Book review..........The Pilot's Wife by Anita Shreve

This was a very good book and I'm surprised because I usually don't care for Oprah's picks.  She tends to go to the "dark side" when she picks books.  There's always lots of drama and terrible, sad, pitiful tales.  This was wasn't happy go lucky but it wasn't so awful that it gave you bad dreams.
  The Pilot's Wife is by Anita Shreve who is an outstanding writer and makes it easy to get involved with her tale from page one.  The story involves a high school English teacher who is married to an airline pilot and they have a 15 year old daughter.   The plane her husband is piloting crashes and everyone is killed.  The real story lies in the days and weeks following the crash and the path her life takes and how she copes with all the aftermath.  It brought forward the events in my own life when I realized that we never really know another person no matter how close we may feel to them.  Human beings are a surprising lot.
I enjoyed this book as it was masterfully written without bush whacking you with terror or gross details.  It was more like a mystery unfolding in front of you and gently placed in your hands to hold for a brief time.  This book will go in my "keeper" bookshelf and although I don't recommend many of "Oprah's picks", I do recommend this one. I think I picked it up at a garage sale or library sale.  I know I didn't buy it new.
I'm going to look into other books by Ms. Shreve especially another book that was a national bestseller, The Weight of Water.  If any of you have read this book or any of her others please let me know what you thought about them.  Thanks for stopping by...you know you make my day with your kind comments!
I wish you a satisfying Saturday! 

Made a coffee cake yesterday.......I mean a real "coffee" cake!

This was a recipe from my new cookbook, The Pioneer Woman Cooks, Food From My Frontier by Ree Drummond.  This is her second cookbook and I have her first which I dearly love.  There's not a recipe of hers that I've made that hasn't been fabulous!  This woman knows good food.  This cake is no exception.    As Ree described it......"If you're a lover of coffee, it's twelve trips to heaven and back!"  I could not agree more.  It's an easy cake to  make although you dirty a lot of dishes in the process or is that just me?

I love coffee but actually I'm not a huge fan of cake....but I'll make an exception in this case.  It IS pure heaven to smell, taste and eat down to the last crumb and of course perfect with a cup of coffee!   I'm sharing the recipe but remember to credit Ree and if you're lucky enough to get the Food Network, she has her own show on Saturday's, I think.  Her cookbooks read like a novel and the pictures and photography are exquisite.  You must try this recipe....you won't regret it and you'll be rushing out to buy your own copy.  I guarantee!

Coffee Cream Cake
--------------------

Cake:
2 sticks of butter
3 tablespoons instant coffee crystals
1 C boiling water
2 C all purpose flour
2 C sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 C buttermilk or 1/2 cup milk with 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Creamy Filling:
8 oz package of cream cheese at room temperature
1 C powdered sugar
1 C heavy cream

Coffee Icing:
1 1/2 sticks of butter
2 tablespoons instant coffee crystals
4 tablespoon half and half (I used milk)
4 C powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions for cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Thoroughly grease and flour 2 round 8 or 9 inch cake pans.  To make the cake, melt the butter in a saucepan.  Sprinkle in the instant coffee.  Add the boiling water.  Let the mixture bubble up for a few seconds, then turn off the heat.  Add the flour, sugar, and salt to a large bowl.  Pour the hot butter/coffee mixture over the top and stir to combine.  Mix together the buttermilk, eggs, baking soda, and vanilla, and pour it into the bowl and mix everything together.  Pour the batter evenly into the cake pans and bake for 13-15 minutes, or until set.  I used the toothpick test and had to bake for an additional 7 minutes.  Remove the pans from the oven and allow the cakes to cool inside the pans for 10 minutes, then invert the cake layers onto a work surface and allow to cool completely.

Directions for creamy filling:
To make the creamy filling, add the cream cheese to a mixing bowl.  Add the powdered sugar and the heavy cream.  Beat until light and fluffy, then set aside. (I used my Kitchen Aide mix master for this step)

Directions for coffee icing:
Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the instant coffee.  Stir it together, then add the half-and-half and whisk together to combine.  Turn off the heat.  Add the powdered sugar and vanilla.  Whisk well to make the icing perfectly smooth, then let it cool for 5 minutes.  When the cake layers are completely cool, spread the creamy filling mixture on the bottom layer.  Gently lay the second layer on top.  Drizzle the coffee icing on top allowing it to drip down the sides.  Swirl the icing around on the sides  and this is a direct quote from Ree.......
"count how many seconds it takes you to cut a very enormous wedge and serve it to yourself".
Happy Friday everyone and enjoy!
P.S.  The only thing better than this cake would be this cake with a side of coffee ice cream!  Oh yeah...that's what I'm talking about!

Decorating book review!

I just finished reading this book.....yes, I said "reading".  I don't know about you but I have gathered decorating books over the years and would look at the pictures but never read the text.  I think I was impatient in my youth.  I am now going through my books and reading and sorting through and clearing out.  I came across this softcover book from Sunset and the cover room was what I fell in love with!

 Yes, there it is again..........and you see all the yellow highlighting?  I do that in all my books and have for years, magazines too.  Anyway, obviously I LOVE this room and the colors and many of it's features.  After all these years I have finally sat down to literally figure out what I like and don't like.   It's sort of like Oprah's "What I know For Sure" .....this is more "What I know I like and don't like, for sure"!  At my age I don't have to waste time or money on experimentation.  After all these years, I know exactly what appeals to me and what makes my house feel like home to me anyway.   
This book is definitely a "keeper" as there was just so much about it I loved.  So many decorating books are nothing BUT pictures with no real information in them but this one had tons of practical application and even references to other books if you wanted to delve deeper into something like stenciling or different painting techniques for walls and furniture.  
I apologize for the not so good photos but they are pictures of pictures plus I was trying to hold the book open while taking the picture.  I love this bright and cheery kitchen below.............

I've discovered I like window pane checks and hardwood floors for sure (I hate carpeting...sorry Carpeting Institute of America) and I MUST have a fireplace of some sort.............

Can you see that fireplace in the picture?  It is made of "clinker" bricks.  I never heard of them but what a beauty it is!  It has a built in shelf too.  I'm not fond of the brick fireplaces but I'll take this one!  My favorite was my Vermont Castings wood burning stove I had on my farm in Iowa.  That little puppy could heat that whole farmhouse and there was many a blizzard where we were warm and cozy without any electricity for days and I could use the top of it for warming things up to eat, like soup or coffee plus I always had a big pot of potpourri on it which humidified the house and made it smell good too.
Below reminds me of the screened in porch I had on the farm.  It was like an extra room in the Summer and even in the Winter when we had family get togethers I could put food out there and soda etc; when the icebox got full.  A screened in porch is heaven for so many reasons!

I remember Elaine, from Sunny Simple Life earlier this Spring, talking about her dog-eared copy of her Sunset gardening book.  Sunset has been around for years but I guess I never paid much attention to them but I will now!  They are great books full of great information and pages of resources and websites in the back....and pretty pictures too! LOL!
Have a terrific Thursday and thanks for stopping by....I'll be by your place later!

First day of summer and Lesson #2 in wool applique..........

Happy first day of Summer everyone!  Wool and Summer you say?  It is a strange combination but down here in the South...Summer is like Winter in the North.  Right now I have my windows open but it is going to be in the 90's today and once my little brick house heats up (like an oven) I will have to close the windows, close the drapes and turn on the AC.  I'll turn on a few little lamps, light some candles and there you go....cozy just like in the Wintertime!  So you see, it's not so strange after all to do wool applique in the Summer! LOL! 
The last "lesson" I traced and roughly cut out my patterns on the tracing paper and gathered my wool.  Next I chose my pieces of wool and the patterns and ironed them onto the wool.  I trace the patterns onto the dull side of the freezer paper and then iron it onto the wool with the shiny side facing the wool.  You don't iron it for long...I usually just run the iron over it like 10 seconds tops and it sticks!  Freezer paper that you buy at the local grocery store!  Who knew? 
Below and above is what it looks like after I've ironed them all onto the wool.

Next is cutting them out on the tracing lines and I end up with all my little pattern pieces that I then "corral" into a container as these pieces (especially the tiny ones) are easily lost...sort of like socks in the dryer! 

So, there you have it........all my little pieces for my next block!  Stay tuned for Lesson #3 when I prep the block for applique.  Happy Summer and stay cool and don't forget the sun block!
P.S.  I have been negligent about visiting you all and I am trying to catch up.  I've just been really working hard around here on other projects and still having a bit of a problem with my pc being extremely SLOW....I'm really hoping I don't need a new one.....ahhhh!  It would really put a crimp in my budget!  We shall see.

OMG! This is SO cool!!! Well....I think it is....Cath Kidson book!!!!!

This is my first Cath Kidson item and I am "over the moon" about it!  I had to order it from England but it is so worth it!  And get this...........it came with a cross stitch kit!!!!!  Okay......so I have not got anything new started in my cross stitch category........but I do now!!!!  Take a look at this.........

 It's a little zippered purse!  Is that sweet or what?  And here are some more projects I plan on working on "down the road".  Below is a cowboy chair pad...oh yeah!

Look at this sweet cherry shelf trim....oh, I do love me some cherries!

I also love me some polka dots!  This is a tea cozy.....

If you want to really commit yourself, how about this needlepoint rug.....polka dots, stripes, multi-colored....I love it all!

I love this bag.....it's all about the embellishment!  These are just a few of the wonderful projects in this book.

What do you think?  Is this style something you like?  Tastes change and I was surprised myself when all of a sudden I was loving roses and bright colors and what I like to call "the U.K. style"!  So cozy and homey and right up my alley!  I hope you enjoy these pictures from her book....there is lots more too!  Thank you Cath Kidson!  I'm a fan now and there are more books!  Have a great Tuesday and I hope you have something that gives you joy today!

Book review and candles too!

 This was an excellent book about a woman's NDE(Near Death Experience).  She's been on PBS with Dr. Wayne Dyer and I'd been wanting to get the book when lo and behold it was at the library!  Coincidence?  I don't think so..........
It was truly a fascinating account and confirmed for me some of my suspicions about illness and our purpose here on  earth.  Her experiences have been validated by numerous physicians.  No matter what your views or religious upbringing, you need to read this book and most certainly if you have a fear of death.

My candles came in the mail!  Supposedly there was a store on McCall's website that said they carried them and it was near Walmart but when I went there they told me they hadn't carried them for years.  Just an F.Y.I, when you look at those store websites that tell you "your nearest retailer" carrying their product.....call first!  As it was I was going to Walmart so it wasn't too far out of my way but still it was a waste of gas and my time.  I came home and ordered them online just in time before the heat of summer.  Ordering candles in the "hot" months can be a melted mess!  Ask me how I know this. LOL!  I used to get McCall's candles up North and they were my favorites.  I sort of forgot about them until Elaine over at Sunny Simple Life
reminded me of them.  They happen to be her favorite too!  I got Country Store, State Fair and Raspberry Lemon.  I love them all!  These are my  "scents of Summer".
Oh!  BTW...did any of you watch Anne of Green Gables last night from 6-10 on INSP channel?  I did and it was WONDERFUL!  The story (I've read the whole series), the scenery (filmed on location in Prince Edward Island) and the houses and their decorating sent me to heaven!  I must order the dvds as I could and would watch it over and over again!  Happy Monday everyone and have a wonderful week!

No spin today...........

I apologize for not blogging for the past couple days.....it's been quite a week!  I won't go into details but suffice it to say the "sun spots" were definitely doing a number on me this week!  Also, I was doing the Sunday Spin as a "rest" on Sunday but turns out there are copyright issues on other's photos and also it was taking me much longer than a regular post on my "day of rest".  LOL!  I will continue to point out blogs of interest but I just won't include pictures just the link to their blog.  I guess Pinterest is fair game though because I see a lot of that out on the blogs.

I don't have a lot to show for the last few days either as all my efforts were put toward electronics and fixing and phone calls and going without electricity.  Today is catchup in all areas!  I did manage to gather up my materials for my next quilt block though.  Here's the pattern for the next block........

 I trace the patterns and their letters onto freezer paper...........

 Then the fun part comes in......going through my wool stash picking out the right colors and/or even dying some wool if I don't have that color in my stash.  Here are some nice greens for the leaves.........

 

 Then how about these colors for the orange.......

  

 Then I  need some blues and purples for the grapes............

 

 Below you can see the subtle differences that come about from hand dying or over dying.  I love the effect.

I'll update you when I have more progress on this block....hopefully I'll get to work on it today.
I hope you're having a relaxing Sunday and Happy Father's Day to all those Dads out there!  Enjoy your day!

  

My very first award on my blog..........

It's from Tammy at T's Daily Treasures and actually it's more of a questionaire but how fun and what a great way to get to know each other better on these blogs.  Thanks, Tammy!  So, here I go.............

1. Favorite animal:  This is a toughie because I love so many.  I love my dogs and cats both past and present but horses have always had an almost spiritual connection with me.  When I ride it's like I'm in another world and the horse and I are one.  Unfortunately, I no longer have my horses and I no longer ride but I do dream about riding sometimes and I love that!

2.  Favorite number:  7 as it has shown up in my life numerous times and is supposedly a spiritual number.

3.  Favorite non-alcoholic drink:  Coffee.........nectar of the gods!

4.  Facebook or Twitter:  It would have to be Facebook because I've never been on Twitter.

5.  My passion:  To not take anything or anyone (especially MOI) too seriously and pepper that with gobs of gratitude for what is and not for what I wish it was.

6. Getting or giving:  Giving but with one caveat........I have learned to give to myself first else I have nothing to pass on and also to give to myself what I  don't receive from others.  We're not talking material things here but we could be....like fabric and yarn etc.  Oh, I'm sorry...I got off message there.

7.  Favorite pattern:  There's an afghan I made years ago...my first really big project in crocheting and to this day it is my favorite.  I will share it someday on my blog if I can find it.  It was not boring but you could do it and watch t.v. plus it looked like squares but it was all done in one piece.  

8.  Favorite day of the week:  Friday....silly as I'm retired now but Friday's are still exciting around here as "the girls" and I plan our weekends.

9.  Favorite flower:  it used to be carnations as I loved the way they smelled and they lasted forever but over the years roses have become very meaningful to me.  I planted a memorial garden in honor of my folks back on my farm with roses named in honor of WWII such as Peace and Victory etc.  Both my parents served in  WWII.  SInce I've moved here,  I've been trying to restore my Mother's rose garden and have grown to love them. I've discovered they are not the prissy, fussy flower everyone makes then out to be.  Not if I can grow them! 

10.  Favorite country:  the universe is my country...we have used flags, borders, religions, race and sex to divide us from each other in the name of God, patriotism etc.   We all  come from the same source just a like all water comes from the ocean originally.....we need to stop creating more ways to divide us from each other and come up with ways to unite us....like Mother Teresa once said...."I won't march against war but I will march for peace".  We are all the same.....no one is more special than another and yet we are all miraculous!

Thank you Tammy for this opportunity and I loved getting to know you better and now I am passing the baton on to these next wonderful blogging friends.........

Always Fixin' Never Sittin'
Aunt Nubby's Kitchen
Camp and Cottage Living
Creating With The J's
Down Our Country Road
Nancy Jo
Sunny Simple Life
Town and Country Living
Retired in Alaska
Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson

I hope you enjoy these bloggers and what they have to say for themselves! LOL!  Have whatever kind of day you want!  Happy Thursday!

Yippee! I finished another block..............

I finished the block I was working on.  I have been getting loads done around here lately and more to do today! 

I need to prep for the next block now.  I'll show you that tomorrow.........
Have a great Wednesday and I hope your weather is as nice as ours is today....GORGEOUS and low humidity!  A miracle!  Thanks for stopping....I'm off to visit you now!

Went to Wal-Mart.......................

I picked up this magazine and it is the premier issue.  I figured it was 5 or 6 dollars as it was just like the other magazines but "lo and behold" when I got home I discovered it was $9.95!  What is this world coming to?  Magazines cost more than books nowadays!  I haven't looked at it yet but all I can say is it better be good! LOL!
I also bought the second cookbook from Ree Drummond.  Her first one was fantastic!  In fact, I'm sure she's to blame for these extra pounds I'm carrying!  But I'm a glutton for punishment....the delicious kind!  I'll be posting on what I make from it.  

For those of you, Kerin, who asked where I found those Praeventia cookies last week, they were in the snacks and crackers aisle at Wal-Mart.  This week I went and there was only one box of the chocolate and that was it!  I am hoping that they are so popular that they were all sold out and not that they aren't carrying them anymore.  Many times the little companies get bought out by the big ones just to put them out of business so they won't compete with the big ones.  Below is an example but Nabisco kept making them.  They are called breakfast biscuits but I use them as a snack as they also are individually packaged with 4 to a package.  It helps me to be conscious of what and how much I am eating.  I've had these before and they are yummy!  They also come in several different flavors and one plain.

Look at these pretty notebooks I picked up!  They are bigger than the black ones I got for my crochet and knitting etc instructions PLUS.....these have a place on the spine I can actually slide my labels that I made in!  Taa Daa!!!!  I can use the smaller black ones for something else.  I have always have a use for notebooks.

So............that wraps up another shopping adventure with Sam!  Stay tuned to see what other treasures she unearths at sales, stores and on the World Wide Web! Oh my!  Have a great day everyone and PTL we got a "gully washer" of a rain here yesterday!  I hope you all get what you want/need in your area of the world!  Thank you so much for your comments as they are like presents in and of themselves.   

I had some company drop in over the weekend........................

Every Spring I get a herd of turtles coming through my yard to bury their eggs.  This gal was a good size one and I love the beautiful markings on her shell.  This picture made me realize how little grass I have anymore....it is so dry here but hopefully we have a 60% chance of rain today!  I better go out and do my rain dance to ensure it! LOL!

  I "harvested" more rocks to outline my "sidewalk" and placed them.  Rocks grow wild here and are extremely plentiful except they are "wild" and you have to pull and push and drag to get them to come with you but once they're put in place they pretty much stay put.  They know when they've got it good!

I have a lot to learn and caulking and grouting are just a few!  But thanks to the internet and blogs and Ehow and YouTube etc.....even I can learn how to do things.  It took me 45 minutes just to figure out how to load the darn caulk gun!  Plus,  they always assume you know what you're doing! Ha! Ha!  I may not have made much progress but I learned a few things and now I'm "on my way".....you'll probably see me on This Old House before long! LOL!

Not too bad for an amateur..............it  certainly isn't any worse than this which was done by a supposed "professional"..............this is what I am trying to remove and replace and there's lots of it too!  Dang!

 

Made some bread dough too....Whoa Nellie!  Stand back, I think this babies getting ready to blow!  At least there's one thing the heat and humidity are good for!

so before that happened I made some bread...........

 and baked it, of course.........

A couple of wings and some antennae and this loaf would look just like a bumble bee! Ha! Ha!  These are the kinds of random thoughts one has when one lives alone....it may be crazy but it's fun!

And then.....the end to a perfect day............some sun tea in my horse glass to watch the Belmont Stakes 

and my new Mollie Makes magazine that came all the way from England!  Jolly Good I'd say!!!!

Do you see those darling red flower buttons that came with it?  OMG!!!!  What a great day it was!

I hope you had things that made you happy over the weekend too!  

Sunday spin out in the country................

First we'll stop to visit with Anita at Aunt Nubby's Kitchen

 Do you see why I wanted to stop here first?  Yum!  Homemade cinnamon rolls but that's not all as this woman is multi-talented and gets around town you might say.  Anita also lives in Arkansas and recently was invited to visit P. Allen Smith's garden home near Little Rock.  I adore P. Allen and his farm and his gardens and his books and he's not a bad cook himself.   Here's a few pictures she shared of her visit.

 

What' not to love about this house?  I think from other pictures I've seen it overlooks the Arkansas River but don't quote me on that.  Trust me though, there is a beautiful view from this house. 

And here's the man himself......oh , Anita.....you lucky gal!!!  

Anita recently went to a cooking class in Tennesee given by Viking.  I told you this gal gets around!  It was a bread making class and she shares the recipes.  Plus, the chef's name was Sandra.....with a name like that it had to be good! LOL!

Anita is one multi-talented lady and in her spare time she gives tips on products, organizing and even throws in a few crafts now and then.......look at her organized spice drawers.  Now why didn't I think of that?

Thank you Anita for letting us visit with you and thanks for all the great dinners and desserts you've made happen at my table!

Speaking of organizing, Jen over at I Heart Organizing has some fabulous ideas and solutions for just about any clutter you  might have.  This is her very own closet...the closet of my dreams!  Oh, to have everything in its place and place for all of it!  I know...I need to scale down some first....and I'm working on that!

And look at this nifty idea for storing cords...............I love it!

Jen even has a "snack basket".......now we're talking!  She divides up larger products into healthy portions and has them ready for her family whenever they need one.  Now that's not just being organized...that's being smart too!

She also has a whole series on meal planning.....

This young gal really does have her act together....literally!  Thanks Jen!   You know I'll be by often!

Last but not least by any means is an amazing, young Mom of 5 and a military wife that manages so much it makes your head spin!  And she does it all with style!  Meet Katie at Creatively Living

What a genius!  I've carried around insulators like that for years and not once did I ever come up with a great idea for them like this one.  Way to go Katie!

Here's her back entry of her house that she just finished.....darling!  And she made or redid everything you see!
 This next one just blows my mind.................this is a before of a rug she had.............

 Katie did her magic and worked hard to come up with this beautiful transformation......

Yes...that is the same rug!  Do you believe it?  She is simply amazing, talented, hardworking to say the least, and a really nice person.
  What's amazing is she does all this while taking care of 5 little children and her husband serving in the military.  I have the deepest admiration for you and your family and the sacrifices you all make for the rest of us.

 This picture was a few years ago before the they had the other 2 children but this is what the American family looks like today.  I wish I lived next door to be of help to them and I certainly hope that the people who do live near them give them the support, encouragement and applause they all deserve.  What a beautiful family. Thank you to your entire family from the bottom of my heart!
Have a great Sunday everyone and keep all our military and their families in your prayers.