Jean Shepherd - The Great American Fourth of July - PART 1

This is my TRIBUTE to the END of SUMMER... Hey it's STILL HOT OUT THERE!!!  Love the Mother in this, pay attention for the "Wife, Hubby DISCUSSION about, Where the washcloths went"!!!

Vietri & Dogs

Two of my VERY FAVORITE THINGS (Vietri & Dogs)... I am posting this BECAUSE I want you all to "Look at the expression on these poor dogs faces"... As someone that knows dogs, they are NOT happy campers, NO SIR they are NOT(But our best friends DO what a dog has to DO), they have been told to sit and stay ,all the while there is food in front of them... They are ALL looking away from the temptation plates... He may be smiling BUT his best friends are just "WAITING" for the moment he releases them from their spot(Hmmmm is there a cookie in their future)!!! I'm not saying I haven't done this to my little darlings BUT this picture really shows their thoughts(can you read their sweet minds???) "BIG HUGS TO EVERY ONE OF THEM"!!! Love it and wanted to share it with you...  One of Cucina Fresca Dinnerware’s best shots! David Stinson with his Italian Bracco Hounds and Lab are enjoying dinner on Cucina Fresca dinnerware in this ad campaign photo. We think photographer and ad man, Brent Cline is fantastic! David buys his VIETRI at Plum Pudding in Aiken, S.C. Could there be a more creative VIETRI customer?

"Lace Tea with Old Friends"...

A few more of my French Limoges boxes, a favorite teacup&saucer and a Welsh Love Spoon...This Cup&Saucer is the prettiest shade of mint green... My Father in law would have LOVED this ones nice deep saucer...  He loved to pour a little tea into the saucer and sip it.... This saucer is deep enough to hold the whole cups content! LOVE IT!!!

This turn of the century novel is a cute little story by the author of Peter Pan...It is interesting to read how J.M.Barrie came to write the story of Peter and this story was his first adult book...It was made into a movie with the lead being played my Kate Hepburn... The critics were not kind, but I would own the movie and watch it for many reasons... The settings and splendor of the era are always so beautifully portrayed...

While in Northern Ireland I chose some very special  Belleek Cups&Saucers to accompany me home... Their delicate beauty is beyond words... 

This  Pekingese Pup followed me home from a little antique shop a very long time ago... He has been such a character in my life that he is definitely "One of my Favorite Things"...

Another Irish Belleek Neptune Cup and Saucer with lovely and vivid Cobb Tint  that I brought home from Northern Ireland... Look at the incredible detail in the shell... The pearl necklace is from the 20s and I think I can envision Kate Hepburn wearing it while she danced the charleston...

This is another one of my masterpiece lace runners... It is century old handmade "Battenburg Lace" from Germany and it is flawless...

This is my "favorite" Limoges Box... Do you blame me, LOOK at that little girl... She is "Priceless"...

"German Handmade Battenburg Lace runner"...

I'm Linking to
"Sunday Favorites@Happy to Design"

Tasha Tudor's Garden

The large copper cauldron is for making candles...I've also taken out a basket with a few of my pressed cookie molds for tomorrow... The weather here in New England is cooling down a bit and mornings are perfect for baking...

I've baked some bread to have with our tea with Tasha in the Garden... Can you smell the warm aroma of gingerbread that will be coming out of the oven soon, it was always one of Tasha's favorites and it's mine also...  I too feel as though I've lived in the nineteenth century... Maybe I knew you then Tasha... It is possible that we lived next door to each other,  possibly sharing our gardens and made candles that we burned later as we sipped tea by the hearth... "Until we meet again sweet lady, I will keep your spirit well"... 

"The Brother Gardeners"

Today Scape is truly a Journey... Once again I am featuring my favorite book "The Brother Gardeners" This fascinating story of a small group of naturalists in the eighteenth-century who made Britain the nation of gardeners they are today. It's the story of a garden revolution that began "Here in America"...  "It's about Botany, Empire, & The Birth of an Obsession"...If you garden and love the versatility that is offered to us today in our nurseries you "MUST" read this book... See my little antique spectacles tied with a ribbon on the book, they were a gift from one of my Dearest Friends Janet...

The pine cone could be considered a "CLUE" to my book, so I'm NOT going to spoil it and tell you about it, "You are just going to have to "Buy, Read, and share this book with whoever LOVES to garden"...

Next in my Journey is my "Norfolk Western Railroad China", Made by Syracuse China in "Dogwood Pattern"... It is one of my favorite sets... I believe I possess it all and I LOVE to use it over and over again. It looks so Delicate and Beautiful on a setting yet it can take incredible abuse. Therefore if it were to fall OFF the train it would have "Bounced right back on again". Gee that's good to know!!! "The Grandkiddies Can't hurt this AT ALL"!!!

The Lladro Afghans(these two are the official "Inspectors of the Tea") are part of a collection I acquired during my many years of owning the breed(The small afghan was a gift from an old Friend that brought it back for me from Spain)... I have retired from Afghans to now owning "Shetland Sheepdogs"...

Close up of the beauty of these dishes... Aren't they gorgeous

"Some antique silverware, a little copper teapot I bought from a tag sale here in my town for $5, Vanilla Almond Tea... and Waiting for some friends to arrive that have just finished reading my book. We'll spend the evening in "Botanical Heaven"... Ah... "Life is Good"!!!

"I'M LINKING TO"...
"Sunday Favorites@Happy to Design"...
http://happytodesign.blogspot.com/2011/03/sunday-favoritesno-95.html

Vanilla Garlic: A Do Nothing Day of Lemon Ricotta Gnocchi

Vanilla Garlic: A Do Nothing Day of Lemon Ricotta Gnocchi: "-A perfect Late Summer - Almost Fall dish.- I don't have to do anything today. Nothing. My errands are all done. I have no real work waiting..."

Lemon Ricotta Gnocchi
Recipe adapted from Pasta Sfoglia

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 pounds whole milk ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 egg
2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest

1. Spread the flour out on a clean, dry work surface. Place the ricotta, salt, black pepper, egg, and zest on top of the flour and lightly knead it with your hands bringing together all the ingredients. Gently knead the dough into an 10-inch log and allow it to rest a few minutes.

2. Lightly dust a clean, dry work surface with flour. Cut the log into four equal pieces. Gingerly, lightly, roll each piece into a 1-inch thick piece of rope. (You may have to cut the rope once or twice to keep in manageable.) Cut the gnocchi into 1/2-inch pillows. Lightly dust with flour.

To Cook: Place gnocchi in boiling salted water. When the gnocchi have floated to the top, allow them to cook for another two minutes, then remove with a slotted spoon and serve.

To Store: Place gnocchi on a baking sheet in a single layer and place in the freezer. Once frozen place in an air tight container. Thaw an hour before cooking. Stores for 2 weeks.

To Serve: These are best served simply. A basic tomato sauce tossed with some white wine, capers and garlic is a wonderful way to dress these. Alternatively, a simple basil pesto is also perfect. Top with a bit of grated ricotta salata, Parmesan, or even Pecorino Romano for a bit of bite. An extra dash of lemon zest will go a long way as well.

"Whirling Butterflies"

The butterflies are "whirling" in my late summer gardens...

"The Discovery of Chocolate"

My obsession with Chocolate did not start with James Runcie's book nor was it Joanne Harris' CHOCOLAT... Not even was it the delightful movie version that "took us ALL away with a passion"... To me I was "born with the 
cravings", and it was no time at all, before I started collecting chocolate molds...  I am going to share a few with you... Pictured here you see one of my favorites, "a Little Grandmothers Clock"...

This is my favorite cup for drinking "Hot Chocolate"... Can't you taste it's rich creaminess... As SOON as it is late October and then through "St Valentines Day", this cup will have daily use... The Antique hand painted ROSE wicker tray is a gift from one of my "Dearest Friends Ginny", it is a treasure from Germany(just like Ginny is)...

Chocolate also strolls "Hand in Hand" with the Romance of "St Valentines Day"... AH! to be sitting with your Sweetie and sipping little Pots of Chocolate is Heaven... Or Having a table with all your favorite people in attendance... Sipping chocolate and exchanging sweet stories... would also be one of the greatest pleasures of life...

A closeup look at "My Hot Chocolate" cup...

This little cup & saucer is a "Gem"... It's "Shelley" and it's PERFECT for "That thick rich Drinking Chocolate", you know the kind that Francoise would serve you in her Chocolate Shop!

This is an "Antique 3 hinged Lily Chocolate Mold", made in New York City in the time of "Horse and Buggies"...

Pictured here is the "Chocolate Lily Mold" opened all the way... You can see the deep details in the flower...

This "Little Limoges Lady" is hand painted in France and outfitted in about the right time period of my Chocolate Molds... "She has been promised that she could help herself to the Hershey Kisses as soon as I was done taking her picture"... When I checked back the plate was empty...

"An Antique Chocolate Rose Mold" from New York City...

This is one of my VERY FAVORITE "Antique table runners from Venice, Italy"... Look at that color, It is the color of "Creamy Caramel" , or some of you ladies may want to call it the color of tea stain... BUT today it must be Caramel to blend so beautifully with my Chocolate molds... I use this runner more than ANY of the hundreds that I own... I love the shape of it, I love the color of it, and most of all "I Love to Dream of it's Past"...

"A close up of my Antique Table Runner from Venice, Italy"...

This is one of the first posts I made when I started blogging... I've only been blogging since late July 2010... I KNEW I would have to re-post this for "St Valentines Day" so here it is... "I Hope you Enjoy it"?
XOXOXO

I'm Linking To

http://boogieboardcottage.blogspot.com/2011/02/welcome-to-masterpiece-monday-6.html 

http://happytodesign.blogspot.com/2011/02/sunday-favoritesno-90.html 

http://bargainhuntingwithlaurie.blogspot.com/2011/02/im-in-love-with-tom-and-thats-not-my.html 

http://coloradolady.blogspot.com/2011/02/vintage-thingie-thursday-vintage-bear.html 

"Flying Horses"...

A Carousel named "Flying Horses" at Savin Rock in New Haven, Connecticut was one of my favorite places to be, growing up... OH how excited I was when we would arrive there maybe once or twice a week... It would be a family outing that would involve My Parents, My Brother, My Dear Grandmother,  Aunts, Uncles, and a few cousins... The Flying Horses were my "VERY FAVORITE", and I would rush to see if the "BRASS ring thingy" was set up for the day... OH MY if it was that was "incredible fun"(and of course a LOT of happy dances were done in those days)... Now as an adult I understand why my Dad was NEVER as excited as I was, as he watched in horror, as his children were strapped to those wooden steeds and STRETCHED out as far as we could to grab that BRASS RING... We got the same lecture every time we mounted, to "NOT put our finger in the ring", "JUST GRAB at the outside"... He was braver than I because I would NEVER have let my boys do it AT ALL... NOW... this SAME carousel was ridden by MY Dad and his family before him(so I'm sure they also were given "The Lecture"... I still remember the day I graduated from the kiddie carousel to the "FLYING HORSES"!!! OH how I loved those HORSES!!!

"My Brass Ring" , Somehow 50 years ago It looked like "GOLD"...

T

"The Colonnade Theater and Restaurant" ... Savin Rock, Connecticut...

L

"Look at how elegant everyone is dressed"!!! Oh how I wish I could visit those times... Remember, This Restaurant is sitting at an amusement park, can you picture you and the kiddies dressing like this to go to "6 Flags(shame on me for even putting this era in the same breath as today's attire)...
 

"Blueberries & Cream"...

"My favorite daylily that graces my garden came with no name." When it blooms it has 8-9" flowers that look like your best cream colored porcelain plates... NOW picture that you have just finished eating, a slice of the BEST homemade blueberry pie, made from the plump wild berries that spread deep into your woods...The colors in these flowers look "exactly" like your empty plate right now... Therefore, I have named my favorite daylily "Blueberries & Cream"...

The little 5"daylilies to the right were ALSO unnamed, SO I have named them "Apricot Truffles"... You can see what a large daylily "Blueberries & Cream" is... Now with all this talk of Blueberries and Truffles, are you indulging YET???