Welcome To Our Patch!

Dear Ones,

It's KANSAS DAY 2012!!!
So~o~o to celebrate, I'm re~posting the Sunflower post from July 29, 2011!Hope you enjoy seeing these grown by The Master Gardener, "Mr. Ed"!
Have a wonderful and happy KANSAS DAY!

Fondly,
Pat

Welcome to our Sunflower Patch On Crooked Creek!

Dear Ones,
"Mr. Ed" and I were both born in "The Sunflower State". Since our retirement from active duty . . . every year . . . "Mr. Ed" has cultivated the soil within the perimeters of our garden and made a Sunflower Patch for me!!! 

I l o v e Sunflowers! 

The seed is hope,

                                                          the flower is joy!

In the garden, my soul is sunshine.

"Turn your face to the sun
                      and the shadows follow behind you."
~ Maori Proverb

He who plants a seed

 beneath the sod,

and waits to see,

believes in God.

Plant kindness. . .

                        gather love.



Plant smiles,

grow giggles,

harvest love.

He who plants a garden, plants happiness.

 Keeper of the garden.

Thank you for allowing "Mr. Ed" and I to share our

Sunflower Patch On Crooked Creek with you!

"Where flowers bloom, there is hope."

~Lady Bird Johnson

Until next time. . .

Double Take!

While visiting a local Antique Shop last week, Roadhouse Antiques, I came across an oil painting ~ signed~ yet unframed for $5. I was quite pleased ~not only with the reasonable price ~ but the subject matter of the painting.
It made me do a Double Take!

This oil painting of the birds in a vintage, galvanized pail hanging off the outdoor faucet is liken to that of an artifact "Mr. Ed" and I purchased while stationed in Germany.

When we saw this artifact in a shop in Germany, "Mr. Ed" and I were transformed back to his family farm on the Prairie of Kansas.

Birds nesting in a vintage farm pail on the Prairie is a natural occurrence. My beloved in~laws would not have disturbed this nest.

So~o~o. . .I knew these two would compliment each other for a Spring themed vignette On Crooked Creek. . .

. . .and needing to replace the Christmas vignette in the entry hall gave me a perfect place to perch the two.

Shopping the lower level On Crooked Creek, I brought up the wrought iron birdcage.

These faux moss spheres are velvety to the touch and appear to have bits of bird feathers in their composition.

The addition of the a birds nest adds to the authenticity.

Doing a Double Take. . .On Crooked Creek!

Until next time . . .

NOT Just Another Pretty Plate!

Dear Ones,

I won't bore you with the "No More Dishes" that I continually hear from "Mr. Ed" throughout this post... but I have to share that these gratin dishes are. . . 

NOT just another pretty plate!!!

Purchased on a recent shopping trip, I was hopeful that I would find four of these lovelies. I am, still on the search for one more.

So~o~o. . .in the meanwhile I will use these for "Mr. Ed" and I to enjoy eating our meals and left~overs from!

Since I am still employed part~time, I often times cook an entire recipe and then freeze a portion or serve enhanced left~overs!

Last week, I made a huge pot of spaghetti noodles and homemade spaghetti sauce.
"Mr. Ed" must have thought I'd invited guests without his knowledge. . .but I just decided to make an entire batch and only do the clean~up once! So~o~o. . .

out came the gratin dishes! I sprayed them with PAM Olive Oil, and began layering  in the left~overs! First the spaghetti noodles. . .

Next, I spooned on an ample portion of the left~over spaghetti sauce.

Then, I topped it off with a blend of Three Italian grated cheeses.

...and baked it in a 350 degree oven for 35 minutes. Just until the cheeses were melted and bubbling! The aroma that permeated the house was divine!

Of course, I had to set off those gratin dishes by placing them atop one of my restaurant oval platters!

These are not only pretty dishes...but clean~up was a breeze!

Left~over spaghetti served with mandarin oranges and pineapple chunks!


On Crooked Creek. . .

NOT just another pretty plate!



Until next time. . .

Lighter Look for 2012!

L i g h t e r ~
                                           as in less?

On Crooked Creek ~ l i g h t e r ~

       as in a s o f t e r hue for the built ~ in China Cabinet.

Removing all the vibrant hues from the China Cabinet and leaving only the creamy ivories, soft pinks, subtle purples and the whites of our heirloom China Rose China and our collected German Coffee Sets. . .

                                                           gives us a l i g h t e r look for 2011!

The soft pinks of these delicate roses on our heirloom China Rose pattern china with their platinum rims add much needed l i g h t and shimmer to our dark mahogany cupboard!

The upper shelf of the built~in China Cabinet is the only shelf that had the ample height to showcase the detailing of our heirloom china dinner plates. The German Coffee pot was taller than I had remembered ~ thus the display had to be re~arranged several times before I was pleased with the results.

I never tire of the intricate detailing of this Easter Tea Set! Sage green, soft pink and subtle purple against the creamy ivory give me immense pleasure each time I gaze upon the set. Even the pops of yellow are an appealing l i g h t contrast.

The Easter Tea Set combined with my vintage, pink fostoria cream and sugar for a continuing l i g h t e r  look for the middle shelf of the built~in China Cabinet!

My antique, pink depression creamer and sugar paired with a small pitcher keep this l i g h t e r look along the entire length of the shelf.

My all time favorite cups and saucers gifted to me by my beloved mother~in~law!

I hope you can enjoy the interiors of these cups in the enhanced photos. The pink cup and saucer is my absolute favorite!

 The completion of the German Coffee Set, resting on the bottom shelf, is a dessert set for six. Europeans must have begun that popular saying,

                        "Life is short ~ eat dessert first"!

"Mr. Ed" and I remember being invited into several German nationalist homes while serving in Germany . . .  and eating dessert  f i r s t !

Here is the first of four German Coffee Sets we purchased while serving in Germany! I adore the imprinted white lacey pattern of the china, the subtle purple flowers and the long curve to the spout! It appears to have vintage and art deco influences.

Another of my beloved mother~in~laws footed tea cups. This one has hues of aqua blue with all the sage greens, soft pinks,subtle purples and pops of yellow!

The final cup in our l i g h t e r look for 2011 is one of my MoMa's tea cups. I don't remember it ever having a saucer, perhaps that's the reason it now resides in the built~in China Cabinet On Crooked Creek. Unique ~ and slightly askew ~ like me!

On Crooked Creek ~
s o f t e r  hues for the built ~ in China Cabinet ~
                                                                and a l i g h t e r look for 2012!

Until next time. . .

To see the before photos of the built ~in China Cabinet On Crooked Creek be sure to check out a post from the past titled, The Wait Is Over. . .  at the link below:

http://oncrookedcreekct.blogspot.com/2010/10/wait-is-over.html

www.betweennapsonthe porch.blogspot.com

On Crooked Creek will be joining Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps On The Porch with our sweet hostess, Susan! Be sure to visit and be inspired to do a make~over in your home decor!