Test Shots The Boy Has A New Lens

These are some test shots the boy took this morning with the new lens he bought for his dad's Sony camera.

Waiting for Irene, that's Hurricane Irene.

Christy

Hurricanes and Earthquakes

Well this will be a memorable week.  One earthquake and One hurricane Irene.  Do you think prophecy is being fulfilled?

Christy

Earthquake - Tuesday 23rd August 2011

Well today we had an earthquake,it was about 1:55 PM local time. Yes can you believe that, in our area?  Well actually yes I can.  Between 5.8 and 6.0 on the Richter scale.  I was at me desk at work and everything started shaking.  We've had a lot of construction going on in our building but almost instantly I knew it was more than that.  I went into the main office and said "I think it's can earthquake" of course what did I do?  Nothing, now that's a bit silly.

The epicenter I believe was 90 miles south of Washington DC, and was felt up and down the Eastern Seaboard.

Well that's enough excitement  for one day.

Christy

Kniiting In Tuscany. by Nicky Epstein

This book caught my eye at the library.  And even though I'd rather crochet than knit, it caught my eye.

Well knitting in Tuscany, what fun, what pictures and what's not to appeal to a girl.

It's full of lovely item's to knit, yarn shops and restaurants to visit there, with a backdrop of Tuscan scenery.

I love Tuscany and especially Sienna, so shot that page to show.

I love this shawl in yellow it seems to reflect the light of Tuscany.

Christy

High Wages. by Dorothy Whipple

I got this book from the library, it came all the way from the Oswego Lake Library, doesn't that conjure up some rather picturesque images in your mind.

Actually one year when Rob was about eight we took a trip up to Canada, past the One Thousand Island in the St. Lawrence River.  We camped at a State Park campground on this Lake Oswego, in New York State.  It was a very nice campground, with some sites right on a sandy beach by the lake.  Quite sort after I'm sure.

High Wages set before and after the WWI  Is about a young girl who works in a haberdashery, where people would come and buy all the things they would need and then send to the dress maker to have a costume made up.  It gives a full picture into the life of a shop girl then, living on the premises and being over frugally kept by the shop owner.

This was the time when ready made dresses and clothes were just becoming available.  Jane sees that this will catch on and dressmakers will be a thing of the past.  A kindly benefactress lends her the money to set up a shop of her own.

There are two love interests.  The ever faithful Wilfred and Noel, good looking and from the upper class.

I did enjoy this book, it gives you a wonderful insight into a shop girls life then, moves along at a good pace and has a satisfactory ending.

Of course you could probably tell by the grey cover and inside frontispiece that this is a Persephone Book.  I always love their face cover designs which they choose from the era of the book.

There is a forward by Jane Brockett.

Christy

Made In Staffordshire

When I saw this plate in the Thrift, I couldn't pass it by.  I've never seen a commemorative plate for Norristown.  150 years Sesquicentennial, and I never knew that word; which obviously means 150.  Plus the fact it was made in Staffordshire in the sixties.  And at $3.00 why not.

It commemorates how the town used to be. 

Christy

Glad For My Gladioli

 

Here are some single blooms of Gladioli from my garden, with Rosemary and Sage in a crystal vase.  I love being able to use a single bloom and sit it in my kitchen near the sink where I can enjoy it.  The gladioli are blooming one by one.  Even though all planted at the same time, they seem to be staggering out a bloom here and there over an extended period of time.  I thought I would have a glorious show, but instead of that I have a bloom here and there, so I cut it and enjoy it in the house.

It has done nothing but rain and thunder since August started.  The garden is taking on a jungle type growth of greenery and the lawn is totally out of control.  The flowers if not felled to the ground are enjoying the continued watering.

I put my orchid outside and it sprouted eight blooms so I will have to keep an eye on that.

Enjoy your gardens.

Christy

Fran's Victorian Room

This is Fran's Victorian Room, isn't it lovely?  She decked one room in her house out like this.  This is Rosie's mum's house, where the graduation was held.  You can see me in the mirror and the kitchen is behind me.

Christy

Rosie's Graduation From Nursing College

In the kitchen

Look at the antique stove in the corner

I think Rob is enjoying himself entertaining the girls

White enamel wear table and collection on cabinets

 Rosie with the long brown hair and friends

On the deck near the pool

Live entertainment

Rob took this of me listening to the music, not too clear

The girls singing their final song together

A tired boy

And his baby sister

Yes another Graduation Party this summer.  But this is for a little older student, Rosie, who is graduating from her nursing course.

There was swimming and live music performed by a number of friends.  It was very open house, but a fun time and I know Rob enjoyed it.

Christy

Just Hanging Out

My little companion Tinkerbell, where ever you are she will follow.  She likes sitting on this chair, but I used to have the reed seated chair here, that is now in the Studio Room, she's in ecstasy for some funny reason, if she gets to sit on that chair.

So just a quiet evening, Tink and I in the Simla Room.

Christy

My Tomatoes

I think this has been one of the best years for my large tomatoes.  I always do well on the cherry and smaller varieties, but not always so well on the larger ones.  Unfortunately I can't remember what these are I should look on my grid map of the garden, but by this time of year it's hard to differentiate between the rows.  The Black Krim are so different I recognize them and they are quite an early variety of tomato for the large sizes.  So would be good to plant again.

Today is overcast and raining.  It seems that it rains a lot more once we get to August.  I take note of this because one year we took our pop-up camper to New York State, the Finger Lakes and we had several days of rain and cooler weather and some quite torrential rain and it was August.  So in our part of the world I think you're better of going camping in June and July when it doesn't seem to rain as much.

Yesterday was a crazy day at work, non-stop on the go, and I'm in training so hopefully it will be a quieter day today.

Christy

Amber Coloured Candle Cups

Here you see four amber candle cups which I already had.  I like using them because you an use little tea candles in them and the glass makes them glow beautifully.  You can sit them in your existing candle sticks.  I don't think these look as coordinated as the clear ones I used with my crystal candles, but I'm sure I can come across some different ones that will match up with different candlesticks.

Christy

Spaghetti Dinner

I had a friend over for a Spaghetti Dinner on Sunday.  This was good as it urged me on to do the tidy up and cleaning that needed to be done, so now I'm good to go for a while.

I did a favourite which is a very simple Tuscan tomato sauce, tomatoes, onions, fresh basil and garlic, cooked fresh add a little butter before service over spaghetti pasta.  I did garlic bread, using sough dough bread, greens and onions from the garden cooked in olive oil.  I was going to make a Victoria Sandwich for desert, but on looking in the fridge realized I did not have enough butter, so looking at what I did have; which was a packet of cream cheese and a container of sour cream, I made up my own recipe for cheese cake, it went like this.

• 1 pkg of cream cheese 

• 1 container of sour cream

• 1 cup of sugar

• 3 table spoons of flour

• 4 eggs

• 1 tea spoon of vanilla

For the Base I used granola type cereal with almonds in, to which I added melted butter.

It was just right for the small high spring pan I have.

Two things I would have done differently are, I would have cooked the base a bit first at 375f  taken it out and then added the mix.  I also would have used one less egg, just three eggs.  I cooked it at 325f.

For a made up what's in the cupboard cheesecake I think it turned out pretty good.  I had some today and it tasted better for sitting a day.  I also stopped at Aldi's and got their mango & passion fruit jam; which went very nicely with the cheesecake.

If you noticed my crystal candlesticks well they hold the tall candles, but tall candles always drip and you don't always have them, or the right colour.  So I came up with this brainwave to use the glass inserts, which were very popular in the seventies I think on chandelier type candle holders, I had two clear ones which are fluted and popped those in, I was so pleased since they look as if they were meant to be part of the candlesticks.  So now I'm on a mission to find more at the thrift to pop on top of other candlesticks.

Christy