Eyes of Wonder

Still standing in her stead

A Simply Lovely Life

Hello everyone, my mom's still not feeling well, so I thought I'd take this opportunity to share another of our family's favorite summertime suppers with you.

New England Clam Chowder

You will need

5 lbs of red potatoes--chopped

About 6-8 stalks of celery--chopped

2-3 onions--chopped

3 tablespoons of fresh parsley--minced

2 lbs of bacon--cooked and then crumbled

2--32 to 51 ounce containers of fresh or canned clams--chopped
Just barely cover the potatoes with water and cook until they're tender

Saute celery, onions, and parsley

Add celery, onions, parsley, bacon, clams and all the clam broth to the potatoes

Add salt, freshly ground pepper, and 4 tablespoons of butter

For clear broth chowder serve as is. Be sure and have fresh cream for those that enjoy a creamy chowder to add to their bowls.

Serve hot with oyster crackers.

I also got some random pictures from today that I thought you might enjoy.

The makings of dinner......





A thriving ivy plant in the sunny kitchen window, over the sink.



James and Joseph just finished putting up a new ceiling in the dining room.




Cleaning up after a pottery lesson, given by a big brother and sister that are just learning, themselves.



Which turned into a one-sided water battle, with Sophia spraying everyone.



Beautiful butterfly hunters.....





One of them lost her clogs.



And look what they found. Monarch butterflies on the butterfly bushes.







Thanks so much for all your kind and encouraging comments, I really enjoyed reading them. Thank-you for all of your very thoughtful and caring words to my mom, too. I hope each one of you had a great day, too.
Warmly, Rosie

P.S I just want to say for the sake of those that have written to my Mom, I think between getting the house ready to put on the market, traveling back and forth to the area we plan to move to, little ones being sick and being sick, herself, she's many emails behind on writing back to those who have written her. I just wanted to share that so that no one would take it personally or be hurt if you've written to her anytime recently and haven't heard back from her. I know she's received many loving letters, and will respond to them as soon as she's able to.

Summer garden goodness

This is one of the very favorite among the favorites, of our summertime meals. If you like tomatoes, garlic, and basil, you will love this. When the tomatoes and basil are picked fresh from your garden just before it's prepared, it's especially wonderful. Too good to be true, really, in my humble opinion.

We don't really use a recipe, I just grab a colander and poke around out in the garden grabbing a goodly amount of the cheeriest looking tomatoes and friendliest looking basil before making my way back to the kitchen. I may make another trip back out if I decide I need a bit more of one or the other. So, I'll just share near abouts what we use and do.

There is much room for personal preference when making this. Because it is so simple, good fresh ingredients are the key. You can even use it for a salsa. I love to just eat it by the spoonfuls.

Following is about half of what we would do for our large family. I did take the time to write the recipe out once for a friend, but didn't have an opportunity to make a copy. So, here is today's version, which was no doubt a little different last time and will no doubt be a little different next time, and the time after that, and the time after that.........

Fresh Tomato Pasta Sauce

About 7 nice large ripe tomatoes--finely diced.

About 1/2 a head of garlic (about 6 or so cloves) depending upon how much you and your family like garlic, this could vary enormously. Finely minced.

About 1/2 cup--firmly packed with fresh basil. Wash and place in a larger cup or mug, to finely chop with kitchen scissors.

In one of your especially lovely large bowls place your chopped tomatoes, garlic, and basil.

Using a nice cold pressed virgin olive oil, pour about 1/2 cup over all your fresh, beautiful garden goodness--again this amount will vary according to your liking, but this is a good starting place.

Another thing that makes a huge difference is using a good sea salt--Atlantic or Celtic sea salt (you can get them at your natural foods store) are so good for you and very delicious. They're truly worth the bit of extra money and effort to obtain. Sprinkle about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of sea salt over all--this is what will cause your tomatoes to juice, and be perfect over your pasta as sauce.

Another bit of delight in this whole affair, is freshly ground peppercorns. If you don't have a pepper mill and like pepper, you don't know what you're missing. We grind fresh pepper liberally over all.

Now, cover with a plate and set aside for several hours to let the tomatoes juice and flavors mingle.

Meanwhile, prepare a big fresh salad of nice dark leafy greens, and get several loaves of good crusty bread ready to be popped in the oven.

Here is something special to do with your bread. You can make garlic, herbed, or plain:

Take your loaves and slice into them diagnally or straight, as though for serving-sized pieces, but don't cut all the way through. Soften butter-- maybe a couple of sticks, and you can either use it plain or add minced chives, or minced garlic (I wiil oftentimes saute the garlic in advance for this--then add it) and spread a fairly liberal amount of your butter of preference, over each piece (I use my fingers to do this).

Now, to heat them up. You can either pop the loaves into paper bags or foil, and place them in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes to a half hour or so. When the bread is done it is just too delightfully warm and soft and buttery and you'll be tempted to eat way too much--trust me, I know.

Though the sauce is at room temperature, it is served over hot, buttered pasta. I can't tell you how good it is.

Our particular favorite pasta is, Debole's tomato, basil, artichoke, angel hair pasta--again good for you, very delicious, and you can get it at your natural foods store. We love angel hair--you use whatever type of pasta you like. Try different things. We always liberally butter our hot pasta before serving, too. You could also give it a good dousing with your fine olive oil, if you prefer.

We also use a good-sized wedge of an especially nice parmesan cheese, finely grated and sprinkled in hefty amounts over each plateful.

This is a frequent meal at our home during the summer, and we vary ingredients and amounts to our liking even making a couple of batches to accomadate the different tastes within our family, or in consideration of our guests--we love garlic, and realize some of our guests may not be quite as enthusiastically head over heels for it as we are.

We sometimes add freshly sliced sweet onion, black olives and usually always, freshly sauted mushrooms. We also serve meatballs and sausage with it.

Do trust me and give it a try, okay. You will be eternally grateful that you did.
Lovely cloths on your picnic table/s beautiful dishes, music playing, refreshing drinks, a campfire and a nice big fat chocolate torte and ice cream for dessert (I'll share that next week, okay :o).

This is the best of summer.

Wonderful day, here. Julia was sewing away on little peasant tops for the little gals. I think she completed nearly a clothesline-full. Rosie and I headed out shopping and stopped by Lin's lovely shop along the quiet backroads way, and I had to pull myself away once again--she is just far sweeter than words could say, and it is not easy for me. I've decided next time to go for a real visit, with just a couple of the littlest and dear Rosie to kindly tend to them for me. I got an **adorable** vintage pattern for a little girls cirlce skirt and the cutest hat! I'm dying to sew one up and will share the pattern and the skirt (and hopefully hat, too) soon as I do.

We then went to visit my dear friend Kelly, and I though I planned to stay no more than a half hour then head out shopping, the lovely visit blossomed into far longer, so I got each of the little ones an ice cream cone and made my way back home. Shopping can wait 'til tomorrow :o)

I hope your day was special. Let me know how your fresh tomato pasta sauce comes out, okay--you know how much I love photos, too :o) I'd love to hear. You dear southern gals, in the US should be able to be out in that garden gathering tomatoes, soon, right? And *some of*, you dear Australian gals ((hugs)).......I'll post some photos of *mine* for you, soon--keep warm dear ones :o)

Warmly, Jewels

Pleasant Peasantry

A Simply Lovely Life

While Rosette, Chubb, and I headed out to go shopping with the little ones, today, Julia stayed behind--with James and Joseph, who were busy with projects of their own, and settled in to do some more sewing--this time for herself.

Using this pattern she made a cute peasant top, and using this pattern, she made a simply sweet, linen skirt with a flounce. Having traced off her pattern and washed all of her fabric last night, she had everything prepared and ready to go, this morning.

After we had gone, she pinned the pattern pieces to her fabric, got the pieces cut out, and had everything completely sewn by the time we arrived back home in the late afternoon. These were the trial runs/or muslins, which are firstly sewn to make sure that everything is just the right size and way she'd like it to be. She'll make just a couple of changes to the blouse, as the skirt, for the others to follow that she plans to make.



I've been asked where we purchase most of our fabrics. When we do purchase them (as a great deal of our lovely fabric has often been gifted to us by kind friends) we have a wonderful fabric shop that has nice fabrics at heavily discounted prices, as well as our regular local fabric stores which is where I will most times go, to get what I need if it's in our "personal fabric store", upstairs :o) It is nice to be able to actually see the colors and patterns of the fabrics in real life, as well as feel the weight and drape, to gauge the quality and what it would best be suited for. Most times, we're matching fabrics, as well, so it's helpful to be able to have, let's say, a skirt fabric in hand, and then quickly scan for the possible options among the myriad choices that it might be nice partnered with it. We have many times purchased fabric online as well , and there are some incredible sources.

Thankfully, since Julia needed new skirts and some new blouses to go with them, JoAnne's Fabrics had one of their great sales going on (which is still presently running, for anyone that's interested). Linen, our particular favorite for skirts, was/and is, 40% off, and all the quilting cottons that we chose for her blouses, were/and are, 30% off. So, that worked out wonderfully well. Also, for those that are looking for patterns, all of the Butterick Patterns are, as I type, 99 cents each.

Though you can't tell very well, due to the lighting in the photos, the linens for the skirts are black, blue, natural, and chocolate brown. Though the blues do have a hint of purplish to them, they are not nearly as purple as they came out looking in the photos. Then she has an assortment of pretty cotton prints that she'll be sewing up her new blouses from.



Kelly asked about  a sturdy, full coverage apron pattern, so for Kelly and anyone that's interested, here are a couple of patterns that we found for aprons, just recently, that were Butterick patterns and are on sale right now for 99 cents each. Both can be made of nice sturdy fabric, and have good coverage; this one, a Butterick See and Sew pattern, is a basic cobbler apron and more on the utilitarian side, while this one, is a bit more feminine and soft, and can be somewhat frilly. Both would be easy to make. There are *many* apron patterns to choose from, and we particularly like vintage apron patterns. Nice sturdy practical aprons are super easy to make without a pattern, both full and half, but it might be best for someone beginning to just find a nice pattern that you like and go from there. And remember, most of the main brands of patterns go on sale for 99 cents each, on occasion. So, you can wait until the pattern you like does go on sale, if it isn't presently. It's really worthwhile to get the store's sale fliers. JoAnne's gives you a coupon in their monthly flier that is good for 40%, or is it 50% off of one item, which can be a piece of fabric--any length.

Many of you have asked me a good number of sewing questions, and I'll try and share any helpful information that I can think of along the way, as I share our completed projects. For us, it seems the best way to go has been to get a couple of simple patterns, some fabric and do our very best at any given point, and wear our unique creations, proudly, even if/or when, they didn't come out as well perhaps as we would have liked. You'll for surely get better and better with each garment that you sew, and those imperfections, will only serve to add character and visual interest!

Skirts and peasant blouses are very easy to make, as are the little jumpers, pinafores and bloomers that Julia made and I shared about in a recent post. For those that have asked how I have taught the girls to sew---you are watching Julia, who is 15 continuing on in the process of learning to sew--by sewing for her little sisters and Josie, and for herself. By the time she's finished with her summer wardrobe from the fabrics above, she will have gained so much proficiency in her skill level as well as her confidence, and found much pleasure in doing so. This is the same way that Rosie learned to sew--simple projects, nice fabrics, practical, everyday things that they can actually wear and/or see someone else wearing and be proud of. Any of you dear mamas can do it, and teach your sweet daughters soon after you have just a bit of experience under your belt. The children and I have truly enjoyed learning things together, over the years. And, now they are far better at many of the things I initially sparked their interest in, than I am!

And for the flower lovin' gals..... a couple of photos of the latest blossoms in the garden.

Big Papa's lily garden--planted as a gift for him for Father's Day some years ago, is just beginning to bloom.



And the white phlox





I hope everyone's day was wonderful. Ours was so nice--the sun was shining in all it's glory, here, this first lovely day of Summer.

Warmly, your friend, Jewels.

As we warmly welcome summer

A Simply Lovely Life

A couple more wonderful recipes for summer gatherings with family and friends.

~~Oven-Fried Chicken~~

This recipe is enough for our (large:o) family, and friends.

3 family-sized packages of chicken pieces--we use 2 packages of thighs and 1 package of drumsticks.

1 large box of cornflake type cereal--crushed finely with a rolling pin, or in a food processor.

1 tsp of oregano

1 tsp of pepper

1 tsp of salt

1 lb of butter, melted in a saucepan on the stove.

Mix the cornflake cereal, oregano, salt and pepper in a large bowl.

Dip the chicken pieces in butter to thoroughly cover,

Then dredge in, and completely cover with, cereal mixture.

If you'd like you can drizzle any remaining butter over the top of all the chicken pieces, once they are in the pan/s.

Place chicken pieces in a large buttered baking pan/s, and bake uncovered, in a 400 degree oven for about 1 and 1/2 to 2 hours 'til chicken is moist and tender, nearly falling off the bone.

And, to go with the chicken:

~~Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes~~

This recipe makes enough potatoes to fill a 6 quart crockpot, or a large baking pan. We usually fill 2 crockpots if we are having a gathering with friends.

5 lbs of potatoes (we prefer red) washed, peeled/or no--as you prefer, and cut into consistently-sized chunks. Cook until nice and tender-ly done.

Drain water off potatoes, and return to pot, or place in a large bowl.

Add:

1 stick of butter

3/4 cup of sour cream

4-6 ounces of cream cheese

and salt and pepper to taste.

Mash all together until smooth. Add in 1/4 to 1/2 of a cup of milk, and continue to blend, until smooth.

Place in your buttered crockpot or baking pan or crock and heat as follows:

Cold in crockpot--cook 3 hours or so

Warm in crockpot--1 and 1/2 to 2 hours

Cold in oven--about 1 and 1/2 hours

Warm in oven--45 minutes to an hour.

Keep warmed until serving time.

They should be hot and bubbly when they're ready.

These are both very nice recipes, because they can be made up in advance, freeing you up to sit back, relax, and enjoy visiting.

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Also, for those that have the time and might enjoy some summer fun, my very dear friend, Peggy, has a Kitchen Bingo Game going on over at her lovely blog. As prizes for the winner, she has a book, called, "The Simpler Life", a notepad, and a clothespin bag and an apron of vintage fabric--that her sweet daughter, Livvie made. Everyone is warmly welcomed to join in.

And, for the flower lovers among us, just after the rain subsided, today, I poked out and around in the gardens for a bit and got a few last photos of the peonies, before they bid us adieu 'til next spring. They're so especially beautiful and smell so delightful that I'm always sorry to see them go. Can you see the raindrops on the petals of all the flowers?







And, foxglove.

I hope your first day of summer is an especially lovely one.

Warmly, Jewels

Little Lovelies in my day

A Simply Lovely Life

Bright, sunny, daisies in profusion.

Sally Pickle gets new duds.

Sally (aka Sophia) sewed her own simple little horse skirt, today, and Julia made her a cute green and white checked peasant top to go with it.



New bedroom curtains--kindly made by Rose.





Ever more priceless love from the Littles; Peonies, Lupines, and yet to open--Phlox.



Honeysuckle, Lance-Leafed Coreopsis, Phlox, Primrose and Yarrow.



Flowers, flowers, and more flowers, welcoming summer--warm, beautiful summer.



Garden girls.





And, garden baby.



Nepeta Catmint.



New shoes

Picnicking; baby greens, gorgonzola, mushrooms, and red onions.



Dear daughters playing a duet.



Watermelon gobbling.





And duck chasing.






I hope your day was beautiful.

Warmly, Jewels

Just popping in for a quick hello

A Simply Lovely Life

and to wish you a beautiful morning. I just found out that one of our precious neighbors passed away unexpectedly of a massive heart attack, and so am shuffling my schedule a bit so that I can go shopping, today, rather than my usual day, which would be tomorrow. I'd like to take dinner and some flowers and a gift over to his beautiful wife, later today, so thought I'd just do all of the shopping today since I'll be out and about anyways. So, that means that I'll wait just a while longer to draw the name of the dear one for the journal package. I'll draw the name and let you know, later today when I post a *blog* journal entry :o)

Thanks again for your loving encouragement and kind words. Thanks for coming alongside and sharing in our days, and likewise sharing yours. It's been a very sweet, blessing to me. For those have written to me that I still haven't had a chance to write back to, yet, I will be writing, soon as time allows. After I get all the buttons sewn on all the little dresses, my plan is to lug my laptop out to the swing, sit in the shade, watch the little ones, chat here and there with the older ones, and type away!

The delightful peonies are still going strong.





I'll sure miss them when they're gone.

Have the loveliest day.
Warmly, Jewels

P.S. Suzanne, I forgot to say, I just loved your ironing board cover--very pretty. You just wait 'til it smells even better than it looks! You're going to be *taking in* (other dear folk's) ironing, on the side. I can see it now! :o)

In the midst of the flowers

A Simply Lovely Life

Another day in our home.

Flowers for Mama.

"Wrapped up--just like the store, Mama".











More love, for Mama.



The pool filling.



The day after the rain, Chive flowers and Lady's Mantle.

Working side-by-side.







Waiting to be filled.



Beauty and the Beast; Phlox on barbed wire.




The rain has gone, and the sun is shining--lovely, bright and warm, in it's stead.



And, yes, they are blooming. For those that are learning--the Peonies. Very beautiful aren't they. More colors to come.



It's been a nice busy day. Lots of laundry out on the line--and off and back in not long after, to be folded and tucked away. Cookies baked; to eat, and to share with dear friends. The boys have been going non-stop since early this morning--here, and out and about. The gals and I have been sewing away; presently, on one set each, of matching outfits for Sophia, Aimaija, and Celeisa. And, the little ones are enjoying this fine Spring day, running and playing outdoors--getting all their wiggles out, after being inside for the most part, yesterday. Supper alfresco, shortly after Big Papa arrives home from work. We all so look forward to his homecoming and the time spent together, feasting and merrymaking, reading the Word, singing and praying--the highlight of the day for us all, I believe. Rosie's making Taco Salad, and a fresh veggie tray, with dip. As they always do, the remaining hours of the day will pass by quickly, and before we know it, it will be time for tucking, and crawling, into bed. We'll all sleep well, tonight. It's been a fine day.

Thank-you for taking the time to come by and visit. I hope you're enjoying this lovely day, too.

Warmly, Jewels

The Radishes...

A Simply Lovely Life

Sun-kissed, round-red, just-right-feisty, delicious and in abundance. Nestled, waiting, in the rich dark earth for little hands to harvest and eat them by the handfuls--have not been disappointed.

Aimaija and the radishes...

Drinking in the beauty this life holds

A Simply Lovely Life

Making my way along slowly, with purpose, deliberation, joy and thanksgiving.

Wisteria on the arbor

A Simply Lovely Life.

One of the many old and well-established perennials on the property. Having been here far long before we were, it welcomed us in the most lovely way, that first Spring, some 13 years ago. And, has continued to likewise welcome us, faithfully, every single Springtime since; softly, gracefully, beautifully.

Blossoms, blossoms, everywhere....

A Simply Lovely Life.

The Azaleas.

The Lilacs, my favorite flowers.

Weeping Cherry blossoms.

And my sweet friend, Kelly's, littlest treasure (the youngest of 12 beautiful children) that Kelly and I have affectionately called, Blossom, since she was born.

The loveliest little Blossom, contentedly sleeping on her mama's chest.

Old Fashioned Bleeding Heart, in the garden

uploaded by A Simply Lovely Life.

It was pleasant quiet day, today. It's been especially nice opening the doors and windows, wide, to the brisk morning air and bright Spring sunshine. And, even nicer to have the brisk mornings give way to the mellow breeze's enveloping warmth, of the afternoons. Winter, which seemed it would never end, is beginning to seem far off and distant, and it's hard to imagine that the intensely warm days of Summer will so soon be upon us. What a joy to move freely within and without the house, having much to do in either place, now that Spring is here.

Rosie and Julia spent a few hours of the afternoon sewing; making a couple pairs of bedskirt bloomers, each, for themselves. They're very cute, made from a re-purposed sprightly looking old yellow and white checked sheet, as well as some more of the lovely fabric given to us by our beloved friend, Heather, which is also a nice old fashioned looking, cheery yellow--a striped print. Just a bit of finishing up, remaining, and they'll be ready to wear; 'round about the house, in the garden, on the trampoline....

I enjoyed the sweet indulgence of one of those too-good-to-be-true naps, that doesn't come around every day. You know, the type, where you're not only out for a couple of hours, but so deeply asleep that you awaken, slowly, pulling yourself from slumber by degrees; cloudy, drifting in and out, not knowing for those few brief moments, who you are, where you are, or just what day it is. Still more than a bit tired from the weekend, I curled up snuggly beside my littlest nursling, and only managed to make it through half a dozen pages or so of the book I'm presently reading; inspiring stories of contemporary women farmers. I fought to keep my eyes open, for just one more page, as I invariably do, but the pull was too strong, to surrender to the sweet sleep that was calling me far and away. It felt so good.

The rest of the afternoon flew by, spent for the most part, outdoors in the fresh air and sunshine.

Supper was hot out of the oven and delicious; shepherds pie and a baked pumpkin custard. After hearing all the news of Big Papa's day, and sharing ours, supper was over, the table cleared and dishes done, while the little ones were bundled in sweaters and readied for a quick sunset hike at a nearby nature trail, that runs through the woods and along the water.

We slowly meandered along the trail. So nice to all be together at the close of the day. There was good conversation, merriment and laughter along the way. All was peaceful, quietly still--beneath the light of the moon, the last leg of the journey, headed back towards the van.

















I hope that you had a nice day, too, and have a fine lovely, Wednesday.

Lovingly, Jewels