Inside or outside? Win a prize!

Congratulations Mark, you are the winner.

An e-mail is coming your way. 

What is inside and what is outside?

If you get it right, you win a wonderful prize.

Note:  The door handles are not a clue, they are affixed on both the  inside and on the outside of the door. 

The first visitor who gets it right will win one of my hand painted tiles.

Good Luck, I'll keep you posted. 

Gina 

Mon Bouquet du Jour

Sitting at the top of our Lane.

A box of cucumbers. 

We can only pickle, preserve and eat so many cucumbers and eat so many cucumber and watercress sandwiches.

Free to anyone who passes by. 
So, if you're in the neighborhood...

Have a great week my dear 

Blogging Friends.

Gina 

Looking Great

On July 24th, 1847, Mormon Pioneers entered "This is the Place" 

later designated the Salt Lake Valley.

On this day, every year, our little town celebrates with a Parade.  

Our neighbor and friend, Carl, looking good.

Still, looking great, Carl!



Have a great week my dear
Blogging Friends. 

Gina

New Life for old Timbers, Barn Raising

New life for old Timbers.

 Rough-sawn cypress, from Upstate New York and more than 200 years old make up the frame of the new house our friends Gwen and Stan are building in our little town.   

Timbers and rafters are waiting to be erected.  The crew of five young men worked harmoniously and efficiently. 
When they are finished with framing the structure they will leave and your local builder will take over to complete the house.   

What used to be accomplished by a team of Oxen and block and tackle and  many neighbors and volunteers is now quickly assembled by a small group of Itinerant workers from Waco, Texas using modern equipment.  

Heritage Restorations of Waco, Texas, disassemble and reassemble vintage barns.
The wood is carefully inspected, timbers are power washed, all nails are removed and the wood is fumigated for possible bug infestation. 

Old Timbers, New House. 
Timbers from a historic grist mill built circa 1760 in northern New Jersey was dismantled, restored and erected in Texas.   

Timber framed barn originally built in 1840 from central Missouri is now restored near Waco, Texas. 

The timbers are held together with large hand carved dowels.  A 40 pound mallet, also known as a "commander" or "beetle"  is used to drive the dowels into the frame.  

The company has many disassembled barns waiting for new owners.  The skeleton frame comes delivered to the building site.
Workers come with the package.   It takes about  2 days to assemble the structure.  Heritage Barns have been built in many parts of Asia, New Zealand, Australia, Canada,  and North America.  

Originally built circa 1860 in New Scottland, NY, is now restored in Greenwich, CT. 

Many structures are available.  All it takes is your imagination.
The company also sells barn wood siding, reclaimed flooring, old world doors and more.  

The young men have left.  Back to their homes in Texas, 
where they live in a community of  back-to-the-basics way of life. 
Men use horses to farm instead of tractors and women wear dresses and are known for their distinctive hairstyles.  
Thousands of people attend the group's holiday fairs, held each year
after Thanksgiving and on Labor Day. 

The group also holds classes year round and operates a deli and bakery six days a week.  

Could a similar building be in your future?  

Have a wonderful week my dear 
Blogging Friends.

Gina 

Help! Too many Turnips.

I've run out of ideas.

Can you help, please.

What are your favorite recipes for using turnips?  

I would love to know.  

I love growing turnips.  They make me look good as a gardener. Turnips never fail to grow well in any soil and under any weather conditions. 

They are the first vegetable I can harvest. (Radishes don't count)

I also like the cylindrical rather than round beet I am growing.  

When pickling, they are all the same size when sliced. 

You wouldn't also have a favorite family recipe for borscht would you? 

And if so, would you please be so kind and share.  

Your grateful blogging friend, 

Gina 



 

Joining  http://betweennapsontheporch.net/
Also joining  http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/

Mon Bouquet du Jour

You all know that I do not allow yellow flowers in my Garden.

It's because my house is yellow. 

But I love them IN my house.

Blue, lavender, peach and red are all welcome.
But not yellow. 

Yellow adds just the right amount of cheerfulness...inside my house.

 Have a wonderful week my dear 

Blogging Friends. 

Gina 

Spearmint/Peppermint

Spearmint for Tea

Growing by my Pond.
Spearmint has a sharper flavor than Peppermint. 
Peppermint leaves are rounder than Spearmint leaves. 

Peppermint tends to be more delicate and sweet.  I use Spearmint for savory dishes and rich sauces. 

Peppermint is a better choice for desserts and simple vegetable dishes.

For tea use fresh leaves or let dry for winter months.

How can I forget those magic afternoons in Rabat Morocco, the carpet shops in the Medinas of Fez and Marrakesh, sipping Mint tea made with lots of fresh tea leaves and many, many cubes of sugar.

Have a wonderful and sweet week my dear
 Blogging Friends. 

Gina 

https://betweennapsontheporch.net/

Happy Independence Day!

Happy 4th of July

We're celebrating.  What are you doing today?

Thank you for stopping by.

It's going to be hot today, but shade is just around the corner.

Enjoy this very special day!

Gina 

 

Joining  http://betweennapsontheporch.net/

 

Craquelure

Often used by Forgers of Old Master Paintings.

The technique of craquelure  gives new ceramic tile a deliberate and fine pattern of dense cracking. 

It begins with a plain, once fired,  bisque  tile. 

The design is then outlined with Delft blue pigments and colored powder pigments are added.  

At this point I can decide if I want to add a glaze (pink in the picture) which will crackle the tile during the firing process.  Or I can add a glaze which will fuse the color pigments with the glaze to produce the typical hand painted ceramic appearance. 

 My client has chosen a Craquelure finish for her kitchen tiles.  

I have applied three coats of special crackle glaze and fired the tiles  to 1800 degrees Fahrenheit.  This is how they look when they come out of the kiln.  You can barely see the crazing.  

Tiles are now treated with a mixture of sepia brown and black India Ink.  The tiles are wiped clean.  

The craquelure  is permanent.  The process of crackling continues for a few more days giving off little cracking sounds and reminding me that they are ready to be sent off to their new home.  

I'm already working on a new project.  A large mural for a kitchen backsplash which features a design from a roll of William Morris wallpaper called "Fruit".  

Wishing you a joyful week, 

Gina