Bayonet Bloom

We have two stands of these Spanish bayonets - at least 2 dozen plants in all - but so far this year, only one of them has produced a bloom; Ah, but what a big, beautiful bloom it is!

No two gardens are the same. No two days are the same in one garden. ~Hugh Johnson

To find more beautiful blooms, or to post an entry of your own, visit Today's Flowers

Simple Summer Shrimp Salad

This is an easy, light, and DE-licious side dish that's perfect to bring along to all those summertime, beachside b-b-q's!

Marinated Shrimp & Artichokes
What You'll Need:

8 oz. can of artichokes
1/2 lb. shrimp, peeled
1/2 c. roasted red pepper strips
1/3 c. vinegar
1/2 c. olive oil
2 green onions, sliced
1 lg. clove garlic
1/2 tsp. oregano
salt/pepper to taste

To make:
Boil shrimp; add to artichokes & pepper strips in non-metal bowl.
Combine all other ingredients in lidded jar; shake and pour over shrimp mixture; toss to coat
Chill for 2-4 hours before serving

Yum.

If you want to see more great recipes, or to include one of your own, be sure to head on over to Kristina's Favorites for her Midweek Morsels.

Strange Beauty

Back in February I posted this picture, not knowing exactly what type of plant this is; I believe it's some variety of bromiliad, but that is as much as I know about it. The following pictures are what it looks like now, in late spring. Surely, some green thumb reading this can tell me the common name, and where it comes from??! :

I don't like standard beauty - there is no beauty without strangeness.
~Karl Lagerfeld

To find more beautiful blooms, or to post an entry of your own, visit Today's Flowers

A Mellow Morning

Seems we have only warm temperatures and bright skies on this weekends horizon, with a 20% chance of showers on Saturday afternoon. Right now, it's in the mid-eighties, with high's today expected to reach 94*. Lookin' forward to the weekend...Hope you all enjoy yours, too!

Through the blackest night, morning gently tiptoes, feeling its way to dawn. ~Robert Brault

To see other sky watchers, or to play along yourself, visit
Crazy Working Mom

Good Things

So, this hasn't been the *best* week at the cottage, boys and girls...not that anything terribly *bad* happened, it just wasn't filled with many memorable moments, but, 1. it IS Friday, and we expect a wonderfully warm weekend ahead, so I guess that counts for something!

a place to come on Friday's and think back over your week and just post about 5 favorite things from your week. It can be anything that tickled your fancy over the week. Favorite quotes, posts, happenings, scriptures, recipes, pictures, etc., etc

2. We hope to head over to UF and watch the Axemen (rugby) game on Saturday afternoon, so I'm looking forward to that.

3. We picked up the latest James Rollins title ("The Last Oracle") at the store last Sunday; An author that both the Mister and I enjoy, so that was definitely a fave.

4. Our coffee plant (which I thought died in the cold spell back in March), is not only still alive, but producing flowers!

5. Golden Oreos - Have you tried these things?! Yummy.


Now, head on over to Susanne's Blog and tell everybody about YOUR Friday Fave Five!


May your Friday, and every day, be filled with your
~ FAVORITE THINGS ~

Looking Skyward

Well, we have certainly had our fair share of rain here at the beach lately with more expected over the coming weekend, but it's bright and clear this morning, with a slight ocean breeze, and temperatures in the mid-eighties. This pic was taken from the front yard, the morning of my 32nd birthday (May 7th):

I'll tell you how the sun rose a ribbon at a time. ~Emily Dickinson

To see other sky watchers, or to play along yourself, visit
Crazy Working Mom

Friday Fave's

Hi there, friends and readers - I've been a long time gone from this little exercise (not to mention away from this little blog!), but I missed doing this, so now I'm back!!


a place to come on Friday's and think back over your week and just post about 5 favorite things from your week. It can be anything that tickled your fancy over the week. Favorite quotes, posts, happenings, scriptures, recipes, pictures, etc., etc


1. Last Sunday, my hounds turned 3 years old - It's hard to believe they've been with us that long. Everyday, they do *something* to make me smile, and I'm very grateful for the unconditional love and constant companionship those girls bring to our lives...Happy Birthday, hounds o' mine!!

2. Well, the mister is back to a five-day work week; I was getting quite used to his three-day weekends around here, but our bank account can sure use the extra coins (whose couldn't?!), and of course that means I'm back to Friday postings of My Favorite Things, so overall it's a 'positive', and therefore, makes the list!

3. The Preserve at the end of our road; I just LUV having a Nature Park just steps away from my front door! The perfect spot for bike rides, walking the dogs, taking photos (that is, *IF* one remembers to bring along a camera on the excursion!) - definitely a favorite spot.

4. One of my favorite past-times is reading, and this obsession passion has spawned what is now an extensive collection of bookmarks; This week I received a beautiful, hand-made book thong to add to that collection, which came to me all the way from Hong Kong! This was certainly one of my favorite things this week.

5. garden fresh tomatoes; yummy.


And, what about you? What were the highlights of your week? Be sure to head on over to Living to Tell the Story and share your Friday Faves with Susanne and all the other wonderful participants! And, until next time...

May every day be filled with your Favorite things!

White out

Oh, I just LUV this time of the year; everywhere you look, flowers are in bloom, the birds and squirrels are regular visitors once again, and the scent of the jasmine permeates the air - this is the best time to be out in the garden!


(Confederate jasmine)

(white oleander)

(I don't know why this Camilla bush is blooming now, but it *is*)

(ginger)

Give me odorous at sunrise a garden of beautiful flowers where I can walk undisturbed. ~Walt Whitman

To find more beautiful blooms, or to post an entry of your own, visit Today's Flowers

Soup's on!

Any of you who may know me from my other blog, already know that I love to read; and, as I am obviously participating in Kristina's Midweek Morsels, then you should know I also love food, and, what better, than to combine the two, and share here a recipe for Goldilocks' Gourmet Spinach Soup which I acquired from reading Diane Mott Davidson's culinary series (sorry! I copied the recipe for use - and it is *wonderful* - but I don't remember which book it was from; perhaps "The Cereal Murder"?) Anyway, it is a simple and tasty recipe, and we luv it around here.

What You'll Need:
5 tblsp. butter
1/4 lb. mushrooms, diced
1 green onion, chopped
5 tbsp. flour
2 c. chicken broth
2 c. milk
1/4 lb. cream cheese, cubed
1 c. Swiss cheese, grated
3/4 lb. spinach, chopped*
salt & pepper, to taste

*Mo's notes: can substitute broccoli for the spinach

To make:
Melt butter in large saucepan. Saute' mushrooms & onions until tender; add flour & stir.
Wisk in broth, then milk, and stir until thickened
Add cream cheese, Swiss cheese, salt & pepper; stir until cheese is completely melted.
Stir in spinach.
heat & serve

If you want to see more great recipes, or to include one of your own, be sure to head on over to Kristina's Favorites for her Midweek Morsels.

Sherbert Blooms

A visit this weekend to the nursery down the road, brought us these pretty little "Sonset" Lantana blooms for the container garden outside the kitchen door; I love the way the little flowerettes all bloom in such a variety of colors and hues.

If you've never been thrilled to the very edges of your soul by a flower in spring bloom, maybe your soul has never been in bloom. ~Audra Foveo

To find more beautiful blooms, or to post an entry of your own, visit Today's Flowers

Red Skies at Night

LOTS of rain at the beach this week, which I find isn't very conducive to taking skyward looking photographs! However, it *did* let up for a bit on Sunday evening, and I took these beautiful red-sky pics from just outside my back door (well, to see it in reality was much more spectacular than these quick photos convey...) Hope everybody has a wonderful weekend ahead!!

The sky is the daily bread of the eyes. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

To see other sky watchers, or to play along yourself, visit
Crazy Working Mom

Looking at the Bright Side

I missed participating in this last week; the mister has gone from a 5-day to a 4-day work week, so I've had to adjust my computer time, as well...But, I'm up early this morning, and ready to play

a place to come on Friday's and think back over your week and just post about 5 favorite things from your week. It can be anything that tickled your fancy over the week. Favorite quotes, posts, happenings, scriptures, recipes, pictures, etc., etc


So, this week was kind of slow...didn't go anywhere, didn't *do* anything...

1. I do get a three-day weekend with the mister, that's always a favorite thing.

2. It's been raining the better part of all week, and even though that keeps us inside, I gotta think my plants are loving it, so that's gotta be a favorite.

3. Oh, yeah....I finally broke down and got myself a MySpace page; Originally, it was just so that I might check the SIL's photo albums, but once I got there, I actually connected with a few long-lost pals I haven't heard from in ages, so THAT really DID turn into a favorite thing this week!

4. Early mornings; It's about 5:30am right now, and my house is silent...the mister and the hounds are still sound asleep, and I have the quiet all to myself! That, too, is a favorite thing!

5. And, finally, today we are going to pick up the mister's tax refund check; with his hours being cut temporarily, the extra little bit of cash will be a welcomed 'buffer', so that's my final favorite this week!

So, what about you? What were your favorite things this week? Be sure to head on over to Living to Tell the Story and share your highlights with Susanne and all the other wonderful participants! And, until next time...

May Everyday be filled with all of *YOUR* Favorite things!

One for Later

Well, I gotta tell ya, it's not been much of a "Suzy Homemaker" kinda week for me; I didn't even bother with a menu plan this week, as our dinners have consisted of hot dogs & french fries, burritos, burgers...anything that's quick and easy. I didn't play along with Tackle-it Tuesday, because I haven't tackled anything all week. And, I figured I'd miss Kristina's Midweek Morsels too, because I haven't MADE any morsels this week, either. BUT...I did run across this easy sounding recipe for Dream Coffee Cake in this week's issue of "American Profile", submitted by Laverne Koivisto in Ashtabula Ohio, and because it sounds yummy (and, did I mention, easy?!) I thought I'd share it here (and so that it's in easy 'reach' for me when I *do* wanna give it a go)

What You'll Need:

1 (18 oz.)pkg. yellow cake mix
1 c. vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 c. sour cream
3/4 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 3/4 c. walnuts, chopped

To Make:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees; grease 13x9 baking pan.

Combine cake mix, oil, eggs and sour cream in large bowl; beat 2 min. w/ mixer at low speed, scraping sides of bowl frequently.

In med. bowl, mix sugar, cinnamon and walnuts

Spread 1/2 of cake batter into pan; sprinkle top with 1/2 of walnut mixture; repeat w/remaining batter, then walnut mixture.

Bake for 40 minutes.

If you want to see more great recipes, or to include one of your own, be sure to head on over to Kristina's Favorites for her Midweek Morsels.

Impressions of Impatiens

Earth laughs in flowers. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

To find more beautiful blooms, or to post an entry of your own, visit Today's Flowers

The Mister's favorite

As I mentioned, this Friday is The Mister's Birthday -- and, what's a birthday without cake? Since his favorite is Pineapple Upside Down cake, I try to make him one around this time of year, and as today is Wednesday, I thought I'd share the recipe I use with you, here. This one's from The Fanny Farmer Cookbook, and

what you'll need:

1 1/2 sticks (12 Tblsp.) butter
1 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. pineapple juice
1. can sliced pineapple (rings)
1 jar Maraschino cherries (my own 'addition' to this particular recipe)
whole pecans (also my addition)
1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 c. milk
1 egg

to make:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Melt 4 Tbsp. butter in 9-in cake pan; over low heat, stir in brown sugar until it dissolves. Remove from heat and add pineapple juice.

Arrange pineapple rings in one layer in the pan; place one cherry & one pecan in each "hole".

In a separate cook pan, melt remaining 8 Tblsp. butter; remove from heat; stir in milk & egg, beating well.

Blend flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in a bowl, and add milk/egg mixture; beat until smooth.

Pour over pineapple slices and bake for 35 minutes (until toothpick comes out clean). Let cool for 10 minutes, then turn, fruit side up, onto plate.


If you want to see more great recipes, or to include one of your own, be sure to head on over to Kristina's Favorites for her Midweek Morsels.

A mini-menu (made up in minutes!)

Last week we were very good at sticking to our menu; right down to the days in which I assigned the meals. This week, however, I barely even have a menu put together! We were rather lazy this past weekend, and neglected to go shopping. And, since The Mister's birthday is this upcoming Friday, I am going to allow him to decide what's on the menu for the weekend. So, as sparse as it may be, I'm going to construct one, here


Mo's Menu for Apr 6th-10th

Monday: easy beef enchiladas, re fried beans
Tuesday: grilled chicken breasts, noodles Alfredo w/broccoli, garden salad
Wednesday: oven baked pork chops, seasoned potatoes, green beans
Thursday: hot Italian sausage w/onions & red peppers, french fries
Friday: to be determined

Which reminds me, I gotta email the grocery list off to the mister, so he can stop off on his way home...

So, what's on YOUR menu?! For participation (AND inspiration) head on over to I'm an Organizing Junkie and see what's cookin' in the kitchens this week...

Garden dreams

In my garden there is a large place for sentiment. My garden of flowers is also my garden of thoughts and dreams. The thoughts grow as freely as the flowers, and the dreams are as beautiful. ~Abram L. Urban

To find more beautiful blooms, or to post an entry of your own, visit Today's Flowers

Capturing the sun

Rain, rain and more rain; that's what we've been seeing here at the beach this week. I'm not complaining (much) tho, as my little cottage garden could use it (not to mention my lime trees!! LoL) This weekend brings the Blues Festival to town tho, and I'm hoping it doesn't get rained out! Temps are nice - in the mid-seventies - and the sun *does* peek out, now and again. This pic was taken in the back yard earlier this week, when Sol made one of his brief appearances (have a great weekend, everybody!)

Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul. ~John Muir

To see other sky watchers, or to play along yourself, visit
Crazy Working Mom

Family, food, and fun

It's Friday again, and that means the weekend is upon us! I just poured myself a nice, hot cuppa, and now, it's time for one of my most favorite weekly exercises

a place to come on Friday's and think back over your week and just post about 5 favorite things from your week. It can be anything that tickled your fancy over the week. Favorite quotes, posts, happenings, scriptures, recipes, pictures, etc., etc


1. So, as I told you last week, this past Saturday we went to a birthday dinner for the two nieces, and I could NOT have had a better time! To start, I was given the privilege to help build a fort with the nephews, out of blankets, a couch and a treadmill machine - the niece and I were even allowed IN the fort, once it was completed, and I was regaled with "farting ghost" stories from all three kids! Later, after a wonderful dinner, we played hide & seek, and later still, watched Aladdin and Jasmine(??) on DVD. Those kids LOVE their Auntie Mo, and I couldn't love them more if they were my own!! Definitely a favorite this week!

2. We have plans for tomorrow nite to have dinner with some of our closest friends; one of our pals whom we don't see much of is in town for the weekend, so we're all gonna eat too much, laugh too hard and enjoy each others' company. I can't wait, really...

3. Oh, the Chicken Dijon recipe I tried last nite was DE-licious! Definitely one I will be adding to the standard repertoire. I luv it when a new recipe turns out well!

4. Liquid Nail adhesive; yeah, I know, weird fave, huh? But, you see, last week, when I was de-weeding my fruit trees and butterfly bushes, I accidentally knocked the ear off of my little garden piggy. I luv the little guy, and I sure didn't want to throw him away (it was a 'clean break', after all) so the mister brought me home this water-proof, fast bonding adhesive. It worked perfectly, and in fact, I think I will use it this week to repair a few other outdoor items, like my birdbath and my children-at-the-garden-gate statue, since the top of the gate broke off of that too!

5. And, finally, I'll add that I'm just finishing up Nora Roberts "Key of Light", and I'm enjoying more than I had anticipated, which *is* a fave, as this is the first book in a new-to-me trilogy (by an author that I rarely read), which means I have two more left to look forward to!

So, what about you? What were your favorite things this week? Be sure to head on over to Living to Tell the Story and share your highlights with Susanne and all the other wonderful participants! And, until next time...

May Everyday be filled with all of *YOUR* Favorite things!