Friday, May 31, 2013

May

                                                            It was one of those beautiful , lengthening days,
                                                            when May was pressing back with both hands
                                                            the shades of the morning and evening.

                                                                                        Amelia E. Barr (1886)
My sweet Amish couple and lily of the valley flowers make me happy.

Thyme, Basil and Rosemary love to cook with fresh herbs.

Today is the  last day of May 2013.  It was a grand month.  Thank  you God.  

Hugs
Patti-Rose

Monday, May 27, 2013

What to do weekends....

This is what I did this weekend, I took pictures of the flowers in the garden and started the huge job of  organizing the quilt room.  So much to throw away,( I lost the rest of the sentence to below????)
This bush only flowers for a short time, so pretty (No idea the name).
Lilacs, filled several vases, the house smelled heavenly.
Lily of the Valley my birthday flower, so lovely just like the month of May,
Happily organized bulletin board.
and so hard to let go of all the precious odds and ends I am so sure, I will need one day to add just the perfect finishing touch.  I did manage to organize my inspiration bulletin board.  Jim do you recognize the two Christmas cards you sent me?  They help to start my meditations some days.  Very soothing.  Well here are the picture such as they are. (this paragraph belonged at the top).

Hugs
Patti-Rose
                                                                           

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

A few of my favorite things in May ...my Birthday and Mother's Day.


The month so far has been charming.

Jim and I celebrated my birthday a little early and that was fine.  Lunch at Legal Seafood was delicious, I had sweet clams with the bellies something I seldom have and so I enjoyed this rare treat.

Along with lunch there were presents to be bought for both birthday and Mother's day.  Here is what Jim gave me, so perfect because he knows me so well.  (He should after almost 50 years.)

Tea time Tuesday ... no tea but a beautiful new Peony Blue teapot with four little cups.  
I love this little beachy cream and sugar set, also a salt cellar.  The picture does not show well.

Sharing my beautiful Mother's Day plants...
Miniature Victory Roses so pretty.  Thanks Marisa and Ryan,
Hydrangeas one of my favorite flowers looking forward to planting these in the garden.
 The  purple shading is perfection.  Thanks  Jim, Mell and Tim.

The merry month continues...
Hugs
Patti-Rose

Monday, May 6, 2013

Metamorphosis Monday

 It's a day to show change, and here's mine.

Lobell Tree Service came early Friday morning, with five Huge trucks parked along Walnut Street, a sight to behold.  And this is what they did to my trees.
Lobell  Small truck and some of the equipment...

                                                 
Before pruning..
After pruning....

Before pruning...

After pruning...

Sometimes you get just what you ask for and it doesn't turn out the way you hoped it would. The pruning left many bare spots, and cutting straight across the top is not the most attractive look.  But they no longer interfere with house wires or gutters, that was one purpose for having them trimmed.

Hugs
Patti-Rose

ps The workers found a robins nest in the tree (the one pictured above) and tried very hard not to disturb two small eggs that were inside.                                                                            

Thursday, May 2, 2013

May...

May, I love this month it brings back such sweet memories from grade school.  We would have assembly outside the front of the school, where our American Flag flew from a very very tall pole, of course we were very small at the time.

We wore our Sunday best clothes for the assembly, for me that meant I  got to wear my white shoes which I loved.  We also had a May pole, very pretty with colored streamers.  Some  children would dance around it ( I don't remember much about that part, guess I wasn't one of the dancers) but what I do remember is the little Hoodsie's with the wooden spoons, even then I loved food.

The other special thing about this month is that in my childhood May was the month of the Blessed Mother and that meant beautiful music at our little church St. Theresa's in Revere.  We would crown the statue of the Blessed Mother and have a lovely little procession around the streets close to our little church  And one year I was picked to do it I borrowed a gown from someone I don't remember now and crowed the Virgin.  I have found a picture of me and Maureen so I took a picture of the picture and we'll see how that comes out.  Pretty fuzzy but you get the idea.

Walking Revere Beach on a Sunday when my Father was home on leave was such a special treat.  Sheila, Mama, Dad, and I after Mass.  Home for a big Sunday roast dinner and after Dad had his Sunday nap, which ended at about three o'clock, the same time the drugstore opened (for almost all shops were closed on a Sunday) .   Sheila and I, would go and buy little Sundae's for everyone (this only happened when Daddy was home).  I always got the same sundae vanilla ice cream, pineapple sauce with gooey marshmallow.  Oh so delicious.

Hugs
Patti-Rose

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Outdoor Wednesday...

Comparing my pictures today with pictures of  my plants and bushes from last week.  Here are this weeks photos.
My re-potted Shamrock plant..

My Easter Lily Plant.  Finished...


                                                   
Forsythia Bush Blooming Nicely...
Hugs
Patti-Rose                                          

Monday, April 15, 2013

Metamorphosis Monday ...


Once again I am borrowing a title from blogland.  

A small metamorphosis in the kitchen today.   


The pantry where I keep dry goods needed a little freshening up. I am trying to get all these little jobs out of the way before the really nice yard weather comes, and I can be outside, without thinking about what needs to be done on the inside.

It was a pretty simple task.  Replace the old shelving with new.  A quick measure and a cut and it was completed.  A wipe here and a wipe there on the other shelves and I was done.

Here are pictures of the process.
Ugly stain..
Measuring and cutting....
good eye fits nicely...
neat...
Love a full larder...
A job well done.
Hugs
Patti-Rose

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Quilts....

I have wanted to share about my quilts and quilting for some time now.   Only, it is  sad to be thinking of doing anything with quilting, as my quilting buddy of many years is now in the final stages of her fight with cancer.

But, today reading my Sunday Bulletin from The Blessed Sacrament Church, there is a piece in it asking for donations for babies, whatever you can give would be appreciated.  These items are for Mothers who have decided to keep their babies under difficult situations and need a little support.

Carol, my quilting buddy, has contributed for many years making blankets to be sold at her church's bazaar.  I think I would like to take inspiration from her example and make a quilt to donate.

Maybe with a little more prayer and a practical plan I will see if  I can get in the quilt room and start quilting again with joy.

Hugs
Patti-Rose
This is a sketch I copied from a magazine...
Enjoyed choosing fabrics...
Adding Cabanas..
Cabanas awaiting doors, free motion quilting, and borders..
Summer Cabanas is the title of this little quilt.

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Pipes and Pipes and More Pipes....

What a couple of days it has been.  My nice little quiet routinely run home has been turned upside down,  with leaks on three floors and wrenches and dirty buckets yuck...not much fun at all...very nerve wracking, no water.

The good news, Sean the pipefitter in the family spend much time away from his lovely family, fixting our old pipes.  Thank you for your patience Gioia and kids.

Early Saturday morning he arrived with coffee for all, and two buckets filled with tools to finish the job.

Thank you Sean for all your help in solving the problems with the old piping in our little blue cape.

Hugs
Patti Rose
Three heads better than one....I don't think so.

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Tablescape Thursday...

This is my second try with this post...half way thought the first I lost half of it, pictures included, very aggravating.

Looking forward to seeing Sheila tomorrow for morning tea.  The table is set and tomorrow morning I will make ginger cookies.  Will post recipe in tomorrows post.  It's a new recipe from the Deliha Bakery in Seattle.  Hope it is good.

Rain is forecast for tomorrow.  The weatherman maybe wrong.

Here are some pictures of the table...
napkins and mats bought at Target

Blue and white always cheerful... pink depression glass, sugar and pitcher a gift from Mell and Jim.

Added the white tablecloth and am happy with it...

can't wait for the morning tea with Sheila

Bigelow tea chest ...I will choose English Breakfast Tea.  I don't know about Sheila.

Tea pot and cups and saucers a gift from Mamma.  Shamrock looks good. My Irish knitted cozy a gift from Grandpa Butler.
Hugs
Patti-Rose

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Outdoor Wednesday....

Forgot the name of the bush.....

Future home of a fairy garden.  More in a later post.         

Lavender from last year.  It survived!                

Hugs....
Patti-Rose























Monday, April 8, 2013

Saturday Morning Ritual....


Saturday Morning Breakfast...

It's Saturday morning and here I am in my regular spot in front of the t.v. watching cooking shows.

I always make Saturday breakfast a little more special than the rest of the week.  Earl Grey Tea steeped perfectly, drunk plain and hot.  A delicious cream scone, a new recipe from one of my Christmas cookbooks Bouchon Bakery. It's slatthered with Meyer's Lemon Curd.  A real linen napkin, of course, with a new flower napkin holder.  The little pot holds just enough tea for two delicious  cups. 

Now just waiting impatiently for Pioneer Woman and my Ina, both with new shows today.

Hugs
Patti-Rose

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Foodie Friday

beatty's chocolate cake
barefoot contessa at home
 This a delicious moist chocolate cake.  The secret is a hot cup of strong black coffee added to the cake ingredients.

Ina has a scrumptious, decadent, recipe for chocolate frosting.  Instead I choose Cool Whip's new chocolate frosting, really quite good in a pinch.

I served this on Easter Sunday and was delighted with the results.

Hugs
Patti-Rose                                                

Tablescape Thursday...

My first tablescape in blogland.  Usually the table is described and all pieces of china and silverware are named and backside of china is shown for origin.  But I am doing a less formal blog of my table.
Easter preparations...

Our Easter Table
Great difficulty with pictures today.

Hugs
Patti-Rose

Outdoor Wednesdays Easter Liliy

In blogland there are many titles one can use to inspire a blog.   I choose this for Wednesday.

My plants are not from the outside but from the inside of my home.  I don't really have a lot to say about them except I truly enjoy decorating with plants.


OXALIS...Shamrock

  Easter Liliy
Fake Gerber Daisies
Well hello who do we have here....I believe this gentlemen is from  Willow in the wind.
Hugs
Patti-Rose

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Still playing catch up now the month of February...

The best to be said about February 2013 is that it is over.

A horrible flu bug hit our Jim with a force.  Complications ensued making a hosp. visit necessary.  Many long and unhappy days were spent trying to force down one Ensure after another, mush for supper, and jello or pudding for snacks, hoping these foods would aid in the weight gain that was needed. (having lost 10 pounds within two weeks).

Finally, Jim was on the road to recovery as they say, eventually able to swallow whole foods and gain some of the lost weight back.  Thank you Lord.  His recovery continues.


Now on a happier note I do have some lovely pictures of our back yard covered in snow so pretty.


Taken from the upstairs bathroom...
Can you see our Butler Name on the screen house...
It's always so pretty the first day of snow...
The sky was a beautiful soft Martha Stewart Pink...
Hugs
Patti-Rose