BLOOMING AND READING AND BLOOMING

Many bulbs are sprouting as the rain keeps coming down.  I sneak out in between the downpours and gusty winds and try to get pictures.  These are the tiniest of grape hyacinths and I love how faithfully they come up every year.  Just this tiny bunch I planted many many years ago.  Every year I vow to plant more, to have a nice size planting, and then I forget.   I have more than one garden diary, it all just gets so jumbled; the planning, buying or dividing, planting, mulching, fertilizing.    Who can remember to write it all down?  It's never simple.

Can you see the little stone pig with wings behind the hyacinths?  I found this in Asheville a few years ago and I have a few other variations on the theme here and there.  I identify with the whole ideology. When pigs fly. 

This is the bulb bed as of Saturday.  It was gloomy and rainy and the tulips refused to open up.  They only do so in the sun, stubborn creatures that they are.  And they close religiously every evening.  Everything was rain spattered and droopy. Still, I love it.  More tulip bulbs to be planted next fall.  Check. Check.  It's so important to let the leaves dry up on their own, never cut them down.  This is their energy source for next year.  I have heard of gardeners gently folding the leaves over and down and securing them with a twist tie or some twine.  It looks neater and you have room to see where you want to plant other flowers. 

I managed to get enough for a simple bouquet in a Mason jar with some raffia tied around the neck.  Everyone here is so used to seeing flowers that they don't always notice.  Sort of sad. 

I've been busy as I predicted in my last post.  I had a hair appointment on Tuesday.  I got to see my little Elsie as Mary Clare was off work early (I have my hair done by her sister, Katie at her mom's house for those that don't know).  It's always so fun with Elsie and Katie's little baby, Margot, six months now...so lively and happy.  

Wednesday I had a doctor's appointment.  It was so crappy out...rainy and blustery.  He asked me if it was still that way when I showed up at 1:00 p.m.  I said yes, but isn't this the norm for April?  We laughed.  Yes, it is.  We are so silly to think that this is unusual after a brief warm up.  We've had some below freezing temps at night and I lug my big pot of pansies off the porch into the house, but otherwise I'm good.  I never plant anything until after Mother's Day.  That's sort of a rule of thumb in our area. 

 

I follow a great blog, Back Road Journals, and this lady not only knows the local back roads, she's a world traveler and has the best recipes.  She posted a recipe for Chicken Avocado Suiza.  I happened to have all of the ingredients on hand and what wonderful meal it turned out to be,  My picture doesn't do it justice.  You can find the recipe here.  The only adjustments I made were to use a jar of tomatillo sauce by Rick Bayless of Frontera Grill (You can find it in your grocery store near the tortilla chips, I'm sure).  And I did everything in a skillet.  That's it.  Thanks, Karen!  Get the recipe, you'll love it.

I'm amazed that this little bed of tulips looks so beautiful.  As I said, the pretty little things only open in the sunshine and when we went to our favorite little Mexican restaurant Saturday night, I couldn't help but take a snap. You can only imagine how pretty they look on a sunny day. 

We found ourselves at Cine again, a modern Mexican Taqueria that we found on our last venture in exploring new towns.  We have to find a new name for this sort of venture The Husband and I do on various weekends.  How about Exploring New Towns?  Sounds good to me.  Isn't this a colorful appetizer?  The sauce in the forefront is a pineapple sort of thing, the middle one had us perplexed and we forgot to ask, and I guess the same for that last one.  Ha!  They were all good and The Husband demolished them.  I try to stay away from carbs, as in the chips, and I had a chicken tortilla soup coming so I wasn't going to spoil my appetite or use up the carbs.  It's just a really fun place and we will be back a lot I'm sure.

While we actually had plans to do our Exploring New Towns on Saturday morning in a totally new town, we knew on Friday night that rain and cold and winds were predicted.  Ever the optimistic, I said, "Let's just dress warm and have our umbrellas. We can duck into shops and hang out under awnings."   It sounded very reasonable at the time.  Not so much the next day when the weather people were spot on and it was raining and nasty chilly.  Oddly, I awoke about 5 a.m. with the rain splattering loudly against the windows.  I couldn't fall back asleep despite the two Diet Pepsi's I downed, so I crawled back in bed and grabbed my Nook.  I decided to finally stop my habit in getting a quick fix of reading magazines and just get involved in a novel.  I had quite a selection in my library and I chose this.  Oh. My. Goodness.  Just read it.  Get it and read it.  Schedule uninterrupted time to just devour it.  Lock yourself in a bathroom or closet if you have to.  As you can see, I'm absolutely no good at book reviews.  I seriously didn't push to do the Exploring New Towns  because I secretly wanted to read more of this book.  And I awoke Sunday morning to finish the last 88 pages.  

  “Gone Girl fans will devour this psychological thriller.”—People“   

Like its train, the story blasts through the stagnation of these lives in suburban London and the reader cannot help but turn pages.”—The Boston Globe

 

Enough.  Just read it.  

And I started another...Little Bee.  It's older and maybe many of you have read it.  It's new to me and again, I'm letting dinner burn and laundry languish as I lose myself in this amazing story.  Forget those magazines.  I'm on a roll.

 The lives of a sixteen-year-old Nigerian orphan and a well-off British woman collide in this page-turning #1 New York Times bestseller and book club favorite from Chris Cleave.

See you soon.  Or not.  I have a library wanting attention. :)

SALADS, CHEESECAKE, EGGPLANT, FLOWERS AND SNEEZES!

 

Hello everyone!  I hope you are having a good start to the week.  I'm just miserable over this weather and that's just not me.  Not that I never get miserable but I take the weather with a grain of salt-there's very little you can do about it.  But we were teased all last week.  Friday was exceptionally warm, almost 80 degrees.  I cleaned up the patio and The Husband and I brought out the patio furniture and umbrella.  I was going to cook salmon on the grill and then it just clouded up and now our forecast has predicted rain, gloom and doom for the next two weeks.  So I awoke to gray skies and wind this morning.  Even the dogs sulked. 

The Husband and I have so much to do on the weekends as we are both not the type to go out and about on weeknights.  He's spent from work and I also feel like my day needs to wind down.  So Saturday we went out to a furniture store to look at chairs for our not-so-much-as-even-started den.  Lately with all the plans and decisions and choices we have to get going with the lakehouse, sometimes we have to focus on this house.  I think we are just bouncing all over the place.  We didn't find/agree on anything as far as chairs for the den, a sort of reading-television room.   It seems sometimes we have to just step away from all of this to live peacefully if you know what I mean.  A lot of head butting. 

We had dinner at The Cheesecake Factory Saturday after looking at chairs.  I've had the French Country Salad before and simply love it.  No guilt and so good.  We ordered the Avocado Egg Rolls as well.  I found a "copycat" recipe on Pinterest, if I make them, I'll share.  The dipping sauce isn't right so I'm going to fiddle with that.  

 

We always try to save room for the cheesecake and it never happens.  And yes, we should get a piece to bring home but we never do.  I had pity on my man and made this yesterday.  It's from Susan Branch's first cookbook (sorry no link), and I think it's great.  I know you saw my Easter cheesecake mess but I swear, The Husband cut this last night with a machete or something similar and it ended up looking like this.  Still, it was heavenly.  Do you know you can get graham cracker crumbs as opposed to the crackers?  No pounding and pulverizing...just add your melted butter, no waste.    

 

I mentioned in this recent post that I was looking into some natural home remedies for skin care.  I was happy with the response I had from some of you ladies and many of you shared your tried and true skin care regimens.  I love that, we share so much on our blogs, maybe we need to delve deeper in to other aspects of our lives.  Personally, I've always taken what I think is very good care of my skin.  Washing morning and night, never sleeping in makeup and moisturizing like a maniac as my skin is super dry.  I do know skin care is changing by leaps and bounds especially in research of the benefits that retinols, collagen and oils have on the aging process of our skin.  But I regress, I'm not liking the additives and fragrance in many products.  While I don't argue with good science, I'm looking at some natural products and remedies.  And I'm methodically doing my research. 

As I wrote about in the post I linked, I ordered benonite clay from Amazon.com. as well as some raw apple cider vinegar.  Mixed in equal parts you have a sort of mud-like substance and I used The Husband and Abby as my victims.  They were elated with the results.  The clay cleaned their pores like a sponge soaking up all the bad stuff in their skin from years back.  They both agreed that the clay mixture on their face was soothing, tingling and a little pulsating-like it was really working.  Afterward, I massaged a bit of pure jojoba oil into their skin.  This is fast absorbing and works above and beyond so many oils: Argan, Moroccan, tea tree, sesame, olive and even coconut oil.  These are all great but the advantages of jojoba far exceed the others.  Loving it.  I mix it with my body lotion and use it everywhere. You can use it a alone as well, it absorbs quickly and a little goes a long way.   I'm sure you can find any of these products at your local health food shop.  I'm elated in finding new things that work.  I love my Neutrogena, Garnier and Olay, science is good.  But it's so cool to find out that ancient remedies work even now.  Jojoba is in my favorite shampoo, but now I'm a step ahead by massaging the pure oil into the ends of my hair to make it healthy, shiny and smooth.  Oh, and at a fraction of the cost.  

 

We spent some time last week looking at tile for the upstairs bath and powder room downstairs.  I'm looking for beachy colors.  It's hard to tell from this pic but it has some blue, grays, greens and beige.  I love the irregularities of the tiles, too.  The Husband and I don't agree a lot on what we like but we are getting better at listening, understanding and appreciating what each of us wants.  And we know when to walk away away from each other, if you know what I mean. :)

 

Have you ever seen or had white eggplant?  I saw these at my grocery store last week and I always get such a kick out of trying the unusual.  I thought these looked like little baby beluga whales  Ha!  And how to prepare them?  Absolutely no idea.  By the way, these look huge but the aren't.  They're on a small cutting board. 

I finally did make them very much like regular eggplant.  Peeled 

and cut lengthwise, then again in 1/2 slices.  I tossed them in a large bowl with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a mix of chopped garlic and a blend of Italian seasonings.  I baked them at 350 for about 10 minutes and then let them have a little broiling for about 5.  I love that they didn't suck up the olive  oil, nor get watery.  Just delicious.  I'd love to use them in a recipe, have to work on that.   So good. :)  

 

These are the forsythia I cut and brought in last week.  I had daffodils as well.  I'm so looking forward to my tulips, I have such a great variety and they last so much longer.  

We were fooled by temperatures  last week.  But it was just so much fun to have Milo and Layla in the yard, romping and lying in the sun.  At least we had a few good days.  I have a lot of things going on this week, a hair appointment, doctor and dentist appointment, and errands galore to run on Friday-that will be my day.  Still, I like getting out each day, the fresh air does us good no matter how warm or cold it is.  I can live without the allergens.  Like most of you I'm going crazy.  :( 

Let's hang in there with the wonky weather, it is only April after all.  The upper Midwest is know to get snow around this time! :(

See you soon!

Jane x

         

 

SPRING FLOWERS AND A REFRESHING SALAD RECIPE

Our weather has been so beautiful here, I hope it's the same for all of you.  Just the upper sixties has me outside doing whatever I can possibly do with the time I have available.  In a nutshell, spreading crabgrass killer and picking up doggie do.  And today I pulled a lone outdoor chair on to my barren patio so I could read and the dogs could lounge in the sun.

Everything these days is a swirling mix of doing inventory for the lakehouse and picking out replacements for the floors and kitchen cabinets ...a huge job, and then working on the plans we had for this house in the spring.  Seriously, my head is spinning.  The inventory for the lake was mind boggling...what did they toss out in the clean up?  They didn't document that.  I do know the laundry room below the bathroom where the pipe burst took the brunt of the damage and that's where I kept my supply of sheets and towels and we had a ton.  Six twin beds alone in the house and Summerhouse, and I always kept multiple sets to change out so I didn't have laundry going round the clock when we had guests.  And we sleep sixteen so I had a tremendous amount of bath towels.   You don't think you have so much and then you go through the numbers and dollars.  Crazy.

That's just the lake stuff going on.  Besides trips to a few tile and home centers looking at cabinets and flooring for  there, I'm getting quotes on a new porch and driveway here and then some landscaping which we had been planning on doing for over a year. 

I was at Home Depot the other day (looking at flooring), and they had pansies on sale for 98 cents a pot.   This is about the only flower that you can plant during the "iffy" weather here in the upper Midwest.  I think they are pretty in this urn on my porch.

The daffs opened this week and they mimic the sunshine.  The tulips will follow shortly and I love them because they last longer when cut.

My forsythia is in full bloom and I cut a few stems for a vase today...I'll have to post a picture next time---this is flower overload!! :)

I saw this lone little pansy growing along a sidewalk in my backyard today.  It must be a 'volunteer' because I've never had pansies in this area.  Love that.  Tweet! :)

And I found this rather unique vase in a cabinet that I had long planned to clean out and finally did.  Oh, the treasures we find.  So I cut some daffodils and here we go.   Isn't this neat?  I think I found it at my grocery store years ago,  I need to clean out cabinets more often. :)

I so wanted to make a light refreshing dish to go with dinner, I get so tired of leafy salads and I've been avoiding potatoes, which The Husband has recently decided he's not crazy about (you may remember that about a year ago he informed me he didn't like Brussels sprouts after 28 years of my making them.  Surprise.).  So I skip potatoes and rice as much as I can, we have grains occasionally.  This fit the bill tonight.

Creamy Cucumber Salad

Peel 2 English cucumbers (I leave a bit of green on them for color).  Cut in half and then again lengthwise.  Scoop out the seeds and lay them cut side down on a paper towel to soak up some of the water.  Meanwhile mix 1/4 cup plain Greek Yogurt and 1/4 cup sour cream.  Add 3 T. mayonnaise, 1/4 cup fresh dill or 1 T. dried, 3 T white vinegar, 1/2 t. sugar and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Chop up one scallion (or green onion) reserving some of the greens at the top.  Slice the cucumbers at 1/4 inch intervals so they look like half moons. Toss everything together.  Spoon into a pretty bowl and dust with a little of the dill and scallions. You may want to refrigerate for an hour for the flavors to meld, but I simply love it for how quickly it goes from prep to table.   SO refreshing!

I've been wanting to share for awhile that I was given the opportunity to write a column for our lake newspaper.  April 1 my first article was published.  I finally saw it two days ago when a lake friend mailed me several copies of the newspaper.  I was so chuffed to see that it took up one whole page!  And the editor gave it a title.  These are my own pictures and the article was written independent of my blog.  My first writing opportunity outside of the Internet!  And I will be doing it every month.  I'm at a loss for words.  This is pretty much all I've ever wanted in the years I've been blogging...to be published.  For the record...the newspaper goes out to 12 towns in southwestern Michigan, and 22 lakes.  I'm not sure of the population at all.  I am just so very excited about this awesome opportunity and in a big way, responsibility.  Unlike blogging, I have a deadline!

I talked with my veterinarian about Milo the other day.  His biopsy was sent to a bigger lab and the results came back.  Not being able to quote Dr. B word for word...the type of cancer cells they see are not the sort that generally spread, so they are hopeful the sarcoma is contained within the tumor.  My guy will have the surgery May 4th.  I'm going to be a wreck, but the sooner they remove this, the better.  When I pet him and my hand reaches this golf ball size tumor on his leg, I want to scream.  Go away.  Leave my precious dog alone.  He has many years ahead of him.  We would be lost without him.  I know...there is hope and I'm focusing on that.  Keep those prayers coming.

Jane xx 

ALL OVER THE PLACE & SOME NATURAL BEAUTY RECIPES

Happy Weekend!  It's a wonderful 60 degrees in Chicago and the clouds and rain have finally disappeared.  Wednesday night brought some serious thunderstorms and high winds to our area, but the worst devastation occurred in a small town named Fairdale, about 80 miles northwest of Chicago.   It happened in the early evening so it was very hard to see the damage, but watching our news at 10:00 p.m., the reporters at the site were quite shaken.  And the Chicago weatherperson that I like so much...he had been on and off the air almost all day with warnings of the treacherous weather heading our way.  As he reported on what now is known to have been an EF-4 tornado (winds over 200 mph), he actually had to pause as his voice broke.  A whole town, gone in a matter of minutes.  Tiny as it was...a population of about 150 people, surrounded by farmland for miles and miles, this compassionate man was clearly feeling that emotion when things are out of our hands.  Two lives were lost, which is almost a miracle since there are no homes or structures left.  I'm seeing on the news now that people are being allowed back into the town and volunteers are coming in droves with wheelbarrows and shovels...shelters are receiving donations of food, water, soap, diapers...you name it.  And God bless the Red Cross.  You can click on the link if you want to make a donation.

Well, see those happy girls?  Abby and her roomies, or should I say "house-ies".  The Husband and I took them out to dinner for Abby's birthday Tuesday night.  I drove with her boyfriend, Tom, and The Husband met us from his office.  I mentioned in my last post that Abby had chosen a restaurant within walking distance, called Tango Sur.  As Tom and I were driving there, we both became a little curious about the name and type of restaurant it was, so I Googled it (and it's strange that I hadn't done that, it's just a weird habit of mine when I try a new place).  Well, Tom nearly drove off the road when he heard me gasp.  "OMG!  BYOB!"  Sheer panic.  What is a big birthday celebration without lots of wine?  Texts flew and provisions were secured.  Check.  Oh, the restaurant was Argentinian...the best steaks and empanadas evah.

And here's Abby contemplating her birthday wish over a slice of flan.  I've always wanted to make a flan...hmmmm.  Oh, her gift from Tom was tickets to see Taylor Swift this summer.  She is so excited.  She's been a big fan for so long.

Kevin stopped by with little Elsie the other evening.  MC is back to working three days a week and her mother, Peggy, takes care of the baby.  Kevin picked her up and swung by.  It was such a lump-in-my-throat feeling seeing him walk in with his daughter.  Isn't she pretty?  The Husband and I fought over who could hold her first.  And she smiles now!  I love being a grandma.  

Spring has really sprung after all the rain.  I have a lot popping up here and there.  I love blue flowers, there are very few "true blue" flowers in nature so each one is so special. 

These are sprouting up all over the backyard making it look like a pretty meadow.  I have a lawn care service that does a spring and fall clean up so I wanted to get pics before they mowed these babies over.  The daffodils are ready to burst open and my forsythia bloomed before I had the chance to force them indoors.  I'll bring some stems in next week to spread some color around.  In another month we'll be planting flowers...so exciting.  :)

This week was incredibly busy.  I still don't have Easter put away, everyday I've had to run out here and there.  Thursday Emily and I had the greatest day.  We are going to a baby shower tomorrow so we were out at a mall for gifts.  First I went with her to a client's home where she had to do a paint consultation.  I was quizzing her...you mean people actually pay you to help them pick a paint color?  Oh yeah, they have no clue.  And this woman didn't.  I think Emily is brilliant, she doesn't just hold up samples and say, "This would look good, or this will tie in with your shower tiles."  She spent some time educating the woman on the warm and cool tones she had in the bathroom and adjoining master bedroom.  She helped her see the green and blue tones in various shades of gray paint chips.  Anyway, in spite of being a bit of a crab, the lady chose two colors for opposing walls to "highlight" the peak going up to the skylight window.  That Em is so good at what she does.

And we had a ball at the mall. We browsed through Pottery Barn and Williams Sonoma, Macy's and Gap.  It was there they I found these pants and it was love at first sight.  I've been wearing tapered pants and jeans for years now...and I like that for boots and flats.  And then I saw a pic of Amal Clooney (don't you just love her style?) in wide leg short pants.  So I have these to wear to the shower, I'm not going so casual as this picture with shoes like this...maybe another time, this is at a country club.  So I'm going to try those kitten heels I showed you here.  And then maybe a cardigan with a bright scarf or necklace?  Emily is the queen of chunky jewelry so I my have a peek at her stash.

I've become quite interested in natural skin products in the past two years after my dermatologist surrendered and said he couldn't help with my eczema.  I'm currently using Skinfix lotion that Target carries and I'm loving it.  Science mixed with natural products.  And Dr. Oz mentioned in his magazine, The Good Life, that borage oil is great for sensitive skin.  I followed the link to a website called Nuxe.  They are based in France and from what I read, have received a great many awards and accolades for their skin care products.  So I received the little bottle of oil which includes borage, as well as an under-eye cream and so far so good!  A drop of the oil mixed into a few drops of my lotion makes my skin feel like velvet...seriously.  You can even use it on the ends of your hair, cuticles, heels...wherever.

So about this clay.  I mentioned to all of you that I get daily emails from a site called Mind Body Green.  It's just so interesting, I could spend the whole day reading the "articles" that cover anything from food to beauty to psychology.  So I was researching natural face masks...I'm really getting into the "out with the old and in with the new" when it comes to skincare as I get older.  My skin has always been so dry, I simply moisturized day and night and very heavily so.  Now I'm learning: exfoliate.  Get rid of those dead cells so the healthy skin can shine through.  Don't let your lotions and potions sit on that dead stuff...it needs to penetrate.  I use a very gentle exfoliator by Aveeno about 3 times a week in the shower.  And then I came across an article on Mind Body Green about making your own masks, which takes it one step further and gets your skin deep down clean and healthy.  I thought it was so cool when the writer said that we probably already had the ingredients for these natural skin treatments in our pantry.  And then I read that the first ingredient for her mask was bentonite clay.  Oh, yeah...now do I have that in the fridge, cabinet or out in the backyard?  Maybe I'm fresh out.  Seriously, I was sort of excited about it since it's been used since ancient times to draw toxins and impurities out of the skin.  The clay has a negative charge so it draws toxins (which have a positive charge) out of the skin where it binds to the clay.  Fascinating?  Now before you grab a shovel and start digging to China, I consulted my best friend Google and wow, you can get this stuff anywhere!  Health food stores, websites...you name it.  I found the best price at Amazon.com and ordered a small jar of it.  You simply mix a tablespoon of the clay with 2-3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and then let it stay on your face and harden for 5-10 minutes.  I'm going to be your guinea pig!  You can read the whole article here, and also get the recipe for the all natural oat/brown sugar/honey facial scrub.  I'm going to try that one, too. 

I hope I haven't bored you.  I have control issues that have nothing to do with other people, I could care less what any of you do! :)   But I have a real drive to be in control of myself---my health, body and mind.  Okay, my house and garden, car, pets...well, you know what I mean.  

I'm pretty relieved to say that Milo has started on the anti-seizure meds and he is not acting lethargic at all.  Nor is he sleeping more than usual.  He's still sort of clingy in the evenings but there's really nothing wrong with that, I'm just not used to him following me.  Thank you for your nice comments and prayers.  We will see the vet in a few weeks to talk about the tumor.  

We are leaving in a bit to go to a House Warming Party for Abby and her "house-ies".  She really liked my glass drink dispenser with the spout so I found one at Kohl's for her and the girls as a gift.  And I didn't have a gift for her when we went out to dinner for her birthday so I found a cute pair of flats and a necklace at American Eagle, as well as a little gift card so she can choose her own things.  And I ordered a bunch of pics through Walgreens for her to put in frames in her room.   I kept meaning to do that for her and so she's going to be surprised.  The party theme is Taco Bar, so I'm making a Jalapeno Popper Dip and Mexican Won Tons, and so I have to scoot.  I have two hours before we leave.  

I'll be back next week.

Jane xx

EASTER/SPRING TABLESCAPE, TREATS AND A DESSERT DISASTER

We had a really wonderful Easter and the weather couldn't have been better, I think you'll be able to tell by the lighting in these pictures.  The Husband and I sat having a cocktail before the family arrived and I remarked that I simply couldn't remember a recent Easter that wasn't just warm and sunny and well, perfect.  I did all my baking and make-ahead dishes on Saturday, which is why The Husband and I had some time to relax and argue over what sort of music to have on.  He wanted Classic Rock (Uh, Led Zeppelin, anyone?).  I wanted R&B/Soul.  We ended up with Pop Hits.  No one noticed.

I set my table the night before.  The only flowers I bought were just one bouquet of tulips...I knew every surface would be used for appetizers and drinks.  So I jazzed up this hurricane with some real lily's which were part of an old bouquet, for a centerpiece.  I just snipped the stems off and stuck them into the existing greenery (if you look close, it's pinecones and berries, this is a Christmas decoration and I just switch the candle out to use it year round).  Some random eggs and candles finished things off.

I alternated clear salad plates with the little bunny plates from Pier 1 that I shared in this post.  I used different types of napkin rings, these gold bunnies and...

...these little eggs in a nest.  

I mentioned here that I was going to try my hand at a "signature" drink.  I found a recipe for a Sunlight Sangria, I think in a Williams Sonoma catalog.  The recipe was included in that post.  It was really, really good and we made three batches of it (that's reeeeeally good!).  Most people thought the tequila was a bit too much and that I should hold back a bit more on the lime, otherwise they were a hit and I promised to make them again.  I broke down and bought a glass dispenser with a spout from Target.  Good investment.  

Everything we serve is pretty much the same from year to year and I like that so much can be made ahead of time.  This year I had two different types of tossed salad; a classic Caesar, and a strawberry/blue cheese/walnut.  I think it added a nice springtime vibe.  And I blanched the asparagus the night before and then tied up small bundles with strips of puff pastry.  They baked with the rolls and were so cute!  And we call the rolls here "Butt Buns" because they have a little seam running down the middle and well, my kids thought that was so funny when they were little.  ;-) 

I love looking at all the cute items in the baking aisles at stores like Michael's, etc.  I found these little picks and thought the younger kids would get a kick out of them.  I made vanilla cupcakes with a buttercream frosting I tinted.  I toasted about 1 cup of coconut to make little nests and there you have it.  I added mini chocolate eggs to the ones with chicks.  Can you see the little taffeta skirts on the bunnies? :)

The kitchen island was the dessert table.  We had quite a spread.  I didn't get pics before everyone dived in though.

The day before I made almond bark...I think it took about 5 minutes.  Just melt it and spread it out on parchment paper.  Then sprinkle on whatever you'd like.  I did pastel M&M's, crumbled Oreo cookies, and simple sprinkles.  Chill for a half hour and break into pieces.  Yum!

And of course there had to be a disaster.  I tried a new cheesecake recipe and used my springform pan.  I think the graham cracker crust simply over-baked because I couldn't get it out of the pan for the life of me.  I even tried to lift it with a spatula.  Finally I simply scooped it out on to a plate and poured a can of cherries over it.  My niece was standing in front of the dessert table and politely asked, "Uh...what is this?"  And I just blurted out, "Cheesecake Fluff", and before I knew it everyone was putting spoonfuls on their plates and raving over it!  Ha!  A new recipe!

Yesterday I worked in the kitchen for three straight hours washing things by hand and running two loads in the dishwasher.  I don't know if it was the cocktails, but everyone was laughing and talking well up to 9:00 p.m. (we started at 2:30).  I just didn't want to spoil the fun with a major clean up.  I still have things soaking.

I took this picture of Milo the other day...he looks like a puppy here.  I had him at the vet Friday to get the blood tests so we could start the seizure meds, we decided to take that route.  I mentioned to Dr. B. that a fatty tumor on Milo's left hip had gotten bigger, it's the size of a golf ball.  He aspirated it and well, it's cancerous.  I felt like I had the wind knocked out of me.  To go in for one thing that you think is pretty bad and then come out with something totally different and life altering.  I've been weepy here and there, I say weepy because it hits me at the oddest times and I have to pull myself together.  And I pray.  A lot.  I know the drill.  So he'll start the phenobarbital tomorrow, which the doctor says will making him dopey for about two weeks until he builds up a resistance to those side affects.  And then we can have the tumor removed and whatever else needs to be done in a few weeks.  What more can I say?  My eyes are filling with tears right now (and this started out as such a happy post!).  Sorry guys.  He's such a good dog...say a prayer.  

I want to get out to take some pics of all the bulbs I have sprouting...it rained last night and everything has turned such a bright vibrant green, so pretty.  Today is Abigail's birthday so we are having dinner downtown near her house.  She wants me to call it a house, not an apartment.  :)  We're going to a new place called Tango Sur...sounds interesting.  

I hope all of you had a wonderful Easter and are off to a great week.

Jane x 

Joining Debra at Common Ground for Share Your Style Thursday

ALL THE BEST

First off, I'm trying so hard to visit all of you.  I've fallen off a pattern of spending time in the morning and evening on the blog circuit...it's hard lately.  Know I'm trying.  Keeping up with posting is so important to me, not for the visits back, just to be true about where it all starts.  

I thought I'd be able to post a pretty "pre-tablescape" for Easter.  That way you could steal, er...try some of my ideas.  No way.  I'm struggling to stay above water so I simply have here a little centerpiece I made for spring.  Honestly, the table is going to be so crowded with dinnerware, I think all I will be able to fit is a simple vase of flowers, and a small one at best.  I've heard, and I've done, pretty centerpieces that are removed once dinner is ready and that's wonderful.  Go for it.  Your guests love to admire a pretty table when they walk in, they feel special!

I thought you'd like this...it's so whimsical.  The little gardener bunnies.  I wonder what's eating their lettuce and carrots??  And the salt and pepper shakers..did you guess?  Two peas in a pod? :)

I was rummaging through the linen closet and found this large pillow cover from Pottery Barn still in the plastic wrap.  I ordered it about 3 years ago, they sent me the wrong size (24 x 24) and I always meant to get the right size, albeit huge, pillow form.  I decided to try it on a Euro size pillow and I think it looks okay.  Do you think the stripes clash with the floral?   I know floral always clashes with the floral!  And that's Layla's little "tuffet" blanket there that she likes to burrow under.  Just not sure...

I had a little project the other day...don't cringe by the sight of this.  So many of my switch plates may be 100 years old.  Not even the smooth generic beige, just that sort of grainy type that soaks up all the grease, grime and horrible-ness of a kitchen that gets used.  I looked at Home Depot at new switch plates and gosh, mine must be dinosaurs, I could barely find matches for all the different types I have, things have modernized for sure.  And I didn't like so many of the styles.  So....

...I popped them off with a handy screwdriver and out to the garage, on to some newspaper, and spray painted them.  Yep, about the cost of a half can of the stuff...maybe $3.00?  I feel like I have something brand new.  And the kitchen looks a bit updated.  Priceless.

Glad you loved the artichoke saga in my last post.  I made them for The Husband and I after consulting a few cookbooks and recipe websites.  Clipping and snipping and removing that prickly "choke" proved to be a little more involved for me than I anticipated.  I ended up steaming/boiling the little monsters in a small pan after trimming all of those outer pointy parts.  Then I cut them in half width-wise and cleaned them out (the purple leaves and the bristly little chokes near the stem...easy).  Then I stuffed them with a concoction of breadcrumbs, butter, herbs and Parmesan and baked them for about 15 minutes.  They were wonderful but it was quite a procedure that even I got a little "uninspired" with.  If you'd like more details, just email me.  No offense to the Artichoke Group, but I'd rather fuss with Brussels sprouts or asparagus...much less work and many more options. :)

I've always wanted to do a "signature" cocktail for a party but never had the opportunity.  The winter holidays are simply perfect for wonderful red wines, Bailey's and coffee (or cocoa), and deep ales.  Summer is all Margarita's and Bud Lite Lime.  Easter is hard.  It's spring so we want something light, maybe fruity.  So, when I saw these pretty recycled glasses at Marshall's at just $1.99 each, the wheels started turning and I did a little searching for a refreshing afternoon cocktail to serve just before Easter dinner.  Let me know what you think.

**Sunlight Sangria**

15 oz. Blanco tequila

15 oz. Pinio Grigio

15 oz. Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice

1 cup Simple Syrup

1 cup Fresh Lime Juice

2 cups ice

15 oz. Club Soda

Add all of the ingredients to a large pitcher or dispenser but for the Club Soda and ice.  Stir.  Add the last two and garnish each glass with sliced limes.  

Ahhhhh....light and refreshing.  Perfect for summer, too, don't you think?

Abigail is on her spring break from her teaching job (that's her in the forefront with her roomie, Nora).  She comes to spend the night once in awhile for various reasons but I had the feeling she would be bored on her break.  She came home from her new house north of the city yesterday and we had a great time doing some errands and shopping together. Last night the whole family met at an Asian restaurant a few blocks away for dinner.  A great time.  This morning she packed up her clean laundry (!!!) and was heading home.  Why, I asked?  It's supposed to be almost 70 degrees...why do you want to be cooped up in an apartment/city coach house?  She texted me this picture about 2 hours later from the shores of Lake Michigan, a few blocks away from her place.  The girl is happy, what more can I say.  Oh...to be young and carefree again!  I just miss her.  :(

On the lakehouse front.  Good news or bad?  Well, we hired our contractor who will do the work.  That's good.  Not good, the house won't be "dried out" for about another two weeks.  Good news?  We've been picking and choosing new ways to do things, new ideas for flooring and walls and decor.  Bad thing?  The house will not be ready to move back into until about  October.  No summertime. Whatsoever.  The first time in 24 years.  It's so, so sad and depressing.  I still have to remember, we have a roof over our heads here in Chicago, we didn't lose everything we owned, and that this is going to be chalked up as simply a bad time as the years go on.  We had a lot of plans for sprucing up the house here once spring came along, so I'm glad that we can focus on that for the first time without all the business of getting the boats out, the patio ready, the spring cleaning and the beach fix-up.  Oh yeah, even that sounds fun right now knowing we won't have it, but we'll survive.  

I'm off tomorrow to get a few fresh ingredients for our Easter Feast.  I found a gorgeous 11.63 lb ham yesterday.  What a beast!  I love holidays...the smell of food cooking, the laughter and happiness of being together, the gratefulness of a healthy and happy family.  All worries put aside and hope for "New Beginnings".  Symbolic for all, I think.  Our problems are so insignificant in the realm of all things now.

Wishing all of you a wonderful and blessed Easter!  Much love,

Jane xx