morning walk...

nell and i

took a walk

down our country gravel road

this morning,

as we do most mornings.

~~~

each day the sights and sounds

are different.

~~~

these days

it's looking like...

sounding like...

spring!

~~~

it is very promising

to see the leaf buds

on the trees,

blue skies,

and sunshine.

~~~

it was good to hear
the wind blowing
across the water
and making music
with the clinking chunks of ice.
~~~
it was also good to hear
the blackbirds singing
their own song of spring.
~~~
it's sooo good
to see and hear
the sights and sounds
of spring!
~~~~~
~~~
~
looking and listening to spring...
peggy

tasty tuesday...

yummy, yummy

good-for-me

and good-for-you

bran muffins!

~~~

here's the recipe!

~~~

bran muffins

~~~

1 1/2 c wheat bran

1 c buttermilk

1/3 c oil

1 egg

2/3 c brown sugar

1 t vanilla

1 c flour

1 t baking powder

1 t soda

1/2 t salt

1/2 c raisins

~~~

mix wheat bran and buttermilk

together in a large bowl

and let stand for 10 minutes.

beat oil, sugar, egg, and vanilla

together in a small bowl

and then add to buttermilk and bran mixture.

add flour, baking powder, soda, salt,

and raisins

and stir until moistened.

bake at 375 for 18-20 minutes.

~~~

makes 1 dozen muffins

or 6 jumbo muffins.

~~~

p.s. i sometimes add 1 t cinnamon

to my bran muffins~yummy~ and

i always add extra raisins~

yummy yummy~ to my muffins!

~~~

bran muffins are one

of my very favorite muffins

and i love these!

~~~

i hope you'll try them!

~~~

p.s.s. i know that these

bran muffins would be

much healthier

without all the butter

but, like paula deen,

i looooove butter!

~~~~~

~~~

~

make it a buttery muffin day!

peggy

bunnies...

it's almost easter

and what would easter be

without bunnies?

~~~

this bunny

sits beside

his pink basket

waiting for it to be filled
with yummy easter candy!

~~~

this bunny family,

all soft, cuddly and sweet,

is clary's.

~~~

i found this cute little bunny

at an antique shop

and had to have him

for my own.

~~~

he's made of a hard rubbery plastic.

i love his pink eyes!

~~~

the springy-colored sprinkles

are in my kitchen

where i can see them

thruout the day and

enjoy their

pretty, pastel colors.

~~~~~

~~~

~

wishing you a hoppy day!

peggy

yellow...

spring is all about

color for me.

~~~

what would spring be

without yellow?

~~~

the shining sun...

~~~

daffodils...

~~~

sweet baby chicks...
~~~

and fuzzy baby ducks!

~~~
spring wouldn't be

spring

without yellow's

brightness and cheer!

~~~~~

~~~

~

make it a bright and cheerful day!

peggy

thinking spring...

the tulips

think it's spring...

~~~

the daffodils

think it's spring...

~~~

the snowdrops

definitely

think it's spring!

~~~

but looking outside my window

i can't be as sure.

~~~

it's cold, windy

and white fluffy snowflakes

are blowing wildly

thru the air!

~~~

it doesn't look like spring

and it certainly doesn't

feel like spring,

at least not today!

~~~

i think the tulips, daffodils, and snowdrops

are rite!

~~~

it is spring!

~~~

if not today,

tomorrow...

~~~~~

~~~

~

awaiting spring's return...

peggy

seeing green...

i'm happy to say

that i'm seeing green today!

~~~

green is

my color of choice

this time of year...

~~~
how about you?

don't you just love green?

~~~

this sweet little chicky

is proudly carrying

her green!

~~~

soon there will be

more green...

in my egg pots

and all around

outside!

~~~

it can't be soon enough

for me!

~~~

thinking green...

peggy

tasty tuesday...

sweet strawberries

and tart rhubarb

are bubbling together

with some sugar

to make some

yummy jam!

~~~

here's how...

~~~

strawberry rhubarb jam

~~~

2 c strawberries

3 c rhubarb

3 c sugar

1 pkg strawberry jello

~~~

combine strawberries, rhubarb, and sugar

in a large pan.

bring to a rolling boil.

reduce heat and

keep at a boil for 20 minutes.

remove from heat

and stir in strawberry jello.

pour into jars,

and refrigerate.

~~~

enjoy!

~~~

this is one of my favorite jams!

i enjoy it most mornings

on cracked wheat toast!

~~~

yum, yum, yum...

~~~

this jam is especially good

when you can harvest your own

fresh-grown

strawberries and rhubarb!

~~~~~

~~~

~

make it a tasty day...

peggy

another easter dress...

here is another

of clary's easter dresses,

a pretty white eyelet

easter dress

clary is not a girly girl

so a new easter dress

isn't likely...

~~~
clary's more of a

jeans and sweatshirt kinda girl,

like her mom!

~~~

so,

as it turns out,

i have saved her first

and probably last easter dresses!

~~~

she did look cute

in her white eyelet dress

and shiny white shoes!

~~~

she looks cute in her

jeans, sweatshirt,

and tennis shoes too...

~~~~~

~~~

~

wishing you fond memories of

a favorite easter dress!

peggy

signs of spring...

i was going thru some old pictures

and came across clary

in her first easter dress!

i thought it would be fun

to see this sweet little dress

every easter

so i pulled it out

of a chest filled with clothes

i've saved of hers

and

hung it in her room!

~~~

here it is...

all pretty and pink!

~~~

there are other signs of spring

in clary's room...

chicks,

a baby goose,

bunnies!

~~~

all sure signs of spring!

~~~

and the surest sign

of spring...

perched atop a pretty little hanky...

a robin!

and then this morning

i looked out

the kitchen window...

and saw a real robin!

spring is here!!!

~~~~~

~~~

~

enjoying the signs of spring...

peggy

awaiting green...

my "spring" willow tree angel

is ever so patiently

awaiting spring.

~~~

today is full of promise

for spring.

the sun is shining...

the snow is melting...

~~~

soon spring will be here!

~~~

my "beauty" willow tree angel
holds lilies as she awaits
easter.
~~~ awaiting spring and green grass
is soo hard for me...
i just can't wait to see
all the glorious
shades of green!
~~~
to speed up seeing green
i plant grass inside.
this year
i planted my grass
in eggshells!
~~~
i'm soo excited to see green!
~~~
stay tuned
and i'll share my green with you!
~~~
i love my brown eggs!
~~~
my sister gets me
farm fresh eggs
that come in
every beautiful shade
of brown.
~~~
soon there will be green,
bursting with life,
out of that broken shell...
~~~~~
~~~
~
stay tuned and think green!
peggy

sweet eastery fun...

i love easter

and i love candy!

and easter candy is the best!

~~~

i love the pastel colors,

the sweet smell,

and the even sweeter taste!
~~~

yummy!

~~~

and then there's the chocolate

at easter!

~~~

yummy, yummy!

~~~

chocolate easter bunnies!

~~~

doesn't everyone want a

solid milk chocolate

bunny for easter?

~~~

even more than

a new easter hat and dress?

~~~

my vintage candy molds

are nestled together

in an old pink enamel bowl,

awaiting colored eggs

and easter candy!

~~~

such yummy eastery fun!

~~~~~

~~~

~

wishing you sweet fun today!

peggy

sew thrifty...

this is a carryall i finished this week.

the front

is a piece of an old quilt

that i found at

our local thrift store.

the quilt piece is just as i found it,

brightened by a gentle hand-washing.

~~~

the fabrics look to be

from the 30's or 40's.

~~~

aren't they great?

~~~

i love all the color,

the patterns of all the fabrics,

and the way it was pieced together.

~~~

i lined the quilt piece,
added a doubled backing,
a handle,
and a button closure!
~~~
when looking for a button
for the closure,
i came across this red square button
and i just had to add it to my carryall!
i love red and it was made
for the pattern of this quilt piece!
~~~
the fabric that i used
in making my carryall
is a vintage cream flower-flocked fabric,
also from our local thrift store.
~~~~
~~~
~
check out your local thrift shop!
there's treasures waiting...
peggy

anticipation...

i am still seeing

no spring color outside my window

so, for the time being,

i'm looking inside our home to find

spring color and cheer!

~~~

this sweet easter angel

presents us

a hint of spring color

with her pastel easter eggs.
~~~

the sweet little easter angel's

sweet little angel friend,

holds her favorite soft gray

easter bunny

anticipating a bright, sunny

easter morning!

~~~~~

~~~

~

anticipating color and sunshine...

peggy

more easter egg color...

i'm again seeking color

on this rainy gray day...

~~~

and i found it in these eggs!

~~~

these bright pink easter eggs

are made from

a repurposed wool sweater,

variegated floss,

and a pinch of stuffing!

~~~

these eggs are another...

you guessed it...

easy peasy lemon squeezy project!

~~~

wool easter eggs

~~~

1) cut the eggs out

2) stitch on a zig-zaggy pattern

3) stitch around the outside edge of the egg

leaving a small hole near the bottom,

4) poke in a pinch of stuffing

5) finish stitching outside edge!
~~~

more eggs!

more color!

what fun!

~~~~~

~~~

~

wishing you a colorful day!

peggy

color, color, color...

i have loved and enjoyed

all the whites, grays, and browns

of winter.
but now...

now i'm ready

for

color!

~~~

color, color, color!

~~~

how 'bout that color?

~~~

i love it!

it makes my heart sing!

~~~
this color is courtesy of

easter egg dye,

strips of a white cotton lace tablecloth,

and styrofoam eggs!

~~~

another easy peasy lemon squeezy project!

~~~

easter eggs

~~~

1) make the easter egg dye as directed

2) cut long, narrow strips of tablecloth

3) dye strips

4) wrap strips around styrofoam eggs and tuck in ends

5) admire your work and listen...

your heart is singing!

~~~~~

~~~

~

make your heart sing!

peggy

more kitchen simplicity...

as i've mentioned before,

i love my kitchen and

kitchens, in general!

~~~

kitchens are a warm and friendly place

to spend time with family or friends

and share conversation,

laughter,

something yummy to eat,

and a cup of coffee!

~~~

that's what kitchens are all about!

that's what my kitchen is all about!

~~~

i love to cook

and i love to bake.

i love to be in my kitchen.

to keep my kitchen simple

and efficient

for cooking and baking

i keep on hand

those items i

frequently use.

~~~

i buy my mainstays

such as flour, sugar, brown sugar

in big packages.

i keep glass containers of these items

in my cupboards,

close at hand,

and store away the rest.

~~~

i buy

grocery and food items i use often

on sale

and in bigger quantities

as much as possible.

~~~

i use many of the same

canned and packaged items

over and over again,

and i want to make sure

i always have plenty on hand.
when i empty a bag

or use the last one of something,

i put it on a list

so i don't forget to buy more.

~~~

i buy many of my spices in bulk.

they are fresher and inexpensive

because i'm only paying

for the spice.
i have labeled glass spice jars

to keep them in.
~~~

these routines

keeps my kitchen

simple, efficient

a joy to spend time in.

~~~

i'd love for you to come visit

my kitchen!

i promise friendly conversation,

something good to eat,

and a fresh cup of coffee!

~~~

and while we're enjoying

a tasty treat and a cup of coffee,

you can look along

the tops of my cupboards

and see

the vintagy kitchen collection

that displays

my love of kitchens,

and all things kitcheny!

~~~~~

~~~

~

enjoy your kitchen today!

peggy