Spring is slow coming this year. With very cold nights and brisk days, everything is hesitant to make an appearance. Usually by now, at least the forsythia are starting to bloom. Since, it is still brown and drab outside, and the calendar officially says it is spring, I decided to bring out the spring decor and make it cheerful inside. I started with the kitchen, … Continue reading bringing spring inside
When my daughter and I would visit my parent’s, my Dad would often travel to the neighboring town of Mansfield, Ohio, where they had the BEST ever German bakery. He usually came back with poppy seed rolls and crumb cake, or as I remember, my Grandmother called it “coffee kuchen”. The crumb cake was one of our all time favorites, and I have never … Continue reading this week’s bake – crumb cake
Half way through March and still not much going on outside. If spring is at a stand still outside due to cold weather, then I’ll give it a jump start inside with annual flower seeds. I am more than a little late getting my seeds planted. But it has been so cold and gray outside, and we are still 6 weeks away from the last … Continue reading seedy beginnings
My dear brother built this bird house for me, and it has been the focal point of the back yard for over 20 years now. Weather, time, and critters have taken a tole on it. There are very few signs of spring here yet, except for the birds that have been checking out the housing facilities in my yard. I thought I’d better confiscate this … Continue reading rebuilding
This week’s bake is Spanish Bar Cake. This cake is my favorite childhood memory cake, that my Mom always bought at A&P. My sisters and I were talking about this cake, so I Googled it, found the recipe, and decided to give it a whirl. The A&P Grocery store is a part of many of our childhood memories. Officially known as The Great Atlantic & … Continue reading this week’s bake – spanish bar cake
I was given this recipe by two of my sisters, who raved about these scones. Up front, I want to say, I have never been a fan of scones. I’ve always thought they were too dry and bland for my taste. My perception of them (right or wrong), is that you eat them with tea or coffee, and since I drink neither, I never developed … Continue reading this week’s bake – blueberry scones
Last summer, we had a doe and her twin fawns that lived in the neighbor’s yard while they were on vacation for a month. During that time the mother taught her fawns to jump chain link fences and travel the neighborhood. It wasn’t unusual to see them strolling down the sidewalks at any given time of day. Fast speed to this winter, and the fawns … Continue reading oh deer
This week’s bake was a real challenge to make . . . a classic French cake, derived from the French word “fraise”, meaning strawberry. It is a combination of layers of a Genoise sponge cake, vanilla syrup, creme patisserie, strawberries, and whipped cream. Making this cake is a series of multiple steps, in which I felt like I used every bowl and pan in the … Continue reading this week’s bake – fraisier cake
I had just walked in my bedroom when I noticed the light coming in the window was teasing the dried hydrangeas on my dresser, and flirting with them in a most provocative way. I grabbed my camera to capture their blushing beauty. A little bit of sunlight during these long winter months, will make any of us smile. Even the urn they are in, looked … Continue reading winter light
This simple corner of my bedroom always reminds me on Valentine’s Day and Easter of the true meaning of love. I found this lovely machine embroidered “LOVE” on a piece of linen, some years back at a yard sale for just a few dollars. It’s detail is simple, yet exquisite. I found the frame at a flea market for $10, and married together, the two … Continue reading a simple love note
