My Crystal Palace

I don't know why - but I love glass. 

Here's some of our cut-glass and crystal collection.              

I once heard it said that if you have three or more of anything; you can consider it a collection. If that's the case, then I'm a collect-a-holic.

But there's just 'something' about glass. I even hung an old hanging lamp outside, just because I love how the sun shines through it.

and ... I took another old lamp light and made it into a make-shift gazing ball. Okay, so maybe you can't gaze into it because its not transparent and it doesn't reflect anything but I still love how it dresses up my closed in area with the picket fencing in the front yard.

hmm ...

what to do with all those wine bottles ~

what to do ...

Homemade Soft Pretzels

As often as I've baked bread, I've never made 'Homemade Soft Pretzels' until today. I was planning to bake some bread and having just seen a recipe that Alton Brown had posted on the internet, I used it as my guide but then (you know me) I went about and changed the recipe.  The first alteration was that I used a sourdough bread recipe and then I decided to add garlic powder, onions and herbs. Oh yeah - very good choice! The recipe calls for boiling them first then baking ... and I must say they turned out GREAT!! 

Cream of Asparagus Soup

I'm flattered when people ask for a recipe but I very seldom use recipes myself. But God help the person who tries to take my cookbooks from me! I guess you could say I just 'preview' recipes using them as my guide - but then I do as I please and cook by trial and error. But with that said here's my  version of Cream of Asparagus Soup:

Flying by the Seat of my Pants Cream of Asparagus Soup

1 can chicken broth

1 bunch of asparagus

1 small onion

1 tblsp minced garlic

flour

butter

milk

Cut asparagus to bite size, add to broth and cook until tender. Add chopped onion and minced garlic.  In another pan melt about 3 tablespoons of butter,  adding enough flour to make a rue. Add milk to the rue to make a thickening sauce. Pour the sauce into the broth/asparagus pan adding milk as desired. Season to taste.  Puree if desired to make it creamier. We prefer ours with the asparagus chunks. (note: canned asparagus can be substituted for fresh) 

 Bon Appetite!

Imagine if you will a chef with a little more hair, minus the mustache!

Sad to say, the chin stays!

SOUP's on!

I know that in the winter months I do more baking than in the summer months, and in the summmer months we eat a lot more fresh vegetables etc. etc. But I just came to the realization that when it rains I have a strong tendency to make  SOUP.  We've been eating a LOT of SOUP lately. This past month I've made homemade soups over and over again. Don't get me wrong - we love soup. And good thing because it's been raining and raining and then raining some more for the past several weeks. So without even realizing it I start another kettle of SOUP. Recently I made Cream of Asparagus Soup, Beef Vegetable Soup, Chicken Noodle Soup, and Chili.  SOUP's on!!

I sure do wish the sun would come out and help the vegetables along in my garden, I feel like having salad... that's it - SALAD!!!

Color Play

I love how this fuchsia shows so beautifully against our white picket fence.

It's huge and just loaded with buds waiting to burst with new droplets!

The "old" flower bed is booming and blooming. I planted multiplier onions in there a couple of years ago; having no idea how well they would take off and take over.  But I love them just the same.

This little bench and angel statue have seen better days but she still seems content laying around keeping watch over whatever comes into her view.

SNAKES!!!

First I must say this: When you get to the pictures click to enlarge them!!!
Yesterday as I was planting ferns, I nearly stepped on a HUGE Fox Snake.  I screamed for Thom to come and see how big it was, okay ~ and because it scared the bejeebers out of me!  It was nearly 50 inches long! Then today as I was tossing out some vegetable scraps, I looked over at my old beaten down trunk that I had just planted with herbs, checking to see if last nights frost warning did any damage (which it didn't) but WOW was I in for a shocker ... check out what came slithering out of the hole in the ground, IN the trunk that I had just planted. Being the trunk is so big we had filled the bottom of it with pieces of packing styrofoam  - you know, the hard formed stuff you find around t.v's., tables saws, etc. So there's only dirt on the top part of the box leaving plenty of room for a "snake pit!"  What I've read about these snakes is that they start out at a foot long and can get to just over 5 feet.  These two are the "small ones" but look at the size of them. They love ticks and rodents and are not poisionous. They will imitate rattle snakes by coiling themselves up and shaking their tales in the leaves, but all in all they're known as "good" snakes to have around. But they are too close for comfort if you ask me!!

Watch your step!!

I have a super video of them getting down and dirty, doing the lovey thing but it's too huge to post.  But man, can they flip and flop while tied in a knot!

Today was for the Birds

As we were finishing up the chore of planting garden we spotted a Cedar Waxwing. What a nice surprise! She was carrying some "stuff" so we watched to see where she was headed and sure enough she has a nest in one of the trees in our yard. As she went to her new abode, we also spotted her hubby keeping close gaurd.  

(photos from the net)

Our Bluebirds have a nest full of fletchlings. Pics of the babies to follow as soon as they leave the nest. But in the meantime, here's Daddy ~ just in time for Father's Day!

Hippy Chick & Graduate

We spent Memorial Day with our batch of Grand-loves. We had found the cutest little Gypsy type skirt for our Summer. She's such a free spirit I call her "my little hippy chick."  It made my heart smile when she came out strumming her pink guitar and wearing sandals with the "peace sign" on them.  And check out those toes, she definately has her Mom's feet - carbon copy!

On Wednesday we attended Taylor's Kindergarten Graduation. She's the 3rd in that family to pass that milestone. One more to go ~ but we'll have to wait a couple more years for that graduation! She's the little one in the picture background.

This Weeks Super Finds

This has been  an exciting week as far as snagging some SUPER FINDS! I have been searching for LARGE terra cotta pots for the past few years. My patience has certainly paid off. I just knew that someday, somewhere I would come across some that I would be willing to pay the price for ~ and that day was yesterday! We had a little time to kill before my hubby's Dr. appt so we stopped in at a thrift store and found these treasures there ~

The "small" pot is 18 inches across and the "big" pot is 22 inches across.

You can tell by the recycle bin (another steal at $1.50) and cooler setting behind them that they are not your ordinary little terra cotta planters. Now here's the deal ~ the small one cost $9.99 and the big fella was only $14.99.  I've searched them online and these exact same planters cost as much as $75.00 to $250.00!!!! These are some heavy duty planters we're talking about.  And if that wasn't enough to give my big strong man a good workout - we stopped at an antique store and he found himself something he's been hoping to find for some time - an antique cast iron bell.  It needs a little sand blasting but it's a big fella too at 18" across and it comes with the original clapper (very important you know) and with the ringing arm! A true find.

Then this morning we had a little shopping to do at the local hardware store and they happened to have some things on sale in their greenhouse. Lucky me ~ we got this wonderful huge fuschia plant for only 20 bucks.

There is a 12" pot hidden in there somewhere and it's just loaded with buds!  But the absolute best part of this week was finding out that my dear husband Thom continues to be cancer free! 

Super Week of SUPER Finds!

This has been a super week of super finds for us. It was like running into non stop deals ~ unbelievable deals.  Check back tomorrow because I plan to have pics posted ~ and you won't believe the treasures we found!

Hot and Humid

WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?? 
THIS IS UPPER MICHIGAN AND WE'RE HOTTER THAN TEXAS!!!

5/24/2010
Crystal Falls, MI 49920

Temp 91.0°F
Wind 8 mph
Heat Index: 95°F
Dew Point: 67°F
So Far Today:
High: 92°F
Low: 67°F
Rain: 0.00"
Gusts: 25mph SSE

YES ~ I got an Award!

I'm so excited, I got my first blog award!  It's not gold, silver or bronze - but that doesn't matter. What matters is that I GOT AN AWARD, even if it's plastic. lol  How does one thank someone for such an award other than simply saying Thank You to the giver: TheWhiteFarmhouse.  As a recipient I am to name 5 sexy characters from either movies or TV. So I have to think this out carefully ~ put on the thinkng cap and pick my faves or at least the ones I can think of at the moment.

The first on my list would have to be the timeless Sean Connery. Is it proper for a Grandma to say Mmm... Yummy when oogling a hunk?! You have to admit he's aged nicely~ just like a fine wine!

                        

Then there's another heartthrob: Viggo Mortensen from the Lord of the Rings series. He played Aragorn, aka Strider. Excuse me people as I dabble my drool.

There outa be a law ~ oh wait, maybe there is!!

You know this is harder to do than you would think.  I usually just enjoy the scenery and secretly fantacize for brief moments, but through this award I'm asked to share my inner thoughts of men I don't even know, but find sexy - and truth be known; sometimes beauty is only skin deep. 
  Next: Kevin McKidd - he plays on Grey's Anatomy now but I loved him in the tv series Rome when he played Lucius Vorenus for 22 episodes.  Maybe it was his sweet ruggedness that I liked.

Johnny Depp ~ strange but true, there is just something about him (or his characters) that I find sexy. Okay, so maybe not all his characters but a few.

YES:                                

BUT: the sexiest of them all is this guy: my husband Thom. And yes he is quite the character too. Just ask anyone who knows him, they'll agree. AND he had his moment on the set, he did a walk through on a the TVseries Mannix. He'll always be my shinging star as he plays the number one role in my life.

Now I need to pass this award on to 5 fellow bloggers:

Mel @ Up North With Mel

Dar @ Dar's Stuffings

Cathy @ Yooper Yarns

Suzanne @Chickens in the Road

Julie @ 47and Starting Over

~ carry on girls, carry on  ~

Bummin' and Bakin'

We spent a few days sharing time and laughs having a mini family reunion with some of my husbands side of the family.  They put on many miles doing one of their favorite things ~ casino hopping!  And I mean hopping! They jump in the van and visit casinos to and fro as they travel up from Tennessee, and Illinois to North Central Wisconsin .  We had a ball, won some money, lost some money, won some money, lost some money.  Final tally ~ we had some  winners and we had some losers!  But a good time was had by all.
We also visited the local park where our sweet Aunt who's 80 years young showed us how she's still a kid at heart.

What a doll!

EDITION:  When I originally posted this yesterday I forgot to add my Bakin' stuff. So here it is. While we were gone our rhubarb grew and was needing harvesting on our return.  So it was time to bake up a Strawberry Rhubarb Custard Pie and a small batch of Strawberry Rhubarb Jam; 3 jars and bowl for quick use.  The rest went into the freezer for later use.

Thanking our Military

First and foremost I'd like to thank all of our military for serving on our behalf. Those serving now and those who served in the past. Just a few on my personal list include my present husband, son, father, brother, deceased husband, uncles, cousins, second cousins, inlaws, friends and the list goes on into present day. 

 

click on image to enlarge

My husband Thom served for 20 years in the Air Force. We spent some time compliling some of his momentos into a shadow box and poster, and believe me, this isn't all of it. Because I came into his life after his military days I requested that he write down something about his world wide travels while in the service. He's shared so many stories, but I'd like it put in chronological order of dates and places. I also think it would be great to have it in writing what each of the medals represents. It would be nice to have a record in future years in case our memories begin to fail us.

                       click on image to enlarge

So although my part of this project is complete, and he put in his 20 years of service (thank you Love); his part of this new "project" has just begun.

It's Done!

Thanks for your patience as we worked on this project. And wouldn't you know it ~ once it was completed, our internet connection went ka-pooey! So now that we're back in working order its time to share:

Bed Gone Bench

The Story:

We were given an old bed with a broken leg.

But the scrolled legs and slat back were so neat

I immediately saw the potential for a bench.  I even had the perfect fabrics in mind ~ they were too good a deal to pass up and I just knew that someday I would find use for them ~ and I did! I just love the eclectic look of mixed fabrics!

Then the hunt for cushions began and within a week I found the perfect ones! .

The fabric was very worn and they needed to be cut to size but did you know that an electric knife to foam is like a hot knife to a stick of butter?! It worked like a dream.  

then the fun began ~ I hand stitched the fabric to the cushions to ensure a neat,secure job.

The most amazing part of this whole story is that the total cost for this bench was less than $20 ~ that's right less than twenty dollars!!

I love it, love it, love it!

Mother's Day Dreams

Happy Mother's Day!

 May all your dreams come true!

scrapped by CherShots

please do not copy