Sunday 31 March 2013

Happy Easter.....

 Easter Greetings...



Hope you are all having a great weekend....


My daughter Erika brought me these beautiful Gerbera Daisies...


Aren't they just fabulous??? 


Two different species...


One more frilly that the other, and a tighter Flower...


The other....very large...soft Peach...


Just love these!!!





















We also had an unexpected visit from The Easter Bunny Herself!!!


How cute is that? 

She arrived with her ears...and a sweet onesie and bunny pants...

Complete with fluffy tail...

And ears on her toes!!!!  



She spent a lot of time with her Auntie Lissa  [my oldest...isn't she beautiful?]


She even let her borrow her Bunny ears!!!


My son's girlfriend Anna...looking on...she was recovering from a bad cold, so didn't want to get too close to Vivian...











She even got a basket of goodies from the "Easter Bunny"...[aka...gramma and grampa!!! ]









She had some mashed potatoes with gravy...

And some roasted Yam...

She loves Yams!!! 





We had a great day...


Vivian enjoyed herself immensely!!


Good food....


Great Family....


Great memories of Vivian's First Easter with all of us!!!  




    Enjoy this Easter Sunday...

      We are home from our sleepover at the lake.....BRRRRRRR!!!!!

               Will fill you in later...:o)


       On the menu tonight...

        LEFTOVERS!!!!!   YAY!!!!!



                         Cheers!  :o)
                           linda



Friday 29 March 2013

Good Friday....

 I am almost ready...

A few snacks to put together...

Waiting for the kids to arrive...

Thought I would share a picture from my cottage garden last summer...


A beautiful White Stargazer Lily...


How appropriate... 


Enjoy your day!!! 


Don't eat too much!!!




                                   Cheers!   :o)

                          Happy Good Friday and Easter Weekend...

                                     linda

Thursday 28 March 2013

Sneak Peek....

A sneak peek into my Easter decorations...


I am just taking a short break from the action....


Let's see...

Where am I???

Oh yes...

I have set the table... 

Put a few "Eastery" things around....


Made the stuffing...I don't put it in the bird anymore...

I stopped that a few years ago...

Now...I put it into a baking pan,and put it in the oven...

I still prepare it the same way, but now I add chicken broth...

For a moister stuffing..    

I also cook my Turkey as soon as I get up...

That way...all that mess of the roasting pan etc, can be washed and put away....[by my boyfriend, of course!]


It sits on the counter...all wrapped up....and also becomes way easier to carve...

Believe it or not...it stays warm...sometimes for 3 hours!!!

I keep the juices, in another pot...to make my gravy...

I always use the "Fat Divider"...and remove all excess fat, before making the gravy...Much healthier that way...

OK....back on track....

I have the carrots and broccoli all ready to go...

Will also do mashed potatoes, and this year, I am going to put some chopped yams in the oven, and make roasted yams....

BY cooking the Trukey early...it also frees up the oven for other dishes...

Brussel Sprouts also in the oven...

SO...that is 3 things in the oven...

Brussels, Yams and stuffing.....perfect!!!

I also had time to make my dessert...

Banana Cream Pie with a Graham crust...OUT OF THIS WORLD DELICIOUS!!!!        

There will be 7...no, wait...8 of us for dinner....

Forgot to add little Vivian in!!!

Perhaps she will have some mashed potatoes with gravy!!! 

And a bit of pie!!!


I usually do pansies on the table, but could not get any this year!

So....

I bought a couple of potted Muscari bulbs...

Plopped them into a basket...and added some eggs...

Looks pretty good!! 

 It is a cloudy day today....so the pictures aren't as bright as I would like...

Added candy to the table...

And some Reese's pieces for my daughter who has Celiac disease....THIS she can have!!!

The whole meal...

Except for the stuffing and dessert ... is gluten-free....

And my son...being a vegetarian...can feast on all the veggies...

I opted for a small White Hydrangea for my Hall Table...

It has the tiniest hint of Pink in it....perfect!!!

If you're still with me...

Scroll down....thru all the pics....and there she is at the end....BEAUTIFUL!!!!




























How is that for a pie???

Anybody want the recipe??

Pretty darn easy....

Hope you are all having a great day...

Got all your running around done?...

Are you eating on Friday , Saturday or Sunday???

We always do Good Friday...

Then everyone has the rest of the weekend to themselves...

Visit other people....you get the picture....

My boyfriend and I hope to get to the cottage for a sleepover on Saturday...

I have the Pea Soup all ready to go...

And...

Of course...

We will have some turkey leftovers....I hope!!!!


Wishing you all a wonderful weekend....

Time with family....good times....laughs....memories...

                                 Cheers!   :o)
                                  linda

      














Wednesday 27 March 2013

Easter Or Christmas Cactus?.....



They have been called Christmas Cactus...


Or...


Easter Cactus...


By others....


Whatever they are called...

Mine are blooming beautiful!!!


All of these plants flowered in the weeks leading up to Christmas...

 
And now they are putting on another display....


Just in time for Easter...  


Do your Cactuses bloom more than once a year???


What colours do you have???  









Hope you are all having a great day...

Another busy day around here....

         I have a ham bone in the slow cooker...

               Will turn that into delicious Pea Soup...
           
               I carved all the ham off. and made a platter that I will serve along

                       with the Turkey, on Friday.....


         On the menu tonight....

             Ham and Eggs and Home fried potatoes...

             An easy one for me tonight..

                  Must get cracking on my banana cream pie for Friday...

                     Very delicious...will share the recipe with you...  :o)  


Still need to get the table all set and decorated....tomorrow!!!!


                       Cheers!   :o)
                         linda