August 8th ephemera and raspberries

Today was a nice recovery day after yesterday's fun and party-time. At 1:00, I met with my sister and one other artist, a third couldn't make it at the last minute. We exchanged excess paper products we had at our houses. This is a partial photo of all the great stuff I came home with! Lots of paper, buttons, paper dolls, slide frames, vintage photos, playing cards, vintage magazine pages, postcards, so much fun stuff for collages, cards, and various artistic endeavors!

A large part of the fun was telling each other where we got various things. For example, Claudia bought a whole box of paper dolls at a garage sale! all cut out, from all kinds of different sources. Those are really fun to use in a collage. We also brainstormed ideas of things we could do with the treasures in front of us. Nancy baked an apple tart for us to enjoy while we did our exchange. Yum!

I really liked the Hot Rod postcards, and a deck of pink playing cards! They are so unique! I also came home with several pages of charming alphabets.

When I got home, Phil told me we were invited to a neighbor's for dessert. Would I like to go? You bet! We had a light dinner, and our neighbors treated us to individual raspberry tarts, topped with whipping cream! No, I didn't take my camera. I found this picture on the internet. Its very similar, but imagine it with a mound of whipping cream on top! The best dessert I've had in a long time!

It will be a busy week coming up. Lots to do, and I want to make some of W's favorite dinners before he leaves (Pesto Pasta and Salmon, Tandoori Chicken and rice, something else if there is time).

Did you eat anything special today?

August 7th A farewell party

We really know how to party! The cake I bought had blue trim on the icing - that was no end of fun and delight to see our tongues and teeth turning blue!!! (It was ice cream cake! yummy) Here are Walker and Emily, looking shy. No really, they are eating their cake. I was the shy one not wanting to ask them to pose, so I caught this candid shot instead. Emily is delightful.

Grandpa said he hadn't seen Walker's fedora. So, I made him model it for all. What a cool character huh? And Phil gave a little speech. Maybe a little embarrassing, but still shows how we all love him.

We had hamburgers and hot dogs, baked beans by Aunt Claudia, watermelon (Tori and Gabe ate most of it!) and cole slaw. Weird lemon potato chips and other potato chips; ice cream cake and red velvet cupcakes for dessert. It was too rainy to toast marshmallows for s'mores. So I made s'more kits for most to take home. We had enough dessert anyway!

A nice time. Emily was a sport. Walker got a good send-off.

August 6, 2010 - in the mood to sew something ...

I am in the mood to sew something....I'm not sure what yet. I think I need to set my sewing machine up in my craft room - ready to go at a second's notice... I have several ideas in mind, but I can't do anything until Sunday. Saturday is our family W send off barbecue. We have lots of good food on hand, company coming, rain coming, etc. It will be nice though. Only 5 days till W goes back to Michigan.

Today I found the Newspaper that announced W's Dean's List Status! My boss's wife told me she saw it "recently". I did a search, and sure enough there it was July 29th. It was for the Fall semester! They are a little behind! It was nice though, and noted that W was homeschooled, graduated from SPSCC and then was at Hillsdale College in Michigan on the Dean's list. Better late than never!

Phil called today and said "shall we bring home Panda Express for dinner?" duh! Yes dear! We had a great Chinese assortment for dinner.

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August 5, 2010

Farmer's Market today. I am on the lookout for fresh corn and red tomatoes - none yet. One farmer had these great peppers. It was great going from stand to stand - smelling the peppers, the peaches, the nectarines and plums. . . Walker came with me to lunch one last time before leaving for college. Our friend Vicki hoped he would come and show her is Vulgate Bible. We had a great lunch - Vicki got a yummy looking Mexican lunch, Walker and I went to Curry in a Hurry - chicken curry - Very very very good!!! We walked around a bit, talked and went across the street for an iced coffee...here is Walker tolerating a photo.

Walker had his first Italian soda; I had an iced chai; Vicky had a chilly goat! Everyone ducked out of the photo! the scaredy-cats! While we sat in the shade outside and drank our drinks, Walker read the first bit of Mark to Vicki, in latin! That was fun to hear and she really enjoyed it.

It was really nice to go spend a couple of hours with Walker. Afterwards we went to Yenneys so he could buy new strings for his guitar. We came in separate cars, and by the time I got home, he had re-strung his guitar (for the first time) and was really pleased with the results.

I was pleased with the contents of my CSA box! I got Romaine, a salad mix, bok choi, cilantro, Kennebec potatoes, two red onions, a bag of green beans, a box of little tomatoes, a head of garlic, a bunch of beets, and two bunches of carrots. That will keep us busy for a week!

Tonight we had grilled steaks from Costco, with a salad and sourdough bread. Walker and I had roasted beets (from last week's box!). Very delicious. We will have green beans with dinner one night, roasted potatoes and salad another, beets again and I'll have to have salad with that; sauted bok choi with onions and garlic...

I had some fun on the way home buying school supplies for Walker. Just a few things that I will have to mail to him later.

I was up during the night and heard a hoot owl outside in the woods - they say "who cooks for you? who cooks for you? ; later I saw lightening and heard thunder! What I didn't see was the aurora borealis, which is what I really really wanted to see -- too many trees around here I think.

August 3, 2010 whew! a very busy day...

I enjoy keeping busy. I don't really like it when I have nothing planned for my day. Today, my day was like getting on a roller coaster, and not getting off until 7:30 p.m.! Here is my day, but my roller coaster is going in reverse . . .

I spent some time with my friend AJ, took him to his Softball Special Olympics finale. Not as impressive as it sounds - mostly turning in uniforms and receiving a medal. He didn't really want to go, but I think he was glad he did. On the way home I wanted to go walk along East Bay Drive and take some pictures. There is a section I have never checked out, and wanted to, and he was game to come along. This is the area closer to State Avenue, where there are benches and a little dock going out over the water. We saw rowers out in the water....

The wild flowers were amazing! Queen Anne's Lace, purple sweet peas, thistles, some waving grains, white morning glories. It was very beautiful, all pink and white.

Earlier in the day, besides going to my office for a couple of hours, I had the pleasure of spending a few hours with Miss "T". (she didn't want me to mention her name). We had a visit with Great-grandma and great grandpa. Grandma gave her this cute teddy bear and this started her on a photo taking spree.

This is her photo of great-grandma.

And great grandpa (who plied her with ice cream and cookies!)

...and before that we took a tour of the Japanese Gardens on Plum Street...

We took pictures of each other...

and of the koi, which were the reason we went in there after our lunch at McDonalds, across the street. . .

We also went to Sharin Memories and Miss T also helped me buy a baby gift for a co-worker - that was fun...I wanted to buy baby toys and we tried them all out.

Really, it was a lovely day.

August 2, 2010...random thoughts and ideas...

I didn't take any photos today. However, I do have some back-up images I have stolen from various sites on the Internet. Look at this party favor - dressed in a vintage hankie! I didn't find any directions, but it wouldn't be too hard to draw the girl and figure out how to place the handkerchief! It was demonstrated as a favor for a bridal shower. ...and I can't stop thinking about Walker heading back to college in 10 days. He is looking forward to going back. The football team pays for his room and board for the 2 1/2 weeks he is there before school starts up. He gets to stay in his dorm room, because he was lucky enough to get in the dorm that generally houses the sports teams too. He already has so many good memories of his time at Hillsdale. He has been to the president's house for an ice cream social. Isn't this beautiful?

Tonight my older son called me and we visited for a bit, and then he asked me (before I could ask him) "so, what are you making for dinner tonight?" I always ask him that. So we shared what we were each cooking, and it was so fun and heartwarming! I did not cook much when he was growing up. I would cook fish sticks and green beans frequently. He would also eat breakfast items. The rest of the family was limited by what he would eat! He was so picky! Now we are exchanging recipes and he is asking my advice for cooking. I never get tired of that! (and his child is picky - aha!)

I don't know why this picture reminded me of that, but I like it. I always tell W that bisquick is the "secret ingredient" in my best dishes! I think he will enjoy cooking for his family someday too. He likes all my cooking. Tonight we had a medley of brown rice, stir fried vegetables, and pork steaks in Trader Joe's red curry sauce. A big hit!

August 1, 2010

I didn't take any pictures today. But, I had this in my archives - I think these brunettes are having a wonderful day in the sun! We are having filtered sunlight this afternoon, after a morning of marine air (clouds). I am ready for 80 degrees or more! I spent most of my day cleaning house, working in the yard, laundry and cooking. That was fun for me! I made pesto for dinner and I have promised this recipe to my friend Kay:

Pesto:

1. saute 1/4 cup pine nuts (I usually substitute almonds)
2. In blender/chopper, put nuts in, 1/2 cup olive oil (1/4 at a a time), a clove of garlic, and a bunch of basil! (tonight, I added in a few leaves of spinach because I didn't think I had enough - I discovered I didn't need as much olive oil. A plus? usually I put 1/4 cup of olive oil in, then add more if needed to blend the basil - you'll know if you need more - it won't mix!).
3. meanwhile, heat a pot of water and cook pasta - I like bow ties or penne.
4. Put the green matter in a big bowl, add 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, mix them up and they can wait for the pasta nearby.
5. When the pasta is done, drain it and add to the basil cheese mixture. stir it all together. Serve it up on a plate with more Parmesan on top. It might need a little more salt.
Enjoy.
Tonight I served it with a roasted chicken from Safeway and steamed carrots. If it was just me, the pesto and pasta would be all that I would need (and a glass of red wine).
My guys say yum yum!

I have an interest in all things to do with games/cards.

I love this Queen - she has it all under control!

Today didn't have much to report - that is a good thing.

I had a nice day getting things done.

What did you do with your Sunday?