Pink Sugar Saturday................

Can you imagine taking sugar, water, a pretty color, and coming up with the sweetest product ever?

Sugars by Sharon

Hand Molded and Colored Tea Sugars

A little cellophane cube tied with pink ribbon contains four stacks of sugar pretties - pink roses and green leaves - to drop into your teacup. As Sharon says, "add a touch of grace and beauty to your tea experience".

Today, to honor Pink Saturday, I'm thinking a cup of Earl Grey with a slice of plum-raspberry gateau topped with more raspberries..........but should I open the almost too pretty to use sugars?

This delightful gift came from Susie and Jenny (mom and daughter team from SuzAnna's Antiques). Thanks so much dear friends, you are so kind to always think of me.

As you know, I'm not at home to make tea today..............instead I'm more likely searching for a tea shop in San Francisco!

Hope you all visit our hostess Beverly at How Sweet The Sound today to see lots more pink.

Rocky Mountain High

Today, we crossed the country under sunny skies and fluffy clouds - a lovely smooth flight. It was clear enough to see the many different types of landscapes along
the way............and I took a fun photo of a special girl taking a photo of the Rocky Mountains.




Left Raleigh at 7 AM where it was already 85 humid degrees following a night of the loudest thunder and brilliant lightning. Arrived in San Francisco where it's chilly and windy. Tomorrow, a full day of sightseeing, and hopefully it will be sunny and warmer.

America the beautiful......from sea to shining sea.

Farewell.....until I return

Almost time to leave for the other coast of this vast land.

I'll miss my home and garden........especially now the Morning Glories are blooming.

I'll even miss my kitchen hours preparing the local Summer harvest......with the best tomatoes ever.

Most of all I'll miss my friends, just meeting for a coffee and a chat, or a browse around a favorite 'treasure hunting' spot.

Will post from the Golden Gate Bridge, the most crooked street in the world, a special California lake, the Great Salt Lake, a high red butte, a mountain peak, Old Faithful...................well maybe not if there's no WI-FI.............but will hopefully find at least a few 'hot spots' along the way to keep in touch. Back in a couple of weeks.

Go West -------->

Travelling westward in an 1800's Conestoga covered wagon. Fun for more adventurous souls, a bit tough on those of us long in the tooth.
Of course one could at least pack more, including the kitchen sink, which I can never seem to fit in the overhead!

Golden Gate Bridge - San Francisco

Tomorrow I'm heading West with DH and 'travelling granddaughter' Jasmin. Our first stop will be San Francisco. This will be our final Summer trip..............then I hope to stay home for a while and do all the jobs/projects that have piled up lately.

A few relaxing 'on the water' days here with our dearest friends at Lake Almanor, Northern California.................

Grand Tetons National Park - Mt. Morant by Daryl Gibson

........then on to many other beautiful places such as Jackson Hole and the Grand Tetons, Wyoming, Utah, Idaho and Montana........

...........and of course Yellowstone National Park.

I hope to be able to keep in touch and post along the way, depending on WI-FI access. Having traveled to America's West several times, I know there is much scenery of amazing beauty to share with you.

Off to complete the packing and get an early night!

Eating Out in Maine

Remember this scenario? Just about every parent has done this. Coerced our children into tasting a new to them food. "Come on, just one bite". "It's good for you, nutritious and delicious". "Don't you want to be a gourmand when you grow up?". "Close your eyes and just swallow the d--- thing". Yes, know you're not supposed to do that to your kids, but when you know something is so yummy and delicious you hate to think they're missing the taste and texture.....................of a fried clam!!!

We always stop here on the little causeway in Kennebunkport, Maine for fried clams. Not the juicy, slimy, dip in melted butter, open mouth and slurp down 'steamers'. The just out of the bay, quick deep fried, golden, crispy, little critters, dipped in spicy cocktail sauce, chewed a bit and swallowed with an "ah, these darned things are fabulous, pass them back over here please".

We try to get one of three outdoor rustic benches on the deck in back of the Clam Shack. We can watch the ducks swimming below, the swifts flying by, and the whale watching boats come and go.

Did you know that grandchildren are no different from your children. Sometimes they have to be coerced also. Jasmin has eaten most things we've offered on our travels. There was Seche (Cuttlefish) and Pissaladiere (like a pizza with 10 tons of sliced onions, anchovies and black olives) in France. In England she like everything, especially my second cousin's cheese scones, and at the local pub, the cheese baps (rolls) washed down with elderberry soda. In Spain she sat at a sidewalk cafe in Figueras and tucked into spicy tapas for lunch.........while we four adults tossed back a couple of bottles of the best chilled Spanish rose wine ever!

But............take a look at this face, it says it all!

As Granddad tucked into his delicious golden fried, crispy clams, Jasmin decided no way............and, sadly, she missed out on a tasty New England delicacy.

Needless to say, DH and I had no problem eating her share!

Maine was beautiful. We'll be back for fried clams, lobster and steamers some day soon I hope. (Perhaps she'll try them next time..................and love 'em hopefully).

Freeport, Maine

If you travel along the picturesque coast of Maine you can easily make a stop in Freeport. Just two and a half hours from Boston, Freeport is a shopper's paradise that began in 1911 with the opening of L.L. Bean's store in downtown. Now it boasts over 200 retail shops and businesses including some of of the biggest names in retail and outlet stores as well as charming and eclectic small shops and specialty boutiques.

The very extra large sized Maine Hunting Boot, L.L. Bean's signature product, at the main entrance.

Being a tall family we do tend to have big feet, but even Jasmin's size 9 sneakers look minuscule next to this monster boot!

L.L. Bean's flagship store covers a large area of the town. It's open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and was just named the state's Top Tourist Attraction drawing 3,500,000 visitors annually.

We didn't plan to 'shop' as the luggage was already bulging and our airline - shame on them - charged for ALL checked bags, each way. However, looking around the gigantic shop I was intrigued by the attractive display of the original sewing machine used to stitch the hunting boots.

Original L.L. Bean hunting boots.

We were so good................enjoyed the shop but left empty handed. After all, there's always the catalogs arriving in the mail box!

The French Bistro

According to Wikepedia.................
"a bistro, sometimes spelled bistrot, is, in its original Parisian incarnation, a small restaurant serving moderately priced simple meals in a modest setting".
That sounds just like my kitchen - small, simple, modest!

There's more....................
"Bistros are defined mostly by the foods they serve. Slow-cooked foods like braised meats are typical. Bistro patrons do not necessarily expect professional service or printed menus".
Well, being vegetarian there are no meats stewing away for hours on my stove, but I can do great braised/roasted veggies, lots of pastas, and DH says I make the best slow-simmered soups!
As for service......."come and get it". We're not uppity around here! Menus? Just lift a lid or peek in the oven, you'll see the special of the day. No need to write it down!

That said, remember this fabulous large sign I spied at the Thieves Market recently? Someone even commented I should bring it home. I wanted to but waited, thought about it, measured to find a wall in the small kitchen where it would fit, struck a bargain with the dealer, and finally brought it home on Friday. Not an impulse buy, more of a "if it's still there when I go back it means I'm supposed to have it" purchase. You must know that feeling. Then there are the times you go back, it's gone and you kick yourself forever - like the Ralph Lauren suede boots on sale on the Internet last year!!

This sign may have a history. Need to chat with the dealer, perhaps discover where she found it. It appears to be really old and handmade, not a contemporary factory created item (but do tell me if you've seen similar). The boards are old and warped, the metal frame well-worn. The sign is in two sections hinged together so that it folds easily to transport. The prices are from long ago before the euro.

Perfect fit in the corner by the windows. I'm really loving it......and it's helping continue the casual French country look I want in my home.

My favorite bistro cook book......Patricia Wells' Bistro Cooking - 200 recipes inspired by the small family restaurants of France celebrate a return to generous, full-flavored cooking.

Plymouth Rock

The Mayflower in Plymouth Harbor by Halsall

Every school kid in America learns about the arrival of the Pilgrims on December 21, 1620. Recall all those kindergarten Thanksgiving plays where the little darlings dress up in pilgrim hats and buckled shoes, step from the Mayflower and land on a make-believe Plymouth rock?

Years ago, when we took our children on their first visit to Plymouth, Massachusetts, the real rock was available to step and climb upon. Alas, just like Stonehenge, clambering children and souvenir chipping tourists have closed access to these ancient stones. The rock, which has been enclosed by a columned shelter, is now only to be looked at and not touched.

At Plymouth Rock ~ July 2009

Look down between the railings to see what remains of Plymouth Rock. Perhaps you expected it to be much larger. It was originally and it was in the water which came closer to the shore. The feeling of history still prevails. An excellent presentation by a park ranger tells the story and, if you close your eyes and think hard, you can imagine the trepidation felt by those brave sailors and their families as they stepped onto a new continent after a long, hazardous sea voyage from Devon (my home in England), on such a tiny boat. Of the 102 Mayflower passengers, only half remained alive by the following Spring. The ship sailed back to England that Spring of 1621, however despite the Winter hardships, none of the Pilgrims returned with the ship.

Mayflower II, the replica of the Mayflower ~ moored behind her were two Tall Ships visiting for the Independence Day celebrations.

A quick visit here on a fine July afternoon was another history lesson on our New England journey.

Piggy Pink Saturday

Hit the brakes, make a quick U-turn on a Maine road, pull into a gravel parking lot, jump from the rental car camera at the ready!

This one is for my friend who truly believes pigs do fly.....and she has a huge collection to prove it.

This fabulous piggy pink sign for a bakery immediately said "Jenny" and I had to get a photo. Luckily DH is getting used to this type of driving and is now well trained in turning on a dime, braking suddenly, or detouring back to something that caught my eye and requires a photo shoot "for the blog"! Thanks Bob, you're such a good sport.

Jenny is half of SuzAnna's Antiques her mom Susie being the other beautiful half. They know how much I love them for bringing affordable treasures to our city, staging great parties and open houses, hiring the nicest gals to help in the ever expanding shop, and just being the nicest mother/daughter business around. Oink, oink!!

Thanks for stopping by on Pink Saturday. Now hurry over to our great hostess Beverly at How Sweet the Sound to enjoy a lot more PINK.

Intoxicating Summer Rain

This week I was thankful for the heavens opening and rain falling on the parched and dried up Southeast. On Monday, after dropping DH at the airport early AM for a business trip to New York, I came home. Rain started falling, heavily - like a grey curtain - covering the dying grass, drooping shrubs, thirsty plants.

The hydrangeas have already faded from blue to dusty pink and grayish green and are well on their way to drying out for Winter display in the house. Their still thick and lush leaves sparkled with raindrops.

I moved some potted plants to the front steps for a bath. Nobody was looking so I stood there with my tongue out to catch a raindrop. It felt cool, clean, and of course wet. I held my arms out, darkened a little by the intense rays of the Southern sun, and felt the rain splatter on my warm skin. The feeling took my breath away.

I'm from a cool country. A land rained on constantly.
For gosh sakes, I grew up in much maligned black rubber Wellington boots........galoshes designed to prevent webbed feet I'm sure. School uniform included a navy blue belted gabardine 'mac' which got a lot of use between September and July. I sloshed through ankle deep water, red clay mud. I puddle jumped. I sang in the rain. I picked mushrooms in the fields early morning in the rain.................before the cows trampled them. I sat on the beach in the rain on a Summer day. I walked the damp firm sand, chasing the seagulls when the tide went out and the rain drizzled endlessly.

This week, following the rain, at a nearby pond the Canada geese with their now almost grown Spring babies were enjoying the fresh water. The one above we've named Bumpy. She is gentle and has fed from Jasmin's hand......which I why we say 'she'.

The heavy rain lasted just an hour or so before it changed to light intermittent showers. Long enough to rinse off the back fence making the now grayish wood grain appear etched by years of weather. The rusting bird boxes, homes to Chickadees, had shiny copper roofs again.

Later the sun appeared through the clouds.
The yellow daylilies were refreshed and soon glowing from their long awaited bath.

I realize now that I love the rain.

I would like to sleep under a tin roof in a heavy pouring rain.

I will plan to puddle jump again, while I still can.

'Wellies' come in colors and patterns now and are 'in style'.

Edited - 8:00 AM

Seems comments can't be left this morning for some reason. Thanks for stopping by though - perhaps this will be fixed later - I'll check back.

12:05 AM 7/18/09

Well it's working now thank goodness. Missed you.

Visiting Beauty

On the front porch floor, a winged beauty unknown to me. Size, very large, the book measures five inches in width. Colors, spectacular, brilliant rust and French blue, my favorites. Stripes and spots so symmetrical - perfection painted on a creature whose life is brief. Another of Nature's masterpieces.

Have you ever seen this moth? I'm thinking it's a moth and not a butterfly despite it's brilliant, beautiful colors. I've looked through several 'moth sites' on the Internet, only to discover there are thousands of beautiful winged creatures with gorgeous colors.............but I can't find this one!

From the book it flew on to my shirt, clung with thick, fuzzy, rust-hued legs, dusted me with orange fairy dust, then flew away looking like a small bird in flight. The beauty of it all in a few brief moments.

Edited: Thanks to my cherished old school friend Jean in England who found this moth here and identifed it as the Royal Walnut moth. Interesting life............glad the adult paid a visit and not the scary sounding caterpillar!! Thanks so much dear friend.

SuzAnna's w/camera on a hot Summer day....

It's fun to have a kid with a camera when browsing around my favorite local antiques/vintage shop, SuzAnna's. Having one with a creative eye who knows how to do fun things such as color accent and videos is even better. Taking pictures of oneself in mirrors is a great idea!

Jasmin and I displayed our rings on this hand.

I was pleased she remembered to look up for this shot............there are fun things always dangling from the ceiling.

I bet in all honesty she would rather have been here, but as we did visit the beach last week while in Maine, and will soon be preparing to head West to the Pacific, a hour or so browsing and chatting with friends here in the blistering sun was also fun.........until we just had to run for shade and a cool drink.

I did get my camera away from her now and then. Here is my picture of STARS, love that blue......................and it was cooling...........

...........and here are the pair of cute little concrete chickens I brought home from SuzAnna's. Now on the dining room table but I'm planning to move them into the fresh air on the porch for the Summer.

Jasmin captured over a hundred images during our visit to the shop! Do you encourage young kids to use a camera? Do you think photography enables kids to see life in a new perspective through a lens.......possibly unlocking their creativity?