Sunday Flea Market

Hi! Did you get to the flea market this weekend?

I almost didn't go, the weather report was for cold grey drizzle. Ha! What a joke, summer has arrived at the beach and the market was HOT, busy, and chaotic....

For some reason the booths were set up in the farthest parking lot, bordered by a train overpass, an expressway and an eight lane highway. This odd triangle is usually the parking lot for the big flea market, so there was nowhere to park..and not a breath of shade or greenery, just hot asphalt and fumes. (The nowhere to park is the worst! I must have walked a half mile just to get back to the market, and all I could think the whole time was "will I get towed?" Not so fun...)

I hope this market returns to its usual spot, still the train station parking lot, but there is grass and trees and shade from the train station's trestle..and space for the dealers.

The dealers seemed as disoriented as I was, their goods scattered carelessly in the blazing sun.  I did find a dealer/ friend who always has lovely linens and bought this gorgeous set of pillow cases.

All hand embroidered...

So pretty!
I think they were once small tea-table cloths or dresser scarves. Someone did the work already and sewed the pair into pillow cases years ago.

See how the original edge has been folded to the back and stitched?

Yes they are very age discolored....or were. Clean though. Anyway, no matter, all textiles get immediately washed in hot water in my house!

Then I soaked the linens for two days in "Restore" which is some sort of whitener/ brightener for antique textiles. Not an oxygen bleach...something else? Sodium something, I forget.

By last night the cases were much improved but not pristine. Yes, I decided:  they need a little bath in the Clorox bucket! They've survived maybe 100 years, they are tightly woven strong cotton, I knew they could certainly stand a little bleach. Just a capful in a large bucket for 15 minutes. Perfect!
White, white, white!

But then---due, I think, to the ongoing high winds here, my household water suddenly turned deep rust brown! Oh no! I couldn't rinse the pillow cases in that! I gently squeezed the bleach water out, then soaked them in a gallon of Poland Spring bottled water.
Today they got washed in cold water [it clears up quicker, the bad water lingers in the hot water heater. Yes, I used to have blonde hair! Today a sad brown...lol.]. I can't wait to finish drying them in the sun and ironing them with a bit of starch. Perfect whites for summer beds!

Usually I buy these for myself, though I can always be convinced to share via etsy.

Enjoy the hot early summer days days!

love

           lizzy    

...........gone to the beach! In shorts and flip flops!

PS Blogger is acting up tonite, it won't let me resize my photos. Pls click on pix for closeups...thx!

What's in Season: Artichokes and Pansies

Spring! Time to celebrate the small stuff. And yes, it's ALL small stuff. Doesn't mean it can't be fun, pleasurable...even delicious! April brings a couple of my favorite things to the markets here at the beach...

By Mid-April, roadside garden stands and supermarkets display tiered masses of pansies.

And pansies are, well, just so adorable.
{I 'd love a room painted just this color....}

 

Mine seem very happy on my deck, in the antique crock.

See their pansy smiles!?

Another favorite small pleasure of spring is the reappearance of lovely dense green artichokes. It must be harvest time somewhere!

More prickly than pretty...and perhaps an acquired taste? I  love them baked Italian style, the house is filled with scents of cheeses and lemon, garlic, and herbs.

I'll put a link at the end for a real recipe, but they are very easy to make. Just soak to get  them nice and clean, trim the thorns with shears, steam/boil in a big pot filled with salted lemon water and lemon slices. Takes awhile, 20-30 minutes? Keep an eye on them, check with a sharp little knife, for tenderness.

Drain well, upside down, scoop out the inner thistle stuff, if it bothers you.

Spread the leaves gently and fill with breadcrumbs, Parmesan [a must!] and Gorgonzola [optional, feta is nice too] cheeses; drizzle with more lemon juice, melted butter and olive oil. Bake for about 25 minutes.

Serve in bowls with the lemon butter from the baking dish,

Messy to eat! But fun. After you scrape the meat from the leaves with your teeth, discard any prickly stuff and chop up the hearts. This is the meatiest, best, yummiest part.
Yum!

The baked artichokes make a filling first course [I serve half per person] or they can be a fun dinner all by themselves. A nice crisp white wine goes perfectly, maybe some crusty warm french bread?

recipe here
or another, a little fancier, more details: here [I never use cream...]

You will notice my artichokes look exactly the food website's  'chokes! Shows you how easy they are to make!

And for those of you not familiar with this luscious veggie treat, a little primer:  Step by Step How to Eat an Artichoke

Try it! Enjoy.

{I've found that kids love artichokes; they enjoy the fingerfood aspect, the mess, and the familiar fragrance of parmesan cheese.}

love

          lizzy

gone to the beach>>>>>>>>>>



the dune oystercacters, yesterday.
See: both on one leg !



Happy Easter!

The Easter Bunny came!

Isn't he adorable---

I gave him a nest and a bow....

I found him yesterday when I popped into the thrift shop for a quick look. I don't know what he is...under the fabulously chocolate-looking surface he seems to be some sort of porcelain over metal?  He has to have somehow been cast from a vintage chocolate mold?

Dated by hand, incised in the glaze: 1979 .

No matter...I love him, such a perfect old fashioned chocolate bunny...but calorie-free! Unlike some other favorites! Look! All blue Dove eggs!

And Cadbury chocolate eggs in their perfect chalky pastel colors. Even the white is gorgeous....

And then I just did lots of flowers....

BBQ tomorrow..and a plate of devilled eggs!

Enjoy the day and lovely spring weather.

love

   lizzy

   gone to the beach~~~~