Jeannie Marie & Company

Today I saw pink headlights. I was shocked.  I've never seen them before. It was during the daytime and they could "nevah" be mistaken for red.  Then for my post,  I found this image online.  In a blink of an eye, I think there is a slight possibility they could be mistaken for a very faded red light.  What do you think?    I have to say, I would love to have pink headlights.  But I don't know how safe I'd feel. Linking to Pink Saturday

I'm being a bit more careful because I don't resell.  All thrift items stay here at Tortoise Cottage and I have to find a niche for them.  I have been thinking of getting a consignment booth but the fear is...it will not pay for itself and all the items will come home to roost.  That has happened before...if you haven't seen the garage of my former home.... see this blog post from last summer when we finally started digging out! But I digress....haha!  Here are my lovely picks of the week!  Unmarked Cereal Bowls They look like Fireking or Pyrex.  I wonder if someone will recognize the pattern?    Easter is coming and I am going to fix this tin basket up for someone special. $0.79.  This was just too lovely to leave...haha..get it?  It was still wrapped in the plastic and the scent is cucumber mint  Fifty cents. And my prize was the coffee canister!   Well, it's a canister that I am using for coffee.  I have...

I was returning comments the other day and came across Sandy's recipe for muffins from an old cookbook published in 1938.  It was interesting to note that it called for one tablespoon of sugar. Did you read that?  Only one tablespoon of sugar for 12 muffins!   They really lived it up in those days.   I was intrigued especially because just the night before we had passed up muffins at Publix because they are full of preservatives, chemicals and all sorts of things that are bad for you in order to have a decent shelf life.  Plus the calorie count was awful.  We passed them up but we felt muffin deprived.... .....so I made them! We are bad, bad, bad! Although they are not healthy, they are healthier than the kind you buy in Publix.  If you must slip up and have something fun to eat, you should make it yourself and save yourself from the chemicals.   You can find the basic vintage recipe here on Sandy's blog I changed it a bit.  Of cou...

 Adding a bit of color on the front porch in the form of flowers is the final touch.  I don't want the front to be too busy or too much to keep up with.  In the future I will replace the teak chair for a glider that will invite company to sit with me.  For now, I'm the only one who enjoys the view up and down our street.  I love to watch the wild tortoises that cross the road, the feral cats, the hundreds of birds and butterflies and the neighbor that drives his golf cart past our home a dozen times a day with the little flag on a pole in the back, flapping mightily.   The small sign in front of the post says "Pappo's House".   I first just put pots out in complimentary colors by the front door. Then I thought more levels were needed so I added the small chair we had on the patio. The lanterns hold tea lights for evening illumination.   The back of the wagon is filled with marigolds. We are just a hop, skip and a jump from th...

While painting the front door I had an idea that I could use leftover paint to touch up the stone that was so discolored in the front of the house.  We moved in a few months ago and the discolored stones were a thorn in my side.  I thought maybe lightly brushing some orange on them would mask the discoloration.  But first I wanted to wash off dust and dirt.   To my surprise, the black was a moss buildup and probably blackened from the traffic fumes over the last twenty five years.  It actually scrubbed off pretty easily.  Before I got too far, I ran in and got my camera to document the difference.   I was using a stiff brush, fairly good sized.  Have you noticed we still have falling leaves!!   When I was finished I got the camera and admired my work, but noticed how black it still was in between the stones.  I needed a smaller brush, so got an old toothbrush out and scrubbed in between. Wow!  I'm happy with tha...

Since we moved here I've been itching to paint the front door.  The former owners picked up the salmon/pink color in the bricks outside the front door. We decided to feature the burnt orange stones.  Orange is often called the “social” color, as it creates the energy to promote lively conversations and good times in your  home.   Well, we'll see!   That's what we would like!   Feng Shui advises that doors that face northeast should be orange, purple or yellow.  Well, we don't practice Feng Shui, but it's nice to know we aren't offending the mystical/mythical Feng Shui gods.   Our front door couldn't be any more north/east if we tried. Step one in beautifying the entrance! Then there is Mohawk....  ...our orange and white cat, busy beautifying the patio.   Orange just seems to be our color! Partying at: Tell it to Me Tuesday  Apron Thrift Girl  Just a Party with My Peeps

I just love it when I can find beautiful pieces of hand thrown pottery people just give away to charity.  I wish I had the talent to make it, but I only have the talent to choose it!  I'm picturing it full of artfully decorated Easter eggs!   This week I found a piece in a favorite color too!  The size and shape of the bowl is so beautiful and I love the markings and texture on the outside.  Inside it's a smooth finish.   $1.07 out the door for a signed pottery bowl.  Happy me! Testing eggs.  Dying eggs in a marble fashion would be gorgeous in this bowl.  Party at: Just a Party with My Peeps Grits & Glamour  Talent Tuesday 

Flashback to last October.... James and Rachel Baney's Wedding Weekend last fall included a trip through the Dayton Art Institute.  In the blur of organizing I didn't bring my camera so my phone pinch hit for me.  I was glad to have it as I was able to capture some happy moments of the afternoon.   It's not often family from both sides of the family tree get together outside of the normal wedding, shower, funeral, christening and such activities.   A click on the picture will enlarge them to show detail.    My niece Christa, daughter of my sister Patty, posed in front of a Monet  My niece Shannon, daughter of my husbands brother Tim, was in her "Blue Period."   My own daughter Shelly, found the sculptures to be beautiful.   Sister in Law, Kim, Shannon's Mom,  was captured among the art glass  as were my sister Patty and Bro in Law, Wayne My niece Rachel, Patty's youngest daughter, opted to stay in the big lob...

Mr. Mohawk is feelin' fine today!   We have been under the weather for a few days and grateful that we don't have to struggle to get to work anywhere.  This is when retirement is so appreciated!  10 GREAT  things about having  Bronchitis: 1.  Eating slivered almonds before taking meds.  2.Drinking icy Ginger Ale.  3.  Having a husband get sick AFTER your worst days are behind you. 4. A new flavor of Airborne.  5,  Hot Steamy facials three times a day that baby my congested lungs.    6.  No appetite and the bonus that goes with that. 7.  Round the clock naps.  8.  Get Well cards. 9.  A cat to cuddle with. And 10.  Words With Friends.   

It isn't an easy thing to stay married!  Some people never have cross words and they drift through the years happily like two swans gliding across a lake.  Not us!  Our marriage is made in heaven but we are living it out in the daily grind like everyone else. Each of us is totally surprised that we haven't figured it out yet! We celebrated forty three years on Friday, March 9th.  Cheers to us! 

Nothing fancy but some practical knitting is in the works at Tortoise Cottage this week.   I'm once again getting low on dishcloths and trying to use up all the many balls of cotton string I found at the last chance Goodwill in Dayton.  I paid maybe a dollar for a dozen and a half balls of string, most of which were full, but some used.   I'm sure to have a few finished by Friday, I make them small because I prefer a smaller dishcloth than one that is bulky and hard to wring out.  The ones from fall are still in use and even the yellow and white bleach out beautifully.  I'm surprised at the durability.  The best thing is the loose knitted texture does not hold onto bits of food, they just fall through and the cloths air dry very quickly.  Posted at Tami's Amis this week

Look at us!  I thought it happened again!  When Mom picked me up we were AGAIN wearing the same colors!  I couldn't imagine Karan would also be wearing this color, but it was only four days ago we all showed up in black and white outfits! Whew!  Close but no cigar.  She's wearing a springy yellow.  BTW...Does Karan remind you of anyone??????*  Karan and I found this deli a few weeks ago.  Unfortunately we found it right after lunch so we couldn't sample anything but made a pact that this would be our next destination lunch with Mom!   And here we are!  We were having fun but missing Patty and Janet.  Mom takes such a good picture.  I think I may have to put this one on her Facebook!     Sisters....sisters....There were never such devoted sisters....haha!  We're beaming over our good fortune at discovering such a great little local family owned restaurant.   The wine was divine. Both our glass...

 I needed to clean out the fridge leftovers so yesterday I made a very healthy tortilla soup. :-) (I used my recently thrifted $1.00 giant, hand thrown and signed pottery plate! ) I boiled the leftover chicken leg quarter with a half an onion, celery and seasoned it with sage, bullion, black pepper, turmeric, paprika and cayenne pepper, simmering it for a couple of hours. I removed the chicken to debone it.   I added the last of my baby carrots, chopped into chunky circles and some salad tomatoes that were looking a bit  sad.  A half a bag of sweet frozen corn and a can of black beans went into the stock.  I found a cup of ground beef left over from tortillas earlier in the week and tossed that in despite the fact I was putting in shredded chicken.  While all that simmered and blended in the crock pot, I took the last of the corn tortillas and sliced them and fried in 1 T of olive oil until crisp.  (It was a GARNISH for heavens sake.  I...