Grown Up PB&J

I love Nutella.  I love Black Currant Jam. 
Mix the two together and it is the
best adult version of PB&J!

Black Currant Jam can be tricky to find.  This I found
at Big Lots and stocked up.  When I discovered
The Berry Patch Farm
I picked 5 quarts of Black Currants and made my

own jam--just to be safe--knowing I won't always be

able to find it at Big Lots.  In case you are wondering about

Black Currants, they are Very Tart Berries similar in look to

gooseberries.  They are very popular in Scotland, as my dear

Isabella will attest, served on top of Cream Scones with

Clotted Cream and that is a decadant treat, too! 

Enjoy!  And if you run across Clotted Cream, too I strongly suggest

that you whip up Cream Scones, fix a cup of tea, and indulge! 

Old Dog Needs New Trick



"...a knowledge of photography is just as important as that of the alphabet.  The illiterates of the future will be ignorant of the use of the camera and pen alike."

Laslo Mobody-Nagy

As I venture deeper into the blogosphere, I am quickly seeing that I need more knowledge of my camera.  While I think my eye is good, I am quickly seeing that I know very little about proper lighting and the technical business of my camera.  I am seeing poor lighting and fuzzy images too often.  I won't even point out the overlooked details like shelves stacked next to the range. . .Thanks to the inspiration of some really great bloggers who happen to be accomplished photographers, I realize more than ever that this old dog needs to learn some new tricks!  So, I opened a book tonight, one that my father gave me years ago, pre-digital days.  He knows I have a good eye but also that I could use the camera to express it better.  While the book isn't about digital cameras  (I do know enough you don't use the automatic settings on your camera for blogging) I think the fundamentals and description of the manual settings are timeless. So what do all the F settings mean? This book is a jumping off point for me. 

One of my past loves is now an accomplished photographer.  We used to go out on shoots which are some of my favorite memories.  I should have payed more attention in those days!  I was too busy being in love!  Think I will look into classes through adult continuing education next.  So this is my pledge to you (and to me) to learn a new trick and share the journey with you! 

In case you are wondering. . .this is a vase filled with triangular strips of left over paper from a project I am working on.  They are cut out of a book and I curled one up and loved how it looked.  Next thing I know, I am in my attic digging out a vase and sticking them in it.  Great vignette and better than flowers because my baby kitten (did I say hellion?) has no interest in it like she does with all plants and flowers. That is why I currently don't have any i my house! 

As my dear sweet friend said to me when I expressed needing to grow with my camera.  ". . .never quit photographing the details of your life"



Details Make the Difference

So Loving the Vietmanse Coffee Press.
Love that is was brought to my table this way
left to drip, drip, drip onto the sweetened
condensed milk.  Need to visit the Asian Store
to get me one! 

All done, mixed, and ready to drink. 
Those wonderful details make all the difference.  I
actually had someone make me a Vietmanese Coffee at a
fancy restaurant with "Flogers" and Sweetened Condensed
Milk.  The horror!  This was so lovely.  Thank goodness

for camera phones!  This tiny detail made the food even more wonderful.

The #28 in case you were wondering! 
Yum! 

and gone!   

" Up in a Airplane"

"I'll be making a deal"
So it goes by the Indigo Girls
This was my view from the private plane
that I was so lucky to have been on.
Can't say more, don't want to put the

cart before the horse! 

"I Spy"

The weather has been too hot for long walks with the dog.  Believe me when you drag out a 80 pound Lab who would rather cross his legs than go to the potty, it is too hot!  Sitting in the AC all day has me dreaming of walks in my neighborhood. I stumbled on this during another one of my cell phone purges.  I have walked by this lone gate about a million times and just now noticed the little "Garden" label on it.  So charming!  Such a great detail. So glad that I didn't miss it entirely. 

I guess it should go without saying to "Stop and Smell the Roses" or to "Be in the Moment" or what-have-you.  There are just times when we are so tangled in our own thought processes or noticing other things around us that it takes a couple of passes to notice these tiny details.  Sometimes you notice them subconsciously and don't realize it!  I do that alot with design projects!  But really, putting down the MP3, and just looking around you can yield the most wonderful pleasures!  Tiny details that someone so cleverly thought of, fresh air, quiet space in your mind.  When the weather cools down a bit--I am outta here! 

PS--My son and I often play "I Spy" and have noticed lots of amusing details.

Sneak Peek



The door to nowhere.  I think every old house has a couple of these.  My 1925 Bungalow is no exception!  Actually this is a second door to my son's room from the back hall.   Seems a litle silly to us.  Easy way to escape when you are a teenager!  We disabled the door and had plans to close it off permantely but soon discovered it housed our desk just perfectly.  The recess the door creates is just enough to allow the desk to sit next to the panty.  It really was unsightly.  The wall paint was not enhancing the back hall either.  It had to go! 



This is the view from the kitchen now.  Tennis Court White Paint by Ralph Lauren in a Semi-Gloss finish are washed all over the walls.  Gasp all you Flat Paint lovers!  The semi-gloss finish accomplishes two things, it reflects light in this windowless space and is easy to clean!  The Ceilings are Crystal Blue by Benjamin Moore also in Semi Gloss.  For the finishing touches, white drapes with white tassles hanging over a black and white picture that fits behind the antique green writing desk.  It is now this cozy office space while the space is actually enlarged.  The rest of the space isn't completed yet.  The floor at the landing needs attention.  I just couldn't resist sharing.  It is currently my favorite spot in the house!

Paris and Silent Photographs



"I love Paris in the Spring Time"
I can hear it in the background when I look at these pictures. 
They are sweet and came from a wonderful site that lets you use
and download pictures for free. 
Yale Digital Commons



 

 



So why the poor quality?  
It is not from the site! 
When I was exploring all of the pictures I started
printing them on my HP Laser Jet 1022 printer.
Just photocopied pictures.
Then I took pictures of them with my cell phone while
severely cropping them.  They started to tell a story
as I was taking pictures of them. 
To make matters worse (?) I then emailed them to myself
before saving them to my computer and then posting them. 



There is a sweetness to these pictures in all their
poor quality!  They remind me of old silent pictures with
they fuzzy frames and grainy texture. 
There is just something about those films, maybe the mystery, maybe the
half told stories while the sets and expressions were meant to make
the imagination soar.  Clara Bow, Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford,

Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., and the Barrymore's are in these pictures.

And I think that is what these pictures are meant to evoke.

Memories.

All in a Day's Play



Spent my Sunday in my favorite Discount Store and Junk Store.  Yielded this Fluer De Lis, tassles, and some odds and ends.  Earmarked for my latest project. 





I am redoing my back entry to the house.  Will share pictures later!  Spent the weekend prepping, painting, and more painting.  Then decided that I needed some stuff to go in it!  Have alot of ideas swimming in my head right now.  Suffered 2 days of migraines but managed to get the painting of the ceiling and walls completed.  Next the landing. . .

Will share, I promise! 



Gussied Up and Ready for the Ball

The Range, in place, ready to go!

Lots of decorative touches on the shelf.  I do use almost all of them but couldn't resist some babbles.  This range is really neat and definately superior in quality to ordinary stoves.  We are lucky to have this!  I have made black current jam, baked a cherry crisp, and Swiss Chard Strata all with local ingredients as well as making our favorite Mole Pulled Pork Tacos and BLT's, Corn on the Cob, and the list is growing.  Spoiled Girl.  Happy Girl. 

What's Old is New Again

I really wanted an old, reconditioned range to add to my kitchen but after many "Blow Up the House" arguments I had with my husband we settled on a 48" Monogram Range as shown in a earlier post.  To satisfy my desire for the old one, I spotted this at one of my favorite haunts.  The door wasn't staying closed and I think, besides all the rust, that is why it has been there at a basement bargain price for quite a long time.  I fell in love and it now graces my kitchen with a strong magnet to keep the door closed.  No interest was paid to this until I drug out the camera and poof, presto, magic the curiosity came pouring out of my son.  He was so curious that he didn't care that I was taking pictures and, after all, this range is built for the curious, tiny hands of children.  Couldn't make me happier that he has played with this for most of the evening!  Forget modern, what is old is new again in my house if even for a moment and yes, I know a reconditioned stove wouldn't blow my house up but the Monogram is "bloody" awesome and really fun! 

MY NEW TOY

Installed this morning and waiting for me to come home and make Black Currant Jam with the beautiful black Currants I picked at The Berry Patch Farm on Monday.  I am a lucky girl!  
Berry Patch Farm