~~ 5 Minute Chocolate Cake .. Yummy ~~

*** MOTHER'S DAY GIVEAWAY REGISTRY BELOW ***

(Don't forget the pot of tea!)
5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE
4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
A small splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug (MicroSafe)

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly.
Pour in the milk and oil and mix well..
Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again.
Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts.
The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed!
Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.

~~ Love 'n Blooms ~~

~~ Our precious Tatiana Isabelle. Two of God's beautiful wonders ...

PS
DON'T FORGET TO REGISTER FOR OUR MOTHER'S DAY GIVEAWAY

~~ Pillowcase Curtains & Kitchen ~~

As you meander through my kitchen you will see the 'island' which is my Grandmother Maggie's base of the kitchen cupboard given to her as a wedding gift in 1910. G'ma worked as a cook for Somerville Lumber, where she met G'pa. She had arrived from Ireland a couple years before. I cannot part with this piece; the back was long ago lost, so now it has a new granite top that holds pictures of my loved ones. It is a perfect contrast to the cottage look.











Our kitchen is the basic cottage white. We had an artist paint all the cascading flowers on the ceiling & around the crown or the kitchen. Gail created all the chandeliers, adorned w/porcelain pink & green roses, dripping w/prisms. The tile backdrop was still what I wanted so rather than spend a fortune replacing it all, I bought 'wallies', cut & pasted a few of them & covered the original tile floral design ... WAH-LAH! ... they worked out perfectly, giving me the look I was trying to achieve for minimal expense.

The kitchen curtains are vintage pillowcases that I left intact, slit the ends just enough to put a curtain rod thru & hung them. Carola created the gorgeous tiebacks, I tied them on the backside so that when you look from the outside in, you see a pretty bow on the back of the curtains ... the valance is a lace runner held up w/ribbon ties of pink & lavendar sheer ribbons tied to the curtain rod.

Our vintage German canisters were the perfect accent to the decor; a gift from a dear friend.

The door knobs are all glass ... pink on the upper cupboards, crystal on the drawers & green on the lower cupboards ... the perfect finishing touch.



There are more pictures in ~~ Light Up My Cottage Life ~~ I believe.

~~ Blue Monday Pick Me Up ~~

It is a very windy, rainy, cool day here & will be for 2 more days. I decided I need a 'pick me up' ... out comes the tea pot, tea cozy, tea cup & tea ... I'm going to 'hunker down' & relax catching up on inside 'to do's' & enjoy the soothing relaxation that will come in between ... feet up, tea brewing & a good book.

I will also take time to reflect with the Lord & ask Him to guide me on a path for a decision I have to make ... I have failed myself many times, He has never failed me.

I have a headache! I truly am worn out BUT I DID IT ALL BY MYSELF! I'm done for the night. This is one of the front gardens. Enjoy!

~ Rebirth of my gardens ~

Okay, I got the pics up all on my own, FETE #1, didn't have to yell for hubby or Tammy! I'll be swiggered if I can figure out how to get my duplicates off. Enjoy anyway. I love to garden, I cannot have enough flowers in the spring/summer. I just planted more peony tubers today in pink & deep pink. They will be awesome.

~ Spring in Backyard ~

This is a little bit of our backyard but the following photos will show you our pretty spring flowers ... you can see the flowering cherry on the left & faintly catch a whisper of the dogwoods in the background ... enjoy the beauty of rebirth.

~~~ Happy Birthday Ansel ~~~

Our adorable, loving, sweet Ansel is 8 today. This is my favorite picture of his first birthday ... he went wild, fascinated with the bubbles we brought him.

The birth of Ansel was such a precious moment, our 2nd gr'baby. His kind gentle heart & giving love radiates, & exquisite etiquette is constant ... Ansel you are a very special boy that makes our hearts so proud.

Ansel is now into Lego Star Wars. He amazes us as we watch him play & create with the Legos. He knows every single part, figure & design by heart. The creativity within his mind shows all over his face as he plays with the Legos.

Thank you for bringing us such joys, Ansel. With love, Mimi & Poppy

~~ Spring Drive in PA ~~

Today was such a gorgeous warm day we hopped in the car, went out to breakfast in an old town about 30 miles north of here to enjoy the country folks at this down-home restaurant. Then we began our meandering down the PA. countryside, for want of nothing better to do than to enjoy the breathtaking rebirth of our country & the picturesque land. The peaceful 'rushes' of the creeks, the birds melodies filling the air, the precious little fuzzy lambs soft baa-ing as they saunter by their mom's, the cats scurrying across the road to safety, the beautiful black Labrador soaking wet just out of the creek, the majestic horses wandering throughout the fields of luscious spring green ... the colorfully painted landscaping dressed by God. The serenity of our country's exquisite sites, I just wanted to share them with you ... on our peaceful, relaxing 100 mile journey.

Along the way we found a couple of antique spots to browse thru. Of course, my penchant for feedsacks beckoned me to the right places today ... they even 'bargained' for me which made it even more fun. Icing on the 'cake'.

Today I was truly blessed with wonderful news ... the surgery went well, the medical issue is now corrected. The greatest part is that my wonderful heart Dr. (Alan) made a precious comment, 'I don't mind being corrected'. He listens & works with me ... I am so blessed. Such relief overwhelmed me enroute home. I bake a cake every time I go see him, it is the least I can do for such a wonderful man.

~~~ Feedsack Mats ~~~

These little darlings were found in an auction box by a friend, for me. They are a bit rough from age but still sweet. The back of each has a chintz fabric pocket for an insert, they are prob. hot pads. These ladies from yore were very creative & thrifty with the little scraps of fabrics.

*** Easter Find (Blue Monday)***

Tatiana was pretty tickled with herself keeping up with Ansel & James at our annual home Easter egg hunt. Despite the horribly wet & cold, all 3 had an absolute grand time trying to
out do one another in the hunt. What joy the little ones give us, revitalizing the 'youth' in all.

~~~ In Him ~~~

Christ is risen ... He will come again.

There have been some moments in great sorrow when we have felt abandoned ... to find that Christ was there holding us up, teaching us to carry on & relieving our sorrow through our faith in Him.

Every Sunday it saddens me to see His image nailed to the cross, that He died for you & I to live on ... He was such a kind & gentle & generous man toward us all to carry such a burden for each of us. Thank you, Lord God, for your gifts & love.

May you have a blessed Easter season. God bless your hearts.

** Birthday Blessings **

Joshua Ryan Carty Ford arrived 18 years ago today, by our daughter, Cari. Our emotions were rampant, that little precious bundle would be forever treasured. We had wings on our heels & hearts. Our first little one, we were so blessed.
Every single 'first' Joshua ever had are embedded in my soul with warm memories.

The first gorgeous smile, the first gentle tear
The first sweet hug, the first little fall
Gumming a cob of corn, his first piece of steak
That walker running all over the house
How he loved Bob Barker on The Price Is Right
Those first steps at 7 months, soon became running
How he'd sit for hours pounding nails into a piece of wood
Our smelling the flowers, watching the birds
Swinging for hours, reading his book(s)

Calling Pa Harvey (gr-g'pa) to come out to play
Pa would ask 'why' but soon give way
Too soon came school, the loss of your teeth
Riding a bike, playing baseball ... sliding to home plate
Then there were braces, & motorbike race(s)
Too quickly came high school & life's fast pace
Now he has graduated early & has a good job
Our sweet little fella is all grown.

What pride & joy Joshua, you have given us. We
are so very proud of your kind & gentle heart, the
generous hugs & deep love. As you enter into
adulthood today, which you haven't let us forget
for the past few months, we ask that you be blessed
& continue your journey with the verve you have
thus far carried in your life. A tear(s) of happiness you
turned out as wonderful as you have, a selfish tear of
letting you enjoy the world you are entering, we are
here for constant support.

Joshua ... may you ever know that life is what you make
of it, you have a fantastic head on your shoulders & will
be very successful ... God speed.

Please know that our love is firm & deep. We thank you
for making us so proud. Ever in our hearts & souls,
Love & pride ~
Mini & Poppy

~~ Blue Monday Reflections ~~

Many times we reflect on our lives ... moments to remember, moments to forget, times to sweetly linger with.

One of my sweetest moments in my life is the moment of birth, our precious children. Our daughter gave us a very blessed gift when she presented us with Joshua ... for she & us to treasure. I remember the first time I put Joshua in front of a mirror, he studied that image closely, he was adorable. You could see that little mind absorbing every inch of his image ... then this toothless smile spread across his face. How priceless.

This gorgeous meat platter I created into a mirror, binding the rough edge w/blue trim & accenting w/antique pin. I fell in love w/the little hearts & floral design ... & those precious little snuggling love birds. It graces our new 'blue room'.

~~ PRAYERS For Scarlett ~~

As each petal unfolds, they reach to the heavens, as if in prayer .....

May I please ask each of you today to include prayers for Hope For Scarlett, the little 2 yr. old girl I am raising funds for. Several issues have arisen that we
are having to deal with & to make this continue & be successful. We need all the
prayer support & guidance of our Almighty to carry us thru the events of the last few days. Scarlett has 3 serious medical maladies, things do not look as optimistic as we had hoped before. Also, if you would add in your prayers that all children, & others, that are suffering be blessed & lifted from the suffering they are enduring. This would make my day complete ... thank you so much. TTFN (Thank Thy Father Now) ~ Marydon

~~ Light Up My Cottage Life ~~

Dripping in crystal prisms of various sizes, Gail created this gorgeous pink & green chandelier for our master chamber to accent the pink & green roses theme throughout. The chandelier compliments the gorgeous mantle lights in an earlier blog photo. Gail knows exactly how to create charm & elegance for that special finishing touch to one's decor.

Visit Gail on ebay ~ shabby*cottage*shoppe

~ Cherry Blossoms to Cherry Feedsacks ~

These 4 lovely cherry feedsack prints fit right in with the 'Cherry Blossom' season ... fruits of the season to come. What gorgeous colors from back in the prob. 1940s. I am surrounded by approx. 200 feedsacks that arrived yesterday ... I am in fabric heaven!