Friday, February 25, 2011

Milk glass intact; all is right with the world!


Well, I have definitely feathered my nest today!
And what fun I have had.
I pulled out pieces of milk glass that I have not laid eyes on
in several years. Most of these pieces came from my mother
and some of it via my father's mother, Ruby aka
"Mother B"... or to us children, "Bum B".
(Aren't grandchildren just "great" for your self-esteem?)
If you have read my blog lately you know then that I have at long-last found a punch bowl that was exactly like my
mother's... which disappeared at some point.
With the exception of this punch bowl, other pieces I have bought have been a little disappointing to me... I do not
know their history, or their "story".
I believe that the plates and saucers were purchased from
S&H Green Stamps I would guess in the early 1960's.


You can feast your eyes on the punch bowl in this picture.
("Sigh")
The fruit compote bowl (I think this is what it is called), creamer, sugar bowl and the
banana dish all rested on this very hutch for many
 years, but in several different homes as we moved often due
to the nature of my father's work.


The goblet actually graced my mother's vanity in the bathroom, holding wonderful smelling soaps.
Another cream and sugar used often for many a ladies
meeting. The domed dish is one of my "prized" pieces.
I believe it is a butter dish. Somewhere along the way, probably a move, the plate broke so it is held together by
some yellowing glue.
(Wonder how to fix that??)


These juice glasses were some of my mother's favorite
pieces. Mine too! It had a lovely pitcher that went with it.
I poured a cold punch into it and it just split down both sides and fell apart... pouring punch on a beautifully decorated
party table ... right before guests arrived.
Oh well... I kept it of course so perhaps there will be a reader
who will clue me in on how to have it repaired.

I hope you have enjoyed my milk glass. I have shown a few pieces often and written about them many times. When Mother would unpack the milk glass and placed them where they belonged it always helped us children to make our adjustment into new home a lot easier.
Milk glass in tact; all is right with the world!

I have feathered my next today thanks to

thanks to Courtney at
French Country Cottage

and


And my dear Friday fav...
"Show and Tell Friday" at


 


Monday, February 21, 2011

It's the New "Sensation" - Papaya


It's the new
"Sensation"!

This is the business my husband and son are in. 
They grow papaya in Colima, Mexico.
It's not your grandmother's papaya... it's a new
variety of papaya that consumers are going crazy over and it is called, "Sensation".
I have never been much of a papaya lover, but I will confess,
this papaya is the best.
It is a smaller variety with a milder flavor.
The papaya shown here was a little larger than my hand.
This evening I sliced this one for my husband and I to
share. You may be a "purist" with your food, however, papaya can be eaten with a little sea salt and lime
on top. For extra zest, add a sprinkling of Tajin.
It is a seasoning consisting of chili and salt with a little lime
seasoning. It is not hot.
As you can tell, I cut half of the papaya into bite-size pieces.
My personal opinion about serving papaya with other
fruit is that throws off the good flavor of the papaya.
So, I recommend eating it by itself.
I have also included a picture of one of our papaya trees
in Mexico.
Not all stores are carrying this variety yet, but
Central Markets in Texas, New York City, Toronto, Canada,
and the San Francisco and L.A. area of California.

Nutrition Benefits of Eating Papaya

- Papaya contains ‘papain’, a digestive enzyme known for aiding digestion.
- When consumed ripe, this fruit being easily digestible assists in preventing constipation.
-A study reveals that when this fruit is consumed alone for three days, it has a useful tonic effect in the stomach and intestines.
-The juice of papaya assists in mitigating infections of the colon. It also helps in breaking down pus and mucus.
-The consumption of ripe papaya is said to help in the prevention of cancer in organs and glands with epithelial tissue.
-Papaya helps tremendously in preventing nausea, including morning sickness and motion sickness.
- Papaya has rejuvenating properties that especially assists in controlling early aging.
-Eating papaya on a regular basis is known to restore strength and health to the body.
-Papaya is a rich source of antioxidant nutrients like carotenes, vitamin C, vitamin B, minerals, fiber, etc. All these nutrients boost the health of the cardiovascular system, apart from providing protection against colon cancer.
-Being a rich source of fiber, papaya consumption helps in lowering high cholesterol levels.



Join us for Tuesdays at the Table at
All The Small Stuff!



I am also joining "Tempt My Tummy" for the
very first time! Check it out!!
at blessedgrace.net

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Missing Mexico


Missing Mexico

I'm missing Mexico tonight... and the people we love who are there. Our oldest son, his wife and two children are the
light of our lives. Although our granddaughter is now seven
and this picture was taken when she was two, I just always think in my mind that she is "2"!
I miss our ranch home there. The flowers are  beautiful and
the sunsets are divine.
Our next project is to have the water hooked up to the
"aquaducto", so that as you enter the property there
will be water falls on each side of the entry way.
Hopefully March will find us down there.
None too soon enough....


I love Mosaic Mondays at
Little Red House!!

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Happy Birthday, David!

Growing up the youngest of three boys meant that you had to deal with always being called "spoiled" and introduced as
"my little brother". This never seemed to bother David.
The plus side of being the youngest is you get along with people and you are (almost) forever young!
Well, at 63 on February 16th
David will continue to feel only that he is 63 years young!
You've been a wonderful son, faithful brother,
devoted father (of three sons)
and the BEST husband/friend/companion
a woman could ever ask for.
Happy Birthday, David!


David was born  February 16, 1948 in  Texas. He was the youngest having two older brothers. After graduating from Texas A&M University in 1970 he was commissioned into the Air Force and that week married Karen on June 6, 1970. They had one son while in the Air Force. After assignments in Colorado, Maine, Korea and Arkansas, David left the Air Force to join the family farming operation in deep south Texas. David and Karen added two more sons to the family.

David and the oldest son are now business partners in their own farming operation in Mexico.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Remember My Milk Glass Punch Bowl?

Several months ago I was thrilled to find this punch bowl
in Brenham, Texas. It has 12 punch matching cups.
It reminded me of my mother's punch bowl that she used
for many years. Somehow the punch bowl was lost. All that
remained was the pedestal.. or base.



Here is a picture of my mother with the long-lost milk glass
punch bowl. My mother was the ultimate hostess!
There isn't a piece of milk glass that doesn't remind me of
her style of entertaining.
Well... today was a special day for me!
 

I found a punch bowl that is exactly like my mother's!
It did not come with the base, however, that did not matter. I still had my mother's!
The really special part to this was that it came from some of the sweetest friends I have. One of them you may know well.
Laura from White Spray Paint and her daughter, Lauren, are milk glass collectors.
Lauren had purchased the punch bowl sometime back
and because she has other milk glass punch bowls, she
decided she could part with this one. It was displayed in one of her Market Days that she and her mother participate in.
Right away, I got word to her that I would love it if she would set this punch bowl aside for me.
What has probably been about a 15 year quest for this
punch bowl, I am thrilled to pronounce the search over.
Thank you to two very sweet ladies!!


I am sharing this with


 

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Green Bean Bundles - A bundle of yum!



Green Bean Bundles

This recipe comes from one of my all-time favorite cookbooks, Entertaining in Texas by Junior League of Victoria, Inc.  I've learned that you just can't go wrong with
a Junior League cookbook. They're wonderful!
Above you will see what page 71 in my book looks like.
I write all around it so that hopefully whoever inherits my cookbooks will know a little history behind the recipes.
This recipe is just about over the top as my family says it.
It's been made for holiday dinners, pre-wedding dinners,
birthdays and bird hunting season.
It's just downright tasty!

Green Bean Bundles
(with my tweaks!)

8 slices bacon
2  16 oz. cans whole green beans
(I like Blue Lake Green Beans)
1/2  c. butter
1   1/2 c. brown sugar
2 tsp. garlic powder

Drain green beans. Divide into 8 "bundles", wrapping each bundle with bacon slice and securing with toothpick. Place in 9x13 inch glass baking dish.
In saucepan, melt butter and add brown sugar and garlic powder. Bring to boil and remove from heat immediately and pour over bean bundles. Bake in 350 degree oven for approximately 30 minutes.
Serves 8

I'm linking to 

Be sure to visith Designs by Gollum
for more delicious food and recipes!

 

Monday, February 7, 2011

Aluminum brightened their homes

"Jean"

I love writing about "Jean", my maternal grandmother.
She was quite the character. She insisted we call her by her first name since she was "too young to be a grandmother"! 
Never mind... I really did not know that "Jean" was a first name. I just knew that it stood for my grandmother!
She arrive from Italy with her mother and two older sisters 
when she was just nine years old. Someday I need to write
about the adventure of the trip.
Her father met them at the ship at Ellis Island. 
He was already employed by the Ithaca, N. Y. transit system which as I understand included the trolley cars.
The aluminum crumber below was purchased by her
mother. As I remember the story, my great-grandmother
bought it at Niagra Falls about the time aluminum was being used for household items. Jean gave the crumber to me early in my marriage and of course I have always cherished it. 

The aluminum dish, shaped like a leaf, was a wedding gift to my parents when they married in 1946. My mother used it
often in her home decorating. It's definitely a cherished, sentimental piece to me.


I am linking to
Three or More Tuesday

http://www.thegypsyscorner.com/



Thursday, February 3, 2011

Beauty, silver, tickles and giggles!!


Hydrangeas ...
under construction!

Amazing what I will show ... I just treated myself to
these at Pier 1 yesterday. I fell in love with hydrangeas
when I made a visit to Blowing Rock, North Carolina
during the Mitford Days. Real hydrangeas were
everywhere!!
Now I have to see if I can create an arrangement with them.



Silver Tray...

Frankly, I do not know my "silvers", but this was
beautiful... after I polished it. I'm a weird sort... I love to
polish silver. It's very theraputic, you know.
Would you believe... I bought this for
$15!


"Bree-os-kee"

Recently my refrigerator has not had a bottle of
Brioschi in it. It's a lot like Alka-Seltser. That's a first in probably 40 years of marriage...
or my lifetime! The local stores and pharmacies here have stopped selling it. So I ordered a box on the internet.
When I was a little girl my sister and I would take just one
little piece of Brioschi to plop onto our tongue.
Ohhhh... the tickle and the giggles!!

Have a super weekend, everyone!
Stay warm...



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So make a visit toe
My Romantic Home