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It's been so gloomy and cold in the midwest. We're all tapping our feet. . . anxious for some warm weather to return!
So on this gloomy and chilly morning, I placed a bouquet of store bought daffodils on the buffet. . . where these two like to survey the world. Then I took a few pictures!
I call this picture "DAFFODIL CHEERFULNESS". Taken without flash.
Here is "DAFFODIL CHEERFULNESS". Taken with flash.
Twiggy called this picture "THE END". (Also taken with flash! :)
DANA
I call this amazing chocolate sauce "brown gold"....cuz it is such a tasty treasure!!
AND it was MADE by my DIL!!
Note the PINK ribbon she added to the jar!! :)
I sent THE STONE RABBIT to the store to get us some vanilla ice cream to enjoy with that awesome syrup!!
He picked out his favorite brand! :)
In honor of Pink Saturday, I decided to use one of my Pinkish/Reddish Johnson Brothers cups. . .
from which to enjoy. . .
this mouth watering. . .
and so spectacular. . . . TREAT!!!
THE STONE RABBIT reminded me that we needed another spoon! After all, he was the one who bought the ice cream for us!!!
My DIL used the following recipe to mix up that delicious Chocolate Syrup!
Alton Brown's Homemade Cocoa Syrup:
Ingredients
* 1 1/2 cups water
* 3 cups sugar
* 1 1/2 cups Dutch-processed cocoa
* 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
* 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
* 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
Directions
In a small pot, bring water and sugar to a boil and whisk in cocoa, vanilla, salt, and corn syrup. Whisk until all of the solids have dissolved. Reduce sauce until slightly thickened. Strain and cool to room temperature. Pour into squeeze bottles. Squeeze into cold milk and stir for delicious chocolate milk or serve on your favorite ice cream.
It's fat free! ;)
Please visit Beverly at HOW SWEET THE SOUND. You will find lots of other bloggers who have linked up to share their PINKS!!
Happy Pink Saturday!
DANA
This morning I am enjoying a bowl of cereal topped with fresh strawberries! I just love this time of year when those red ripened strawberries are becoming more plentiful in our stores.
I LOVE this white CORELLE bowl! As you can see, it's bigger than the older ones I have and the size is perfect for soup and cereal and salads . . . and ice cream!!!
THE STONE RABBIT and I did not fill out a bracket when the NCAA Tourney started! SO, today, we are working on completing one. . . picking up at the Sweet 16 point.
I'm gonna have my hubby fill one out, too. That always puts a little more fun into watching the rest of the games. I love it when I beat him. . . of course, he loves it when he beats me, too!
I have the edge, cuz THE STONE RABBIT is really a basketball expert. . .and I get some great advice from him!
Who do you think will win?
After breakfast, we will spend some time outside. . . looking at the wonderful plants coming up in our front beds. We have many of these Stella de Oro Day-lilies out there. . . one of THE STONE RABBIT'S favorite varieties.
He told me I need to divide them this year. . . I think he may be correct!
DANA
Why I love white CORELLE:
1. it's made in the USA
2. it's extremely break resistant
3. it rarely shows marks from eating utensils...so it always looks NEW!
4. it is ALWAYS "openstock"....unlike the two patterns of china I have.... :(
5. it's extremely reasonably priced if you purchase pieces new.
6. it's even more reasonably priced if you're lucky enough to find pieces at thrift stores or garage sales!!
7. WHITE never goes out of style.
8. WHITE goes with EVERYTHING!!
9. It stacks so compactly it hardly takes up any room in the cupboard! (Note: this reason was given by Nancy of MY CRAFTY LITTLE PAGE....and she's so right!!!! Good one, Nancy!)
We weren't able to see the moon at its Super Fullness on Saturday evening because of cloud cover. However, by Sunday night, the skies were looking clearer....and I was in official Moon Watch mode.
Some time after 10:00 p.m., I looked out the front door AGAIN...and finally saw TWO moons!!! :) Actually, the streetlight and the moon were both shining brightly !!
My little point and shoot didn't get a clear shot, so. . . .
I left THE STONE RABBIT waiting on the front porch (it was REALLY dark, so you might not be able to see him) and I . . .
dashed inside to fetch my hubby's big NIKON. Thankfully, it was set to "automatic" so I was able to snap some moon pictures at last!!!
WOW! What a gift from above.
DANA
THE STONE RABBIT was so excited yesterday afternoon as he sat outside and watched my husband cut our grass for the first time this Spring!! What a joyous time this was for him. . . .the weather was FINALLY warm and the grass was growing in our yard!!!
This Springtime moment meant it was time to officially pull out the PINK tennis ball and. . . .
play "fetchl" with Izzie, our Grand Dog!
She is one fast little pooch when it comes to snatching up that ball and bringing it back!! She tells me that playing fetch in the house doesn't come close to feeling of retrieving that little orb in the great OUTDOORS!!
However, Izzie told me she wasn't happy with the conditions today. Even though she is nuts about leaping after the thrown PINK ball. . . .
she wasn't liking the feeling of putting that grass and leaf covered ball in her mouth!!!
She told me she would be thrilled if I would throw it on the driveway, instead.
So, I did!!
Izzie was happy. . . she could fetch and fetch and fetch that PINK ball. . . .
without it picking up grass clippings and stray dead leaves left over from last Fall !!
Yep. . . THE STONE RABBIT is right. There's not too many things better than the smell of the first freshly cute grass of the season. . . .and playing fetch, even with a picky dog! :)
I am certain you will have a "ball" when you visit Beverly of HOW SWEET THE SOUND! She will have a bunch of other bloggers linked up to share fun PINKS with you, too!!
HAPPY PINK SATURDAY!!!
DANA
I've been a little slow getting the green out for St. Patrick's Day this year. However, today is the day, and I thought I'd share a bit of my decorating talent with you!
Twiggy always loves it when I pull out a seasonal placemat for her, Frankie and Izzie. This one is made of plastic, so it's got that "easy care" aspect that I love!
If you've read my blog, you know I love vintage items. . . and so do our fur babies!!
Here you see Twiggy with the water bowl I keep on the seasonal placemat. It's a Corningware "Cornflowers" dish. . . my hubby and I received it for a wedding gift in 1968! Yes, it is VERY vintage!
Next, Twiggy is nibbling some of her yummy kitty food. Izzie, the grand dog, has her food in the other dish. We keep their food in little Corningware bowls I found at a thrift store. We like to use these kind of dishes because, first, they are made in the USA and, second, because they have some weight to them, the kitties and doggy can't scoot them across the floor while they're dining or drinking!
I sure wish the placemat was made in the USA, but I bought it at JO ANNE'S, so you know where it was made.....China.
OK, so you saw the "green on the floor", now you're in for some major eye candy as I dazzle you with my table setting expertise!!! ;)
This first photo shows you a place setting for one........all ready for me when I enjoy my breakfast on St. Pat's morning, right after the hubby goes off to work!! He usually has a protein shake each morning, so I won't waste my table setting efforts on him for breakfast.
As you can see, I started with another seasonal placemat. On top of that I placed a couple of my favorite dishes in the whole wide world. . . . basic white CORELLE!!! It, too, is made in the USA!
My mother bought us our first place setting for four in 1972 or 73....and we've used it since. Of course, over the years I've had to replace some pieces because the edges get a little beaten up looking after a while and I've increased the number of place settings to many more than four!
I have added a vintage cloth white napkin....secured with a string of green beads. The Irish coffee-type cup came from Old Thyme Pottery. I belief they are made by Libby.....so they are pretty likely to be a USA product. Sadly, the little coaster and other decorative shamrocks were from Michael's and Jo Annes....cheap, but made in China.
I will sidetrack a bit here. My goal for this Easter is to give my two grand kids Easter baskets that are totally composed of Made in the USA products. So far, I have located bio-degradable Easter grass and one little candy product. I've still got lots of time to complete that project.
Back to my exquisit table setting.....I just bought the Oneida flatware last November on Cyber Monday. Oneida was having a huge sale. I knew I wanted this pattern, called American Harmony, because my friend Bonnie has it and I've always loved it. I was pretty sure hers was stamped made in the USA. Not mine.....the forks say "Indonesia". :(
Frankie was watching me set my table. . . so I decided to give him a little green, too!
After breakfast, I will start planning on a table setting that does include my hubby when he comes home for St. Patrick's dinner.
Of course, we have to have green beer!!!
I have a placemat problem.......I just have one in a shamrock shape. So, I'll borrow the one that the fur babies use to put at my husband's spot!!
I'm sure he won't care!!
Heck, he probably won't even notice! :)
Do you think it's OK that they don't match? I've been watching a lot of The Nate Burkus Show (he's a cool decorator).....and he hates matchy, matchy stuff. I'm thinking if Nate likes mismatched items....that's good enough for me!
To make things a bit more festive, I tied little foil shamrocks (also imports, I'm sure) onto a couple of vintage napkins. I'm pretty certain my husband will wonder why I did that.
I tried to get one of those fancy "squat shots" of my table. Do you see THE STONE RABBIT in the distance?
He loves St. Pat's day, too. . . .especially the green beer!
It's OK if he has some. . . .he doesn't look it, but he is well over the legal drinking age!
Have a happy and safe St. Patrick's Day!!!
DANA
Why I love white CORELLE:
1. it's made in the USA
2. it's extremely break resistant
3. it rarely shows marks from eating utensils...so it always looks NEW!
4. it is ALWAYS "openstock"....unlike the two patterns of china I have.... :(
5. it's extremely reasonably priced if you purchase pieces new.
6. it's even more reasonably priced if you're lucky enough to find pieces at thrift stores or garage sales!!
7. WHITE never goes out of style.
8. WHITE goes with EVERYTHING!!
9. It stacks so compactly it hardly takes up any room in the cupboard! (Note: this reason was given by Nancy of MY CRAFTY LITTLE PAGE....and she's so right!!!! Good one, Nancy!)
THE STONE RABBIT had a great idea for adding a little green to this Pink Saturday. . . and it involved rounding up his brood of PINK PEEPS!
" PINK PEEPS," he said, "how would you like to get dressed in green for St. Patrick's Day?"
"YES! YES! YES!", they shouted!!!
THE STONE RABBIT pulled out the secret to greening up the PINK PEEPS . . . a bottle of food coloring!!!
The PINK PEEPS eagerly stood in line as THE STONE RABBIT applied generous amounts of the green to them!
And before long. . . .
the McPEEPS were ready for Pink and Green Saturday AND the local St. Patrick's Day Parade!!!
I'm looking forward to visiting my Pink Saturday friends who are adding Green to their PINK posts this weekend, too!!
Please head over to Beverly's at HOW SWEET THE SOUND to find a loooooong list of bloggers....who are eagerly waiting for you!!
Happy PINK/GREEN Saturday!
DANA
When I was picking up the registration packet for my first 5K run last Fall, there were vendors there selling all sorts of cool running items. As a new runner, I was really interested in seeing all of the neat goodies they had to show us!
I found a booth with the product pictured below. It's called a SPIBELT and is a great way to carry a few necessary items while running!
A big selling point for me was the adjustable waist belt....so it fits around every size of running tummy.
I hope you noticed that I selected the one with a PINK zipper! As I recall, the zippers came in a wide variety of colors.
The little pouch is made of nylon - - - I paid a little more and got the waterproof fabric. I wanted to be sure the items I put in it didn't get wet from a sudden rain shower or my profuse sweating.
What's really amazing is how MUCH the little pouch holds!
Today I wanted to show you some of the things I bring with me on my runs- - - zipped safely away in my SPIBELT!
First, I bring along my vintage cell phone.
I never know when I might need it. What if I was attacked by a killer pigeon or what if I tripped and fell down and broke my leg and no one was around to help me? I could just reach in my little SPIBELT and pull out my phone!
OR what if I decided I wanted to call my Grand Girl and tell her about a little homeless puppy dog that was following me all around the neighborhood. . . with the saddest little face. . . and that maybe she would want to tell her mommy or daddy about it so they could come and get it for her!!! I could do that.....I have my phone in my SPIBELT!!
OR what if I needed to tell my husband about the perfect diamond ring I saw at the jeweler's today and that I'd love it if he would pick that up for me on his way home from work. I CAN DO THAT!!! I have my phone in my SPIBELT!
See, there are a million good reasons to bring my phone with me when I go running!! :)
Next, I always bring a house key with me.
We have a keyless entry pad on our garage door, but I would hate it if I had been running really hard.....and I SOOOOO needed to get back to the house to get a drink of water or use the restroom and for some UNKNOWN REASON the keyless entry pad wouldn't work and I couldn't get the garage door up!!!!. No problem. . . I have my house key in my SPIBELT!!!
On those rare occasions when a long run becomes boring, I can always perk myself up by pulling my little orange lip whistle out of my SPIBELT.
I can't help but get that happy and energized feeling back when I put that little plastic contraption to my mouth and blow away.
If you don't have one of these whistles, you really should get one. It makes the "funnest" and most ear piercing sound. Not only does it put a smile on my face. . . the local neighbors enjoy it, too. At first I think they thought I was losing my elder mind, but soon they realized it was a mood booster to see me with those orange plastic lips pressed on my face. . . jogging along and making that happy noise!!
Oh, and another use for that swell whistle. . . . it keeps the pigeons away! ;)
You might wonder why I would carry a PINK Tootsie Pop with me on my runs.
My answer. . . .why not????
I don't have a running buddy. . . I keep hoping one of my neighbors will notice how awesome I'm looking since I took up the sport and will want to join me. However, until that time comes, I run alone.
I have learned to take a paper and pen with me in my SPIBELT, too. Because I'm spending so much time by myself running, my mind is always thinking of stuff. I have found it's so easy to whip my pen and paper out and jot down those thoughts I want to recall......this is an especially great time to write my grocery list!!! Of course, sometimes I can't read what I've written because I'm writing while jogging, but I can usually figure out what I meant!
No runner leaves the house without a few tissues! They don't take up much space in my SPIBELT and they are so necessary for nose blowing or sweat wiping OR dealing with what a pesky pigeon might deposit on my shirt!!!
Here is my SPIBELT all packed up and ready for my next run around the neighborhood!
I have to say, it has made that time I'm away from home a lot more comfortable! It was well worth the investment!
THE STONE RABBIT loves my SPIBELT, too! In fact, here he is this morning. . . .ready to go on his little hop around the neighborhood!
He tells me he also fills the pouch with lots of his own little needs while exercising. . . mainly a few baby carrots and, of course, he takes takes my phone and house key and that swell whistle!!
I saved the best for last.
Here is the newest SPIBELT business card.
Guess what. . . that's MY tummy they are using to model the pouch!!! I look pretty good for a sixty something runner, wouldn't you agree?
OK.. . . that's not my tummy. . . .yet!!! :)
It's Pink Saturday again. . . where does the week go?
Please visit Beverly of HOW SWEET THE SOUND. You will find lots of other bloggers with fun pinks to share with you!!
DANA
