My Grama's Soul

I have never attempted to make jam.  I actually don't know why because it is actually pretty easy.  Perhaps I didn't because I thought it involved canning jars and all that came with THAT.  (?:   This is jam made from Pluots.  Don't know what a Pluots is? Well neither did I until this summer while shopping at my local Costco.  A Pluot is a cross between a plum and apricot (I think)...at least that is what the name sounds like.  This wonderful fruit hails from France and is a summer delight. I had some that were getting ripe and needed to use them so I found a jam recipe somewhere on the net.  Here it is in all its simplicity: 4 parts cut up fruit 3 parts granulated sugar 3 tlbs. of lemon juice  When I made mine I had to figure out by actually measuring the fruit in a one cup measure....did the same with the sugar. Add all the above ingredients in a deep sided pot...heat until temp comes to 221 degrees...I s...

Since we are in the process of putting our house on the market to sell, some of you have asked me to see some shots around here.  I've taken a few shots with a few little things we have changed this summer....it is so hot outside that all you can do is stay inside and do little projects there.  The round mirror above the little table used to be antique gold and hang in our powder room.  I loved its shape and wanted to change it so I painted it a wonderful shade of dark, dark blue...which actually looks purple in the pic.  The cloth on the table is one of my Kantha cloths from India.  I actually have started becoming a collector of these things.  I can't believe it, as I have almost NEVER been a collector of any one thing...but I have fallen in love with all the color.  They are actually made from old Sari's and hand stitched in the little villages in India. This is a shot of the other side of the living room.  Th...

I have never be a lover of blue...per say,  but lately I'm so drawn to this color.  Perhaps because it is considered a cool color. But this one has such warmth in it that I have really fallen in love. As a person who always has cut flowers in the house whether from my garden or purchased elsewhere, I am always on the lookout for vessels to use as vases.  Here are three different styles in the same wonderful blue.  The one above is a bulb forcer purchased for 50 cents at a garage sale. This one is a Starbucks coffee bottle.  They introduced a new coffee flavor and I could of cared less about the coffee....I just loved the bottle...so I purchased the coffee. And last, but not least, is the real thing.  A cobalt blue crystal vase from my ex-husband's house.  He left many lovely things and my children did not want this....so I carried it home with me. I think they look so very pretty displayed together.....gives such a...

I'm afraid I'm the sort of gal who can never leave well enough alone.  (O: Anytime I find something I love to incorporate in our home...I end up changing it in some way. These pieces are things we have had for quite sometime and I wanted to give them a little different feel. The Mola above was purchased in Panama in the 60's while I lived down there with my first husband.  I had the old frame laying around...it was an antique gold.  I thought it would be more striking painted a dark, dark bluish purple.  Completely changes the feel of the thing. This old funky mirror was actually in a pile of junk.  The frame was silver..but I loved the funky look of it.  Brought it home, glued the small mirror in the center and painted the frame that same moroccan blue.  Looks so much more interesting. And finally this old lampshade...it has been a million different colors as I paint it whenever the mood strikes.  Blue again~...

How many times in our lives have we waited to do something?  You know the feeling....I'll wait until a better dress,  car , man, friend....etc. comes along.  Only to find that our waiting has actually made what we wanted a thing that will never be attained.  Making a decision and then going forward with it can at times be very fearful..but more often than not it is the right thing to do. I have always be one to be proactive in most things...sometimes to my peril..but that is just the way I am.  However, with age and wisdom now on my side...I am more able to put on the brakes occasionally and make a more considered decision.   But I do believe there is a difference between making a considered decision and waiting to long for fear of making any decision.....how do you feel about this....and have you had experiences where waiting has been a definite advantage or disadvantage? Case in point right now for us is this move we are anticipating. ...