Christmas plans!

We spent the weekend sorting through the lights!  FUN!

My mother's Christmas Cactus is blooming!  RIP!

My first project this year! 

I painted the bird house red with my favorite spray from Ace Hardware Rust - Oleum Painter's Touch in Ultra Cover x 2 Satin Colonial Red! and then filled it with old vintage Christmas bulbs! Set it on the Christmas quilt serving as a table cloth and Kitchen dining area is on the way! 

Reesche Tweeback

Put old  Zwiebach in the oven and toast or roast slowly on 200 degrees.

Dunk in coffee and enjoy!

High Chair Redo

I love  this Citristrip stuff.  It's sooo....easy!

Just spray it on and steel wool it off!  Don't forget to use industrial strength rubber gloves from ACE HARDWARE!

Going to Kansas City....Kansas City here we come....

We set off early Friday and went straight to Cassoday where we got petro....we used to visit Cassoday in the old days....then on to Atchison to visit Nell's Hill where we spent way too much money but we got some great stuff.  We had  supper there at a sport's bar and drove around looking at all the old homes.  Atchison was a boom town during the days of the railroad and early oil and gas production but the glory days are sort of over.  It's the hometown of Amelia Earhardt, woman aviator, and there is a museum.  After dinner we headed for Independence, Missouri home of Mike's friend Drew and his wife Elissa.  They live in a lovely neighborhood, the kind I like the best, beautiful homes made of stone with great big trees, green lawns and no curbs!  The roads are kind of winding and have sweet
names.

 

 

 

 Nell's Hill, Mary Carol Garrity's Store in Atchison, Kansas

Saturday bright and early (not really) we ventured out for a tour of KC. Drew drove and he and Elissa gave us a wonderful tour of the  neighborhoods and buildings in KC.  We saw a glass recyling plant Drew worked at - at one time... and then headed for the ....

West Bottom Flea Market and Good JuJu!  There are several buildings with flea markets, antiques, and all around fun to look at stuff.....I was in heaven.....

And then we  had a late lunch at LaFonda Del Taquito  owned by the Hernandez family. This used to be a dark little bar back in the 70's and now it is a wonderful Mexican restaurant.    Pauly Hernandez still there taking care of the hungries....  I used to watch him pitch fastpitch back in the 70's. He played for the KC Amigos.  His brother Rabbit played  Third base.  40 years ago - Yikes! For lunch   I had Chile Verde with Beans and warm tortillas.  Yum Yum Yum!   and a  Boulevard Light Pale Ale.  Drew's brother owns Boulevard Brewery so we indulged. This was my first beer in about 6 years guys and I am now officially back on the wagon! LOL

It is Breast Cancer Awareness month so the KC fountains were PINK!  Not sure how I feel about that!  Kind of weird!

Later that night we had the best treat in front of Drew and Elissa's  nice fire place which we enjoyed all weekend.  After a marvelous dinner of lamb and broccoli with mashed sweet potatoes that Elissa made ... she is such a great cook.... we had dessert.  The dessert was S'Mores.   Wow !   Perfect for a chili autumn weekend! See below - instructions on how to make  S'Mores......  Start with graham crackers on a plate... vintage plate preferably....

Then add Hershey's chocolate pieces.... don't take a btie first though.....

 

 Add a perfectly roasted marshmallow...

 

 Mike and Drew doing the job on the marshmallows!

Smush it all down.. with clean fingers...

This is what it looks like from the side.....

Bite in....

 

 

 

 

Elissa was the perfect hostess and does that girl ever know how to give a tour of KC.  She knows the names of all the buildings, fun little stories to go with them too! If she ever wants a career with KC Convention and Tourism I am sure she could have one!  Or she could be a chef....can that girl whip up a tasty meal..... plus we had the best laughs on Saturday night as Drew and Mike reminisced about  their working years together for the City of Wichita Parks Department. They had so much fun together I am not sure how much work got done....no.... Drew swears they worked very hard........!!!!!

 

What a great weekend.  Thanks guys! We will see you next weekend again!  No just kidding!  But we did have a blast and there is that great shoe store I have to get back to ....

 

3 - 2 - 1 Cake from Heidi (through Dionne McElroy)

This is the coolest quickest dessert in the world!  Mix a cake mix of a flavor you like with a Angel Food cake mix.  I mean mix the dry mixes together well and put in a large plastic sandwich bag.  Save!  When you want  a dessert put 3 T of the mix with 2 T water and mix well in a little Ramekin bowl.   Then microwave for 1 minute.  Add some topping. Whipped cream or some frosting and There You have It!  Last night I had some from my first mix and I added some  butterscotch  chips to the top. YMMMMM.  Heidi and I made this dessert a few times while I was in Atlanta recently visiting Heidi, Andres and Frankie.  One especially good topping is German Chocolate Frosting.  Anyway I was going to take a picture of the final product but I ate it! HA!  Next time!

mrm2@cox.net

Garden Plenty

Got  back to Kansas and look what was in my garden - Heirloom Tomatoes galore! An entire bucket full and Mike had already picked bunches already and there are bunches more to be picked. We grew the black beauties this year. They are dark purple and really scrumptious! And take a look at the mini peaches on our peach tree and it's only two years old.  I am going to bake a peach pie. NORMA I NEED YOUR PEACH PIE RECIPE!!!!!

Sewing!

I decided last week to sew. Looked for some fabric to inspire me from my fabric stash and this is the result. Placemats and napkins to go with my Anemone China  I have had for 40 years.  I love to go to this little fabric store with my sister when I visit McKinney, Texas so I stock up on cool fabrics and then they lay around until I feel inspired.  I think this is Robert Allen fabric.   A sort of large and bold toile. 

Trumpet Vine

Every year we have a wonderful wall of trumpet vine that grows along our privacy fence.  It's beautiful to look at. It now runs along the fence a distance of about 20 feet.  Alot of bees seduced by the the flower but really gorgeous!

The Garden this year!

Cannas, cucumbers, tomatoes!  This was all about a week ago. Stay tuned for the latest from this weekend.  Mary Mary quite contrary, how does your garden grow.... 

The Fish Pond!

A few weekends ago we cleaned our do it yourself fishpond.  When I say do it yourself I mean we really did it ourselves. Rented a backhoe, dug a humongous hole in our backyard (check for your utilities line placement first) lined it with rubber lining, hauled in rocks on our truck, put them in place, bought pumps off of ebay and other sites, and wired it all in and then ADD WATER and alot of it.  Then we got some fish from Mike's sister and brother in law and some pond plants from them too and  we were off to the races. Now it is about 7 years later and all we do is feed fish (we feed them a large cup of catfood every morning) add water from time to time, clean the filter (every day) and the hard part -----clean the pond completely out every year or two depending on how many fish and how dirty the water gets.  Well the cleaning is a day or weekend job let me  tell you.  But when it's over - you get a nice clean pond where you can watch your fish.  Beware you get fond of fish like other pets.  We even have named a few!

Flowers and containers!

Mike's been busy planting flowers in the new containers and pots he has scored around Wichita in the past month. He is as much of a scavenger as I am.  Between EBay, Purple Auction, Craig's List,  Sam's and driving around Wichita he finds some great stuff. The two pots on the bottom, which are large, about 2 feet in diameter were a steal at $18.  Can you believe it?  And he loves to plant. This year he has been in charge of the garden (tomorrow) and all the flowers.

Spring is here!

Well spring is def here.  We are even having April showers here in Kansas. Easter has come and gone already.  Check out the old high chair I found at a local store. Cute but not safe for today's tikes. And the chair was from a roadside flea market on the border of New Mexico - I think I need to make a trip back soon.  My Easter bunny is  worn out...... Oh and the Marigolds in the window box....