No Words Needed~

~Mother Teresa~

~Maya Angelou~

~Meryl Streep~

~Coretta Scott King~

~Lauren Bacall~

~Jessica Tandy~

~Audrey Hepburn~

~Katherine Hepburn~

Memorial Weekend~

~Thankful Remembrance~

~A Family Picnic~

~Showing some Red, White and Blue~

~Watching a parade~

A Happy and Safe Memorial Weekend to all.

Spring Dinner~

~Fresh Artichokes~

1. Take a couple of these...

~Clarified Butter~

2. Clarify a half stick of butter...

~Fresh Rosemary~

3. While the butter is melting, add several crushed leaves of fresh Rosemary...

~*~

Dip the tender leaves of the Artichoke into the Rosemary butter...

If you like Artichokes and you enjoy the piney flavor of Rosemary, give this a try~ delicious!

Do you have a favorite way of preparing early season vegetables?

Breakfast anyone?

~Cappuccino~

~Croissant~
Please join me this morning.

The Good Life~

~Another view of a Lifescape~

When I illustrate from memory, I can almost smell my surroundings of a place I have visited. Right around the corner from this hotel in Lucca is a gorgeous cafe~ see it here.

Just as you round the corner, you can smell the strong coffee brewing. Men and women stop in for a quick jolt of espresso or a cappuccino,.They stand at the polished brass bar, quickly downing their coffee before heading out to work or to the market.

It costs a bit more to sit at one of the beautiful marble tables, but we Americans don't stand with our coffee. We sit, take a little more time, watch people and if that means spending a bit more on a fine cup of coffee, it's fine.

Those Italians though, they know how to live. They generally start work a little later than we do, and they close up shop at 1 p.m. and then re-open at 3:30 until 6:00 or 8:00, depending on the time of year. During this afternoon break a mid-day meal is served with the whole family in attendance. What could be any better than that? I love the laid back way of life that I see in Italy. Home, family, good food, rest, relaxation, art, beauty~strong coffee, a good mid-day meal and perhaps an afternoon nap.

Weekend Solitudes~

~Grilled Shrimp, roasted butternut squash, marinated onions and spring lettuce from the farm stand~

When I'm alone I like to make fresh salads with whatever is on hand and maybe something from the local farm stand.

With inspiration from Ronda and Ina I made a couple of delicious salads this weekend. Our local farm stand just re-opened for the season and there was gorgeous young, spring lettuce in abundance. With the days a little longer and the sun just a bit higher, it feels good eating lighter.

~Love in the Time of Cholera~

While it is a rainy weekend here, it's a wonderful excuse to catch up on some things that I put aside during our usual weekends. Like~ watching this movie. Did you see it? Or read the book? I enjoyed it, but was skeptical upon ordering it from Netflix.

It kept me fully engaged and I thought it had a sweet ending, which is always a treat in this day when movies are filled with violence, sadness, gloom and doom.

~Just a wisp of Lily-of-the-Valley~

~Muquet~

Time for a quick, wet stroll around the yard to see what's coming up. Although I have a good sized patch of Lily-of-the-Valley, they are just now starting to show their little umbrellas. I couldn't resist cutting a couple of early flowers.

Just scoot.....

~My little Scooter~

*Please excuse her nose being cut off- I hadn't realized the photo would appear quite this large.*

~ Retro Scooter Gal~

Monday my little scoot will go in for her yearly check-up. The 'Doc" that she sees will check her feet, fluid levels, give her a little charge, and a general physical exam.

She is well taken care of so I do think she will be delivered back to her rightful owner in picture perfect health and will be raring to be taken on a trip to the local farmer's market.

* With the local gas prices soaring each day- this is not such a bad way to get around locally.