

Elizabeth

Lily of the Valley - Delightful

2010-05-25T15:22:00.002-04:00

I just love the fragrance of lily of the valley...we have so much around and never planted a single piece of it. It "floats" into places and takes up residence and just thrives. I suppose a bird or animal is actually the delivery system that has left pieces behind in their travels and for that I am truly grateful. We have many large areas that it thrives in and the scented air in the spring is absolutely heady. It takes a bit of time to gather a bouquet because it is has such a slender stalk but it is so worth it. A simple tug on the stem is how I like to pick it...

I love to put my little bouquet in this antique quilted green glass vase. It has a brass swing handle and I find it darling and the perfect vessel to hold my lily of the valley...

What a lovely bouquet to look at...tiny little white bells surrounded by broad green leaves...

Simply delightful!!!!!

Elizabeth

Macaroni Salad for a Hot Day

2010-05-25T15:01:00.003-04:00

Once the weather gets hot...it seems like meals turn toward summer favorites. Burgers with potato salad, hot dogs and toasted rolls, cold soups, green salads and lots of sorbets and sherbets. So tonight a quick supper it is...decided to have turkey franks in toasted rolls with plenty of mustard, minced vidalia onion and celery salt, sliced tomatoes and cukes and of course a perennial favorite of ours...macaroni salad. So easy to make and soooo good!!!!!

Just boil up your favorite pasta shape and cook till al dente in salted water. Drain and chill down with cold water. Add diced hard cooked eggs, green sweet relish, finely diced onions and mayonnaise. I would be hard pressed to make my own mayo because Hellmann's is just so good. With summer salads that no fat mayo is really disgusting...a mix of low fat and regular is fine but if having guests go full fat....

Got a little surprise when I sliced this egg open...

A double yoked egg...how cool is that...I love when I find one of these...they are just such a novelty...

So the macaroni salad is chilling in the fridge, the turkey franks are waiting to be grilled and this double yoker never made it to the salad...the husband ate it...as is.

Elizabeth

The Farmer's Daughter - A Destination Garden Center

2010-05-17T17:06:00.006-04:00

The Farmer's Daughter Garden Center in South Kingstown, RI on Route 138 is what one would call a destination garden and nursery center. To visit their website click here The photos I took today just scratch the surface of what they have to offer. All the buildings are post and beam and from what I was told they were built by Amish builders from Pennsylvania. Each greenhouse is wood faced and painted to blend with the outbuildings. Each building and greenhouse has a designated purpose be it a shade house, gift building, succulent house, and the beat goes on. There are plantings and theme oriented groupings of pottery, outdoor furniture, trough planters, lighting, herbs, shade plants, perennials, annuals, roses, vegetables and so forth. The main building is where you check out and has wooden gutters and rain barrels. All the walkways are paved or landscaped so it is hard and even. The whole center is well thought out and each time you visit there is something new. It is a true pleasure to shop and meander about dreaming about a plant or a pot one may want to fill.

This is a little shed with a crescent moon cutout in the door. Look closer at the roof!
The roof is alive...with living plants...how wonderful!

A closer look...

One of the buildings...wonderful form

Each area is designated with a certain theme...signage is clear, plain and simple

A lovely filled planter

The perennial area is easy to shop...the ground is even when pulling your wagon and is organized alphabetically....there is plenty of help to answer questions...

A lovely view...

The shade area...it is surrounded on two sides by privet hedging...

Small cutouts in the hedge allow for breezes to pass through as well as a window to the cutting gardens and display gardens as well...

I love this area...

It is very interesting and the eye appeal is gorgeous...the shapes and colors are so cool...

A nice planting around a specimen birch...

One of my favorite areas way in the back...

Shade shrubbery is displayed amongst tall pruned pines in rows like tall soldiers...it is a spot I could stay in for a very long time...the other areas were getting hot today but this area was cool and breezy...I feel trees always attract wind and breeze and this area did not prove me wrong! It is an incredible place to experience...worth the walk to the far end of the public property...

A new herb garden planted this year...as they say about perennials...first year sleep, second year creep and third year leap...I am looking forward to see this herb garden mature over the next couple of years...knowing the folks at the Farmer's Daughter...it will be delightful!!!!!

Elizabeth

Garden Record Keeping

2010-05-15T12:33:00.007-04:00

I have always kept a record of my gardens. I find it soothing to come into the house after working outside to write just a little something about what I planted, where I put it, what is currently starting to pop up, show color and what did not return after a cold winter. I like to know how certain varieties respond in my garden and what varieties simply do not thrive. Why waste space with something that just won't grow...I have tried to plant Oriental Poppies several times but they just won't come back nor grow once in the ground. So phooey on them...they shall live in someone else's garden without me. I like to mark rows in the garden and then repeat the information in my diary...I love to read back my entries during the winter...it refreshes my memory and peaks my desire for winter to end soon...so I can try something new and relish the return of my beloved peonies, iris and lilies. Record keeping needn't be lengthy...just a few notes to remind oneself of things to come or what has already happened in the garden...

I use a photograph album to save all my perennial tags...this way I know what varieties I have...

I also write in a diary what I planted and how things are going...the weather and other info I feel is necessary for me to keep my gardens in shape...My diary is cloth covered with embroidered flowers, bugs and butterflies...picked it up at Barnes and Nobles and wished now I had picked up a couple more as this current one is almost full.

This is a page in the album that holds the tags from some of our peonies...If I have a photo or catalog info I try to include that also...

Another page in the album...all our peonies are from White Flower Farm in Connecticut.

More tags....

A page in my diary....

A diagram of my garlic bed in 2008...I rotate my beds and try different varieties every year. I plan to leave my diaries and albums with our house when we leave here someday...I hope the new owners will continue the tradition....

Tags for the album as well as seed packets from zinnias and radishes I planted...I will record the varieties and where they are. I also planted some more herbs today so that info will be noted. I will certainly take a minute to note that my first Siberian Iris has bloomed, the ground phlox is fading, some of the peonies and iris are showing color and the dahlias that I planted about a month ago are sprouting...the blueberries are loaded with flowers, the clematis has covered the arbors, the hosta is huge this year...and the beat goes on...

For me the above quote says it all ....

Elizabeth

One Talented Girl + One Piece of Fabric = Delightful Baby Gifts

2010-03-29T09:30:00.008-04:00

My nephew Caleb married a very talented girl...Laura has an eye for the making pretty things...these items are simple and lovely...not overdone and busy...soft, sweet, and comforting. Laura has the ability to take an item and add just a solitary touch and it turns a boring something into an unique delight.

Laura sent an email explaining to me how she took one piece of fabric and created baby gifts for a friend. By simply buying some burp clothes and a piece of very busy fabric...she decomposed the pattern and added a simple image and made these burps clothes look so pretty. The simple image sewed onto the burp cloth took this much needed baby item to a new level...it looks very rich and personalized.

This is the piece of fabric Laura bought. She felt it was a little "too much"...so she cut out a single image and sewed it to the bottom edge of the burp cloth...WOW...what a great look...I actually can imagine how that cloth will look over a the new Mom's shoulder...

By individualizing the images...don't you think Laura made a great change...each image alone is so much nicer than all together...

Laura's eye for the simple really pays off with these gorgeous burp clothes...if I saw these in a baby shop I would need one for myself as I would be drooling to buy these!!!!!

Cute...Cute...Cute

Laura also embroidered "bambino" onto a plain piece of fabric and sewed it onto a onesie...what a great way to personalize a little "baby body suit"....

To finish off the package Laura is going to make little sachets filled with dried lavender...a simple touch to a wonderful handmade gift basket...this will be a very one of a kind baby gift....

Laura plans to open a shop at www.etsy.com to offer her handmade baby items one day soon...I believe they will a hit!

Elizabeth

Lemon Icebox Cookies - SOOOO SIMPLE and OH SOOOO GOOD!!!!!

2010-03-26T18:40:00.003-04:00

I love a big bowl of citrus on the counter...it looks so pretty, is an affordable "kitchen bouquet" and you can make a cake, cookies or add some zest to a stir fry or use the juice to make a salad dressing...

Today I decided to use some lemons and make Lemon Icebox Cookies...absolutely a snap to make...all done in the food processor...how simple is that?!

Flour (2 cups), confectioners sugar (1 cup), salt(1 tsp) and lemon zest 1 tbsp + 1 tsp) go in first for a spin in the processor...

The unsalted butter ( 1 cup or 2 sticks) in in small chunks is added and processed to a sand like texture...add the egg yolks (2) and a little lemon juice (1 tsp) and DONE...How easy...

Dough is divided in half and rolled in parchment and placed in the frig for a couple of hours...

Once out of the frig...just roll in sugar (1/4 cup)

Slice in 1/4 inch discs and place on parchment lined baking sheets

Fifteen minutes later and cookies are baked (350 degrees)...the fragrance was lovely...buttery and lemony...and that is exactly what they taste like.

Once cooled I packaged them up in glassine bags, added a yellow bow and a metal framed tag with the name of the cookies on it...makes a nice presentation for gift giving. Of course I saved out two for both my husband and myself...

You always needs two cookies...one for each hand of course!!!!!

Elizabeth

Roasted Oyster Mushrooms - Taste like Bacon!!!!!

2010-03-25T20:48:00.002-04:00

How can you not like oyster mushrooms?! When roasted they taste like bacon...really!!!!! These big beauties are simple to work with...and oh so good.

These are two nice oyster mushrooms I picked up at Dave's Market...a locally owned grocery store here in Rhode Island....they have a great selection of fruits and vegetables...they always try to have locally grown produce which is wonderful...

Isn't this a pretty mushroom...the gills on this mushroom are so nice...

To roast is a cinch...just remove the mushrooms from the stem...sort of tear off easily...tear into small pieces and place on a baking sheet...these two mushrooms made a lot so two sheets were needed. Toss with olive oil, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes...roast in a 325 degree oven for about 20 minutes...roasting time really depends on the size of mushrooms pieces so just roast till the pieces have cooked to a deep brown, shriveled up and look like bacon...

Here they are done...you have to remove them from the baking sheet with a bench scraper which is not hard to do...and drain on paper towels...they are delicious alone but can be used in so many ways...top a soup, add to a sandwich, toss with egg or potato salad, mix with scrambled eggs or a frittata...get the idea...endless ways to use these mushrooms...

We had them on a tossed salad with a basil vinaigrette I made...absolutely delightful...

Elizabeth

Meyer Lemon Coffee Cake

2010-03-23T14:24:00.004-04:00

It really is hard to pass up a good sounding recipe with lemon as the star ingredient. I found this recipe on the Martha Stewart website and it read really well...it baked up even better!!!!! The cake is dense, the Meyer lemons add a nice sweet lemony flavor and the strudel topping is buttery and crunchy...I plan to take the topping and try it on another dessert just to see how it does...it really is wonderful.

As you can see it has wonderful eye appeal...looks like a coffee cake just waiting for a steaming mug of joe...

The recipe calls for about 10 Meyer lemons...5 lemons must be sliced paper thin...so I used my mandolin..a gift from my father many years ago...the mandolin is intimidating and I have a great deal of respect for it...it gives me shivers just thinking about the prospects of running into the blade at a high rate of speed...but you can't beat it for making wonderful paper thin slices...

A half of the batter is placed into a greased tube pan then half the lemon slices are piled on... you must simmer the sliced lemons in water twice and they must be cooled before using...a bit of time required but little skill is needed to do this...

After the last layer of lemons are placed the top of the cake it is covered in that delicious butter, brown sugar, flour strudel...

Once baked the cake is allowed to cool for 10 minutes you take the outer pan off...then the instructions for removing the cake from the tube reads like something I have never done before...place two large spatulas under the cake and lift it off and place it on the rack to cool...well easy said then done...due to the heaviness of the cake...this procedure was very very very tricky!!!!! I had to use one cake mover spatula (really big one that looks like a pizza peel) and then I doubled up on my spatulas for the other side and lifted...ohhh...the cake sagged at the seams and I was sure it was going to split in half...I lowered her back down...counted to three and tried again...once in the air...busting at the seams...no hands to spare...the tube would not drop off...sooooo with my chin I pushed down on it and it dropped onto the cooling rack just where the cake was suppose to go...not good...with an elbow I knocked the tube away...I believe all these shenanigans were called for, so as not to drop a single crumb of strudel...in the end it worked but this truly was on the trickiest cake from pan removals I have ever encountered.

Once cooled and the coffee was brewed...I totally forgot how hard it was to get this cake put the pan...one bite took all my "bad" memories away...simply delicious...

Excuse me while I have one more "little" slice...like the skinny girls say..."ohh just a little slice for me...no no even thinner than that please"

...uh huh...right...signing off with a mouth full...

Elizabeth

First Attempt Making Kaiser Rolls

2010-03-20T12:16:00.002-04:00

I decided to try a go at King Arthur Flour's Kaiser Rolls...making the dough was cinch...really nothing do but put everything into the bowl and let the dough hook do the work...during the 10 minute rest period for the dough I was able to fold a load of laundry...love my Kitchen Aid mixer.

The cutter is a what gives the rolls that distinctive Kaiser look...KAF (King Arthur Flour) has some great recipes and tools...

Dough getting ready to rise...go baby go!!!!!

So once the first rise is complete the dough is cut into six pieces and rolled into balls...you have to place the cutter on the roll and press hard almost to the bottom but not through...this is a little tricky...as KAF says practice makes perfect...I am a long way from perfect...husband is going to love this experiment process as he loves Kaiser rolls. Another rise, brush the tops with milk and into the oven

The finished product...not too bad

The inside is very tender and they were tasty...I toasted one the next day and it was delightful

You can go onto the KAF website for this recipe...you don't need the cutter to make these delicious sandwich rolls...give it a try, you will not be disappointed.

Elizabeth

Figural Solid Perfumes

2010-03-19T19:21:00.007-04:00

For a while I have collected Estee Lauder solid perfumes. These beautiful little metal perfume compacts hold a solid form of fragrance. Each figural case is a goldtone or silvertone hinged box. They come in a wide array of subject matters...carnival, circus, gardening, animals, fruit, musical instruments and the list goes on.

The cases are enameled and bejeweled. So much sparkle and color makes these compacts a real real joy to look at. I could just look at them for a long time...and the Estee Lauder scents are divine.

I display them in an antique vitrine with glass shelves. I think they look so nice in there. I placed a couple of old southern belle figures with them...

This is view of the vitrine in what my niece calls the "fancy room"...as you can see the perfumes sit on the top shelf. On the second shelf are some of my antique and vintage snowmen. On the bottom shelf is my antique German kugel collection. At sometime I will share these collections.

Some of the perfumes a violin, apple, treasure chest, acorn, Cinderellas coach, picture frame, book, bird....

Another angle...you can see a cactus, dragonfly, crown, sand castle...

Hat on a stand, circus tent with a girl on the flying trapeze and a ferris wheel..had a lot of trouble getting a good angle...

This is what they look like when they are open...you can see the solid perfume...

The top perfume is a jeweled mermaid holding a pearl, Cinderella's jeweled pumpkin coach and a birdbath...

Here they are open...so pretty

This is one of my favorites...a circus tent

Here it is open...can you see the lady on the trapeze...she actually swings and to the left is a little black bear on a stand...the compact opens at the bottom to access the perfume...

So there you have it...lovely Estee Lauder solid perfumes...you can actually find these at yard sales as they are often given as gifts and people just keep them in the boxes and not use them...after a while out they go...we have found a lot of older ones this way. There is a great book about these little darlings...

Thanks for letting me share...be sure to visit our hosts blog...just click on the link to Romantic Home on the right side of my blog...

Elizabeth

Old Flower Prints and more

2010-03-12T10:05:00.007-05:00

It is Show and Tell Friday so I thought I would take an opportunity to share...
I adore anything related to gardening...so I like to surround myself with these things. Why not?! In one of our bathrooms I have hung old framed floral prints which we have found at yard sales, flea markets or in lots at estate sales. They are always very affordable which makes collecting them very nice. I hang them wherever I have a spot. My photos really do not do justice to these prints...they are hung on peach painted walls which make a nice backdrop. I don't care what color or shape the frames are...I like the eclectic look. My sister Catherine goes a little crazy of they are not straight...even hanging cockeyed doesn't bother me...I just like them!

Here is a gathering of some of the prints...I am partial to flower bouquets displayed in vases...I have a couple that are just a bunch of flowers but the rest are cut flowers in a container.

This print had lots of golds and metallics in it...unfortunately I just could not photograph it well...it hangs over an old mission three shelf stand with one drawer...

I keep catalogs in an old painted flower pot for guests to look at when the need comes...I continue the flower theme even here.

Flowers again take precedent in the old three legged rose bowl I use for disposable cups...the soap is floral as well as the candle holder.

Cotton balls are kept in an antique hair receiver painted with roses....

Q tips are stored in an old covered candy jar painted with all sorts of flowers and creams, lotions and potions are sitting atop an antique Limoges pin tray painted with yellow roses.

More prints on a wall....

Still more prints...I really didn't realize how "obsessed" I was with anything floral in this bathroom...it blends so nicely the use is is subtle not overpowering...I wish I could have taken more photos of all the prints but the glare was a bit obstructive...They are everywhere...and I just love it...Floral prints are a great collectible as they are very affordable, easy to display, relaxing to look at...gee the positive list goes on...I always get lots of ohhs and ahhs when anyone enters this room for the first time....

Thanks for taking a peek...Elizabeth

Fish Soup and Rouille

2010-03-11T08:09:00.003-05:00

Living in New England gives us such a great opportunity to get delicious fresh seafood. I have been watching old TV cooking shows with Jacques Pepin and Julia Child. When they made this fish soup I knew I had to try it...ohh la la...so good.

I went to our local fish shop "Gardner's Wharf" in Wickford right on the water. No better place than here to buy fish. Pete is the owner and a very knowledgeable fish monger. I learn a lot from him in regards to types of fish, cuts and how to prepare. There is a wide variety of fish, shellfish, and prepared foods. The lobster and crab tanks are always full and fresh.

The ice packed shellfish area where you can pick out your own items is super. Don a plastic glove and go for it. The bins are always brimming with local little necks, cherry stone clams, quahogs, mussels, steamers and oysters. One variety of oyster is their own...Rome Point oysters that they farm themselves.

So I picked up little necks, mussels, scallops, salmon and swordfish...nice variety and oh so fresh.

Went home and immediately made the soup using scallions, onions, garlic (still have my own from last year), tomatoes (Maine greenhouse), saffron. thyme, fish stock, and a little salt and pepper...let that simmer for a while then added the fish and topped with tarragon...

Also toasted some french baguette slices and topped these croutons with a rouille (garlic, red pepper, bread to bind, s&p, olive oil) all made in the food processor...and VOILA!!!!! A most delicious and satisfying dinner...all we needed was a spoon and bowl...

A big bowl of goodness...

Elizabeth

Old Garden Cloches

2010-03-05T10:36:00.009-05:00

I adore all things related to gardening. There is such a pleasure to going through seed catalogs when they start arriving in January. Watching local garden centers start to get ready for spring is delightful. Walking into a greenhouse when they are being seeded and seedlings transplanted into fresh soil has an odor that is equally as heady as that of fully bloomed oriental lilies, peonies or roses. A few years ago I sold my greenhouse business to a husband and wife team that always wanted to run this type of business. I had two 100 foot greenhouses I wholesaled from. I also had a 50 foot retail greenhouse attached to retail store. So early January into spring was always busy. When a greenhouse door was opened with fresh seedlings sitting on benches that sight was magical to me.

After selling the property I missed it but did not give up my love for gardening. My new husband built me a greenhouse and turned his backyard over to me. With the help of my nephew Caleb the bones were created for a spot for me to garden.

Gardening is not just reserved for plant stock. There is a whole world of tools, pottery, glass, crockery, baskets, sundials, cement items, rock and stone, books and of course the list goes on. I love this whole aspect of gardening...especially the antique and vintage items. They are lovely to look and also fun to just ponder and think about. So today I share with you a few of my garden cloches....also referred to as garden bell jars. There are many forms for all sorts of uses as well as materials used to form them.

This is an antique french glass cloche. These have great form and color. Cloches were placed over seedlings in the early spring that would protect them from chills and winds. They allowed a farmer to plant a bit earlier to get a jump on the season. The old glass has a green tint and is just beautiful. Very often you will see these without glass knobs on the top. I have learned that french farmers would have long rows of these in their fields. The hot sun would often burn the young seedlings and the knob being in the center was where the heat concentrated....so the farmer would take a stick of some sort and walk up and down the rows knocking the tops of. This cloche still has its top but it is rough to touch.

This antique glass bell jar has a different form as the other one pictured...it is wider and lower to the ground...I have stored some old canoes and Indian dolls under it (I also collect old souvenir mailers from the Adirondacks).

In the background is a square cloche which I believe is English. This is much smaller than the other two pictured. It is sitting amongst some of the examples I have of old metal flower frogs...I guess by this time you have realized I collect many things. I have come to find most collectors are not limited to one thing...most collectors are actually collectors of collections!

This cloche is an early 1990's Wolff pottery rhubarb forcer, one or two I display in my garden. This piece is actually signed and dated by Guy Wolff. While not vintage or antique it is a wonderful piece...I love it...The photo above is of my tomato bed last year.

I hope my entry has explained a little bit about the history of cloches. Aren't they wonderful...so great to look at and think about...

Spring is just around the corner...Yippee!!!!!

Elizabeth

Quinoa and Vegetables...A Perfect Combo

2010-03-02T15:50:00.003-05:00

Quinoa is such a delicious grain and so versatile, nutritionally it is considered a supergrain. Though not really a grain but a seed from a plant related to spinach it is very high in protein. It is high in potassium and riboflavin, B vitamins and trace minerals. It is native to the Andes and cultivated for more tha 5,000 years. You can cook up a huge bowl in a short period of time and them add whatever you feel like or just eat it plain with salt and pepper and maybe a drizzle of olive oil or a dab of butter...mmm mmm good!

I made it for a side dish the other day to go with buffalo burgers...delicious!!!!!

I sauteed a diced carrot, half a red pepper, and half a red onion till soft but not browned and seasoned with salt and pepper in about 2 teaspoons of olive oil. When soft I added a diced zucchini and 8-10 baby portabello mushrooms. Then I added 2 cloves of minced garlic (still using my own home grown garlic from last summer...hard to believe it has not dried out). While the veggies were cooking, I made the quinoa...be sure to always rinse it first to remove the outer bitter coating.

The quinoa is done and fluffed...

I added the cooked vegetables to the quinoa and then tossed in about 8-10 quartered cherry tomatoes. These are the most delicious tomatoes from a greenhouse grower in Maine. A bit pricey but worth every bite. These tomatoes are available at a local grocer all winter long and makes tomato eating a guilty pleasure in New England all winter long. I add them this way so they keep their fresh flavor and texture when mixed with the softer veggies.

I finish the dish with a good drizzle of olive oil and fresh chopped thyme...the heat is just enough to draw out the flavor of these things added at the end...salt and pepper to taste. Boy this is good.

This mix is good as a side dish...or chill it add a dash of a vinaigrette and serve as a salad...add some chopped cucumber and feta and you have Mediterranean flare. Use as made and top with a poached or fried egg...that is tasty as well...this goes on for this unassuming but very versatile healthy grain.

So enjoy this ancient grain...Elizabeth

WHAT HAPPENED - To the All Time Valentine Favorite Conversation Hearts?

2010-02-08T13:45:00.008-05:00

C'mon...What possessed the New England Confectionery Company to change a Valentine's Day institution...Conversations Hearts...

Where's the candy edge ruffle??? Where is the recognized from 30 feet away cellophane bag???
What happened to the tried and true flavors??? Where are the pastel colors??? Who changed the name???

It would seem someone or ones swooped in and changed everything????? Cupid must be dizzy and disoriented...I am...

Every night after supper, my husband and I play four hands of cards...since it is the start of Valentine's week I broke out the bag of candy hearts.

First of all... I had a heck of a time just finding the bags at the store...typically you can spot the bag without a problem amongst all the bags of pink,red and foiled covered Reese's cups, Hershey Kisses, M&Ms and everything else ramped up for Valentine's...but forever Conversation Hearts have been a given...the bag always was recognizable and this made for a quick grab...not this year. The bag changed, the name changed....I figured I had the right thing when I saw the candy company's name on the backside. When I opened the bag I thought all was well...BUT where were the ruffles? The colors were all different and the flavor was in one word DISGUSTING!

This was not a good scene...my husband had to listen to me rant about the flavor, color, ruffle, bag, name..WHY IN THE WORLD DID THEY MAKE SUCH RADICAL CHANGES?????

I have a strange feeling many households are going to be in for a SHOCK this year...

Different bag and name...totally unrecognizable...The bag reads The Original Candy of Love...

I DISAGREE

The new flavors...all unpalatable...WHY WHY WHY?????

The new colors...there is also suppose to be a purple heart but not one could be found in the bag (this may have been a good thing)...

So this is where my bag of beloved Conversation Hearts ended up....in the trash...

This is a tragedy...I can only hope the New England Confectionery Company realizes this is all a big mistake and returns to the old recipe, flavors, ruffles, bag, name and whatever else they changed...

Valentine's Day is suppose to be hearts, flowers, frilly cards, the overuse of the colors red and pink, glowing candles, loving glances, but most of all...a small pastel, tasty, ruffled candy heart passed across a table, or maybe placed on a pillow or slipped into a loved ones hand or tucked in a lunch bag with a term of endearment shared by two people know as a Conversation Heart...we need them back...too many things are upside down right now...but Conversation Hearts are suppose to be a given...generations of families and loved ones have been using Conversation Hearts as a simple way to express themselves for many many years...the New England Confectionery Company needs to fix this...

Elizabeth

Panettone Bread Bread Pudding

2010-02-05T12:25:00.003-05:00

I bought a panettone around Christmas to make french toast and never did...good thing because I found this recipe for bread pudding and WOW!!!!! Delicious - Delightful - Delectable!!!!! I changed it by adding orange favored liqueur because I wanted to make an orange flavored sauce to accompany the pudding....

Very simple to make...brush a 13x9 with butter, cut the panettone in cubes and make a custard...I flavored it with Cointreau...

Isn't this a gorgeous bread...nothing like English fruit cake!!!!!

Once the custard is poured over the bread cubes, it sits for 1/2 hour to soak...pop it into a 350 degree oven and

Voila...a puffy, gorgeous pudding

Made this stove top orange flavored sauce to pour over the pudding...

This pudding is soooooooo good....perfection in a bowl!!!!!

Elizabeth

New England Whoopie Pies...Yummy

2010-02-05T09:26:00.006-05:00

Decided to make whoopie pies for a change...the original ones chocolate not the new breed...now there are so many variations...pumpkin, red velvet, oatmeal and the list goes on...the recipe is New England Whoopie Pies from Maine so how do you beat that! It was an easy recipe and the results were fabulous. It called for cocoa so I used natural cocoa...which did not give the deep black color we are used to seeing whoopie pies have...when I saw the batter I was disappointed and decided next time to try dutch processed cocoa which will definitely give that dark color but will also alter the flavor...worth an experiment to see what happens.

Brown sugar and shortening creamed till light and fluffy..love the Kitchen aid...no way I could beat this to come close to this texture

Dry and wet ingredients measured and ready to add alternately...remember always start with dry and end with dry...

Batter placed on baking sheet and spread to 4 inches...ready to hit the oven

Look at those little cakes baking in the new oven...go baby cakes go!!!!!

End result...light and airy cakes cooling

All filled with a light fluffy marshmallow fluff filling....so so tasty

Wrapped each cake in plastic wrap as suggest so the cakes don't stick together...of course one did not make it to the wrapping process and was shared by baker and her husband!!!!!

While the color was lighter than expected...the texture and taste was all I had hoped for...nothing like a whoopie pie to make one smack their lips and smile!!!!!

Elizabeth

New Appliances

2010-02-04T10:30:00.004-05:00

My frig died...first the freezer then the refrigerator...thank goodness we didn't have it packed...some frozen salmon, grouper, swordfish and lots of berries cranberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries)...I was able to cook the shrimp so we have very generous servings of shrimp cocktail...husband did not complain!!!!!

So we had to buy a new one...it has been a while and the world of appliances has changed...much taller and deeper. I did not want anything too fancy...after speaking with a few sales people we can to find out that many folks want their handles to match which means you have to buy a line rather than mix and match pieces and manufacturer's. Some don't care and do mix and match. Because we plan on moving within a few years we decided to match handles. Our frig had to fit into a certain space to height and width was a determining factor and really the most important.

We knew we wanted stainless so that was easy...we ended up with a Whirlpool and also decided to get a new range (old one over 20 years old) and finished out the ensemble with a new dishwasher (over 13 years old)...we already had a new over the stove combo convection/microwave oven so that was not needed.

Everything was delivered within two days and they look wonderful...now we need new counter tops, cupboard and drawer handles and floor...

The frig is great...the stove is a bit overwhelming...it has a ceramic glass top and was tricky at first. I am little put off by cleaning it and don't want anything to happen to it. The glowing burners under the glass seemed odd and a bit spooky the first time they powered up and down. The oven has no coil in the bottom as it is under the metal. There is a well to add water to as this oven has a steam clean feature which is very nice....should make cleaning up little spills alot easier. I have baked banana bread in it and they loaves actually cooked a little faster and the golden color was even...VERY NICE. So far so good. I have bought so many cleaning products, cloths, scrapers etc for the cook top...I may be over doing it but this cook top is strange and so shiny...hate for anything to happen to it.

New dishwasher is tall and boy can I pack it...flatware basket is on the door and can be moved to the pull out racks but using the door actually allows for more space on the racks.

So we have made a nice upgrade to the kitchen....have to learn some new cleaning tricks!!!!! I wish they could come up with something that polishes itself, keeps pots from boiling over and sugary spills from hitting the floor of the oven and grease from splattering on the oven walls..then all would be perfect.

Elizabeth

Cathy's Birthday Lemon Curd Cake

2010-01-25T19:49:00.007-05:00

My sister Cathy loves lemon anything...I can remember her when we were kids sucking on lemons...that is definitely the mark of a lemon lover....so for her birthday I made her the Lemon Curd Cake from "Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook"....absolutely delicious and the lemon loving Cathy gave it 5 stars so you can take that as sign you should bake this cake...because it is so rich and tart, a small sliver is all you need which means this cake can serve a crowd without a problem...

A page from the book.....

I always make lemon curd from the cookbook "Luscious Lemon Desserts" by Lori Longbotham...it is fabulous...it is very similar to the recipe in the MS Baking Handbook...if you love lemon this cookbook has some delightful lemon desserts...the lemon bars are to die for!

The butter readied for creaming....

Dry ingredients prepared....

Lemon zest, lemon juice and sour cream ready...these ingredients add the moisture and flavor the cake...

Butter and sugar creamed together...light and fluffy....

A beautiful batter....

Batter divided evenly in buttered pans lined with parchment paper buttered again and then floured...no chance these cakes were not coming out of the pans in one piece!

Beautiful golden layers baked in about 35 minutes....

After the cakes cooled...I made the Swiss Meringue frosting which lemon curd is added to for another blast of lemon flavor...the cakes are split in two and layered with lemon curd and stacked four high...a crumb layer of frosting is applied and the cake is chilled for a half hour...then the remainder of the cake is iced and chilled again for a half hour and then the cake is decorated with lemon curd dots and stripes...it has wonderful eye appeal and is soooooo goooood..

Isn't this a beauty of a cake...Cathy enjoyed it as well as everyone else...

Elizabeth

It's Back and Now I'm Back

2010-01-23T11:23:00.004-05:00

My laptop died...it was a slow death...many trips to the computer hospital, many different treatments but to no avail it needed a new heart...so a new hard drive was inserted and now it lives!!!!! So now I am back...so much has happened in these past few months...lots of fun, good times, the holidays and snow....lots of snow!!!!!

So I backtrack a bit...to Halloween...Natalie came to make cookies from a Martha Stewart Everyday Food recipe and the campground had their annual Halloween Trick or Treat...lots of safe fun for kids...they run like gazelles - laughing, screaming and having fun - free from all the "bad" stuff so many of us worry about...why can't the whole world be like this for kids...I am so thankful these kids have a place created by this campground owner and maintained by the parents where they can do what kids are suppose to do...run, walk, swim, do crafts, sit and think awhile, listen to music, have potluck suppers and most important sleep soundly as they grow...

Here is Natalie making Halloween lollipop cookies....sugar cookies placed on a stick after rolling in sprinkles...black and orange of course...

The finished project individually wrapped in glassine bags and tied with ribbon...absolutely wonderful and delicious too!!!!!

Natalie prepared to go trick or treating at the campground as Dorothy...get a load of those socks and shoes...

I received a phone call with a message from Emily saying she wanted to be a blue crab for Halloween...A BLUE CRAB?! How did she ever think of that? She asked if I could help make her costume...WOW...that set me back a bit...a clown, witch, ballerina or a princess is what I would expected but a blue crab...okay with some thought and research to exactly what a blue crab looks like...Sandie (Emily's Mom, my niece) and I set out to create the costume...fabric, thread, sewing machine and sewing notions in hand I think we did a great job...

Emily the blue crab

Here is the gang just before taking off...Natalie (4 years old) as Dorothy, Olivia (1 year old) as a lobster, Emily (4 years old) as a blue crab and Randy (15 years old) as himself....

So it goes...I'll add a bit more later today...I look forward to hearing back from those I have missed...especially Alice in Maine!!!!!

Elizabeth

"Girls" Rule

2009-10-14T19:28:00.003-04:00

My sister Lisa came laden with gifts...her "girls' have started laying! Lisa, her husband Ed and my niece Natalie have taken on raising chickens. The chickens are now laying eggs...each chicken lays one a day and with six "ladies" in the coop, a daily bounty is guaranteed. WOW! I have learned a lot about chickens just listening to Ed and Lisa. My sister said every morning she goes out to feed "her girls" and they always come out to meet her.

Aren't these eggs gorgeous. Here in New England there is a saying "Brown eggs are local eggs and local eggs are fresh"...well let me say these eggs do not get any fresher! Almost to pretty to eat...but I gained my senses and decided to make omelets for supper....

Look at the color...yellow as the sun!

I added fresh thyme from my garden and when the omelets where ready to serve, I snipped some fresh chives on top...YUM...

I stuffed the omelets with sauteed mushrooms, apple wood smoked bacon lardons and a little fresh cheddar from a local creamery. I made a fresh garlic vinaigrette using garlic from our garden to top the baby spinach salad.

How does anyone have a more delightful meal...fresh greens, local cheese, garlic and herbs from my garden, and the star of the show...fresh eggs from Lisa, Ed and Natalie!!!!!

Delicious...and a very special thank you to "the girls"!!!!!

Elizabeth

A Perfect Breakfast

2009-10-11T12:27:00.006-04:00

My sister Lisa surprised us with a lovely jar of homemade grape jelly!!!!! My nephew bought a new home and on the property were wild concord grapes...leave it to Lisa to sniff them out. She said she picked loads and she proceeded to make jelly.

Not only did she make jelly, she also made the presentation delightful. The quilted glass jars are finished with squares of pretty red and white plaid fabric and then a beautiful hand printed label is applied. A perfect gift!

Look at the color and clarity of this jelly...it is perfect!

Warm toasted buttered country bread smothered with homemade grape jelly...
A Perfect Breakfast!

Lucky me,

Elizabeth

Sound the Alarms...Dad's Hot Peppers are Ready for Delivery

2009-09-06T17:23:00.004-04:00

My father is a grower of hot peppers. He grows many varieties and knows the Scoville Units of each pepper he grows. The Scoville scale is the measure of the chemical capsaicin in each variety that presents the sensation of heat one experiences when eating a certain pepper. The range is 0 to 16 million. No capsaicin the measure is zero such as that for a sweet bell pepper. The level of capsaicin can vary in each variety to watch out!!!!! Jalapenos have 8,000 units, Serranos 23,000 units, Poblanos 2,000 units, Harbaneros 350,000 units and the list goes on.

This is a bag full of all sorts of hot peppers my father gives away to friends and family...

Today he picked a load of Cayennes and I strung them on dental floss and added a raffia bow to hang them and let them dry. Aren't they beautiful all grouped together!!!!!

This is an example of some of the varieties he grows....looks like a page out a magazine!!!!!

They are gorgeous...perfect examples of a hot pepper harvest...

My father has really taken to growing many many varieties and loves to share them...most amazing he never eats them...just grows and gives...a true gardener!!!!!

Elizabeth

Guess What I Did Yesterday

2009-08-27T09:51:00.002-04:00

A picture is worth a thousand words.....

Elizabeth

Dinner Is Now Being Served in the Main Dining Room

2009-08-21T10:38:00.003-04:00

Now that the tomatoes are coming in, we make them the star of our meals...They are here for only a short time so we must make the most of them. Yesterday I made stacks of different tomato slices, layered with fresh mozzarella cheese and basil from the garden. I sprinkled layers with kosher salt, olive oil and sweet balsamic vinegar. Topped the whole thing with a sprinkling of Maldon Sea Salt for extra salty flavor and eye appeal as well as a generous portion of chiffonades of basil for one last punch of flavor. Makes my mouth water while writing this! We shared a large roll to sop up the vinegar, oil and tomato that settled in the plate after devouring this multi colored Caprese Salad...

This is a summer salad I could eat three times a day, seven days a week!!!!!

Elizabeth

FINALLY....They Are In....Phew!!!!!

2009-08-19T11:00:00.003-04:00

A basket filled with jewels from the garden....it has been a struggle this year to get the garden to produce....but now she is delivering!!!!! Mother nature and a somewhat green thumb have really met head to head this growing season...both now seem to be in tandem and look what we now have...tomatoes in all shapes and sizes...WOW!!!!!

A garden trug filled to the brim with sweet, gorgeous, ripe tomatoes....

The day's harvest washed and sorted by variety...........

A nice example of San Marzano and Lemon Boy....

The little tomatoes....Black Cherry, Large red Cherry, Sweet 100's, Yellow Pear and Super Snow White

More Lemon Boy, San Marzano and Black from Tula....

I tried many different heirloom varieties this year...aren't they beautiful, I could just look at them for hours...

Elizabeth

A Morning on Narragansett Bay with Dad

2009-08-19T10:21:00.003-04:00

Yesterday morning Dad and I packed up and went to spend some time on the bay...we picked the secluded beach on the other side of Allen's Harbor adjacent to Calf Pasture Point in our hometown of North Kingstown. It was a glorious day, bright sun, clear skies and EXTREMELY HOT!!!!! We set up our chairs and basked in the sun. This beach has a great view of the east bay and when the tide is low it is low! You can walk out sooooo far and the water is just to your thighs and this is being generous. The water is crystal clear and you can see old discarded shells of clams, quahogs, razor clams, crabs (some alive and just looking to take a nip of your toe), barnacle covered rocks, and many varieties of plant life. The beach is scattered with many shells which makes collecting fun for kids and adults alike. The water was refreshingly cool and I took many dips to get a reprieve from the heat....

Sun bathing is one draw to this strip of land but the real crowd shows up at low tide for quahog and clam digging. People of all ages show up with a bathing suit on, water shoes tied tight, clam rack in hand and a container to hold their booty securely held in place by some sort of inflatable invention...most use an inner tube, but some had those noodles you see in pools for exercise, salvaged Styrofoam and I saw one elaborate system set up using water barbells...if it floats and can hold a basket, cooler or pail it is considered part of the paraphernalia used to dig for a salty, briny treat from the bottom of the bay. Enjoy the photos...

Off these guys go...rakes in hand, a floating cooler and a canvas bag over one shoulder.

These guys with heads down have spotted something but notice the sea gull to the right...it appears he spotted the same thing...maybe a crab?

She's up.........

She's down.......

This lady tied a mesh bushel bag to her waist to hold her bounty from the bottom and dug with her foot to loosen her harvest...she would bob up and down as she moved from spot to spot

This woman held a rake in one hand the traditional clam basket in the other...she dug for a while and half filled her basket while her husband walked their dog up and down the beach....with the sun sparkling on the water, it looks like this lady is wading amongst diamonds!!!!!!

A family collecting shells....

Sun bathers...there was lots of room on the beach today....

Dad and I had a wonderful day...lots of sun, sand and people watching!

Elizabeth

Divine Treats from the Garden

2009-08-15T12:10:00.005-04:00

Finally we are picking tomatoes...not many but those we get are sweet, sweet, sweet...Also picking cucumbers...the cukes are odd shaped and not long but do taste soooooo good...

Lots of cherry tomatoes in different colors and few San Marzano...

Made a delicious panzanella salad...yellow, orange, and red peppers, red onion, tomatoes, chunks of crusty ciabatta bread, feta and a lovely vinaigrette with homegrown garlic...served it on a bed chopped lettuce for an added crunch...sometimes I add kalamata olives also....this is a great summer salad...love the olive oil and vinegar soaking into the bread...

Also made a huge jug of cucumbers soaked in vinegar, salt and pepper. My sister Whitney adores these cukes...use about 1/3rd apple cider vinegar to 2/3 water mixture with lots of salt and a bit of fresh ground pepper...just thinking about these makes my mouth water...

One big jug of flavor.....

Gotta go...I need to raid the cucumber jar...YUM

Elizabeth

Garlic Is Superb This Year

2009-08-05T13:31:00.008-04:00

The garlic is superb...I dug and harvested the garlic a few of weeks ago. It lifted out of the soil with ease and it was so much fun to see what had been hidden away since last fall. The air filled with the fragrance of garlic...it was delightful. Look at this bounty!!!!!

Such wonderful garlic.........

I harvested about 300 bulbs. I took armloads to the gazebo and tied bunches together by variety. Then off to the shed to dry/cure...of course I had to take some to the house to use immediately...SIMPLY DELICIOUS

Well the garlic is now ready to clean...I cut off the leaves and rubbed the dirt covered outer paper like skin off to reveal the most wonderful bulbs....I placed each variety out just to admire it before taking some to bag up as gifts....Below you will see all the varieties in all their splendor...I tag each one with the name of the variety and also just a little description so the recipient knows what they are in for....enjoy the photos!!!!!

All labeled and bagged...now off to deliver.

Nothing like homegrown garlic...now if the tomatoes would just ripen!!!!!

Elizabeth

Delightful Dahlias

2009-07-28T13:52:00.005-04:00

The garden is not doing well...too much rain and cool weather...not enough sun and heat...YET the dahlias produce...amazing plants...crisp foliage and stalks, big beautiful flowers in colors that can be breath taking. The rain does not seem to have hampered these strong beautiful flowers. How this much plant and color can come from the bulb/toe that looks so gnarly and dead when it goes in, is truly a miracle.

Look at these burgundy beauties!

These yellow dahlias look like sunflowers or the sun itself...

This variety has a pink-orange color that is amazing...

This is one giant dahlia...befitting the description dinner plate size!

A look across the dalias to the greenhouse...

Hope your garden is doing well...here in New England I hear lots of moans and groans...

We always look forward to the tomatoes...this year is going to be tough...but at least we have gorgeous bouquets...

Elizabeth

Garlic is Growing Hip Hip Hooray!!!!!

2009-06-14T12:03:00.003-04:00

What is that curly-q thing?! It is a garlic scape...edible and cool to look at. These neat looking scapes can be added to soups, stew, chopped for stir fries, added to salads or any creation you want. They also look great in bouquets. The shape just adds another dimension to a cluster of fresh picked flowers and always lends to someone wanting to know it is...

This is a single scape...don't you just love the shape!!!!!

My garlic was throwing lots of scapes this week....I cut them off so all the energy is allowed to go to the growing cloves. the varieties heavy with scapes is Music and german White. I do leave one on as an indicator. when the "indicator " points straight up toward the sky...time to dig the garlic. When scapes appear, no more fertilizer and slowly pull back on heavy watering. Keep pulling weeds as they can deplete a garden bed of the nutrition your plant stock deserves...why feed weeds?!

The garlic bed looking through the cucumber ladders.

Isn't this just a gem of a garlic bed! OHHHH LA LA....

Just another angle of the garlic....

If you decided to plant garlic last fall...you must be as anxious as I am to see what lies beneath the soil...

Elizabeth

Random Garden Shots

2009-06-12T09:04:00.003-04:00

I could look at our garden all day long...but looking just doesn't get the work done. So clippers come out to deadhead, rakes to clean up debris, buckets of waste to the compost pile and the list goes on...but in the end this "work" really isn't work and being amongst the flowers is even better than just looking. it really is true if you do something you love, it really isn't work.

A look at the herb garden bed...chives, oregano, spearmint, peppermint, scented geraniums, several varieties of sage, tarragon, basil, parsley (flat and curly), dill, lots of thyme, cilantro and rosemary. The annual herbs are just starting to grow...they need some sunny hot days to flourish.
Tomatoes are budded and some are blooming. Just staked them so now they will really grow...tomatoes are vines after all...planted several new varieties this year...black russian, great white, lemon pear as well as old time favorites san marzano, delicious, green zebra, german striped and more...looking forward to this crop!

Angel keeping a watch over a corner of the garden.

A lovely agave in a turn of the century granite urn...the mate flanks the other side of the bench...as testament of all the rain we have been getting, little mushrooms grow under the pot.

Looking forward to more days in the garden and picking tomatoes...sooner rather than later!!!!!

Elizabeth