Spring Food and Flowers

 

It’s a rainy, early morning where I am.  Perfect day to join in with Michael at Designs by Gollum for Foodie Friday.  It’s been awhile since I’ve joined in, but each Friday I look forward to seeing all the new ideas and recipes others share.

 

 

Early in the week it was my turn to host our small Bible Study group.  Of course in addition to making the house ready for guests, one must come up with a dessert.  Where women gather, dessert follows, right?

For some reason, Lemon Meringue Pie came to mind.  I rarely make a pie ~~ much less a meringue pie.  I was talking with my friend Jennifer and she suggested I make her Grandmother’s version which is an old family favorite.

 

I talked to my mother the day after I made this, telling her what I served.  She said, “OH!  My mother used to make that!”  So I do think this is a very old recipe.  It has GREAT flavor!

 

Lemon Meringue Pie or

Lemon Icebox Pie

4 eggs, separated, room temperature

1 14 oz. sweetened condensed milk

1/2 c. freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 lemons)

9” graham cracker crust, purchased or home made

1/2 t. cream of tartar

1/4 cup plus 2 T. sugar

Beat egg yolks at med. speed of mixer until thick and lemon colored.  Add condensed milk and lemon juice, stirring well.  Spoon filling into crust.  Beat egg whites and cream of tartar at high speed of a mixer one minute.  Gradually add sugar, 1 T. at a time, beating until stiff peaks form and sugar dissolves (2-4 minutes).  Spread meringue over filling, sealing to edge.  Bake at 350 for 12-15 mins. or until golden brown.  Let cool to set up.

   

 

Let me say right off that I should have either used a smaller pie plate OR just purchased a graham cracker crust.  I decided to make my own and it didn’t come clear to the top of the plate.  I’ll explain why that matters later…

 

I refrigerated my bowl and beater to make sure it was nice and cold before beating the egg whites.

 

  

 

Spoon the meringue over the filling, making sure you go clear to the edge.

 

 

I love garnishing food, as it makes it look so much more appealing.

My problem was getting the yummy pie out of the plate when I went to serve this.  The meringue wanted to stick to the dish causing me to struggle getting it out of the pan.  I finally decided it was because it didn’t have the crust to cling to.  Lesson learned, and I’m passing that hint on to you! 

 

I had someone helping me serve and I forgot to get a picture of the pie on it’s plate. 

I did sprinkle some remaining graham cracker crumbs over each piece of pie and it did have great presentation even with the struggle to get it out of the pan.

 

 

Now that growing season has returned I am also joining Glenda at Tootsie Time for flower show and tell.

 

Redbud trees are so stunning this time of year.  The winds haven’t been quite as strong so far this spring, so we are enjoying our blooms a bit longer than some years.

A little basket filled with pansies is nestled below our tree.

 

Gorgeous RED tulips peaking through the metal trellis.

I planted my Black Eyed Susan vine in this pot which really takes over by July.  Get yourself some of those seeds.  It’s a beautiful flowering vine.

More photos of our early spring landscape, nice and moist from a spring rain.

 

 

I love this little blue spruce Topiary!

 

Oh Spring!

I’m glad you are here!

Thanks for your visit today.  I love having you stop by.

Donna

Letting Early Spring Linger

Good Morning everyone!  I’ve been wanting to join Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for quite some time.  Today is the day!

 

 

Many of us live where spring is bursting open with tulips, daffodils and lots of perennials showing God’s gorgeous color palette.  Being a silk floral designer I have much of this indoors as well.  :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I still have forsythia “blooming” in my entry with this little vignette.  It makes me smile each time I walk by it.

 

 

 

 

Moss Rocks add interest and more color of nature

 

 

 

A little bunny grooming himself, along with more moss rocks and a soft green beaded garland complete this simple look.

 

 

 

 

Thanks Marty for hosting our event again this week.  I always enjoy seeing what others have to share.

 

Thanks for joining me today!

The Good Stuff Just Keeps Showing Up

Susan asked me if I wanted to go to an estate sale with her last Saturday.  I haven’t been to one in years.  I was a little nervous knowing how excited I get with thrifting these days, but the prices pretty much held me back.

With prices being a tad more at the first day of an estate sale vs. Thrift Shops, I had to settle myself down right away.  The ad in the paper described this Chippendale desk which I would have LOVED, but at around $900, I passed.  It was probably worth that much however.  It was gorgeous.

 

 

Of course there were sets of china…

 

 

 

A Full set of brown transferware…with every serving piece made!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was able to pass since I already have brown transferware.

 

 

 

 

 

Loving silver, these cups really appealed to me.  I thought they were quite unusual.  With the dog base, they would have been so cute in my Hunt Club family room.  I considered coming back the last day of the sale to see if they were still there and marked down, but I didn’t return.  Seeing them again, I wish I had.  :(

 

Shown below were my only two purchases at this Estate Sale, a linen table cloth and some sweet little napkins that will look cute in an upcoming tablescape.

 

We moved on to a second estate sale.  This one was in an old home.  I found this little bunny, pulling a cart.  It seems quite old.  The little frog will look cute in a potted plant this summer.  I found two pampered chef pie pans with some little scoops, and this sweet little glass to go on my guest’s nightside table.  My oldest grandson is learning to read so I couldn’t pass up the reading cards for a quarter or so.  Perfect to keep him quiet in church.  ;)

 

My mother loves cobalt blue, so these bowls will go with her Mother’s Day present.   Custard cups for my daughters and more embroidered napkins.

 

We then moved on to a couple of thrift stores where I found this silver plated hand mirror.

 

 

 

 

 

The next store had this beautiful brown footed stemware  (Look at that price!)  and a milk glass vase.

 

 

Back at the Goodwill I found a set of six twig placemats for $3.00.  I think they have possibilities.

 

 

At another thrift store this set of OLD mixing bowls was $2.00!!  My daughter said she can always use another mixing bowl.

 

Not pictured, but made my grandsons super excited was a huge bag of Star War figures for $1.50!  Angie told me that brand new those figurines went for around $7.00 a piece!  She thought I got a great bargain.

 

Last of all was a set of eleven silver (of some sort…they are slightly tarnished) chargers for $2.00~  I think I got a fabulous price on these!  Hey, since there were only eleven, I must keep thrifting to see if I can find a twelve one!

 

 

Today I am joining Rhoda at Southern Hospitality for Today’s Thrifty Finds.  Go with me now to visit her blog and see what treasures others are finding!

 

 

Thanks for your visit!    

Donna

Do I Need a Twelve Step Program?

 

I have found so many great items with my new thrifting hobby.  It is such fun running across something to add to a collection or just something unique or useful that you find for a great price.  BUT I am getting so much that I had to have a talk with myself recently saying I don’t “need” to purchase every little thing I run across that seems fun. 

 

So~~~ when I ran across my most recent find last Friday, I took them off the hangers, examined them carefully, noticed they  were the Twelve Days of Christmas napkins by Williams Sonoma, felt my heart beat just a little faster and then put them back.

You see the Christmas napkins were bundled four to a clipped hanger and each four was priced at $3.99.  That still only adds up to a dollar a napkin.  I knew I loved them.  I knew I would regret not buying them, but after tucking them deeply into the rack of old towels, faded placemats and well used rugs I went home without them.

 

Here’s where my Step Program needs to be applied!  I kept thinking about them.  I remembered their rich, vibrant colors and the French wording and that they were so pretty.  I even looked them up on a couple of well known web sites to see if they were available and if so how much they were going for!

 

Whoa!

I found them alright!

They were going from between $49 to $79 depending on which site you were looking at!

This was Sunday night and I wondered if they were still available.  Knowing Saturdays are a big thrifting day, I was doubtful they would still be there.

 

 

They were!  And the rack was really picked over with My napkins front and center for the world to see.  I think they had my name on them.

 

 

I wasn’t sure I had dishes that would work with all this pattern and busyness going on.  Low and behold I found a few choices in my cupboard!

 

 

 

 

Today I am joining Linda at Coastal Charm for my first Nifty Thrifty Tuesday!

Go over for a visit and see what other bloggers are finding they can’t live without!

 

Donna

A Thrifty Tablescape!

Hello there!  I’m excited to join in with Susan at Between Naps on the Porch to share my recent tablescape showing many thrifting finds.  Below are some of my favorite “new” dishes!  I found these at a thrift shop ~~ a stack of about 14 and every once in awhile I find another here and there. I believe I have 19 of them.  They are so pretty with their robin’s egg blue band.  They are dazzled with a gold rim and swirled gold pattern encircling a creamy white center.

 

 

 

 

 

About a month ago my friend Susan found this little teapot which came with six of these cups.  The set came with a coffee pot and platter (I think) that she wanted.  She thought I might like using these little cups for spring faux arrangements.  No way!  They were too cute and could be used in a table setting.  Does anyone know exactly what the intent of these would be?

 

Turning them upside down, they make the sweetest little egg cups!

I thought about using them for wine.

 

I added these crisp little napkins  found at Target on their after Easter clearance last year.  There were four patterns… a nest, a chick, a flower and a bunny.

 

 

 

Since I only had four, I used these patterned napkins at each end of the table.  They blended well and the pattern seemed to add interest.

 

 

 

This little white rabbit was a perfect fit under my cloche.  I have four teal chargers so anchored my centerpiece using one of those.  I tucked a grass mat and more eggs inside.

 

 

I may have shown you these candle sticks another time.  Who would have given these away?  They were found at my Mom’s church action just sitting there with NO ONE bidding on them!  I got them for a song!

I have used them many times

Adding reindeer moss and little marbled eggs gave the table more texture and color.

 

This little dish was a thrift find.  It looked so sweet just holding more eggs.

 

Tiny domed cloches held a small nest with eggs and reindeer moss and placed at each end of the table.

 

~~Sigh ~~

Dishes and Linens.  What could be a more fun hobby?

Thanks for joining me today. I’m going over to see all the other tablescapes! 

See you there!

Donna