My little granddaughter volunteered to harvest the tomatoes.
Hobbes volunteered to guard her from marauders.
I volunteered to watch them and clap.
Life is good.
A Few Of My Treasures
I am rich indeed.
This Little Piggy
Oooh, we have a sweet little girlie turning 3 this week. She loves kitties, garden flowers, Bluey and Peppa Pig. Hee, hee–I mean, snort!
If you’re not familiar with Miss Peppa– you’re seriously missing a cultural event–because you see, Peppa is an English Piggy. Serious business, this. So between all the snorting–and there is a lot of snorting!– we have the most quirky piggy family with just the perfect English accents.
Our Miss T has loved this little ham hock forever. In fact, she could do a lovely rendition of Peppa’s snort almost before she could talk! And you simply MUST hear her say, “It’s a bit fun-nay” just like the proper British piglet. It’s adorable time 20.
Only stands to reason that she would need her very own Peppa for her birthday. Of course, of course.
Happy birthday sweetie. Grammy love you so much.
Snort-snort!
…Where the Heart Is
This little sweetie was the first to wake up. I’m sure she was thinking, “why is that lady still here?”
Merrick was really concerned about my foot. I told him it was healing still but doing so much better.
The guys had an Artist’s evening and everyone painted their own version of a masterpiece.
I feel so happy and relaxed being here. Who knew that someplace so far away could have the same homey feeling of actually being home.
Perhaps love has something to do with it.
The Queen’s Berry Tarts
This Valentine’s Day I was positively determined to have the best Grammy treats in the history of Grammy treats–for when the kids came with their Valentines.
I have no idea if I pulled it off–but for me, it was pretty close.
I made a lovely little butter cookie dough and at the last minute, I added the remaining bits of the freeze-dried strawberries (mostly pink dust) from the can in the cupboard.
That’s what all the red flecks are that you see in the dough.
In the summertime, I saw this sweet little cookie cutter stamp from William Sonoma.
For some reason, it just melted my heart and I couldn’t resist.
The press was so much fun to use and sooo easy.
Anyway, I think they are simply adorable…don’t you?
As I was painting little jelly hearts in the center of each one the nursery rhyme about the Knave stealing the Queen’s tarts kept going through my head.
His cookies look a lot like mine–only way bigger.
Mine are the perfect size–and worth stealing all the same.
The Queen's Berry Tarts
Ingredients
- 2 cups butter, softened
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 6 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsps baking powder
- decorating sugar or jam
Instructions
- In a bowl, cream butter and sugar.
- Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.
- Combine flour and baking powder.
- Gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.
- Shape with cookie cutter or press.
- Place on ungreased baking sheets.
- Decorate with sugar if desired.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
- If you used a cookie with a jam well in the center--carefully spoon in a small amount of jam in and let the cookies cool completely.
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