What's Bloomin' at my house!

I love all the colors on this Josephs Coat rose. Yellow, light pink, dark pink, and a hint of orange all on one rose! I don't remember what this rose is called, somehow the marker disappeared. It has such velvety looking petals.
And this one is called "Angel Face" but I call it Chanin's Angel Face, as my friend Chanin gave me this rose a couple of years ago knowing that purple is my favorite color.
I love, love, love this white Iris!

But this deep purple and white is my very favorite!

Isn't this Lantana pretty! I love the color but I wish I had never planted this! This plant spreads like mint! I have been pulling it up for two years now, and still have plenty! If I ever get it all pulled up I will be planting it henceforth in a pot!

Blessings and Blooms!

Linda

This and That

WARNING: A mom's shameless brag alert!
My dear son Yngwie and his band called "The Deposit" played at his high school last Friday at a benefit concert for the Americal Leukiemia and Lymphoma Foundation. They play mostly classic rock, but also played a little "new" rock and some blues. The concert raised $800.00!!!! Yngwie is on the left with the blue guitar. We are so proud of all the work he put into making this concert such a success.



My Peter Rabbit garden is doing so well! I have already had radishes and spinach from this little garden and the herbs are doing fantastic.
Peter Rabbit is keeping a close watch on the parsley and chives. In the background you can see some of the lettuce and spinach.
Would you like some pineapple mint for your tea or lemonade? Also starting up are some cinnamon basil, some chamomile, dill, and cilantro. They have just started poking out of the ground.
I absolutely love this color tulip. I only bought 12 of them last fall, so this year I am hoping to find some more of this variety and color.

Hope everyone is enjoying their Spring!
Blessings

Linda

Friday Show and Tell

This weeks show and tell is somewhat bitter-sweet. My dear friend Shirley is moving away into a much smaller house and has decided to simplify her life by getting rid of things she doesn't use frequently. So she has given me some pieces of her grandmothers crystal.Shirley gave me this platter and small bowl a couple of years ago for my birthday. She said she never used it and kept it packed away. Knowing how much I like to entertain, she gave it to me. I can't tell you how many times I have used it. It is perfect for a fruit tray. Isn't the etching beautiful?

It really is hard to get a picture of crystal to show up well in a photo! This is the bud vase that she gave me this week, holding some of the tulips from my garden. I love the shape of this vase.

And last but not least, here is what I call a "pickle" dish. But wouldn't crimson colored cranberry sauce look beautiful in it! I am really going to miss her living nearby, but she has decided to retire and move closer to her daughter and grandsons and I know she is going to love that and if we meet half way it won't be too much of a drive for us to see each other occasionally too.

Stop over at http://kellishouse.blogspot.com/ for more show and tell fun!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Blessings

Linda

Friday Show & Tell

Good Morning! Kelli athttp://kellishouse.blogspot.com/ hosts show and tell each Friday. Thanks Kelli!

Today my show and tell is about our collection of antique ogee clocks.

The first one is our favorite. It is a wooden works clock, and I love the reverse painting on the front of the horse drawn carriage.

In our almost 28 years of marriage we have collected alot of ogee clocks, most of the bought at auction sales.

The one on the right is a favorite because of the painting of Mt. Vernon, home to our first President, George Washington.

The name "ogee" comes from the bevel or ogee shape the frame of the clock is cut in.

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Linda

Gardening News

My Peter Rabbit garden is coming along nicely. As you can see Peter is patiently waiting for the radishes, lettuce and spinach to get big enough to nibble on. The parsley and chives are flourishing, but he doesn't seem to want to try that.Do you see him peeking through the chives?

I am also posting these next two photos for HELP!

I am totally befuddled as to what to do with this area. It is a brick walk on the side of the pool house that is pretty much shaded until late evening. There is a small brick "stoop" that opens to nothing. Please ignore the water hose, we are filling the pool. I thought about hosta for along the brick wall, but they are the preferred apetizer for the deer that run amuck in our area. I also would like some color along that brick wall. I am willing to dig, move bricks, whatever it would take to make this area look more inviting. My son Ynwie is painting the gate and gate posts this week, so that will help some.

So if anyone out there has any ideas, I would surely appreciate them!

Blessings

Linda

Thrifty Finds

Saturday morning bright and early, I headed to the Catholic school as they had advertised they were having a big yard sale! Big was not a big enough word for this yardsale, it was enormous! It was well planned as well. All kids stuff was together, all books together by subject, etc...

I feel like I struck gold! I got everything you see above and about 20 little dolls, that I didn't photograph yet. There are 7 cookbooks, a Christmas angel doll, a chintz rabbit, a Staffordshire Christmas plate and little teal/cobalt blue compote dish that does not show up in this photo.

The best part is all of this came to a grand total of $20!

I also bought a new book this weekend that is a part of a series called "Tales from Grace Chapel Inn" The book I have is book 2, but I have already ordered book 1 and 3. If you like the "Mitford" series, you will like these books as well. From what I can tell there are about 50 of these books, written by different authors, but about the same town and inn. I highly reccomend them for some fun reading.

Blessings

Linda

Friday Show and Tell

Well, I'm late again, but better late than never. This week for show and tell I would like to show you what's blooming in my gardens.Red Parrot tulips!

Lavendar colored tulips.

Bleeding HeartsYellow poppies

Pink poppies

And lots of pansies!

For more show and tell, click over to http://kellishouse.blogspot.com!

Blessings

Linda

This and That

I always get such a thrill out of seeing what plants made it through the winter, and seeing bulbs sprout up that I forgot I planted! Aren't these red fringed parrot tulips beautiful! I had totally forgotten that I planted them and when I saw the plant coming up, I wondered what color they were going to be.

I love these lilac colored tulips, I'm not sure how those red ones got mixed in, again probably something that I planted then forgot. I am always afraid of pulling any weeds in the flower garden until I let them grow and see if they really are a weed, or if they are a flower!

Let me introduce you to my redneck husband. He and my son bought this piece of junk racing boat last fall and have spent the winter trying to restore it. They have a long way to go! Any way, they wanted to try it out so they put it in the water Sunday. There are no seats in it, but they sat on the floor and drove it around. Getting it back on the trailer proved to be a problem, and DH ended up having to get in the lake to get it back on. The water is freezing, but he suffered no ills from getting so cold and the boat is being prepped to be painted in the next week or two.

Hope everyone has a great day!

Linda

Butterscotch-Apple Cake

Last week I came across a website called noblepig.com. She has a very funny style of writing and the recipes looked delicious. So I decided to give this one a try and am I ever glad I did. I'm not a big cake girl, but I loved this one as did dear husband and son. Below is the recipe, but head over to the noblepig for a very entertaining and beautifully photographed version of this recipe.

Butterscotch-Apple Cake

1 cup vegetable oil

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups finely chopped apples (I used Gala)

1 cup chopped pecans (I used walnuts)

1 cup butterscotch morsels

Garnish: caramel sauce and whipped cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together oil and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon, beat well.

Let me stop right here to tell you that this mixture was too stiff for my poor cheap mixer. If you have a heavy duty stand mixer you will probably be ok, the batter looks nothing like cake batter, more like a stiff cookie dough. But keep on going, it will turn out ok!

Stir in vanilla, apples, and pecans. Mixture will be thick. (She's not kidding!).

Spread mixture evenly in a greased 9x13 baking pan. Sprinkle butterscotch chips over top. Bake 55 minutes.

Cool completely in pan. Garnish with caramel sauce and whipped cream (I didn't have either and it was great just plain.)

I had a big piece of this cake, with a glass of cold milk, I curled up in my favorite chair with my favorite mystery book and I was in heaven!

Yngwie had band practice today, so I headed down on the city market, to check out the spring plants. I ended up buying two yellow oriental poppies and some english daisies that I have now planted around my pond.

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Blessings

Linda

I'm Still Alive!

Sorry for the neglected blog. I took 4 days off for Spring break with Yngwie and we were so busy, I didn't even think about blogging!

Things are blooming around the house and that makes me happy! I love spring flowers! My hyacinths are gorgeous this year! I love the waxy look of the blooms and one bloom in your house will scent the whole house with a sweet scent.

This year the Easter Bunny left me an early surprise! I went out to the pool garden the Saturday before Easter and look what I found waiting! The Easter Bunny sure knows me pretty well. Chocolate and flowers! Wow!
I have begun planting in the Peter Rabbit garden and will try to get pictures soon. So far I have planted radishes, lettuce, and spinach in the PR garden, I still want to put in some carrots and some herbs, but it's too early yet for them. In the "big" veggie garden we have planted spinach, lettuce, radishes, beets, turnips, and onions. Yngwie has repaired the electric fence and we are good to go. It will be a couple more weeks before I will be able to plant anything else.

Wishing everyone a wonderful evening!
Linda

Happy Easter!

He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you. And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word. And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him. Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.Bible: Matthew, 28. 6

I will be very busy this weekend preparing to Easter Sunday! I will be having all our family for dinner after church. I love Easter, it is my favorite holiday !

I will not be online until Sunday night, so I will leave you with a few photos of our Easter decor!

Easter Blessings!

Linda

Spring has Sprung!

Happy first day of Spring everyone! It's sunny but cool here in SW Virginia today and we have high wind warnings, but such is March around here.

I have been listening carefully every night waiting for the first sounds of the "peepers" that come to our little pond to mate. Night before last I thought I heard one and ran outside to see. They are back! I love the trill mating sound that fills the spring air at night, it can lull me asleep in a minute. Last year we had about 20 of the little frogs in our pond, last night I counted only 3. I'm sure the rest are on their way.

I have been getting together my menus and shopping for our Easter celebration Sunday. I will be hosting dinner for about 15 people. We are having Baked Ham, Zesty Meatballs, Potato cheese casserole, broccoli casserole, green beans, cole slaw, deviled eggs, pickled beets, stuffed cerely, homemade rolls, Chocolate "Peeps" cake, and lemon meringue pie. Okay, I am starving just typing that out! We have a tradition in our family that has been going on for at least 4 generations. The week before Easter my grandmother, father, and myself will make beet pickled eggs. This tradion started with my great grandmother. She would take the boiled eggs and put into a pink depression glass cookie jar and pour the liquid from pickled beets over them. Then my grandmother inherited the pink cookie jar and she used it for many years before she passed it on to my Dad. I called him last week and he had just put his eggs in. I haven't inherited the pink jar yet so I bought a green depression glass cookie jar just like it. Mine are in there now and will be brought out for dinner Easter day.

Wishing everyone a Happy Spring

Linda

8 Things About Me

Nancy over at http://morthanenough.wordpress.com tagged me to write 8 things about my self. I really had a hard time with this, as I guess there is really nothing "special" about me, but here goes:

1. I love to be outside gardening. Unless its freezing cold out, I will find a reason to be outside everyday and play in the dirt.

2. I collect small dolls. By small I mean under 6 inches tall. I have always liked little dolls even when I was a child. I wouldn't have anything to do with a baby doll.

3. I have back problems resulting from a freak car accident when I was six. A drunk driver crossed both lanes of traffic and hit my mom's car while it was parked in my aunts driveway. I was in the back seat laying down at the time and was thrown onto the "hump" that ran through the middle of the car. The driver got a hand slap and was told never to do it again.

4. I clearly remember the first time I ever saw broccoli. It was in first grade and I went home and told my parents that they served miniature trees for lunch. LOL!

5. My mother died from Leukemia when I was 16 years old. She was 37. Fortunately, we had a wonderful father, and alot of support from my Grandmother and Great Aunt.

6. I once turned flips all the way down the church aisle before my Dad could catch me. We had gone to a friends church and the people there spoke in tongues and would fall onto the floor and roll. I thought I should do it too! I was about 4 years old.

7. I have been married to the most wonderful man on Earth for almost 28 years! And have the greatest 16 year old son that's ever lived! (I may be a little prejudiced on that!)

8. I am a Christian and gave my life to Jesus when I was 15 years old. It was the best decision I have ever made.

So there you have it, eight dull facts about me! I tag anyone who would like to play along!

Blessings

Linda

Top O The Mornin' to Ya!

Happy St. Patricks Day! I guess its true that everyone is a little Irish on St. Patricks Day.

Grandma and I went out shopping Saturday and found her a new Easter suit. My Grandma is 95 years old and very tiny, so clothes shopping can be a chore, but we found one she liked in the first store we went in. A pretty lilac colored suit.

Yesterday afternoon I went out and checked the gardens to see if they were to wet to plant and they were:( Hopefully they will dry out before the next rain comes on Thursday. I would like to get my lettuce and radishes planted.

And speaking on gardens, would you look at the adorable "potting" apron that MammyT sent to me! Do you see the manilla envelope sticking out of the pocket? That has columbine seeds in it! She is such a sweet person, check her blog out at http://morthanenough.wordpress.com/.

Hope everyone has a blessed day!

Linda

Easter Decorations

I love weekends where I don't have to be anywhere at a certain time and can just "piddle" all weekend. Those weekends are few, but that makes them more special.

This weekend I spent almost every waking hour in my craft/sewing room. I made a blouse and a pair of shorts! Both turned out good but not really photo worthy. I also made another duck which I turned into a pick and stuck into my ivy. This one was made out of the dark colored linen I found at the thrift store last week.

I am loving those Tilda books that I have bought recently. The crafts are pretty and very easy to make. I made two of the hearts with the bunny applique on them.

I went outside and cut several small tree branches and brought them in and stuck them in this old crock that I have. I added the eggs ornaments that I made last week and set it in the middle of the table.

Of course no weekend is complete without some paper crafting! So I made some paper blossoms to stick into the glass baskets I have on the table in den.

I certainly got my craft "fix" this weekend! I cut out a purple skirt that I didn't get sewed( is that a word or should it be sewn?) up, but I hope to work on it some this week.

I have discovered that I have lost my side bar with all the blogs I visit:( Anyone know how I can get that back without redoing the whole thing?

Hope everyone has a great day!

Missing

If you were a ceramic chocolate bunny and a dozen plastic glittery eggs, where would you be hiding in my house????? I have looked everywhere and they are no where to be found. I looked in the house attic, the garage attic, the pool house attic, and in the hidey hole under the stairs. No luck. Should a ceramic chocolate bunny with a basket of glittery eggs come hopping near you, please send them home.

Thanks