Spring Luncheon

                                      

So, to celebrate the event and to also get some of my girlfriends together, my daughter hosted a Spring Luncheon

I moved away five years ago and don't see them very often.

We laughed and ate and laughed some more.

The table was beautifully set

The food scrumptious

What a way to welcome Spring!

         
                                                                                               

Yummy Chicken

                                                         I hate cooking for one!

But, then I get this brilliant urge.....
                                     to try out a new recipe!
                                                So, to the store I went and I got what
                                                               I needed.

And, ta da.....

A dinner fit for a king... 
                well, maybe I am being a little over-exuberant....
                                 but I liked it. 

                            My recipe for Garlic-Brown Sugar Chicken

                                              one serving
                    
                                              1 chicken breast
                                              2 tsps. butter
                                              1/4 clove garlic
                                              1 tsp. brown sugar

Melt butter in an iron skillet. Brown garlic. Add chicken breast. Cook thoroughly. (I put a lid on mine until it was done). Take lid off . Turn burner off. Sprinkle brown sugar on top of chicken and let it melt while the skillet cools down. 
                                     

Likes and Dislikes

For Willy Nilly Friday Five I decided to do a LIKES and DISLIKES post. 

                    1. I like fried green tomatoes especially with Green Goddess aioli. 

2. I dislike wasps. They hurt when they sting. 

3. I like bird watching. I get lots of beautiful photos that way.

4. I dislike workers who climb the cell tower and destroy the osprey nest there. 

5. I like (well, I love) dancing with my grandson. His 27th birthday is today. 

Linking with Willy Nilly Friday

Last Day of My Birthday Celebration

                                                 My Birthday - Installment 4

The day was slipping away. We'd done the carriage ride already. At 3 we went for tea. I guess I expected an English style afternoon tea, which it was not, so that was a disappointment. The room where it was held was cold so we grabbed up our cups of tea and cookies and found us a roaring fire to enjoy it by.

My birthday dinner was supposed to be in the main dining room but 'best laid plans of mine and men' sort of thing happened. The dining room was closed. So, back to the Jefferson room to celebrate.

I had the BEST roast chicken ever! and the mashed potatoes... well, they were the best, too. The Homestead has one heck of a great chef. I pretty much cleared my plate!

 And, then this yummy whatever it was... I think mousse covered in chocolate with, gee was that whipped cream or ice cream. I can't remember. and those edible gold beads and wafers imprinted with Happy Birthday. This is quite a celebration. 

To bed, but not to sleep. We just don't want to sleep when we can be having fun so we stay up late doing the snapchat thing again. And, laughing our fool heads off.

Monday.... we head home. We are all packed and wait on the porch for the car to be brought around.

One last hurrah!

We did it!

Fall and Family

Good Morning, everyone. It certainly feels like Fall this morning, chilly, sun slow to warm, steam lifting off the pond. 

I just love this decoration I found on Pinterest. I have the lantern. I wonder why I have never fixed it up this way for my Fall decor.

I am used to appetizers like cheese sticks, crab bites, nachos, etc. This one was a new one for me. It's three kinds of picked beets served with Granny Smith apple spears. Yummy.

My granddaughter showing her new home and yard to her uncle who was visiting from Alabama. 

When I was in New York visiting back in the summer, I got this cute shot of my grandson headed out to play tennis.

I began with Fall, so I will end with Fall....

Linking with Willy Nilly Friday Five and Friday Photo Journal

It's Fall.

For Our World Tuesday

My world right now is in the harvesting season, getting ready for winter so we all will be fed, stay warm, live the good life. I have taken a few pictures of my world that I hope you will enjoy.

Nothing says Fall better than the ears of multicolored corn, all tied together, ready for decorating our houses with.

Harvest includes picking the best of the best for the county fair. I saw this gentleman heading out with a prize pumpkin. I wonder what it weighs? And, how did he load that thing?

Some cotton fields lie in wait for the picking, others are already being harvested. This field is bordered by beautiful morning glories. They grow wild and can take over an area quickly. I guess that is why we don't grow them in our flower gardens. 

This piece of machinery is huge! And, it does a fantastic job of picking the bolls of cotton off the plant. Sure beats hand-picking. When I was a child I helped my family pick cotton. I wasn't much help in their scheme of 'getting it done' but I thought I was doing a good deed. And, it was fun since I didn't pick long and I played as I picked. 

Goldenrod signals Fall. I have always loved goldenrod. It gets a bad rap. But, it's the ragweed which sends out pollen in the Fall, not the goldenrod. Least that's what I have been told.

What is happening in your neck of the woods this Fall? 

No Peaches, Chocolate Will Have To Do!!

Michael and I headed out this morning. I had a hankering for some fresh peaches... guess what, Isom's did not have any. It's one week past peach season. So, he bought some Peach hot pepper jam. 

We always enjoy Isom's market. Fun place to visit and buy stuff. 

They had plenty of apples (did not buy any), sweet potatoes, (got some of those), and Michael bought this bottle of molasses.

My grandmother originated from Sand Mountain (North Alabama) so I thought that was pretty cool. 

There were lots of pumpkins, decorative corn, corn shucks,

and on the east side someone had a large collection of pumpkins for sale.

We continued on toward Madison where I had heard there was another market. S & J's. No peaches there either! So, I bought some squash. That will be good fried. 

No peaches, so we came back by Russell Stover Candy Factory. And bought chocolate instead. Pretty good swap-off I'd say.

Guess what we will be nibbling on during our football games this afternoon? 

My Alabama Visit

1. Having a great visit with my son in Alabama! It's hot, dry and safe. So thankful that Florence decided to slow down and get degraded to a 2 hurricane. My folks back in Virginia are safe, maybe a bit wet but safe. Here's a picture of the sky while I stood in my son's back yard. Pretty, blue, slight breeze in the trees.

2. His deck and patio are such a nice place to sit and watch the many varieties of birds that flit through the trees and come to dine at the feeders. Such a peaceful place. You will see lots of pictures of birds while I am here....

3. Michael has some young scupernong vines in his back yard. Some small ones ripe but they aren't too sweet. So, he bought a container of these huge, sweet, juicy ones from a small market just up the road. Brings back memories of when I was small.

4. These white ginger lilies are edged one side of the deck. You just can't imagine how wonderful it is to sit on the bench out there and absorb the aroma!

5. I think this is a bougvenvillia (yes, I know I mispelled it) sorry. Don't have my Echo here so I can ask Alexa how to spell. he he.

Anyway, there are two of these in white pots flanking the steps off the deck. 

I am linking with Tom's Willy Nilly Friday today. You all be sure to visit often. I'll be telling you all about my stay in Alabama.

Little Things To Be Thankful For

I am in Alabama visiting with my son. We drove down four days ago and have been enjoying time together. Sometimes it's just the Little Things that make you truly Thankful on Thursday.

Beautiful barns along the roadside....

Watching birds feeding from the deck....

Sweet smelling ginger lily in the yard...

Juicy scoupernongs to sample...

I'm truly blessed.

Eating Dragon Fruit.

Okay, Susan and I are in Balducci's grocer in Rye, New York. They call them 'grocers' in the north, down south we make it harder by saying 'grocery store'. Whatever. 

There is this strange looking thing in the fruit section. It's called a Dragon Fruit. I've never seen them where I live so I took a picture and once home, I looked that sucker up on Google. Google can tell you something about everything. 

The real name is pitaya, a native of Central America, from the cactus family. The outer leaves have spikes on them and when you cut inside it's flesh is white or red with all these tiny little seeds in there. 

It looks sort of like an artichoke, only red, not green and taste like a mix between kiwi and pear. I wish we would have bought one, just for the heck of it. Maybe next time. Or who knows, perhaps the "grocery stores" around here will start carrying them. 

Have any of you ever eaten Dragon Fruit? What'd you think? I don't know if that was $7.99 each or a pound or what. Sort of expensive, but then everything in New York is!! 

Grocery Shopping Five

It's Friday....
Yippee
Why did I say yippee? Every day is pretty much the same around here. I even forget what day it is sometimes. Do you do that, too? Happens when you don't have a work schedule and the kids are grown and gone from home. 

Oh, I said Yippee because it's Willy Nilly Friday Five day, that's what!

1. One morning while I was at Susan's in New York, we went to my favorite grocery store EVER....
     Those store owners know how to entice you to buy by their creative, neat displays. I think you 
     will agree with me when you see these pictures. 

An aroma that fills your nostrils, makes your mouth water. Just look at all those baked goods and that basket filled with baguettes. I had my tea ready, just waiting on my cream-filled pastry. We are going to eat our breakfast in the little sidewalk cafe. 

2. Have you ever seen a deli display look as inviting as this one? I wanted one of each...

3. The fruit looks ready for the picking...

4. I'd ever seen vegetables hung like that. You can see what you are choosing. Everything is so fresh.

5. The shopping done, Susan and I go outside and enjoy our breakfast. 

okay, I am going to be naughty.... I am joining a Friday Five linky.... but I have one more picture to share with you. Sorry.

This little sparrow got a large portion of my pastry. He was so cute and once I had finished eating, he gave me a 'what, no more food' look and hopped away in search of someone else's breakfast.