Pink Saturday's First Birthday!

Did you know Beverly's weekly Pink Saturday event is celebrating it's first birthday? A pink tea party would be a wonderful way to celebrate and since the weather is so beautiful, we'll have an outdoor party.

Let's shop the house for a pink tea party tablescape! Pink roses from the grocery store are arranged in my grandmother's cut glass vase. Mom loved table linens and had a pink tablecloth and napkins, lucky for me, and to jazz it up I layered her crocheted tablecloth over the pink cloth. Crystal candle holders with short pink candles add a little more sparkle to the table. It's a little breezy, I hope they stay lit.

A pretty hydrangea teapot filled with blue berries and white tea is perfect for our tea party. The cup and saucer have sweet pink flowers on them, so lovely for our Pink theme. A slice of bundt cake with whipped cream and raspberries on a hydrangea plate will be delicious!




The birdcage was almost perfect, all it needed were flowers inside. We'll just "borrow" the pink hydrangeas from another arrangement. The finishing touch - a little bird on a nest resting on the flowers.


I hope you enjoyed shopping the house with me, now would you like visit for awhile and have some tea and a piece of cake?

(Click pictures to enlarge.)

Please visit Beverly's by clicking HERE to see the other PINK Saturday birthday celebration participants.

Happy PINK Saturday!

Diane

Tablescape Thursday

Welcome to Tablescape Thursday, hosted by Susan at Between Naps on the Porch.

Have you ever had a grand idea for a blog post, took the pictures in eager anticipation of how the post will look, and then realize the pictures just don't look right and don't use them or your grand idea? Well, that's what happened to me in March. I thought this tablescape looked pretty spiffy while I arranged it. That is until I looked at the blah pictures. Hmmm, something was missing. There wasn't any oomph... I think it needed flowers or greenery. It needed something!

(Click on the pictures to enlarge.)

I really liked the tablecloth, placemats and plates. The napkins have a pretty scalloped edge and I've always loved my flatware.


The plates used to hang on the wall in the dining room, but shhhh, don't tell anyone...


Here's another shot of the boring centerpiece. What do you think would have put it over the top?


I've shown the birdhouses before, but they're just too cute for words.

And here's the last one.


I'm always looking for ideas and suggestions, would you like to share your ideas?

Click HERE to visit Susan for the list of the other Tablescape Thursday participants.

Enjoy!
Diane

Mosaic Monday: Walking through the neighborhood

Welcome to Mosaic Monday, hosted by Mary at Little Red House. This week's mosaic was created from pictures taken while I walked the dogs through the neighborhood. (I actually managed to remember the camera for once!) I've admired the daisies and lavender so much each time I walk past a house around the corner that I finally bought daisies and lavender for our backyard. Now I just need to plant them. ☺

Please visit our charming hostess Mary @ Little Red House
for the list of other participants.

Enjoy and have a great day!
Diane

Pink Saturday

Welcome to this week's Pink Saturday, hosted by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.

This week I'm sharing a mosaic of scrumptious PINKNESS. What can be better than beautiful flowers and yummy cupcakes?!?

Click to enlarge
Photos courtesy of Flickr and my backyard.


Please visit Beverly's by clicking HERE to see the other PINK Saturday participants.

Enjoy!
Diane

Foodie Friday and an award.

Welcome to Foodie Friday!

Today, I'm sharing a family favorite recipe for Low Fat Chewy Fruit & Oatmeal Bars. The bars are so delicious and disappear in a flash!

(click on picture to enlarge.)

Ingredients
• 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• One 8-ounce container vanilla or plain low-fat yogurt
• 2 egg whites, lightly beaten
• 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2 Tbsp. skim milk
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. salt (optional)
• 3 cups Quaker® Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
• 1 cup diced dried mixed fruit, raisins, or dried cranberries

Preparation

Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, combine sugars, yogurt, egg whites, oil, milk, and vanilla; mix well. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; mix well. Add to yogurt mixture; mix well. Stir in oats and fruit.

Spread dough onto bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch baking pan.

Bake 28 to 32 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely on wire rack. Cut into bars. Store tightly covered.

Cook’s Notes: Each bar contains .5g oat soluble fiber.

Recipe courtesy of Quaker Oats. Click HERE for their link.

Please visit Michael Lee for the list of the other Foodie Friday participants HERE.

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The One Lovely Blog Award.

Sweet Liz at Craft From My Heart shared her One Lovely Blog Award with me. Thank you for your generosity Liz! ♥


Now for the rules:
1) Accept the award; post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link.
2) Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you’ve newly discovered.

Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

Every blog I visit deserves the One Lovely Blog Award. If you haven't already received this award, please feel free to post the button on your blog.

You can read Liz's blog by clicking HERE.

Enjoy!
Diane

Wordless Wednesday

I've always enjoyed the Wordless Wednesday posts and thought I'd join in Dixie's weekly event.

This weeks subject is Bloggers Choice.

Looking at the Sky....

Dixie, thank you for hosting the always delightful Wordless Wednesday event. Click HERE to visit Dixie's blog for the other Wordless Wednesday participants.

Enjoy!
Diane

Mosaic Monday: Pretty in Pink

Pretty in Pink!

Click to enlarge.

Welcome to Mary's new meme at Little Red House called Mosaic Monday.


I checked my photo files for pinks, loaded them onto Flickr, then created a fun mosaic with Big Huge Labs. Creating mosaics can be so much fun, but I'm not always successful at first and find myself holding my breath to see if it works. (It worked the second try this time...) Most of the photos were taken in the back yard, the rest were taken inside for Pink Saturday posts.

Please visit our charming hostess Mary @ Little Red House
for the list of other participants.

Enjoy and have a great day!
Diane

Outdoor Wednesday

Welcome to Outdoor Wednesday, hosted by Susan at A Southern Daydreamer.

We have a lovely Mother's Day tradition that I'm very fond of. My son or I buy plants, then on Mother's Day, he digs the holes and plants them while I direct his efforts. Our tradition began about 4 years ago when I bought several rose bushes. The plants and pots were large and I was having difficulty digging the holes. My son asked what I'd like to have for Mother's Day, and I asked him to plant my roses. I love this tradition because we can spend time together outside and I have the memories of whatever he's planted.

I bought a Moro Blood Orange tree in April, before my company arrived, and hubby hadn't dug that hole yet, so the orange tree became this year's Mother's Day project. I love blood oranges and I'm a fan of Jain's blog, Once in a Blue Moon. She had the most beautiful pictures of blood oranges that grew on her tree. I drooled every time she posted pictures and recipes using them, so I researched which trees do well in our area and went on a quest.

Ah ha! I found a large, beautiful tree at Reagan's Nursery. (Okay, I also came home with 2 new rose bushes, but that's another post.) Fresh from the nursery, the new tree is waiting on the front porch for one of the guys to carry into the back yard. It even had 2 oranges hanging on the tree. They were so delicious! I just peeled and ate!


My son and daughter in law had to work very hard to dig this hole! You'd think with all the rain we had last week that the dirt would be easy to dig in. Nope, that clay wasn't budging. The post hole digger was brought out and their comical antics were quite entertaining, but the hole was finally dug and the tree planted. (Now I need to clear all the lawn away for a new plant bed. ☺)

Chief approves of the future new shade spot, but didn't care for having his picture taken. ☺

Susan, thank you for hosting this fun weekly event. You can visit A Southern Daydreamer to see the other Outdoor Wednesday posts, by clicking HERE.

Enjoy!
Diane

Happy Mother's Day!

Here is the annual reminder that you are not Just a Mom.

JUST A MOM?

A woman, renewing her driver's license at the County Clerk 's office,
was asked by the woman recorder to state her occupation.

She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself.

'What I mean is, ' explained the recorder, 'do you have a job or are you just a ....?'

'Of course I have a job,' snapped the woman.

'I'm a Mom.'

'We don't list 'Mom' as an occupation, 'housewife' covers it,'
Said the recorder emphatically.

I forgot all about her story until one day I found myself in the same situation, this time at our own Town Hall.
The Clerk was obviously a career woman, poised, efficient, and possessed of a high sounding title like,
'Official Interrogator' or 'Town Registrar.'

'What is your occupation?' she probed.

What made me say it? I do not know.
The words simply popped out.
'I'm a Research Associate in the field of
Child Development and Human Relations.'

The clerk paused, ball-point pen frozen in midair and
looked up as though she had not heard right.

I repeated the title slowly emphasizing the most significant words.
Then I stared with wonder as my pronouncement was written,
in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.

'Might I ask,' said the clerk with new interest,
'just what you do in your field?'

Coolly, without any trace of fluster in my voice,
I heard myself reply,
'I have a continuing program of research,
(what mother doesn't)
In the laboratory and in the field,
(normally I would have said indoors and out.)
I'm working for my Masters, (first the Lord and then the whole family)
and already have four credits (all daughters).
Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities,
(any mother care to disagree?)
and I often work 14 hours a day, (24 is more like it).
But the job is more challenging than most run-of-the-mill careers
and the rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money.'

There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk's voice as she
completed the form, stood up, and personally ushered me to the door.

As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up by my glamorous new career,
I was greeted by my lab assistants -- ages 13, 7, and 3.
Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model,
(a 6 month old baby) in the child development program,
testing out a new vocal pattern.
I felt I had scored a beat on bureaucracy!
And I had gone on the official records as someone more
distinguished and indispensable to mankind than 'just another Mom.'
Motherhood!

What a glorious career!
Especially when there's a title on the door.

Does this make grandmothers: 'Senior Research associates in the field of Child Development and Human Relations'

And great grandmothers : Executive Senior Research Associates?
I think so!!!

I also think it makes Aunts: Associate Research Assistants.

Pink Saturday

Welcome to this week's Pink Saturday, hosted by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.

In honor of Mother's Day, I cut a bouquet of pink Geoff Hamilton roses and arranged them in a vintage vase placed on a pink depression glass ash tray. The glassware belonged to my Mom, as well as the sweet pink hankie and jewelry.


Please visit Beverly's by clicking HERE to see the other PINK Saturday participants.

Enjoy!
Diane

Outdoor Wednesday

Welcome to Outdoor Wednesday, hosted by Susan at A Southern DayDreamer.

The Amaryllis are blooming and they've outdone themselves this year! Years ago, I bought amaryllis bulb kits to use as Christmas decorations. After the flowers died back, the bulbs went outside and were eventually planted in a couple of pots. I had snail problems though and didn't have much success with the plants blooming until I discovered that fertilizing them helps immensely!

The red amaryllis amazes me. After the snails finished this bulb I almost threw it out, but had read that the bulbs could be divided, so I tried planting it in a little pot and a few years later, look at it now! It's a full size bulb again and with the help of some fertilizer, it's gorgeous.

The bulbs in this pot seem to multiply every year and it's very tight in there, but they bloom like crazy. The fertilizer has worked wonders for them too.

Another view and you can see one of the birdhouses my hubby or son need to mount on the post... It's been waiting for a few years to be put on the post, but I'm very patient. ;0} Poor birds could have had a home...

You know how I love rusty yard art... Doesn't this one look like Roxy?

This one looks like Murphy, our cocker spaniel.

Susan, thank you for hosting this delightful weekly event. You can visit A Southern Daydreamer to see the other Outdoor Wednesday posts, by clicking HERE.

Enjoy!
Diane

Blue Monday

Welcome to Blue Monday hosted by Sally at Smiling Sally. Click HERE if you'd like to visit the other Blue Monday participants.

First of all, let me tell you how much I love bird houses. Big ones, small ones, and in between sized ones. So you can imagine how excited I became when my sweet friend surprised me one day with two of the most adorable little Royal Doulton bird houses. I'm so fortunate to have such thoughtful friends!

The little bird houses are about 4 inches tall and they're part of the Home Tweet Home series.

"The Greenhouse" (It's really mostly blue.)

"Butterfly Garden" (See all the different shades of blue?)

Did you notice that my tablecloth also has blue flowers in it? Hee hee hee. ☺

Thanks for dropping by and Happy Blue Monday!
Diane

Pink Saturday

Welcome to this week's Pink Saturday, hosted by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.

It's a rainy day today and what could be better than a cup of hot chocolate with strawberry marshmallows in a sweet china cup decorated with little PINK roses. (Note to self, finger sandwiches and scones would have been a great addition to this, but I wasn't thinking ahead!)

A couple of little bunny friends came by to celebrate PINK Saturday too. Pink and green hydrangea's are arranged in a vintage creamy white floral container. (Shhh, they're FAUX!)

The Kraft jet puffed strawberry mallows are so delicious with the hot chocolate!

( The cup and saucer were part of my Mom's collection. Made by Paragon, pattern Victoriana Rose.)

Please visit Beverly's by clicking HERE to see the other PINK Saturday participants.

Enjoy!
Diane