FIRE UPDATE JUNE 28th

Late report June 28th:  The 4:00 PM news has just reported that 346 homes were destroyed over a 35 block area in Mountain Shadows.

June 28 AM:

Just to update everyone about the fire.  On Tuesday, June 26 at around 4:00 PM winds came down from a storm up north and created 65 mile an hour wind shears that pushed the fire up on the mountain range down into the Mountain Shadows Subdivision and then the Peregrine area burning upwards to 300 homes. Several friends have lost their homes.  Around 32,000 people are evacuated from their homes.  This is a succession of photos I took this morning from inside our car coming down from the east on Woodmen:

Off the the right is the Blodgett Peak Mountain above and west of the Peregrine area still burning:

As we come down Woodmen you see what is called "The Scar" and the area to the right appears burned.  I have a dear friend whose home was in that area.

The area to the left and right of The Scar is Mountain Shadows where many homes are burned - very lovely homes.

TRIP TO BOULDER, COLORADO

With fire raging on the mountain range west of Colorado Springs, we had already decided to spend the day visiting our daughter Holly in Boulder, Colorado.  It was a very hot day and we did a lot of walking around the downtown Pearl Street Mall area and the park.

Holly and her Dad:

 I am "The Big Girl" on the right.  That's what I call myself lately since I have put on some pounds.    

We had breakfast at the historic cultural center known as Chatuauqua Dining Hall.

This photo below was taken this morning and you can see how bad the smoke is from the 3 areas of fires,  Waldo Canyon, Williams Canyon and Queens Canyon all on top of the mountain range.

We appreciate your prayers for the firefighters and personnel involved as 4600 acres are involved.  No homes destroyed yet. Also, if this is an arsonist -pray whoever it is - is CAUGHT!

FIRE UPDATE JUNE 23, 2012

These photos were from 6/23/2012 at my store.  This is very upsetting as you can see the smoke right down the street

from Old Colorado City.

 Over 5000 acres are involved in the fire up on top the mountain range.  No homes have burned or loss of life for which we are so thankful.  

Looking over,

this is up beyond Manitou Springs

FLORAL IN A BLUE VASE

I love the greater variety of things that

are blooming now in the garden.  I

have some money plant lunaria that is

presently green that came up from old

pieces of dried lunaria I planted last

year.  I say planted when actually I just

threw out the seeds.

A little kitty comes and visits:

I love seeing occasional kitties in my garden.

Oh what a beautiful day it is too.

TEA IN THE GARDEN AND A BOUQUET

Today is my 26th Tea In The Garden.

I don't number them in the titles on this

 blog but I see a notation

in my notebook here.

This silver plant above is called silver

artemsia.  I love the smell of it being

in the herb family.  I grew this from 

seeds I had from back in the day when

I had a store in Texas and dried flowers 

were all the rage.  I love it for wispy

branches in fresh floral arrangements.

This bone china is by Crownford and called

Roses and Ivy.  I brought it with me from

when we moved to Colorado as I originally

sold it in my shop in Texas.

MORNING IN THE GARDEN

Welcome to my Garden and I invite you to join me for a few peaceful and quiet moments.  NO TALKING ALLOWED today....just solitude and the sound of the birds flying in and out of the garden looking for food.....

I have asked Mr. Jeremy Fisher to please just whisper "if he must" as he so likes to chatter on....

Much hotter today - the last day of spring - we have been having temps in the 90's which is unusual so early in Colorado!  The sky has smoke rolling across the mountains from those terrible wildfires.

Under this tree it is still dark in the early morning so let's sit here.

CHICKEN ASPARAGUS PARMESAN PENNE CASSEROLE

This is a delicious casserole you will love. I love pasta dishes and this is a "knock off" from a Southern Lady - Nov/Dec 2007 issue. 

PASTA RECIPE FOR 12 servings:  Use large deeper casserole dish

2 large or 3 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 10 0z penne or really any choice of pasta shells will work, 1 bunch of asparagus with the tough ends trimmed, (optional: 1 cup mushroom sauteed in butter and chopped up), 1 small jar pimentos with liquid, 1 8 oz cream cheese softened, 2 cups of shredded parmesan cheese divided, 2 large eggs, 2 cups whipping cream, 1 tsp minced garlic, salt and pepper to taste

#1  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

#2 Grease with butter - a deeper large casserole size dish or pan

#3  Boil your pasta according the box directions and drain

#4  Boil Asparagus on medium until tender and drain

#5 Saute chicken breast till tender in butter/little olive oil or just parboil them until tender in water.

#6 In a medium bow - combine pasta, mushrooms, pimento and liquid, and drained chopped asparagus.  Add Chopped Chicken pieces and stir through- drop into buttered casserole dish

#7  In a large bowl, combine softened cream cheese, eggs, whipping cream, garlic and salt and pepper (1/2 tsp each or more)

#8  Now pour over what's in the casserole #6 and top with remaining 1 cup of shredded parmesan cheese

BAKE NOW FOR 25 MINUTES AT 350 DEGREES

FLORAL WALL POCKET

Twigs -roses-yarrow-greenery and sage.......

Here...........let me help!

I'M CRAZY ABOUT CHEESECAKE

This morning I made a cheesecake and marveled at the effects of my new oven

 - oh boy - 

I will never take things that work

 for granted!

This is really a simple cheese cake I have made since the l970's.  Here is what you will need:

For the crust: 1 1/2 cups of crushed cinnamon graham crackers, mixed with 1/4 cup of melted butter.

For the filling:  3 8 oz pkg of cream cheese at room temperature,

1 1/4 cups of sugar, 6 eggs separated, 1 pint of sour cream, 1/2 cup of flour, 2 tsp vanilla, grated rind of 1 large lemon, juice of 2 small or 1 large lemon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

To make the crust:  butter a 10 1/2" springform pan and place foil around the bottom and edges. Combine the graham cracker crumbs and butter and press in the bottom.  Put in the refrigerator.

Filling:  Mix the cream cheese in a large bowl and add the sugar and egg yolks.  Stir in the sour cream, flour, vanilla, lemon rind and juice until smooth.

In a separate bowl, beat egg whites till stiff and then fold into the batter.

Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes.  Cool and remove outer pan. Refrigerate.  I just dump 1 can of blueberry pie filling right on top!

VINTAGE LINEN CHAIR COVERS FOR "Tea In The Garden"

I have been sewing some chair covers

to over folding chairs to little 

table settings in the garden.  I am

planning an upcoming fund raiser

and plan to use these.

I made a little tea cake to enjoy.

I love summertime in Colorado.