Monday, July 20, 2020

DOES ANYONE KNOW?

Sometimes things go wrong.....can anyone
tell me why the little thumbnail photo
 disappeared next to mine and some other
bloggers I have listed in my FAVORITE
BLOGGERS gadget to the right? 

I have the "Thumbnail" wanted box 
checked in the gadget box but I have
no thumbnail photo!



 I can't
seem to figure it out but think it happened
after I started using the NEW BLOGGER
FORMAT! 


September 22, 2020:  I finally noticed and I
think that your first picture you download on your blog post must be SMALL so that it qualifies to be a thumbnail!  Anyone else notice this?

Sunday, July 19, 2020

GOING FOR A RIDE OVER TO BOONVILLE

We have mostly stayed home for
quite a few months.  I think I have
even forgotten since it has been
so long.  Today, however, we decided
to drive over to Boonville which is a
small town about 25 minutes away west
on I-70.  It is like a lot of towns that go
back to the 19th century that once were busy
places and now have old buildings which
sadly need some attention.  The old homes
are very charming though and one can 
dream about living in such a place.


So we can start here at the old jail house -
not that any of us every plan to go
there.  Hopefully, none of us has been
out looting or destroying private property.
(and that's a subject I best stay out of)


It is very hot today so I took
most of these photos from inside
our car.  My camera started steaming 
up on me.  I did love - love these
hydrangeas!


We just drove up a down a few streets in 
the area and I took these photos to share.
I have taken photos before of this sweet
yellow house that I adore:






If I was a little girl I would
 love going to
their little free library.


The next house was for sale:




I thought this house looked
better than the last time we
drove by it - you can spend
a lot of money on these old
houses!

I hope you enjoyed our ride!

Wednesday, July 15, 2020

Tuesday, July 14, 2020

WHO LOVES SUSAN BRANCH?

Who loves the artwork of Susan Branch
 You might
loves these cozies I made
from her custom printed fabric:


The small and the standard has sold.

Wednesday, July 8, 2020

STRAWBERRY CREAM TARTS for "Tea In The Garden"

The heat is on in Missouri now but I 
slipped out this morning for a little
"Tea In The Garden":




This morning by 10:00 am it was
already 92 degrees with 50% humidity
so I did this tea time as quickly as
I could.  This year we have little
Carolina Wrens nesting in the
birdhouse on the wall of our little
porch entry area.  It really wasn't
intended to be "used" by birds so
they were most unhappy this morning
with me scooting by with  things I brought out
the  front door nearby.




During the Corona Virus we have spent
time on many projects at home and also
in the garden.  Several long term
garden projects are done including mulching
all the flower beds front, sides and back.


So let's sit and enjoy
 these sweet little
Strawberry Tarts!


My recipe called for a quart of strawberries
but I only had a pint of them and it still
worked fine to make a 2 by 9 inch oblong tart
 and 3 small round 3 1/2" tarts too!


Here is the recipe for a Strawberry Cream Tart: Ingredients for the Pastry:  1/2 Cup Butter, 1/3 cup of sugar, 1/4 tsp vanilla and 
1 cup flour

This pastry makes what taste like a shortbread  cookie and is delicious!  In a small bowl, cream the butter and sugar, vanilla and add flour. 
 Press this onto the sides and bottom of your
 tart pan with a removable bottom (2 x 9")
 Make the cream cheese filling next. 

Ingredients for the Filling:
1 8 oz cream cheese at room temperature
1/4 cup of sugar, 1 egg and 1/2 tsp vanilla

In a small bowl, mix all this and set aside while you preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  You are going to spread the filling over the pastry and bake it at
 450 degrees for 8 minutes - reduce heat to 
350 degrees and bake 8-10 more minutes.

Now cool this tart shell.

Ingredients for strawberry topping:
1 pint - 1 quart strawberries, Reserve 1 cup of strawberries sliced for final top and chop the rest putting them in a sauce pan with 1 cup of sugar, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 cup water and 3 Tb cornstarch
Bring all this to a boil until it thickens - cool!



When your strawberry topping is cooled it is ready to pour over the cream cheese base.  It is nice to have sliced fresh berries to fill in across the top.


This recipe is really very easy to do and once you make it once -
 even easier the next time!


You may have noticed the hummingbird feeders are no longer on the deck.  We
 caught one raccoon in a cage and a friend relocated him for us but unfortunately we seem to have an abundance of them and
 they are not afraid of us.  I was refilling
 the hummingbird feeders every day which
 is a lot of work.  Yes, they drank it all.

 
If you make the tarts - I think 
you will love them!  


I hope you find ways to enjoy
 each day this summer!