How Sweet The Sound

The Dessert Carnival

Have you been over to The Dessert Carnival at The House In The Roses this morning?  Cielo, you were so wonderful to plan this delicious event, and I appreciate all the hard work you did preparing.  Everything is beautiful.

I got my recipe for these delicious Lemon Bars from Barefoot Contessa, and we all know what scrumptious food she makes.  I hope you will try these because they melt in your mouth.
Lemon Bars

Crust
1/2 pound unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1/8 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees 

Cream butter and sugar with electric mixer. Combine flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.

Filling
6 jumbo eggs at room temperature
3 cups sugar
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup flour
Confectioners' sugar

Whisk eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature.
Cut into squares, bars or triangles and dust with confectioners' sugar

Tomorrow Is The Sweet Day

Just a reminder that tomorrow is the big day we have all been anticipating - The Dessert Carnival.  So everyone head over to The House In The Roses tomorrow, and be sure to have your sweet tooth polished.  I'm taking my cup of coffee with me.

The Shelf By My Chair

This is the shelf next to my chair in the family room.  I keep things here that I enjoy.

Starting from the left is my stereoscope viewer.  Are you familiar with these?  Did you have a ViewMaster when you were a kid?  It works on the same principle.  Stereoscopy is any technique capable of creating an illusion of depth in an image, and these viewers were a popular form of entertainment in the late 1800s and early 1900s.  The box on the far right side of the picture is full of cards to look at with the viewer.  I have several hundred cards, and I only purchase ones that are of special interest to me.  I have an entire set of cards from a wedding, lots of cards with young children and animals, and of places that I enjoy.  I love looking at the cards - even though I have looked at them many times.  These are also something that is enjoyed frequently by company.

The framed picture is my grandmother when she was a young woman.  Everyone always said that I favored my grandmother, and she loved hearing that.  She was the mother of four sons, and they kept her on her toes.  Her first child was a daughter, but she died when she was a toddler.  I had a very close bond to my grandmother.  She was so interesting to sit around and chat with, and she loved discussing interesting topics.

The little basket of pink flowers is Capodimonte, and it belongs to my mother.  You know I have to have a touch of pink.

The book on the right front is an old book filled with stories and poems about North Carolina.  I picked it up many years ago at an antique store specializing in books.

The box holding the viewer cards was made and painted by my cousin.  She made it just for the cards, and didn't she do a beautiful job?!  I love the way she painted the tassel on the front.  And, be sure to notice that it has painted vines of ivy trailing around the box.

The book on the top of the box was given to me by my best friend.  It is quite old, and even has the box that it came in.  It is another of my treasures.

Most of the books on this shelf are by Nicholas Sparks.  I always read any new book that he writes, and he is one of my mother's favorites.  The bookend is wood with carved horses, and it has belonged to my mother since she was a young girl.  It is one of a pair, and the other is on another shelf.

Many evenings you can find me sitting in my chair next to this shelf.  Most likely I will be reading and sharing time with my husband.

He Gives Us Beauty and Peace

Our first rose of the year.

The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.
                 Isaiah 35:1

It's Pink Saturday

I seem to have formed a pattern of sharing something pink from my house on Saturdays.  So today I am going to share this lovely vase with a pink rose.

The vase belonged to my maternal grandmother, and it was always one of my favorite things at her house.  At one time she had another one exactly like this, but her housekeeper broke it.

When my grandmother passed away, an auction was held to sell those things that she had not designated in her will.  My mother nor I lived in the same state as my grandmother, so we were not able to attend the auction.  But, we asked that someone bid on (and win) this vase.

It is definitely one of our treasures, and it now lives on my mother's dresser in her bedroom.

Have you visited Theresa over at Take A Sentimental Journey?  She is relatively new to blogging, and she seems to be a kindred spirit.  She is a lover of beautiful things.  And, more importantly she is a lover of the Lord.  Her blog states she is a cancer survivor - praise God.  I am sure she can inspire us with her strength and courage.  Not to mention her blog will serenade you with fun music.

And, run don't walk over to BJ's Sweet Nothings.  She is always a sweetheart, and now she is giving us the opportunity to win the most adorable birdie hooks.  You're going to love it.

Circle Journals

Have you participated in a circle journal?  Do you know what a circle journal is?  For those of you that aren't familiar with the circle journal concept, it is when a group of people wanting to participate get together to each complete a journal in a rotation.  Each participant chooses their own theme, and the owner of each journal styles their journal and begins the rotation.  I have participated in two different circle journal projects.  The first project had twelve participants, and the second project has nine.  Each participant has one month to complete their contribution to each journal theme, until the journal has gone full circle and returned to the owner.  When completed you have each participant's artistic interpretation of your theme.

Both circle journal projects in which I participated were all users of the Old Timers at Two Peas In A Bucket.  The Old Timers are all Two Peas users that were in the first 10,000 to create an id.  The ladies that have joined the two circle journal projects that I have been in are some of the nicest people you would ever want to know.  Most of us only know each other on-line, but a few have had the opportunity to meet.  We have communicated for such a long period of time that we have all developed a bond.

Anyway, back to circle journals.  My theme for the first circle journal project was The Color Pink.  It was so much fun, and each person's interpretation of the theme was amazing.  Some were fun, some were about style, some were about life choices, and all were wonderful.  I am so honored to have a personnel representation of each participant.

We had so much fun that when we completed the first project, we started a second round.  This time I choose Amazing Grace as my topic.  I am so anxious for the rotation to be completed so I can enjoy everyone's contribution.  I thought I would share a few pictures of my journal as it was when I sent it off the first month to begin the rotation.  Some of the other themes chosen in this project are Attic Treasures, The Best Part of Being A Girl, On The Road Recipes, Truth or Dare, Reading, Advice to a Young Girl, Simple Pleasures and Guilty Pleasures.

Here is the front cover.

This is my title page.

This is my topic explanation page.

This is my instruction page.

The next two pages are the owner's interpretation of the theme.  These pages are sometimes very personal and private.

I am and have been a scrapbooker for many years, and it is something I thoroughly enjoy.  But, participating in these circle journals has been one of the most pleasurable things I have ever joined.  The whole process has forced me to step out of my comfort zone - to try new things.  My two journals are possessions that I will always treasure.

Rod McKuen

When I was in high school I was introduced to the poems and lyrics of Rod McKuen.  I was instantly drawn to his spirit, his style, his raspy and whispery voice and his gentleness.  His words captured so much of what many were feeling in the sixties - anxiety, confusion, passion and hope.

Even at that young age I possessed at least six of McKuen's books, and those books still hold treasured space on my shelves.  His books have been translated into at least a dozen languages, and they have sold over 65 million worldwide.

As a songwriter, he has contributed to the sales of over 100 million records.  His works have been performed by many well-known performers including Frank Sinatra, The London Philharmonic and Madonna.

Here are the lyrics to one of his best-selling songs.  I think many of you will easily recall this, and remember loving the words.  The song was recorded in 1969 by Oliver for the soundtrack to the film The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie.  I hope you remember this with the same fondness I do.

Jean, Jean, roses are red
All the leaves have gone green
And the clouds are so low
You can touch them, and so
Come out to the meadow, Jean

Jean, Jean, you're young and alive
Come out of your half-dreamed dream
And run, if you will, to the top of the hill
Open your arms, bonnie Jean

Till the sheep in the valley come home my way
Till the stars fall around me and find me alone
When the sun comes a-singin' I'll still be waitin'

For Jean, Jean, roses are red
And all of the leaves have gone green
While the hills are ablaze with the moon's yellow haze
Come into my arms, bonnie Jean

(Jean, Jean)
Jean, you're young and alive!!
Come out of your half-dreamed dream
And run, if you will to the top of the hill
Come into my arms, bonnie Jean

Tomato Sandwiches

Does everyone eat tomato sandwiches, or is it a southern thing?

Just look at this tomato on my kitchen counter.  It's just now perfectly ripened for a tomato sandwich.  I like my tomato sandwich with whole grain bread which has been toasted on both sides.  Then I add just a bit of mayonnaise, some sliced tomato and freshly ground pepper.  That's it - simple, yet perfect.

How do you like your tomato sandwich?

And, for those that haven't experienced this delicacy, you need to give it a try.

Some Yummy Fun

Just a reminder to everyone to join in and send your pictures to Cielo at Dessert Carnival at The House In The Roses.  The Dessert Carnival begins Wednesday morning, April 30.  So come on and join.  We all need to indulge on occasion.

We'll be having deliciousness at our house in preparation for the big and sweet event.  I can't tell you what mine is, but it involves fresh lemons.

My Irises Are Blooming

I hope you will enjoy them as much as I do.  My cousin shared bulbs from her yard with me almost eighteen years ago.  These irises are from those bulbs.

I had so much fun just walking around in our yard yesterday enjoying all of the fruits of spring.  A few blooms remain on the dogwoods and azaleas, and my roses are covered in little buds.  There's greening and growing everywhere you look.