Tea for Two?

Actually, it´s just tea for me. Sometimes you just have to pull out all the stops (or a few) on a rainy day. I guess if I´d really been pulling out all the stops I would have gone to the swanky pattiserie in Radebeul and gotten some Petit Fours and other goodies, but the sandwich from the local grocery and fresh strawberries were all I needed, or wanted for that matter. Tea lights, a favorite tea cup and a good cup of tea along with other treasures are like chicken soup for the soul. Really, I ought to do this more often. It wasn´t that much work to get out the silver, linens and china.

Spring!

It´s beginning to look a lot like Spring at our house!

After what seems like the longest winter, Spring seems to be on her way!! The snow is all gone and the first spring flowers are out. I spotted some forsythia in bloom on my walk this afternoon, and there are several snow drops that have come up in our yard. The tulips, crocuses, and daffodils are beginning to poke their heads through, and the nursery near our house is stocked with prim roses, pansies and other spring flowers. I couldn´t resisit, so here are some of mine now waiting to be put in planters.... that´s another story.


I lost several of my "frost tolerant" planters this year. I guess the fact that they were left on the patio sitting in snow slush in the sun did not help...I´m a bit bummed about the round one because it was one of my favorites, not cheap, and the perfect pot for my basil. Guess I will have to find a new one which is easier said than done. I looked at the pots at a couple of garden centers today, but didn´t see anything I really liked, and certainly not at a price that I was willing to pay! Sheesh, pots and planters are not cheap!

Just Ralphie

V-day!

I forgot to take pictures of the table once I got all the food out, but my guests were very complimentary. I served chocolate fondue, blueberry muffins, rolls with smoked salmon and cheese cut into hearts, and scrambled eggs. I´ll let the pictures speak for the decorations.

Ralphie and the Red Shoes

Ralphie has a "thing" for our slippers, and loves to get cozy with them when we´re not using them.

DIY Christmas part II

Even Ralphie is getting in the spirit....

Some of the things I did like the frosted candle, came from the current issue of Martha Stewart Living. I liked the idea of frosted candles, so I conviced the pharmacist to sell me an unusually large supply of epsom salts (she was convinced I need it for constipation....) and went to work. The bells and cluser bow on the spray on the front door are also adapted from MSL. I´m not finished crafting yet, but I do have to work in between projects. So stayed tuned, more to come!

The DIY Christmas

My Do it yourself Christmas. No store-bought wreaths or garland. Thanks to our neighbor who cut down some trees in his yard I had lots of greenery to work with. The result isn´t perfect, but I´m pretty happy with the way things turned out. I do think that the garland I make for my mother at home out of cedar looks much prettier and turns out much better, but the greenery was free and I didn´t have a source of fresh cedar to work with. Maybe next year.