We wish you a Merry Christmas,
We wish you a Merry Christmas,
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
barbara, fred & charlie
F L A S H B A C K
O N E Y E A R A G O… M E R R Y C H R I S T M A S !
T W O Y E A R S A G O… Merry Christmas Y’all!
Merry Christmas! Catch you back here tomorrow!
I love this! This is a Christmas card my dad made 21 years ago! We had it framed and it’s next to our front door so we see it every day. So simple in design yet so incredibly cool!
May peace be with you and yours this holiday season…
F L A S H B A C K
O N E Y E A R A G O… Twas the Night Before Christmas!
T W O Y E A R S A G O… Christmas Eve…
Catch you back here tomorrow!
Growing up we had a tradition in our house… Christmas cookies… bake them and decorate. There was nothing better! To top it off they are the tastiest you will ever eat! The frosting sets so they don’t get smushed into each other. You don’t need any special tools (we use zip top storage bags). Make and bake the cookies. Then make the frosting. Scoop some of the “white” into a zip top bag, then divide the frosting into bowls of whatever other colors you like. (Red, green and blue is what we usually did, in addition to white). Add food coloring to each bowl and get it the color you like. A good “grinch” green mix blue and yellow food coloring until you hit that great green… or if you don’t feel adventurous, just use the green food coloring. Next, snip the very corner of the bag, and the frosting will flow through that to decorate. Easy and so much fun. You really see the artsy folks stand out here! Click HERE to print the recipe minus all the photos, etc.
CHRISTMAS BUTTER COOKIES
Sift 2 3/4 cups of flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
In mixer bowl add 3/4 cup soft butter, 1 cup sugar, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla.
Beat until fluffy and light. Slowly beat in flour mixture. CHILL ONE HOUR.
Flour your work surface and roll out dough. Use cookie cutters to cut into desired shapes.
Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.
YIELD: 4 dozen (IF you don’t eat the dough… good luck to ya!)
FROSTING
Mix 1/4 cup butter, 4 cups (1 box) confectioner’s sugar, 1/4 cup scalded cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Blend until smooth. Scoop into separate bowls and add food coloring (hint: yellow and blue mixed makes an awesome ‘grinch’ green). Scoop colored frosting into Ziplock bag (doesn’t have to be Ziplock, any zip top is fine, I use freezer quart size bags) and snip a little off the corner. Squeeze onto cookie to decorate! If you need the frosting thinned a bit more, I have great luck just using light cream, add a little at a time until it will easily come out of the bag to decorate.
F L A S H B A C K
O N E Y E A R A G O… Plans to make, gifts to take… remember the reason for the season!
T W O Y E A R S A G O… Thank you to artist Dan Corey, an artist who knows the reason for the season!
Catch you back here tomorrow!
I have a gorgeous collection of Christmas ornaments that my dad made. I made one, can’t remember which one, I think it turned out too thick for my liking… he really made each one so different, and they look festive displayed in this wooden bowl that he made. He’s a handy kind of guy. If I was in MI I would be learning how to make all this stuff… treasures!
Are you getting everything on your list accomplished? Well, no worries, me either, ha ha! It’s what the holidays are all about! Have a great day!
F L A S H B A C K
O N E Y E A R A G O… Yet another wicked cool sky!
T W O Y E A R S A G O… Recipe for butter Christmas cookies with frosting – beautiful to decorate!
Catch you back here tomorrow!
G-g-g-g-g-ives ya goosebumps doesn’t it? This photo sends a shiver down my spine… (note to self: make a poster of this for summer in Charleston!)… this photo was taken in front of my parents house on the river in Algonac, MI. The ice is flowing nicely, but at times jams up and a ice breaker (Coast Guard) has to break it up. Pretty entertaining! I used to think the big glacier-like hunks were cool… would be neat to hop on and go for a ride! You really have to respect the river this time of year. It can look frozen and safe to walk on, but there is a swift current that usually keeps that from happening… never a good idea. However, we used to drive out on the lake (frozen with ice) and have a big time! I’ve even been to bonfire’s on frozen canals in my younger years. It truly makes no sense to me that you can have a fire on the ice and not melt, but I’m here to tell you… it happens!
Happy First Day of Winter! The days start getting longer from here! For some of you that is welcome news…
F L A S H B A C K
O N E Y E A R A G O… In the wilds of the North on this first day of winter…
T W O Y E A R S A G O… Artist to watch… David Scriven Crowley!
Catch you back here tomorrow!
Today is my dad’s birthday… a super cool dad. I am so blessed. He is fun, creative, wise and all and all a good time! I wish my parents lived closer. But it makes you enjoy your time with them that much more. This photo was taken at a cottage we rented in Port Clyde, ME. What a wonderful week it was!
Hope you have the best birthday ever!
xoxo, me
And… just had to share a few of his sketch pad paintings… I have this book full of wonderful paintings mostly of Maine… it is more valuable to me than gold! You can see a few more on the past posts I’ve shared (below)… Hey dad, I think you should keep at this… you need a website… or a blog! I might know someone who could help you with that ;)
One year we rented a different cottage, and with it came a fish house that was quite amazing. We sat in the fish house each night and watched the sun set… What memories!
I could look at this forever! One of my favorite places, Port Clyde General Store. I think this would make a great postcard! It’s quirky, fun and what it really looks like!
Thanks Dad!! I will be calling to sing you happy birthday soon… this is your warning ;)
F L A S H B A C K
O N E Y E A R A G O… Artist to watch… and a Happy Birthday to Joe Fidler! (Note that I am quite creative with my titles, sigh…)
T W O Y E A R S A G O… Artist to watch… Joe Fidler and Happy Birthday!
Thursday house plans will start back after the first of the year – Catch you back here tomorrow!
This recipe has been a family favorite for as far back as I can remember. My mom and dad are both excellent in the kitchen, and this is one of those soup’s you can throw together with whatever sounds good at the time, which is convenient. Add vegetables that take the longest to cook earlier in the recipe, and others that cook quickly (spinach), towards the end. Any spices that you enjoy will work well. I can remember having this with amazing French bread growing up! Hope you enjoy one of my staple recipes… click HERE to print this recipe without photos…
To recap…
Set out your ingredients, wash potatoes, greens, etc. if using…
Brown the short ribs in a little olive oil – use a heavy bottom pan if possible…
Chop, chop, chop… Sometimes I sauté the carrots with the onion/celery, sometimes I don’t… whatever… easy peasy, no worries!
This time I browned the short ribs and got nice crusties on the bottom of the pan, and THEN I sautéed the onion and celery… Last time I did it all together. No rules… do what you like!
Saute veggies…
Add short ribs back to the pot… when this soup is done the meat will fall off the bone… heavenly!
Add that biggee can of tomatoes and juice, as well as at least one big can of water (or more)…
Add the beef consommé…. this gives it a nice rich flavor…
Add the big carton of beef broth… as the soup cooks down add more broth/water…
And any spices you like…
The secret is the center of the celery stalk with the leaves, throw it in whole… this will give the soup an amazing flavor!
Now, take the meat off the bone and fat – toss it back in the pan… yum!
Now… a story about the photo… if that baguette looks frozen, it’s because it is! I made soup yesterday for dinner with a hot, crusty baguette. I took photos along the way, but then we were hungry… so we ate. Once the soup was in the fridge… Dang it! I realized I had forgotten to take a photo… so I just had lunch, and snapped a photo… baguette was frozen to use at a later date, but it looks nice, huh? Hee….
F L A S H B A C K
O N E Y E A R A G O… Featured Artist… Karin Olah Knowlton!
T W O Y E A R S A G O… Med Pasta Recipe (shrimp, feta, spinach pasta, artichokes!)
Catch you back here tomorrow!
Anyone who has lived where there is snow admires a snowy painting. The dark tracks in this painting against the pinky glow in the snow is just incredible to me. It makes me think of Michigan. And after just visiting there, as beautiful as the snow is… I’m kind of glad the snow is there and not here ;) – I do love to visit it though! There is just nothing like snow!
What a fabulous sunset painting! Every element works so nicely together…
If you’re in the Newton, KS area… you might want to check this out, this looks like a great show by Carriage Factory Art Gallery (in cooperation with Strecker-Nelson Gallery)!
Read a blip about Joseph from his website, and check out his paintings – his subject is diverse, and I think you will really enjoy his work!
“Some of my earliest memories have to do with the joy of drawing. Sketching became a natural friend and outlet for my ideas in the imaginary and tangible world of my youth. Pulled to draw and depict things – I took every art class I could in high school and spent time with my sketchpad trying out new ideas. After majoring in art studies at Bethel College, I spent evenings taking classes in multiple media at the Wichita Center for the Arts.
When I realized that painting would become my passion, I pursued artist’s workshops whose work I greatly admired. To Ray Roberts, Joseph Lorusso, Sherrie McGraw, David Leffel, Jeff Legg, and Kim Casebeer; I owe a tremendous debt of gratitude for their generosity of spirit and keen insights.
Over the past ten years I have dedicated myself to oil painting. In addition to the teachers I mentioned above, countless trials of plein air (outdoor painting) experience have been my other best ‘teacher’. I love painting outdoors; being in nature and trying to capture the fleeting light/beauty of a unique space. Continuing to find challenge and beauty in depicting a variety of subjects is important to me in my development as an artist. I hope to share with you the dignity and grandeur of both the noble and the ‘forgotten’ people and places I have been so blessed to witness.”
F L A S H B A C K
O N E Y E A R A G O… New Year’s Eve Wishing Wall – Times Square (2012)
T W O Y E A R S A G O… Artists painting on Monhegan Island!
Catch you back here tomorrow!
This photo was taken years ago back when our dog Reggie was still with us… See that white slipcovered sofa he is on? (I emphasis the word “white”). Well, it is no longer… Long story short… Fred was cleaning the house before I got back from Michigan (bless his heart!), and thought he would go that extra step and wash the slipcover as well. First he washed the pillow and cushion covers, they came out of the washer/dryer beautifully. Next… the love seat slipcover… in the wash it went, like it has many times before… only this time… this is what he saw when he opened the washer:
Looks like ink has been splattered all over. Sigh. Not his fault, not at all. The washer just decided to croak at that very moment and spew oil everywhere… hey, at least it wasn’t good clothes, sigh (again)… and it only costs $700 to replace this slip cover… well… Fred took it to the dry cleaner and they’re going to try to get the oil out of it. They’ve seen this before. Might be able to get it out. Might not. We’ll see… it’ll take about five days to try… Hey, I’m not getting upset about it… what good does that do? So when my plane landed, we went to Zia and grabbed a fish taco and then went and bought another washing machine. For those of you who are wondering WHAT KIND OF WASHER DID YOU HAVE? It was a GE, top loader. After speaking with many people about GE washers, I would not buy another… (Google it). I am not an appliance expert by any means.
You know how when you get home from being away you have mountains of clothes to wash… well, yep, that’s me… new washer gets delivered today! I’ve never been so excited, ha ha… it’s the little things that make us happy!
Enjoy your day and try to find the best in whatever happens ;) – I’ll keep you posted on what happened!
F L A S H B A C K
O N E Y E A R A G O… Featured Artist… Josh Elliott!
T W O Y E A R S A G O… Another Santa trip 1967!
Catch you back here tomorrow!
Stunning! Connie Hayes is an all time favorite of mine. Her use of color is intriguing and draws the viewer in. She’s versatile in her subjects, but one of my favorites are her interiors, they just blow me away! Her paintings make me want to be right there… in that sun filled room, looking out at the water. This painting is still available… I can’t imagine it will be for long! If you’re interested, contact Dowling Walsh at 207.596.0084 or email info@dowlingwalsh.com!
I received her book, Painting Maine: The Borrowed Views of Connie Hayes, as a gift one year. I treasure that book. It is full of amazing paintings. It’s now out of print, but you can still get it online at a few places (Amazon being one)… More about the Borrowed Views concept below…
Here is a review about Connie from the Dowling Walsh Gallery website, written by Stephen May:
Review
“In all respects, Connie Hayes is a fearless, intuitive painter. Her highly colorful, strongly stroked canvases look like the result of an orderly process of sketches, underdrawing and application of paint. In reality, although she sometimes uses such aids before she approaches the easel in her capacious studio, most of the time she starts work on a blank canvas, wielding a 3 to 4-inch wide brush to get going. Then, as she says, she “dives in,” composing the rest of the picture, much of which she may have thought out in her head, balancing images and colors to achieve a satisfactorily aesthetic final result. On some occasions, she says, “the paint speaks to me and I go off in unexpected directions. I like surprises.” This is an extremely intense exercise; Hayes says she gets into a “zone” until the work is finished or set aside for future amendments.
Her subjects range from boats and water to communities viewed from ships or roads, to backyards, house interiors and floral still lifes. “I like not being pigeon-holed, Hayes says.
Her brightly hued colors, which often have nothing to do with the actual look of the original building or boat, are chosen with deliberation, depending on what role she wants the painted object to play in the overall composition. Her radiant blues, blazing reds, and sunny yellows make ordinary scenes come alive and help draw viewers into the painting. Often of late she has utilized more muted colors to achieve the results she seeks.
After a long stint as a teacher and administrator at the Maine College of Art, Hayes has worked at the top of her game since moving from Portland to Rockland in 2005, about half the period covered by this exhibition. Much of her art results from her “Borrowed Views” project, in which she spends up to a week painting in and around the homes of friends all over Maine.
Ever trying new approaches to her art, mindful of art historical precedents and armed with a spirit of adventure, Connie Hayes has many interesting paintings ahead of her. Whether borrowing views or moving about on her own, it will be interesting to see what this thoughtful, gifted painter achieves in the years ahead.”
– written by Stephen May for “A Decade of Views” exhibition, Dowling Walsh Gallery, September 2009
Images via DowlingWalsh.com
F L A S H B A C K
O N E Y E A R A G O… Whoa! This looks like a Marc Hanson painting!
T W O Y E A R S A G O… Holiday Hint: Edy’s Peppermint Ice Cream!
Catch you back here tomorrow!
Sweet, huh? I love this photo… I remember this day vividly, because I dressed nice. I had a cute skirt and matching shirt, but then had to put those big leggings on (that’s what they were called way back when). Oh the stress of being young, ha ha… wouldn’t it be nice to only worry about little things that don’t matter? Most of us probably still do… I need to get better about not worrying about the little stuff… join me in my crusade, ha ha…
F L A S H B A C K
O N E Y E A R A G O… A night so beautiful…
T W O Y E A R S A G O… How to make the perfect soft boiled egg!
Catch you back here tomorrow! I’ll be back to my normal posts next week!
This photo was taken several years ago… at Christmas time… the grass was beautifully blanketed with snow just in time for the arrival of my in laws. I was thrilled that they would see the beauty that I spoke of. They did great driving around in it. We had a wonderful time. It seems like during the winter you cook… and eat… and cook… and eat… Whew! My parents live on a big river, and across the river is Canada. Big hunks of ice float by, sometimes getting jammed. The river is entertainment all year around!
By the time you read this I am headed back from this magical place. Back to the sunny south. That same sun that I curse in the summer I adore in the winter months. When you live in Charleston, you really shouldn’t complain about the winter, ha ha… I’ll be back to my normal posts next week!
Update… today, 12.14.13 – funny that I chose this photo for today… over a week ago I wrote this post. Today, as I get ready to pack up and head to the airport it will be the snowiest day of the year 4-6″ expected by tonight! Windy and snow… absolutely beautiful, but…
Catch you back here tomorrow! I’ll be back to my normal posts next week!
F L A S H B A C K
O N E Y E A R A G O… Featured Artist… Aaron Westerberg!
T W O Y E A R S A G O… Artist to watch… Dan Corey!
Warm golden light. That gorgeous light that makes you look healthy and tan (ha ha)… it gives you a glow. Well, it does the same thing for the buildings. Charleston, SC is such a beautiful city. The history, architecture, food, and art galleries are beyond compare. Everywhere you look you see gorgeous settings just like this one! If you aren’t from this area, stop by, check it out… visit the restaurants, stores and galleries. You’ll be coming back year after year!
F L A S H B A C K
O N E Y E A R A G O… Looking for a good restaurant in Charleston, SC? try Husk!
T W O Y E A R S A G O… Gift idea: Mark Roberts Fairy!
Catch you back here tomorrow! I’ll be back to my normal posts next week!
Truly, one of the best places to walk around – Especially with a camera! This golden light is incredible, just as it is in a painting, to see it in real life, well, it just makes everything look so much better!
F L A S H B A C K
O N E Y E A R A G O… Featured Artist… Wayne McKenzie!
T W O Y E A R S A G O… Artist to watch… Daniel Merriam!
Catch you back here tomorrow! I’ll be back to my normal posts next week!
This doesn’t need words, does it? This was on our way home from Mt. Pleasant… the sky was on fire it seemed… The sky is so vast in this photo…
F L A S H B A C K
O N E Y E A R A G O… Corn Pudding Recipe – Christmas Dinner
T W O Y E A R S A G O… Going to see Santa 1966… YES, I was alive then!
Catch you back here tomorrow! I’ll be back to my normal posts next week!
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