Good Bye Sydney

Sydney returns to the Leader Dog campus on Saturday for evaluation and then intensive training.

If she passes all the requirements, she will be paired with a vision impaired person to be a Leader Dog.  If for some reason she does not meet the requirements, she'll have what Leader Dog calls, "a career change" and she'll come back to me.  I wish Sydney all the best.  She has qualities that will make her an excellent friend and guide for a sightless person.  

Ready for "work"

Sydney, the pleasure has been all ours.  Thanks for the joy and spirit you brought into our lives.  We'll love you and miss you always.

Semifreddo

Easter dessert this year was a semifreddo.

Semifreddo means partially frozen.

Tangerine Semifreddo with Salted Almond Brittle

Whipped cream and whipped egg whites folded together with a tangerine curd gave this dessert a fluffy, velvety texture like a mousse that was juxtaposed with a crunchy, salty, nut brittle layered within the mixture.   A tangerine sauce with pieces of the fruit accompanied the dessert on the plate.  This treat will wow your guests and the beauty is, you make it the day before and freeze it!  

Explore other semifreddo recipes at Epicurious and FoodNetwork

Yellow Nails?

Yellow nails seem to be a trend this spring.

Several celebs have been seen wearing the sunny shade on their tips.

Katy Perry

Lady Gaga

Natalie Portman

Yellow Nails 

So what do you think?  Is this trend for you? 

Bracelets for Mothers Day

Almost Mothers Day

Here are some suggestions

Loop-Hooked Bangle

The hook detail is not a clasp but fixed.

Loop to Loop Bangle

Wear the bangles alone or with a collection.

These bangles would make nice graduations gifts as well.

Minted Pea Soup

Minted Pea Soup

I served this pea soup, chilled, as a first course for my Easter Dinner.  It was so fresh and spring-like I thought I'd share it with you.  The recipe is from Epicurious and you can view it here.  I decided to follow the recipe and strain the pureed soup and then I mixed in 1/2 cup of cream and 1/2 cup of  nonfat Greek yogurt.  This gave the soup a lovely smooth texture that we sipped from mugs.  For a heartier soup, eliminate the straining step.  I also followed the reviews and used only 1/2 cup of mint leaves instead of a full cup.  This amount of mint allowed the pea flavor to prevail and just a hint of mint added freshness.  

For a meatless Monday meal, consider this Minted Peas Soup with egg salad sandwiches for dinner.  and Easter basket chocolate for dessert

Happy Monday

Happy Easter

Easter blessings to all who celebrate. 

See you on Monday

Easter Egg Centerpiece

I put together an Easter centerpiece.

I started with a glass dish, river rocks and a flat of ground cover plants from the nursery.

I lined the edges of the dish with river rocks and filled the interior of the dish with the plants.

Dyed eggs top the living centerpiece.

The plants can be moved to the garden after the holiday.

Easy Egg Poaching

Eggs: the symbol of Easter and Spring

I'd bet that anyone reading this has at least one dozen eggs in the refrigerator.  Some of those eggs may be destined for Eggs Benedict in the form of poached eggs. 

Eggs for Easter 

There certainly are a lot of gadgets for poaching eggs.

From Bon Appetit May 2011

Save your money and try this method using the microwave.  

Here is an egg in 1/2 cup of water, in a 1 cup container, with a saucer on top, placed in the microwave.

One minute later...

...a beautiful looking poached egg.  No messy cleanup either.

60 seconds creates a yolk too well done to my liking so next time I'll try 50 seconds.

Give it a try.  Just a $.15 experiment.

A "Green" Vertical Garden

Here's a great idea for a space-challenged gardener.

This garden is made from a pallet.

View the instructions from the blog, Life on the balcony

This is a fun blog for gardeners living in apartments and condo or anyone wishing to do container gardening.

Earth Week: Antiques are "Green"

Happy Monday everybody

I wasn't even thinking about Earth Week when I attended the Antique Market this past weekend.  Reuse and repurposing are exactly what antiques are about.  The fun is the hunt!

Artistic displays

Lots of great inspiration

Chic bar cart (I want, I want)

Ah, some retro, Bakelite bangles.

Yes, Please!

A perfect start to Earth Week is Meatless Monday.

Tonight:  Asparagus risotto

Color Blocking: Bangles

Color blocking is a big trend this spring.  Not wimpy, muted shades but bold brights and unexpected combinations are what makes it a fresh style.

These are examples from InStyle March 2011

Color block accessories from InStyle

While I don't normally work with beads, I couldn't resist using color.

A variation of my hammered silver bangles, embellished with glass beads.

These colors may loose some of their bold color in the photo but they are bright hues.

The bangles are available in my Etsy shop.  Click here to be taken to the shop.

My dear followers, I hope you have lovely plans for the weekend.  We will be attending the first Antique Market of the season on Saturday.  I'll be sure to fill you in on any spectacular finds.  We also have some invitations from friends for Friday and Saturday evenings.  Enjoy and relax.  XXOO

Calypso St. Barths for Target

Calypso St. Barth, the luxury resort wear brand is partnering with Target to bring an affordable collection of fashion and home accessories to the national retail giant.  Ranging in price from $1.99 to $79.99, the collection is available May 1 through June 11 at all Target stores and Target.com.  I can't wait to check out this collection.  Here are some examples of what will be available.   

Dip-Dye Tiered Maxi Skirt in Green $34.99 (worn as dress) Linen Espadrille Wedges in Turquoise Print $29.99 Three-Layer Wood and Shell Necklace $29.99 Canvas Elephant-Print Tote in Brown $19.99

Calypso St. Barth 

Calypso St. Barth 

Calypso St. Barth

Midweek Mentions

It is finally starting to feel like spring in Michigan.  That's not saying much because it was warmer in Duluth, MN today and about the same temp in Anchorage, AK.

But, I did get to plant a pot of pansies.

Birds on top of the houses are discussing location, location, location as they plan their summer lodging.

The bright yellow finches are back.

I love these espadrilles I picked up at DSW today.  

How's your week so far?

Spring Vignette

A few weeks ago I wrote a post about my hesitancy of accessorizing in home decor.

This past week I decided to take heed of the advice I posted from Lonny Magazine.  Take a look at the photos and critique my stab at a spring vignette on my coffee table.  

• a stack of gardening books for height
• sculptural object (bird)
• tray to contain collection
• texture (bird nest, wood, ceramics, glass)
• scented candle
• touch of greenery (plant)

So how did I do?  

I know several followers are interior design people.  I'd love feedback.

These glass bell jars from Arhaus are available in 3 sizes.  They make the smallest memento look like a treasure.

Quick Crab Cakes for Meatless Monday

Here is a great idea for Meatless Monday.  Start the week off on a high note with these delicious crab cakes.  They are quick to prepare so a fast meal when you get home from work. 

Hong Kong Crab Cakes 

This recipe is from Tyler Florence and you can view it here.I like the flavor of these crab cakes because they have some Asian flavors working: fresh ginger, red chili paste, cilantro.  I served the cakes with a salad and side of pineapple, mango salsa.  The recipe includes directions for baby bok choy which would add a bit more time.  Save time by using panko in place of fresh bread crumbs.  

No fresh crab at your market?  No worries.  I asked the fishmonger what he used to make the crab cakes in the seafood case and he waved to the cans of crab claw meat across the aisle.  A 1 lb can was about $15 but there were no shells or waste.  A bit pricey I know but only 80 calories per 1/4 lb serving.

Tyler Florence's Real Kitchen: An Indispensable Guide for Anybody Who Likes to Cook

I've talked about this cookbook before and it is no secret I am a Tyler fan.  Click here for the cookbook review and another recipe.

Happy Monday