Sometimes ....

Sometimes I don't have a definite concept for a blog post. Like today, I just don't have any theme and am probably just going to wander around like a lost puppy.

Took some pictures for items to list in my etsy store. I love the colors of this pincushion cup. I have another with violets and gold edges that I have not found the perfect shade of purple to match the flowers to use for the cushion part.

I also took pictures of a beautiful carved leather purse circa late 60s to mid 70s. I have a piece of leather to fix the area where the connector for the strap failed. It's in very clean shape with lots of space. I also took pictures of a purse part donor I purchased to make my Mom a new purse. First, I'm going to ask her if she wants to use it as is since it's pretty nice looking.

It's actually not my Mom's style on the outside. It's really more about being able to stand by itself and then to do this ...

If she says make something bigger (as in a little deeper, this is only 6 inches), then I will make her one of those pull out purse organizers to go inside and make it easier to keep track of things. 

I've also cut some baby onsies yesterday and will cut a pink bonnet today. The first one is green with lady bugs and the second is white with bunnies and sailboats. I have some dusky pink fold-over elastic to use at the top. I don't know if I have snaps for the bottom, but I'll come up with something. The bonnet is going to be fun ... lace, ribbons, ruffles ... 100% girl.

I made one like it for Jessica when she was born. She had so little hair that even when I dressed her in head-to-toe pink AND ruffles I still got asked how old my little boy was! And, Josie was the same, hair so blonde and fine that it was more like chickie fuzz than hair. I will post pictures later of the finished pieces.

Also, today I still want to make 2 loaves of Six Banana Banana Bread. I actually had to purchase some but was lucky and found a whole bag for 1.99 at my HyVee at just that wonderful shade of ripeness. I've already got a batch of Soft & Chewy Coconut Milk Bread. I divided it into portions and a loaf is rising on one pan while I've smaller bun size portions rising on another. 

I've been baking for the kids and they are enjoying it. When I was working, it was rare that I could bake for them. And, when I would make something like birthday cake, my late hubby would usually buy one before I could make one! As if store bought cake could ever be better than homemade. I think I should surprise Jess with a small cake next month. Her birthday and our 6 month anniversary are the same day.

Couldn't resist ending with violas from my front yard. I love the deep purple, almost black, coloring of them. I've mixed them with pale purple ones with yellow centers, then pansies with purple centers and brilliant orange edges. Mixed with the flowers are oak-leaf dusty millers. Eventually I will have lots of perennial flowers and places for annuals so that I can cut my own flowers all spring, summer and fall!

Laura

Purse in progress

Josie found a really cute mini cross-body bag but didn't like the color or top-stitch contrast (black & white), but really liked the long strap, small size and inside space. So we decided to purchase something more her style and make one.

Heavy Brown Upholstery Outside and Silky Stripe for Lining

The Plan

I sketched out the bag from from a couple quick photos we took, then I drafted the pattern and began cutting the parts.

Lots of pieces to this pattern. The fabric shell is fairly heavy, so doesn't need any interfacing. The lining, being very silky, needs to be stabilized in places like where the zippers for pockets will be going.

Close detail of one of the inside pockets. I have a huge stash of recycled and old zippers and was very happy to have found several that match fairly close.

When we purchased this fabric I fell in love with a black and silver brocade. It just looked like the perfect fabric for a clutch purse.

So here are the two I made from the brocade I purchased. I loved the look from both the right and wrong sides of the fabric. These are awaiting embellishment and closures. Since these are the first clutches I've ever made, they were a learning experience for me.

Making the second one, I gave it more stablity at the bottom and back/front upper edges. In the seam allowances I put this covered by the widest zig-zag I have. It really holds the bag up and gives it structure. I'm tempted to re-work the first one and add some to its outer shell.

You can see that it really does give the bag a wonderful bit of structure were the first bag is definitely more floppy.

Next on my list is to design a Doctor's Bag for my mom to replace her Vera Bradley bag that's looking a little worn. I am hoping to find a bag at a sale to sacrifice it's hardware for this project, so I'll be watching at garage sales for the perfect candidate. Otherwise I have some ideas for a bag that has boning in the sides with a snap or zip closure.

Laura

Rain, Rain

As far as my hubby's concerned, the rain could come again another day. What he does relates directly to what the farmers can do and with all this rain, the farmers cannot get into their fields to get seeds into the ground. Those who do are taking a risk, will they get washed away?

Meanwhile, we're dealing with a leaky basement on the home front. The hubby just put a different sump pump into our basement and even though the water is coming in, all seems to be well. But the water in the basement bothers me quite a bit as I know at some point it will have to be dealt with.

This particular leak looks like a water fountain pouring out between the bricks about 8 inches above the floor. It is very disturbing on several fronts because it may mean that we will have to dig up the area that I am landscaping this year in order to have this repaired. The other is that if we don't, which we might not be able to, fix the leak from the outside, then we will still have to do something from the inside.

No, I have not taken a picture of this fount of water pouring into my basement. But, I will.

Meanwhile, Pioneer Woman's spicy pork is a success in my house. I cooked an approximately 7 lb. pork shoulder and put four 8-oz. bags into the freezer for my girls. I also used some for dinner tonight with Ranch potato wedges and sauteed vidallia onions and cucumber salad. I also put 1.2 lbs. of pork aside from the 4 bags for my girls.

In process are potatoes with ranch that brushed over them after 20 minutes. This is a recipe still in process. It basically involves 2 to 3 Tbsp. of Hidden Valley Ranch bacon and ranch sandwich spread combined with 1/2 tsp. of minced garlic and 1 Tbsp. olive oil, effectively using my last bit of HVR product; which wasn't really enough to get the job done.

I've used HVR sandwich spread in so many ways beyond sandwiches. Salad dressings, marinates and now as a flavoring for potato wedges. My hubby would have eaten more of them if I'd cooked more than 4.

My in-laws some-how ended up with a large quantity of good size baking potatoes and Steve brought me home about 10 potatoes. Considering how much Steve likes potatoes, he could have brought home more since I make them at least 4 times a week. Still strikes me funny, but he actually likes potato flakes for mashed potatoes as opposed to real potatoes mashed.

Above is the broth from the cooking pork with the thickener cooking before dinner. I wanted to get the last tasty bits from the bottom of the roasting pan, so I put the broth back into the pot and made a flour/butter mix that I broke off in pieces and blended into the broth to thicken it. I think next time, I might want to use the broth to loosen the tasty bits, then pour it into a more traditional roux.

I have frozen the crispy rind to use for flavoring other dishes but I am willing to bet that my children will be wanting to get it for heating up and eating. The crispy hot crust/skin from a pork roast is always a favorite of all my children (my youngest, Jacob, was in the kitchen trying to snack on it while helping with dishes).

I also put the bones aside for soup making. I will see if one of my kids will want them before I put them in the deep freeze for a colder season when hot soup is something to look forward too. When it's humid, even if it's rainy, no one is looking for soup unless it's cold.

So, I ended up with four bags (8 ounces each) for my kids and one bag (apx. 1.2 lbs.) for me to use in the next day or so. I also have some leftover chicken from sandwiches I made yesterday (check out Pioneer Woman's Marlboro Man's SECOND Favorite Sandwich). I doubt it was the chicken that makes this sandwich a guy favorite ... I'm very sure it has something to do with BACON and CHEESE.

Next time I make this sandwich, I will definitely take a lot of pictures.
Stay dry ....
Laura

Playing in the rain

There's nothing like tossing on a raincoat and going outside in the morning and taking pictures in the rain. The colors just seem richer and more real, vibrant. Like nature tried to give the glumness of a cloudy sky a positive spin by enriching the colors.

Marigolds give you that beautiful spot of color. And some snapdragons I've had for month only just started blooming last week in beautiful rich fushia and vibrant white.

I'm also a huge fan of Pioner Woman. Today I'm using one of her recipes for pork shoulder since I had one in the freezer that seriously needed to get used. To me, she aims to please a crowd who develop large appetites from working outside, meaning that they are perfect, downsized a little, for my hubby; they are also great when I have all my kids at home.

So in my oven is a 7 lb. pork shoulder with my version of Spicy Shredded Pork. I used oregano, mild chili powder, cumin, black pepper, salt, celery, red & orange peppers and a vidalia onion. Into the blender all these things went to get ground up into a gorgeous orange paste that puddled in every nook and crany.

This pork shoulder is now in my favorite roaster in a 300 degree oven to roast slowly for about 6 hours getting turned about every other hour to ensure even cooking; then about 5:30, I'll remove the lid and turn the heat up to about 375 degrees and let that back skin develop a crisp crust.

Shredded with a pair of forks once it's done and serve it up with sauce made from the juices and some roast potatoes. Solid down-home food rocks!
Laura

My youngest son was part of the Bass Fishing Team for the high school he attends. They had pictures on Tuesday night for the year book.

They will be going out one more time shortly. The coach is going to take the Life Skills boys out on the boat fishing. Jacob is quite excited about going fishing on the big boat. I think it's nice that the coach planned a trip for just the Life Skills kids.

They had only decided early this year to include kids from the Life Skills class. With the really cooler wet spring we had, the team did not get to do much fishing together. Jacob did surprise me by making some great casts. I know he can't wait to go again.

We also made a Cole slaw today with some Asian pear. It's crispy texture and mild taste makes it a perfect addition for a salad. Because of the size of the fruit, I ended up with half the fruit leftover, so we made Asian pear custard. We each had a taste of it tonight, but my son is going to save the remainder for breakfast tomorrow.

This custard was made with coconut milk instead of regular milk, allowing me to use up the 2/3 cup of leftover milk from bread making. Jacob arranged the fruit himself.

Coconut custard
3/4 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs
1/2 a large Asian pear cut in thin slices (or 1 med. fruit, sliced)
In a bowl, whisk together coconut milk, flour, powdered sugar and vanilla. Crack eggs into separate small bowl and pour into coconut mixture and whisk until well blended. Arrange sliced fruit in a small baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Microwave on high for 12 to 15 minutes until set.

This could also be baked, but I couldn't see turning the oven on for a small custard.I think Jacob sprinkled some sugar over the top.

Not bad for a quick custard.
Laura

How Morning Should Smell

This morning instead of coffee, my house smells like purple irises and pineapple jam. The irises are antique purple ones and smell like grapes and spring. The jam is on the stove in my kitchen cooking down to golden goodness.

The only smell that could top this would be fresh bread just from the oven, but that's for later. 

Yesterday, I ran out of sugar after starting my jam and even had to use 1 1/2 cups of brown sugar to get enough sugar for the jam. I also had to revise the vanilla cream recipe for peaches and cream custards.

And, of course, I forgot to get a picture of the finished product! These are awesome and super easy. You can use any type of fruit. I used canned peaches provided by Jessica and some canned pear halves I had on my shelf. You could also use fresh pear, peach, apricot, plum or apple halves, I can also see this with fresh blackberries, raspberries or cherries.

Peaches and Cream Custard
This is my own recipe, though based off others I read. It makes to 8 inch cake pan custards. This would be elegant in individual souffle or custard dishes.
4 eggs (mine were room temp)
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla (use the real stuff)
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt (don't skip this)
1 cup evaporated milk (you could also use heavy cream or half n half, I just keep evaporated milk in my cabinet)
6 to 7 medium to large peaches*
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease cake pans (I also lined the metal one with wax paper). Arrange peaches cut side down in the pan in a pleasing pattern and set aside on a baking tray.
Crack eggs in separate bowl/cup and pour them into the bowl of your mixer (or mixing bowl and hand whisk). Beat them on low until just broken up. Add 3/4 cup powdered sugar and turn mixer on low. Once combined add vanilla, flour and salt and let blend briefly before adding evaporated milk.
Take your prepared baking tray close to the oven and pour cream mixture over fruit. Very gently place baking tray into oven. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes until custard is set and golden brown around the edges.
*I really think you could use any fruit in this with good results. I used canned. You might need to cook a little longer for fresh. You may also need a little bit more flour to keep it from getting watery if you use fresh fruit. Powdered sugar has a little cornstarch in it which helps with setting up.

I also made enchiladas for dinner. Another super simple recipe.

Simple Enchiladas
1/4 cup chopped green onion, white parts, save greens for garnish
1/4 cup minced celery
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup mixed green, red, orange peppers, chopped
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 lb. 85/15 ground beef
1/2 lb. ground turkey
1 packet taco seasoning
1 can Rotel tomatoes with chilies
3/4 cup TVP (textured vegetable protein)
1/2 cup water/chicken broth
8 oz. cream cheese, cubed
8 oz. Mexican or Fiesta blend cheeses, grated, divided in half
1/2 cup Salsa, any type
24 8-inch flour tortillas
Canola or Olive Oil cooking spray

If cooking right away, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. These can be made ahead and chilled or frozen.
Prepare 9x13 or similar baking dish by spraying with cooking spray and set aside.
In a large skillet heat olive oil. Once oil is hot add onion, celery and garlic and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Once garlic starts to brown a little add green and red peppers and cook until peppers are tender.
In a bowl combine beef and ground turkey and mix until just blended. Add taco seasoning and blend into meat. In another bowl combine TVP with tomatoes and let set until juice is absorbed, then add to beef mixture. Once well combined, add to skillet, breaking into small pieces. Add chicken broth or water to the pan and cook until meat is no longer pink and most of water/broth is gone.

Remove from heat and stir in cream cheese cubes and 4 oz. grated cheese. Mix until fully incorporated.

In the bottom of your prepared pan spoon 3 to 5 tablespoons of salsa and spread evenly along the bottom. Along one side of a tortilla spread one to two heaping spoons of meat mixture. From filling side, roll up tortilla and place in pan seam side down.

Continue rolling until pan is full. (I will usually use several smaller pans) If you are going to bake this right away, top with a little more salsa and remaining cheese. (I chose to only use the cheese on top). Bake at 350 degrees F for about 30 to 40 minutes until the cheese topping is melted and bubbling.

Notes: You do not have to use TVP, but could use 3/4 lb. each meat. It's an inexpensive way to extend out meat and also soaks up any grease the meats release. I used a green salsa as I wanted to trim the tomato down. Next year I plan to grow yellow tomatoes and can my own sauces and salsas. Some recipes have room for you to change up what you do and don't like without effecting the end result and this is one. Next time I make this I'm considering changing it up by placing meat on a crust of nacho chips and serving with Spanish rice. You could also just use the TVP and more vegetables and go meatless.

Sewing Room Shuffle

I've been in need of reshuffling my sewing area for a while. Since my sewing area is also our dining area, keeping things organized is extremely important.

Before

Above is one angle of the arrangement I started with. You can really see the clutter building up near that window. I was finding this arrangement not quite what I needed to work as many things did not have proper homes. The key to combating clutter is to have homes for everything and to get rid of those things that don't have homes.

After

To me, this placement of my hutch made a bit better sense. I also brought another shelf from my old house and decided to utilize the storage area I have upstairs to minimize clutter on the lower level.

The extra shelf really gives me a bit more flexible storage options. I've also started an Etsy store under my blog name and will be making the header and taking pictures of the first items I want to get listed. Hopefully this will allow me to declutter by selling some of my craft bits to someone to give them a home.

While I enjoy making things, how many "things" can I keep in one home? So it's time to start sending things to new homes. And, I really like having a clean and organized house besides.

And, speaking of new homes, I finally have all my plants put into their pots for my garden and, I took pictures of them this morning, along with some of the yard decor I've been putting into place.

Peppers & Marigolds

I decided that building garden beds just wasn't in my cards. And, while I enjoy my plants, spending hours upon hours gardening was not what I want to do when it's hot, either. So I selected a section of our yard that really looks sad and started landscaping.

Steve Mowing

And, here's the other reason I decided to forgo a big garden ... it just wouldn't have worked with the lawn mower. Nothing like a mower the size of a small car. Does an awesome job on the lawn, though.

Making these so much more practical at present. This is a good location for a pot garden with plenty of sun and good drainage. Steve also bought a second hose for this side of the house making watering a breeze. Hopefully my tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and basil will do well here.

And, speaking of garden ornaments, here is my blue gazing ball complete. I've already started a coppery colored one. I have two or three more to work on. It's so pretty in the morning light and makes me feel lighthearted when I see it out there. Here's a picture of my 50 cent garden chandelier ...

I repainted it with Carolina Green just a couple days ago. I really think it gives excellent contrast to the house without being as hard as pure black would be. I did the front step railings with this color earlier in April. Against the creamy color of the house, this is a perfect contrast.

And, this is a look just across from my driveway at 6:30 a.m. Just a beautiful dusky look as the sun begins walking it's way across the sky. Between me and that water tower is a major highway. During the week it can be fairly busy, but on weekend, the traffic dies down and that small town country feeling drifts over town.

Now, I'd better get my laundry in and then make a quick run to Galesburg for burgers and buns!!!
Laura

Aren't Mondays Supposed to be the Long Ones?

Boy, today was a long day. My daughter and I started cooking at 6:30 a.m. this morning and made cookies, bread, jam and bar cookies. Oh, and spinach & mozzarella hot pockets.

We made the chocolate chip cookies I have made and shared before. Jessica was in love with them at first bite. She left a few for my youngest and a few for Steve, who likes them as a snack now and then.

Mangoes have been about 50 cents each at Aldi's, so I made some mango jam. It looks beautiful in the jars, so golden. I will water bath process them tomorrow.

My kitchen was a disaster in the midst of all of this cooking ... 

Goodness, look at all that flour! Once we were done, I cleaned the kitchen while Jessica did the dishes. It's so nice to come home to a clean kitchen when you know you will be late and dinner will have to be quick.

The bread I made from a new recipe from AverieCooks.blogspot.com here. I have attached a link since I've asked her, but you could also look her up on google. She has some great recipes there. She's also on Pinterest. I made her bread recipe using coconut oil and coconut milk and it looks beautiful. The hot pockets were made using her pretzel recipe.

Awesome texture, good flavor and a chewy crumb. I used half bread flour and half plain flour to get the best of both worlds. This is the first time I've used coconut oil in anything. The bread has a nutty flavor, probably from the oatmeal and a nice texture that would work for sandwiches once sliced.

I managed to catch Jess and give her a Mrs. Doubtfire look! We had a lot of fun cooking. She also did the driving in the afternoon taking me to a doctor's appointment and then picking up a trailer from my parents home so we can move some things (last time I used the hubby's truck I put a dent in it :( ... as you can imagine, he was NOT happy about that, no matter what he told me).

And, my kitchen, nice and clean before leaving home. I love this kitchen. Nice work triangle, views from the windows and some decent appliances (dishwasher, stove, microwave ... not that I wouldn't like a newer dishwasher and stove in the future). The only thing I really dislike about this kitchen ... the microwave is right over the stove and there is no vent to the outside.

So when I want to use both large burners, i have to put the tall pan in the front and the smaller or shorter pan in the back because the microwave limits how much space is available between it and the burner. Once that microwave gives up the ghost, the next one is going in another location and an exhaust fan is going over the stove.

Anytime I cook anything that requires the temperature to be close to 500 degrees F or broiled I manage to set off the smoke detectors. As there are three in our house, the hubby has to go around and turn off each one it turn. We have had the windows in the kitchen open on some very cold nights in order to keep the smoke detectors from going off while cooking (laugh). An exhaust fan would definitely keep that from happening!

Me and Jessica

Jess said we should have a picture of our morning together. We really did have a great time cooking. We got so much done. She has several days worth of homemade hot pockets to reheat, plus cookies to share with friends. I've got a nice loaf of bread and we're going to divide up some rhubarb oatmeal bars in the morning.

Once the jam is processed in the water bath, I will send her a jar once she's used the strawberry-rhubarb jam. It's been a long time since I canned anything. When I was a teenager, my parents and grandfather had a garden one and one half acres big. My grandfather used to take produce with him after his weekend run to help weed; he'd sell it on his route as a liquor salesman.

And, do I remember that garden. The beans seemed endless and the corn seem just about as endless. And, then there were lots and lots of tomatoes. Everything needed to be weeded and watered constantly. Then, once the produce started coming in, we would can tomatoes, green beans, jellies and freeze squash, apple cider, green & red peppers and anything else that would come from the garden. We had a huge shelf in our basement that would start empty at the beginning of the season and end up full of garden produce.

Funny how what seemed like so much work then seems so practical now in light of the cost of food and the amount of chemicals in most foods. I wish I could share the experience of what food should taste like with all those who just stop for fast food instead of cooking at home.

Laura

Flowers & Whiskey BBQ

Roma tomatoes, cucumbers and marigolds. Then I ran out of potting mix.

I put some of the planters on top of 5 gallon buckets so not everything is on the same level. I'll need to get another bag of soil mix before I can finish. 

And, I'm so glad that I decided to get outside early and get it done before the temperature skyrocketed like crazy. But this morning was so beautiful.

My daughter arrived in mid-afternoon bringing a large package and pork chops and the request to make a whiskey barbecue sauce.

We made Italian butter grilled potatoes, coleslaw, grilled zucchini along with the marinated and glazed pork chops. Then used the remaining heat from the grill to grill some ham steaks we cut from a Tavern Ham.

I devised the marinade and the glaze two work together. The marinade included yogurt, cider vinegar, minced garlic, ketchup and soy sauce. We marinated the chops for about 30 minutes. I have the racks in my Weber kettle to set up indirect heat cooking creating zones of heat. I also precooked the Yukon Gold potatoes before grilling them with Italian Herb Butter baste so they would be ready when the chops were.

The real winner of the evening, though, was the Whiskey Glaze that topped off the chops, giving them good flavor and crackly edges.

Whiskey BBQ Glaze
Measurements are approximate as I usually mix until I like the taste, but this should be fairly close.
3/4 cup Whiskey
1/4 cup Brown Sugar, packed
1/4 cup Soy Sauce
1 tsp. Cumin, ground
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
3/4 tsp. Garlic, minced
1/4 to 1/2 cup Ketchup (I use one without HFCS)
Whisk together all ingredients, adjusting as needed until you have a thin, yet sticky liquid. Wait to brush layers of glaze on until your meat is mostly cooked through.

We brushed 3 to 4 layers of glaze on both sides of the chops while finishing them up. You could also use molasses or honey instead of brown sugar, just reduce the amount of ketchup.

The Italian Herb Butter Baste was simply a packet of Italian dressing mix blended with a softened stick of salted butter. The Yukon Gold mini potatoes were pre-cooked for 20 minutes in the microwave with a little water before being placed on the grill and basted with butter. I also cut some small zucchini in 4ths and basted them with the butter as well.

A simple dinner for a hot day with enough leftovers for lunch and a BBQ glaze for my daughter.
Laura

Gardening

Tomorrow I will hopefully get to finish what I started this morning. I have about 12 large brown pots that I purchased for an idea I had for my wedding, but changed my mind after deciding how the flow of the space available would go.

Flower wish list ... Dianthus

I have also decided that I'm not ready to get into building bunches of raised garden beds to have a garden. Neither am I ready to give up the taste of a sun-ripened fresh tomato. So, container gardening should give me a few tomatoes, a cuke or two and maybe some peppers and zukes.

So tomorrow I have a date with 9 tomatoes, 7 peppers, 6 marigolds, 3 cucumbers, some basil and rosemary. The rosemary is a perennial so more thought will have to go into it's placement as it will be permanent. The rest will go into my nice brown pots and hopefully thrive along the southwest side of my house.

Our house came with the basic evergreen foundation plantings and a few shrubs. As mulch under the evergreens someone made a 3 foot border of river rock practically all the way around the house with a narrower border around our back patio. A bonus, there's a spigot on each side of the house so no having to drag a house from one end of the yard to the other.

Along the southwest side of our house there are no plantings at present. The one sad shrub that was out there was half dead and leaning right into the siding, so out it went. Another mostly dead evergreen in the front of the house also left.

So I'm going to arrange my pots some on the river rock and some on top some 5 gallon buckets along this side of my house and patio providing some much needed interest as well as easy access for watering and care. Hopefully it will be warm enough to make the tomatoes and cucumbers very happy.

I've already planted 3 rhubarb plants out along part of this side of the house. I do need to get out there and remove the grass around them so I can lay more mulch to make it easier for Steve to mow around them.

While I don't have pictures of any of the plants I purchased today, I will take pictures of the little babies tomorrow once I've got them happy in their new homes. I am still looking for a variegated Sage plant, but I'm sure one will turn up. I'm already considering where I want to place it.

I have many, many more plants to lift, divide, move and plant. I also have a wish list of plants and flowers I can't wait to have. Now I'm off to let visions of peonies, roses and irises dance through my sleep.

Laura