License Plate Hunt
We are going on a road trip this summer, and while I am so excited for it I also know it will be a lot of driving for the kids, which means I need to stock up on distractions to make the trip more pleasant and funner for all of us.
My daughter loves to play “I Spy” and other scavenger hunt type games, so I made up a license plate hunt for her to keep track of the different plates we see on our trip.
A Baby Bunny House
Espresso Sundae
At the end of one long week, just getting ready to start the next one, with the kids in bed, its time for a treat.
There was a coffeehouse I used to go to a million years ago when I was eighteen – we would sit there for hours talking, playing cards, listening to whoever was on the open mike. They were open until late at night and I can still remember walking into the warm crowded room, making my way amongst the tables through the amber light and clouds of smoke to a spot along the wall, dropping my bag and coat to hold the table and then heading to the counter to place my order.
My favorite thing to order was an Espresso Sundae – vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup, drowned in a shot of espresso and topped with whipped cream. The combination of cold sweet ice cream and hot bitter espresso is really something special.
Beach Pebble Drink Coasters
The other day I was sitting on my bed reading with a cold drink when I realized I needed coasters for the bedroom nightstands. I still had a whole bucket of flat beach stones left over from the mirror I made so I decided to use them to make pebbled coasters. That way they coordinate with the mirror and are cohesive in the room.
I bought small round cork pads (for use under planters) and affixed the stones to them using a hot glue gun. In hindsight I should have painted them black or grey first because the cork does show through between the stones and on the edges.
I was concerned that they would be unstable for glasses, but the pebbles are surprisingly uniform and keep the glasses and bottles I tried out quite level.
Front Porch Ashtray
My mother-in-law is coming to visit us from South America for an extended stay, and she’s a smoker. She’s always been very accommodating about smoking outside of our house and she generally goes out onto our covered front porch to smoke. In years past we’ve used different random containers for ashtrays but this year I thought we’d class the place up a little and make something specifically for her.
I stuck a garden Shepard’s crook into the ground next to the porch rail and hung a metal pail from the hook. That way the ashtray is both fireproof and easy to empty and clean. This is kind of a work in progress, because I’m still contemplating painting the bucket (either completely painted or with stripes).
Pasta with Mushroom Garbanzo ‘Ragout’
Pasta with Mushroom Garbanzo ‘Ragout’. . . otherwise known as ‘clean out the pantry’ night. (notice the three distinct pasta shapes in the photo)!
I sauteed some chopped onion in olive oil in a cast iron skillet. After the onion began to wilt I added a can of garbanzo beans (rinsed and very well drained) and let both the onions and garbanzos cook until they began to brown. I then added a bunch (like maybe a pound) of chopped Crimini mushrooms and seasoned the mixture with salt, pepper and oregano. After the mushrooms had cooked down and released their liquid I added about a tablespoon of capers and let the whole thing cook for a bit. Just before I was ready to serve it up I added a few knobs of butter, let those melt in, and then added a splash of aged balsamic vinegar. I served the ‘ragout’ (not really a ragout, but reminiscent) over pasta, then topped with Parmesan cheese.
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| I seem to have lost my camera – if its not where I hope it is then its really gone. Sorry for the blurry cellphone photo! |
This dish was born out of necessity – what do I have on hand to make into dinner tonight, and what do I need to use up from the fridge. Despite that, it turned out great and I’m sure I’ll add it to my repertoire.
Little Cottage Sketch
Here’s a little ink pen on paper sketch I did tonight.
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