Wordless Wednesday

She Grew the Fruit on her Farm

Harvested it, then created delicious jam with it and sent some to me! Thanks Pam. Lucky me!

The mug is one of Anna’s (22 now) early artworks, immortalized in ceramic.

And another friend. GS (we met in book club) gave me the handwoven mat.

Pam’s Jam on toast -Strawberry Rhubarb
Pam’s Daughter creates cards
Lilac and Spruce

I put the pretty card on the tree-

a wish for peace+hope +love

seemed like a wonderful greeting.

Start to the Day

A loaf of bread from La Gourmandine Bakery
Blue and orange child socks for Roy

Rabbit Toast

In the dark kitchen this Italian toast looked like a bunny rabbit to me

Barb’s Corner Kitchen

In Lawrenceville. Steve suggested “breakfast out” Sunday morning. He’d heard about Barb’s Diner.

Having just posted two days honoring Veterans on the blog it was serendipity to find these two displays on the wall that stay up all year long.

Honoring Veterans All Year Long
Customers, employees, relatives of customers
All Branches of the Service
Land of the Free Because of the Brave
4711 Butler Street

Wordless Wednesday

Raspberry Jam by Pam ❤️

How Do You Like Your Toast?

How do you feel about toast?

Although I’ve burned toast on occasion this Duolit Toaster does a magnificent job, really toasting the bread properly. A milestone birthday gift from my friend Vincie. It’s  almost eighteen years ago, oh my.  It has served me well and is still going strong. I should have polished it for the photo.

What a vehicle for butter, Toast is! How do you like your toast? Jam?Jelly? Honey? Cheese? Avocado?

My granddaughter Anna’s artwork on the mug, at least a decade since it was given to me.

Here’s my sister’s Old School toaster in NYC from a blog post six years ago

Can you find one like my sister’s toaster in the museum collection? A toaster collection at the Lightner Museum in St. Augustine Florida

Did you know there a song about toast? My SIL James sent this Heywood Banks Toast, Yeah Toast Song which has had millions of views on YouTube.

Toaster Crumbs

Obviously, I can’t tell you the last time I pulled out the crumb tray.

I received this Cadillac of toasters from my good friend V when I turned 50.  Now that’s not quite two decades ago and I promise I’ve cleaned it during that time.

There’s no strict schedule on this particular household task. Maybe I should make a note of it.

We make a lot of toast.

A Wish for Every Happiness

A wish for every happiness, always.

Cheers to the newly married royal couple.

Love one another is the perfect theme for the world.

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Today I saw my parents’ fiftieth wedding anniversary (1939-89) champagne flutes in Mark and Erika’s China cabinet. Mark and Erika (2002) and Laura and James (2011) both used these flutes at their weddings.

I had set the alarm this morning for five AM but Grandma Mar woke up before then and texted me upstairs. We’re here together this weekend, watching the grandkids. We woke up the girls and they made it down to the couch. They fell back asleep, snuggled in blankets until we woke them up when the bride arrived at Windsor Castle.

 

 

 

 

 

Friends I know were watching snd texting from Florida and Pennsylvania. It was a very happy day. Wishing Harry and Meghan a long and happy life together.

Finding What’s Good About Returning Home After the Holiday

My house is quiet this morning and it’s zero degrees with a windchill of plenty below.

I got back to Pittsburgh yesterday evening. I miss them all now, having spent two weeks with my families in Ohio.

This morning in my kitchen I see my 33 year old self looking at me making toast and wonder where the time flew – I took a cake decorating class in Germany with my friend J when Laura was small.

There’s the reliable top of the line toaster from my dear friend V.

Best 50th birthday present, still working wonderfully fifteen years later.

There’s the new ceramic pour over I received from James and Laura this Christmas. The family photo mug Marlene created for me last Christmas waiting for hot coffee to drip in it. The new spices and tiny lidded butter dish from J in Florida. Oh and the new spices on the rack from her,too. There are Christmas cards to read, bills to pay, Laundry, ordinary life stuff.

At my daughter’s home it’s “pour over” and mugs of places traveled. Every morning my DIL would make a fresh carafe of coffee. Both types delicious. How lovely it is to have someone serve you coffee. I made a pot in their fancy machine but I know they like it a certain way.

Five grandchildren in two homes guarantee fun, laughter and lots of activity. I like playing. Here at home, I’m thinking about finishing knitting projects, checking out a book at the library, hoping the pipes don’t freeze, going to a doctor’s appointment, meeting friends for lunch next week and continuing my efforts to reduce the accumulations in the house with multiple thrift shop trips with donations. I found I had difficulty doing this ongoing task so hired an expert to assist me, spur me on. Need to clear out my third floor.

It’s good to be home in my kitchen.

I’ll catch up on the blog and reply to comments, think about what’s next.

Schedule a battery replacement for my iPhone, (link to a Washington Post Article Below Run Don’t Walk To Replace Iphone Battery for $29). I won’t be running to the nearby Apple store as there is no availability support said to try tomorrow to schedule.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2018/01/04/run-dont-walk-to-replace-your-iphone-battery-for-29/