Finishing the Year ~ New Years Menus and Other Stuff

Hi everyone! Welcome 2019!

The past few days I've been slowly dismantling the Christmas decor around the house. All that remains is the red toile pillow covers and the red/ pink and white transferware china. I may leave the red and white plates up a few more weeks to show a friend who will visit me mid-January. (She thinks she only likes blue, lol. I'll show her.) And the Christmas tree, tiny as it is, is still glowing happily in its corner. I won't take it down til Twelfth Night, on January 5th Twelfth Night refers to the last day of the Twelve Days of Christmas, from long ago when Christmas was celebrated not from Halloween til Christmas Day, but from Christmas Eve to the 12th night, or Three Kings Day, when the Magi/ Wise Men arrived  with gifts for the holy baby..

I hate taking down my Christmas tree. It's not the work or effort---I enjoy dusting each ornament, wrapping it carefully in tissue or quilt batting cutaways, and setting each into its nest for the year. What makes me sad is the ending of it all. When we fold away the season's bright baubles we also must let go of all the hopes and joy and anticipation that were so wondrous just a few short weeks ago. (Or if you're a Halloween starter, 2 1/2 long months ago!).

All that's left are memories, and some sprinklings of glitter ground into the floor.
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New Years! If you watched the TV Times Square broadcast on NYE you know we had torrential rains all evening. Not cold, but  very wet.

Usually I meet friends for a very early drink but this was no night to be on the road. Instead I invited a friend who was also home alone, and who lives nearby, for dinner.

I had a too large for one person filet mignon, which we shared.

Menu

Filet mignon with bearnaise sauce

Baby lettuce greens with balsamic vinaigrette and warm goat cheese.

Baby roasted potatoes.

Stuffed portobello mushrooms,

filled with mushroom stems, chopped and parsley 

and asiago cheese.

Easy and delicious! Mo wore his party crown we'd found on the sidewalk on our walk a few days before. It's lovely rose gold glitter; he likes it a lot.

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New Years Day menu 

[Family arriving home, time unknown)

Roast Pork glazed with garlic and TJ's pepper jelly

and gravy

Potato pie, recipe below.

[or] Baked butternut squash with nutmeg and cinnamon

Steamed Brussels sprouts

***

No desserts either night, though on NYE my friend and I had a ''finger'' of the Grand Marnier.
Mo was snuggly in his new puffy throw.

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New Year's Day was beautiful, 60* though windy.

Here is the the first sunset of 2019! More fade than glory, but peaceful, and nice.

And so now we open our unwritten book,   the future lies ahead waiting for us to fill its pages. May the year bring peace and happiness to everyone.

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Slightly off topic, a brief New Years Rant: I am so sick and tired of the declutter / minimalist hordes. All these pious people who go on about simplifying their lives/ homes / worlds--while selling us tchotchkas to clutter us up. It seems either phony or money grubbing, not sure which. Disingenuous?

As for me I don't want to simply or declutter, I love my stuff! I want to wear French perfume and diamond earrings and buy cool stuff. I don't want to spend an entire year not buying a single plate, bowl or yard of fabric. What's the fun in that?

I'm supposed to be entertained/ fullfilled by self-denial? Like I'm a Medieval anchorite?  I hate that now I have to think and rethink if I want to write about items I've found thrifting or at the flea; I feel uncomfortable being a collector, as if I should keep my finds hidden from a disapproving world. No thrills of the hunt, just the smug satisfaction of mouthing the current buzz words?

There's a book just published, about living a minimalist life. That book, in hardcover not Kindle, sold out everywhere! On FB I had to leave a message: "I don't feel the need to to clutter my home with your $$$ book on minimalism."

This year I bought a few [used] books again. Ten years ago I got rid of ALL my books. Yes my quilt books, my Susan Branch books, my hard cover Lee Childs and Vince Flynns. My childhood collection of Beatrix Potter books; all my Tasha Tudor books. I even threw away years worth of  twice-weekly letters from my mom, and a lifetime of birthday cards. I regret my decisions almost daily. I love the books I now bought, they may be clutter, my exhusband always despised books as  "your mess", but I want them, and now I have 4 or 5 of them, along with six sets of dinner china, hundreds of quilts, and two sets of formal silver flatware.

Yes, I am still frugal. The books were second hand; my thermostat is still set at 55*, I mend socks and clothes; that's okay, just thrifty. (And truly I'd buy new socks if I could find the kind I like!)

This simple life crap is 2019s buzz, just like clean eating was 2017-2018's. My classic cooking may not be gluten free, soy free, dairy free...but it NOT dirty or unclean. Who makes this stuff up, Gwenneth Paltrow? Oprah? I hate it. Right now I am taking the pledge: NO minimalism. Ever.

And last: I bet Biggie the Pug [AKC Champion Toy Dog 2018] weighs a heck of a lot more than freakin' 18 pounds,lol. Some person on FB said Mo is fat. We cried.

love

lizzy

gone to the beach.....

Potato Pie

one deep dish pre-made pie crust, pre-baked 375* for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile make a bag of prepared mashed potatoes, using fat free Half and Half.

 OR enough fresh made mashed potatoes to fill the pie shell

Add 4 oz/ 1/2 bag of grated sharp cheddar,

2T butter

and

two bunches of scallions, washed and chopped into 1/3" pieces, 

including nice green parts. 

Sauteed until translucent, but not too soft.

!/2 package of precooked Oscar Meyer bacon, 

diced and cooked on paper towels in micro til crisp.

Salt pepper parsley to taste.

Whisk everything together with a fork, add more milk or cream if needed to be fluffy but not wet.

Bake at 375* for about 50 minutes, 

until the crust edges and top of the filling begin to look pretty and brown.

Cool 2 minutes before cutting.

*****

Yum! Fast and so delicious, best with prime rib, but nice with pork roast too.

PS I am having computer disk and photo upload issues. Bear with me please.

Something for the Weekend

It's Friday! But oh no! Summer is half over, the days are flying by [and getting shorter]. This is the last weekend of July '17. Let's make it a good one? I am expecting fussy guests and have been cleaning like crazy for three days, ugh. Even things that do NOT matter, like my underwear basket and fridge door spice rack. If my guests check out those areas---well, I'd be speechless , I guess.
Did you get any Fall catalogs yet? I got a couple ''transitional" ones, like from LL Bean. You know, shorts plus sweaters?
Online this mini skirt is everywhere from Ann Taylor to Talbot to Gap and Old Navy. Big floral or camo. Fine if you're 14!




Time flies! Exceptionally chic cool watches, even though who wears a watch anymore? here




Kel asked me about this wine . In a photo the other day the beautiful bottle could be seen filled with sand on my friend's doorstep. It's a local NY/ Long Island wine called Summer in a Bottle. here



White or rose`, exceptional!

Avery fun link from Mel, if you have a few minutes to be amazed, inspired and charmed by this crazy artist: here

And in beach books: Nancy Thayer's summer offering: Secrets in Summer
I enjoyed it very much, despite Thayer's ongoing theme of cheating spouses and tacky sex. The heroine was an intelligent regular person this year, not one of Thayer's tedious rich bitches. And Nantucket itself was lightly but charmingly described, including some fun local things like having to jump on a plane to go mall shopping on the mainland, or being on stand-by for the ferry ride back to Cape Cod. The love interest was a bit blah, the guy was seriously boring and moody, who needs that? Get a dog instead, lol.

Michael Connolly's first in a new series [since poor Harry Bosch is getting past retirement into old age doldrums] The Late Show starts slow, no interest or connection to the young woman detective who is the new star of his book. As things go on, the book improves, though her lifestyle is seriously unlikely. I admit I lost the plot thread towards the end, not that it mattered. I always like Connolly's writing and will look for the next in this series.
Both good summer reads, despite my quibbling!
Have a great weekend! [pls let me know if links or photos don'y show up, this post is a bit dofferent, just experimenting here. thx]

love

lizzy

gone to the beach....

My Boro Sweater, June Full Moon, and Other Random Thoughts for Friday

 Hi! First of all we must look at the  June full moon. This moon is called the Strawberry Moon, and as it's so close to the Summer Solstice, shining for our few brief hours of spring darkness, it's a wonderfully magical and mysterious moon. There is an interesting post on Woman with Wings , a lovely , mindful, spiritual blog: with permission, quoting,
"We have a full moon rising this Friday -- I hope to wrap up more herbal bundles and write my gratitude list during the day...that night I'll set out a jar filled with lemon balm leaves and water to be infused by the full moon and other cosmic energies. I like leaving this water out the following day as well to be infused by the sun, after which I strain it. Lemon balm water helps us to be centered in the midst of chaos, also helps meditation.''

However. Yes it is still chilly here, verging on cold.

For my evening walks with Mo I must wear layers, including a wool turtleneck sweater, hat and scarf, fleece or windproof jacket. I usually wear an old lavender cashmere I've had for years. It was one of the last gifts my mom gave me; she disliked lavender color but she sent it because it was my choice. I  love it because it's from her, and also it's one of Lands End's old cashmeres from when they made thick cozy turtleneck sweaters that are also machine washable, with a bit of care. Anyway, it went from best sweater, to everyday sweater, to dog walking sweater over the years; I wear it all the time. So imagine my distress when it sprung an elbow hole.

Backtracking I've been interested in the Japanese art of ''boro'', a form of patchwork and make do.  I believe that, in Japanese, boro means ''rags''. [I'll put a couple links about boro at the end of the post.] Since I can't find my Japanese ikats and indigos I decided I would practice boro patchwork/ stitching on my beloved sweater.

Two pretty fabrics from my scraps, lined in flannel, sewed with a lavender silk twist cord. Perfect again! I love it.
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Yesterday was Mo's adoption day anniversary. It is just three years since the tiny mite was so brave and flew here all alone from California. Seems like he's been here forever, doesn't it.

I got him a pizza shaped cooky.

A bagel chew.

And a baby splash pool, in case it ever gets hot again. Poor Mo, he  may HATE it. I'll start with ice cubes in it, as Mel suggests. LOL. If it get really hot, heck, I may sit in it myself!

Then I'm working on my deck spruce up. New chairs!

I also ordered new screen disks for the windscreen portholes but Gorilla Glue wouldn't stick. I'll try the F6000 glue next, otherwise Mo will get his head stuck in the porthole.
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Lavender looks good. Two kinds. Pretty and the bees love it

'...

I'm making reusable grocery bags, six for me, six for my friend L. But then I have to go buy plastic bags for Mo cleanup, so I'm a little miffed. These are linen/ cotton drapery remnants from my stash. Washable, I hope.

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And the best! look what Mel is making!

She is an expert crocheter and she made this amazing wrap bracelet for me. I love it! ---If / when summer comes I plan to wear it everyday.

Aaaand, look what the bracelets were wrapped in. So cool. What a find. Mel has a great eye, thanks so much!

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This came in the mail. I live in the red part.

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Something for the weekend--- here's a yummy sounding recipe from Kelley to try: here .
And this week's wine is Flowers Sonoma Coast Rose` 2016   here



That's it for now. Mo and I hope to do some on-deck sewing this weekend. Fall Festival is so neglected.
Have a good weekend.

love

lizzy

gone to the beach

Boro:  My Pinterest board Boro

            French General Boro tote kit : here

            Interesting post about the History of boro: here

 NOTE for ETSY SHOP: From now, June 10 thru Fourth of July week I am having Dollar Days/ Sidewalk Sale days here in my etsy shop. When I was growing up in a small town in Illinois, the summer night sidewalk sales---many items just a $1.oo!---were always so fun, so I am recreating that here. I have marked down almost everything in my shop to just ONE DOLLAR, plus shipping. Find a treasure or two/ stock up for gift giving!
Folk art items that are not marked down [dolls, quilts, treasures from the sea] are available for reasonable offers, just PM me. All offers cheerfully considered. Be aware that items may have sold privately or thru my blog, things go fast! I'll let you know. Hopefully you'll find something you like and you'll come back soon for my Summer Lavender Hearts in Seaglass and White and Summer Blues. I hope you have fun. Happy Summer! Etsy link on sidebar