Lovely Lindsay

We attended a Bridal Shower for my lovely niece and it was delightful in every way.

It was held in a large room which lent itself so well for decorations and accommodated the many friends and  family members who came to offer their Best Wishes.

I was really thrilled to see the many little touches that turned this special occasion into a real social event! All the guests were given their own stem glass with a "blackboard" base and a fresh piece of white chalk tied with a ribbon in wedding colors, black or red, to personalize it.

Beverages were served in wonderful decanters. Fruit Sangria for those who imbibe, lemonade and iced tea.

Many Shower guests brought a favorite bottle of wine to help the couple start their wine cellar. These gifts were placed in a couple of old wooden crates.

Near the wine collection was this whimsical "initial" of the groom's surname made out of corks!

Other elegant touches included vases of different varieties of white flowers placed on table runners of burlap that was edged in white lace!

Near the clever coffee service, a Keurig machine ready to make each guest a "perfect cup", stood this custom photo collage book filled with many pictures  highlighting stages of Lindsay's life.

The Hostesses for this Bridal Shower were two very close friends of Lindsay. Both of these young mothers did a spectacular job and their little ones seemed to enjoy it all!

In fact, babies were in abundance and welcomed on the invitation. It really reminded me of how "Showers" are such a social tradition for women from every generation. For instance, the lady in the halter dress above is the great-grandmother of the baby in polka dots, and the baby with the hair bow had her great-grandmother present as well! Those are two different families!
Showers are far more than gift giving occasions. They are a "right of passage" and a chance to really share in a friend or loved one's good fortune and happiness. Some of us remember when it was our turn to be the "Bride-to-Be" and others perhaps look forward to their special day...

Shower guests included the bride's Mom, Sisters, Grandmother, Holly and other very special friends of the family,

the Groom's family and friends,

And members of my own family!

We nibbled on delicious treats, prepared and presented beautifully!

Besides all of the visiting between many people that I have known for thirty years, all of us sharing in the heart-felt joy of this happy occasion, there was a bounty of gifts to outfit the soon to be Misses' home.

We all had a big laugh when someone lost the clothespin game!

A beautiful fondant icing cake was served toward the end of our wonderful time together.

Wishing you every happiness, Lindsay!  We all love you so much!!!

Strawberry Poke Cake

We invited some friends over for a casual cookout and I realized that we should prepare a dessert!

In the pantry was a cake mix and a box of jello so "Poke Cake" came to mind. I've never made it but got the recipe off You Tube.
 Bake a cake as usual. Make the jello with the amount of boiling water called for and then just reduce the amount of cold water by half. Using a fork or a wooden stick dowel (like you use for shishkebobs), "poke" holes all over the top of the cake. DO NOT poke them all the way to the bottom of the pan! Leave some cake at the bottom of each hole to hold the jello in.

Pour the liquid jello all over the top of the cake. It will come up the sides of the cake and enter all the holes.

Refrigerate for a few hours.

We bought a quart of Heavy Whipping Cream and beat it up adding a few tablespoons of sugar at a time. Mix on high until soft peaks form.

This stuff is so delicious!!!! It is one of my father's favorites! Anything left over tastes great in a cup of coffee.

We had bananas already and I think I picked up the strawberries when I went out to get the whipping cream. We served pieces of poke cake with dollops of whipped cream topped with the cut up fruit on plates and carried them outside to eat. This made for a very nice summer dessert for company!

Celebrating The Fourth

We were delighted to be invited to a Fourth of July celebration at the horse farm where the girls ride.

Our host barbequed delicious hamburgers and hotdogs and all of the guests brought a dish or two to share. Joe's brother offered a  very moving Grace before the meal, thanking Almighty God not only for the food but also for our Freedom in this great country, and the sacrifices of the men and women who have made it possible.

The party took place in their fabulous pavilion. This wonderful structure has a wall on one end, on which a large stone fireplace is built,  and windowed walls halfway down each side. The other half  has a roof but is open on each side. That little bit of wind protection makes this pavilion useable (with a fire burning!) virtually year round. It is a work of art with wide barn boards placed diagonally across the ceiling and three ceiling fans to circulate the air.
Ever since our family went to Twin Oaks Campground when I was a child, have I LOVED pavilions! They are so nice for hanging out in!

Even on a warm summer evening, there is nothing better than the smell of a wood fire!

The kids all had a great time enjoying the many farm animals.

Donna, our hostess, works hard to improve her property by maintaining it and creating beauty daily.

She loves critters and offers many kinds of farm animals a good home! This is Prada who actually has hair, not fur! It is super long and soft after a shampoo and conditioning!

Of course, the horses were saddled up! This is Misty on whom Natalie learned to canter about 7 years ago.

This is Dixie. Miss J. can walk and trot her by herself.

These young ladies partied with us. After only a few fireworks, another rain storm came through! We went up to the house and had the privilege  of hearing Julia, center, and her brother play a grand piano in the grandest of style! What a treat! Thanks to our friends for a terrific Fourth!

Garden Explorers

These little ladies had a great time learning about plants at a near-by museum for three consecutive Tuesdays.

These free, one-hour classes had a classroom portion, an outdoor game and an activity each week. The topics these gals learned about were Composting, How  Seeds Grow, and Trees.

They knew some of the other children who attended which added to their enjoyment.

Volunteers who care for the museum grounds helped the kids to plant a begonia in a red or blue pot.

After the program, my friend, Allison and I  stayed to have a picnic lunch with another family.

In the picnic area, the children really enjoyed the "Fairy Garden" which I have featured on these pages before, but there were improvements made in it. See the miniature pumpkins!

This is a little wishing well with a basket of apples beside it.

This was a terrific program, as is everything else that this museum has to offer.