Dessert with The Novel Bakers: Forest Feast Gatherings

The Forest Feast Gatherings is filled with easy recipes and simple ideas for entertaining and creating ambience for a party, and includes several menus for party buffet bars, including a Breakfast Taco Bar and a Grilled Cheese Party.  There are also complete menus for different occasions.  The dessert on the Winter Feast menu was so tempting, and I decided it would be easily…

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The Novel Bakers Present: A Forest Feast — Gatherings

~~ now that I have your attention ~~ Yes, the recipe for this deliciousness awaits you when you open the beautifully illustrated, latest addition to The Forest Feast series of cookbooks by Erin Gleeson:  The Forest Feast Gatherings.  I hesitate to even call it a cookbook, for it is more like a book of art, and it is a pleasure…

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Lights and Bulbs

I’d like to start with a very big THANK YOU to all of my blogging friends who sent well wishes, comments, emails and even birthday cards (I LOVE to get real mail!) to help me make the leap from 59 to 60!  It was truly painless and actually quite enjoyable, as we spent a little vacation time with family and…

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Pumpkins, Scarecrows and My Birthday Giveaway

When the leaves of the Japanese maple outside my kitchen window turn this color, I know the frosty fall nights have arrived.  I love the feeling of the crispy air and the colors, and although this year fall has been slow in coming, and leaf color has been predicted to be less than ideal due to the drought, Mother Nature…

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Novel Bakers: The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living

Have you ever met a fictional character whom you wished to slap?  ~~ hey, girl, get yourself out of that bed and from under your married-with-children/old enough to be your father boss because you should know by now that this is not going to end well ~~ That’s what I was feeling on page one of the latest Novel Baker’s choice:…

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Polka Dots Alfresco

We’re having weekend guests soon, the kind of friends whom we’ve known all the way back to the days when I might have worn an itsy bitsy, teeny weeny, yellow polka dot bikini!  I have long graduated to a one piece with lacy coverup, running to the water and back out again to the safety of my towel.  But I still LOVE…

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Where’s My Tote?

CHEERS! My traveling tote has been enjoying her summer travels,  and now she and her fellow totes want you to have some fun too, trying to guess where they have been.  So tell me this: In what city are Miss Rosie and I enjoying this Sam Adams summer ale? Visit all six traveling toters to guess where their totes have been.…

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Doing White Right

My house is colorful.  I have blue, green, purple, pink, some red … and I’m always attracted to color, whether it is bold and bright or peaceful pastel.  Not that I don’t enjoy reading all the white, chippy blogs and admire the talent it takes to pull together a look using only textures!  But I was content to admire from afar and…

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Happy Birthday America!

On July 2, 1776, the Continental Congress voted to declare independence from Britain, and two days later, on July 4, 1776, the Congress ratified the document so eloquently written by Thomas Jefferson, at once declaring independence and establishing a new nation: “these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States … And for the support of…

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