Sunday, August 2, 2020

Jacquie and "Hair Stories"

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For any of my readers that have been wondering what my doll families are doing...here is my latest post at Barbie:OldNewGreenRedo. 

Jacquie is a small business owner in Chicago, owner of Salon Jacquie located in the 'remodeled Grand Hotel' which is now the GrandView. The salon was scheduled to open the week Illinois shut down..and is now open under strained circumstances. My doll families' stories are always PG and suitable for all viewers. I try to have stories that are 'in real time', pertaining to real situations as well as being fiction. I avoid nastiness and drama...and try to have my doll friends solve problems and resolve issues in a civilized way, almost always with a bit of humor or a message. 

Setting:
Jacquie and Craig's (married 15 years and have a blended family) early morning breakfast together. Vanessa is their 20 year old daughter.

Jacquie: I'm so worried, we will have to shut down again, if the cases keep rising. Our customers are afraid, too. We've had some cancellations. Vanessa's 
online customer data has helped us fill those cancellations, but for how long?                     
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Craig: Honey, I know this is hard. I feel lucky, I know I'll have work through December, at this point. This disease can't go on forever. 

Jacquie: I sure hope not. 

     
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Vanessa: Look what I picked up at our youth circle meeting last night.

Jacquie: I heard you come in, but I was dead tired and already in bed. How many people were there?

Vanessa: Only three, I ran the lighting and the computer postings. We only had a mini-meeting and kept 6 feet apart, but our third person was the, speaker, Ms. Joanna McGee Bradford, who was wonderful.

Craig: I hope you wore your mask, and what's in that box?

Jacquie: And, set yourself down girl and have some breakfast.


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Vanessa: Ms. Bradford was so uplifting for the group last night, and we Zoomed with another 9 people. These little books are about, "Hair Stories." I have a whole box of them to sell in the shop. 

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Jacquie: A whole box...?

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Vanessa: Yes, I sat up reading most of these short devotional stories. You know how somedays, your hair just wants to teach you a lesson? Well, some are funny, sad, and all are thoughtful. Every story shows us how we view ourselves and others through our hair. And, how our experiences with hair can be teaching moments. 

I laughed and even cried at a few, but I saw myself on every page, Momma.  Each story has an interpretation and scripture to help us make ourselves better, perfect for now when everyone is so down.
 
Jacquie: But, Vanessa, we are barely breaking even at the Salon. How much are these and how are we going to pay for them?

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Vanessa: It's the perfect thing for your customers. Uplifting and wonderful for gifts.
No cost to you, Momma, this is my project. I believe in this book, and it will do good for your customers. Just sell them for $9.99. "Hair Stories" is also sold on Amazon, it's a real book with a real message.

Jacquie: Well, I will have to read some of this first. 

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Vanessa: Of, course, how about I just put a few in the car for you, okay?



Jacquie:I like the cover, let me read the back.


Jacquie: Vanessa, I'll take three, one for each of my stylists, they have been working so hard. And, we will see if they like it and we will try them in the Salon.

Vanessa: Okay, I will put ten in the car for you? Love you Momma, you too, Dad.
(Vanessa leaves)

Jacquie paging through the book: Oh my, I think we have seen quite a few of these situations in the shop, and myself...OH, MY....this is me, right here. 

Craig smiles: Vanny, wouldn't steer you wrong. She sure is your daughter. All that energy and wisdom.  

Jacquie: OUR daughter, you raised her since she was five. I'm losing track of time...I have to go. I'll be late tonight, we have appointments this evening, so I'll be home after 8PM.

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Craig: Tres and I will make supper. How's chops on the grill sound? 

Jacquie: Almost as good as this breakfast, I'm off, and you have a great day!


Dear Reader, 

I always say Ad-Free Blog.  But, let's call this a book review.
I am no way compensated for content of any of my posts.

If you are interested in a wonderful book with a positive and helpful 
outlook in these trying times, 
check out, "Hair Stories," by Joanna McGee Bradford on Amazon.
You will see bits of yourself on every page, regardless of the color of your skin,   condition of your hair, the place you worship or don't. 
You will find little lessons for life.
You may catch yourself smiling in the mirror afterward.

Hugs, Sandi

**Book cover and content was used with permission 
of the author, Joanna McGee Bradford. **
Joanna's Amazon Page with all her books.


Thank you for visiting, I will try and respond to every question and comment. I will be doing further posts on tutorials for the Hotel and contents.

Please follow me at these great blog parties:


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Saturday, August 1, 2020

Poorman's Bouquet and Vintage Haeger Pot

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IS IT SATURDAY? ? !

Well, another week almost gone...the only way I know what day of the week is by looking in my pill box. 
I HAVE to take a thyroid pill every morning, or I am back asleep by noon, so after 40 years or so...
it's totally a habit.
YES, pill boxes. I've reached the age and quantity of pills and use three weekly pill boxes. Granted most are doctor recommended supplements, which keep everything moving (inside and out), and hopefully my few prescriptions keep me functioning for a long time in the future. 

Anyway, 
WE HAVE HAD A BREAK IN THE WEATHER!!!
Cooler finally---and open-the-windows
 kind of temperatures! 
After record breaking 90's in June and JULY...
it's a lovely balmy 80 something.
HALLELUJAH!    

ON to my FIND!

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Friday,
Bathed in sanitizer and masked, I made a quick trip to our local thrift store. 
LOOK what I snagged,
this Haeger vase in an Arts & Crafts style, 
in a perfect matte green. I could tell by the weight, it was a contemporary piece, but the shape and glaze screamed Art Pottery. Plus it's 12" tall x 9"wide.
 Deliciously big as vases go.

COLOR ME HAPPY!

A few words about Haeger and Royal Haeger originally located here in Dundee, Illinois. Haeger pottery began on the clay rich banks of the Fox River in 1871, the same year as the Great Chicago Fire. This company produced pottery through four generations and developed ceramic art wares and everyday pieces by expert craftsman through 2014.

As a potter myself, I always enjoyed visiting: the factory, their displays, and envied their glazes in the 70's to late 90's. As a buyer/floral designer for a north shore craft chain store, I was allowed to choose and buy Royal Haeger extensively through the 1990's. The figural and sculptural pieces popular then are quite collectible now. As a USA company competing with imports and the economic aftermath of 9/11, this wonderful company closed in 2014 after 143 years in operation. What a loss! 

Anyway my Haeger find is from the early 2000's in a lotus pattern reminiscent of the art pottery of the 
1920-30's in this delicious matte green.  
Perfect for a large Poorman's Bouquet! 


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The garden was so hot the last two weeks, but flowers flourished while our vegetables struggled to hang on. Our Caladiums are insanely happy in the shade with lots of watering and hot temperatures, I  don't mind clipping a few leaves here and there for arrangements.

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Not wanting to fill the entire vase with water (to avoid sweating), I inserted an upside down plastic container and a tall pickle jar to hold the flowers in the center. 
It's hard to take photos with the sunlight streaming in.
 I had to place my Poorman's Bouquet in our living room, where the green pot matches my walls!

 I've added some different flowers in this arrangement.  First, I bundled with tape some tall lemon grass
 for the center.

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From this side, with my butt on the buffet, you can see the colors and the vase clearly.
I used 3 Caladium leaves, 3 large fronds of unopened Giant Sedum which echoed the matte green of the vase,  Added some damaged lilies, bent over zinnias and I cut a branch of my first year Blackeyed-Susans which immediately wilted, and three bright magenta Phlox stems.

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I had added a spray of bleach to the water and a bit of sugar, I'm out of florist preservative. 

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The phlox are already dropping...
but I'm sure this will hold for a week with such a large container of water.  

Nothing is better than picking from your own flowers from the garden on a lovely day.

Hugs and have a great weekend! 


What's SURVIVING in your FLOWER GARDEN?





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Tuesday, July 28, 2020

Garden Food: Overnight Refrigerator Dills

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Overnight Refrigerator Dills
Bohemian Dills from my Mom In-Law

Our cucumbers have been growing crazy...blowing up overnight...so we have been picking everyday...and now have enough for a gallon of Overnight Dills. 

Beauty of these is they are crisp like Deli-pickles...yes, the $8 a jar ones...and you don't have to can them. 

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First have a really big glass or plastic jar (1 gallon) for this recipe. Scrub your cucumbers, trim off both ends, slice length-wise in halves or quarters. Try and make your pieces equal thickness. 

Add a  4" layer of slices (try to keep them the same thickness)
sprinkle with one green onion head and some of the chopped leaves, 
2 cloves of garlic quartered
1-3 large flower of dill and some small dill branches, soft stems are okay.

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Repeat layers until the Jar is full almost to the top, 
cucumbers, onions, garlic and dill.
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Keep the jar loosely packed...

Prepare your brine:
1 1/2 cup of white vinegar
2 1/2 cups of water
2 TBSP of canning salt
1 TBSP of Sugar
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Bring brine to a boil.
Ladle boiling brine over the Cucumbers 
 within an inch of the top. 

Push a spoon down the inside of the jar and move the cucumbers around to release bubbles, or shake the jar. Add more brine to fill, and screw on lid.
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Wrap the jar tightly with 3-4 towels, and leave overnight>
You could do these in a stoneware crock like the old days. I have a small crock with a metal push down on the lid...which I have used for a smaller batch.

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Perfect Garden Food for summer! 
Thanks Mom, and Hubby is so glad you gave me the recipe!

What's Your Favorite type of Pickles?












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Sunday, July 26, 2020

Garden Food: Senf Gherke or Slippery Jims

Friday Favorites
Senfgurken (Danish) or Slippery Jim's

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These were always on the table in my childhood. Perfect on summer sandwiches, a lightly sweet pickle made from overripe or large cucumbers.  
You basically use the outside of the cucumbers and not the center seeded parts.  
I did a nice batch of dills, but so many of the cucumbers were too big, or too round, so I peeled them and 'gutted' the inside if they had large seeds. 

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This is a medium Pyrex bowl so about 5-6 cups of thin sliced peeled cucumbers.
The slices are soaked in cold water and I added about 2 tsp of canning salt and stir. Cover and let sit out overnight, covered with a cloth. Rinse very well in the morning and let drain.

Make your brine:

2 cups of white vinegar
1 cup of water
1 cup of sugar
1/2 tsp of Yellow Mustard seeds
1-2 tsp. of pickling spices
4 whole cloves

You will also need canning salt 1/2 tsp per pint
and 1/2 slice of a medium onion per pint jar

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Bring your brine to a boil, add the drained and rinsed cucumbers. 
Bring back to a boil, then time 3 minutes to finish cooking the cucumbers.
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Have your clean lids in a boiling hot water bath, and your clean jars in a 220 degree oven.

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Fill your hot jars with the hot cucumbers, add salt, 1/2 slice of onion and then fill with extra brine to within a 1/2" of the top.

Wipe your rims, and seal with sterile lids. Tighten and cover jars with clean cloths to cool.
If your jars don't seal, keep in refrigerator, if they seal store in a cool dark place.
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Classic slippery cucumbers perfect with any cold meat open-faced sandwich or appetizer. This is my favorite on cold turkey, chicken or sliced roasted pork. 

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This made 2 pint jars and also a 1/2 jar to eat right away. One to eat and two on the shelf, perfect!
 They really are lovely. And a nod to my 
Danish heritage!

Nyd og Spis!


Enjoy and Eat!







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Saturday, July 25, 2020

Garden Food:Italian Summer Squash to Freeze


Hi gardeners and friends,

This week our Midwest garden has been producing lots of summer squash and no zucchini. There wasn't enough to pressure can, so I decided to cook some up to freeze, as my refrigerator was getting crowded, LOL.


We are only going to cook the vegetables half-way through and this recipe is low-sodium. I use lemon juice for seasoning and it also helps to keep the vegetables bright and fresh.

Start in an electric wok or frypan with cut small size summer squash. (These are still nicely tight inside with very small seeds). I cut them in equal sized chunks/halves or quarter slices. Add 2 Tbsp of olive oil to the pan and cook at 350 stirring occasionally. 

I added hearty shakes with a Italian Seasoning mixture and then 1 tsp of celery salt. (This is one tsp salt for 4 quarts) @

In another pan I sweat at medium heat in 1 Tbsp of olive oil, 1 thinly sliced large sliced red or yellow onion, and 6-8 stalks of celery thinly cut, add 6 cloves of minced fresh garlic, just stir these until they are getting translucent. 



Add the celery and onions to the lightly simmering squash.

In the used pan, add 8-10 garden tomatoes cored and thickly chopped. I use whatever is ripe. Sweat down at medium heat, until they are just breaking down.



When the tomatoes are just breaking down and juicy add, 6 squirts of lemon juice, additional seasoning (I added a heaping tablespoon of my Pesto). 
Stir and then add the hot tomato mixture to the squash. Give it all a good stir, turn off the heat and let cool.


You don't want to overcook the vegetables, just until they have a bit of crunch.


Scoop into meal-size containers or bags. 


This batch made almost 4 quarts.  TIP: Place your 1 quart bag in a 1 quart container to fill. Fill to the container top, when you pull bag out, just enough space will be left to squeeze out air and seal. 


I like bagging as they are easier to thaw, and take the least amount of room in the freezer. We are trimming down to one freezer this year, so I have to think about room. Don't forget to Label and Date! 

You can certainly add salt, pepper or any other seasonings to this when you cook with your Italian yellow squash. Great on pasta, with chicken, pork, fish, or shellfish or as a side-dish. Very light, healthy and refreshing. I love having a taste of summer in December. SMILES!

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Enjoy!!!!















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