They Call Me Mellow Yellow

I'm just mad about Saffron, and Saffron's mad about me.

We decided to go bowling yesterday since it was like 100˚ƒ outside. The kid,

the actor, in from LaLa Land,

and Miss Sherrie, bowling extraordinaire.

Loads of fun. In fact, the kid and I went back tonight for Thursday Madness. All-you-can-bowl from 9 to midnight. (The hub is still on China time so he was in bed by then.) Woooosh. Seven games, my friends. High score of 112. Not bad for someone who hasn't bowled in like at least ten years! Ross? Who? Another alias or typo?

Today, I went to our Italian grocers, Lazzaroli's, and picked up some fresh pasta for dinner. Love that place! (I made a garlic butter sauce with wild Florida shrimpers on fettuccine. YUM!)

They had some Madagascar vanilla beans which is exactly what I needed to make some vanilla sugar--both granulated and confectioner's.

Can you smell it? Oh my. Sugar is happy tonight!

xo
ro

A Summer Day

It started out hot and muggy, a good ol' summer day. Watermelon was definitely in order!

I went over to mom's to sit a spell and then all hell broke loose. (Well, not really.) We did have tornado warnings, especially in Nashville and points east. After the winds and rains slowed a little and I hit the road home. This was the sky as I left and there were a lot of downed tree limbs, but it wasn't that bad around us, thank goodness. Hope all my fellow Tennesseans faired as well.

I got home, gathered the men and we headed to get something sweet and decided on gelato. MMMM.

I had a scoop of the Dolce de Leche and a scoop of the Stracciatella (vanilla with chocolate pieces). You could have scooped me off the floor!

We then decided on chicken quesadillas for dinner and I whipped up a quick and easy batch of salsa from ATK cookbook. Needless to say, we all smell like onions now, even after watermelon.

Bonus recipe card for quick salsa! So easy and good. Makes about 1 cup.

xo
ro

Lazy, Dazy, Crazy

Days of Summer.

Summertime

With summer in full swing, I think we all have the seashore on our minds. I've found some lovelies to share that I think you all will enjoy.

I was inspired by the latest edition of Victoria Magazine and went from there. I didn't have to go very far to find these scrumptious items.

Most goodies were found at Seaside Inspired. The others can be found on the Victoria website here.

Hope summertime is treating you well.
Enjoy yourself. It's later than you think.

Flag Day

We have so many "days" here in America, I can barely keep up with them. But, when I do see Flag Day pop up on my calendar, I try and remember to put out Old Glory. She normally continues flying proud until after Independence Day (and beyond if I'm out of town).

We have a nice breezy day today, another almost perfect day here in Nashville. I was mesmerized by the flag blowing in the wind. So pretty.

I had the best time at mom's today. Since it was such a gorgeous day, we rolled outside to the back where there is a wonderful covered area complete with ceiling fans. We sat out there for over an hour watching the cutest thing I have ever seen. There was a youngster squirrel that was having the best day of his young life. He was exploring the trees and the ground without a care in the world. He would climb onto this little limb (if you can call it that) that was about six inches off the ground. As soon as he would climb onto it, it would bend and hit the ground. He would then begin doing flips around it until it would swing back up. Once he got tired of doing this several times, he would run over to a small limb that was lying on the ground (again a little limber one) and start twirling around it. This went on for over an hour until the nurses came out to give mom some medicine and she wanted to follow them back in. I could have sat and watched this little feller for hours. It was one of the most precious moments ever. Does the heart good.

Life is gud.

Finery Friday

Fridays seem to be my hectic day. But with summer here, I try and take it nice and slow.

Slow it down Ro.
Smell the fleurs.

The yummy hydrangea is in full bloom in front of the house.

I love the different colors you can find if you just look.

A little closer than normal.

Popping echinacea on the side.

Daylillies in the back.

Spent clematis which I always enjoy as bizarre.

IDK what this is.

My favorite smell in the world. It's right by the garage, so I always stop and smell the lavender!

Others do as well, I see. This time of year, it's full of bees and butterflies!

A beautiful shade of Butterfly bush in mom's yard.

And Mom's daylillies.

Yes, it is balloon flowers!

This is NOT A TEST! I made the pretty cupcakes today after yesterday's test run.

Of course, they didn't look like this at all. lol. But for you, I made this one especially perty.

Enjoy your weekend!

Dry Run

Friday is approaching quickly and I've been racking my brain on what goodies to make for the nurses. I thought cupcakes would be good and easy--two words I was looking for exactly.

I have been a fan of Chockylit's blog Cup Cake Bake Shop for years and knew one day I would try one of her wonderful recipes. (I'm dying to try the newest grape cupcake! YUM!) Well, you know I am baking challenged, right? So, I thought it best to do a dry run tonight and give what came out of the oven to the kids.

I decided on the Plain and Simple Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Icing. Can't get any better than that. That's my favorite cupcake of all time, anyway. Not that they should be sitting around my house, of course, 'cause I'll be the one eating them!

Chocky specifically says to fill the cups 3/4 full. Well, of course, not only am I baking challenged, seems my math skills are just as bad. Hmmmm. Most overran the cups and some sank.

But that is never a problem because I just filled them with Chocky's delicious buttercream icing. Problem fixed. And this is the best recipe for buttercream I have ever tasted. Just like I grew up on (not my mom though--the neighbor's. My mom always made chocolate icing.) Anyhoo, the buttercream has always been my favorite on chocolate cake; you know, the grass is always greener. . . .

While they're not so good looking, are they good enough for the kids? You betchya! Tomorrow I will try again for some prettier ones. Wish me luck.

I'm sending good thoughts to my childhood friends, Nadia, who is going through a difficult period in caring for her aging parents and Amy whose mom just had her knee replaced. Seems so many of us are in this boat right now, and it's a tough one. I grew up with both their parents and remember them warmly and send my love to both parents and friends. Please keep all those who are caring for their parents and loved ones in your thoughts if you can.

I'll Love You Forever

. . . "Well, that mother, she got older. She got older and older and older. One day she called up her son and said, "You'd better come see me because I'm very old and sick." So her son came to see her. When he came in the door she tried to sing the song.
She sang:

I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always...

But she couldn't finish because she was too old and sick. The son went to his mother. He picked her up and rocked her back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And he sang this song:

I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my Mommy you'll be."