An Unexpected Architectural Treat

We went on an antique shopping trip in Ohio and providentially stumbled upon a treasure trove of landscaping inspirations when we thought were only picking up an item from a dealer.

The architect of these delightful "coins de paradis" was eager to share his knowledge with us as we stared in amazement at one beautiful display after another.  He graciously allowed me to take photos to remember this encounter!

It started with an innocent question about the civil war soldier's tombstone artfully propped up against the garage!

Then I began to notice the lovely foliage placed around the numerous architectural pieces on this sprawling estate.

This concrete piece is an antique buggy step that serves as a display stand for other pieces.

The owner uses old grinding stones either individually or displayed in graduated stacks around the property.

We marveled at how difficult it must have been to transport and place this stone watering trough near the patio!

Here's another buggy step amongst the landscaping.

Here's the front door surrounded by beautiful antique architectural pieces including a hitching post and and iron gate.

Here's an iron pot on the stoop and a concrete chimney round that was used between the floor levels of old houses to protect the wood from the heat,

another watering trough

another hitching post

more grinding stones

a cement bench at the end of a path

a keystone

more stone pieces under a tree

a dog's gravestone
"Whitey My Boy"

a stack of grinding stones

an URN!!

more gravestones

lovely yard in the morning light

a ringing school bell

a beautiful gate

Well, I hope you enjoyed this tour of hidden treasures as much as we did.  Our gracious host shared so much of his knowledge about Ohio's history.  We were grateful to have had this experience.  I learned a lot about using simple artifacts from the past to enhance my present surroundings!

A Taste of Quinzio's Kitchen

We visited my brother-in-law Quinzio recently and, in classic Italian style, we hung out in the kitchen and watched him cook.  He has fantastic ideas about preparing good, simple dishes. Here's what he whipped up for us:

Roasted Red Pepper Salad

He started with a few firm red peppers. He roasted them on a gas grill by blackening sections and turning them to evenly blacken the skins.  They get soft as they cook and look like this when done:

Quinzio cleaned out the
insides and cut them into strips.






Then he added chopped fresh basil, salt, pepper, and fried garlic.  Here's his technique for frying garlic.  He slices it and fries it in olive oil slow and long until it turns a lovely golden brown.  He uses the infused oil for other dishes.



The peppers were finished off with a nice dressing of garlic-infused olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  I love these peppers on a piece of crusty Italian bread.





Chick Pea Salad

Next he made us another salad with lots of fresh vegetables. He layered lettuce, meaty red tomatoes, green pepper slices, red onion slices, chick peas, fresh basil, fried garlic, salt, and pepper.

Then he added small chunks of sharp provolone, and a dressing of olive oil and vinegar.




It was wonderful with a hunk of good crusty bread!

Ronna's Delicious Pineapple Cake

My friend Ronna brought this delicious pineapple cake  to one of our church home groups recently.  People who don't normally eat dessert ate some that night.  It's good stuff - and super easy to make for a summer picnic!

In a mixing bowl combine:

1 can crushed pineapple, undrained (18-20 oz.)
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup chopped nuts

Pour mixture into a greased 9 x 13 baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

When cooled top with cream cheese frosting:

1- 8 oz. softened cream cheese
1 stick butter
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

A Visit With My Sister

Recently I had an opportunity to hitch a ride with my son to visit my sister and brother-in-law who live in Eastern PA. We had a lovely weekend together, taking walks, catching up on all the news, going shopping and out to eat.  My niece, brother and sister-in-law came to visit while I was there, and I can't tell you how sweet it was to spend relaxed time with everyone.  I even got to hang out with my brother's German Shepherd, Millie.  She is a beautiful and sweet dog who loved it when I pet her.  I'm blessed with a super family!

They had a sunroom built onto the side of their house years ago.  The landscaper did a nice job around the structure and I thought it would be nice to share it here.

Here's a nice photo of the sunroom addition.  As the name suggests, it's a warm and light-filled space that they enjoy almost all year long.  

I like the gravel that creates a maintenance-free path to walk around to the backyard.

 The stones that define the flower beds near the house are in a curved shape, making it visually interesting.

And how can roses ever be a bad choice??  Hers are in full bloom already - mine aren't:(

A nice mixture of perennials and annuals keep the color going all season.

I hope this inspires someone to make a beautiful garden area out of a small space.  It's refreshing to sit in that sunroom and enjoy the beautiful foliage, the birds, and the sunlight!

Fresh Fruit Tip

This is a tip from from my friend, Fran, about a great way to preserve the season's freshness to enjoy all year long!

We re-use our old yogurt cups by

freezing  1/2" to 3/4" of smashed  fruit

in each cup . Since there isn't a lot

to defrost at a time, it can be added

directly to plain yogurt .  If you don't

have lids for the cups, freeze them on

a tray and then put them all in a           

big plastic bag in the freezer.

    These fruit-additions can be used

with yogurt or cottage cheese or

cereal. They defrost very quickly.

    I just had some strawberries from last

year on my cottage cheese for

lunch!

Notes from the Farm - Spring 2014

Here are some great photos from my friends' farm.

Fran and Tim have so many cool animals.

I thought you'd all love to see what they are doing!

This llama's name is Shadow and weighs 450 pounds.

These angora goats produce mohair.

This guinea fowl eats bugs and ticks!

This is country living at its best!!

Pittsburgh's Strip District - Part 2

Let's continue our tour of Pennsylvania Macaroni Company, our favorite shopping spot in Pittsburgh's Strip District.

Once you pass the lovely assortment of pasta and all the sauces and oils...you enter the Breadwords bread section.  It's oh so hard to pass by here without buying something.  I defy any of you to not find something delectable!

Keep walking a few feet and you find their produce section. We get beautiful red bell peppers here that we use in soup and sauce recipes to freeze for the winter. Recipes will come!

And where would you ever see such an assortment of

pizza paddles???  At Penn Mac, of course!

And just in case you think you're done buying food once you step outside...no way!  There are always food vendors on the street with amazing baked goods, flowers, and more!

Our second favorite store is Prestogeorge Coffee and Tea Company.  I can't even tell you how many amazing kinds of tea they have.  And their coffee is WONDERFUL, fresh roasted, as whole beans or ground.  The staff there are very helpful and friendly.  They love to recommend new coffees or teas if you want to chat about your preferences.

In this photo you can see all the coffee bins along the right side wall, and the tea jars are straight ahead.  There are more, you just can't see them all in this photo.  I wish I could tell you how beautiful the smell is in this store...words fail me. They have a great website and will mail you great products quickly and cheaply.  I recommend them without hesitation!

Let me end this tour of our beloved Strip District with a few familiar photos:

Jimmy & Nino's - great breads, Italian cookies, olives...

Primanti Brothers - classic sandwiches with fries and sauerkraut inside...




I go to the Asian Market for good rice and other interesting items.
This 25 pound bag of Jasmine Rice was
$23!!


And when you go, don't forget to try Enrico Biscotti Company, Wholey's Seafood, the Steeler Stuff vendors, and all the other stores and restaurants I didn't even mention!!

Here's my "catch" for a day's shopping.  Not bad!