I wiped away the weeds & foam. / I fetched my sea-born treasures home... Ralph Waldo Emerson







Monday, January 11, 2021

Miscellaneous

 


Hi everyone! Tomorrow is clinic day for me so instead of showing a detailed quilty post I'm going to catch up on random stuff instead. I still cannot load photos from my computer to my blog; I have to email them to myself and paste each one. What a pain in the butt! I think blog friend Dorothy once told me this issue is why she quit blogging.

The house is serene and blue and white again. Maybe a bit bare?



New candle scent, hope it smells lovely and winter forest-y.


I moved the crocks. Gave this Colorado churn a bouquet of twigs and winterberries.


The rest are on the pine bench, vignette needs work.



I washed and polished all the yellowware. Added this sweet shore bird decoy i found in the jelly cabinet, let's call him a sanderling.





I put out my tin star molds. I like a rather bare prim vibe for January here in the cottage.






Strings of dried that will soon replace  the mercury glass balls in my big wooden bowl.




I made this tin heart and crystal suncatcher/ garden art piece the other day. The rainbows it creates are lovely, so hopeful. 



Not sure I can sell this heart though, as its point is rusted to nothing.  Is that primitive rusty beauty or a customer complaint in the making. [SOLD]


I also still plan to made a few new pomanders, but may run out of cloves. Did you know a small jar of cloves like that now costs almost 9.oo. Yikes.



A cooky cutter note: we talked about tin cooky cutter motifs being used on primitive applique quilts. Here is an example of a camel cutter, very early 20th century, when exotic animals were of interest and awe. 




And here is the camel on a 1911 redwork quilt. This quilt also has a zebra, one of my very favorites of its many blocks.


I admit to watching some TV coverage of the Trump debacle. Knitting a child's hat is keeping my hands busy as I watch in dismay. All during the pandemic, I have felt like I am watching---living in--- a dreadful sci fi medical thriller film; now this political nonsense escalating? Surreal. And frightening.



We are being told the covid vaccine will not be available to us for approximately 47 weeks. That's another year lost, wasted. Disappointing.

Meanwhile good news! Look! 



My poor sad deady amaryllis is NOT dead after all.. It is growing and a beautiful green has appeared. Wow. I do hope it blooms.



I couldn't wait for next weekend when I'llll start my spring bulbs. I bought these already-growing forced bulbs at the robot store last week. 

                                      


A daffy, Tete a Tete,




and a blue hyacinth. 2.99 each.



So cute.


Baby Mo is depressed and very bored with Mommy [me]. 

                                         

A doggy day care in town now is offering ''doggy nanny'' services. I may try to squeeze out one day a week's price out of my limited budget, for a young person to walk, train, and play with Mo, maybe even go to the dog park? The daycare center has no parking and I am afraid to double park to do drop off/ pick up. Maybe having someone come to me will work. I also have a nice new neighbor with a labradoodle puppy who needs socializing. I may ask her to  share a playtime. 


[Oh I just remembered that is a NO because of Covid, I don't dare have a stranger inside with me. Maybe someday?]


And I have to shop for a new car, ugh.

Lastly,  I promised the New Years Potato Pie Recipe, so you'll find that at the end of this post.




Have a good week, I 'll be back soon, I hope. [btw, did you read this? Mason Jars are OUT of fashion. Too bad.]

                                      

love


lizzy


gone to the beach....


Mo and I were looking for the green flash. As the winter sun sets over the New Jersey shore...


>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Potato Pie ~ A New Years or Anytime Treat


ONE premade or homemade deep-dish pie crust. Pre-bake 10 minutes, 350* oven..

Meanwhile prepare 3 C mashed potatoes, instant ----[I use Idahoan brand] or leftover homemade. 

Add 1/2 C sour cream, 

3/4 C shredded cheddar,

 diced bacon, crisped, about 6 or 7 strips. 

2 bunches of green onions aka scallions. Wash well and medium slice about 6-8" including lots of the green. Maybe = 1/3 C?. Lightly sauté the onions in 2 - 3 T butter, please to do not use olive oil, though it's okay to use less butter if you must.

Salt and pepper to taste. 

Mix, fluffing well with a fork. Swirl all the potato mixture into the partially cooked crust, laying a few reserved onions on top, or a few bacon strips. 


Bake 350* about 40 minutes til top swirled peaks of the potatoes are golden brow. Check the time after 30 minutes! No need to overcook, you can also tell it is done when the piecrust edges are golden brown.

Allow to sit for a few minutes before slicing and serving. Yum!





13 comments:

  1. that potato pie looks delish!! I will definitely try that recipe--thnx;)))
    I love how serene your room looks...lovely groupings you've set out. I have one leftover pomander from last year --it is so lonely--I will have to make another...
    Good luck today...hope the weather holds as it was a brilliant red sky this morning..
    hugs and stay safe (you and Mo) Julierose

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  2. Your garden art heart suncatcher is perfectly charming, I find the bit of rusting and the worn bit at the bottom authentic and not looking like mass produced stuff from China. Let us know if and when you decide to add it to your shop. Good luck with the clinic visit.

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  3. Your home looks refreshing and cozy in blue and white. What an amazing yellow ware collection you have - so nicely displayed in your jelly cupboard. Cute decoy too.

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  4. So good that you have a nice neighbour. I wonder if Mo knows there's a potential pal next door? Dogs are so clever in picking up things beyond our senses.
    I love your bird decoys which each have their own special character, like the unusual cookie cutters.
    It's always a miracle that the dead-looking amaryllis bulbs shoot at just the right time - great anticipation, if like me, you can never remember which colour is in which container!
    Thinking of you and your clinic visit.

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  5. When I used to decorate for Christmas, when I got everything put away again I always thought the house looked naked and a little sad, lol. But it's also nice to have things back to normal!

    I hope you make more pomanders! On Amazon they have whole cloves in 1 lb bags for about $13 - that should make a lot of pomanders! A while back when I cleaned out my fridge I found a couple "cutie" little oranges/tangerines that got pushed back and forgotten, and they had dried as hard as a rock! I assume a pomander would eventually dry up like that? Could be cool...

    Love Mo in his bright blue sweater!

    Your potato pie looks yummy! I have a potato casserole recipe that is fairly similar. The picture made me hungry!

    Hope all goes well for you with the treatment, take care!

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  6. Good morning, no comment on what's going on in USA, too depressing. I just want to move forward peacefully.
    I love your space and color vibes! That rusty heart is really cute. Obviously it "fit" into someone's decor.
    I know here everyone is offering curbside, maybe you can make some kind of arrangement with the doggy daycare to make it work for you and Mo.
    What's up with the vaccine? That seems like a very long time. Is it because the population is so large in NY? Oregon has a form you can fill out online and it tells you what phase you'd be scheduled, based on location, pre-existing conditions and age. I'm at the bottom of the barrel. I think each state has something similar. I hope you won't have to wait that long!

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  7. Hi! I hope your clinic visit, and after effects weren't/aren't too bad this time.

    I don't think anyone that might be interested in the heart would consider the rusty parts a negative. Probably just the opposite :)

    OMG! I love potatoes in any form, and mashed are my favorite! The potato pie looks yummy.

    Awww, glad to see the amaryllis is going to give you a show. Exciting!

    You take care.

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  8. Hello Lizzy! Another lovely post, thanks. Can I ask you about one of the dishes on the dresser, sitting behind the tin heart? It has a black design, with pheasants on it. I have four dishes with this design on, there were my grandmothers and we only use them at Christmas or on special occasions. These are in blue, and they are Enoch Wedgewood, 'Asiatic Pheasants.' Is yours the same? I have never seen this design anywhere else before, I'd love to see a full shot of your dish, I was so excited to see it!
    All best wishes for a happy, healthy and safe year ahead,
    Kate, Bristol, UK

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    2. Kate: There is a lot online about this pattern, just google it. This is interesting and if you do a further search w them for Wedgwood you'll find prices in UK pricing and even for sale pieces. It is a very beautiful pattern, yours are treasures!

      https://www.blueandwhite.com/museum.asp?p=Asiatic+Pheasants

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    3. Correction! ---Hi Kate---you are a no-reply blogger! If you email me your email I ll send pics of the Asiatic Pheasant plates. Or I ll add them to a post next week.
      I had three easily examined items, all by different makers. The black plate is very old, English and says TR & P. I think [quality of the china and its printing isn't fine]; the black soup plate is English, Johnson Bros and modern. I also have an oval platter in pale blue, it is 1890-1940-ish I think, beautifully done: Burleigh [England]. I also have three blue dinner plates that are lovely, tho crazed and damaged, stained, early to mid 1800s? All are marked Asiatic Pheasant. None are fine as Wedgwood. This was a popular pattern made by many companies. I ll get pics of everything later today or soon so email me or check back next week. <3 lizzy

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  9. I enjoy your "home views" posts, Lizzy. It's almost like looking through a Country Living magazine except I can ask questions and you'll answer them!
    I love your winterberries in the crock. We have one that's very similar. It's my favorite of the ones we have.
    So glad your amaryllis is sprouting. It will be beautiful for Valentine's Day or thereabouts.
    Your heart with the rusted point -- I should think it would sell quickly and the rust wouldn't be a problem if you point it out. But do you really want to part w ith it? It's a beautiful heart.

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  10. Hello there! Sorry I know it’s been a long time time since I’ve commented. I love your post...a new year! All Christmas put away. Mine is gradually being wrapped, boxed and hiding in the closet for another year. The spring flowers blooming in your home, gives us hope for nicer weather to come.
    Hugs to ((Mo))!

    Blessings
    Gert

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Hi! I'm allowing comments from everyone, even anonymous for awhile, to see what happens. With comments moderation. Hopefully the awful porn spammer has gone elsewhere. Or you can always email me! I love to hear from everyone.