Potato Soup

With the snow blowing, we decided a big warm bowl of soup would be good. L. suggested potato with ham. We had cooked a spiral cut ham with glaze earlier in the week, so M cut that up, L cut up the potatoes and I did some onions and cabbage. A few spices and some water plus 1/2 and 1/2. Yum! We did not use a recipe, but this is my best guess on amounts.

Potato Soup with Spiral Cut Ham

In a soup pan cook:

1 chopped onion

chopped cabbage (appx. 1-1 1/2 c.)

Cook in a bit (a couple of Tbsp. or so) of oil, butter or juices from ham until soft. Throw in some ham (1-2 c. or more) and brown it a bit too.

Add spices. We used:

salt

pepper

Season-All

bay leaf-1 or 2

celery salt

ground thyme

We just shake them in but I'd start with about 1/2 -1 tsp. salt/pepper and 1/4 tsp of the others and adjust to taste.

Add cubed or sliced potatoes (4-5) and water enough to cover. (Plus a little.) Bring to boil , reduce heat and simmer until potatoes soften. (About 10 min.) Add 2 c. 1/2 and 1/2 (or some cream) and heat until warmed through.

If my dad was home, I'd add a can of corn and make it into Potato Corn Chowder!

Why We Love Vacation, Part 5

Local beauty at the horticultural garden with my friend Judy.

bamboo

sun-dappled fish

Why We Love Vacation, Part 4

Great views from the room.

Valentine Felt

I made these little heart favors for the annual Valentine's Banquet at church. After all the fun I had making the white embroidered little-red-felt-birds for my girlfriends at Christmas, I wanted to do more embroidery.

I figured out a paper heart pattern and started making these in January on our trip home from visiting my parents. Then I spent a couple of happy months freehand stitching them. Last night was the banquet, so they have all gone to their happy homes.

I made around forty of them, and got pictures of most of them. I have posted all the pictures, so be warned.

When I do a project like this, part of the fun is to see how many different designs I can come up with. These are all my own designs. I start with no pattern and sew until it looks finished to me. I'm not really sure sometimes what will come out.

A variety of flowers. I looked in magazines and flower reference books for ideas.

Daughter M. suggested I try some Bleeding Hearts flowers and they turned out well.

Viney flowers.

Experimenting with french knots. Fun!

A little love.

Some border designs.

Beads were another fun variation.

Flowers and ribbons. These were my first designs. I looked in magazines or other books for design inspiration and kept sketch ideas for reference.

These are very simple to make. They are made of two layers of felt. I embroidered on the front piece and then sandwiched a bow-tied ribbon between the felt layers before whip stitching the edges. I threaded a seed bead on every other stitch. It gives a bit of a lace effect that I like. Simple and pretty.

Community Spaghetti Supper

Last week our church put on a community spaghetti supper. It was free to all. Those who wished to donate could contribute toward a new play system the town wants to to put by the ball diamonds. We raised over $1000 for this project and served about 180 people.

Cutting bars (Sharon and Mother) and Del (the boss.)

Buttering garlic bread for the oven, (Sherry, Judy, Patti, Gaylin and Betty) and mixing drink by committee (Del, Keith and Husband.)

Pastor Ron and Glenn- M., Spencer and L.

The serving line- Gus and W.

Why We Love Vacation in FL, Part 3

Loading ourselves into a convertible red Mustang with friends Dave and Charis and heading for Clearwater Beach FL.

Checking out the locals and their habits.

Why We Love Vacation: Part 2

Big equipment and farmer-y stuff!

Why I Love Vacation, Part 1

Yummy things at breakfast...