It's A Start

About the ONLY thing I've done today, beyond chores, is to set out my Christmas display in the foyer. I decided to use several of the vintage embossed die-cuts I've collected. I came upon these old paper products in eBay a few years ago. I was entranced. First because I am very much charmed by old (or old looking) art made from paper. These are from a by-gone era and while not rare, they will never be produced like this again. So I own quite a bit of these pieces for both Winter and Spring displays.

I think my very favorite is the deer and chalet scene. To the left is an adorable image of Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf. This is on the top of a calendar with a thermometer. Many of these old embossed pieces were calendar tops. Also on these 2 shelves are old Christmas corsages, elves and some Wendy Addison originals. Click on this picture to enlarge it and check out the two Wendy logs just in front of the deer scene, and on the right is a hollowed log that the pixie is sitting in. Wendy made 2 of these from some type of paper mache and they are fabulous. I feel so lucky to have them.

Kinda Blue

My little Canon digital can't do much to showcase the lights on my tree. I wanted blue lights for the fresh-cut Noble Fir in the family room. Blue because that is the color of lights Gramma used on her big trees back in the 50's. The Christmas light aisle at Target was very popular today. There were only 2 boxes of the blue mini-lights left (plenty of purple and I seriously considered those for a few minutes). I put the 2 boxes in my cart and moved on down the aisle to the LED lights. There were lots of those in stock. I wasn't sure about them but I knew I needed another box of lights...so I bought 1 box of the blue LED mini-lights. Long story short. The LED lights are VERY BRIGHT. I'm talking blind-you-bright. With the traditional blue mini-lights I did not need my light dimmer. (Yes, I use a dimmer for white mini-lights to soften the glow.) Here is my tip, girls. Be aware of the almost glare of the LED lights and get yourself a plug in dimmer to use with the light strings. It's a good thing. ps I think the mix of the 2 types of lights in the same color is a winner. Give that a try.

Fantasy Fudge

I don't know why it's called fantasy fudge. I would call it dream fudge, because I do dream about it around this time of year. I'm talking about the fudge made with marshmallow fluff, evaporated milk, sugar, butter, walnuts...all the good stuff. The first time I tasted it was when my mother-in-law mailed us a 5 pound box for Christmas 1988. You bet it became a tradition. Bob loved her gumdrop cake (like a fruitcake using gumdrops in place of fruit), but for me...FUDGE. My mom became a fan and now we both start salivating at the mention of it. Today Mom is finally home from a 28 day cruise. However, very sick with asthma. She has chicken soup on the stove but it was the promise of a batch of Fantasy Fudge that perked her up.

Dear Santa

All I want for Christmas is this oh-so-chic vacuum coffee maker. And it's only $675. But, dream on little coffee freak, it's SOLD OUT until next summer. For you eagle-eyes out there, this was featured in the Jack Nicholson movie "The Bucket List"; in copper. Remember it from one of the hospital scenes?

1-2-3

Do you like John Travolta? Especially when he is deliciously evil.

Do you LOVE Denzel? If you say no, you lie. Well, rent "Pelham 1 2 3". Whoo Hoo what a ride!

Cook's Little Helpers

Let the Thanksgiving cooking begin! I have more shortcuts than ever, because I am making more of the dishes than usual. Does your grocery store stock these pre-diced celery & onions? I think it is a great time-saver that I can't always find. Frozen pie shells - check; canned whipped cream - check; foil roasting pan -check. I did draw the line at packaged stuffing mix and canned cranberry sauce. Just can't go there.

Is this too whack for you? Well not for me. Ahhh, the aroma of hashish in the morning :). (I wish!...OK, OK...just kidding) I will turn on my CD player with Diana Krall, Mel Torme, maybe a little Benny Goodman. Appletini, anyone? Good to Go.

A Big Step

For some time I've been uncomfortable with the methods used by the food industry. Especially the meat producers. I stopped eating beef (again) several months ago, but I do love pork and chicken and seafood have been a constant for many years. Still, that voice in my head kept nagging at me about the ethics of eating intelligent animals. Yep, this bothers me. So why not DO something about it? Like vote with my wallet? Then on Martha's show this week...and I wasn't even going to tape this show but for some reason I ended up watching it...she featured the director of the movie "Food, Inc." Martha and the guy took it easy on the audience and didn't show any fearsome film clips from the movie, but, hey, I don't have to see it to imagine it. And Martha was on it as far as encouraging everyone to be more thoughtful about what they eat. So, I'm not going to hide my head in the sand anymore. I am going to eat locally and organically. Today I went to a special holiday Farmer's Market in my 'hood. I gotta say that the growing season in Western WA is short. I pretty much bought everything that was offered: rainbow chard, flat leafed parsley, sage, a gorgeous pumpkin, honey, goat milk soap, and a big bag of sunchokes. The pumpkin will grace my front porch for a while; the soap and honey will be Christmas gifts.

My guys ARE NOT vegetable lovers. Well, adjustments are going to have to be made! Tonight I roasted teryaki chicken legs (from the freezer) plus the sunchokes; steamed the chard, and used chevre I made this week on the bread. Those fresh vegetables and cheese are DELICIOUS. I WILL find an organic turkey for Thanksgiving. I know it will cost a lot more, and really won't taste any better. As for eating pork in the future...I gotta say I've never seen organic pork (aka humanely treated) in my grocery store.

Just Go

Last night Bob and I went to see "This Is It". I was riveted with the sounds of his music, the effort of the dancers, the deference paid to MJ by all...and the sense that Michael was so very alone, even in the midst of adoring staff that had been with him for a long time. The movie is well done, giving those who seek some closure a last glimpse. The man was frail; driven by near impossible standards. And in the end, he just wanted rest. To sleep. Perchance to dream.

Beginning Calligraphy

Sister loaned me a "how to" book on calligraphy. I have only one question: How do I get this ink off my hands?! Ah, the joys of learning.

Opinion Poll

Gals, I'm asking for your input. Just for fun. For Thanksgiving I want to use this idea: each guest will have a place card with a question. Like "What do you think is the greatest invention of all time? " Not very original, but should make for some good conversation to follow the 10 minutes of eating. That's right. The eating of the Thanksgiving meal that took HOURS to prepare, lasts about 10 minutes. Don't start. So, from these 3 examples, which design would you prefer? You may need to click on the picture to enlarge it. Take pity on me and leave your comments by 11/21 so I have some time to make the place cards. ps These are a little rough as I did them in the last 15 minutes so I can get out the door and into town. Whew.

Cabinet of Curiosities

This post is especially for my new friend Karen, A Mermaids Purse. First I want to say how much my blog friends mean to me. I have always embraced digital communication; from the early days of the Internet back in the mid-80's. Still I'm rather new to blogging. It has been very rewarding as a place for me to journal, and !SURPRISE!, to meet such a varied and supportive clan. OK, back to Karen. She has a cabinet almost exactly like mine. I thought I'd share.

My cabinet is in the master bedroom; filled with my most special treasures. I enjoy holiday displays in my foyer, or wherever I can glimpse things that make me smile, and I'm still all about the vintage look. I take these goodies out at the appropriate season and place them with the rest of my seasonal collections. Above are old treasures from long ago, most bought on eBay. The little nut cup in front is a Wendy Addison original.

Next is my collection of Steiff animals. I could never afford this brand, though I did buy my nephew Jason a Steiff hedgehog. Hmmm, wonder where that is now? Around 2001 I decided I would have Steiff in my life. Again, via eBay, I've acquired a few previously-loved darlings.

Here are some vintage Christmas corsages and whatnot. So very sweet.

Here are some old porcelain mermaids that I put on my dining table in the summer. Also two Wendy Addison eggs for Easter. Displayed not very well at all are my old beaded handbags. None of these are pristine, so not valuable, but exquisite, nevertheless. They really deserve a shadowbox frame...another day. I also store my oldest Halloween things here, but you saw those in my "The Haunting" post. So, I hope you enjoyed a tour through my cabinet.

Soup with Bread

Tuesday I had to go to town to do a favor for my sister. I didn't feel like stopping by the grocery store on the way home, but we were out of bread. What to do? I headed into the kitchen around 9 pm to mix up a loaf of "No Knead Bread". Everybody does it, and I had tried this recipe once before with disappointing results, but my friend Cathleen makes it and it is delicious. I used this recipe from Williams Sonoma. Instead of regular flour I used bread flour; I used hot tap water; and I omitted the flavorings, except for salt. I placed the dough in front of my wood burning stove for the night. At 9 am the next morning it was ready for the next step and produced a really airy and flavorful bread. Bob has a cold (not the flu, thank the stars) so I thought soup and the bread would be a welcome dinner. Instead of opening a can of Campbell's Tomato, I decided to make Creamy Tomato Soup. To the recipe I added some left over fresh veges from my refrig, but I have made it without the fennel and celery and it is just as good. Do try it.

2 TBS olive oil

1 onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp fresh herbs of your choice

1/2 fennel bulb, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 ribs celery, chopped

Salt & fresh ground black pepper

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute, stirring often, for several minutes. Add the other veges and continue cooking and stirring until the veges start to soften. Season with salt and pepper. Add the garlic and herbs and cook for another 2 minutes.

28 oz can crushed tomatoes

6 oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

2 TBS balsamic vinegar

Add these remaining ingredients to the pot. Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low.

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 C heavy cream

Stir in the baking soda until combined. Add the cream. Stir and simmer for a few minutes. You can puree by using an immersion blender or regular blender, but I don't bother. Makes 4 servings.

Goats and Cheese

Sunday I spent 3 hours at Herron Hill Dairy in Lakebay, WA., learning how to make cheese from goat milk. The eight students were all greeted by Melody, a bottle-fed kid, who is so adorable I wanted one of my very own. But they grow up, don't they?

Mary, the proprietress, is a very kind and gentle soul. She has around 40 goats; milks about 15 of them at this time. She has been a certified dairy for 2 years. Her output is small, so she sells to a couple of farmers' markets in their brief season (here in Western WA that is only about 3 months of the year), but also to Pacific Grill which is one of the finest restaurants in the region. We all got to milk a goat. It was easy but we were far from proficient. Her dairy is on 7 acres along with her home which was built in the late 1800's. A landmark. Her classroom is housed in what was once a country store.

Here is milk straight out of the goats. You can see how rich and thick it is as it goes through this fine mesh filter.

In the classroom Mary demonstrated how to make two cheeses from the milk we just brought in from the barn. First is feta, pictured above as it starts to set. While the cheese was setting, to separate curds from whey, we were offered homemade soup, pumpkin muffins and tea. Then Mary brought out 3 big bowls of chevre so that we could experiment mixing in herbs of our choice. Dried lavender and honey were added to the first batch; next I mixed up a bowl with fennel pollen and cracked black pepper and kosher salt; last batch was made with salt and herbs de Provence. We each got to take home a tub of our concoction.

After a while the feta was drained, placed in a flour sack bag and hung to drain. Then the panir Mary made was drained. It too will hang to dry for a while. We each left with cheese making instructions, a 1/2 gallon of vat pasteurized goat milk and supplies to make feta, panir or chevre, plus advice from Mary to treat the milk and cheese gently. I have an appreciation now for the reason artisanal cheeses cost more than the bulk "stuff", and for the huge effort involved in running a small farm. Mary couldn't have been more patient, and she clearly puts love into her work. Her website is well designed; Baby Belle's blog is a delight to read.

Domes

I am smitten with vintage glass domes...well, maybe not so much the domes themselves but the treasures that come inside of them. Years ago I haunted eBay for weeks looking for a French Marriage Chair that I could afford. And it was not to be until, one day, there was one without the glass dome. Remarkably the seller lived just a few miles away in Los Gatos, CA. Somehow I managed to be the buyer for less than $100. Even the seller commented on the unlikely price as she reluctantly parted with it. Yet it wasn't complete until I found a dome that it could fit in. This meant a large dome. Again on eBay I found an antique clock seller with this lovely old oval dome; the base isn't an exact fit, but close enough.

Another treasure hunt I went on, also on eBay, was for Victorian Wax Fruit. So very delicate and to think they have remained intact for many decades. I found this fantastic bouquet, in a glass dome, from a novice seller. I was a novice myself because I specified Fed Ex overnight shipping. HA! Little did I know that would cost as much as the dome and bouquet. When the huge box arrived I gently opened it to find that the outside of the dome was covered with masking tape and not much else in packing material. Huh? I guess the seller thought the tape would hold the glass together. Guess what? It didn't. I'm covering it with a modern cloche for protection.

I swoon over the old Victorian Birds in domes. These are rare and very expensive. I was stopped in my tracks this week as Sister and I browsed in an antique mall in Gig Harbor. Was that a real bird inside that old dome? Yes! In pretty sad shape, unloved, but for $26. Are you kidding me? He needed a little TLC and some gussying up. I have a few smaller domes, too. Stayed tuned.

To Buy or Not To Buy

If you know me you know I've been lamenting the sour economy...well, actually the impact the weak economy is having on me and everyone I know. With the Commercial Season (aka Christmas) rapidly approaching I am faced with the dilemma: To buy or not to buy? The newest batch of catalogs arrived yesterday jacking this question into the forefront of my internal dialogue. As I was browsing through Garnet Hill I spotted two MUST HAVES. First is the "Queen of Everything" party hat from Goldbug Studios. And for only $198. These creations of Ashley Carter and staff are always fabulously over-the-top. I rarely come upon them anymore as there are no fun shops near me. But she has really gone high volume if she is working with Garnet Hill.

Next! Aren't these aprons too, too?! I mean, really, my guests would never know that my wardrobe staples of sweat pants and t-shirt lurked beneath. So last week I was ready to order old-time gifts from Vermont Country Store and this week I'm dog earring the Garnet Hill catalog. All moot! We don't exchange gifts in my family. The kids all want money; sister and I make gifts for each other, though we each do buy a goodie of some type for Mom. Truth be told, the most fun we've had on Christmas Day has been when we exchange gag gifts with each other. Now, there's a idea...

Pen Pal

My friend Josef is also my pen-pal. He and I write little notes to each other frequently. I admit that I receive more than I send. These 2 note cards and the envelope are typical of his style. He sends me silly pics of animals, sometimes inspirational pics of animals, and always a gaily decorated envelope. Often there will be a feather tucked inside the note. You see Josef has many fancy birds; Lady Amherst pheasant, macaws, parrots, quail, blue jays, diamond doves, parakeets, emu (are they birds?...well, they do have feathers), and more. He is always getting something new, usually offered to him by owners who have grown tired of the bird. These little exchanges brighten my day and I know they brighten Josef's day. Guess I'll get busy with a note for today; just because.

Life with Gandi

I live with a scarlet macaw. I adopted him from my friend Josef about 8 years ago. He was considered a difficult bird. He had been passed on from owner to owner in the first 9 years of his life. He was living at Josef's exotic animal farm and was feared by all except Josef. For several months I observed him from a distance as the other volunteers would move him to/from his outdoor quarters each day we worked at Dragon Slayers. One of these observations was Gandi giving a nasty bite to lady who was moving him: nasty in his attitude and nasty in the damage it did. Whoa. Still, as I watched him I began to notice an interesting personality. Josef really liked the bird and could do anything with him. With Josef's coaching I began to move Gandi; first using a perch and then allowing him to step onto my arm. The best advice Josef gave me for interacting with Gandi (or any animal) is "It's not what he wants, it's what you want". And so I took the big step of buying Gandi and bringing him home. In the picture above he is coaching me at my PC with Indiana Jones for company. However, I almost never let him onto my shoulder anymore. He does bite and he could promptly take a hunk out of my cheek. Now he gets onto my arm, then onto his portable perch to move from room to room, or to our chair in front of the TV, where he will sit on my lap for hours. He is pretty much always with me when I'm in the house; kitchen, studio, shower, TV, library. He sleeps in his cage with a cover over it. He also has an outdoor cage where he likes to spend warm days.

He and Satine had fun together. They would play hide and seek and could get nose to nose without anyone getting hurt.

Here is Gandi herding Indiana Jones.

Here he is assisting me in the kitchen. The date says late November, but I see my Christmas tree in the background so I'm sure this is incorrect. I don't put up my Christmas decorations that early. I wait until December 1st. HA!

Fall Back - So Irritating

Today is a day that always makes me grumpy. Today we "fall back" to standard time. For 8 months the West Coast has been on daylight savings time. I love daylight savings time because for me, a night owl , the day doesn't start until the crack of 8:30 a.m.

Having such a beautiful clock to look at does not soften the blow of losing precious daylight to the early morning. I need it in the late afternoon.

And the horses, dog, cat, bird and special outdoor critters don't re-synch their clocks, I can tell you. They still want to be fed when the sun is in a set position in the sky...clocks be damned. So, I vote for staying on Pacific Daylight Time year round. I'm racing off to Washington, DC, with my footmen and stable boys, to lobby for my cause. ps the ormolu clock and Dresden coach are from eBay; the 2 old clocks are from Pottery Barn.