I've got sunshine on a cloudy day.

Maybe one reason that I am not dying of Spring fever right now is because this is the time of year my orchids put on their best show.

I guess I have been growing orchids for about ten years now, I used to have about 20 different plants, but have cut back over the last couple years, I have tried growing several different species with some luck, but these Phalaenopsis Orchids do the best in my kitchen window. 

My white orchids are huge!

I try to group them all together, they seem happier that way.

This peachy pink Orchid was a birthday gift from a sweet friend, I love its colors!

The ice and snow is almost gone in the Nashville area, and although this is going to be another cold week, these beautiful tropical blooms brighten every day for me!

 Back to our normal routine tomorrow, I have a busy week to look forward to! I hope you have a wonderful week!

Day three of our captivity, food is running low and tensions are running high.

LOL~ No I am totally kidding, we are all happier than hobbits eating second breakfast!

 Three days of laying on the couch under my favorite Chenille blanket, snuggling with the dogs while watching movies, surfing Pinterest, drinking hot cocoa and eating our favorite snacks makes for one fantastic week. Heck I am even a good week away from really needing a grocery store run. Although I did run out of orange juice this morning, the kids and I are on an Orange Juice kick and thankfully my husband was able to stop in the grocery store on his way home today and grab another 1/2 gallon so we are again set. Crises averted.

I  have been making the most out of the gift of time we received this week and really enjoyed leisurely making some of our favorite dinners. Tonight, the kids requested homemade pizza, and as I started my pizza dough this afternoon, I was thinking about how much I enjoy using all of my vintage flea market finds in the kitchen.

Already this Pamco measuring cup I picked up this weekend is becoming a favorite. Perfect size! I had my yeast and sugar  brew bubbling happily  away!

Always love picking out one of my many bowls to use, and this was actually the first time I used this little measuring cup/sifter. I picked this up a few months ago at my favorite indoor flea market, It was just so cute and I knew it would come in handy, I was right, I love it!

I can't believe I have not used it until now.

I chose to use the pretty pink gooseberry Pyrex princess bowl  that my mom gave me for Christmas, I do love this pattern.

This thing is so darn cute! Yes, I know I am easy to please.

Took a quick peek! Got a nice rise going!

And the finished product, I say food made with vintage kitchen ware tastes even better, ok, maybe not but it is at least more enjoyable when you love your kitchen tools.

I think it made my husbands day to come home to his favorite dinner on a Wednesday night!

Well it  is back to reality tomorrow, we get a delayed start, don't have to be in until 10:00 so that will be a very nice way to ease into what will now be a very short week. I sure have enjoyed this super sized lazy weekend. It has been a wonderful, much needed break and I feel like my batteries have been fully recharged!

Hope you are having a great week! We are going to have torrential rain this weekend, but I think I may sneak out and try my luck at the local Goodwill stores, you never know when you will run across a treasure!

A quick trip

This  past Saturday, after running errands and re stocking the house in anticipation of the storm I was sure would not come, but did, I decided that I just had the itch and needed a quick flea market run.

I really should have gone into Goodwill, but, I was just not feeling it. I wanted to hit my favorite indoor flea market. I am glad I did, I did manage to find a couple treasures.

I never pass up a pyrex or fire king platter unless it is overpriced. This Pyrex platter is really large and was bargain priced. These things are really the work horses of my kitchen. I use them constantly. As a matter of fact, This one got washed immediately upon coming home, used for dinner that night, later for cookies and had to be washed again the next morning so it could have it's picture taken. I love platters like this one!

The next find made my trip. I have never seen the Fire King Honeysuckle pattern in my travels and I was tickled to actually find a creamer/sugar set instead of only one or the other, the bowl was just a bonus. Of course now I have decided I really like this pattern, I may be on the hunt for plates now!

And last but not least, this fantastic old Pamco measuring cup, the top is missing but I have had my eye on this thing for a couple months and did not want to pay the 10.00 asking price. As luck may have it the booth was having a 50% off sale this weekend, I figured I was not going to get any better than that so it came home with me as well.

When I get the itch, I try to listen. Glad I did, I am happy with my treasures.

My office was closed again today although we are starting to defrost a bit already, first thing this morning the roads were dangerous with thick ice but as the morning progressed and the sun came out the ice is starting to melt off the trees and streets. Bad news? More snow in the forecast for tonight, they have gone ahead and cancelled our local schools for the entire week. My kids are thrilled, knowing I will most likely have to drive in to work tomorrow, I am not. Oh well, thankfully this kind of weather is the exception, not the norm.

But it sure makes for some beautiful picture opportunities! I was out again today snapping away. The trees are so gorgeous under that coat of ice.

Kind of glad I did not bother picking all the crab apples off this past fall!

We should be out and about tomorrow, This unexpected mini vacation has been a much needed and appreciated break!

Hope your week is going well!

And now, back to our regularly scheduled programming.....

Last week I was having some "issues" with my internet and virus protection. Honestly, it was ticking me off to the point where I just closed up the computer and walked away. Thankfully my husband is more patient than I am and he was  finally able to get me back up and running late last night. Just for the record, it took him three hours of messing around with it. Frustrating!

So I missed doing my usual blog posts for all of last week, but then, I got an unexpected extended weekend! My office is not normally closed on Presidents Day, but, with what is turning into an epic Southern ice storm, the entire city is for all practical purposes, shut down!

I can't say it upset me too much. I am able to work from home now, so I put in a few hours, happily answering emails in my jammies and slippers, and although Saturday was cold, it was not enough to stop me from running all of my errands  so the house is fully stocked with all the basics plus our favorite munchies. Not to mention I had a chance to sneak in a run to my favorite indoor flea market (more on that later this week) because today? Today is all about this ice storm!

Beautiful and terrible all at the same time. We already have some tree damage, but oh, they are so gorgeous coated with this ice!

I am totally in love with my corkscrew willow tree, to me it is beautiful year round, leaves or no leaves.

 I snapped this picture just before the branch cracked and broke out of the tree, yes, on top of me, but I move fast and got out of the way!

Beautiful buds that have formed over the last few weeks, today they are encased in ice.

Icicles growing and growing!

I never get tired of these beautiful twisty branches.

Those lovely delicate blades of grass, so pretty!

Our neighbor's cedar tree is loaded with pine cones, and oh it is so gorgeous coated with ice.

I hope everyone is staying safe and warm! Have a wonderful week!

Tea for two.

It started with a creamer.

When I saw this little creamer sitting on a shelf at my favorite indoor flea market last year, I was immediately attracted to it. My first thought was that it was Fire King, and the fact that it has one of my favorite color combinations, black and pink, and was marked at 1.00, it was a no brainer to come home with me.

After getting it home I did some research and found that it was in fact a Hazel Atlas Ovid pattern, and I decided I had to have the sugar bowl to go with it. I was sure it would be easy to find the sugar bowl...I was wrong. I have patiently looked for a year and have never even seen another Ovid piece in the wild. So, I resorted to Ebay. I have been very picky because I spent so little on the creamer,  I got lucky and  found an auction with four cups/saucers and sugar bowl for under 20.00 including shipping, I knew it was meant for me, so I jumped on it and won!
Actually I think I was the only bidder.

Reunited!!!

And of course since we also had new cups and saucers to play with, my daughter and I decided to take advantage of our boy free afternoon and treat  ourselves to a ladies lunch.

We had as much fun setting our table as we did eating our lunch.

Ok, we did not actually drink tea, it was a beautiful sunny 60 degrees outside today so we opted for lemonade. It was a wonderful beautiful day that gave us a much needed break from winter, but I am sure the cold weather is not through with us yet.

I hope you are having a wonderful weekend!

Send a little love!

Valentines day is just around the corner so I hammered out some sweet sentiment spoons and brought them to Creative Village.

Sweet nothings for your Valentine!

This one has got to be my favorite.

But this is my superpower. Hey, you never know what will work (or not) unless you try.

A friend of mine suggested that I have some of my photography printed out on blank cards, so I did and brought several out to Creative Village with the spoons, I am excited to see if they sell. I really enjoy hammering out my spoons, but I have to admit, photography is where my heart is. 

They are predicting a dusting of snow here in Middle Tennessee tonight, am I wrong to hope it is just enough to keep everyone home tomorrow ? I have to admit, a snow day does sound lovely right now!

Hope you are having a wonderful week!

Magic Bread

I am not a gifted baker.

 Try as I might, I am just not patient enough to measure exactly and follow each step to the letter. I am a cook, I toss stuff in, taste, experiment and adjust. I have a great respect for people who have the patience to bake.

But there are a few things that I do rock when it comes to baking. I make a mean cupcake, peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies and several different quick breads. My banana bread, applesauce bread and pumpkin bread will knock your socks off.

One thing that I never even tried was good french bread. Nothing is going to beat what I can get at the bakery (ok, Panera) I love Panera French Bread.

So when I found this pin for easy Crusty Bread on Pinterest, I thought I would give it a try. I figured worst case scenario I would be out a packet of yeast and some flour. Oh was I wrong. This recipe was for real.

It is the easiest bread EVER! My kids call it "Magic Bread" because you toss a soggy flour ball into a screaming hot cast iron pot, cook it for a half hour and it comes out looking like this.

Oh ya! I made this!This was the Parmesan Herb loaf we made for dinner, Looks like it came from Panera right? Oh it was so good.

I baked another loaf for the kids breakfast this morning. Oh so good to have warm fresh loaf of country bread for breakfast on a cold rainy winter Sunday morning.

Perfect with some Apple Bourbon Jam from one of our local Nashville businesses. Nashville Jam makes an amazing Peach Salsa as well...another new obsession of mine.

I like the basic bread recipe best with some butter and my own Strawberry Jam from last spring. Oh I cannot wait for Strawberry season this year.

Hummmm, I may be getting a touch of spring fever.

Hope you have had a wonderful weekend!