Something Old Into Something New Again !

Before

This China Cabinet was my Moms.  I was with her when she bought it at Sears in Sacramento, Florin Center, 1968.  As you can see the glass to the door is out and I had tried updating it by painting the black inlays.
I had so much fun painting it and deciding on the color.  What a decision it was, so afraid I would hate it when it was done but my admit I love the new color.  It just brightened up the whole thing .

I'm not really one to go for bright colors but this one caught my eye, It's called "Cinnamon Stick".  It's not too orange and not too red.

Jim found a glass installer who was actually a mobile but let us come to his home with the door.  I was so happy.  Now all my things inside will be dust free.

Next I will have pictures of the inside shelves and what I have on them.  Tea Anyone?

After

Flowers Birds and ReDo Rooms !

 Good Morning !
What beautiful weather we are having.  Who can complain in Northern California, I love it.

Jim has started on the floor of our redo room or Pizza oven room, or New Bistro. Ha!  I don't know for sure what I am going to call it, I just know I am having a ball getting it ready. You know I think I will name it. That just put a whole new element on this room.  They have moved the stove or fire place or about to be pizza oven in and have it setting on cement blocks.  The pipe is

on except we have to buy another section to fit into the stove.  It's just a small piece but something we need.  That, we are getting this weekend.  Oh, the joy of starting something new.  The decorating is so much fun.  I have taken pictures of the cabinets I am putting in the room and will have before and after to show when it's done. Now I must scan thrift shops to figure out how to decorate.  How fun it this.  Tootles

Something New To Think About !

I am so excited. It's going to take some time (hopefully not too long) but we do have it planned out.  In our entrance room which is right now somewhat fixed up we are going to bring back in the wood burning stove.  It has a flat top, which will be prefect for cooking on BUT, I'm not just going to cook on it Jim is going to make me a Pizza oven.  What, You say ?!  Not only for pizza but lots and lots of bread,   We are going to put in a better floor, Then raise the stove about a foot off the floor with cement blocks around it .  On the top it will be medal inside the oven with either bricks or the blocks around it.  I'm going to have a mini kitchen out there.  My Mom's old china closet which I had put on the porch this summer is coming back in and That will be my cupboard.  I'm thinking painting it Terra Cotta. Then the BBQ cart Jim made me years ago will be painted black as he just recently put square tiles on the top of.  It has a shelf underneath  which I can use.  He's says he is going to put in a sink with a counter.  That would be great.  I already have the the 1950's table and chairs (which is gray) that Shaunna gave me and the chair cushions are an aqua, so they will fit right in.  I am so excited about all of this and will take pictures as each step comes along.   Jim says we should have everything done by Thanksgiving.  But I am really wanting it tomorrow.  Tootles

Lavender

 What smells better than Lavender ?  Nothing !  I love it.  I have four plants in my back yard and will keep on getting more.  I just think they are so beautiful.  Not far from where I live there is a Lavender Farm, Oh, you wouldn't believe how pretty it is to drive by and see the small rolling hills and bushes of lavender growing and when they are in bloom, it'sWOW.

Tootles

So much for the Herb book. Ha !
Hey, it just wasn't working so here I am back and will post more,  Tootles

Herbs in the Kitchen Chapter I

A PARADE OF HERBS

"Flavor," a famous gourmet once said, "is the soul of food."

     He should have gone one step farther, adding,"... and herbs are the soul of flavor."

     America is interested in herbs.  All over our land nurseries are gathering and offering lists of these sweet revivals of other days.  Magazines are publishing hints for the use of herbs in modern life.  Up and down the country men and women are wakening to a new-old form of food seasoning that is becoming daily more popular.

     There are some to whom herbs and their use will never be more than a passing vogue, followed for a time, then soon forgotten.  But to those versatile ones who rreally learn the secret of cooking with herbs, a fascinating path of culinary discovery and accomplishment will be disclosed.

     All the wide world of vegetation blooms and buds for you; the thorn and the thistle which the earth casts forth ... are to you the kindliest servants;  no dying petal nor drooping tendril is so feeble as to have no help for you.

     Regardless of whom or what John Ruskin actually had in mind when he wrote those words, he might easily have been speaking of a cook exploring the wealth of culinary herbs, for who else so cunningly turns Nature to her good account?

     To season with herbs one needs no spices from far lands, no exotic condiments; nothing but a plot of ground or a box in a sunny window, a few seeds, some plants.  It is a simple as that, the stocking of your kitchen with herbs, those flavors which are second to none.

     Herbs are the seasonings of the people, the seasonings one can always have, no matter what the condition of world commerce or the pocketbook.

     Herbs are as old as the first blade of grass on a cooling earth.Man, in his quest for variety in foods, was not slow to discover that some plants have characteristic fragrances that tickled even his green palate.  The true story of their first use is not known, nor the land where this occurred, for the story of every country is redolent of herbs, and the world's acquaintance with them is of patently long standing.  

     Written records of history bear testimony to their use in the earliest known times.  Theophrastus, pliny, Aristophon, Virgil and Horace, are only a few of the ancients who wrote of herbs and their place in the life of other times.  Such fragrant plants as Mint, Rue, and Cumin, are mentioned often in the Bible.  Picturing Eden as Milton painted it in "Paradise Lost," we hear Eve's words with peculiar understanding:

          Adam, well may we labour, still to dress

          This Garden, still to tend plant, herb and flower.

     Wherever man went, herbs were there for him, marking their intimate tracery through his history; Mithridates eating each morning his cakes of Rue, to counteract poison which might have been in his food; Casanova chewing sweet herbs to perfume his breath; Charlemagne choosing the herbs for his royal gardens; the companions of Columbus sowing Mugwort leaves in their shoes to relieve fatigue; early San Francisco bearing first the name of Yerba Buena (the good herb), for the trailing wild Mint grew so riotously on its hills

     Old maps of London are almost fragrant when one stoops and reeads such names as Great Saffron Hill, Camomile Street, Rosemary Lane, Royal Mint Street, and sees the Herb Market that until 1775 stood in Leadenhall.

     Many herbs grow wild and native to the soil of the United States.  Others, brought by the first comers from Europe, have become naturalized, until this is a richly sweet land of ours.  Up to a few generations ago herbs were used in America as freely as in Europe.  They were in every household garden their use a part of every women's knowledge.

     In the light of this, it would seem impossible that they could be forgotten.  But Time can so swiftly obliterate even memory of the thing no longer before one's eyes !  Interest in herbs languished, no one understands just why.  Kitchen gardens no longer boasted the dainty Thyme, the silver Marjoram, and the rest of the sweet kitchen aids of other ages.  We, whose grandmothers mingled herb scents with food to their undying fame, today find our herbal experience limited to the ubiquitous Sage, the monotonous "Poultry Seasoning."

      It is sad truth that when we Americans gave up herb culture and herb cookery we relinquished something hard to recover, and lost infinitely by its abandonment; but now at last we are being reintroduced to these magic seasonings, and taking to them like the proverbial duck to the village pond.

     Since herbs are such completely forgotten lore, their introduction to the average American will have to be as between total strangers.  Each herb must be presented, studied, used, and, if possible, cultivated, so that we well know and appreciate it.  they all are worthy of such concentration, and well worth knowing, growing, using and loving.

     My dictionary defines herbs as: 

          A seed plant whose stem does not develop woody tissue, as that of a shrub or tree, but persists only long enough for the development of flowers and seeds.  Herbs may be annual, biennial or perennial, according to the length of life of their roots.

     For practical purposes, however herbs have come to be understood as those plants whose leaves, stems or sees have aromatic or medicinal qualities, so that they my be used as perfume, food, seasoning or medicine.

     Since we in this book are concerned first of all with food and its seasoning, let us consider herbs from that point of view.  Most cooks think of herbs as little beyond those six primary seasoning plants of which they most often hear  ---  Mint, Thyme, Sage, Marjoram, Rosemary, and Basil.  When by chance they are given a glimpse of the further wealth of herbal flavor which can help make eating and living a daily thrill, they are filled with a sense of luxury.  For in addition to those six familiar herbs, there are dozens more that have real value in a home.    

     Since our crowded lives these days have limits, it would be foolish to insist that every beginning herbal cook equip herself with dozens of different herbs.  It is wiser to say, "Suit your selection to your needs and your space.  You can cook with a wealth of savor from plants of those six basic herbs: Mint, Thyme, Sage, Marjoram, Rosemary, and Basil.  You can know luxury with what few you can raise in a window garden, or those you can buy dried from your grocer.

     It is safe to prophesy however, that the cook who becomes interested at first in cooking with these few will shortly become ambitious in an herbal way, and long for space to grow more herbs for her kitchen.  for the love of herbs and their use is a love that grows.  Experience shows that it soom expands far beyond the scope of a window garden.  In this book we must plan for that expansion.  first you shall be introduced to the herbs you will want at the beginning of your career, and to those you will want to add to your garden when you have more space.  Then, as extra measure, there will be presented for you the other herbs which are, for the true gardener, "nice to have."

     At least two writers have advanced the premise that "thirty herbs will make an herb garden."  Looking over my garden and my menus, and picking out those plants most likely to figure in practical cookery, I amend their statement, and say "just six herbs will make you a good cook, while twenty-five herbs will bring you culinary fame."  In addition, they will make for you an interesting, well-rounded garden.

     Here they are, the twenty-five perfumed handmaidens that will make of you dinners family festivals.  Know them.  Let them work for you.

ANISE -- Pimpinella anisum - Annual

     This herb is one of the most ancient seasonings.  It's feathery lengths grew on the shores of Asia Minor, for Theophrastus listed it among the herbs worthy of a second sowing.  Charlemagne ordered it for his Imperial garden.  Pliny urged that it be suspended near the bed, for it assured the sleeper a youthful look when he arose in the morning.  It is easy to foresee a good crop of Anise next year, when this gets around.  The uses of Anise are not numerous, but they are important.  The green leaves are refreshing addition to salads, for their delicious, piquant flavor spurs the appetite.  The seeds are used in pastry and mixed with cottage or other fresh cheeses.

Isn't this just full of information !  See you next time.  Tootles

Trying Something New

I have been cleaning out cupboard, shelves, and closets and along the way I discovered a cook book I had bought many years ago.  I don't even remember looking through it so I probably just put it on a shelf and forgot about it as I have said before I have given more than half of my books to Salvation Army so to find this one and keep it makes me really glad.  The name is "Herbs for the Kitchen", by Irma Goodrich Mazza, copyright is 1942.  I want to share this whole book with anyone who would be interested.  It's fascinating to read and some of the pages have smuge marks, stains and even a thumb print.  There was no name in the front cover so I don't know who it belonged to but I can tell you I feel like I know her especially from her comments on different recipes good and bad.  So here goes........


 As you can see I love the Author as well as the lady (or gentleman) who owned the book.

"HERB IN THE KITCHEN"

by Irma Goodrich Mazza

The dedication page was heartwarming..

                                This book I dedicate to the two persons without whom it could not have been written: my Mother, who gave me a life to live;  and my husband, who has helped me to learn how to live it.

 How This Book Came To Be Written

Once there was a girl who had lived all the years of her life in a real American home, with its many attendant blessings. She took food and it's taste for granted, thinking it a subject of little scope which she would master someday, when she had use of the knowledge.

     Then she married.  Her husband was a Latin.  At mealtimes he upset her terribly with his notions about what to eat.

     He ate lettuce by the bowlful, with French dressing.  He refused boiled vegetables "seasoned" with butter, salt and pepper, saying they were flat. He adored onions and averred that garlic was a part of the equipment of all fine cooks.

     He clamored for the flavor of herbs in his food, and urged his wife to grow them herself, though the family estate was no more than a narrow box outside the kitchen window.  He brought home a gallon of olive oil, when the marriage certificate was only a few days old.  When his lavishness was questioned he expressed an opinion that olive oil was the lubricant of the Gods. 

     When she gave him creamed macaroni they had their first quarrel, and he said that presenting him with such a dish was practically equivalent to trying to poison him.

     What was a girl to do?  Of course it was hard on her having her complacent notions about food knocked in the head by a husband who yearned after Chicken Hunter Style and Spaghetti alla Marinaria, but she wasn't too old or too stubborn to learn.

     She turned over a new leaf. But her husband also made concessions.  While she admitted the utter loveliness of onions, garlic, olive oil and herb seasonings he conceded that one does not have to eat elaborately to eat well.  He even granted that butter has a place in cookery, and that all food should not always be highly seasoned.

     Really, the new leaf was theirs, not just hers.

     She experimented with food, with flavor, and with simplicity, strong in the belief that the wages of rich eating is indigestion.  To make her cooking interesting yet keep it healthful was her aim

    Fourteen years of feeding husband and friends, as well as self, have brought no complaints or damage suits; no ruined dispositions, which doctors say are the signs of internal strife.

     Somewhere along in those years she began to notice the strange behavior of friends.  While no one actually fainted on the doorstep and waited to be carried in, people did drop around suspiciously near eating hours.  Invited guests never suggested coming after dinner, but always asked without hesitancy,  "What time do you eat?"

     Every dinner turned out to be a cooking school, with the feminine contingent in the kitchen, and the male guests leaning in through the door.  They watched.  They asked questions, just as she had done fourteen years before.

     "How do you use garlic?  Isn't it heavy on the breath?  What are the best ways of using olive oil?  Won't salad oil do just well?  What on earth are those funny green and dried leaves you are always throwing into food?" These and like queries they flung at her continuously.

     Finally she decided that since she apparently would have to go on and on answering those questions for the rest of her life she might as well do something sensible about it.

     So she went to work at those questions.  She has answered them all.  In short, she has taken that new leaf she and her husband turned over, added all the other leaves into which it developed, and bound them into this book.

     We hope it answers all your questions, even those you have never voiced.  We hope it helps you to bring the products of an herb garden into your kitchen, mix them with your foods, and learn the variety and romance of simple savor.

* CHAPTER l *

A Parade of Herbs

Bugs, Flowers and Animals

 Jim took this picture of a Coddling Moth.  Interesting isn't it.  It really blends in with the wood.  We have seen a few butterfly's this year.  There were so many when we were growing up you saw them everywhere.  How lucky we were.  We just didn't know but we sure loved running after them.  The days are so calming with the cloud cover.  I do love the sun but when it is so hot it's just too much.  It's a relief for the eyes not having the glare.  We are taking it easy since Jim was in the Hospital.  On the look out for exercise machines.  Checking craigs list and also checking stores.  We did belong to "In Motion Fitness in Chico but that was a drive 3 times a week even though we truly enjoyed it especially the people and In-

 structors.  The drive was getting to be too much so we stopped.  I have always exercised with Jane Fonda, or Tai Chi, or one of the many DVD's I have for exercising not to mention VHS.  Oh my, now I am dating myself.  I USE to do them every morning like clock work but like I have said before since Jim is home I just can't get into it.  Yes, I have done it some but I'm not consistent and that is what you have to be.  So now I am really looking forward to get this equipment set up and getting started.  I have an exercise mat, a weighted hula hoop, a mini trampoline now so I just need the big girl bike and I am all set.  Will let you know when it's up and running.
How about these flowers.  Aren't they beautiful.  They are from the CSA I belong to.  I snip them off when they start to droop and let them continue to dry in the baskets.  I just love them and I'm amazed how they have kept their color.  Now I can enjoy them for a long time.  I have saved flowers for years.  I just can't see throwing them away.  Once I had a basket about 6 inches deep and it was full of dried flowers.  Oh the smell was wonderful.
You still smell the flower and to me it's a little stronger and it reminds me of my Grandma's house.  I love it.


I have some pictures of my dogs.  Tasha, Edward R. Merle (Eddie), and Bella (also known as Puppers).  They are all spoiled rotten and a big part of the family.  They sure do alert us if anything is approaching our house which I do like but sometimes it's a family member.  You know what I mean.

 Tasha looks so sweet here and she really is.  Not too big, just right.  Eddie is more on guard and seems to want to be in charge but when the others are outside barking at something or some noise Eddie is inside looking out the window, which is an improvement as when we first got him and he heard a noise outside he would get behind Jim's chair and peek out.  Funny uh?  He was running along the highway and would run into a gas station and beg for food from customers.  Almost got hit.  My one Son brought him to our house after trying to find the owner.  Just couldn't let it go hungry or get hit.  We picked up Tasha from Craigs list as she was on her way to the animal shelter.  The owner couldn't keep her so we got her.  And last but not least is Bella. The people that owned her kept her out in the yard well, she is so little she kept getting out of the fence so they kept her in a dog cage all day until they got home from work.  Felt bad about doing that so was looking for another home for her.  Out same

son heard the story and brought her too us.  He did call first and asked if we would take the dog, well, you know how that goes.  Oh yeah, we do have another dog which also belonged to this same son, Olivia.  Livy we call her.  She is getting up there in age will get her picture next time.
I do need to take a better picture of Eddie and Bella.  I know I have them somewhere in my pictures.  Tootles

Elviria The Queen

Good Day to you and all.  What a wonderful day and time of the year.  We are enjoying our small pool it is so refreshing and the weather has not been so hot just warm enough that the pool is wonderful.  We have gone through a scary situation in our family and am Happy to report all is well again.  We are so lucky.  Don't think for a minute we do not realize that.  Life is good and as I say Life is Grand.

These are pictures of my sweet sweet Elviria.  I bought her ceramic cats to enjoy.  There is no better kitty than she is.  

I did miss a class I was looking forward to but because of the scary situation was unable to attend.  That is okay as I need to stay close and wanted to.  Hopefully there will be another class soon.  One of the classes is a braided rug class.  Doesn't that sound like fun.  It's funny when I was a young girl my Mom had a lady in a near by town make her some braided rugs.  She was thrilled with them as I was also.  One of the rugs went into my room.  So I'm really looking forward to this class and from what Paula says the Lady who will be teaching is really nice.  Sounds like a new friend.   Tootles

Thinking !

Some thoughts and wondering's.  Just wondering about this and that not really anything in particular, maybe it's the hot weather we are experiencing today.  After all we have been quite spoiled with the cool temperatures and rain.  It just made everything so pleasant.  Right now I am tired of cooking, tired of sweeping, tired of dusting just tired of any so called work around the house.  You know when Jim worked, (not that he doesn't work now but he doesn't have a work schedule like he did so he is home a lot) , he went off to work in the morning and I would do my exercises and go through my  routine of cleaning the house.  The kids would be in school and I could have everything cleaned in an hour and the laundry going.  It was very satisfying.  Now I have no routine for cleaning, in fact I have to push myself to sweep.  To be honest that is for my little Grandson, I mean I do not want him to pull out a dust bunny from under the table or get his hands dirty running it across the top of the table.  See what I mean.  I swear living in the country is so dusty.  Hey that is why I call my house the Dusty Cottage. It Is !  The real name of my home is "Arcanes Portus Aveo"  I even have a couple sites named that.  I made a mistake when I was filling out the form and spelled Portus wrong.  I spelled it Portis and didn't  notice it until I was all done.  I just left it and figured, oh well.  I took some time to name my house.  You see, years ago and very good friend of mine, who I worked with was giving away some books.  Well I never turned down books and one of them was a latin dictionary that had belonged to her husband in 1943, anyway that was the date he had written in the front of it.  I love things like that and scoured through every page and found the meaning of the words and therefore named my house.  Arcanes means secret or hidden, Portus means haven or home and Aveo means happiness and good health.  So there you go A Secret or Hidden Home or Haven with Happiness and Good Health.  Now I ask you what could be better then that !  Now getting back to my thoughts and wondering's I have to also admit exercising is laughable.  It's funny because for years I did exercising.  I loved it.  My daughter thought I was crazy she was like my Mom and never wanted to do any.  Well now I know what they were talking about.  I do not want to do anything.  I swear I have tried all kinds of things to get me motivated.....nothing.  I have bought a mini trampoline as I use to do that years ago.  No way will I do that.  I ask you who wants to stand and bounce up and down besides Jim is home I am not going to do that in front of him.  That would not be a pretty site. It is now outside by the barbecue leaning against the house. Then I bought a weighted hula hoop.  I do like to do this.  I still can and it is fun.  I can even see how it could help trim your waist.  Do I do it ?  NO, I do not.  Who wants to.  My house is too small to do it inside and when I go out in the yard I freak my cat, Elviria out and she goes flying around the yard.  So here I am with my thoughts and wondering's.  Tootles

Vegetables and Baking

 Here is just some of the Vegetables I received this last week.  Yum Yum.  Also lots of fruit.  Jim puts them in our smoothies.  Of course I eat the strawberries so fast they don't always make it in.  This week I decided to bake some things Mom use to make.  The  Peach Cobbler in the square pan with Vanilla Sauce.  Have you ever heard of the sauce.  Well I never have and decides to try it. The recipe is from The Fannie Farmer Cookbook Eleventh Edition page 482 for the cobbler its under Apple Cobbler.  You use the recipe on page 481 which is called Cottage Pudding for the top.  Then they suggest having Vanilla Sauce to pour over it on page 402.  I did it all.  As you can see it turned out golden brown and was very tasty. The cream sauce was different.  While it was in the oven I decided to make a peach pie from scratch.  Same recipe book on page 407 I make the crust.  Let me tell you it has been years since I have done this. I would say at least 20.  I followed the direction to the letter, chilled the dough for about 30 minutes to an hour, rolled it out placed it in the pie shell etc.  Jim did get a little carried away with the cinnamon on top but that is the way he likes it.

As you can see it also turned out beautiful and the taste was yummy. Will I ever make these again?  Not on your life.  Wow !  Although it was very good the after effects were not.  Tummy ache and that was only from a small piece of pie and about an inch of cobbler.  How we all survived growing up on this stuff is amazing.  Way too heavy.  I think getting older also had a lot to do with it.  We just cannot eat like this.  From now on it's plain fruit or at least in the smoothies.  Sometimes going back is not such a pleasant experience.  Tootles

Enjoying This Cool Morning Weather

A perfect spot for the cool mornings and cool evenings.  We are loving our screened in porch.  I really think I could sleep there and just might.  I do enjoy it in the morning when everything seems to be new and fresh.  There is still dew on the flowers and grass and the smell of a new day is so welcoming.

I tried something new.  I heard about the blossoms from squash and how delicious they were and since we do have a little plant I got busy and cooked.  Thank Heavens for the internet as I look up the blossoms and got information on what to pick, when to pick, how to prepare the blossoms, how to cook the blossoms.  There are many different ways to cook them.  I just cooked them in a little olive oil and they were delicious.  Next I am going to stuff them with a cream cheese mixture and bake in the oven.  Sounds very good to me.

More of our back yard.  All my plants are doing great thanks to Jim.  He keeps all of them watered and has fun doing it.  He has been planting weeping willow trees all over our yard.  We started out with a couple that we had bought and we love them so much he looked it up how to propagate.  Well it explained how to do it.  You trim your trees and take that branch and plant it.  Crazy uh?  It works and we are very happy about it.  Tootles

San Francisco Graduation but first Beautiful Flowers !

 Took this real quick of my pretty flowers from my CSA basket.  Love how they are arranged.  I try to have flower in my house all the time.  It just shows you care about your home.  I say this as I am sitting at the computer, looking at the floor and seeing all the dust bunnies floating across the floor.  Hey, with 4 dogs and one cat in and out I am not surprised.  We have Edward R. Merle, Tasha, Bella, Olivia and my sweet cat Elviria.  Next time I will have picture of all of them.  Havent done that in a long time.


We went to San Francisco Saturday.  You remember the second hottest day of the year, with
 Friday being the other hot day.  Well, we got out of

 Dodge for the cooler weather of San Francisco.
As you can see in the trees the marine layer was hanging over the coast.  It was great !  The temp. was between 60' and 65'.  Oh, how we loved it.  We stopped at the "Palace of Legend of Honor", We didn't go inside but will try to get to it next time as they were having Water Impressions.  I'm sure it was amazing but we wanted to stay outside and enjoy the coolness.  So we walked around the grounds and I took pictures of the statues and the building.

 I love this Lion.  They are so majestic.  Would love to have these in my yard, on a smaller scale, well, maybe not.  That would certainly be different.

There were many people working in the flower gardens in front of this building.  They were having a grand time and I'm sure it was a volunteer event as were all ages with big smiles on their faces and doing a great job I might add.

 Of course we have the "Thinker",  Now I do have two of these on a smaller scale like maybe 8".  I saw them at the Dollar Store years ago and was very glad I picked them up.  That was when you could get unique items from the Dollar Store.  Now I"m afraid all we get is junk from China.

 We stopped at the Cliff House and looked around. I was there in the early 60's with Aunts and Uncles, along with my parents.  It's very different now.  At that time you could get an ice cream cone and it's seems the one building had a museum in it.  Now it looks like a cafe and gift shop.  While they seemed to be very nice was a little disappointed there wasn't more.  Oh well, I guess you can't expect it to be the same.

How about this picture !  Two of my Granddaughters who are sisters.  Of course the one in the drivers seat has just Graduated and is sitting in her Present.  Yes ! and three cheers for her.  She has done wonderful and is heading to Butte College in the fall. The one in the passenger seat has done very well herself and will be  entering the 8th Grade which will be her last year there.  My how time flies.
I have two other Granddaughters who I am very proud of, Two Grandsons, with a Grandbaby on the way and Two more Boys who call me Grandma.      Tootles !

Fruits and Vegetables !

Doesn't this look YUMMY.  I can not tell you how much I love this.  It just makes my heart sing.  I have made so many things.....mini cherry pies, small apricot pie, a yummy soup that's to die for.  To think I am going to get this about every other week is just amazing.  I am not kidding.  I am so happy to have this delivered.  It takes the guess work out of picking them out myself at the store and wondering where have they come from.  Once I was at Winco and in the produce a man was putting out veggies, can't remember what they were but the box he was taking them from was from China !  WHAT !  I have bought the organic labels there and really other than the Farmers Market the only places I have bought fruits and Veggies were at BelAir, Raley's and of course my favorite Sunflower.  But  now I have a variety in my kitchen.  This way I will try new and different ones.  So here's to eating, enjoying and loving life.  It pays to join a CSA.  Thanks Paula.  Tootles

 Lady Bug, Lady Bug !  What a mystery they are.  If they land on you it means Good Luck.  This one didn't land on me but it did land close by, horse shoes or not I'm going to count it.  I did move it down on the flowers.  It is just interesting finding the different bugs and such in your own yard.

Then of course we have Elviria.  What a sweet kitty she is.  Where ever we are in the yard or in the house she is right beside us as well as our dogs.  But she is so pretty just had to take her picture.

Today is Memorial Day.  My Grandmother always called it Decoration Day as we would go to the Cemeteries and put flowers on the graves.  Growing up did not really understand just what we were doing and my cousins and I would end up playing tag or just tumbling down the hill much to my Grandmother's dismay.  It just took a stern look from Mother to get us all in line.  Now I realize how sad it must have been for my Grandma and my Mom and her Sisters as they had a Brother who died in the war and two Sisters who died very young.  One was a few weeks old and the other 14.  By the time I was old enough to understand we had already moved to California so never got to go back.  I did go several years ago but of course Grandma wasn't with us but she was there so it was very sad indeed.  I think that is one tradition that is not followed so much but I will say this, if I were still in Kansas or happened to be there at this time we would be going and decorating.  I am lucky enough (thank God) to not have family in Cemeteries here.

Well, on that note will leave you all with "Living Life to the Fullest" and don't put off anything.  Tootles

Get Comfortable

Cup of tea, soft chair, sun warming your back listening to the birds and all of nature.  Go, do it.  Tootles

Happy Mother's Day, Ada Belle !

 What a beauty you were.  What were you 15, 16 ?  You can tell you had high hopes for the future.  Your gentle smile, your lovely eyes tell a story all by themselves.  Your thoughts and dreams were where ever your imagination took you and I'm sure they took you far.  The world was wide open for you with a promise of adventure, excitement, and love. May the Heavens Bless you for being my Mom.  You were everything a girl could ask for.  Did I appreciate you, NO.  I guess that is what a lot of us say but hopefully you knew how much I loved you.  You were there when I scraped my knees.  You were there when I wanted that in style dress we couldn't afford, you made me one and it was beautiful.  My friends thought I was so lucky and I was.  You were my Brownie Leader.  How great was that !  You were always involved.


Then I became a teenager.  Well let's not go into that.  

This is your day and I miss you very much.  I wish I could spend the day with you.  Remember when we learned how to crochet and knit ?  We had such fun. I miss your cooking.  No one can make fried chicken, homemade noodles, and any kind of pie.  You always made Holidays special.  You were the one who brought everyone together.

Even though you are gone you are always with me.  You are by my side and I feel your love and protection.  How lucky I am for having you Mom.  What a lucky man  Dad was.  Thank you Mom,  for making our lives very special.  I talk about you to my Children, your Grandchildren and my Grandchildren, who are your Great Grandchildren and my Great Grandchildren, who are your Great, Great Grand Children all the time especially the ones who never got to meet you.  Oh, but I know you are here and loving all of them.

You had it right Mom.

For one who bears the sweetest name,
Who adds a luster to the same.
Who shares my joys,
Who cheers when sad.
The Greatest friend I ever had.
Long life to her for there's no other.
Who can take the place of my dear Mother.

Miss you Mom.

In the Play Yard

 Beautiful flowers.  Our Granddaughter gave us a box of wild flowers several years ago and they are still coming up.  Aren't they beautiful.  We just love them and think of our Shaunna every time they come up.

This is where we were last week on the added porch.  Jim is having a good time playing in the back yard also.  We stopped as the birds are nesting in our eves and we don't want to disturb them.  Notice my tomato plant hanging from the edge of the roof. My Grandson (Michael, Shaunna's brother) and his family gave me that for my birthday.  Love it.

Must get back to playing or reading or cooking or just roaming around the town.  Tootles

May Day !

Remember making flower baskets out of construction paper ?  Then adding flowers from your yard or maybe if you were real fast from the neighbors yard.  You would knock at the door, hang the basket on the door knob and run.  Oh, how much fun was that.  I'll say it......the good old days.  That's right when fun was of your own making and it didn't cost an arm and a leg.  Okay, I've said enough, now I really am showing my age.

Now those are beautiful and sweet.  Happy May Day!

What's been happening.

I can't believe I did not take any pictures of the Bread and Yeast Class I attended.  The biscuits were delicious as well as the homemade rolls, homemade bread, banana bread and lemon, lavender cake.  Oh, My Good Heaven !  Everything was sooooo good.  There was great company, great food and great fun.  Had a ball and am looking forward to the next class which is on Upholstery !  I swear I am having the time of my life and am loving every minute of it.

Also, want to tell you about a Good, Good, Good, Restaurant we ate at in Oroville. " Lueceddies".  I ordered the Eggs Benedict and it was amazing.  Jim ordered the "Chicken Fried Steak", he says, The Best he has ever tasted.  I think we have found a very unique restaurant that I believe is family owned and run.  Very gracious and welcoming staff, as you can tell we had a great time and plan on going back especially for the Italian Food-----Spaghetti and meatballs, Fettuccine Alfredo, Creamy Bacon and Tomato Pasta, WOW! All of that sounds wonderful.  Will keep you posted and promise next time I will take pictures.  Tootles

Fun With The Back Yard !

 Well, let's just say I am not really using the bike the way it's suppose to be used soooo I decided to add flowers and make it beautiful.  Oh, how I love the flowers but to be honest now I think I should maybe get the tires fixed.  I will probably need new ones, a new seat and hey, I think we will be set.  Now if I just had a place to ride it !  Oh, I remember now.  That's why I haven't went bike riding.  There is no way I would ride on Larkin Road.  I swear it has more traffic then 99 Highway and besides it's way too narrow so there is the problem.  I could ride down to Campbell and ride down it. I will think about that.

 Take a look at that lettuce.  Remember I told you about the Butter Lettuce I bought at the store.  Butter Lettuce always comes in it's own container and still has the root system still on.  Well, I looked it up on line and ask if you could plant it and low and behold there were a number of people who had asked the same question and the answer is YES you can.  So I planted it and also to the left of it is, believe it or not, green onions.  They also said you could plant the root you cut off the green onion, so I did and as you can see it's growing.  How about that !

Just another picture of my back yard.  How I love to play. BUT it's the wind that has driven me Crazy.  Yes, I am from Kansas and I do know Dorothy, she is not coming to California . I don't care how much wind we stir up here.  So Just Stop It With The WIND !


Here is my sweet Elviria.  We bought one of those ruffle hoses and I am here to tell you they are wonderful.  They are light, easy to handle, does not twist or bend so no water will come out.  When you are done using, after you shut off the faucet, let all the water out of the hose and it ruffles up again.  It's great and as you can see Elviria has put her seal of approval on it.  She is forever laying across it.  I don't know why.   Tootles

Chatting with a Cup of Tea

Making myself a cup of tea and wanting to share with you the events of the last few days.  Am I excited or What !  I have discovered a wonder farm just down the road.  It's Windmill Farm. In Gridley or rather outside of the town and absolutely a unique and beautiful place to go.  I have signed up for a class that will demonstrate bread making with yeast etc.  I can hardly wait.  There are more classes to come which I plan to sign up for.  I have also joined their CSA.  Can you imagine getting a container of fruits and Vegetables about every other week on your door step AND have them delicious and healthy.  I for one am thrilled and counting the days for our first one.  What a find !

I'm enjoying my cup of tea and plan on making another to sit outside as the birds are taking baths in our birdbath and flying under the eves to their nests.  What a show they put on.  My tea you ask ?  Today I am having Constant Comment from Bigelow although later I think I will have Acai, Pomegranate & Blueberry it's a green tea from delish.  These are tea bags.  Must get back to making my loose tea it takes time but just a little time and to have the teapot sitting beside you with the tea cozy is becoming a lost art.  Now I think I have changed my mind and my next cup will be from my teapot it's Samurai Chai Mate and Maharaja Chai Oolong mix, it's a loose tea and I get it from Tevana Tea Shop at the Gallaria in Roseville.  Tootles   Maharaja Chai/Samurai Chai Tea Blend (Google Affiliate Ad)PerfecTea Tea Maker, 16oz (Google Affiliate Ad)Peach Momotaro Blooming Flower Tea, 2oz (Google Affiliate Ad)   

Flower, Flowers and Flowers !

 What smells so good and never last as long as you want it to?  Hyacinth. The smell just takes over your senses as you breath in with your eyes closed.What a sensation. My bulbs have been put away ready for next years planting. I'm try to stay current on my yard but have been busy as a bee planting, changing things and being gone. Today's weather will be warmer as the day moves on But the wind is not making me happy. Isn't it suppose to be March wind and April showers.  Well, we have had the showers but enough already and Stop the wind. I know in July I Will want the breeze and it will be no where to be found but alas that is life, so they say. 
     I have been buying butter lettuce, you know in the little carton with the roots still attached. I just love the lettuce especially on a sandwich as the leaves just fit and the taste is yummy.  WELL, I have just discovered after you finish with the leaves you can plant the roots and get another head of lettuce.  Is that cool or what! I have mine planted as we speak and will let you know how it is doing.  I also just learned you
can plant the root end of green onion and they will also grow

another onion. I have the onions but haven't used them yet but will keep you posted.  More of my plants on our cottage porch.  I have even changed this around so need more up to date pictures. Tootles

Spring is Here !!

 Welcome.  Spring is here and I am so glad. Haven't we had a lot of cold weather this year.  I know it isn't as bad as some parts of the country, like Kansas.  My Goodness all that snow and the cold temps., brrrrr.  I am from Kansas so I do know cold.
My b-day was last week and we were able to have a barbecue.  Now that was fun.  The first one of the season.  I even made hamburgers.  I found this recipe and it called for herbs, breadcrumbs, garlic and onion, so made them the night before. This is something I will be doing a lot this spring and summer..... I found a recipe for potatoes on the grill.  You take red potatoes, cut them in half, put salt, pepper, rosemary and garlic with olive oil over them in a bowl.  Then you go out and cut some rosemary stalks (I don't know if you call them that, maybe branches) clean off the lower part of rosemary off and poke your potatoes through them.  Lay them on the barbecue and they are yummy. I put one big pan in the oven and the other smaller ones went on the grill.  I chopped up the rosemary from the branches to put on them.  It was really good and the smell I really like.  Try it.
      I want to show you what I have been doing.  It has been fun and I have had a ball.
The picture on the left is from my calendar.  Since I first looked at this picture I knew I wanted to fix one for myself.  Now I am still working on it and hope to even make more.  Mine is on the right.  My husband joined in and helped me also.  The fun part was making the word Herbs out of sticks.  That is just the beginning of the outdoors fun.  I plan on getting herbs this week and Jim is making me beds that are high, like at my mid section.  I will take a pic when I get them going.  Tootles

Yea ! Yea ! Yea !

I did it, I did it, I DID IT !
     Well glory be,  I did it.  Okay, so now I am going to take pictures and get to blogging  Tootles

Did it work ?

It has been ages since I was able to get into my blog.  Well, I should say I was able to once and then promptly forgot how I did it plus I was having trouble with my computer then got a new one and put windows 8 on it, well, it kept freezing so finally was able to get it off and went back to the original windows 7, which is just fine and for a couple of weeks I am trying to figure out how to get into my blog. What happen was I put a template on which I really loved as it should all my pic's and you just click on it and you could read the story.  Well, that is all fine and good except when I went to the blog there was no place for me to sign in.  What a nightmare !  So now I am going to publish this and go to the blog and see if I have a sign in.  Wish me luck !  Tootles

Pants full of Plants

Look on the porch up the left stairs.  This is what you see in San Francisco.  I love it.  How in the world did they come up with that and how did they do that.  Really cool uh !  Tootles

My Cats

That is Edgar (Sparky) above and Elviria below.  They get along about half the time.  The other half not so good.  I have said before he is not a cuddly, sweet cat.  You keep your distance even when walking by as he will swipe at you.  Elviria on the other hand is very cuddly, sweet and down right friendly.  Love it when she sits in my lap of an evening and keeps me warm. As I have said before it's her nails.  She just never learned when and when not to use them.

We are still freezing.  I do know that most of the U.S. is a lot colder then we are But we usually don't get so cold here in Northern CA.  Last night was 18', now that is cold.  I'm looking on the brighter side at least we are on the back side of Winter not going into it.  Hopefully the next month or two won't be as cold.  Tootles

Happy January

Just told you about my new computer and will say no more other than I love it and it is working out great.

The sun is shinning bright coming in the windows and that makes me happy.  Looking forward to spring as we all are.

Have been doing some crocheting.  I made a neck scarf and am now making gloves.  Once I figure out how to put the pics on I will show you.

I have started a shawl in knitting.  Don't faint.  Knitting is a lot harder for me and you have to be so careful of dropping a stitch but this pattern is so beautiful.  It's call, "Prayer Hands Shawl,".  If you want the pattern or just want to see what it looks like just google it.  I found the pattern from a lady who has a blog and lives in The Ozarks, in Arkansas. Will put her blog address on my site.  Let me tell you she is very talented.  I have two rows so far and like I said as soon I can figure out this picture adding on I will start showing my progress.  Tootles

Good Morning.
I'm very excited this morning as I have a new computer.  Jim brought it home yesterday.  You see we sold our iphones.  Yes, that is right.  I know what you are thinking, how could I.  Well, number one is the cost of the phone, the data monthly and when you realize you are not using it very often, that is to actually call or text someone, well, you get the picture.  So we had other phones here in the house that we switched to and sold our phones.  Got a good price for it too, and I got this great computer.

It's called a Lenono.  Never heard of it ?  Well, neither have I but it's amazing.  It's all in one, 23 inch screen, keyboard and get this a touch screen.  That will take some getting use to.  I can ever have the keyboard on the screen.  Crazy uh?  I'm just getting use to all of it now and will be getting pictures loaded up to share.

So Happy New Year everyone.  Tootles