Granola Magnolia

If you want to play, consider yourself tagged, too.

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car), Dinker Tercel

2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fave ice cream flavor, favorite cookie), Dream Cooler Oreo

3. YOUR “FLY Guy/Girl” NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name), K-Sch (lame, I know).

4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal), Blue Raccoon

5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born), Susan Calimesa

6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first), Sch-Ka

7. SUPERHERO NAME: (”The” + 2nd favorite color, favorite drink), "The Yellow Espresso"

8. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers), Russell Davis

9. STRIPPER NAME: ( the name of your favorite perfume/cologne/scent, favorite candy), Vanilla Pixie Stix

10.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s & father’s middle names ), Mabel Eugene

11. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME: (Your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter), Reese Reno

12. SPY NAME: (your favorite season/holiday, flower), Autumn Sweet Pea

13. CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now + “ie” or “y”) Kiwi Skirtie

14. HIPPY NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree), Granola Magnolia

15. YOUR ROCKSTAR TOUR NAME: (”The” + Your fave hobby/craft, fave weather element + “Tour”), "The Cooking Cool Breeze Tour"

A Little Blue

This has been my pool side activity this week. It will be my journal cover.

One of my favorite pitchers - inside is the "Candy Stash"!

A few of my favorite things that make my kitchen a happy place.

I found this plate in downtown McKinney at one of my favorite stores, The Little Red Hen.

This is my coffee mill.

It has been temporarily displaced since we are in the middle of painting the dining room and kitchen. I fell in love with it the first instant that I saw it. I used my birthday money the first year (7 years ago) we moved into our home. I found it at Weir's Country Store.

Here is my Blue Bonus Picture! A sampling of beauty, find more at the 2008 Garden Tour !

Growing Garden

I looked out my window last evening just the sun was setting. The golden rays illuminating the garden made it look so magical - I ran to get my camera to capture the beauty. Evidently, I missed most of the magic. But I have these pictures to share none the less.Here is our small crop of corn. We are behind schedule because I had to wait for the back yard to get full sun. The corn was planted the first of May. My kids love watching the cornsilk tassles grow.

Here are the Beanie's! They are just beginning to bud.

And the lettuce.

A Bit More Red

Well, my camera decided to revive momentarily today and I quickly downloaded my pics from last week - before it decided to die again. (Let me just say that I am thankful that it didn't have any really, precious, unreproducible pics dying with it!) I've been eyeballing the cameras at Sam's more closely lately - I need reliability! So, this is the last of my red to share.

On the walls in my kitchen.

A bit of a closer view.

A set of three glass, decoupaged plates from France.

Below, my shiny percolator, a variety of vintage ruby glass ware, and a new batch of "just-roasted-that-day" coffee beans in a lovely. red bag.

"I Saw Red" Friday

A 'Tip O' My Hat' for my dear friend at Rosezilla!

I have enjoyed seeing every one's red treasures this week. Although I love the color RED, it is not something that I have accumulated a lot of. However, I will share what I do have.

****Well, not as much as I hoped - I think my camera just bit the dust - it won't turn on. bummer. I'll have to use pics from my reserves.*****

Now, look closely and you will see a small collection of red glasses. I had taken great pictures of them this morning. . . but I am not getting any cooperation from my camera right now.

So. . .Can you see them?

Okay, that's it from the reserves. But I was saving the best for last. Up next is art work from when I was in seventh grade. I looked at it and thought, "What was I thinking?" I can remember thinking I was pretty cool for coming up with this original idea for a color wheel. Here's red for you...

Speaking of Red - What a great surprise!

This is my first ever blog award! It is given by my dear friend Tracie at Rosezilla!

Such amazing timing too as I was looking for more red things for this post. Ahhhhh, so lovely! Be sure to go visit her site - I love how she shares love and insight and beauty from her life.

So as the Spirit of Sharing continues, I would like to share this award with:
1. Randi at i have to say. . .
- I appreciate her organization and creativity as well as her hosting the Recipe Swap Box!
2. Tina at Needles n' Notions
- She has only been blogging for short time - but WoW - I am so glad that she has. Her quilts are fabulous, I really enjoy her sharing Dear Jane Wednesdays.

Breakfast Dinner Anyone?

Because of our family's schedule, the one meal I could never do "big" was breakfast. . . until I figured - Why not have breakfast for dinner?!!

It is one of the best nights of the week because everyone joins in on helping to make it. It is always a variation on the same theme, but always delicious.

Our Favorite Banana Muffin Recipe

(this doubles really well - great if you want to freeze them)

*3/4 cup flour *1/2 cup sugar *1/2 teaspoon baking soda *pinch of salt *1 egg, room temperature

*2 medium-sized ripe bananas, mashed *1/4 cup oil or 1/2 stick melted butter *1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 400F and get muffin tins ready with liners (grease if you don't use liners).

2. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.

3. Mix mashed bananas, egg, oil/butter, and vanilla together with a wooden/plastic spoon. Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined.

4. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full and bake for 19 minutes or golden on top!

Heads Up!

The Recipe Box Swap

Get your recipes ready! I have mine.

In fact, my kids and I tried it out this morning for breakfast!

I bet you can guess what it might be.

Hint: Lovely with tea or a latte.