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Hectic, joyful filled times at Maisonvogue

8/26/2018

Hectic, joyful filled times at Maisonvogue

My Grandog Stanlee looking out of the window of his holiday cottage in the Lake District in England ...he is just loving it and had a 'Take your dog to the zoo day yesterday' ...Stanlee loved it ..he was so interested in every animal at the zoo ...he smelt them and looked at them and loved the Penguins swimming and the Otters ...he also had a lovely smell of the giant Tortoise ..so far his holiday with his Human parents is super fun ...Now he is thinking what are those funny things in the field ?? wish I was there with them ..

Stanlee is a Cockerpoo ...he has the sweetest nature..rarely barks and is so soft and cuddly like a teddy bear...he loves to go for long walks off of his lead/leash ...exploring but his greatest love is swimming in the sea ..for lengthy times with his Dad throwing his ball in to the sea for him to retrieve.
After the Zoo he went with his Humans to this glorious 17th Century pub for a lovely late lunch ...he is so glad he could go in with them.
As you can see the inside was as glorious as the outside
If walls could talk.

Of course I have been very busy with my pottery ..I wish I could do it every day ..ha! ha!
I have made a leaf bowl to put on our coffee table in the living room for our Autumn decoration ...It has just had its first bisque firing and I have to stain it with an oxide wash then back in the kiln and then I can bring it home.
I love it
My idea was that it just looked like a leaf had flown on the coffee table.

My latest was this unusual cute bowl ...such fun to make ...the glazing that I intend to do will bring it to life as it's not a typical glazing ...of course I will share it when I am finished.

I enjoyed a lovely afternoon with my dear Friend Heather ...we went with her Daughter, Son in Law and their littlest Son Maverick aka Moonpie for a Japanese meal ...he is my surrogate Grandson ...seeing that Danny and I are not blessed with Grandchildren ...
He is super cute ...even when he is naughty ..ha! ha!

My dear Friend Heather's smile always makes me feel good ...XX

This is my acorn bowl ..another decoration for our Autumn coffee table.
I had fun making this and glazing it
It has 9 different glazes on it
Took quite a few hours to glaze
I can't wait to see how it turns out
I used many glazes that are new to me
Remember my big white bowl I blogged about in an earlier post.
I did sell it ...It was for my Hairdresser and she was just over the moon with it ...so I am so happy
Now I have more money to buy more glazes ..ha! ha!

Danny and I were blessed to find out that our Great Niece was born this week ...her name is Adalynn Rose ...she is so sweet and looks very much like her beautiful Mother Kristen ...
They live 5 hours away from us so we hope to be able to go and see them sometime in the next few weeks ..She is the third Great Niece that we have ...so very special

This week I have a busy time ..Teeth cleaning at the Dentist on Monday , chatting to my dear Friend Rosie through FaceTime in the afternoon ...also glazing and making pottery.
Tuesday I have some baking to do and chatting to my Son on FaceTime
Wednesday is Pottery Class day of course ..all day long
Thursday I have some dear Friends coming for lunch I am going to make a home made Quiche I will share the recipe later, make your own salad and Peanut Butter Cookie Brownies ..yum and then we are going to make our Autumn door wreaths together and my Husband Danny is home that day resting as he is taking a few days off including labour day ...so a happy hectic week ahead ...I must also find time to write a letter to my friend Trudy who lives in Missouri ...I also owe my friend Mary in Guernsey an email ...please can I have more hours in my week ...like double the time ...ha! ha! ..I guess many of you know that feeling

I haven't found time to go to the thrift store these last few weeks but I did get these lovely items last time I went ...this gorgeous cup ..of course the Butterflies that grabbed my attention and the unusual shape of the cup...It's Made in England by Queen's Rosina China Co. Ltd. and the butterfly is a Small Tortoiseshell

I have two of these beautiful plates ...so pretty I love them ..The also are Made in England by 'Royal Albert' the pattern is 'Lady Carlyle' ...so beautiful ..both in perfect order ...
I am torn about keeping them or putting them in my Etsy.com shop ....
If you are interested in purchasing them please contact me either through Etsy.com (large Orange Button at top right hand side of this blog) or via 'comments' at the bottom left hand side of this blog ..

Thanks so much for popping by

Sorry I have not been blogging much lately ..I will try to improve that
I have several things happening this week that are blog worthy
I am having a great time being busy as I don't like to sit around
I have noticed a great change in the garden lately
Even though it's super hot still in Alabama nature senses Autumn coming
And the flowers are changing and getting leggy, the trees have yellowed leaves on them
The Crype Myrtles are dropping their leaves
I can't wait to have cooler days so we can actually enjoy the outside again

I hope that your week is going to be a happy one

Kindest regards

Janet

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Birthday Beach Trip in the Heat

7/29/2018

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Birthday Beach Trip in the Heat

So lovely to see the sea again and hear it lap against the super white sands of the Gulf of Mexico.

We came across this beyond gorgeous Turtle ...made because of a 'school challenge for the Turtle Tracks Program ...I think it is just stunning ..Don't you

On the underside you can read the complete story of 'The Community Turtle.

Delicious breakfast pastries at the Coffee Loft in Fairhope, Alabama..best coffee ever ...my Muffin was a super healthy muffin ..it was wonderful and Danny indulged in a Cinnamon Bun ..so good we ordered the same again and took it all with us.

The beach at Gulf Shores looked so inviting but it was just way too super hot for us to sit on the beach and cook under the umbrella's getting wind burnt ...the sand burnt you feet as you walked ..
Danny and I will wait till the Autumn when the cooler days start and being out of season a lot less people.

I have posted before about this super cute tiny post office in Fairhope, AL ...but this time an enormous Water Oak Tree had fallen or been struck by lightening...it was going to be a very long clear up as the men were starting to cut it up ...I love the Water Oaks that grace all of the scenic roads down by the Gulf.

We stopped for a lovely ice-cream and this message board made us smile ..I might just have to make one for our front porch ...it won't work as the raccoons sleep on the porch and decks throughout the day waiting for their evening meal.

This was Daisy just yesterday on our back deck she slept there all afternoon !!

So many Pelicans to see ...I love to just sit and watch them dive when they are fishing .
The are very powerful birds.

I so enjoy taking the car ferry to Dauphin Island when we are down at the beach.
I get a lovely sea journey to the island.
It was very busy on the sea ..pleasure boats and large container ships ..could be seen ...lots of Oil Rigs merging out of the sea ..so ugly but so necessary ...the photo below shows the other car ferry going back to Fort Morgan where we came from..our boat was a little older than this ..it's basically just a platform that you drive on and off of.

After a lovely drive around the unique island with it's glorious multi beach colored homes.
Up on stilts because of the storm surges they get from hurricane's etc ...
Turquoise, pink, yellow, green, blue ..I could go on are the colors of the houses against the blue skies and the white, white sands of the Gulf of Mexico.
We leave on our long journey home ..we take the back roads ..no interstates so it takes us between 5-6 hours ..but it's a glorious drive ...so picturesque and full of interest
Some of these photo's show the island after Hurricane Katrina...it took most of the beach houses away..

My Sons were over here at the time on vacation and we had planned a few days at the beach and saw the devastation first hand ...
It was so sad to see people's Sofas, beds and personal effects hanging from cut in half homes with only the future of being demolished.
Now these beaches are filled with homes again ..I wish them good luck for the future.

To get off of Dauphin Island we have to cross the sea on this massive bridge ..it's a lovely ride watching the sea on both sides just incase you spot a Dolphin etc...unfortunately this time we didn't.

We were to arrive home late after a wonderful time at the beach ....and this glorious Sunset was viewed over the fields where the cat fish farm ponds are.

A lovely time
A glorious end to my Birthday Week

I had so many gifts I have no idea how many
It was really one of the best birthdays I have ever had

Showered with love, gifts and creating wonderful memories

Whatelse can a 63 year old lady want

Thank you to all of my Family and Friends that made my Birthday so special ..I love you all

Janet

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Sweet treats, Pelicans & the Sea Breeze on my Birthday weekend away

7/22/2018

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Sweet treats, Pelicans & the Sea Breeze on my Birthday weekend away

My Birthday week continued now with Danny's gift to me a few days down at the Beach at the Gulf of Mexico.
It took us about 5 hours to travel down to our hotel ..we stopped just outside of Fairhope, Alabama in the usual hotel we like to stay in when we go down there ..they know us by name and sight nowadays ..so always a warm welcome back

For years we have drove past a Candy Shop where Danny has always wanted to visit but each time it had just closed for the evening ..we never got the time right till this trip.

Danny was not disappointed as we were greeted with a large selection of candies, chocolates etc ..and being a diabetic I was very pleased to see a good choice of sugar free chocolates that I could buy..
It is set in a quant old fashioned country home ...you know the type with the wrap around Country porch ...

The mouth watering delights were all set out on old vintage stoves ...very cute and in such lovely colors.

They also did tea parties for little girls and boys Birthdays or Bridal and Baby showers etc...the lady greeting them at the door was dressed in period Victorian dress ..and looked very pretty.
It was a little girls Birthday party this time around and we were lucky enough to see the little girls arriving in their Victorian dresses too ..it looked delightful.

In the Hallway we could look at antiques and museum type items and they had several china teacup and saucers for sale.
Neither of them really took my eye ..and some of them were a little pricey for me.

Here is some of the wrap around porch ...I love the curve of the ceiling...so pretty.
Mint Julep anyone !!
I have only had a sip of this Southern tipple once and near about died !!!
Not quite for me but for those that would like to try one
Here is the recipe

Ingredients

4 cups bourbon
2 bunches fresh spearmint
1 cup distilled water
1 cup granulated sugar
Powdered sugar

To prepare mint extract, remove about 40 small mint leaves. Wash and place in a small bowl. Cover with 3 ounces bourbon. Allow the leaves to soak for 15 minutes. Then gather the leaves in paper toweling. Thoroughly wring the mint over the bowl of whisky. Dip the bundle again and repeat the process several times.
To prepare simple syrup, mix 1 cup of granulated sugar and 1 cup of distilled water in a small saucepan. Heat to dissolve sugar. Stir constantly so the sugar does not burn. Set aside to cool.
To prepare mint julep mixture, pour 3 1/2 cups of bourbon into a large glass bowl or glass pitcher. Add 1 cup of the simple syrup to the bourbon.
Now begin adding the mint extract 1 tablespoon at a time to the julep mixture. Each batch of mint extract is different, so you must taste and smell after each tablespoon is added. You are looking for a soft mint aroma and taste-generally about 3 tablespoons. When you think it's right, pour the whole mixture back into the empty liter bottle and refrigerate it for at least 24 hours to "marry" the flavors.
To serve the julep, fill each glass (preferably a silver mint julep cup) 1/2 full with shaved ice. Insert a spring of mint and then pack in more ice to about 1-inch over the top of the cup. Then, insert a straw that has been cut to 1-inch above the top of the cup so the nose is forced close to the mint when sipping the julep.
When frost forms on the cup, pour the refrigerated julep mixture over the ice and add a sprinkle of powdered sugar to the top of the ice. Serve immediately.

These teapots were part of the display on the porch.

Beautiful flowers my Darling Danny bought for me .

My Lime light Hydrangeas just keep giving ...I have cut flowers all over our home.

A lovely evening drive to a restaurant for dinner then back to the hotel for some rest .

Thank you for popping by.

I hope that you have had a wonderful celebration if it's your Birthday this month.

I must say that the sugar free chocolates I bought were just delicious what a pity they are all gone and the candy shop is so far away !!

Happy Days

Janet

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Hectic, joyful filled times at Maisonvogue

Hectic, joyful filled times at Maisonvogue

Birthday Beach Trip in the Heat

Birthday Beach Trip in the Heat

Sweet treats, Pelicans & the Sea Breeze on my Birthday weekend away

Sweet treats, Pelicans & the Sea Breeze on my Birthday weekend away

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