tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81734533229972276582024-02-07T23:14:13.149-05:00The Bluestocking BelleAt Home in the American SouthEllen, the Bluestocking Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01328085786533131608noreply@blogger.comBlogger541125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8173453322997227658.post-7610737770043793872016-03-15T18:48:00.001-04:002016-03-15T18:48:42.211-04:00When Life Interrupts Yours<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8CmAaYH5reJKUyW0KN1cRkl66ZxCyNU4SwH_dGWV-u60v4jFLT2zcnLs2XwyBRsrPq7OggL_8OwyXMzatbdK-0gCqf9TL7XQy8Hedhyl7kJWGFukDI_Fo7oh5DGf340UFQfcwAfhpeJOi/s1600/Dega.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8CmAaYH5reJKUyW0KN1cRkl66ZxCyNU4SwH_dGWV-u60v4jFLT2zcnLs2XwyBRsrPq7OggL_8OwyXMzatbdK-0gCqf9TL7XQy8Hedhyl7kJWGFukDI_Fo7oh5DGf340UFQfcwAfhpeJOi/s1600/Dega.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dad and Mama, Christmas 2014</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So my last post was in September. This, after several years of blogging regularly. I have many good reasons, some of which I'll be writing about in the coming days.<br />
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At the top of the list: my sweet dad, who was in precarious health for a few years, reached a crisis point at the end of October, and he passed away on November 21. It's hard to even type that. It's almost impossible to even think it, much less "accept." And it's been almost four months.<br />
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My sister, who blogs regularly at <i>Ministry and Motherhood</i>, wrote an amazing (a word I rarely use because it is so patently overused, but in this case it's a good fit) post while Dad was in hospice: <a href="http://ministryandmotherhood.com/2015/11/19/alicia-davis-porterfield-thankful-tired-and-traumatized/" target="_blank">Thankful, Tired, and Traumatized</a>. I point you there because it's perfect, written far better than I have words for right now.<br />
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I've composed posts in my head, but I can't seem to get them out yet. One day. For now, I re-read Alicia's post, look at the photos, and grieve.<br />
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<a href="http://s1212.photobucket.com/user/pianoprincessdesigns/media/signature_zpsbb142848.png.html" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo signature_zpsbb142848.png" border="0" src="http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc454/pianoprincessdesigns/signature_zpsbb142848.png~original" /></a>Ellen, the Bluestocking Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01328085786533131608noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8173453322997227658.post-71048267331738247082015-09-04T11:02:00.001-04:002015-09-10T08:43:38.260-04:00For Love of Figs<br />
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It’s late summer, and that means one thing to me: <i>figs</i>. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnohRSVtMPA9HJB0CSmFzRlkrr9rLpf-ByrAR6rnYfXGDBcgacP-2e0Z3Ee-4mC4UFYkUBnuQxavk-iR2IbWl0m2S4Vfu0ZzFrWdse5okb1OJEIJB7FJdmGV5PUrJMfn3wVJ0YrlvNNsaQ/s1600/Figs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnohRSVtMPA9HJB0CSmFzRlkrr9rLpf-ByrAR6rnYfXGDBcgacP-2e0Z3Ee-4mC4UFYkUBnuQxavk-iR2IbWl0m2S4Vfu0ZzFrWdse5okb1OJEIJB7FJdmGV5PUrJMfn3wVJ0YrlvNNsaQ/s320/Figs.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Figs are my favorite fresh fruit. Two weekends ago, a friend
invited me over to pick figs from her trees, and I happily took her up on her
offer. She has no idea what kind they are; she inherited the trees when she
bought her house. After a bit of research, I identified them as Celeste figs.
They are a small fig but quite sweet when you let them ripen sufficiently.<o:p></o:p></div>
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My favorites – and the sweetest to my palate -- are black
mission. I wish I could grow that variety, but they don’t do well here in the
American South.<o:p></o:p></div>
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People ask me what I do with figs, and I tend to reply, “Eat
them.” Duh. Figs are so seriously good that eating them out of hand is the
absolute best way to enjoy their flavor. But you have to wait until they are
perfectly ripe, bordering on overripe. Sitting out on the counter, they get
that way fairly quickly.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I also enjoy figs for breakfast. A few sliced figs, a dollop
of plain Greek yogurt, and a swirl of honey creates a bowl full of joy.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVR7ioRZlpbbjPSuWQCbxAz09YW9MMaLcOCzJjtPlenMEcz4hWyM12eSVgwyEwK6yWXmB7wl04rdu9SD9uBqpCE6zMPPe03Fc8D1o2MJy6YIbKltl5AG2Yfs1-ef10_ghLKZiozlBVBn_2/s1600/figs+with+yogurt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVR7ioRZlpbbjPSuWQCbxAz09YW9MMaLcOCzJjtPlenMEcz4hWyM12eSVgwyEwK6yWXmB7wl04rdu9SD9uBqpCE6zMPPe03Fc8D1o2MJy6YIbKltl5AG2Yfs1-ef10_ghLKZiozlBVBn_2/s320/figs+with+yogurt.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I also adore fig preserves. Aforementioned friend and her mother put up several pints of homemade fig preserves, and I was the happy recipient of a jar. Scrumptious on a spoon!</div>
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However, in case you are the type to want more options,
here’s a link to a Pinterest search page in which I looked for fig recipes.
Just for you. <a href="http://bit.ly/1EFygIT">http://bit.ly/1EFygIT</a></div>
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Enjoy!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://s1212.photobucket.com/user/pianoprincessdesigns/media/signature_zpsbb142848.png.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo signature_zpsbb142848.png" border="0" src="http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc454/pianoprincessdesigns/signature_zpsbb142848.png~original" /></a><br />
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Linking up with:<br />
A Delightsome Life's <a href="http://www.adelightsomelife.com/2015/09/a-return-to-loveliness-102.html" target="_blank">A Return to Loveliness</a><br />
<a href="http://www.commonground-do.com/2015/09/share-your-style-30.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FbCGJMl+%28Common+Ground%29" target="_blank">Share Your Style</a> at Common Ground<br />
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<br />Ellen, the Bluestocking Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01328085786533131608noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8173453322997227658.post-32979409215539990602015-07-29T21:51:00.001-04:002015-07-29T21:51:10.872-04:00Birdsong at Night<br />
I'm sitting in our cabin here in Maine, listening to birdsong. That's not unusual, except that it's fully dark, almost 9 PM, and I'm sipping a nice Cabernet, not my morning cup of coffee.<br />
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I love wild birds. I love feeding them, watching them, identifying them, and listening to them. My daughters once shared my delight and awe, but now they are teenagers and not much delights or awes them any longer. It's quite sad. But I remain hopeful that once they get past this stage (which has its own delights, I assure you), they'll return to those things that once bright them joy.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCZLrgVOuGT83A-IBK2mi_BLhDB3Rl4AbunefzM6bz_-5myE6QggujwThi_gc-ttVK8nNabCf2dTZx96flVSd0HWZATV6o6jY7OFEyhJ4VP8oC1Yu9CnIO5X_NmlyiHS2KnSf2-VU38UnR/s1600/Hermit_Thrush_s52-13-248_l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCZLrgVOuGT83A-IBK2mi_BLhDB3Rl4AbunefzM6bz_-5myE6QggujwThi_gc-ttVK8nNabCf2dTZx96flVSd0HWZATV6o6jY7OFEyhJ4VP8oC1Yu9CnIO5X_NmlyiHS2KnSf2-VU38UnR/s320/Hermit_Thrush_s52-13-248_l.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/hermit-thrush" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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The bird I hear now is a hermit thrush. I've been enjoying listening to them for years here in Maine. I never hear them down South. They have a very unique and lovely song; it's intricate, whereas some birdsongs are quite simple. And there's a unique whirring aspect to parts of it.<br />
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I first learned about hermit thrushes a few years ago when the girls and I visited <a href="http://www.birdsacre.com/index.html" target="_blank">Birdsacre </a>and the Stanwood Wildlife Sanctuary, a wonderful house museum and bird sanctuary in Ellsworth, Maine. There we learned about the life and vocation of Cordelia J. Stanwood, a 19th century pioneer ornithologist and photographer whose passion was birds. We enjoyed out tour of the house and the girls got to help the volunteer feed the birds that live there. Our favorites were the sawwhet owls.<br />
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As a memento, I purchase <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-spring-Cordelia-Stanwood-Birdsacre/dp/0932448011/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=" target="_blank">a biography of Cordelia</a>, written by Chandler S. Richmond and titled <i>Beyond the Spring</i>. Frankly, I did not hold out much hope for a well-written book. So I was pleasantly surprised at the engaging style of Richmond's prose. And what a story, too! More to the point of this post, however, is her deep admiration for the hermit thrush. She wrote:<br />
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<span style="background-color: #76a5af; color: white; font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">“When the thrush speaks to me, it seems as if the rags and tatters that enshroud my soul fall away and leave it naked. Then I must be simple and true or I cannot feel the message the small voice brings to me. When the thrush sings, I desire to live in a small, scrupulously neat camp, open to the sun and the wind and the voices of the birds. I would like to spend eternity thus, listening to the song of the thrush.”</span></blockquote>
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My response to the thrush's song isn't <i>quite </i>as strong, but I do love it. <a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Hermit_Thrush/sounds" target="_blank">Here's a link to the hermit thrush page</a> at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology All About Birds website. You can see photos of this bird and, more importantly, listen to recordings of its song. And <a href="https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/hermit-thrush" target="_blank">here's a link</a> to the hermit thrush page on the Audubon website. Excellent recordings of its song are down lower on the page. Prepare to be charmed. And the next time you hear a bird singing at night, think of the hermit thrush.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s1212.photobucket.com/user/pianoprincessdesigns/media/signature_zpsbb142848.png.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo signature_zpsbb142848.png" border="0" src="http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc454/pianoprincessdesigns/signature_zpsbb142848.png~original" /></a>Ellen, the Bluestocking Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01328085786533131608noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8173453322997227658.post-43222086987043924922015-07-26T20:42:00.000-04:002015-07-26T20:42:21.595-04:00The Perils of Getting Dressed<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpAQPE09tMlvqlNV9sVE-DUo9qkQsFjSMszk3ZJBIO51-2PBffuVUyaTFycgDw9Zbt1_Nhgn6-Ugm00oa_2oFUG22LIBs6-OYvE_iNgyoZI5gvLSIavN99sqsexLU4w5TfB1Wx4lWFRhgp/s1600/Barbie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpAQPE09tMlvqlNV9sVE-DUo9qkQsFjSMszk3ZJBIO51-2PBffuVUyaTFycgDw9Zbt1_Nhgn6-Ugm00oa_2oFUG22LIBs6-OYvE_iNgyoZI5gvLSIavN99sqsexLU4w5TfB1Wx4lWFRhgp/s320/Barbie.jpg" width="214" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/romitagirl67/11897925864/" target="_blank">Source</a></td></tr>
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A while ago, I posted on Facebook this plaint: “All I want
is a white, scoop-neck tee shirt that isn’t see-through. Is that too much to
ask?”</div>
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Apparently I’m not the only woman my age with such desires
because I got a lot of responses. Some suggested stores I’d already checked
with no luck; others suggested stores at which I do not typically shop. I
checked an online store a friend recommended and found such tees in various
colors – including white – and on sale. Shazam.</div>
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I’m not a clothes person. I mean, I wear them so I won’t get
arrested and also to cover up the awful things time is doing to my body. But
I’m not a fashionista, and I don’t like shopping for clothes. All that
searching through racks, taking off my clothes in hideously cramped and ill-lit
dressing rooms, trying on multiple items that disappoint. . . Yuck. </div>
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I don’t like to think about clothes much either. Lately I’ve
been drawn to the minimalist wardrobe approach that’s sprung up on the
internet. The capsule wardrobe, the 10-piece wardrobe, the French woman’s guide
to fashion, etc. And I like the concept behind these as well. Why should I
waste my “creative energy” on worrying about what I’m going to wear every day?
Who needs the stress?</div>
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But these approaches have limitations. For example, I find I
want to have more than just a black and white closet, a la française. I don’t
do much accessorizing, so rounding out with handbags, headbands, and other
colorful accountrements is not my style.</div>
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Another issue is that shopping options for women my age are more
limited. Places I used to shop, like Old Navy, Gap, etc., don’t suit me anymore. I’m
no longer friends with sleeveless tops, for example. And form-fitting maxi
dresses don’t flatter my form. After two kids, I’m a little hippy. And
low-rider jeans? Don’t get me started.</div>
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And even though I don’t have much fashion sense, I do have a
budget. So when I peruse fashion/lifestyle blogs for women my (ahem) age for
some ideas, I balk at paying 90 bucks for a three-quarter length sleeve tee
shirt. Which is the same reason I don’t use those online clothes shopping
services where they send you a selection of clothes items picked JUST FOR YOU
based on a questionnaire. They’re too pricey.</div>
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So if you have no style, a small budget, an even smaller
amount of interest in clothes shopping, AND you’re nearing a certain age,
you’re pretty much out of luck when it comes to getting dressed and liking what
you see in the mirror. It’s basically out of necessity that I’m a jeans and tee
or sweater person (although I’ve been known to throw on a scarf for a touch of
flair). I’m not <i>completely</i> hopeless.</div>
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Frankly, I'd rather spend my money on other things. And if you take one look at me, you'll see that fashion is not my top priority.</div>
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<br />
<a href="http://s1212.photobucket.com/user/pianoprincessdesigns/media/signature_zpsbb142848.png.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo signature_zpsbb142848.png" border="0" src="http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc454/pianoprincessdesigns/signature_zpsbb142848.png~original" /></a>Ellen, the Bluestocking Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01328085786533131608noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8173453322997227658.post-38629770801646868582015-04-08T11:49:00.000-04:002015-04-08T11:49:11.336-04:00Bien Dans Sa Peau at the Beach<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieCfMfPYuDN8iTuT-MOeo0NMtVt0-gv01qY_xubAHtfVmvODciDn4O9WhIDGVtSD8T7JvUlwkT5Y4cfcDq96X_DhnclyBNKrCN2qaF0OYw-Ms-uEBPTIeQ0wgvUsDTwwv9iEy2AM0UHrE2/s1600/Me+Waterlogue.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieCfMfPYuDN8iTuT-MOeo0NMtVt0-gv01qY_xubAHtfVmvODciDn4O9WhIDGVtSD8T7JvUlwkT5Y4cfcDq96X_DhnclyBNKrCN2qaF0OYw-Ms-uEBPTIeQ0wgvUsDTwwv9iEy2AM0UHrE2/s1600/Me+Waterlogue.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.3999996185303px;">My daughters are in the ocean, jumping waves. The water is frigid, just like the ocean at Old Orchard Beach, Maine, at the height of summer. It took them a while to get used to the water, but once they surrendered to its frigidity, they threw themselves in with abandon. Now they are drenched, salty, sandy, and ecstatic. I am certain their lips are blue.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.3999996185303px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.3999996185303px;">They say that it's more fun to come to the beach with daddy than with me. He gets in the water with them, while I sit on the beach and read. There was a time in my life when I would have been in that water. In fact, I enjoyed the ocean then more than my daughters do now. My sisters and I paddled on our floats, body surfed, searched for fish and shells, and nursed a few jellyfish stings. A small price to pay.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM09EvzZx0i_Le67jKrkuYomkRHKI-sGCSL7Q4ZsZpZaBSG2qw9jDapl77n-YieBlPhZJFZDoG5TRLhH4wGfHQep_lzqYV5ueTfcx5QDediEXUmFDOJShIkKlt1GiXUDH0sluHwso23v2o/s1600/Girls+in+ocean.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM09EvzZx0i_Le67jKrkuYomkRHKI-sGCSL7Q4ZsZpZaBSG2qw9jDapl77n-YieBlPhZJFZDoG5TRLhH4wGfHQep_lzqYV5ueTfcx5QDediEXUmFDOJShIkKlt1GiXUDH0sluHwso23v2o/s1600/Girls+in+ocean.JPG" height="291" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18.3999996185303px;">Now I sit in a beach chair with my book, my big white sun hat protecting my face, my sunglasses covering my reading glasses. I must look ludicrous, but I don't care. I am ecstatic myself. The wind and the smell of the salty air and the feel of the velvety sand on my toes, sand that has just recently been underwater, are heavenly.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 14.9499998092651px;">There is a narrow lookout between the wide brim of my sun hat and the top of my reading glasses.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 14.9499998092651px;"> I </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 14.9499998092651px;">watch my girls through that slit. As I read, I look up periodically to check that they are safe. They don't need me as much any more, and there is freedom for all of us in that. I am able to sit and relax and enjoy. They are able to play and splash and run. And we don’t worry too much about what the other is doing.</span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; line-height: 18.3999996185303px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We do, however, keep our eyes on each other. We look up from time to time to make sure that the other is still there. That's our touchstone, our way to make sure we are where we are supposed to be in the world.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">They've come back to the
towels to warm themselves in the sun for a bit. They have taken the time to
tell me that I look ridiculous, which I know, but I am beyond the point of
caring. In fact I’m beyond the age of caring. And it's rather freeing, this not
caring very much of the kind of picture one presents to the world. Sometimes I
do care. I take care with my appearance and my clothes and my hair and all of
that. But at other times I just let it all go and just be myself, who I am in
that moment. And the world can keep its critique to itself.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For me, this is one aspect
of the French woman’s ideal, to be <i>bien
dans sa peau</i>, literally, “well in her skin.” It’s an all-encompassing
phrase with many life aspects. But at the moment, I’m well and truly enjoying
one of them. And I’m at peace with myself.</span></span></div>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitPzsOBc6pIya0U4DE-bq8enV9vxRPPT6BNeju7cHSuc0fu0hL6vJoNpzKFZA-B-BtHb70GK6KbfKCYBvPGs6yn-dYf_mP4QoSVgMT7WihUgTXiHu89oe-txZT1-2jn80yuaDD4Jqov-P9/s1600/Foot+in+water.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitPzsOBc6pIya0U4DE-bq8enV9vxRPPT6BNeju7cHSuc0fu0hL6vJoNpzKFZA-B-BtHb70GK6KbfKCYBvPGs6yn-dYf_mP4QoSVgMT7WihUgTXiHu89oe-txZT1-2jn80yuaDD4Jqov-P9/s1600/Foot+in+water.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr7-3CRz3HupCystXYuKAL3zyKwGXm2c9LlqacW2TE80Wa-Esf8V0sFe58rb3kFcg8lLdYLgK3iPbeJxYNopERMmrs-Jm_N0fynqTfjUtf1jZxC9KUf9UskewyckjsAr74X0mS9Y3NJ65t/s1600/snow+day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr7-3CRz3HupCystXYuKAL3zyKwGXm2c9LlqacW2TE80Wa-Esf8V0sFe58rb3kFcg8lLdYLgK3iPbeJxYNopERMmrs-Jm_N0fynqTfjUtf1jZxC9KUf9UskewyckjsAr74X0mS9Y3NJ65t/s1600/snow+day.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My deck.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I sit at my desk with a view to the back, watching snow fall quite heavily. The girls are asleep; they went back to bed when they heard of their school's two-hour delay. Watching the snow, I wonder if two hours will be enough of a delay. This is the South, you know.<br />
<br />
I've had a lot on my mind lately and that's where it's all stayed -- in my mind. My job keeps me very busy these days, as well as my household management duties. And I've taken on other volunteer roles, ones I feel really good about. But there are adjustments to be made, trade-offs. I haven't the time I once had to devote to my blog or any other personal writing projects.<br />
<br />
So all my thoughts and ideas whirl around in my head. I need to get them out on virtual paper! But just to get going, here are things I'm thinking about and hope to write about:<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>I'm not a French woman, no matter how much I admire many of their philosophies.</li>
<li>I <i>do </i>like the French take on decorating. I'm not much of a changer.</li>
<li>College is on our horizon. I've been reading, researching, planning, and discussing with my daughters, particularly my elder one. I have lots to share.</li>
<li>My role as facilitator of my daughters' educations.</li>
<li>Books I want to tell you about.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
A cardinal just lighted on a snow-covered branch outside my window. I haven't blogged about birds in ages, and it used to be such a big part of my life. I miss those details. I want to make sure I'm not too busy to see and appreciate the little details that make life so delightful. Right now, my girls are snuggled in the elder one's bed, happy in the news that school has been cancelled and playing Minecraft together. I love it. I cherish it; we only have a few short years left of such things.<br />
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<br />
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<br />
Linking up with:<br />
<a href="http://www.savvysouthernstyle.net/2015/02/wow-us-wednesdays-210.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+SavvySouthernStyle+%28Savvy+Southern+Style%29" target="_blank">Wow Us Wednesdays</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXnw9pJqvUa2JhpdItSnGA1CGqEEH-vNO-dAOSLcG2D9vpYy-x8C0nKPk32kG1GAtO60BNmzqRm_V4UxSF2A2cMDG_G1YBAUDE6DD4FVlQ1IWI6GjlsXfbXbKXyoox9YE9lcSGdiTH79IE/s1600/Abbeville_House_Sue_Fall_06_003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXnw9pJqvUa2JhpdItSnGA1CGqEEH-vNO-dAOSLcG2D9vpYy-x8C0nKPk32kG1GAtO60BNmzqRm_V4UxSF2A2cMDG_G1YBAUDE6DD4FVlQ1IWI6GjlsXfbXbKXyoox9YE9lcSGdiTH79IE/s1600/Abbeville_House_Sue_Fall_06_003.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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Located in Abbeville, GA, about an hour and a half from Macon, the Bailey-Floyd house was built c. 1850 and is a lovely example of Greek Revival architecture. The listing states clearly, "This property needs work, a jewel in the rough." But its negotiable price is a mere $44,000. With that price, you could probably work out a plan for immediate and then later renovations. Or it could be a money pit. There's always that possibility!<br />
<br />
But seven bedrooms! Small-town living! Two hours from the Georgia coast! $44,000!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpwRND-tTJaq0Nmmrr9_DO46fiTXsKoVRVJyOI3Mx6OX3fD5sZN92xoYUB7NIMNmZ4xsDShrTxG9N9FG_TQch22isBQZZqYAQ3CdMN4UOJ8ndvOQgfv4afL439ramNxLhnmWm_Ul-6uEo0/s1600/Abbeville_House_Sue_Fall_06_005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpwRND-tTJaq0Nmmrr9_DO46fiTXsKoVRVJyOI3Mx6OX3fD5sZN92xoYUB7NIMNmZ4xsDShrTxG9N9FG_TQch22isBQZZqYAQ3CdMN4UOJ8ndvOQgfv4afL439ramNxLhnmWm_Ul-6uEo0/s1600/Abbeville_House_Sue_Fall_06_005.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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The master bedroom is on the main level. The yard features large, established pecan trees. Both bathrooms are on the first floor, which isn't convenient. My guess is that there are substantial structural issues to overcome and quite possibly all systems need updating. Ch-ching!<br />
<br />
I ran a quick Google search and found that the house is also reputed to be haunted. Of course it is! It's an old house in the South. They all have ghosts, right? I don't think that would turn anyone off. I also found that it's been for sale for several years. One price I saw was almost twice its current asking price.<br />
<br />
Ghosts may not scare people, but severe structural issues might.<br />
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Still, can't you just picture it, restored to its former grace and stateliness? I can. Maybe someone else with the know-how, contacts, patience, time, and deep pockets this sort of renovation requires will, too.<br />
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<br />
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<br />
Linking up with:<br />
<a href="http://www.worthingcourtblog.com/2015/02/the-scoop-link-party-159.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:" target="_blank">The Scoop</a>Ellen, the Bluestocking Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01328085786533131608noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8173453322997227658.post-80665735283145302832015-02-18T11:16:00.000-05:002015-02-25T10:07:56.291-05:00Window Frame Art with an Equestrian Flair<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAUb6u4cpFI3LyJiMQXKhlGPlB26SonoUdmOf0F_NPd8p7U9ZRjkqX_FVt7220Ug7CdWu1KtjVGHMALAde8XE-PaweOMnXmPNlWTnkW4Fk7u7Y3hXClB6PAFNOQlFljnIKww5arAwqKKMk/s1600/horse+photo+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAUb6u4cpFI3LyJiMQXKhlGPlB26SonoUdmOf0F_NPd8p7U9ZRjkqX_FVt7220Ug7CdWu1KtjVGHMALAde8XE-PaweOMnXmPNlWTnkW4Fk7u7Y3hXClB6PAFNOQlFljnIKww5arAwqKKMk/s1600/horse+photo+1.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See her two stuffed animal pups peeking out?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
My daughter is an equestrian. She's ridden since she was five years old and has competed at the local level for quite a few years now. At Christmas, both girls get a calendar for the new year, and Tiny Girl's has always been horse related. She's collected quite a few by now. So I bought a window frame for a few dollars several months ago, and she selected and cut out some favorite calendar photos and paintings to make a piece of art for her bedroom.<br />
<br />
First, we cleaned the window frame and glass. Then we adhered the pictures to the back of the glass using Scotch Photo Mount adhesive spray. I tested a cutout we didn't plan to use to make certain the adhesive would not smear the ink. Success!<br />
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Himself is going to add hooks to the top of the frame so we can safely hang it on the wall. For now, it's propped against her chest of drawers.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoo5_fg7Z68zbXmFJj9W-Hs06Pe9Z-N5W2GEAorJ6CUoRIK8KUyHyvHjFHhLO1jD9OS_dKSF_AVEOKD5rMQSurfc-yOMLkmtjX0FKnMCyWNh6o-c0KilcRYhJXDHV9yXpVwQY764hPatji/s1600/horse+photo+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoo5_fg7Z68zbXmFJj9W-Hs06Pe9Z-N5W2GEAorJ6CUoRIK8KUyHyvHjFHhLO1jD9OS_dKSF_AVEOKD5rMQSurfc-yOMLkmtjX0FKnMCyWNh6o-c0KilcRYhJXDHV9yXpVwQY764hPatji/s1600/horse+photo+2.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
For a few dollars and a few minutes, we have individually designed artwork!<br />
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Have you tried the whole window frame art idea?<br />
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<br />
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<br />Ellen, the Bluestocking Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01328085786533131608noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8173453322997227658.post-2470922754083346252015-01-13T10:16:00.002-05:002015-01-13T10:16:28.682-05:00Review: More Middle Grades Historical Novels from Susan Kilbride<br />
Pop over to <a href="http://www.thecurriculumchoice.com/2015/01/historical-fiction-goodness-susan-kilbride/" target="_blank">The Curriculum Choice</a> to read my review of two more middle to lower high school level historical novels from Susan Kilbride's marvelous <i>Our America</i> series!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s1212.photobucket.com/user/pianoprincessdesigns/media/signature_zpsbb142848.png.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo signature_zpsbb142848.png" border="0" src="http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc454/pianoprincessdesigns/signature_zpsbb142848.png~original" /></a>Ellen, the Bluestocking Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01328085786533131608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8173453322997227658.post-13572363860648660002015-01-12T15:56:00.002-05:002015-01-15T16:04:04.921-05:00Perchance to Dream: Historic Home in Georgia<br />
I love old houses. If Himself and I had our druthers, we'd live in one. But since I've sworn I'll never move again, it will remain a dream.<br />
<br />
Anyway, like most dreamers, I like to drool over the objects of my adoration. Like this one, Panola Hall in Eatonton, Georgia. Now, it's a wee bit out of our price range (ahem!), but still. Isn't it gorgeous?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbDlEbNL5DasxXZHt5RKRMw1Gqc67iJiyz2Ead1b5HBJylekjULOtvcqWUn3BMP7iDTfBujHRdFQTRLA1SRlECBU_W_gy2HD_dyMRRn0bLaduyixPZIRICqld7irym9wsPUslPDlwbRNqT/s1600/Eatonton+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbDlEbNL5DasxXZHt5RKRMw1Gqc67iJiyz2Ead1b5HBJylekjULOtvcqWUn3BMP7iDTfBujHRdFQTRLA1SRlECBU_W_gy2HD_dyMRRn0bLaduyixPZIRICqld7irym9wsPUslPDlwbRNqT/s1600/Eatonton+1.jpg" height="267" width="400" /></a></div>
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Built in 1854, Panola Hall is a wonderful example of Greek Revival architecture. There are 12 fireplaces, heart pine floors, pocket doors (which I covet greatly), a spacious kitchen with granite countertops, a large center hall -- quite common in houses of this time period -- and very high ceilings: 12 feet on the main level and 14 feet on the second floor. Oh, and porches! There's even a raised daylight basement with nine-foot ceilings, four large rooms (each with windows and a fireplace), a second kitchen, and a grotto.<br />
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Below is a photo of the center hall. I love the color of the walls. Notice how the staircase is located away from either doorway.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggr3c_wNQHRAPGtcpOTgqOGPn2OjTCblAPV79VrWrcxBQXSl5LiVM8Z_JnoI19I1a54oHaIuLMNJu1s_osN9N5RuzK7uxRS3X78XDO_7_KI_9aobYHZMrDCB_q-kzOsFEHtm-kr8hlcsJu/s1600/Eatonton+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggr3c_wNQHRAPGtcpOTgqOGPn2OjTCblAPV79VrWrcxBQXSl5LiVM8Z_JnoI19I1a54oHaIuLMNJu1s_osN9N5RuzK7uxRS3X78XDO_7_KI_9aobYHZMrDCB_q-kzOsFEHtm-kr8hlcsJu/s1600/Eatonton+2.jpg" height="267" width="400" /></a></div>
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The dining room. See the pocket doors peeking out?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg78L_Ad_ILhRGrTIzxaFlGivbofh8JtW0jeQmqaskbCGAWHAxOosHiMO8V4g9rGfLpL5pnTZMptBOMO-lg8u-_kbQuUlQrS3b-22dzH_9mpja1a3IS3d7Qwns56i8aDA0e8-r-sovX9Fhm/s1600/Eatonton+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg78L_Ad_ILhRGrTIzxaFlGivbofh8JtW0jeQmqaskbCGAWHAxOosHiMO8V4g9rGfLpL5pnTZMptBOMO-lg8u-_kbQuUlQrS3b-22dzH_9mpja1a3IS3d7Qwns56i8aDA0e8-r-sovX9Fhm/s1600/Eatonton+3.jpg" height="267" width="400" /></a></div>
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The floors are especially gorgeous here in the kitchen:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-0ESIJj6iKmViZaVHN7SbO5FHa7rS282H68NvQe0y2uZ7NEkdLNn7uJjUPaUKerYkjWefaNS6WhV4_sI27wncIH9Y2c3CPLCMpjtem4ZkWHj1A6oaOHN-WXrSIgM8q_R4hMuPNaO-_F39/s1600/Eatonton+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-0ESIJj6iKmViZaVHN7SbO5FHa7rS282H68NvQe0y2uZ7NEkdLNn7uJjUPaUKerYkjWefaNS6WhV4_sI27wncIH9Y2c3CPLCMpjtem4ZkWHj1A6oaOHN-WXrSIgM8q_R4hMuPNaO-_F39/s1600/Eatonton+4.jpg" height="267" width="400" /></a></div>
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The master bedroom. Swoon!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWjvHajQhvBMN7dSgVtiujtBNAQZeBs4hHXrTreeCzcFFGffybQJ-UsYaoHCkZ0UViLE1acpoGO_hu8VrgDjFP2YHZ5IYwOlSnzjVvd5k8uYynRdcGeb4R0KJFzbUvMe0GvPROMp0HcjDm/s1600/Eatonton+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWjvHajQhvBMN7dSgVtiujtBNAQZeBs4hHXrTreeCzcFFGffybQJ-UsYaoHCkZ0UViLE1acpoGO_hu8VrgDjFP2YHZ5IYwOlSnzjVvd5k8uYynRdcGeb4R0KJFzbUvMe0GvPROMp0HcjDm/s1600/Eatonton+5.jpg" height="267" width="400" /></a></div>
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Lovely master bath.<br />
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The rear facade.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc1MQXCWhJVIxwdJMWk5Oa9VcjHkPOaZR5D5deS-ERNQlLE9PWri55FnbHj-B9S6x2LVOZP9ui-pC_81JzOFm9EFKzS8lw9SPnrNd52xk67l5kgiqmqZDdJ-hNkINjcpFs8C-JnQ2rTitI/s1600/Eatonton+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc1MQXCWhJVIxwdJMWk5Oa9VcjHkPOaZR5D5deS-ERNQlLE9PWri55FnbHj-B9S6x2LVOZP9ui-pC_81JzOFm9EFKzS8lw9SPnrNd52xk67l5kgiqmqZDdJ-hNkINjcpFs8C-JnQ2rTitI/s1600/Eatonton+7.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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The backyard features a brick carriage path, a domed well house, a fish pond, and several heritage plants.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI3xdISQ21fYAnIsuhC-XSRFg2LXOYo0SSCpMBAByquSTnXTlzT8Czf1-LlVJRKOO9ODShyphenhyphenL5L7t45dTkdCRtPj_sTZMd3_zQUX3ZSasD254WzoaZKzjCQp90N78DqWnU26HWYMl-oykWD/s1600/Eatonton+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI3xdISQ21fYAnIsuhC-XSRFg2LXOYo0SSCpMBAByquSTnXTlzT8Czf1-LlVJRKOO9ODShyphenhyphenL5L7t45dTkdCRtPj_sTZMd3_zQUX3ZSasD254WzoaZKzjCQp90N78DqWnU26HWYMl-oykWD/s1600/Eatonton+8.jpg" height="267" width="400" /></a></div>
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And it boasts its own "spirit presence of a refined Southern belle," Sylvia. (It's an old Southern home; of course there's a ghost!)<br />
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I would certainly put my own stamp on as far as color, curtains, and furnishings go. But oh, what scope for the imagination! For more information (and photos), visit the real estate listing <a href="https://www.coldwellbanker.com/property/400-N-Madison-Avenue-Eatonton-GA-31024-MLS-38657" target="_blank">here</a>. The photos come from that site.<br />
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Are you entranced with old houses, too?<br />
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Link parties:<br />
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<a href="http://www.savvysouthernstyle.net/2015/01/wow-us-wednesdays-204.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+SavvySouthernStyle+%28Savvy+Southern+Style%29" target="_blank">Wow Us Wednesdays</a><br />
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<br />Ellen, the Bluestocking Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01328085786533131608noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8173453322997227658.post-57911773726120322742015-01-09T11:54:00.000-05:002015-01-15T16:04:36.401-05:00Making Plans for Dining Room Curtains<br />
It's time to make plans for curtains in the dining room. The windows have stood naked for far too long. After looking through Country Curtains catalogs and other sources for ready-made ideas, I decided on custom-made curtains for several reasons.<br />
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One: the windows feature pretty moldings. It would be a shame to cover them. See?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoP0IvLgYH9XGQrZjETGVs17mrIe-pl5pZjSEu10DYrQEV2lRsxJlnoGAUn-IE5BCwyj6u1sbJMt5kps7WZw0KfPoO0Urj9eQFOD9ChoVhg0CdgPYuXgSQIUTOc5qdBr5QqYoJbChPuTPm/s1600/moldings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoP0IvLgYH9XGQrZjETGVs17mrIe-pl5pZjSEu10DYrQEV2lRsxJlnoGAUn-IE5BCwyj6u1sbJMt5kps7WZw0KfPoO0Urj9eQFOD9ChoVhg0CdgPYuXgSQIUTOc5qdBr5QqYoJbChPuTPm/s1600/moldings.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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Two: I have blinds and the header box thingies, which I also like.<br />
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Three: I am in love with this fabric, which I've adored since I first caught sight of it at Calico Corners a few years ago:<br />
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I think the lighter blue in the background with complement the wall paint color, <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=behr+opal+silk+paint&newwindow=1&rlz=1C1EODB_enUS523US523&espv=2&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=QAawVLXJJoSdgwS9zILQCg&ved=0CD8QsAQ&biw=1024&bih=600" target="_blank">Opal Silk by Behr</a>, really nicely.<br />
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I've contacted a decorator here in my area, and she and I have both texted and talked on the phone. I sent her photos from my Pinterest board, <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/ellenbarski/gorgeous-home/" target="_blank">Gorgeous Home</a>, with some ideas of things I like. I'm especially enamored with the idea of finials rather than rods, like so:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghoF189KkRpbIKSgucuX-2Lj0qsqgIwbiThBQanWD8Dhe5be-gGrlCvFJL_EN8wMd103CZ7YPbWPDcDqcLKcUlJx09d530Ix-ZJPajPuq2eRoxLQJUIJbZ9ik4P0JtkJ7AwTx4sjQ9JGPk/s1600/curtains.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghoF189KkRpbIKSgucuX-2Lj0qsqgIwbiThBQanWD8Dhe5be-gGrlCvFJL_EN8wMd103CZ7YPbWPDcDqcLKcUlJx09d530Ix-ZJPajPuq2eRoxLQJUIJbZ9ik4P0JtkJ7AwTx4sjQ9JGPk/s1600/curtains.jpg" height="242" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">{<a href="http://www.decorating-ideas-made-easy.com/french-country-living-room.html" target="_blank">source</a>}</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I can't wait to get started!<br />
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<br />
Link parties:<br />
<a href="http://www.thededicatedhouse.com/2015/01/make-it-pretty-monday-week-124.html" target="_blank">Make It Pretty Monday</a><br />
<a href="http://www.astrollthrulife.net/2015/01/251st-inspire-me-tuesday.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FznvhK+%28A+Stroll+Thru+Life%29" target="_blank">Inspire Me Tuesday</a><br />
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<br />
<br />Ellen, the Bluestocking Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01328085786533131608noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8173453322997227658.post-38725570279319841962015-01-08T08:44:00.000-05:002015-01-08T08:59:23.872-05:00Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken: A Pinterest Success!<br />
I love Pinterest. I pin things all the time, and sometimes I actually try them. I have several recipe boards: <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/ellenbarski/tasty-eats-and-sips/" target="_blank">Tasty Eats and Sips</a>, <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/ellenbarski/i-get-to-lick-the-beaters/" target="_blank">I Get to Lick the Beaters!</a>, <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/ellenbarski/small-plates/" target="_blank">Small Plates</a>, <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/ellenbarski/why-yes-i-will-have-another-glass/" target="_blank">Why, Yes, I WILL Have Another Glass,</a> and <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/ellenbarski/freezer-and-crock-pot-meals/" target="_blank">Freezer and Crock Pot Meals</a>. A new suppertime favorite came from Tasty Eats and Sips. I've made it twice and everyone here LOVED it (which is actually a minor miracle).<br />
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<b>Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken</b> from The Recipe Critic! Here's <a href="http://therecipecritic.com/2013/07/baked-sweet-and-sour-chicken/" target="_blank">the link to the recipe</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBPRqInDe0pWyOdSEAZc4HJvFY-2Q5w69Kv1-jLHxZauJyTrrRNKJgcWJtnXz6IlRZM5Do3iVJwZvT0B1qiDYtOyHc7MBnPI8fGm86etNsCtrIA8CT6Tjpvha7oku9Ty_kfy-j6U7HSKhs/s1600/sweet+and+sour+chicken.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBPRqInDe0pWyOdSEAZc4HJvFY-2Q5w69Kv1-jLHxZauJyTrrRNKJgcWJtnXz6IlRZM5Do3iVJwZvT0B1qiDYtOyHc7MBnPI8fGm86etNsCtrIA8CT6Tjpvha7oku9Ty_kfy-j6U7HSKhs/s1600/sweet+and+sour+chicken.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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You should know ahead of time that this recipe is not fast, but it is easy. Also, it's divine! The cornstarch makes a perfect coating, and the sauce is absolutely wonderful. I had all the ingredients on hand, too.<br />
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Here are my tips and amendments so you'll know what I did differently:<br />
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<ul>
<li>I used <b>a whole bag of Tyson frozen chicken breasts</b>. There were eight of them, but they are on the smaller size, as opposed to fresh breasts.</li>
<li><b>I didn't bother to measure the cornstarch</b>. I just dumped some into a pie plate and added when necessary.</li>
<li>The first time I made this, <b>I only needed two eggs</b>. The second time, I needed all three called for. I depends on how many breasts you're using.</li>
<li>Your fingers are going to get really goopy. You may want to <b>consider putting the cornstarch in a paper bag</b> and shaking the pieces to coat them. I just rinsed my fingers periodically in warm water, but I'm going to try the bag method next time.</li>
<li><b>I needed more than the 1/4 cup canola oil</b>. I simply added when necessary.</li>
<li>I used <b>garlic powder instead of garlic salt</b> in the sauce. We watch our sodium intake around here.</li>
<li>I served atop <b>Success Boil in Bag jasmine rice and steamed broccoli</b> for a one-dish meal.</li>
</ul>
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If you decide to print the recipe, copy and paste it into Word, and then copy and paste my tips as well. That way, everything will be together.<br />
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My entire family gives this recipe five stars. It's would be delicious any time of the year, but Tiny Girl and I ate ours in front of the fire last night. Then we played a fun game of Scrabble, in which I earned a lifetime personal best (so far) of 63 points on one turn!<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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Sharing at:<br />
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<br />Ellen, the Bluestocking Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01328085786533131608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8173453322997227658.post-21141390415843193972014-12-22T11:55:00.000-05:002014-12-22T11:55:21.100-05:00Cute Reindeer Antlers Headband<br />
My elder daughter needed a quick antler headband to wear to school, so we whipped this up with some things we had around the house. Her little antlers turned out super cute!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi8DscJShUOOTdWG6nYpgAbQKuANmKYdD7Cvqm4RJNzg7wFdvTYJqRlEkg7OQGGOMS1jLzcp3fdD8jB_CzCSeqmiIeH0vDmHzlb64E0FtP8HAN6mxJ7Pnbyp3XzTumGt68xtne_r4hmOjF/s1600/Antlers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi8DscJShUOOTdWG6nYpgAbQKuANmKYdD7Cvqm4RJNzg7wFdvTYJqRlEkg7OQGGOMS1jLzcp3fdD8jB_CzCSeqmiIeH0vDmHzlb64E0FtP8HAN6mxJ7Pnbyp3XzTumGt68xtne_r4hmOjF/s1600/Antlers.jpg" height="320" width="230" /></a></div>
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First, I looked for an easy-to-use template. I found <a href="http://sisterssuitcaseblog.com/2014/01/frozen-elsa-crown-sven-reindeer-antler.html" target="_blank">this one</a> at Sisters Suitcase. Perfect!<br />
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I printed out the template, cut out the antler parts only, and then traced them onto brown foam I got from Michaels. You could also use brown construction paper or cardstock. They were very easy to cut out, even for craft-challenged folks like me.<br />
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I cut out a strip of brown felt and hot glued it to a headband we had laying around. Then I hot glued the foam antlers onto the top of the headband.<br />
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The whole project took about 10 minutes, tops. That's my kind of Christmas craft!<br />
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<br />
<a href="http://s1212.photobucket.com/user/pianoprincessdesigns/media/signature_zpsbb142848.png.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo signature_zpsbb142848.png" border="0" src="http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc454/pianoprincessdesigns/signature_zpsbb142848.png~original" /></a>Ellen, the Bluestocking Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01328085786533131608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8173453322997227658.post-29061705177186486942014-11-28T05:00:00.000-05:002014-12-02T21:05:57.637-05:00New Curtains for the Family Room<br />
I love checks and I love the color red. So red checks really make my heart go pitter pat. I wanted red-checked curtains for our family room, the coziest room in the house. But I was (and still am) on a tight decorating budget. So instead of buying curtains, I bought red-checked tablecloths from eBay.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7QkiEjRothrEq_-aNhbAojH-SKpQAEE4EVt70cJ1HmphewXONNf_GPapjfI4eK8vnUgfZIIvUyxc4zxrh7uKVbFnAavK-pS2jhAj4JC9xAOU7z2WDSkd-cacH1cwwsdbnFAOuz0mPs6Cp/s1600/curtain+photo+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7QkiEjRothrEq_-aNhbAojH-SKpQAEE4EVt70cJ1HmphewXONNf_GPapjfI4eK8vnUgfZIIvUyxc4zxrh7uKVbFnAavK-pS2jhAj4JC9xAOU7z2WDSkd-cacH1cwwsdbnFAOuz0mPs6Cp/s1600/curtain+photo+1.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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One problem: when they arrived, they weren't exactly the same. One tablecloth's fabric is a bit thicker and a tad nubbier than the other. Thankfully, this is not noticeable since they're not hung right next to one another.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiicP7UwVn5ltgnb0wSNI-a8kutf5y_Stzr2RfflL55qJ2AnIT2QGW8shyphenhypheneeJeMUvWuSEIo8J7yESWquiw6AJkAC6Hv3bC3Fmhg9nTvXL3p8qM5Le4zS-pQttTI1hD0wuOSib9k8YNQFazM/s1600/curtain+photo+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiicP7UwVn5ltgnb0wSNI-a8kutf5y_Stzr2RfflL55qJ2AnIT2QGW8shyphenhypheneeJeMUvWuSEIo8J7yESWquiw6AJkAC6Hv3bC3Fmhg9nTvXL3p8qM5Le4zS-pQttTI1hD0wuOSib9k8YNQFazM/s1600/curtain+photo+2.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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Two inexpensive black rods from Lowe's, a pack of drapery clip rings, and we were in business. Himself installed the rods for me because he's fabulous like that.<br />
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I'm really pleased with the way they look. The room seems more finished.<br />
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We're considering painting the judges paneling in this room, but we can't quite make up our minds. Once it's painted, that's all she wrote. And I kinda like the coziness aspect. If the room got more direct sunlight, it would be brighter. But the screen porch is right through the French doors, and only oblique sunlight filters in anyway since the front of the house faces southeast.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih6Xp81RfkcJhR_lIE9Awh7IOSGcwaPh7M84-98I0YlzXaz_5LH5VECDW_GHvSAYQnshGNVHCK8PdGCc5AbYyhIkPE8c88VuOQqq4nRgBS3ZP_D1twXIVVY_nCXodNJLBQZaRPdGFQKYit/s1600/curtain+photo+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih6Xp81RfkcJhR_lIE9Awh7IOSGcwaPh7M84-98I0YlzXaz_5LH5VECDW_GHvSAYQnshGNVHCK8PdGCc5AbYyhIkPE8c88VuOQqq4nRgBS3ZP_D1twXIVVY_nCXodNJLBQZaRPdGFQKYit/s1600/curtain+photo+3.jpg" height="400" width="323" /></a></div>
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But on a winter's evening with a fire in the fireplace. . . it's the best. I love to read in this chair. (Notice the red checks!) Or I curl up in a corner of the couch under a throw. You can't get much better than that.<br />
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I hope you like my curtains as much as I do!<br />
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Linking up with:<br />
<a href="http://www.thededicatedhouse.com/2014/12/make-it-pretty-monday-week-122-and.html" target="_blank">Make It Pretty Monday</a><br />
<a href="http://myuncommonsliceofsuburbia.com/inspire-monday-36/" target="_blank">Inspire Me Monday</a><br />
<a href="http://www.astrollthrulife.net/2014/12/245th-inspire-me-tuesday.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FznvhK+%28A+Stroll+Thru+Life%29" target="_blank">Inspire Me Tuesday</a><br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/Adding%20link%20to%20http://www.savvysouthernstyle.net/2014/12/wow-us-wednesdays-198.html" target="_blank">Wow Us Wednesdays</a><br />
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<br />Ellen, the Bluestocking Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01328085786533131608noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8173453322997227658.post-68703379585188560312014-11-25T05:00:00.000-05:002014-12-02T12:03:34.877-05:00Confessions of a Mediocre Cook: Easy Crock Pot Brunswick Stew<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6LQf86YMHAwn8VVyWb0omjePZiOnSd0jN8jCo6WrA4Bq8bNUGh9T2NT3TS6Piz1_vXejqtGoVhROKog3mh8LWSFs0W1_NOspwKedMNUN2NzkuX89bNZ21-acz0GbzNGBYp8caj4Ow3Bdv/s1600/Crock+photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6LQf86YMHAwn8VVyWb0omjePZiOnSd0jN8jCo6WrA4Bq8bNUGh9T2NT3TS6Piz1_vXejqtGoVhROKog3mh8LWSFs0W1_NOspwKedMNUN2NzkuX89bNZ21-acz0GbzNGBYp8caj4Ow3Bdv/s1600/Crock+photo.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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We celebrate a BIG Thanksgiving Day at my parents' house with a host of my extended family. At least 60-70 people gather together, and it's my favorite day of the year.<br />
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That means we spend Wednesday getting ready! (No, we don't cook all the food. It's potluck -- the best kind of buffet!) So we need something easy for Wednesday night supper. This is when Easy Crock Pot Brunswick Stew shines the brightest.<br />
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It also makes a nice dish for Christmas Eve or any other holiday evening when you might be busy, a soup buffet, or a weeknight meal. To make it extra breezy on yourself, put all the ingredients in a gallon-size freezer bag, squeeze out the air and freeze flat. It'll be ready to toss in the crock pot any time you want to do without dinnertime drama. (In the morning, put the frozen bag in a sink filled with cold water to loosen the contents enough to dump into your slow cooker.)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYPrVyey36z6tkveRu2VFvhh28zxJ65lAc6M2tudFCPeuV7GOqOiFWcdbj7epnEh_ZIWBIk4-5kPyon4gC4hyUxSBWJDMRdG8L6OFWvaP5UkXRIqLW8eOKVhLC_XcM19iHwPWROgQ5LjQ2/s1600/photo+(26).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYPrVyey36z6tkveRu2VFvhh28zxJ65lAc6M2tudFCPeuV7GOqOiFWcdbj7epnEh_ZIWBIk4-5kPyon4gC4hyUxSBWJDMRdG8L6OFWvaP5UkXRIqLW8eOKVhLC_XcM19iHwPWROgQ5LjQ2/s1600/photo+(26).JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I doubled the recipe, hence the two bags.</td></tr>
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This is not gourmet fare, but it's simple, hearty, and delicious. It's a perfect time saver, too. That's really a lot for one meal to deliver, but this stew gets the job done.<br />
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<h2>
Easy Crock Pot Brunswick Stew</h2>
2 cans creamed corn<br />
2 cans crushed tomatoes<br />
1 small can lima beans<br />
2 large cans white chicken<br />
1 can Castleberry's BBQ pork<br />
1 can Castleberry's BBQ beef<br />
1 T onion powder (or a small chopped onion)<br />
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Mix all ingredients together and cook all day on low. Serve with saltines and hot sauce on the side for those who like a little spice in their lives.<br />
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Linking up with:<br />
<a href="http://www.thededicatedhouse.com/2014/12/make-it-pretty-monday-week-122-and.html" target="_blank">Make It Pretty Monday</a><br />
<a href="http://myuncommonsliceofsuburbia.com/inspire-monday-36/" target="_blank">Inspire Me Monday</a><br />
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<br />Ellen, the Bluestocking Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01328085786533131608noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8173453322997227658.post-23725047871759409682014-11-24T10:18:00.000-05:002014-11-24T10:18:25.015-05:00Quotation Tent Cards for Your Thanksgiving Table<br />
Yesterday, it rained all day (I actually like those days if I don't have to go anywhere), so I spent some time making tent cards with Thanksgiving quotations to adorn the Thanksgiving tables at my parents' house.<br />
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I found <a href="http://findinghomeonline.com/thanksgiving-table-printable-and-tutorial/" target="_blank">this wonderful and FREE printable</a> from Finding Home, and I printed out two copies on nice, thick resume paper I had laying around. (I also pinned the link to my Pinterest board <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/ellenbarski/ain-t-she-crafty/" target="_blank">Ain't She Crafty?</a> for later reference.) I cut them apart using my little handy cutter from my scrapbooking days.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEZ3aV8k8T-ekv57TAos37QYhxX9K6HNBZ8z3Ioy1FFlYPyJLKTL3C7_8qVcYbiP4U2QY_taauLe8lg500XndqagU1S5aOs_SIxGiZJu7TnSNgJyWs_WDQqgXIsU3yiJr-UQj8zE8Gm3fs/s1600/photo+(27).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEZ3aV8k8T-ekv57TAos37QYhxX9K6HNBZ8z3Ioy1FFlYPyJLKTL3C7_8qVcYbiP4U2QY_taauLe8lg500XndqagU1S5aOs_SIxGiZJu7TnSNgJyWs_WDQqgXIsU3yiJr-UQj8zE8Gm3fs/s1600/photo+(27).JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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I dug through my stash and found some Avery note cards. Did I mention my scrapbooking days? I also have a fairly large paper supply. I sorted through that and selected pretty papers that measured 5 1/2 inches by 8 1/2 inches. I cut those in half.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCIUxVstmX_FwaupSmLXR3QKBaDxHuafBRLKc-7ASIn2xcQ9SYPGP0woAqI3PqV3Zwy2MBRj0Dkna9n2Dqn9irnzi212sGfF3DweIYIP2ZjbOQLDo9oDsKI76cNurHqefamd8-Wj2TXXYf/s1600/photo+(28).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCIUxVstmX_FwaupSmLXR3QKBaDxHuafBRLKc-7ASIn2xcQ9SYPGP0woAqI3PqV3Zwy2MBRj0Dkna9n2Dqn9irnzi212sGfF3DweIYIP2ZjbOQLDo9oDsKI76cNurHqefamd8-Wj2TXXYf/s1600/photo+(28).JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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I glued the pretty paper onto the front of the note cards and then I glued on the quotations. Voila!<br />
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Now I have pretty tent cards for our tables.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpEdIs2xMrWqfFmWwTuhkpf8cNG6ngQsaSL0adKYXspVyTayEZVLgp6K-srcL_kLeN5RDf5NiMFCDIxQZhALJWEUcSmue3UaeiP798gFllKmBIx7ktPtjnJD41RXcyE6cNs5WEB0_vXDm4/s1600/photo+(29).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpEdIs2xMrWqfFmWwTuhkpf8cNG6ngQsaSL0adKYXspVyTayEZVLgp6K-srcL_kLeN5RDf5NiMFCDIxQZhALJWEUcSmue3UaeiP798gFllKmBIx7ktPtjnJD41RXcyE6cNs5WEB0_vXDm4/s1600/photo+(29).JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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I had only Tacky Glue on hand; if I were to reconstruct this project, I'd use a different adhesive. The Tacky Glue is a little too lumpy. But since these are for my personal use and also since I'm an "eh-that's-good-enough" type of gal when it comes to crafts, I'm okay with it.<br />
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How are you planning to set your Thanksgiving table?<br />
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<a href="http://s1212.photobucket.com/user/pianoprincessdesigns/media/signature_zpsbb142848.png.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo signature_zpsbb142848.png" border="0" src="http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc454/pianoprincessdesigns/signature_zpsbb142848.png~original" /></a>Ellen, the Bluestocking Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01328085786533131608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8173453322997227658.post-15721518019058175842014-11-21T05:00:00.000-05:002014-11-21T05:00:00.712-05:00Autumn's Glory<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">“I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” </span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">―</span></span> L.M. Montgomery<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">, </span><i style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Anne of Green Gables</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">This fall has been an especially beautiful one. October and the first half of November were simply blazing with color. With the sun shining through the leaves on a bright blue day, the colors were like stained glass windows in direct light.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP5TdloLULQAGVABv0LYOmCcYanqzf6Dgf2Tkw0icJcVXIpLf4_9z1O7v-JZd_LJu2-UFztoVDe5FTvA4fcIZQS5LF638TvYgU-Hz5xVRT7dGu_e07FFU32WvOzqDTNYwSTWsansU1Xniu/s1600/photo+(11).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP5TdloLULQAGVABv0LYOmCcYanqzf6Dgf2Tkw0icJcVXIpLf4_9z1O7v-JZd_LJu2-UFztoVDe5FTvA4fcIZQS5LF638TvYgU-Hz5xVRT7dGu_e07FFU32WvOzqDTNYwSTWsansU1Xniu/s1600/photo+(11).JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">“Fall has always been my favorite season. The time when everything bursts with its last beauty, as if nature had been saving up all year for the grand finale.” </span></span>― Lauren DeStefano<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">, </span><i style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Wither</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">As we move into the second half of November, rain, wind, and chill have moved in also. Many of the trees are bare now. But I have photos to remind me of what they looked like a short time ago.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2CjwN2j7TFYUJPgv1xZhIO9qeTPDkxAb9TuL3i8Xrh2sG1C6T3kXhB-A_TLFL7rHSVVoCCgFOHuXwkKaS8vcInFXyo63l_NIuTdfjMgHSEb7ycmRqfqI1YAFLubxYBXfSyTFdEapBnn2c/s1600/photo+(10).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2CjwN2j7TFYUJPgv1xZhIO9qeTPDkxAb9TuL3i8Xrh2sG1C6T3kXhB-A_TLFL7rHSVVoCCgFOHuXwkKaS8vcInFXyo63l_NIuTdfjMgHSEb7ycmRqfqI1YAFLubxYBXfSyTFdEapBnn2c/s1600/photo+(10).JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower."</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">― </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Albert Camus</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I especially love two or more trees grouped together with colors ablaze. A yard in my neighborhood boasts a dark red tree nestled up to a larger tree with golden yellow leaves. I missed getting a photo; the recent winds stripped them.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJLY4jKWaKqa0yM0-cf9-y-hstYkkyp1t2VjNgGfwWyCqIows2ZIFU46g49GqvvypZKLpxeGL-MtTFMvrZwJeaFBXPnWYmMRDTOsDamDh8sJHf2kEHiXcp0B53ZFXpa8AyGPRvslI8ouar/s1600/photo+(17).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJLY4jKWaKqa0yM0-cf9-y-hstYkkyp1t2VjNgGfwWyCqIows2ZIFU46g49GqvvypZKLpxeGL-MtTFMvrZwJeaFBXPnWYmMRDTOsDamDh8sJHf2kEHiXcp0B53ZFXpa8AyGPRvslI8ouar/s1600/photo+(17).JPG" height="315" width="320" /></a></div>
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"Autumn's the mellow time."<br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">― </span>William Allingham<br />
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And the luscious colors of it all: gold, tangerine, sunshine yellow, maroon, tan, crimson, lipstick red, dark orange. The way they looks against the cerulean sky.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQIJco7sWrOn6DtkPzD1b-fd5gi7dBkoRsH9YD-6m7gIo-I-6rSTFk-KMKCc373l7E_AbtR8LUqeT2bZS-trHnuQ8yyBEmTViNm-ZberQefPDknP0_xd9LHU9xg213Utfdoxd5wRhXR8Ya/s1600/photo+(9).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQIJco7sWrOn6DtkPzD1b-fd5gi7dBkoRsH9YD-6m7gIo-I-6rSTFk-KMKCc373l7E_AbtR8LUqeT2bZS-trHnuQ8yyBEmTViNm-ZberQefPDknP0_xd9LHU9xg213Utfdoxd5wRhXR8Ya/s1600/photo+(9).JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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"There is a harmony in autumn, and a luster in its sky, which through the summer is not heard or seen, as if it could not be, as if it had not been!"<br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">― </span>Percy Bysshe Shelley<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span><br />
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I breathe in the spicy scent of the falling leaves that fills the air. It's a dark, rich odor, like the season itself.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE_mjaRfJgM6Z_DOPSUojhtX1PPPUhvpxobEwoyf856ALPLZqPibgzan5KVrDeSgk_FiEl_nx08tYTGAxoSudRA-LhOw6ZlygGcNkPNDKrG09rkGaPUdefnxR9IclZ-DEEtAWIwUPY33Wo/s1600/yellow+tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE_mjaRfJgM6Z_DOPSUojhtX1PPPUhvpxobEwoyf856ALPLZqPibgzan5KVrDeSgk_FiEl_nx08tYTGAxoSudRA-LhOw6ZlygGcNkPNDKrG09rkGaPUdefnxR9IclZ-DEEtAWIwUPY33Wo/s1600/yellow+tree.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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Have you enjoyed your autumn this year?<br />
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Ellen, the Bluestocking Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01328085786533131608noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8173453322997227658.post-4951893294499838242014-11-19T13:01:00.000-05:002014-11-21T14:13:54.438-05:00The Perfect Rolls for Your Thanksgiving Feast!<br />
Y'all have got to taste these rolls! They are spectacular. I pinned them several weeks ago and then had a chance to make them last week. The recipe makes 12 rolls, and we had six left over -- Himself is in a bread-eschewing phase (just envision my eye-roll) -- which I popped in the freezer. That evening, my elder daughter, Amelia, availed herself of the stash and ate. Every. Single. The rest of us were shocked and dismayed. She was unrepentant. "They were good." And I suppose that's a good defense where these rolls are concerned.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp7ccLLxmH0M8mOvKwiA1bhodL4iEnoUJYuLkYNf7qRsBTYzhgMb5L0-SkzNg0axZR_ZhPHF4CiFl_kJUI4WY5zr_Q4efK2aC87KiLIGWsLrOwfwoE0cE0V4g1dRUC21cV7pFr3bSx2eIg/s1600/photo+(19).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp7ccLLxmH0M8mOvKwiA1bhodL4iEnoUJYuLkYNf7qRsBTYzhgMb5L0-SkzNg0axZR_ZhPHF4CiFl_kJUI4WY5zr_Q4efK2aC87KiLIGWsLrOwfwoE0cE0V4g1dRUC21cV7pFr3bSx2eIg/s1600/photo+(19).JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aren't they pretty?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
They are THAT good.<br />
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I made them again this week and took a few photos to share. The recipe comes from Taste of Home, and it is super quick and easy: no kneading, short rise time, short bake time. With my Red Steel Beauty on the job, they come together really quickly, too. So they are superb for weeknight meals.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI7PujIIQmJwXWN1TO1Z6Uo99lGnJ8rUEJXrvjiUDuJhLgdWwzuZQBp2sQm4X4WI0EqtTvS2RIE-eTfPVKEiD9ANvv4JAjgHTn_TmayziGWb25yPKjmbfhk7TNpNwUQDCBEfAid7xjvziB/s1600/photo+(18).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI7PujIIQmJwXWN1TO1Z6Uo99lGnJ8rUEJXrvjiUDuJhLgdWwzuZQBp2sQm4X4WI0EqtTvS2RIE-eTfPVKEiD9ANvv4JAjgHTn_TmayziGWb25yPKjmbfhk7TNpNwUQDCBEfAid7xjvziB/s1600/photo+(18).JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Butter makes everything better.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
But don't let that fool you. They are equally at home on your Thanksgiving buffet -- or any other special meal. <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/258253359858237913/" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Here's a link</span></a> to the recipe on my Tasty Eats and Sips board. While you're there, check out my other recipes!<br />
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<a href="http://s1212.photobucket.com/user/pianoprincessdesigns/media/signature_zpsbb142848.png.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo signature_zpsbb142848.png" border="0" src="http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc454/pianoprincessdesigns/signature_zpsbb142848.png~original" /></a><br />
<br />
Linking up with:<br />
<a href="http://www.astrollthrulife.net/2014/11/243rd-inspire-me-tuesday.html" target="_blank">A Stroll thru Life</a><br />
<a href="http://myuncommonsliceofsuburbia.com/inspire-monday-34/" target="_blank">My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia</a><br />
<a href="http://www.thededicatedhouse.com/2014/11/make-it-pretty-monday-week-120.html" target="_blank">Make It Pretty Monday</a><br />
<a href="http://www.savvysouthernstyle.net/2014/11/wow-us-wednesdays-196.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+SavvySouthernStyle+%28Savvy+Southern+Style%29" target="_blank">Savvy Southern Style</a><br />
<a href="http://www.greenwillowpond.com/2014/11/what-we-accomplished-wednesday-66.html" target="_blank">Green Willow Pond</a><br />
<a href="http://diybydesign.blogspot.com/2014/11/fall-into-fall-its-party-195.html" target="_blank">DIY By Design</a><br />
<a href="http://www.frommyfrontporchtoyours.com/2014/11/treasure-hunt-thursday-182-highlights.html" target="_blank">From My Front Porch to Yours</a><br />
<a href="http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/2014/11/home-sweet-home-196.html" target="_blank">The Charm of Home</a><br />
<br />
<br />Ellen, the Bluestocking Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01328085786533131608noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8173453322997227658.post-67679830028075404082014-11-17T17:32:00.000-05:002014-11-21T14:14:31.201-05:00Autumn Wreaths for the Entry<br />
I am totally craft-challenged, so when something I attempt turns out nicely, I'm really stoked. On Saturday evening, I made these wreaths. I have a double front door, so any decoration has to be doubled.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOj00yzsB4gHT170c9V9mIrFj_qs8hTjrGjVP26eALF98fFlBq_AhxyjfhyxUZbBKXdzlXBjCAAadunAcZJDS_JPm_WiTAeAFnsix2FUvSN6gl8UxQkWCHZS8jlqttEulzeZ35F6ulABc4/s1600/photo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOj00yzsB4gHT170c9V9mIrFj_qs8hTjrGjVP26eALF98fFlBq_AhxyjfhyxUZbBKXdzlXBjCAAadunAcZJDS_JPm_WiTAeAFnsix2FUvSN6gl8UxQkWCHZS8jlqttEulzeZ35F6ulABc4/s1600/photo+3.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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If I can do it, you can do it. And I say that with utter confidence.<br />
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Here's what I did. First, I searched Pinterest to look at some wreaths other (talented, skilled) people have made. Isn't that clever?<br />
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Then I searched for a nice template of the letter B. I downloaded it, opened it in Word, and reisized it to a size I thought would look right. Then I printed it off. I traced it onto a closed manila file folder and cut it out. Since the folder was closed (doubled over), this gave me two B's.<br />
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I looked through my stash of scrapbooking paper and selected one I liked. I traced the file folder B's onto this paper (stiffer paper makes for easier tracing) and cut them out. Then I glued the pretty B's onto the file-folder B's using Tacky Glue.<br />
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I already had the grapevine wreaths, which I used last Christmas. I stripped them of the old silk poinsettias and greenery so I could re-use them. A few weeks ago, I purchased some silk flowers from Michaels to use in autumn arrangements (they were 60% off!), and I decided to use those to make my harvest-themed wreaths. I snipped the stems to manageable lengths and then poked them into the grapevine branches. A few needed a drop of hot glue to stay in place.<br />
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After the flowers and leaves were in place, I hot glued the B's, making sure they were level and even with each other.<br />
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I bought the ribbon at Michaels, too. All their Christmas ribbon was on sale. This wired ribbon is copper and gold -- more autumn than Christmas -- so it works perfectly. I cut two even lengths, lopped them onto the wreaths, and then hot-glued them to close. I'm no good at bows.<br />
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Ta da!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwD3xJ6JNWAu3VAPViu-5KGfUy9iLw0QXVs4R4Q8eaDFI_dqHAnh6cUI6eT_6EjuFVBwYimiQKf6491BKOQ970C8DcNJhjuOosPKZXdF_sED-O9px1ZSW4m6nR_6bVjoXqcKanJwATRYnR/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwD3xJ6JNWAu3VAPViu-5KGfUy9iLw0QXVs4R4Q8eaDFI_dqHAnh6cUI6eT_6EjuFVBwYimiQKf6491BKOQ970C8DcNJhjuOosPKZXdF_sED-O9px1ZSW4m6nR_6bVjoXqcKanJwATRYnR/s1600/photo+1.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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The B looks a tad wonky in this one, but they both look fine in real life.<br />
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I have wreaths pinned to both my <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/ellenbarski/holidays/" target="_blank">Holidays</a> board and my <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/ellenbarski/gorgeous-home/" target="_blank">Gorgeous Home</a> board. Pop on over for some wreath inspiration of your own!<br />
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<a href="http://s1212.photobucket.com/user/pianoprincessdesigns/media/signature_zpsbb142848.png.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo signature_zpsbb142848.png" border="0" src="http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc454/pianoprincessdesigns/signature_zpsbb142848.png~original" /></a><br />
<br />
Linking up with:<br />
<a href="http://www.astrollthrulife.net/2014/11/243rd-inspire-me-tuesday.html" target="_blank">A Stroll thru Life</a><br />
<a href="http://myuncommonsliceofsuburbia.com/inspire-monday-34/" target="_blank">My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia</a><br />
<a href="http://www.thededicatedhouse.com/2014/11/make-it-pretty-monday-week-120.html" target="_blank">Make It Pretty Monday</a><br />
<a href="http://www.savvysouthernstyle.net/2014/11/wow-us-wednesdays-196.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+SavvySouthernStyle+%28Savvy+Southern+Style%29" target="_blank">Savvy Southern Style</a><br />
<a href="http://www.greenwillowpond.com/2014/11/what-we-accomplished-wednesday-66.html" target="_blank">Green Willow Pond</a><br />
<a href="http://diybydesign.blogspot.com/2014/11/fall-into-fall-its-party-195.html" target="_blank">DIY By Design</a><br />
<a href="http://www.frommyfrontporchtoyours.com/2014/11/treasure-hunt-thursday-182-highlights.html" target="_blank">From My Front Porch To Yours</a><br />
<a href="http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/2014/11/home-sweet-home-196.html" target="_blank">The Charm of Home</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Ellen, the Bluestocking Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01328085786533131608noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8173453322997227658.post-52688938853306577972014-10-20T13:31:00.000-04:002014-10-22T07:23:11.918-04:00Make-Ahead, Freezer, and Crock Pot Meals<br />
Like most moms I know, I'm always looking to save time, money, and panic when it comes to supper. It's so daily, you know, and everyone expects to be fed. <sigh> I created a new Pinterest board, <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/ellenbarski/freezer-and-crock-pot-meals/" target="_blank">Freezer and Crock Pot Meals</a>, to help me out. You might find help there, too.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO5uJbc5wI3CsPPW9nJdR1M75XFRntF3UxiMtflBL9Dd1eFCe-xaV4gP9DavDxm3WDwHQDKwL8c9O_9jofZLce-904ClgzhMLWOc_pPg7I3uWuNXoLXTFLHrvzIdqvHjJISwtd6aB_6bRo/s1600/Balsamic-Roast-Beef-French-Dip-DSC_0888.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO5uJbc5wI3CsPPW9nJdR1M75XFRntF3UxiMtflBL9Dd1eFCe-xaV4gP9DavDxm3WDwHQDKwL8c9O_9jofZLce-904ClgzhMLWOc_pPg7I3uWuNXoLXTFLHrvzIdqvHjJISwtd6aB_6bRo/s1600/Balsamic-Roast-Beef-French-Dip-DSC_0888.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: Add a Pinch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Some meals are ones you make ahead and then freeze. Some are simply slow cooker meals. Others are those so-called "dump" meals: dump all (or most) ingredients into a freezer bag; freeze until needed; then dump frozen contents into your slow cooker in the morning and cook all day. I must admit -- those are my favorites for saving time.<br />
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It does take a bit of planning to make these happen. But the investment you make at the outset saves gobs of money and time -- not to mention last-minute panic over what to have for dinner -- that it is worth it to protect your sanity.<br />
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Do you have any favorite time-saving meals? If so, I'd love to hear about them!<br />
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<a href="http://s1212.photobucket.com/user/pianoprincessdesigns/media/signature_zpsbb142848.png.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo signature_zpsbb142848.png" border="0" src="http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc454/pianoprincessdesigns/signature_zpsbb142848.png~original" /></a><br />
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Linking up with:<br />
Between Naps on the Porch's <a href="http://betweennapsontheporch.net/double-mint-gardenias-and-a-trick-for-acorn-removal/" target="_blank">Metamorphosis Monday</a><br />
<a href="http://thediymommy.com/motivational-monday-21-craft-diy-home-decor-link-party/" target="_blank">Motivational Monday</a><br />
A Stroll Thru Life's <a href="http://www.astrollthrulife.net/2014/10/239th-inspire-me-tuesday.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FznvhK+%28A+Stroll+Thru+Life%29" target="_blank">Inspire Me Tuesda</a>y<br />
<a href="http://www.savvysouthernstyle.net/2014/10/wow-us-wednesdays-192.html" target="_blank">Savvy Southern Style</a><br />
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<br />Ellen, the Bluestocking Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01328085786533131608noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8173453322997227658.post-27782595631226699282014-10-18T05:00:00.000-04:002014-10-22T07:24:39.799-04:00Finally: Kitchen Lighting Decision!<br />
I say "finally" because Himself and I agreed on it. He has his tastes and I have mine, which often coincide. But in the case of lighting for the kitchen, they most decidedly have not. But hallelujah, we've come to a meeting of the minds. Here's what we've chosen:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLCMLqTDYx_LjcdemJiuKqSec1___gBLInCAjd3EX4Hbq22iOHGlC1_a1aS9ugRqvlihXyFu8h48pfRMpMjMkMShgxOoUfkgqMxSs3EuN5Dz2kLNHGiGToCKI9a1Gm5ueuXsW093nOHh8w/s1600/Kellie+II+seeded+glass+pendants.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLCMLqTDYx_LjcdemJiuKqSec1___gBLInCAjd3EX4Hbq22iOHGlC1_a1aS9ugRqvlihXyFu8h48pfRMpMjMkMShgxOoUfkgqMxSs3EuN5Dz2kLNHGiGToCKI9a1Gm5ueuXsW093nOHh8w/s1600/Kellie+II+seeded+glass+pendants.jpg" /></a></div>
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The above pendants will go over the cooktop peninsula.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxJgRUlNdLzyoMWJadWy2l0S8qY6O4WkGPIrEEL8ff9G73dVtX45scXBU3b9KrD9f0bw-RCESeYtFvyYJuK4jngZHp-QtYskWKTNTidWqfHRHMJmPOQcqhycyQt7YCtMDPcmU4odqEbj43/s1600/Kellie+II+seeded+glass+sconce.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxJgRUlNdLzyoMWJadWy2l0S8qY6O4WkGPIrEEL8ff9G73dVtX45scXBU3b9KrD9f0bw-RCESeYtFvyYJuK4jngZHp-QtYskWKTNTidWqfHRHMJmPOQcqhycyQt7YCtMDPcmU4odqEbj43/s1600/Kellie+II+seeded+glass+sconce.jpg" /></a></div>
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This sconce will go over the sink.<br />
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Aren't they pretty? This particular design is called the Kellie II. I love the seeded glass and the Edison bulbs. We both love that these lights are handmade by a company in Maine, <a href="http://thelampgoods.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">The Lamp Goods</span></a>. And the price is reasonable. I enjoy supporting small business craftspeople whenever I can.<br />
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I'm ordering these today. Look for pictures soon after we get them installed!<br />
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<a href="http://s1212.photobucket.com/user/pianoprincessdesigns/media/signature_zpsbb142848.png.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo signature_zpsbb142848.png" border="0" src="http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc454/pianoprincessdesigns/signature_zpsbb142848.png~original" /></a><br />
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I'm linking up with:<br />
<a href="http://betweennapsontheporch.net/double-mint-gardenias-and-a-trick-for-acorn-removal/" target="_blank">Metamorphosis Monday</a><br />
A Stroll Thru Life's <a href="http://www.astrollthrulife.net/2014/10/239th-inspire-me-tuesday.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FznvhK+%28A+Stroll+Thru+Life%29" target="_blank">Inspire Me Tuesday</a><br />
<a href="http://www.savvysouthernstyle.net/2014/10/wow-us-wednesdays-192.html" target="_blank">Savvy Southern Style</a>Ellen, the Bluestocking Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01328085786533131608noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8173453322997227658.post-6862967336180700652014-10-16T10:26:00.002-04:002014-10-16T10:26:57.605-04:00My Life in Review this YearOver the last year, my life has taken quite a turn. We moved. The girls started private school after six years of homeschooling. I went back to work. I'm hear to tell you, that's a lot for a girl like me, who enjoyed her life as it was. It's required a lot of dark chocolate to get me through.<br />
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If you've been reading my blog, then you know our new house, lovely as it is, demanded a complete overhaul. It was built in the early 80s, and NOTHING had been updated or changed. There were (okay, still are) gouged, nail holes, and pushpin holes in the walls. All trim was dark stained, as was the carpeting! We immediately had new carpet and hardwoods installed. Then we later had the popcorn ceilings scraped on the main floor. I painted the kitchen cabinets. We painted the kitchen, dining room, foyer, and living room. There's still a lot we could do, but with college only a mere four years away, we're starting to prioritize.<br />
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The change from homeschooling to private school last year was a big one for us. The girls enjoy the school, which is a university model school. They attend classes on Tuesdays and Fridays, and then they complete assignments at home the other days. I'm pleased with the course of study. Our elder daughter, Amelia, who began high school this year, also goes on Thursday mornings for student council meetings and yearbook. Last school year was a big transition for all of us; this year has been much smoother so far. I miss homeschooling, though. I enjoyed the lifestyle; and, as a lifelong learner, I enjoyed the study we did together. To be honest, I also miss being the top boss. I'm no longer in complete charge.<br />
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I went back to work, too. For the last several years, I've been dabbling in writing. I'd had an article published in The Old Schoolhouse magazine and another in Impart online magazine. I'd had two storied published in an online children's magazine (now sadly defunct) called Fandangle. I wrote reviews for that fantastic homeschooling website The Curriculum Choice. I took on a few freelance editing projects. And I worked here and there on my own manuscripts. Oh, and I blogged.<br />
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Then some friends from church approached me about working with their company as a writer. When I was duly employed (pre-family), I worked in the newsletter industry and also in corporate communications, so this was right up my alley. I took on a couple of clients, which has now grown to several clients for whom I produce monthly email newsletter articles, website content, email blasts, and the like. I've also continued freelance editing. I now spend several hours a day on my various projects. And laundry, grocery shopping, schlepping kids to and fro, cooking, washing up, sweeping, scrubbing toilets, etc. You know.<br />
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So my life is different now than it was for several years. It's taken some getting used to. At first, I wasn't sure I approved. But I've settled into the new normal.<br />
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I plan to better schedule my blogging time. When I blog, I'm practicing my writing, I'm chronicling our lives together, and I'm reaching out to a sphere I don't necessarily inhabit physically. I think that's neat. I have also found that when I don't blog regularly, I miss it. I compose posts in my head that never see the light of day. then I feel unproductive and lackluster, no matter how many loads of laundry I've washed or how I've planned out our meals.<br />
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I guess I'm weird that way.<br />
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More later, on books I've read, things I've been pinning, and other stuff!<br />
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<br />
<a href="http://s1212.photobucket.com/user/pianoprincessdesigns/media/signature_zpsbb142848.png.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo signature_zpsbb142848.png" border="0" src="http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc454/pianoprincessdesigns/signature_zpsbb142848.png~original" /></a>Ellen, the Bluestocking Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01328085786533131608noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8173453322997227658.post-39544436151290376592014-09-16T05:00:00.000-04:002014-09-16T10:06:48.950-04:00When It Comes to Decor, I'm No Switzerland<br />
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As you may (or may not) know, we've been in the throes of redecorating our new house since we moved in a year ago. (To see posts on this, click the New House label on the right.) To that end, I've been perusing magazines, blogs, and Pinterest, as well as pinning like mad to my <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/ellenbarski/gorgeous-home/" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Gorgeous Home</span></a> board --<br />
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(Aside: You've never seen my <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/ellenbarski/gorgeous-home/" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Gorgeous Home board</span></a> on Pinterest? Well, get thee over there! I've got 1,375 pins and counting, people!)<br />
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-- and I've discovered one thing: I have definite preferences.<br />
<ul>
<li>I do not care for neutrals, neutrals, everywhere. That look is too sterile for me. I prefer color.</li>
<li>The industrial look. Yuck. And I'm sorry, but to my way of thinking, "industrial farmhouse" is a totally made-up thing.</li>
<li>Gray, grey, and greige? Maybe in small doses. But everywhere? No, thank you.</li>
<li>"Carefully edited"? Again, no, thank you. I like lots of interesting and beautiful things. More is better. Always. (Unless it's clutter. Which tends to happen around here. But that's another matter entirely.)</li>
<li>Modern is not moi.</li>
<li>If it's trendy, I'm suspicious. Like the antler craze of late. (Another aside: I grew up gazing at taxidermied deer heads on the walls of my grandparents' house. I'd rather not see animal parts on my own walls.)</li>
<li>I don't need a big sign in the kitchen imploring me to EAT. I do enough of that already.</li>
</ul>
So here's the thing: I can pin all I want and tear out magazine pages and all that, but I still have problems making it happen in my own home. Part of that is my pocketbook. I can't run out and buy what I want. Perhaps that's good because I'm forced to take my time and think about things. But it's also frustrating. I'm still working in the kitchen with ONE overhead light because Himself and I can't agree on lighting.<br />
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I mean, come <i>ON</i>.<br />
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Any advice would be appreciated. In other words, HELP!<br />
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<a href="http://s1212.photobucket.com/user/pianoprincessdesigns/media/signature_zpsbb142848.png.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo signature_zpsbb142848.png" border="0" src="http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc454/pianoprincessdesigns/signature_zpsbb142848.png~original" /></a><br />
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Link Parties:<br />
<a href="http://www.astrollthrulife.net/2014/09/234th-inspire-me-tuesday.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FznvhK+%28A+Stroll+Thru+Life%29" target="_blank">A Stroll Thru Life</a><br />
<br />Ellen, the Bluestocking Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01328085786533131608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8173453322997227658.post-65480380349365298332014-09-12T09:08:00.001-04:002014-09-12T09:18:47.419-04:00Peaches in September<br />
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Ever since I fell in love with Mary Chapin Carpenter's song, "I Am a Town," the month of September means peaches to me. Have you heard this song? Take a couple of minutes to click below, close your eyes, and soak it up. It's my gift to you today.<br />
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<a href="http://youtu.be/BlnMmwGoFY8">http://youtu.be/BlnMmwGoFY8</a><br />
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Isn't that pure perfection?<br />
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Last night, I made a quick peach crisp with South Carolina peaches. Yes, I know I live in the "Peach State," but South Carolina actually produces more peaches than Georgia does. Instead of following a recipe, I did this:<br />
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I peeled three peaches and sliced them up. I placed them in a small Corningware casserole dish. I sprinkled a bit of sugar over the peaches. Then I mixed rolled oats and flour together at a 3:1 ratio, diced up some butter and "forked" it into the oat/flour, added some brown sugar and a bit of cinnamon, and mixed with my fingers until it was crumbly and yummy. (I tested it to make sure.) I sprinkled this over the peaches. I like lots of topping. Then I baked everything at 350 til the topping was light brown and crunchy.<br />
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Perfection.<br />
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This was wonderful both warm and cold. No cornstarch, no lemon juice, little sugar, pure flavor.<br />
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And if this is your first introduction to Mary Chapin Carpenter, you're welcome.<br />
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<a href="http://s1212.photobucket.com/user/pianoprincessdesigns/media/signature_zpsbb142848.png.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo signature_zpsbb142848.png" border="0" src="http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc454/pianoprincessdesigns/signature_zpsbb142848.png~original" /></a>Ellen, the Bluestocking Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01328085786533131608noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8173453322997227658.post-14320987206083020472014-05-30T05:00:00.000-04:002014-05-30T05:00:01.653-04:00Summer Travels: Washington, DC<br />
Our Girl Scout troop of five Cadettes, one leader, and one co-leader (that's me) are hitting the road in my old Mazda MPV van this morning for a trip to our nation's capital. Two days are slated for traveling and four days for visiting. On the itinerary:<br />
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<ul>
<li>Smithsonian Natural History Museum</li>
<li>White House Tour</li>
<li>National Gallery of Art</li>
<li>Old Town Alexandria</li>
<li>Arlington National Cemetery (some of the girls are participating in the wreath laying ceremony)</li>
<li>U.S. Capitol Tour</li>
<li>National Archives Tour</li>
<li>Crime Museum</li>
<li>The Washington Mall and its memorials</li>
<li>Mt. Vernon</li>
</ul>
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It's going to be fantastic! The only time I've ever been to Washington, DC was on the fifth grade trip many years ago. So I'm really looking forward to it.<br />
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And let's not forget the 11+-hour car trip with five young teen girls. Can you say awesome? Wonder how many stops we'll make. . . .<br />
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I'll post about our adventures as soon as I can! And I'll also be posting about my family's trip to Miami and Key West in mid-May. Look for both of those soon!<br />
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<a href="http://s1212.photobucket.com/user/pianoprincessdesigns/media/signature_zpsbb142848.png.html" target="_blank"><img alt=" photo signature_zpsbb142848.png" border="0" src="http://i1212.photobucket.com/albums/cc454/pianoprincessdesigns/signature_zpsbb142848.png~original" /></a>Ellen, the Bluestocking Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01328085786533131608noreply@blogger.com3