bluebird of happiness

The birdbird of happiness has landed at my house. She was discovered in a little shop downtown last weekend begging to come to my home and stay indefinitely.

The work has begun for the sunroom that is to be added at the rear of my house. The girls and I are becoming acclimated to work crews and the banging throughout the day. Right before Christmas I am expecting to have a room lined with windows, just in time to bring plenty of light in those darker months of winter.   Happy, happy, yes.

A new discovery of fascination in the world of sewing has dropped into my lap. The creating of a Victorian crazy quilt. Actually, this one will be a table runner. Late yesterday afternoon sunlight was pouring into the area I have dubbed my "sewing room", and even though it was time to go downstairs and prepare dinner,  I found my self saying "just one more piece, please". Addiction comes easily to me evidently.

Last night I gathered my colored threads and began embroidering a sampling of stitches on the luxurious silk fabric. Silk dupioni fabric from my stash. Happy, happy,yes.

Bright and early tomorrow morning I am taking a junket with my dear husband. A weekend away, just the two of us. Happy, happy, yes.

She is presently hanging in my kitchen. When the sunroom  is completed she will fly in there and make it her permanent abode. Happy, happy, yes

presentation counts

Butternut squash bisque served in creamy-white soup bowls with gold trim dished from an ivory-white tureen with matching ladle.

Sunday dinners in my home are a time to gather and acknowledge a special day set aside for worship. The blessing of family creates a rich backdrop for gathering too.

Butternut squash bisque is noisy.

"Um mm". 

Each and every spoonful has a part in the choir of zinging taste buds.

Cornish hens,
       maple-syrup roasted sweet potatoes,
                          steamed broccoli with a dash of lemon also accompanied today's Sunday meal.

 One Christmas my dear mother gave me a creamy white soup tureen etched with curlicues. She especially loved the matching ladle and delighted in telling me how this is what made the difference in the decision to buy this particular tureen for me. Every time I use it I think of her joy in giving me this gift.

I believe that presentation counts when serving a meal and all the extra effort that goes with making it special  is definitely worth it.  China tureen and snips of chives floating in the bisque make for a good presentation.

nothing wanting

"She was occupied in knitting; a large cat sat demurely at her feet; nothing in short, was wanting to complete the beau-ideal of domestic comfort."

Jane Eyre

Charlotte Bronte

Magical Breakfast Cream

Inspiration: Mireille Guiliano's, The French Women Don't Get Fat Cookbook


I have certain staples in my diet. All it may take is variety to achieve higher levels from time to time. But I am thinking this might be the Mt. Everest in my life right now when it comes to breakfast food choices.

It is hailed as Magical Breakfast Cream. I first read about it in Mireille Guiliano's newest cookbook.

Breakfast for me usually consists of organic plain yogurt served with a topping of homemade granola and maybe some seasonal fruit. After reading about Tante Berthe's quick and healthy breakfast and  discovering it was similar to my thoughts of what makes a quick and healthy breakfast, I decided to make a few adjustments. So this is how I make it:

1/2 cup plain fat free yogurt
1 teaspoon local honey
2 Tablespoons milled flaxseed and soy grain cereal
1-2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 Tablespoon finely ground walnuts, I grind mine with a mortar and pestle.

First, mix the honey into the yogurt, pour the dry cereal over the yogurt and squeeze the lemon juice over the cereal before incorporating.  Next stir in the ground walnuts.

 She adds 1 teaspoon of flaxseed oil bfore adding the honey. Since I am using a cereal with milled flaxseed I omit the oil. However, I might include this in the future because the oil addition might possibly have more benefits. She also recommends using any type of dry grain cereal, just make sure it contains no sugar. Nuts could also be finely ground almonds or hazelnuts. Fresh orange juice is an alternative to the lemon juice.

Yummy! Exceptionally yummy, surprisingly yummy!

pithy

Two seven-year old girls said it well in the backseat of my car today.

"Oh my goodness."

That is all I can claim considering my activity on this blog as of late.

 But such delicious days and gentle evenings we are having to be sure.

Buttered toast and hard-boiled egg for breakfast. There's no contest that the egg cups are keepers.

Saturday night grilling, wherewith, darkness creeps upon us like spilt ink.

School reviews and index cards, just another thing that carries clout around here.

Still getting accustomed to the wedding ring on his finger. Rose found some videos of herself when she was an infant, that made this one fourteen years old. Those visions of him at that age will not stop lingering in the corners of my mind.

I shall return tomorrow and give a breakfast combination that is quite satisfying. I have grown quite fond of it these days.