LEMON CURRANT SCONES

Good morning and happy forthcoming Easter!  I have set up a little tea time this morning on my coffee table near the sofa.  I hope you can join me as I even have some clotted cream for your scone:

This morning I used my sifter from when I first got married almost 47 years ago.  I have to tell you that I see this Bromwells sifter in all the antique malls and I laugh.  I guess that makes me an antique.

I baked some Lemon Currant Scones and you can pour yourself a cup of nice hot tea.  This recipe was from an out of print book called "Tea Time at the Inn" by Gail Greco.  Another favorite by Gail that is also out of print is "Tea Time Journeys.  Don't you just love tea books?  I have so many and really no shelves to put them on.  My husband has a plan though we are working on.

Can you believe we had snow on Sunday evening and early Monday morning.  I am so anxious for real Spring weather like many of you have.  Today it will be getting warm again which will be lovely!  I find it hard to believe that we have the possibility of frost until around May 25th.  Some of you remember times I have planted flowers and it has snowed.  I remember a few years back I had foxgloves all over the dining room table because I bought them too soon.

Here is the recipe for the Lemon Currant Scones: (originally Orange Currant Scones but I changed to Lemon Currant)

2 cups flour, 1 1/2 Tb baking powder, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, grated peel of 2 lemons, 5 Tb butter, 5 Tb shortening, 1/2 cup buttermilk and more for brushing (I used 2/3 cup buttermilk in the scones in high altitude) , 1/3 cup currants ( I used 1/2 cup which made more scones)  I also added the juice from 1 lemon

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Place grease-proof (not waxed) paper on a baking sheet.  Combine first 4 ingredients by hand.  Add lemon peel.  Flake in Butter and shortening.  Add buttermilk.  Mix gently,  just until ingredients are incorporated.  Fold in currants.  Roll dough out.  Cut out scones with 2"  biscuit cutter; brush with a little buttermilk.  Bake for 15 minutes or until golden.  Yield: 24 small

TIME FOR A BOUQUET

Sometimes you just have

 to buy some flowers:

Sometimes you just have to make a bouquet:

Sometimes to just have to enjoy!

BEATRIX'S OWL FIGURINE

This morning I reset the buffet in my kitchen which I often do.  My bouquet of Stargazer's was in the window receiving lots of light and they have all opened to fullness - just about done really!

I am also sharing another Beatrix Potter Figurine that I could not resist because it reminded me of the day the fat little owl landed on my bird feeder and the squirrel came along! 

  Some of you might remember my little vases with birds on them as well.

I was so happy to have spring on the calendar but I am well aware that April can always bring us snow here in Colorado.  The very wet kind of snow.  Is some snow not so wet?  Yes, we have snow that is much more dry - figure that one out!

WILMA'S PINK LADY PIE

This is a reposting from 2009. 

 I am doing my part here to encourage springtime - you know - bring it forward!!!

How about a slice of PINK LADY PIE:

Don't be fooled by that greenness outside -

 these photos are from July 2009.

Wilma Pfadenhauer gave me this recipe back in the 1980's. She was a "waste not want not" lady who new how to get the value out of every dollar.  She always had rhubarb in her garden!

Wilma's Pink Lady Pie:

For the crust you will need 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 tsp salt, 1 1/2 Tb sugar, 1/2 cup oil, 2 Tb milk

Mix ingredients thoroughly and press into 9" pie pan, crimping the edge of the dough around the pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Set aside to cool!

For the filling: 2 cups diced rhubarb, ( I also added 2 cups fresh strawberries) 1 3 oz pkg of strawberry jello, 1 cup sugar, 1 Tb lemon juice, 2 cups whipped cream which was 1 1/4 cups of heavy cream whipped with 1/4 cup confectioners sugar

Cook rhubarb and strawberries with the sugar until tender. Add the jello and stir until dissolved. Let cool and add the lemon juice. Fold in the 2 cups of whipped cream and pour into the cooled crust and refrigerate. This pie can now be frozen for later if desired.

Top with additional whipped cream or ice cream when ready to serve.

THE TABLE IS SET WITH PANSIES

Last night I saw my first robin up in a tree behind my house.  I saw one this morning too.  That surely means spring is on it's way - right?  This photo is actually a coffee

set from our private label china at

the store:

This means it is time to celebrate and pull out some pansy table setting pieces and have some pansy fun.

My fondness for vintage doilies is never more pronounced than in the springtime.  

I am sharing a little trivet I recently

 acquired while antiquing:

These sweet hankies can

be used as napkins:

These dessert plates are Crown Dorset.  I used to sell them years ago and I will tell you that Crown Dorset pieces are always exceptional and more embellished with

gold paint.

I have to tell you that it is a beautiful spring day in Colorado.  I really feel guilty saying that as I saw photos of the snow that Carolyn and Sandi received on Prince Edward Island.  

Regardless of the weather, I hope your weekend is lovely!