Thanksgiving

Just in time for Thanksgiving, a recipe for Apple Pie. 

more than any other dessert.

I love Apple Pie.

Ready to go into the oven.
(Recipes follows)

It's especially good when served hot.

I ate most of it.  

Recipe

2 cups of unbleached flour

1 tsp  Salt

1/2 stick of UNSALTED butter
3/4 cup of Crisco

1/2 to 3/4 cup of cold milk (yes milk not water)

Mix together flour and salt.  With pastry knife cut unsalted butter and Crisco into flour mixture. Sprinkle milk over mixture and mix ingredients until it forms into a ball. Let rest while you peel apples. Roll out dough onto floured surface. 

Apple Pie Filling

Into a bowl peel and slice 7 to 8 apples  Sprinkle with 2 TB of flour,

3 Tb of sugar,

1 Tb of fresh lemon juice and cinnamon to taste. 

Mix together and pour into pie dish, dot with 1/4 stick of butter.  Cover with unbaked pie crust.  Cut a few vent holes, sprinkle with sugar and bake for 10 minutes at 425 degrees and another 40 to 50 minutes (or until golden brown) at 350 degrees.

If you must, have a dollop of ice cream on top

or whipped cream laced with Goldwasser

Gina 

Forgotten

 

Only a very short walk from my house

an old farmstead has lost its owner.

Only a few months ago cattle were fed from this big haystack.

A bachelor farmer lived here.

Look at the size of this saw blade.

He said he didn't need a wife 

"because he had a woman (that's me) running through his fields every morning." 

Will someone take over this farm? 

Probably not.  Farming is hard and has few rewards. 

This fertilizer spreader shows how many years it has been dragged through the fields...it has picked up bailing twine that will never come off.  

And the water tank will never be moved to a pasture.  

 The Danes knew how to build fine cabins.  Cabins which have stood straight and proud for more than a hundred years. 

This one probably built by the same Man.  

The granary is still full of barley.

It takes a lot of equipment to run a farm. 

There is order in a forgotten corner.

He will not leave his owner's house.  

I have known  him since he was a puppy, now he barks at me.  

Not to worry, a neighbor is taking care of him.  His brother has already moved over. 

Have a great weekend dear Friends, 

Gina 

Repost from 2015

It's getting crowded on my Pond

Important decisions are being made. 

Should we fly South or should we fly North. 

Time to make decisions.

(They won't tell me).

Have a great weekend, dear friends. 

Gina 

I can't decide

 I always thought that I like Spring the best.

And then the leaves begin to turn.

And clouds fill the sky.

And soon the snow will cover it all. 

Wishing you health and wealth

Gina

My hand painted ceramics

 I paint

More specifically, I hand paint ceramics.

The kind of ceramics which have been painted in Europe for more than 600 years. 

I paint because I have always admired Italian ceramics.

I paint whatever makes me happy.

Lots of tiles for kitchens and fireplaces.  
Tiles I will never see again.

I get to keep the rejects.
They are valuable, but only to me.  
I can learn from them. 

These little jewels I paint just for myself.

I paint a lot of practical ceramics just as long as they are also pretty. 

Some large murals take many weeks to finish.

Flowers and hand painted ceramics are a natural pairing.

An urn elevates and makes everything special. 

New but painted to look old.

A little gold makes it extra special.

A "Tondino"  is a very practical and large dish.  

Bowls are always the first to go.  
So why don't I paint more of them?  

You will see this happy bird all over Italy.

So many tiles I have stopped counting.

Still a favorite.

Frost has come, more time to paint.

Gina

Autumn Colors

Trees are changing

Maple tree has begun to show color

Fruit has been harvested

Corners are full of surprises

Sky Blue Petunias are still my favorites

Flowers are going to seed. Time to collect them.

Who likes Nasturtiums. 

I move a few pots into the greenhouse for a steady supply of winter bouquets. 

Soon leaves will be bright red. 

Have a great week dear friends.

Gina