Is it too early to talk about Easter?

It's never too early to get out the Easter Egg Paints  

And paint a few Easter Eggs. 

I paint Duck eggs, they drop them willy nilly all around our pond.  We also supplement our chicken feed with Abalone shells.  Eggs are not as fragile.

Maybe throw in a few golden eggs, antiqued to make them more interesting.

Place them into a bowl, hang them into a few forced blossoms branches or hide them under a cloche, on a bed of fresh moss.

 And if you have a little extra time why not gild a few eggs.  I will show you how

here and my goose that laid the golden egg here

Paint with a lot of different colors and don't forget the important white.

They don't have to be Faberge eggs, just begin and have a lot of fun.

And with hand made chocolate leaves.

Gina

Had to share this charming book one more time.

"Stories from a time when food, love and music were the essential parts of life ..." (Foreword Keith Floyd)

A few more copies available from Amazon Books

A rich collection of scandalous stories of love and passion

by

Carol Payne

"Doreen dreamt she lay in the Brassicas with her Gypsy Lover..."

"But today she was excited for she was meeting Bertie Floyd and they were going for a walk down by the Tidefork river.  He was going to show her how to tickle a trout..."

"Shortly after this event Betty was packed off to London to stay with her aunt..."

"Queenie grew up to be a smashing looking girl, a bit wild like her mother, a lover of life and men..."

"She came from a poor Cornish family, so poor that Amy was made to wear underwear made out of flour sacks, which were printed with red, bold letters 'THE FINEST FLOUR'..."

"She was a proud plump woman, well respected in the village..."

Happy Valentine's Day

Gina

https://betweennapsontheporch.net

You say you don't know how to cook

Yes you do!

Almost all soups begin the same way.

 You need only 5 items.

Onions, carrots, celery and a good soup stock (I don't expect you to make your own stock).

To 6 cups of vegetable stock add 2 cups of lentils or split peas and 2 to 3 smoked ham hocks.  Cook over low heat for about an hour or until peas become slightly tender. (Don't forget to stir the pot once in a while).

Cut up a handful each of  carrots, onions and celery into bite size pieces and add to the simmering soup.  Continue cooking for another 20 to 30 minutes.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Prepare a salad of Romaine lettuce,  hearts of palm, whole small peppers and sprinkle salad with blue cheese and a little olive oil.

Serve with warm crusty bread and fresh, unsalted butter.

Next week follow same instructions but omit legumes and smoked meat.

ADD a cut up chicken instead and at the end add a few of your favorite noodles.  Cook until noodles are al dente (done).

That's called home made chicken noodle soup. 

Serve a ripened pear with aged cheese for dessert.

This is only the beginning of your culinary adventures. 

Soon you will be preparing Lobster Thermidor. 

Think of all the accolades you will receive.  

Gina   

I can't believe it.

I can't believe it!

I sent this mural only a few days ago to my client in Virginia.  

It's already installed.  And what a beautiful job.

 I love the way the subway tiles are laid on an angle. 

I am so pleased that I received this picture. 
I seldom see my tiles once they are  sent off. 



I can't believe it.

I have walked past this corner of my garden and didn't notice that my Hellebore have sent out a few tentative blossoms.  

It's been warmer than usual.  We have not had a winter,  nor have we had much snow.  

Maybe it will rain come Spring.

Have a wonderful weekend dear friends.  

Gina

The last one.

You say you can't grow oranges in Utah!

 I can.

 In my little greenhouse.

My Meyer orange tree is just a small one but it grew 6 large beautiful and juicy oranges.
And now it is beginning to grow new buds.

My greenhouse is heated by the sun.

It is where my geraniums wait for spring to come. 

It snowed a little last night.  Must clean off the glass panes so that the heat of the sun can be trapped inside.  

And I can grow kumquats. Do you like kumquats?

I do.  
You have to pop the entire fruit into your mouth.  

The inside is very tart but the rind is sweet and very aromatic. 

This cactus almost didn't make it.  

A tiny cactus grew at the base of a larger plant.  One of my white geese came by and pulled it off.  I found the little piece in the grass.  

I potted it up. The next day the goose had yanked it out of the pot.  Again I found it.

I replanted it and moved it to a safe place. 

That was 2 years ago.  

My geraniums are very old...I love every one of them. 

Finished a new mural and sent it off to Virginia.  

And now I'm going to eat my orange. 

Have a wonderful day, 

Gina

Wild Canada Geese

They're not going home

Wherever home is this time of year. 

Wild Canadian Geese 60 feet from our house.  

Every year bringing more.  Family units of 7 and more come in groups.  

They feel at ease at our pond placing their heads under their wings for a snooze in the sunshine.

Happy week to you all. 

Gina 

https://betweennapsontheporch.net/