Trying new things

New projects I've tried lately...

ORCHID
I had always steered away from orchids. After long consideration, I decided to give it a try and last summer I adopted one. It had beautiful blooms that lasted for several months, but then the blooms started to fall off.
Oh, no!!!
I quickly checked the 'net' and found that was exactly what they were supposed to do. What was I supposed to do? Just trim back the stem and wait...
That waiting was the hard part, but I did it and just this week, BUDS!

 
I'm very excited to see these open and am patiently waiting for more buds to be added as the stem grows.


BREAD PUDDING
This is Bo's favorite of any and ALL of the projects/crafts/cooking I have ever done...

The bread (Panettone) soaking up the custard.

 Yummy with either Amaretto sauce or Brown Sugar syrup.  I actually like a little of each!

Left w/Amaretto. Right w/Brown Sugar

Fresh n Hot out of the oven.

 

 BABY LEGS

The next new endeavor as Laura G's fault. I would have never heard of, let alone made, a pair of 'baby legs' if she hadn't posted a link to a tutorial. It intrigued me and also looked like something my sewing machine and I could do. I decided to give it a shot and thought they turned out well. 

Unfortunately, I took no photos, so unless the young lady who received them posts a pic... well, you'll just have to believe me on the result.

THE NEWEST???
The next 'new interest' can be credited to all the friends that encouraged me to sign in to "Pinterest".
Thanks guys!

What is this newest project?

It involves some of these...

One of these...

Humble cigar box which will be the 2nd to be transformed.

What the first cigar box became...

And that's just the beginning. There are more components yet to be assembled and then it will be...

Mirror, Mirror on the wall,

what will Sheila do with ya'll?

USING THE GLASSWARE
I have lots of bits and pieces of glassware wiling away its time in the dark confines of my cabinets. So I was please to find - again on Pinterest - an idea for putting them to use and freeing up some storage space...

A few over here...

and some others over there.

Last Saturday of Nov 2011.

Had a fun morning with the Lubbock folks...

Olive enjoying a cracker

Pez, please?

Ella hung the stockings with care.

Pez for Ella.

Yummy.

Too cute. Ella, not BoomPa.

Now that BoomPa has put the batteries in the various singing, horn playing, barking, and motor revving Christmas toys,








its time for him to get started on dinner...  chili, guacamole, etc.

Changing Seasons

Getting ready for overall cooler weather in Texas (meaning we'll still have occasional 80 or 90 degree days), entails cleaning, redressing and moving the plants from the patio into the Sun Room. Since the TV weathermen all agree we'll be getting hit by a cold front in the next 24 - 48 hours, I decided today was the day for the plant move.

View from the hall, before.

View from the hall, after.

View from the kitchen, before.

View from the kitchen, after.

T'is done. All that's left is to "sweep" the patio with the lawn blower.

Country Living

For many years now, Country Living has been my favorite magazine. But I am not alone. My mom would always check out the latest issue, there's almost always one on my coffee table. When she found something she liked, she'd take the page[s] and implement the ideas in her home. Her favorite, and mine, was the 'mirror wall' she created using several sizes of mirrors, all framed in black, for her yellow and black bath. 

My hubby, who is a terrific cook, has used several recipes from CL, including this one for Onion Pie.
 

 He's even commented on decorating ideas he likes. ;-/

The newest CL fan is Erica.

She was looking at the October issue, which has lots of Halloween ideas... including the cake/cupcakes I did a couple of weeks ago. 

As she started to fold down a page corner, I gave her some Post-it flags to mark whatever page she liked.

She continued to browse thru the magazine while her mom and I visited 

and 

        when 

                 she

                          had 

                                  finished...

 well, she's at least a fan of the Halloween issue.

A Good Day

Started the day by picking up Kayla for an all day visit.

Kayla and Boompa were 'twinkies' with black tees and red shorts.

After a wonderful Boompa breakfast - Lil Sizzlers, eggs and cinnamon rolls - and a trip to the store, we baked a cake and some cupcakes to decorate with a Halloween theme. Sonia, Alec, Damian and Willow arrived just in time to assist with the decorating.

The decoration was adapted from the fall issue of Country Living Magazine.


Left: cupcakes & chocolate filled chocolate crackers.
Right: Single layer cake.

"Cupcake Graveyard"

The cake and cupcakes were set aside while we had Chili Dogs with the usual accompaniment. Some days nothin beats chili dogs and today was one of those days.

To expend a little energy and maybe burn off a few calories ;-), we had a rousing game of Skip-Bo.

The 'Graveyard Cupcakes' were yummy and very rich. Sonia, et. al. headed out to retrieve Mike from work and Kayla left to prepare for her return to Denton. During the lull I took a minute to arrange this weeks floral bouquet.

The remainder of the Cook clan, who had just returned from their band trip, dropped by to finish up the chili dogs, have a couple of cupcakes, and relax with an adult beverage (or 2). By then it was time to make their way home to prepare for the next week.

Off and on during the day we enjoyed the sound of rain falling on the parched earth. A couple of inches of rain today, plus what fell last night, brings welcome moisture to our north Texas landscapes and lakes.

All in all, a good day.

Curious

I purchased three Lantana plants in the spring: all at the same time, from the same store, with the same labels. But in the process of watering them this morning, I noticed one of the plants was not like the others. Two of the plants have wide leaves and a combination of pink and yellow blooms. The third plant has narrow leaves and its blooms are just yellow.

Yellow & Pink Blooms

Yellow Blooms

Wide leaves on the left. Narrow leaves on the right.

I Love Books

I've loved books from the moment I learned to read. 

Aside from the simple delight of reading, I'm amazed by the ability of authors to transport me to other places and times I could never visit on my own, or give me insight into those locations I was eventually fortunate enough to visit.

Novel w/great background of Irish Troubles.

This is one of the books I go back periodically and re-read.






Through books, both fiction and non-fiction, my knowledge and understanding of history, events, and time periods have been greatly expanded and the historical persons and fictional characters in those books have enriched my life.

 
Autographed books


I bought my first autographed book back in 1968. I was working at the Mercantile Bank. One day David Wade was signing his latest cook book at the Skillern's Drug Store (on the first floor of the bank building), so I bought one to give my s-n-l as a shower gift.

Add caption

Hearing an ad on the radio that Walter Cronkite signing was his book at the mall I  was passing on my way home. I parked, got in line... and waited. They announced his time was running out, but that there were 'signed book plates'. I decided to stay in line and as he was leaving he shook hands with those of us still there. He was a ubiquitous icon as I was growing up and I'm glad to have his book in my library.

Several of the autographed books I've purchased were for Bo.

The circumstances of buying 'You're Out...' were similar to Cronkite's... I happened to be going to the book store anyway and the author was there signing his book. 

 I purchased Medal of Honor and Doc

at a Veteran's Day Ceremony at the Garland 

 Senior Citizens' Center.

'Cap' was what the guys called Bo in the service.

F. Lee Bailey

The Defense Never Rests.

I have no recollection of the date, time, place or circumstances of purchasing this particular book.

I do vaguely remember meeting Mr. Bailey and shaking his hand... but that's it.

One of my favorite books

 

One of the WWII books I most treasure is a First Edition of William L. Shirer's Berlin Diary. Shirer was one of 'Morrow's Boys' who reported on happenings in Berlin shortly before the US entered the war.

There's more to tell, but no more time today.