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Is anyone else having issues adding to their blog roll? I have made numerous attempts at adding other blogs to mine, sadly to no avail. I even attempted to add a new blog icon and start fresh. It didn't work. Any assistance would be kindly appreciated!

Clothesline Tips

Do you like to hang your laundry out for drying? Are you planning to put up a clothesline this spring or summer to save energy? Here are some tips I've come across that may be helpful!

There's nothing like the smell of laundry that has dried in the fresh air. The average load of wash uses about 35 feet of line and your clothesline should accommodate at least that. Unless the height of a pulley-style line is significant, the clothesline shouldn't be a lot longer than that, as the sag factor increases with length.

A load of wet laundry weighs about 15 to 18 pounds if it's spin dried. It will shed about a third of that weight as it dries, and though this may not seem like much weight, it won't take long for your new clothesline to get stretched out a bit. By leaving a little "tail" when you tie your knot for either style of clothesline, you'll be able to undo it, pull the line tight, and retie it as often as you need to.

There are three common clothesline types to choose from:
Basic plastic clothesline has the advantage of being waterproof and cleanable (you can wipe off the inevitable mildew). With wire and fiber reinforcement, it is stretch-resistant and it's cheap. You can usually find a 100-foot roll for less than $4. However, it is thin, which means that it will be harder for you to grip, and the clothespin is not going to hold as tightly as on a thicker line.

Multifilament polypropylene (nylon) is tempting because it is lightweight, water- and mildew-resistant, and strong. However, its slippery texture deters a firm clothespin grip, and it doesn't tie well.

My top choice is a basic cotton clothesline. It's about the same price as nylon, which is about $7 to $8 per 100 feet. In theory, it is weaker, but unless you're hanging out pots and pans to dry, it should hold up fine.

Do You Plan On Baking A Fruit Pie?

If you want to keep your top crust looking lovely, cut four small slits in to your top pie crust and stand one piece of tubed pasta in each slit (choose pasta at least 2 or 3 inches long...cannelloni and cut ziti work well). The juices will bubble up the pasta "pipe" and back down into the pie instead of running all over your oven. Once your pie has finished baking, remove pasta and discard.

Blueberry Pound Cake

Scent your cottage with the wonderful aroma of this blueberry pound cake. Perfect for tea and entertaining company, it also freezes well.


Ingredients:
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup light butter
4 ounces low-fat cream cheese, softened
3 large eggs
1 large egg white
3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (8-ounce) carton lemon low-fat yogurt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Cooking spray
Glaze:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
4 teaspoons lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees . Beat the first 3 ingredients with a mixer on medium speed until well blended (about 5 minutes). Add eggs and egg white, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a separate small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons flour and blueberries and toss well. Mix remaining flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt separately and add to prepared batter alternately with yogurt, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Fold in blueberry mixture and vanilla. Pour cake batter into a bundt pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Cool cake in pan for 10 minutes; remove from pan. Combine powdered sugar and lemon juice in small bowl. Drizzle over warm cake. Cut with a serrated knife and serve.

June Birthstones...Yes, There Are More Than One!

Pearls...In myth and lore, they represent the tears of sorrow and gladness, patience, purity of mind and soul and distaste for violence and temper.

From one of the humblest of life forms, the mollusk, comes the pearl. A gem of unsurpassed beauty and elegance. Ancient civilizations had many stories to explain the origin of June's birthstone, such as the Greek belief that pearls were the hardened tears of joy that the goddess of love shook from her eyes as she was born from the sea. According to Arab legend, pearls were formed when oysters were lured from the depths of the ocean by the beautiful moon and then swallowed moonlit dewdrops. The Ancient Chinese thought that these gems originated from the brains of dragons.

Cultured or freshwater pearls are considered to offer the power of love, money, protection, and luck. They are thought to give wisdom through experience, to quicken the laws of karma, to cement engagements and love relationships and to keep children safe.

June also has two alternate birthstones. The first is Moonstone, a type of feldspar named because of its uncanny resemblance to the iridescent sheen of the moon. Varying in color from clear to blue-white or peach, it was considered by ancient civilizations to be a sacred stone, bestowing the wearer with great spiritual understanding. Some believed that the Moonstone could even make a person invisible! Oh if only it were true!

The second alternate birthstone for June is the Alexandrite. A yellowish or brownish green in color, this gemstone has the unique characteristic of changing color to a red hue when exposed to a glowing light source, such as candlelight. Because of this quality, it has been characterized by poets as "an emerald by day, a ruby by night."

June Also Has Power Stones:
There has always been, in the course of human history, people who have believed in the power of stones. They have been worn to have impact on treating ailments whether the ailment be mental, emotional or physical.
June's power stones are:
Aquamarine, Alexandrite, Agate, Aquamarine, Beryl, Blue Lace Agate, Chrysocolla, Citrine, Emerald, Jade, Quartz Crystal, Sapphire, Serpentine, Tanzanite, and Watermelon Tourmaline

Welcome June...

June, the sixth month of the current Gregorian calendar and the first month of Summer, derives its name from the ancient Roman goddess Juno. The traditional birthstone amulets of June are alexandrite, moonstone, and pearl; and the rose is this month's traditional flower.

June is shared by the astrological signs of Gemini the Twins and Cancer the Crab, and is sacred to the following deities: Juno, and all gods and goddesses who preside over love, passion, and beauty. During the month of June, the Great Solar Wheel of the Year is turned to the Summer Solstice.

On June 1 the festival of the Oak Nymph is celebrated. This celebration honors all hamadryads (female nature spirits who are believed to inhabit oak trees). Place a small offering of some kind before the oak tree and the tree nymphs who dwell within it will surely bestow a blessing upon you.

The Oak Tree is the tree of truth. It is ancient and wise and has an old spirit. It is an important tree for the druids. The mistletoe of the oak tree has many magickal properties. It is also a marriage tree and it is said that if you dance around the oak tree and wear some of it's leaves you will have a long and happy marriage. If there is a question in your heart that you cannot find the answer to, go to an oak tree and embrace it and ask the spirit of the oak tree to answer your question. If the answer is something you should know, the oakman will send you a prophetic dream.

What's In Season For June

Food items in season cost less because they are in abundance, so not only do you eat fresher foods, but it's good for your budget as well.
Here's what you can look forward to in June:

(n = newly in season; p = peak of season; w = winding down)

VEGETABLES:
beans:
green n
beets w
carrots w
corn n
cucumber n
garlic n
eggplant n
greens including kale
lettuces w
onions:
sweet Vidalia p
sweet Walla Walla w
red
peas:
English/shelling w
potatoes
squash, summer n
tomatoes n
FRUITS:
berries:
strawberries
olallieberries n
raspberries p
blueberries
blackberries p
loganberries
boysenberries p
cherries n
figs, Black Mission n
grapes n
limes p
melons:
cantaloupe n
honeydew n
watermelon n
nectarines n
peaches n
pineapple
apricots p

Tips For The Bibliophile...

Books. I have always had a love affair with them. Hardbound or paperback, classic literature or recipe books, short story or full length novels, they have always been my passion. As convenient as reading on the Ipad or Kindle is, nothing can take the place of the old fashioned book. Worn pages, faded ink, cover unraveling from years of wear...ahhh I will treasure them, take care of them, lovingly display them on my bookshelves for all to admire. If you are like me, you will purchase them anywhere. The bookstore, at fleamarkets, estate sales, and used bookstores. Wherever there are books, there are people like us who love them. The problem with books is if they are not properly cared for, they can smell. There is nothing worse than finding a book you've been searching for (or not searching for but just have to have!), opening it up, and getting hit in the face by a smell so overwhelming it will make your eyes water. Here are some tips that will help freshen up that treasure you uncover at your next used bookstore, fleamarket, estate sale and the like.

The single most useful thing you can do to preserve your old books is to store them in a place where the temperature is constant and away from sunny windows.

1) Brush each spot off, page by page, with an absolutely clean, dry cloth or cleaning tissue. Open the book and air in a dry, sunny place. If mildew is exceptionally bad, sprinkle French chalk on the page. French chalk is made of a soft white variety of talc, used by tailors for marking fabrics and by dry cleaners for removing grease spots. (You can usually find it fabric stores.) Close the book and several days later brush the chalk out.

2) Purchase a box of non-scented dryer sheets. Cut them into 1/2 page pieces and place them throughout the book you want to freshen. Place the book in a ziploc bag and seal. After a few days, open the bag and check the book. The length of time it will need to be sealed will depend on how bad the smell is. Please be aware, most dryer sheets contain a slight oil, and so should not be used when dealing with important or rare books.

3) Get a large bucket and place a layer of charcoal (not the briquettes used for grilling) in the bottom. Find a smaller container, the size of the book, and place it inside the larger bucket, adding additional charcoal around the outside making sure that nothing falls into the small container. Carefully place the book so that it rests slightly open, inside the smaller container, then seal the large one. Place to the side for at least 2 weeks. The charcoal will freshen the book without any chance of damaging it. Again, length of time will vary depending on how bad the smell is.

4) Repeat the last tip, but instead of charcoal, use kitty litter. The kitty litter is designed to remove or mask odors, and most contain an odor-absorbing ingredient such as baking soda. By placing the book into a separate container, you are preventing it from being damaged by any chemicals contained in the litter, yet still allowing it to be affected by the freshening agent.

Earl Grey Tea Cookies...Wonderful!

I came across a new cookie recipe yesterday and had to bake a batch straight away. Actually, as always, I doubled the batch and I'm happy I did. Doubled, it yielded only about 30 or so cookies and I like to share. At left is the basket I dropped at my neighbor's doorstep for a little surprise treat.

Earl Grey is one of my favorite teas, and though you can taste something a little different in the shortbread like cookie, I don't think you'd guess it was tea. If you like shortbread bake up a batch for yourself and your friends and family. You'll be happy you did!

Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon Earl Grey tea
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon water
1/2 cup unsalted butter (I used I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Cubes)

Preheat oven to 375°F. Place the tea in a blender or food processor and pulse until the tea becomes a fine powder. Mine took approx. 15 seconds.

Place the rest of the ingredients in a bowl and add the tea.











Mix until the mixture becomes doughy.







Place the dough on a piece of wax paper or parchment and roll it into a log until smooth. Chill for 30 minutes (I placed mine in the freezer for the length of time it took to clean up the blender and ready my cookie sheets), then cut the log into 1/3 inch slices.






Place the slices on baking sheets and bake until the edges are just brown, about 12 minutes.






Allow the cookies to cool on the sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks.

Victorian Bridal Traditions

In the Victorian age, as today, a bride would carefully choose what colors to wear on her wedding day. Although white had become the "fashionable" color to wear, many brides still wished to have some color in their bridal outfit. Here is a rhyme depicting what the Victorian brides believed in:


Married in white, you have chosen right
Married in gray, you will go far away
Married in black, you will wish yourself back
Married in red, you'd better be dead
Married in green, ashamed to be seen
Married in blue, you'll always be true
Married in pearl, you'll live in a whirl
Married in yellow, ashamed of the fellow
Married in brown, you'll live out of town
Married in pink, your spirit will sink

Another is:

White - chosen right
Blue - love will be true
Yellow - ashamed of her fellow
Black - wish herself back
Grey - travel far away
Pink - of you he'll always think
Green - ashamed to be seen

The Victorian bride would also sew a small pouch into her petticoat. Inside she would place a small piece of cloth, a small piece of bread, a sliver of wood, and a single one dollar bill. Each item would help ensure that the couple would always have clothes to wear, food to eat, a roof over their heads, and money for the future.

Warning...Calories Ahead...

These cookies are so good you won't be able to stop after one! If you love peanut butter and chocolate these will be your new favorite cookie. Don't say I didn't warn you!

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Sandwich Cookies with Chocolate Peanut Butter Creme
Ingredients:
1 cup butter (as always I use "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter" cubes
1 cup peanut butter
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. corn syrup
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cups quick cooking oatmeal

For sandwich creme:
1 (12 oz.) package semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl combine butter with peanut butter and beat until smooth. Beat in brown sugar and granulated sugar until fluffy, then add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add vanilla and corn syrup and beat until smooth, then add flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix well. Add oats and mix until combined.

Drop by large teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 10-14 minutes until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute on sheets.


For filling:
Combine chocolate chips and 1/2 cup peanut butter in a small microwave bowl. Microwave for 1 minute and stir. Continue microwaving at 1 minute intervals stirring after each minute until mixture is smooth. Let cool 20 minutes.


Make sandwiches with the cookies and chocolate filling. Let stand at room temp until set, then store in airtight container.

Makes 24 cookies

Potting Plants This Spring?

Use some of your extra dryer lint to line the bottoms of your plant pots and help with drainage!

Put the lint in the bottom of the pot, then fill with soil and add your plant. The lint will help keep the plant damp longer, but it still permits drainage of excess water.

Thursday's Child Has Far To Go...

The Day of Strength
The Day of Jupiter


An Déardaoin or Déardaoin — Old Irish, "day between fastings"
thursdaeg (Anglo-Saxon)
donnerstag (Germanic)
dies jovis (Latin)
vrihaspat-var or guru-var (Hindu)
jumerat (Islamic)
jeudi (French)
moku youbi (Japanese)

Thursday is traditionally seen as the fifth day of the week. Originally associated with two gods, 'Jove' and 'Thor', Thor was the God of Thunder hence the day also being known a 'Thunderday'. Jove was also known to be associated with thunder, with the French renaming the day 'Jeudi' which means 'Jove's Day'.

In Germany, Thursday was believed traditionally to be the most unluckiest of the week. As a result the practice grew of ensuring that no important business should be carried out, no marriages, and even that no child should be sent to school for their first time on this day.

Thursday is associated with Jupiter and the colors Blue and Metallics.

Planet - Jupiter

Elements - Fire, Water

Signs - Sagittarius, Pisces

Colors - Purple, Royal Blue, Metallic Colors

Stones - Sugilite, Amethyst, Torquoise, Lapis Lazuli, Sapphire

Trees - Oak, Pine

Flowers/Herbs - Cinquefoil, Cinnamon, Beech, Buttercup, Coltsfoot, Oak

Oils - Clove, Melissa, Oakmoss, Lilac, Storax, Aloes

Incense - Nutmeg, Henbane

Thursday is the best day to deal with:
Business, Logic, Gambling, Social Matters, Political Powers, Material wealth, Happiness, Luck, Victory, Health, Leadership, Public Activity, Power, Success, Honor, Riches, Clothing, Money, Legal Matters, Desires, Male Fertility, Friendship, Ambition, Publishing, College education, Travel, Foreign Interests, Religion, Philosophy, Forecasting, Broadcasting, Publicity, Expansion, Growth, Sports, Horses, the Law, Doctors, Guardians, Merchants, Psychologists, Charity, Correspondence Courses, Self-Improvement, Researching, Reading, Studying

Herb Substitutions...

I found myself out of savory while baking an onion herb biscuit recipe the other day and was lucky enough to come across this list of substitutions that proved to be quite handy. Post it near your recipe books, and in the case you find yourself needing a missing herb while cooking or baking, you will know what you can substitute for it.


Basil... Oregano or Thyme
Chervil... Tarragon or Parsley
Chive... Green onion; Onion; or Leek
Cilantro... Parsley
For Italian Seasoning Blend... Basil, Oregano, Rosemary, and Ground Red Pepper
Marjoram... Basil; Thyme; or Savory
Mint... Basil; Marjoram; or Rosemary
Oregano... Thyme or Basil
Parsley... Chervil or Cilantro
Poultry Seasoning... Sage plus a blend of any of these: Thyme, Marjoram, Savory, Black Pepper, and Rosemary
Red Pepper... Dash bottled Hot Pepper Sauce or Black Pepper
Rosemary... Thyme; Tarragon; or Savory
Sage... Poultry Seasoning; Savory; Marjoram; or Rosemary
Savory... Thyme; Marjoram; or Sage
Tarragon... Chervil; dash Fennel Seed; or dash Anis Seed
Thyme... Basil; Marjoram; Oregano; or Savory

Watermelon Sorbet

When picking out a watermelon, ensure that it is symmetrical with no cuts and bruises. A watermelon that is ripe will have a healthy sheen, a dull rind and a dull yellow spot on its underside on which it touched the ground. To confirm that the melon is completely ripe, thump it and the sound should be dull and hollow, while the weight of the watermelon should be heavy considering its size.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar
4 1/2 cups fresh pureed watermelon pulp, seeds removed. (you will divide this)
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice or lime juice (your choice)

Puree watermelon in a food processor or blender.

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine sugar, 1/2 cup watermelon juice, and salt; bring to a boil. Boil 30 to 45 seconds sugar completely dissolves. Remove from heat and let stand approximately 10 minutes. If making ahead, store in the refrigerator.

To the remaining 4 cups pureed watermelon pulp, add sugar syrup, lemon juice, stir until thoroughly blended.

Freezer Method - Pour into container, cover, and place mixture in the freezer. When it is semi-solid, mash it up with a fork and refreeze again. When frozen, place in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Cover and refreeze until serving time.
NOTE: Can be prepared 3 days in advance. Cover and keep frozen.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Happy Birthday Gemini..Here's Your Flower

Happy Birthday Geminis May 22 - June 21

Surprise a Gemini with a flower bouquet filled with roses – a flower that symbolizes the essence of their zodiac sign: love and companionship. With the ability to convey a wide range of messages and sentiments depending on their color, roses are a perfect match for this birth sign’s multi-dimensional (twin) sides, from friendship to passion, quiet sophistication to a bright burst of fun.

Easily adaptable and versatile – with a lively (sometimes bordering on the mischievous) imagination – Geminis are one of the most creative of all the zodiac signs. With the heavenly twins as their birth sign symbol, and a lightheartedness often associated with air signs, it’s no surprise that Geminis have highly sociable and playful personalities. Their expressive (downright talkative), clever qualities make them fun-loving friends and treasured companions.

Make Your Own Fly Repellents

We don't have many flies here by the coast, but when we do, they are most annoying! Here are some ways to make your own fly repellents and fly repellent strip.

Use mint as a fly repellent. Small sachets of crushed mint can be placed around the home to discourage flies.

Bay leaves, cloves and eucalyptus wrapped in small cheesecloth squares can be hung by open windows or doors.

Place a small, open container of sweet basil and clover near pet food or any open food in the house.

A few drops of eucalyptus oil on a scrap of absorbant cloth will deter flies. Leave in areas where flies are a problem.

You can make your own flypaper with this simple recipe:
Mix 1/4 cup syrup, 1 tbsp. granulated sugar and 1 tbsp. brown sugar in a small bowl. Cut strips of brown kraft paper and soak in this mixture. Let dry overnight. To hang, poke a small hole at the top of each strip and hang with string or thread.

Aches And Itches Bath Recipe

Do you find yourself aching and itching after a day of working in the garden? Make up some of this bath remedy and keep it in a beautiful container on your bathroom counter for those days when you need relief. This also makes a wonderful, homemade gift.



Ingredients:
1/2 cup baking soda
1/2 cup dry milk
1 cup epsom salt
1 cup sea salt
Mix all ingredients together in a large ziploc bag or bowl. Store in a decorative container and enjoy!

Heavenly Cups Of Comfort

I first posted this recipe in 2008 and decided it was worthy of a repost! If you love chocolate you will adore this...a treat so wonderful it will leave you speechless!

Chocolate... it is the voice of passion and love, whether it is the love of chocolate itself or as an expression of love for another human being, it is the perfect gift for those we care about or just want to impress. This recipe will surely be a favorite once you try it.

Chocolate Pot de Creme

2/3 cup cream (light cream or heavy cream)

1 (11.5-ounce) package Ghirardelli 60% cocoa bittersweet chocolate chips

3 tablespoons very strong prepared coffee

2 tablespoons coffee, coffee liqueur or brandy

2 eggs

Sweetened whipped cream,

Shaving Chocolate and Chopped nuts.

In a small, heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, heat cream just to boiling point and remove from heat.

In a food processor or blender, add chocolate chips; process to make smaller pieces of chocolate. Add coffee, coffee liqueur or brandy, eggs, and hot cream; cover and blend at high speed for about 3 minutes until well blended.

Pour into six fancy teacups or custard cups. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. NOTE: After pudding has cooled, cover containers with plastic wrap.

To serve, top with whipped cream; garnish with chocolate shavings and nuts.
Makes 6 small custard servings or 4 tea cup servings.

Thimble Thimble...

Who has the thimble? Hopefully you do if you are a crafter and seamstress!

I will be spending the day today catching up on a bit of mending. I have been putting it off and I don't know why really, it's such a quick and simple chore and not one that I mind so much. I'm sure I will feel that I've accomplished something by day's end. What will you be up to? Will you be in your sewing room as well?

If you sew and use a thimble try this tip...wet your finger before placing the thimble on it. This creates a suction and holds the thimble in place!

Don't know what a thimble is? It is a cap that fits over the finger to protect it while pushing a needle during sewing. The word, derived from Middle English, literally means “thumb shield.”

The thimble has a long history. The oldest existing thimble is Roman, found in the ruins of Pompeii and is lovely and bronze. Primitive thimbles of bone and leather also existed and thimbles have been used by every known culture.

Early thimbles had to be sturdy because homespun fabric was coarse and needles were rough and unfinished. It was difficult to push the thread through the fabric so a strong, thick bronze or iron thimble, called a “skep,” was required to prevent injury. Each thimble was shaped individually by pounding metal into a mold.

In Victorian times, a silver thimble was regarded as a highly appropriate gift, especially for a man to give a woman. Victorian women carried a chain-like device called a chatelaine, to which sewing items such as small scissors and a needle case could be attached. Thimbles were enclosed in a decorative thimble case that could be attached to this device as well. Sometimes the couple would remove the cap from a thimble so it could be used as a ring.

I would bet you didn't realize that a couple of unusual uses for thimbles involved 19th century prostitutes using them to tap on their client's windows and Victorian school mistresses using them to knock recalcitrant students on the head.

If you sew and don't have this wonderful little device, try one on for size and style. Thimbles are made from a variety of materials, such as leather, glass, metal or rubber. They are most effective when fitted properly to your finger. Place the thimble on your middle finger and hang your hand in the air with your fingers pointed down. The thimble should not fall off; however, if it is squeezing your finger, it's too tight.

To use:
Push a needle through the fabric. The original and primary use for a thimble is to assist the needle as it threads through fabric. Sewing machines often take care of this chore now, but thimbles are still quite useful when sewing by hand. Press gently with your thimble covered finger to encourage the needle through the fabric. This is especially helpful when pushing needles through leather.

Grip your needle between the thimble and thumb. In addition to pushing through fabric, thimbles are often used to grip the needle when pulling thread. Rubber thimbles often have grooves on the top to assist with gripping. After using the thimble to place pressure on the needle, flip to the other side of the fabric and grasp the needle between the thimble covered finger and thumb. Pull the thread all the way through.

Do as the Victorians did. After a long day in front of the sewing machine, pour yourself a few thimblefuls of alcohol to relax. In the 19th century, the phrase "just a thimbleful" became popular as people began to measure their intake of spirits by the thimble. When your sewing is done and you've had a thimbleful to drink, place your lovely little item on parade as a valuable collector's item.

The Gardener's Morning

The robin's song at daybreak
Is a clarion call to me.Get up and get out in the garden,
For the morning hours flee.

I cannot resist the summons,
What earnest gardener could?
For the golden hours of morning
Get into the gardener's blood.

The magic spell is upon me,
I'm glad that I did not wait;
For life's at its best in the morning,
As you pass through the garden gate.
- Howard Dolf

How Does One Handle

Weeds in the sidewalk cracks? Well, I have to admit, if they are flowers I have a tendency to let them be. I find it charming (if not a bit odd, I know) to have a wee flower growing about in unexpected places. But...for weeds such as this in our sidewalk cracks that are almost impossible to pull out, I make use of my teapot! I find it quite effective to boil up a pot of water and pour it along the cracks in the walks over the weeds. If they are larger weeds you may need a 2nd pot. Quite effective and it will save you from using toxins around your cottage!

Tea...Did You Know?

Did you realize that you can brew more than 200 cups of tea from one pound of loose tea leaves? That works out to less than ten cents a cup for quality tea brewed at home, even adding in the cost of heating the hot water. Tea's low cost is a big reason why it's the second most popular beverage throughout the world, second only to plain water.

A cup of brewed tea typically contains less than half the caffeine of a cup of coffee. It's easy to decaffeinate loose tea at home if you prefer decaf. Because caffeine is highly soluble in hot water, "rinsing" tea leaves will get rid of most of the caffeine. Begin brewing tea as usual, but then remove the leaves after twenty seconds. Discard the initial brew and start again with fresh boiling water and the now decaffeinated tea leaves.

Have you started using tea in your recipes yet? It's wonderful and gives new life to old recipes. Here is one to try if you're an Oolong Lover! Oolong tea, which is also known as wu long tea or brown tea, is a cross between green tea and black tea. Rose Oolong Tea is produced by scenting Oolong tea repeatedly with fresh rose petals.

The subtle rose and oolong flavor makes these a perfect start for a weekend morning. If you don't have any rose oolong on hand, just use plain oolong.

Oolong Scones
1 cup self-raising flour
1 ounce butter melted (1/8 cup)
1/2 cup boiling water
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp rose oolong
3 tbsp rose petals (make sure they are pesticide free!)
1 tbsp skim milk powder

Infuse rose oolong with 1/2 of boiling water for 5 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift flour and sugar into a large bowl. Tear up the rose petals and add to the flour mixture.

Discard tea leaves from tea. Combine tea, skim milk powder and melted butter in a cup. Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in tea mixture all at once, reserving about a teaspoon for glazing. Mix quickly into a soft dough.
Turn onto a floured board (using self-raising flour). Mix very lightly and form into 4 small balls. (Add a little more self-raising flour if the dough is too sticky to handle.)

Place on an oven tray lined with baking paper and pat down just a bit. Glaze over with remaining tea mixture. Bake for 12–15 minutes or until scones sound hollow when tapped. Serve warm.

Traditionally scones are served with jam and cream, but try these without the “extra” to enjoy the subtle floral flavor of these scones.

Dear Friends...

Thank you so much for your support and letting me know that I do indeed have readers out in the blogging world who are enjoying my posts! It touches my heart to know that I make a difference in your day. I have to admit, I do love my blog and was going to be quite sorry to see it go. I have made the decision to keep at it for as long as others are enjoying my posts. I will, however, only be posting twice a week or so instead of the 5 or 6 days a week as I had done in the past. Perhaps that is what brought me to the burnout point.

Hugs and blessings,
Laura

Pondering The Future Of My Blog

Dear Friends,
As I posted a week ago, I've recently found my blog a bit of a chore. I have been mulling this over in my mind since that last post and have realized that alot of it has to do with receiving very little feedback and commenting. I believe that blogging has alot to do with writing for personal satisfaction, but on the other hand, if no one seems to read it then what's the point of all the work? I will make my decision this week on whether to keep my blog up or delete it.

PLEASE, if you are a reader and enjoy my blog, let me know. I do have the counter on my sidebar but have no idea if it gives me a true and accurate posting of people actually reading. I need to know if others are interested as it will help me make my decision.

Have a wonderful and blessed week,
Laura

Hand Thermometer

Since the weather will be warming up soon and picnics are in the near future, I thought I would do a repost on using your hand as a thermometer in the case you find yourself grilling out of doors. I think I'd rather invest in a real thermometer, but if you find yourself without one, this is the way to do it:

Hold your palm close to where the food will be cooking: over the coals or in front of a reflector oven. Count "one-and-one, two-and-two," and so on (each pair is roughly equivalent to one second), for as many seconds as you can hold your hand still.

Seconds Counted Heat Temperature
6-8 seconds ... Slow 250°-350°F
4-5 seconds... Moderate 350°-400°F
2-3 seconds... Hot 400°-450°F
1 or less ... Very Hot 450°-500°F