Legacy of Love . . .

Only the heart knows how to find what is precious. ~ Dostoyevsky

Recently, I was organizing a box of very old family photographs and found the image above. The sweet little girl is my dear grandmother-in-law and my Mr. Z’s grandmother. As I sat looking at the image, I realized I have been very lucky to have had two biological grandmothers in my life, and one beloved grandmother-in-law. In my eyes these three remarkable grandmothers were all lifetime achievers in the Best Grandmother’s Club!

My kind-hearted grandmother-in-law lived through a world of major changes during her 90 years of living on this earth. As a young woman, she lost her husband in 1939 from post-surgical complications that left her a single mother with two pre-teen daughters. Being a strong, independent woman, she created a lifetime of memories as a splendid scrapbook of life’s treasured moments, and of course with a few struggles filed too.

As I shared the images with Mr. Z, a few of his favorite memories came to mind . . . her gentle spirit and grandmotherly ways, boxes of Nabisco Ginger Snap cookies that she shared freely with her seven grandsons, her love of flowers and the blooming lilacs that adorned her back yard with color and scented the air, enjoying a scrumptious lunch on her wooden patio swing while being serenaded by songbirds, the red roses she so lovingly persevered sent from her husband on the same day he suddenly passed away, and her love of The Beatle’s Sargent Pepper album, especially the song – When I’m Sixty Four!   

When she became my precious grandmother-in-law, she had reached a point in her life where she was content to just be. She had nothing to prove, because she had lived well and had gained a wealth of hard-earned wisdom which she often shared with us – a young married couple. She wanted us to truly savor and love life, which we continue to work on each day. Thank you, grandmother for the splendid advice!

On this upcoming Mother’s Day, along with honoring our precious mothers, we will also be celebrating and cherishing our grandmother’s love, strengths, their courage, and determination. And to my readers, I am grateful to all the mothers, grandmothers and motherly figures because you continue to inspire your families every day while making your homes the happiest place to be. Happy Mother’s Day with much love!

Now, with my box of photographs neatly organized this song will be playing ever so softly in our minds – take it away Ringo Starr . . .

Photograph
Every time I see your face
It reminds me of the places we used to go
All I've got is a photograph
And I realize you're not coming back anymore
I thought I'd make it
The day you went away
But I can't make it
'Til you come home again to stay
I can't get used to living here
While my heart is broke, my tears, I cry for you
I want you here to have and hold
As the years go by, and we grow old and gray
Now you're expecting me
To live without you
But that's not something
That I'm looking forward to
I can't get used to living here
While my heart is broke, my tears, I cry for you
I want you here to have and hold
As the years go by, and we grow old and gray
Every time I see your face
It reminds me of the places we used to go
All I've got is a photograph
And I realize you're not coming back anymore
Every time I see your face
It reminds me of the places we used to go
But all I've got is a photograph
And I realize you're not coming back anymore
Every time I see your face
It reminds me of the places we used to go
Songwriters: Richard Starkey, George Harrison. 

A Delicious Day . . .

When was the last time you tasted something so good that the first scrumptious bite had you salivating for another fork full? With Mother’s Day only a few weeks away, I am taste-testing some simple brunch recipes for a day of honoring mothers, grandmothers and all women who have made a significant difference in my world. I made this fruit pizza with a potpourri of organic seasonal fresh fruits, a rich creamy filling, and a simple crust.

Fruit Pizza
Ingredients for one pizza:
1 sugar cookie dough (refrigerated, box-mix or your favorite homemade recipe)
8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1 pint of heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon vanilla
½ cup sugar
Sliced fresh fruit – organic
1 small jar of apricot jam

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease one pizza pan, or one large cake pan.
2. Spread sugar dough evenly onto the pan, pressing it flat.
3. Bake the crust for about 6 minutes until light-colored, just before it turns golden. I think it tastes better if the cookie crust is soft after cooled and it cuts much better.
4. Cool the crust thoroughly. You can bake this the night before, if you like.
5. Cut fruit into bite-sized pieces. (I used strawberries, blueberries, kiwis, pineapple rings, grapes, raspberries, and blackberries, (staying away from fruit that turns brown after slicing). Make sure there is enough fruit to cover the whole pizza. The fruit can be sliced the night before but refrigerate them in separate containers.
6. Blend the cream cheese and sugar, then fold in the whipping cream and vanilla.
7. Spread the whipped topping evenly over the cooled sugar cookie crust.
8. Press the pre-cut fruit into the whipped topping, in a creative pattern.
9. Warm a jar of apricot jam so it is barely pourable and, using a teaspoon, drizzle jam over the fruit.
10. You can create this right before serving or store in the refrigerator overnight until needed. Cut and enjoy!

In my foodie opinion, this recipe will be a perfect addition to a Mother’s Day celebration – one that will have your special guests returning for a second slice!

Photo Tip Friday . . .

Today is a fantastic Friday because my Mr. Z is back to share a photography tip! With over 40 years as a natural light professional photographer, he is excited to discuss another creative approach to your photography by adding a double frame within your unique images you may capture on your photography adventures this year.  The stage is yours Mr. Z . . .

“I really love when a photographic opportunity presents a double frame in my picture. This graphic painting was captured in a pedestrian walkway underneath a bridge. When I saw the small window shaped opening that created a second frame, I was intrigued with the possibilities. Of course, I wanted more commentary. I framed my shot and waited for the right visual expression. Within a few minutes, I noticed a woman walking down the road, and when she approaches, I shot a motor drive sequence as she moved through my frame. The person added the right gesture and unexpected surprise I wanted for this image.”  

Thanks, Mr. Z for your photography insights! To my readers, I am wishing you vacations, and travel adventures fill with many delightful surprises and photographic opportunities!               

All You Need Is Love . . .

We have spent so much of our lives in the company of good music, and when the internationally acclaimed tribute band to The Beatles, the Liverpool Legends were performing at the Granbury Opera House, we had to attend. Many of you know that my Mr. Z is a Beatle enthusiast, and he appreciated the realistic and authenticity that was woven throughout the evening performance. These four lads were hand-picked by George Harrison’s sister the late Louise Harrison, who resided in the United States. The Liverpool Legends have performed in several countries and venues as well as performing for over 160,000 people at the prestigious California Rose Bowl, and at the world-famous Carnegie Hall.

 Enjoying the music that evening made us feel so good, and charming memories surfaced of our youthful teen years! Here are some notable ‘Fab Facts’ of the beloved Beatles:

• The Beatles performance on the Ed Sullivan Show on February 9, 1964, was watched by 73 million viewers.
• The Fab Four played their legendary concert at Shea Stadium in New York City to over 55 thousand screaming fans in 1965, where the cost of a ticket was just five dollars. The median salary in 1965 was $6,600!
• They hold the record for the most number one songs of all time (20), and the most number one Albums (19).
• As Beatlemania grew, they would come to hold the title for the most records ever sold and are still the bestselling musicians worldwide.
• According to the Guinness World Records, the song Yesterday is the most covered version of any song ever written.
• Their favorite sweet treat was jelly babies. And of course, tea was the bands favorite beverage.

So how do you keep the music playing in your life? Let’s share some love – and do tell of your favorite songs and memories of the Fab Four!

Awakening Sleeping Beauty . . .

In nature, there lies many sleeping beauties waiting to be awakened this spring. And because nature has slumbered for so long, it must be awakened very gently and that must be the reason why here in Texas the weather has been chilly and warm, then chilly and warm again, but each day is sweeter than the next!

However, my Prince Charming otherwise known to all of you as Mr. Z could not resist roaming our property to capture those early expressive blooms and is allowing me to share his image and thoughts of his recent creative excursion.

“And so, it begins . . . every spring in Texas, I wait with unbridled excitement at the first bluebonnets that begin to dot the hills, valleys, and fields throughout the state. Fortunately for me, this awakening bloom was as close as our pasture. It doesn’t get any better than that! For this image, I used a Nikon D850 with a Nikkor 300mm lens @f5.6. I love using long focal length lenses for flower photography! There is nothing like a telephoto lens for subject isolation, and to produce those creamy, dreamy backgrounds.”

Wishing you a spring with Mother Nature that awakens your creativity, imagination, and your authentic self!

Oh Sugar, Sugar . . .

An interior is the natural projection of the soul – Coco Chanel

I think the Coco Chanel’s quote fit my mood yesterday as I was feathering our nest for spring. I had the most fun with one special touch that came from using something basic that normally sits on our kitchen table, a vintage sugar mold that I found on an antiquing journey years ago. Usually, it holds candles for romantic dinners with my Mr. Z, but I could not resist removing the candles and adding the pastel-colored eggs. I included a few of my vintage rabbits from my rabbit collection, and of course, some spring infused colored dinnerware from my favorite collections. I wanted to create a cozy, inviting table setting that you never want to leave! As I created this space in our kitchen that comforts my body and soul, my thoughts wandered to the history of sugar and sugar molds. According to the Sugar Association, “Sugar is one of the world’s oldest documented commodities, and at one time, it was so valuable that people locked it up in a sugar safe! Sugar from sugarcane was first produced sometime after the first century AD in India.”

After purchasing my rustic sugar mold year ago, I researched my purchased and learned that sugar molds have been around since the Middle Ages and they continued to be regularly used through the 19th century. During this time, brown sugar was commonly only sold in cone shapes that came from a sugar mold. It was not until the 1820s that the term “granulated sugar” was first used. This then changed the way individuals and chefs would use sugar in baking. Before this, the sugar needed to be chipped off the cone and sifted to a level of fineness chosen by the baker. Ah, how times have changed!

Wishing you a nest of comforts and sweet, spring wonders!

Zest for Life . . .

February has arrived and I am filling it with grateful heart moments. A few days ago, I was wandering through the produce section of one of my favorite grocery stores and I happened to notice the many different citrus fruits of the orange family: blood oranges, clementines, mandarins, tangerines, pomelos, and many more. The sun induced citrus sensations are the marvelous in the mundane! At that moment I knew some organic oranges would be coming home with me, as recipes began to circulate through my mind.

 Figure 1: “Aurantium Flore Duplici” or double-flowered orange, -Hand-colored engraving, Giovanni Battista Ferrari, Hesperides (1646).

The history of the marvelous sun-kissed orange is the material of great romance. The actual origin of the orange is in southeastern Asia (documented 340 BC), and it was the rare, exotic, expensive and prized fruit of emperors and kings. Lisa Schultz, a graduate student at the Italian University of Gastronomic Sciences states in her orange research, “Coveted by the highest ranks of society, orange fruits became such a sign of opulence in the Renaissance that the quantity of oranges appearing on the banquet table measured the importance of the guests, as well as the wealth of the host. It wasn’t until the 19th century that oranges reached the tables of the middle class, and later still, that they became an accessible fruit of the community and the most popular cultivated fruit in the world. Ancient scholars believed oranges to be the “Golden Apples” of immortality stolen by Hercules from the Garden of Hesperides, the fruit sacred to Venus–goddess of love.”

Perhaps, you have a queen’s royal ransom sitting on your kitchen counter right now and you have a craving for a sweet and bright distraction while you wait for spring days to arrive. This dessert recipe is nutritious and light, and Mr. Z and I will be savoring it with special friends as we honor our beloved oranges.

Orange Dessert with Cinnamon 
Serves - 4
3-4 organic oranges peeled and sliced.  
1 cup organic strawberries sliced.
1 teaspoon of organic cinnamon
Peel the oranges: first cut the top and bottom of the orange, then cut the skin from top to bottom. Slice the oranges into medium slices. Arrange sliced orange on a serving plate with strawberries in the center. Sprinkle the entire fruit lightly with cinnamon. Chill until serving.

Oh, and a special thank you to Christopher Columbus who brought orange seeds to America in 1493 – let’s squeeze the moment!!!!

Jack Frost Nipping at My Nose . . .

Hope is the things with feathers – That perches in the soul – And sings the tune without the words – And never stops at all. ~ Emily Dickinson

Careful preparation is crucial for any adventure and today I am happy to have a stocked pantry including a stash of organic cocoa to weather the bitterly, cold temperatures and light snow fall we are experiencing in north central Texas. The cups of hot chocolate are flowing freely at our house because frosty and snowy mornings require toasty mugs! I know a few of my wonderful readers across the USA are sitting in falling snow like a scene from a snow globe.  How lucky are they!

While I am in my winter hibernation mode, I am sharing a piece of art from a favorite artist of mine, Lisa Aisato a Norwegian award-winning and critically acclaimed author, illustrator, and artist. Her home and studio are located at Hvalar, Norway. Many of her artistic productions capture the joy of life and make my heart dance.

So, bundle up my dear friends ‘Tis the season to be freezin’!

It’s a Winter-ful Life . . .

“May you find peace in the promise of the solstice night, that each day forward is blessed with more light. That the cycle of nature, unbroken and true, brings faith to your soul and well-being to you. Rejoice in the darkness, in the silence find rest, and may the days that follow be abundantly blessed” ~ Unknown

The northern half of our beautiful earth is experiencing a seasonal change today and we are celebrating the winter solstice! So, as you shake your snowflakes may you too be inspired by the quote above and the creative artwork of UK freelance Illustrator Clair Rossiter.

Embrace the wonder of this unique day!

Christmas in my Hometown . . .

“When it’s Christmas time in Texas – It’s a very special time for me
In Texas we’ll be swingin’ ’round the Christmas tree – Dancin’ to a Christmas melody
When it’s Christmas time in Texas – It might look just like a summer day
But it’s a Texas Christmas to me” ~ George Strait

Tonight, I am taking you on a pictorial tour of downtown Granbury, Texas, my hometown dressed in Christmas attire. I get to live here, and I love it! The town was founded in 1866 and this evening you can find over 40 Historic Texas Landmarks and 28 historic structures. Granbury was voted by USA Today’s Best Historic Small Town in America in 2019, 2020, and 2021. This year Granbury became a designated Cultural District approved by the Texas Commission on the Arts and it was also named “The Celebration Capital of Texas.” Join me as I wander Granbury’s historic square!

The historic courthouse stands proudly in the center of the Historic Granbury Square constructed in 1890.

Large Christmas trees stand as sentinels around the square.

Many quaint shops and restaurants surround the square, and St. Helen’s is always filled with my favorite things!

This tree is sure to light up your life, it’s full of sparkle and lights and everything nice.

The historic Opera House has been the centerpiece of the arts since 1886, and their December performances always ignites the holiday spirit.

Thanks for joining me this evening as I showcased my hometown dressed for the holidays! A very Merry Christmas from Texas and me!