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Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Have you tasted Redmond Sea Salt?

Salt that is actually good for you!


Redmond Salt is found in a large vein 400 feet below the surface, where the air is sweet and cool, in the small town of  Redmond, south central Utah.






Redmond Salt is marketed under the name of "Real Salt",
by Redmond Heritage Farms, LLC.





Images from the Redmond Salt Museum

An ancient sea covered North America. Over millions of years the waters of this sea evaporated leaving the salt in undisturbed deposits.






During the Jurassic period,  volcanoes erupted around the sea beds, sealing the salt with thick layers of volcanic ash, protecting the salt deposits from pollution "that man would eventually introduce into the environment".





See the large pink rock?  It is a block of salt, just as it is mined, beneficial to animals because of its rich mineral content.







Redmond Salt is unrefined, without additives, chemicals or heat processing. The dark flecks you see represent a full compliment of trace minerals. 








There are several grades of Redmond Salt,  all found within the same mine, but at different locations within the mine.  The salt is taken as found and ground, that's it. 







Some of the mined salt is not table salt.  It is used on highways to melt the ice for safer driving. 
















Redmond Salt is shipped all over the world and is easily available. 







Or you can drive by my house and I will point to the road to Redmond, Utah.






by Ann Torrence Photography
And after our visit to Redmond Salt we can go to the Country Auction in Salina and have a bowl of chili at the auction cafe.
But only if its Tuesday.
Of course, while there, you can always buy a handsome herd of Black Angus.

Have a great week my dear Blogging Friends.
Gina




Saturday, February 25, 2012

It's a Done Deal



Air Plane Tickets are puchased.
(tickets may go up)



We have our favorite Seats reserved.




Car has been carefully selected.




But before we fly off to Paris there will be several months of
Hard Labor.


Have a great weekend my dear
Blogging Friends.





Friday, February 24, 2012

Breads



There is a special bread





La Brea multi-grain Artisan Bread
You can purchase it allready baked or you can finish baking it at home. It is as good as the best home made bread.
sold at Costco




When I bake bread it is usually the
no-knead type of bread.

I call it my "Instant Hero Bread"
It is delicious and has a fine crust and it is foolproof.
It tastes like fresh bread from a good French Bakery, no kidding. 






The only way to eat bread is with unsalted butter and a generous (very generous) amount of home-made preserves and a good cup of coffee. 


Bon Apetit,
Gina  






Wednesday, February 22, 2012

I've been painting





A few little trays



A few little hors' d' oeu'vre trays.





They measure 9 inches long, 5.6 inches wide and
1 inch deep.





They're the perfect little serving dish.




Even large enough to hold a cup of coffee and a croissants.




You will find so many uses

Only $18 each in my Etsy shop




And just for fun I had to paint another "antique" Albarello.


xoxoxoxoxo
Gina




Tuesday, February 21, 2012

I had a new black Sweater



It traveled the ocean several times
You all know how much I love and appreciate hand knitted sweaters.




I appreciate hand knitted sweaters because the girls in our family always knitted, crocheted, sewed and embroidered. My Sister Brigitta used to sew her Husband's business suits.  She is also an expert Lace Maker and has written 5 books on the subject. 

http://ginaceramics.blogspot.com/2011/01/do-you-like-sweaters.html




We mostly knitted sweaters in the Tyrolean style.






I bought this sweater many years ago somewhere in Austria and embroidered it on the airplane on our way home. 


I learned how to knit and embroider from my Mother.  It was also mandatory in school to learn how to do all different forms of hand work.  My Spinster School teacher taught us how to knit socks... without knots.   She said it would not do well if our soldiers had to march many hours with knots making blisters on their feet. 

No soldiers were marching, the war was  long over. 





 The black sweater on the left was my newest sweater that I brought back last October from my favorite shop in Dobbiaco, Italy. 

http://ginaceramics.blogspot.com/2011/10/there-is-place.html





When I returned home I noticed that it had quite a large hole on the right front of the sweater.  There were some other issues and I realized that I could not keep the sweater. 

The shop owner of the Trachten Stueberle in Dobbiaco would take it back.  Then the owner, Frau Konstanze Hofinger, of the "Wolkenstricker" company in Bavaria said that she would send me a new sweater. How generous was that!

To make a long story short, I now have a new sweater.






And if you would like to own one of the
 "Wolkenstricker Sweaters",
they can be purchased from Gorsuch of Aspen Colorado. 

Here is their catalog,

https://www.gorsuch.com/search.do?query=wolkenstricker+sweaters&cx=0&sortby=ourPicksAscend&pp=15&page=2

You will find my new "Biedermeier" sweater towards the bottom of the page.

The problem with perusing the Gorsuch Catalogue is that there is always something new to entice. 

 

Have a great week my dear
Blogging Friends.

Gina



Friday, February 17, 2012

Mon Bouquet du Jour

For You



Thank you, my dear Friends.

You helped me more than you will ever know.



Have a great weekend my dear Blogging Friends.


Gina




Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Would love your imput





Please help me decide
what color for new marble or granite counter tops.





I'm going  to replace the marble tiles with a slab of marble.




This is the kitchen floor.




This is the color of the cabinets. 




I'm thinking about using Carrara Marble.




I used Carrara Marble in my bathroom





And Desert Peach Marble throughout the remainder of the house





My kitchen walls are white





White walls have straw embedded





Or I can add a slab of wood and faux paint it





As I have done on my staircase.


 I like the color of my cabinets
and I can't change the floor or the walls.

What do you think?  I'm grateful for your suggestions.

Gina






Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Happy Valentine's Day!



A chocolate for you.




And a chocolate for me.






Is the champagne on ice?


Wishing you a Grand Valentine's Day!


Gina





Sunday, February 12, 2012

Winter Break


 Where else but in sunny California



Where the Lemon Grove is in bloom all year round.





Where the oranges are sweeter than anywhere else.





Where the flowers grow in wild profusion.





And where the trees emit a heady perfume of blossom and fruit.





All lovingly tended by our friends J & B.





At La Casa el Grande, in Rancho Santa Fe.





And my favorite shop is right around the corner.






Trader Joe's, where orchids can be had for a song.





I brought many home.




Even a small lemon tree. Laden with tiny lemons. 
Now in my dining room.






Thank you J & B for letting me pick to my hearts'  content.


Gina