A Weekend To Remember

My weekend with Liam, Jessi & Trevor (Jessi's boyfriend and a really great guy) was great fun making awesome memories and way too short!  Here are some pictures that capture our good times.  I didn't post on Sat and Sun because I wanted to spend every possible moment with them...I'm glad to be back and sharing again.

The first thing Liam did when he woke up Saturday morning was to write out his alphabet on a little sticky note...every now and then he'd recite the alphabet out loud to figure out what was coming next...he kept this little sticky note with him the entire weekend and by the time they were heading home it was a worn little folded square still in his possession...

He and I took a walk together and came across this huge limb that had fallen from a tree...he said "I can pick this up"...this is his attempt...look at that face!

He snuggled with his dog Stitch for a while...

 ...and helped me make these blueberry tarts using blueberries from our bushes at the cabin...

 ...we had a little of the blueberry mixture left over, so he snacked on some...I have to admit he preferred it in the puff pastry rather than in a bowl...alone the mixture was a little tart, being only blueberries, a little sugar and a little ground tapioca...

Fishing was the theme of the weekend...this is Liam reeling in the first catch of the day with coach Trevor... 

 ...he was quite pleased with himself!

 As the day went on, he was frustrated with not catching more...

 ...Trevor reminded him that you have to be patient, and sure enough, he caught another catfish!

...everything we caught was released (too small to keep or not edible)...

...Liam wanted to pet every one before they went back into the river!

 They were all this big!!!

Sunday was a relaxed morning...Liam and Trevor are best buds and a good pair!

We took Stitch for a walk along the river...

...and then there was swimming and more fishing!

 

Trevor had to help one of the fish we put back into the river when it was struggling...he just pushed it along until it went back down to the sandy bottom, swimming on its own!  Trevor saved the fish!

 

 No words necessary here...

We caught a blue crab, we tried to keep it (really good eating) but it moved so quickly it was back in the river before we could get a good hold on it...

...along with all the catfish, Liam caught a puffer fish...

...and a couple grunts...

Family time is precious to me and this weekend created awesome times and good memories forever!

Thanks for reading my blog, you are the best f/f/r/s/f's, see you tomorrow,
Lise

River Reflections

I do enjoy being here at our river place...there is something about this expanse of water that brings me great comfort.  I love watching the rising sun reflect in the ripples of the water...

 ...and the sun creating a glow in the sky as it awakens this part of the world.

Even cloudy morning skies are comforting...

This Osprey was perched on our dock and when I shared my neighbor that it excited me because they rarely come that close, she said it must have known my dock was lonely...

This dragonfly was visiting quietly in the backyard, but in the mornings as the sun is rising they are swarming at the rivers edge...I'm sure dining on whatever they can catch as night comes to a close. 

Life is good and I am grateful.  I love my river and I love my mountains and I love that I get to experience living and loving both!

Now I'm waiting for Jessi and Liam to arrive for the weekend...working on patiently waiting!  There is a slight possibility I may not post again until Sunday...taking advantage of every moment together...then again, I may be compelled to share some pictures of our fun!

Thanks for reading my blog, you are the best f/f/r/s/f's, see you tomorrow,
Lise

Carrot Top Tea

Carrots are quickly becoming one of my favorite veggies to grow...mostly because there are so many things you can do with the greens AND they apparently have a long shelf life after harvesting...I brought some of the greens with me that I harvested back on the 18th, and they still look quite fresh!  I used only half of them for the pesto I made and I've been trying to figure out what else I can do with them.  Then I saw an internet idea for making tea...brilliant!  Carrot tea is easy to make, delicious with  bright carrot flavor, is an excellent natural detoxicant and strengthener of the kidneys, and is good for people suffering from urinary tract complaints. 

Carrot Top Tea

Chop cleaned carrot greens and put them in a bowl (I used 4 cups).

Boil an equal amount of water and pour it over the greens.

Let them steep, covered with a plate or other non-reactive lid.

Once the tea is cool, strain the greens out of the liquid.

I still had small bits floating in the tea...

...so I strained it again using a coffee filter. 

The remaining tea is golden and delicious!

Try it, you might like it:)

Thanks for reading my blog, you are the best f/f/r/s/f's, see you tomorrow,
Lise

A Night Blooming Cereus In The Rain

As I pulled the car into the garage the other night, a beautiful light blooming cereus that was covered with raindrops was glowing from the spotlight in the pot it was growing in.  It caused me to stop...it's beauty was stunning and deserved a moment of admiration...I thought you might enjoy the photos I took in the rain...

These two photos of another bloom in the same pot are from very very early this morning...you can see the flower as it is beginning to close...

I find the night blooming cereus to be a stunning flower, and especially enjoy the fact that it only blooms at night.  I hope you enjoyed it!

Thanks for reading my blog, you are the best f/f/r/s/f's, see you tomorrow,
Lise

Sometimes It's Good To Splurge!

Last night I had dinner with my good friend Candace...visiting with people I haven't seen for some time is one of the benefits I enjoy when I come here to the river house...it was great to see her and catch up!  While I didn't have to splurge because she treated me to dinner for my birthday (love celebrating yet again, thank you my friend), I felt very happy getting to see her again and it was similar to the giddy feeling I get when splurging on something.  

Today I decided to indulge myself in a much loved but no longer experienced treat...I haven't pampered my feet with a spa pedicure since we moved to the cabin...and visit with my good friend and pedicure master Cheryl.  I had a cash birthday gift that I have been holding on to and a pedicure seemed like the perfect way to enjoy that gift...once again extending my birthday celebrating...here are my happy splurged upon feet...love pink toes!

This is my friend Cheryl...so great to get to see her again.  She's a master at her craft and works at Essentials Spa & Salon, if you ever feel like splurging on yourself, I highly recommend her:)

Sometimes it's good to splurge...it may not happen often, but it sure feels good!

Thanks for reading my blog, you are the best f/f/r/s/f's, see you tomorrow,
Lise

Three Vintage Canes & An Umbrella

Every time I come to our river house, I sort through and organize some of our belongings.  I came across these canes and a parasol and was fascinated by them.  I don't know much about them yet, except that we got them from Johny's parents. Johny was born in Luxembourg, as were his parents.  His grandparents were from Italy, Austria and Belgium and his great grandfather from the Azores.  This collection of canes and the umbrella are all from Europe, but that's all we know so far.

This umbrella is beautiful with a black leather handle...

...and a delicately etched gold metal section you would hold with the umbrella over your head...

I can imagine walking on a foggy day along a European cobblestone road with this umbrella protecting me from the heavy mist...

This falcon eagle head cane is the simplest of all the canes, though it screws apart in the middle of the cane...I suppose for easy packing/transporting.  The wood is beautiful and has some weight to it.

This cane has ivory inlaid over the entire length of the cane...it is a piece of art. 

 

We think this cane is from Austria...all the design detail indicates this is the case...

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'll continue to research where these came from...there are many online resources...I found similar falcon eagle heads, but I've not found anything that looks like the other canes or the umbrella I have.  Do you have a favorite site to research antiques?

Thanks for reading my blog, you are the best f/f/r/s/f's, see you tomorrow,
Lise