A Little Bit of Spring

It was inevitable.  You must have known I would be back to post at some point.  Today inspiration hit me as I made myself busy in my tiny backyard greenhouse moving herbs around. In my mission to shed any trace of winter left inside, I tucked a few plants into this pretty wall container.   

While outside, I found just the crowning touch for a dessert I had made earlier as I scrambled to get something together to bring my Mother tomorrow.  A velvety purple viola I plucked from a few volunteer blossoms.  

You can find the dessert I made here on Pinterest called Lemonies (Lemon Brownies).  There is no chocolate involved, the name is simply a way of describing the consistency of these delectable squares.  (I just love brown eggs, don't you?)

Still life of violas and a lemon, with a bit of zest scattered about on my time worn wooden board.  

Henri has been busy too.  Here is a piece of his raku pottery fresh from yesterday's firing.  I am leaving it on my kitchen counter for the time being.

Two more of his pieces that I had fun arranging.  One in a metal stand.  The other propped up to show the beautiful raku lustre inside.

And did you notice the 'frog' protection right there?  I just love that Discover card commercial.  So silly. You can view it here.  Good to be back on here again.  Happy Spring and Happy Mother's Day!  And while I'm at it, Happy Birthday to our youngest daughter Angie who had a birthday today!  

Surviving Winter

It's good to get out out of the house, even just to go ice-fishing with my sweetie, like this past Friday on Eagle Lake in Acadia National Park.  

A close-up of drilling the first hole through the ice.  Each license holder is allowed 5 holes a piece.  It was so blustery though, that we only did 3 and then sat in the car to watch for flags to pop up -- an indicator that you may have caught something.

For reference this is the kind of fish we were hoping to catch.  Here's Henri posing with a brook trout caught in a much warmer month in Acadia.

Our picnic lunch during ice fishing was a salad of baby spinach and blackened salmon.  Turns out it was the only fish we laid eyes on for all of our efforts out on the ice.

The next day I made eclairs for us.

From scratch.  Sometimes I even surprise myself.

I will leave you with a peek of the napkins I sewed up from a few yards of fabric a few weeks ago.

It was during a particularly brutal part of the polar vortex we all seem to be experiencing around the country this year. So tell me, how are you surviving winter?

Spectacular Little Moments

Sunrise captured by Henri as he quietly welcomes the day enjoying his morning coffee.  

The sweetness of an American Goldfinch having breakfast outside our window.  

While standing at my kitchen window, I notice the sun illuminating a crucifix on a cemetery statuary across the street.    It was my first time ever to see this happen.  

   Taken inside the cemetery, here is a close-up of the crucifix.

A lustrous tea cup unexpectedly and very recently given to me by a friend. 

My treat at the close of the day, is to drink my own home-made version of Venetian Hot Chocolate from it.  

Taken in the fading daylight, my image of it leaves room for improvement, but the dark, rich chocolate inside is heavenly.  

And yet another beautiful day in Maine draws to a close leaving me content just to be here.