Wednesday, June 28, 2017

MARTHA WASHINGTON for "Tea In The Garden"


With the 4th of July coming Sunday,
 I wanted to set up a little tea time


I made a Lemon Pound Cake
(click for recipe)
yesterday so let's have a slice. 




Today is a beautiful June day so we can 
sit here under the deck and chat and have tea.
We will celebrate Independence Day
which was first celebrated July 4, 1776.
If you like, click on this link for a history lesson.


These are old Homer Laughlin
 pieces and English
Mason's Vista cups and saucers.


I dug out another area in my backyard
recently but it isn't very pretty yet as
I took plants from here and there that
aren't all that happy to be moved.  I am
glad I did it as it allowed me to
join Jeremy Fisher back with Miss Tabitha.


My garden is a bit of a 
"Popsicle  stick garden" with sticks
marking seedlings everywhere!








I do hope your summer is going well!

Monday, June 26, 2017

THE MAIL MUST GO THROUGH!

Just sharing two photos with our new
mailbox that my Hubby put in.  I dug out
the area and used rocks my son gave us
for our anniversary!




Wednesday, June 21, 2017

THE SECRET GARDEN for "Tea In The Garden"

This week we are going into the first days of
summer and my garden is slowly starting
to bloom.  I am learning where to move
things around - where they might do better! 
 The sun here means really hot so some
 things needed to be moved. 


All these flowers (above) were 
picked from the garden.

This morning I set up a little tea time.









I mentioned in a prior post that I 
wish I planted seeds directly in
the ground last year.  That still holds!

Here is one of the clipboards 
that I recently decoupaged:


This little house wren can't make
up her mind which birdhouse to use:






I have been enjoying my garden and so 
happy I don't have to do that digging out
job this year.  I don't think I could really.

Friday, June 16, 2017

BURWOOD PLANTATION, PILOT GROVE, MISSOURI


Today I had the opportunity to tour
 the Burwood Plantation Home near
 Pilot Grove, Missouri which is owned
 by Vicki McCarrell.  It dates to the 1880's
 and was built by Henry Ruby Walker.  
It was built on the site of an earlier
 brick dwelling from 1826.

Parts of the old home were incorporated
 into the later Queen Ann style house. 
 The old kitchen and
the slave cabins remained.

You can read some history about
 it and the Pleasant Green
 plantation next door - here.

 Pleasant Green is owned by Florence
 "Winky" Chesnutt.  I had met both owners
of the plantations at the tea I attended back in
May in Boonville, Missouri.  Pleasant Green dates to
1818 and is a brick structure. 


There is so much history that I need to learn 
and I thank Vicki McCarrell for sharing
 her Burwood Plantation with us! If you
follow the link above the 2nd and 3rd pictures
are from the slave quarters and I went in
them today.  That 3rd picture - yes it looked
just like that.  Can you imagine?

Wednesday, June 14, 2017

BLUEBERRY MUFFINS for "Tea In The Garden"

Yesterday I had a couple of friends
over for lunch.  We had a fun time
as we are all bloggers and "kindred
 spirits" as Anne of Green Gables
would say. I had some leftover Blueberry
Muffins so we have a treat!




I am also sharing one of my clipboards
I decoupaged with Edith Holden's artwork.
I have shared some of the decoupage
things I have done.


We will sit here:


I was hoping to have a more thrilling
garden this year.




Looking back, I now know that I should
have planted seeds directly in the dirt
late last summer. I goofed. 
 I think next year will be better.







Please enjoy one of these blueberry muffins:


Here are the ingredients to
 make 12 nice ones:
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees
 and spray a muffin
tin (larger size) with pam.  Combine: 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 1/2 tsp baking powder, 6 oz sour cream, 2 large eggs and 1/2 cup vegetable oil till smooth.
Fold in 1 cup blueberries.  Spoon into muffin tin and
sprinkle sugar on top....bake 20 minutes

Tuesday, June 13, 2017

VERY HOT OUT AND GARDEN TIME

My beloved Queen Anne's Lace 
is finally blooming:


Butterfly bush:




And I have some plants I
grew from seeds and was 
blessed to share
with friends who came
for lunch today:


I am suddenly remembering what
 90 degrees feels like - ha!

Saturday, June 10, 2017

STEPHANIE'S SWEET LEMON LUSH DESSERT



This week - Wednesday to be exact -
 I saw this wonderful recipe on
It was love at first sight and since we
were going to have company for a day - 
I gave my husband an addition to the
grocery list as he was going out the door!


This recipe (click on the link above) 
is so wonderful and makes
a huge 9 x 12 dish!  I hope you love
 it as much as we did.
Our company asked for second helpings!

Friday, June 9, 2017

OUT AND ABOUT WITH THE BIRDS


The little bird at the top left just came out and
took off for the first time!


As I was taking pictures and Mr. Bunny paid a visit!