French Cooking Class

I was offered the opportunity to go to Ann Arbor to take a French cooking class.  The chef teaches at a variety of venues, but class it was instructed in her sweet home.  Her lovely daughter assisted and we were taught how to make a raspberry meringue pie, chicken tenders with mushrooms, scallops and port.

The theme of the meal was Normandy. 

There was wine, water, sparkling water, and hard cider. Appetizers were baguette,  a platter of cheeses (the sheep cheese was the big treat) and roasted marinated eggplant with basil on french bread. Additionally there was scallops and port.  

My classmates were tax preparers from the H & R Block in A2.  It was an enjoyable and diverting activity to kick off the summer.

Brutus

 This is Brutus the Goldendoodle. He is a good natured dog. In fact he is the most laid back dog I have ever met.

He belongs to my friend Jamie.  She asked me to stay with him while she and her fiance' went on a trip scuba diving. Before I stayed with him he got trimmed.  Good thing too because we had a 90 degree plus day already.  I took my granddaughters for a swim in Brutus's pool.  As you can see he has his own life jacket.  This is mostly because he is an older dog who might tire out easily.

Honestly is was the best swim party ever!

More Little Joys

I gifted myself with this sweater for my birthday.  

I received more chocolates from Le Chatelain, Bozman MT. 

Joys

Many things go unposted because I don't have internet. But here is a sampling of the little joys 2016 has brought so far.

I won this small metal clay charm at the Hot Chocolate Hustle.  It was designed by an AHS art student. 

One day in March I went out with the girls from work and we visited the Humane Society.  A very sweet deaf pit bull was there.  She waited a long while to be adopted, but many people were rooting for her and she had a large following on face book. In the top frame her collar indicates that she is deaf.

 I found this decaying pumpkin in the Fedor's garage that I found strange and beautiful.

This is my young friend Emma as Dr. Watson in her school musical.  All the songs were written by a classmate and high school student.  This was very impressive, not at all schmaltzy.

Kitten Tracks left in an early March snow.

Cute handmade bunnies found at Peaceable Kingdom.

Friends and Family weekend at the Second Baptist Church. The youth group is directed by my friend and co-worker.  It was spiritually uplifting.

I spent Easter at friends.  This is their fine Blue Heeler Cooper.  This is a great dog. He is full of energy and can play ball all day.

This is their other dog Zoomer.  He can't be let loose or he will run, and run, and run.

 Cake at work

 I cut the happiest piece I could. I've never done that before.

 My grand daughter was a pirate in Peter Pan.

 I found these lovely English porcelain earrings at the second hand store. 

An early April snow. 

 This is a blue aka lilac aka silver beagle I met at the farmer's market.

 This is the beagles yellow lab mix companion. She is a little shy.

I bought these large may morels from the mushroom man at the farmers market. They were so tasty. 

Harriett Cooking Fly Soup

I don't eat fly soup, but I am so proud of how capable Harriett is!

Pussy Willows

I just love this cute little vase from the Salvation Army thrift store. It really

brings out the red and brown in the stems.

May Basket 2016

The May Basket for 2016 was a May Day Girl.

 Inspired by Gisella Loeffler, I designed and painted this May Day Parade picture.

There are worms and ants under the row of red tulips. 

Red is one of my favorite spring time colors.

 I got this Springerle mold from etsy and made extra lemony springerle. 

The cookies were really tasty.

 The theme began with this book I found at a yard sale.  

It is a sweet little book with pop-ups on every page.

 I added chamomile lemongrass tea, the cute table cloth seen under the painting, 

and a small pack of sweet smelling Stock. I like the cute little ratan basket too.

Like last year the activity of constructing a May basket provided a joyful diversion from my troubles.

May Basket 2015

I never did write about last year's May basket given to Valorie. 2015 had a sunflower theme.

 I found this sunflower graphic covered box.  I got a felt sunflower placemat, a vintage sunflower table cloth ...

a sunflower flower frog, a red sunflower votive holder, sunflower pail, tea, seeds and homemade sunflower bread.

 It was a fun basket to collect for and provided a diversion from my concerns and sorrows.