A Fanciful Twist

In Search Of...

The heat has arrived as spring switches to summer for us.

We lollygag in the warmth, and make great huge wondrous plans.

(which includes some of you, if you wish, I dare say)

I sew up curtains from favorite nightgowns for tiny windows...

As filtered light glows in the wildflower garden.

Slowly we drift into thoughts of that place.

You know that place.

Dreaming, creating.

Hollyhocks dance in between stairs.

Matty, still trying to get well.

Blues pop up everywhere...

As rabbits make sure to mow down flowers like bears.

Gobbling and munching, wildflower sushi me thinks?

And yet we search.

We hunt.

We long for...

But what?

Can you guess?

What could it be?

When poppies and toadstools grow taller than you and me?

Everywhere you turn...

The land starts to morph...

Passion fruit scent wafting about, like an intoxicating perfume, makes us drunk.

Swaying and giggling, wait, what's that I see?

Between bird's eye and mountain garland...

Did that caterpillar just wink at me?

What are we in search of?

Oh what could it be?

In search of Wonderland?

OH YES YES, that's it!

Planning, and scheming and thinking you see...

About a 2013, Mad Tea Party!!!!

I have tricks up my sleeve.

News to come soon as can be.

Miles is so sleepy from thinking about it so much.

After a good bath, cuddling up is the place to be.

Warm moist air on my shoulder as I draw...

Sweet flowers take us back to that place.

Through the rabbit hole, don'tcha know.

When things get so quiet and slow, in these lazy days where summer meets spring...

Being in search of Wonderland is just the thing.

Now stop snapping my photo, I know what you are up to, says he.

Get out your old fashioned knee length lace knickers and granny's old recipe for punch.

Stack up the teacups, crumpets - get ready to munch!

Let's plan!

The announcement nearer and near.

Another Mad Tea Party for you and me, are you in happy tears?

Planning.

Ooooo, me!

And you!

Under the trees!!

Get ready.

Excited?

Tell me, oh please!

:)

 

Love, V

 

 

 

Of Winding Vines and Silent Stone

I am back from my little journey, with a few tales to tell.

Visits down the cobble stone steps to Granny's, late night hair do's with Mombie.

Baking a handful of different treats.

And then, there was the beautiful day amongst vine and stone...

Wrought iron and rain clouds.

In that place of endless silence.

Mysterious and vastly peaceful.

A place where tales rest.

 

This song played over and over in my mind... 

 

Atop a rolling hill...

 In the little border town I grew up in...

Sits the old cemetery.

Older at the top, amongst huge old trees.

Sloping down the sides with newer graves, and newest at the bottom, surrounding the hill.

Of course, I walked to the maze at the top.

The oldest spots, of crumbling statues and forgotten plots of earth.

Where a giant angel looks on.

Knowing.

Protecting.

It was one of those perfect days meant for the memory vaults.

A light cardigan on my shoulders, thick rain clouds that only sprinkle.

And a beautiful whispering breeze.

The kind of weather that is so beautiful, you stand in silent space, letting it envelop you.

Quietly crunching leaves.

No other living person around.

Taken back in time.

Reading names.

Dates.

Wondering...

Such quiet and cool air.

The breeze leads the way...

Where vines grip wrought iron and trees so tightly.

Trees so big, and gates so old, it's as if they have been there always.

Forever.

And so, I took deep breaths in that wonderful peace I was feeling.

Staying at the top of the rolling hill, in the oldest most forgotten part of the cemetery.

Twisting through giant green trees.

Running fingers along metal...

Gathering leaves and brambles on the edges of my too long skirt.

Such a beautiful place.

In some parts, forgotten silk flowers meet flowering weeds.

Shrines and statues everywhere.

With flickering candles from time to time.

Telling you, perhaps someone had really been there.

A boy child...

1905-1906

Round I wandered...

Believe it or not, I had never wandered this cemetery alone.

I had been to a handful of funerals here in my life.

And once, Mombie dropped me and my junior high aged friends in here at night and had us screaming and running for our lives.

But now, as a different girl...

In a different time.

It was changed.

Beautiful.

I kept my eye open for my paternal grandfather's grave.

And some great aunts.

I marveled at the crumbling statues that I had always taken for granted.

When you grow up in a place of statues, incense and tiers of candles - big huge churches with gold gilding and 14 foot angels- it is what it is.

Until you go away for a long time.

Growing up.

And return with older fresher wiser eyes, to embrace it all in your mind.

It's a wonderful feeling.

It changes.

And you have a renewed love for the places that make up where you came from.

Like an old cemetery.

That all of a sudden opens your eyes to the history of where you grew up.

And how as a child, you never noticed.

I took endless photos to share with you.

It was so difficult to choose.

And if I could convey the weather, the air, the clouds and the birds...

I would.

Alas, I can only tell you about it.

There was a little pink cottage in memory of a baby.

The door removed, the inside filled with angels...

Across from graves so old, they had been fenced in.

95 year old trees, growing right in front of those old headstones.

To where they touched, and hugged.

  

As I walked up and down, and all around, I saw large black shadows on the ground.

I looked up to see ever so many vultures swimming in the sky.

And then, just like that, they settled into the tree right above me.

Oh my.

I looked up at them, wondering what they knew?

I found such comfort in that cemetery.

A place where history meets modern day.

Where blooms find a way to stay alive, amongst oldest forgotten graves.

Where the ground shifts as time moves on.

Where people come to grieve and pray.

And a giant angel looks on, as he has for 100 years or more...

Every single day.

 

 More tales to come your way soon.

So happy to be back to endless fur love and garden nooks.

And moments here with you.

Looove, V

 

 

 

 

Rose Petal Tea & Mom's Day Freebie Round-Up

Days have been filled with gorgeous cool breezes and sun.

The pale blue sky dancing with billowing clouds.

Such glorious-ness leads to menus of tea and baking.

Rose tea I thought.

Rose petal tea.

Yes, that is what we need.

As we dead headed rose bushes, Mister Lovee filled a white basket with succulent rose petals.

As the roses keep coming, I am in a dazed rose bliss.

Roses, still.

So many in the garden.

Roses are, in a way, 12 years new to me.

Save for a couple bushes I planted at the city house 15+ years ago that never did grand.

I didn't really grow up with roses, so I am making up for lost time it seems.

Letting one go to waste pains me to the core.

So, I keep bundling them up and hanging them to dry.

Eating some petals in salads, as all our gardening is pretty much organic.

Watching the colors darken into bright lush paper colors is part of the excitement.

Filling my pot rack for the year, sublime.

Happy.

The little things in life that fill you up.

The little things that are so big.

I use dry roses in a lot of my decor.

They are so pretty in shadow boxes and curio cabinets.

Old fashioned shadow boxes, filled with tid-bits of times past always fascinate me.

Roses keep beautifully under glass and wood.

We should all make some, don't you think?

With all the roses in their happy places, I plunge into rose tea makings.

The petals have been dried, and I decide to give some a little chop.

I did lots of research, and decided that, for gifts and ease...

I would use loose leaf Lady Grey tea to mix my rose petals into.

It has notes of orange and bergamot.

Perfect for roses I thought.

I just stirred my rose petals into a little tea...

And got ready to taste.

It was just so fresh, and pleasant and lovely.

I am making more to gift, as the rose petals add true magic to a cup of tea.

I sipped my tea while taste testing Julianna's go to recipe for, get this...

Vegan chocolate cake.

Isn't that great?

Here is the recipe from Moosewood Restaurant.

I have to say, it was pretty good, yes it was.

Even for a none chocolate lover like me.

I used coffee that I stole from Mister Lovee's French press, instead of water.

3 days later, sealed tightly on a plate in a plastic bag, it got moister and better.

Interesting.

I also oiled and dusted my glass baking dish very well, and mixed my ingredients outside the baking pan in a bowl.  Unlike the directions suggest.

I have to say.

Rose petal tea and vegan chocolate cake?

A pretty lovely treat.

Highly recommended, from me to you.

I am getting ready for a little voyage to see Mammie in a couple days.

Me and travel used to equal, me knowing how to relax and have a blast.

I used to be the most carefree crazy sprite ever.

Today's me equals havoc in the brain, haha!

Uptight planner lady.

Taking Mister Lovee on a huge list of my chores, hoping he gets it right.

(although, once I leave I plan to let go and not worry for one second)

Showing him everything that needs to be done in the garden, every single morning.

OY!

Or should I say, Aye aye aye!

:)

I am one of these people, that thinks she might perish on a trip anywhere, so I leave rules and chores and tid-bits layed out, in case I shall never return.

I know, extreme insanity.

But, it's my way, what can I say?

And please Lovee, if I die, don't let some girlfriend you get, use my stuff or sleep in my bed.

Or hug Matty or Miles, kay?

(you get her Matty!!)

Or I'll haunt you.

Big time.

See...

These are the sort of rules I make ;)

Silly.  Strange. True.

I am only halfway serious, don't worry.

Or am I?

 

Speaking of Mother's day.

I have oodles of freebies and tutorials for you from over the years...

 

Here they are with links.

Just in case you need a little extra for the moms you know.

xoxoxo

Dear Mom Cupcake Toppers

Happy Mother's Day Card

Mother's Day 5 Cardlette Set

Coffee Filter Wrist Corsage

 

Off I go for now.

See ya soon!

 

Love, V

 

 

 

Homemade Mexican Rice (Easy Microwave Style) + Cinco De Mayo

Well, I almost let Cinco de Mayo pass me by.

However, you know me and holidays or special occasions.

So, I plunged, in the midst of lots of projects we were working on.

It so hit the spot.

I sliced up some oranges and lemon and strawberries...

And created an impromptu best drink ever, me thinks.

I will share more details in a sec.

But first lets talk about Mexican rice.

Several summers ago it was too hot for stove cooking.

So, I decided to experiment with cooking rice in the microwave.

I was making sushi at the time, and the rice turned out great.

Soon after that, I decided to try other types of microwave rice, simply by trial and error.

No self respecting Mexican would ever agree to microwave Mexican rice :)

(my mom was horrified, haha!)

But, I decided to break the rules.

And for the last couple years, this is how I make my Mexican rice.

Gasp!

Normally you brown the rice on the stove top, with onions and garlic, then you cook it with broth etc.

The thing is, it comes out so good microwave style, that I just had to share.

Kim tested my recipe this weekend, and it worked, so I decided it was safe to pass it on.

I am going to share a basic recipe.

You can throw in vegetables, like finely chopped carrots, or frozen peas which I always use.

You can also pop in finely chopped jalapenos or red bell pepper.

And you can certainly add a pinch of black pepper or red pepper flakes too.

It's all up to your taste buds.

For now, I am sharing the basic recipe, and you can alter it at home as you wish.

 

Mexican Rice Microwave Style

 

To begin, you need a glass bowl with a glass lid.

 

 

1 cup rice

(not instant) 

(any white rice works, I used fancy long grain)



1 cup tomato sauce

 

(you can use a 15oz. can but it will be a bit more tomatoey, I used the whole can)



1 cup water

(or chicken broth, not vegetable broth because it changes the flavors too much)



1/2 cup frozen peas, do not defrost (optional, but gooood)



1/2 cup chopped onion



1 teaspoon garlic powder (alter to preference)



1 teaspoon salt (adjust to your preference)



1.5 tablespoons olive oil (a must must)



At this point, you can throw in any finely chopped veggies of your choice

 

Stir together in glass bowl

 

Cover and pop in microwave for 45 minutes

 

 Stir halfway through cooking (optional)

(be careful, the bowl is very hot)



Take out of microwave, fluff, make sure it is fully cooked as all microwaves vary.

 

My microwave is set at a standard mid temperature, not high.



If it is not cooked, keep cooking at 5 minutes increments until cooked.

 

 

Once cooked, fluff with fork and set aside covered for 10 minutes or until ready to serve.

 

Delicious and Easy!

 

See... 

Mmmmm.

As for the invented cocktail without booze...

Let's call it a Strawberry Orange Virgin Daiquiri.

I used...

The juice of 2 oranges

The juice of 1 large lemon

1 cup sliced strawberries

2 cups ice

1/3 cup granulated sugar

Blend in blender on high setting for a few seconds.

Sip.

 

I know I used a martini glass, wrong, but it was fun.



We sat in the garden and sipped.

And we honestly felt...

Like were were on a Cinco de Mayo mini vacation.

Then we had to get back to all our chores.

We enjoyed it so much, we made the same drink again in the evening.

Sat on the porch under blankets, listening to good music.

I am not a fruity drink drinker.

At all.

And this was WOWSA good.

A first in liking such a thing for me.

Lovee LOVED it, madly.

The lemon juice really added a freshness I can't describe.

Give a whirl?

 

Happy bright new week!

 

Looove, V