Lilla, Hershey Chocolate Cake, And A Stroll Through Watch Hill, Rhode Island

Hi Everyone!
Just a quick little post to share something beautiful with you!
This was purchased from Lilla LeVIne  ~ such an amazing artist from Hawaii.
She painted it and printed it on the fabric.
It is large ~ 13 X 11 including the surrounding fabric.
I think it will be a perfect centerpiece for a crazy quilt ~ I am going to take my time planning this one!

Visit Lilla's etsy shop ~ where she has just listed Vintage Lace from Paris !

I thought I'd share the Chocolate Cake Recipe I made for my son last week.

I torn it from a magazine in 1984. For the frosting I use the recipe on the can of Hershey Cocoa.

By the way ~ these are Grama's cake pans ~ the only ones she ever used for a layer cake.

One of my favorite things to do in all the world was to turn those metal strips around and around to loosen the cake.

Since I am making a chocolate cake ~ I used Nestle Quick instead of flour so the cake won't stick to the pan.

Here is the recipe ~ just click here!

Since visiting the town of  Hershey, Pa and seeing the great work they do there ~

I will always use their products.

Milton Hershey founded his school for under privileged children 100 years ago and it is still going strong.

It is a wonderful story ~ follow the link below.

I believe Queen Latvia is now the spokesman for the The Milton Hershey School

Safe in the cabinet from sneaky fingers and a passing fly until after dinner!

My  baby boy  Son gets the first piece to celebrate getting a new truck!

Before we say Good-Bye ~

Take a minute to enjoy some of the beautiful scenery from our drive to

Watch Hill, Rhode Island this week-end.

"Long ago, beneath the crisp stillness of the harvest moon, Montauk braves once paddled northward from

Long Island to pillage the peaceful Niantics who resided at what we now know as Watch Hill."

excerpt from "Watch Hill By River And By Sea"

And on the drive home ~ Rt 1a in Stonington, Ct.

Sea-Fever

By John Masefield (1878-1967)

I must (go) down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,
And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking,
And a grey mist on the sea's face, and a grey dawn breaking.


I must (go) down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.


I must (go) down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull's way and the whale's way where the wind's like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over.

Links You Will Find On This Post ~

Lilla's Blog
Lilla's Etsy Shop
Food Timeline ~ 100's of cake recipes
Nestle Quick Commercial from the 1950's with Roy Rogers
Hershey Cake Recipe
Hershey, Pa
History of Milton Hershey
Watch Hill, Rhode Island
Stonington, Ct

Crazy Quilting,Watertown Farmers Market & A Crock Pot Sausage Medley,Zucchini Bread,Soft Shell Crabs AND A Special Buy at Joanns

Hi Friends !

Just wanted to share what I've been up to lately.

I have been working on some Crazy Quilted Blocks for the  Eastern States Fair in September.

I didn't want to drive myself ummm ... well crazy so decided to relax and just create.

I have always wanted to enter items in a state fair so my kids would be proud to see their Mom's stuff there.

Once ~ a Quilt I made ended up being judged quite by accident.

It's a wonderful story I will share sometime soon.

Anyway......

I think the first block will be a pouch.....

....... and this one a pillow but I never quite know until I finish the block!

Much of the hand dyed silk ribbon I used is from Pat Winter ~ visit her artfire shop for some of your very own ~

Pat Winter's ArtFire Shop

To the left you see a bit of dyed trim from Pam Kellogg.

You must take a look at her beautiful creations ~ just click her name below!

Pam Kellogg

Frank and I along with our baby boy our dog Teddi paid a visit to the Watertown Farmers Market the other day.

The flavored Olive Oil from "My Whimsical Kitchen" are so yummy and just $5.00 a bottle!

Pared with a fresh Italian Bread ~ YUMMMMMM!

Many of the Markets  this year are featuring live local music and artists of all kinds.

These little critters were looking Right at me until I pointed the camera at them ~

then... just as if they were on cue .... they turned their faces!

Since Jake passed away ~ we have been bringing Teddi with us more often.

He loves being with his Daddy!

Here Frank is trying to tell him he can't go near the farm animals at the market ~

sooo over protective.....Teddi and I just rolled our eyes ;)

When we got home I made this Yummy dish ~

Everything was purchased at the Market except for the sausage and tomatoes ~ they came from my garden.

 Farmers Market Crock Pot Medley

1 package Smart Chicken Hot Italian Sausage  (trust me this stuff is AWESOME!!!)

2 Onions diced, 3 peppers sliced (I used the Hungarian kind ~ light green and long in shape)

a large zucchini (about 2 cups or more sliced thick), 6 tomatoes cubed, 2 cups chicken broth, 4 potatoes diced

Brown sausage,onion and pepper in a bit of oil until nicely browned.

Place in crock pot on high setting ~ cook 4 hours.

Cover all of above with the rest of the ingredients except the zucchini.

Add pepper to taste.

The last hour ~ add zucchini.

Serve over Wide Egg Noodles. I used the homemade ones from Amish Country.

This has a fresh wholesome taste with a bit of a hot bite. Use your own favorite spices to change up the flavor

and serve with a fresh from the garden salad.

My son brought over a VERY LARGE zucchini ~ knowing his Mama would not waste anytime

making some Chocolate Zucchini Bread!

Franky has a wonderful veggie garden and brings over all his bounty !

This recipe was so moist ~ especially the next day!

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

3 cups flour, 1 teas. salt, 1 teas. baking soda, 1 tsp. baking powder, 4 teas. cinnamon, 3 eggs

1 cup oil (I used BAKING olive oil), 2 1/4 cup sugar, 3 teas. vanilla extract, 3 cups grated zucchini, 1 cup choc.chips

1.Grease and flour baking pans. Preheat oven to 325'

2. Sift dry ingredients together.

3. Beat eggs,oil,vanilla and sugar in large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture and mix well.Stir in zucchini and chocolate chips.

4. Bake about 60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

note ~ use the smaller sized chocolate chips ...the large ones will sit at the bottom of the pan because the batter is very thin.

By the way ~ my 1960's Tupperware Grater is one of my favorite kitchen tools.

I like grating by hand verses a food processor.

My mind never fails to wander to days gone by when I am using this grater!

Very random I know ~ but if you get your hands on some Maryland Soft Shell Crabs......

Here's the only way I will ever cook them ~ 

Rinse your crabs in cold water and place in a frying pan where

 butter is sauteing at medium high heat (no,no,no breading or coating crabs in flour)

Coat with Old Bay Seasoning as they cook  ~ about 5 minutes then turn and coat the other side with Old Bay.

Another 5 minutes and they should be done.

I always pull a leg off and test it to be sure the meat is white.

Marylanders like to eat it between saltine crackers but we eat our right on the dish as is.

In the Garden ~ the  Dahlias are still blazing....

..... placed in one of my favorite Hobnail glass vases you only need one or two to make a statement.

READY , SET ........ RUN

to your local Joann's Fabric for these awesome planters.

They are approx. 8 inches tall and heavy (not plastic!) for the amazing clearance price of $2.98 each!!!

They were hiding in the floral section.

On Sunday It will be our 28th Wedding Anniversary.

I thought it was our 27th but did the math and WOW!

It hasn't always been an easy road but we both plan on a strong finish......

and Pray often for the Lord to fill in all the blanks.

Have a WONDERFUL week-end ~ Feel as SPECIAL as you are!

Love One Another and you'll be Happy.

It's as Simple and as Difficult as that.

M. Leunig

Sunday Supper in Port Jefferson, New York

 Where do you go in your little corner of the world to have a mini getaway?

I have sea salt in my veins but live 30 minutes from the Long Island Sound ~ a good 60 minutes from the Atlantic Ocean.

There are truly some days my world will stop if I can't smell some good sea salt in my nostrils!

My place to run is the Port Jefferson Ferry  in Bridgeport, Ct 

You catch the ferry in Bridgeport ~ located on the wrong side of the railroad tracks for sure!

You can find some interesting things anywhere though.

We had to park on the street because the parking lot was full only to discover this building ~

The Oldest surviving home in Connecticut built by African Americas.

I never knew this existed !

And this beautiful building that I admire when driving on I~95.

I just love the lettering on this building and what a treat to see it up close!

It is a 90 minute ferry ride across the Long Island Sound to Port Jefferson, New York .

Sometimes I just take the ride there and back without Ever getting off the ferry!

Frank and I like to go over just to have dinner at Danfords ~ a nice Inn near the ferry dock.

That's what we did a few Sundays ago.

There are lots of little shops you can visit and great places to eat but we like this one located right on the water.

Here is the view just as you are approaching Port Jefferson ~

See the Big sand dunes?

 When I was a teen I used to take the ferry and walk an hour along the shore so I could sit on those dunes.

I went alone with my backpack,blanket and diary.

That was a day in heaven for me!

We've arrived at the Port ~ lets take a walk down Main street !

Remember when these Telephone Booths used to be on EVERY corner!

This is a Childrens Maritime Museum near the dock ~

There's Frank ~ walking back to the ferry after a wonderful meal.

If you are lucky ~ you will be treated to a beautiful sunset on the ride home!

Most folks I know in my area never think to take a ferry ride ~ even though it's right in our backyard.

I wonder what you have right outside your back door ~ Be a tourist for the day Right where you live!

To make your Homemade Fries "sea worthy" ~

dip in apple cider vinegar

To make your Lobster, Crabs or Shrimp "sea worthy" ~

steam in Old Bay Seasonings 

To make your Homemade Crab Cakes "sea worthy" ~

use just a bit of crushed saltines only to hold together

(pretty, pretty please ~ NO breadcrumbs!!!!)