As It Turns Out

David is quite the baker/dessert maker.  A couple of months ago he won 2nd and 3rd place in the hospital dessert contest.
So when our church had a men's cake contest he was up for the challenge.
He made a blueberry-almond upside down cake.  This is the picture that was in Taste magazine.

The original recipe called for blackberries, but there were no fresh blackberries to be found so he substituted blueberries.  This is what his cake looked like.

Isn't it pretty?  (You may notice that it is on my Fire King Flora Gold platter.)  And it tasted delicious.  It was from scratch.  And he won most creative.  There were over 25 entries.

Then our daughter-in-law wanted a lemon pound cake.  He made that too.  From scratch.  I didn't get a piece, but she said it was very good.  I didn't get a picture,  but it turned out pretty too.

 Oh and this is a picture of the kitchen aftermath from the pound cake.  He did clean it up though...

The only cake I ever made from scratch was a dud.  It was a Coca Cola cake, with coke in the cake, and in the icing.  It was an heirloom recipe given a whole page and a story in Southern Living magazine.  It was nasty.  It was terrible...anyway that's another story.
My husband--Ace of Cakes...

Conversation With The Puppies

CiCi and GinGin: Mommy?
Me:  What?
We need to talk to you about something.
Now what?  Is it Avery again?
No. No.
Well then what is it?
We noticed that you haven't been cleaning the house like you usually do.
What do you mean?
There are towels in the bathroom floor, all those Lego and block things are still in the floor in the back bedroom that #7 didn't pick up last night, there are clothes in the laundry room that need folding and putting up, the house is dusty and the floors need mopping.  And of course our puppy hair is everywhere 'cause you haven't vacuumed this week.  And we were wondering if you were okay.
I'm fine.  I just decided to goof off this weekend...and last weekend...and this week.  People are more important that cleaning.
And oh yeah by the way, before Daddy and I left for church this morning yawl were lazing there in the bed and I asked yawl to help out some.  Remember?  I asked yawl if you could just fold/put up the clothes and empty the dishwasher.  And you looked at me with that sweet puppy look on your faces that melts my heart.
Yeah....we know...we are good aren't we?

Things I Bought At The Auction III

Honestly for the $37.45 that I spent for 4 hours of entertainment Saturday, I truly think that I got my money's worth.  It's the thrill of the hunt, the thrill of the battle and of course the triumph when you do win the item.
For instance, as of late I have found myself fascinated/craving silver plate.  This beauty was a surprise when the auctioneer held it up. It's huge, has gorgeous edging and handles and is footed.

The initials in the middle are CAM...mine are AJM....and it polished up to a beautiful shine.  I love it.  Oh and the guy who is a dealer and was bidding against me, said oh I didn't know you were bidding on it...I have gotten to be friends with a lot of the regulars......I flipped it over, looked at him and said these magic words--"it's Gorham."  Mine for $12.50!!!!

This is a large vintage sewing basked, stuffed to overflowing with all kinds of vintage goodies--wooden spools with silk thread, bobbins, machine parts, needles.....I haven't even looked at all the stuff in the bottom yet.

 Mine for $5.00

I love this amber glass coffee canister..so what if I can't get the lid off...Mine for $2.50!!

This little tea cup has Made in China on the bottom and all that gold all over it. I knew it was going home with me.  Mine for $2.50.

I thought that I had sworn off vintage purses, until I saw this beauty.  Needlepoint....me sighing very very deeply...Mine for $2.50...
All in all it was a very good day... I can't wait until the first Saturday in August.

Conversation With The Puppies

CiCi and GinGin:  Mama we need to talk to you a  minute.
Me:  Okay.  Whatsup?
It's about Avery.
And?
Well it's just that, well you know we love her.
And?
Well, we know that she loves us.
And?
She loves us more than our other 6 nieces and nephews do.
Get to the point. She more than loves you--she adores you.
It's just that....
You mean it's just that she's squirmy, never still, talks incessantly, asks millions of questions and does not know the meaning of the word no?
Uhhh yes...and she wears us out.  We have to hide under the bed to get some rest.
What's your point?  Be glad you can get under the bed.

Blue Blazes

It is as hot as blue blazes here.  (I got that saying from my Mama) 

And I have been hibernating.  
Bears hibernate in the winter.  
And my Northern friends, maybe you hibernate in the winter too.  
But I have figured it out.
This 54 year-old Southern Belle is gonna hibernate until around October.
The heat index is 110 and it's not even July or August yet.
I don't know if I'm gonna make it.
I'm gonna go to work and home.
That's it.
I may or may not go to the grocery store, or Wal-Mart.
It depends on how desperate I am.
I'm only going to work because I have to pay bills. (And there are a lot of them.)

Staycation

Today is the first day of my staycation.
Normally we
would be in Perdido Key about now, laying on the beach, soaking up the sun and David fishing in the surf. 

We usually always celebrate our anniversary (15 years Wednesday) this way.
But two things have come together to keep us at home.  The oil spill and the economy--(meaning our vacation budget) have come together to keep us at home.
Sooo, I'm cleaning house today, cleaning out the garage tomorrow and just generally goofing off.  Reading,

blogging, watching all of the TV shows I've recorded.  Fraiser, Miami Medical, Pawn Stars, Pickers etc.  I may watch The Tudors again.......I just don't know....
Sooo if any of you have an idea of something fun and cheap to do in Mississippi.......well please advise, otherwise I'll be here on the couch just vegging out.......

I Love Snow Scenes

Maybe because I live in Mississippi and snow is such a rareity, I love snow scenes.  We have two prints in the great room......and now I have one in the dinning room.

The snow scene is to the right of the china cabinet.  And it fits right in.  The dining room is kind of a tribute to the wildlife out here on the lake....see the antlers on top of the cabinet, the resin duck bust on the table, and there is a mounted duck and painted turkey feathers on the walls and now this little guy or girl.

I just love everything about it--the colors, the rabbit, the snow, the story it tells, the frame, and of course the price--$7.50 at the auction.
It sat on the floor in the bathroom for about a month before I could decide where to put it...and then one day it hit me...oh that's where it belongs.
It just goes to show you, if it calls to you, buy it--you will find a place for it.