On a Sunday Afternoon

 

 This afternoon, I was standing in the kitchen and decided that although it was dark in here, I could probably manage to get some semi-decent photos of my little breakfast area.  This room either has too much light, or not enough.  It faces west.  I can't handle a really bright room, so if it's a bit too dark, I don't worry about it.  I never have the blinds wide open, as too much light can give me a migraine.  I have a tendency to be photophobic.   

 I have this little breakfast area right to the side of my rather small kitchen.  I think I'm lucky to have it and, of course, since it is small you'd think I'd have less in it, but you know me....."too much is never enough."

 

 And, I LOVE twigs....so managed to drag these in from the property behind my house....a rich source of twigs.  The property belongs to a clinic.  They have an extra acre full of trees, among which are two big, fat, very tall pine trees.  I call that acre "Two Pines Park."  I'll tell you about it sometimes and show it to you....but for now, just know I go pilfer twigs from there whenever I see any "GOOD ONES."  They don't mind that I'm their "Twig Thief."  The really tall twigs by my fireplace came from there too. 

When I saw this twig, I decided it would be great for the kitchen and I could put a bird, heart and nest on it for a little Christmas decorating.  I've decided it can stay through Valentine's Day too.  (I'll show you a closeup of them around that time.) 

 

 Naturally, I have more here that should be here.  I'm ok with it....as I've quit fighting my hoarding tendencies and am just trying to keep things from getting too far out of hand.  For instance, I love old bottles....I don't know what the little one had in it...but the larger one had vinegar in it.  It has a partial label on it...it's from St. Louis.  The little wooden heart on it was painted by my friend, Bibi.

 

  That bird house was a gift from my friend, Patsy.  I have a plan for it...when I can get to it.  I think it may be a good plan, if all works out.  Vintage dishes.  There are always a lot of them around here.

 

 I bought the Hyacinths at the Walmart Neighborhood Market down the street.  My daughter calls it  "Smallmart."  I laugh everytime she says that.  Anyway....a nice Hyacinth bulb and a glass bulb vase...$3.33.  Cool.  They will be white when they bloom.

 

 I loved that tiny little shelf...of course, filled with tiny little things!  These cute birds are Salt and Pepper shakers.

 

 Here's the bird house again.  It opens...yes, plans for that....if I can get the plan carried out, you will be the first to know!

 

 Patsy also made me this beautiful paper heart collection.  I said she should open a business called "HeartStrings."  I don't think she was too crazy about that idea, but I LOVE the one she made for me!!!

 

 Some pretty glass beads and such add to the gorgeousness of the "String" and I love the little silver bird house at the end.  So very cute!!!  It's about twenty-five inches long and I knew right away where I would hang it.  LOVE IT!

 

 An empty thread spool with the words "hanging by a thread" burned into it.  Given to me several years ago by my friend, Kay.  Holding a heart pin from my 'quilt life' of long ago.  And, being admired by a cute little bird!

 

 I love these little cups....very vintage and just had to snap a photo of them with this tiny heart.  I have no idea where I got it...I think in a jar of old buttons.

 

 My little breakfast table is old too and twenty-eight inches across.  Just fits in my little nook.    The crocheted doily, which is quite large came from my mother-in-law's collection.  I remember it in her house.

 

 I've had these various linens in this old compote for a very long time....the red glass heart hanging on the twig usually stays in here, right on top of those old needlework pieces.

 

 But for now....two sugar Cherry hearts will do!!

 

 So, there you are.  My Sunday afternoon in the kitchen.  Now, I need to go make something to actually eat! 

from

 Bird Nest Cottage

until next time

♥♥♥

PS.  I forgot to mention that I am auditioning my white apron collection as a kind of valance thing in this nook.  Right now they are just tacked up there, but I plan on actually making them into "real" valances, which requires me to make a casing for them at the top........it seems I have a way of auditioning things...sometimes they work out...sometimes they don't.  I'll keep you posted!♥

Summer Flowers in My Kitchen

 

 So last week I bought some flowers from the grocery store.  Just a little bouquet of Summer Flowers.   Brought them home and put them in a tea pitcher full of water and have enjoyed them ever since...although today they are beginning to look a bit droopy.   So pretty...like sunshine!

 

A dramatic sunflower, with a dark center.  

 

Kind of spidery looking, don't you think?

 

This one would be my favorite....lighter and brighter....cheerful looking.

 

 Look at this center...GORGEOUS!!!  Such a lovely design!

 

 I think the under side of the sunflower is gorgeous too!

 

Several other little flowers....

 

 I love the color of this one!

 

Summer, indeed!!

 

 Queen Anne's Lace.  I've always loved it.

 

 So delicate.

 

A side view.  Grocery store flowers...an inexpensive way to brighten a summer's day! 

From Bird Nest Cottage

Until next time,

♥♥♥

Angel Food Cake from a Friend

Here's a little corner of my kitchen. These photos were taken yesterday (Monday, 1-10-11). It was COLD outside...I wasn't going anywhere as it SNOWED! Now, for those of you who live where it snows a lot....I'm sure you know by now that people who live in my area do not know how to navigate their cars in snow and ice. I certainly don't, nor do I even want to leave the house when we do have snow and/or ice. To be honest, I don't like to drive. I only do it to get from Point A to Point B and back again. I'm sure my dislike of driving is partially because I have crummy vision. (My son says my car has hands that feel the road!) So, this kind of weather just allows me to have a legitimate reason for staying in the house.

Monday, I decided that since I was not going ANYWHERE....it would be a good day to bake something. Normally, I would bake something chocolate, as that old navy man LOVES his chocolate. Do you remember me saying that I am allergic to chocolate? Oh, so true. And, really, I'm not much on sweets, so it doesn't bother me to make chocolate cakes, brownies, etc. But, once in a great while, I'd like a little tidbit of some kind. Knowing this, my friend, Kelley, gave me an Angel Food Cake pan and a cake mix for my birthday back in October. Once, when our little Knot group was at her house, she made us an Angel Food Cake and I had a 'fit' over her cake pan. She promised that if she ever ran across another one, she'd get it for me. That was a long time ago, but on my last birthday....sure enough, she presented me with this cake pan. It's so cool. It only took me three months to actually use it!!

According to the instructions that came with the pan, you can use it for Angel Food Cake, breads and any number of things. I love that it has a little tab on each corner that allows you to
cool the cake upside down. It's a Wilton pan.....and I now have plans for using it to make other things also. Cute, huh? As I said, Kelley also gave me an Angel Food Cake Mix. She said she had tried homemade, then bought a mix and thought it worked just fine. Who am I to argue with her...well, you wouldn't argue with Kelley....she's nearly always right. And, I mean that.
So, I made the cake and as you can see here...it turned out well. I like that I can slice it like bread rather than in wedges as you would with a regular shaped Angel Food Cake.

That old navy man even liked it...although it isn't chocolate...he thought it was good. Would have been better, he said, if it did have some chocolate smeared on it! This morning, he took some to my father-in-law. I happen to know that Angel Food Cake is one of his favorites. I think a guy over 90 years old ought to have one of his favorite cakes once in a while, so I hope he enjoys it.

You can see that 'little corner' of my kitchen....it's a very small kitchen....not meaning to be crude, or anything, but I actually call it a 'one butt' kitchen because it's so small. There's no way I can have anyone help me cook! I have some of those flea market finds in the kitchen, too, and that tin tray and the green glass items...well, they came from the flea market...my favorite place to shop.

So, there you are....how I spent part of my 'snow day.' And, celebrated my October birthday at the same time. Thanks, Kelley, you are such a dear friend....and hugs to you and Doodle!!!
Y'all take care out there....stay safe and warm....pat