Bread and Butter......pickles

I came across a recipe I found in the June 2010 issue of Country Living for Bread and Butter Pickles which I love. I read the ingredients and adapted it to my own cupboard as I didn't have a few spices but I believe the spices I have will not make the taste different just more personal. The recipe-

Bread and Butter Pickles

adapted from the recipe by Jason Robinson in Country Living Magazine 

1 pound Kirby cucumbers, sliced 1/4 inch thick

1 large sweet, onion, thinly sliced into 1/2 inch pieces

1/4 cup of kosher salt

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup distilled vinegar

okay for my adaptations-

1 tablespoon of dry mustard

2 teaspoons of Lawry's lemon pepper seasoning

2 teaspoons finely chopped dill

3 whole cloves of garlic, peeled

1. In a medium bowl, combine cucumbers, onion, and salt; mix well. Cover mixture with ice and let sit out for 2 hours.

* If you do not have ice, like me today, cover the mixture with a plate large enough to fit over your bowl and refrigerate for 2 hours.

2. In a pot, bring sugar, vinegar and spices to a boil. Strain cucumbers (or drain with slotted spoon as I did) and add to pot. Return mixture to a boil, then remove from heat and let cool.

* At this point try not to eat any- Okay eat some because they are smelling that good. I couldn't resist!Now-

3. Store pickles, and hopefully there's quite a bit left, in a covered container for up to 3 weeks. But, I guarantee, they will not even last that long!

Enjoy!

Baby Blanket

This blanket was made using a pattern for download (FREE) on Alicia Paulson's Blog, Posie Gets Cozy . I did have some difficulty creating the edge that was given in the pattern but I think this was from my lack of experience as a crocheter (?). Instead, I used a shell border and I think it still looks so nice. I love the yarn color which is the brand (Blue Sky Alpacas) suggested in the pattern, and you can buy from Dancing Ewe Yarns. Folks, good yarn ain't cheap! But, with these beautiful results, I realize that it sure is worth it. Hey, in the picture the yarn is organic cotton. Very soft!

Lovely cafe colored baby blanket.

Chocolate chip cookie finale. A Ghiradelli chip, 70% cacao.

Take your Daughters and Sons to Work at the College of Staten Island. Cute and very lucky kids. They had a phenomenal day! Really tasty continental breakfast, loads of activities and privileges, pizza and cupcake party, and roam (I think in theory) of the campus!

My mom gave me this Singer 758 over twenty years ago! It still works very well. It just needed a few parts easily ordered online.

And my new Singer Curvy 8763!

Have a great Memorial Day weekend!

Wow! Beautiful and what a lovely exhibit! I hope to see it soon!
It reminds me of my past dreams of becoming a fashion designer. Now it is more of an art appreciation. I still have an interest but have become a person of many interests, more practical. And, then, there are life's of diversions... family, friends, people, work..life (loving them/loving it).

Fashion and women, phenomenally brilliant!

I tried no excuses

I did. But there are just things in life that can consume one's time. I have been meaning to post this a few days ago but my camera can no longer upload images for some strange reason onto my computer so I had to figure out what I could do. I almost paid for an answer online and then thought better of it. While doing my observation school hours, I heard my cooperating teacher, Mrs. Rodriguez, talk about a thumb drive and a pop went into my head that shouted "Card Reader!"  I went to Radio Shack on Saturday to pick it up (sorry Staples, you were not on the way to grocery shopping) and I finally uploaded the pictures. Excitement!
So back to no excuses. I can't do it all. I try real hard to every day. What I get done is nothing short of those precious blessings from above. Housework, family, children, work and graduate school. Know what I mean. CONSUMING. Although, I did give myself a break on April 1. I went to the Martha Stewart Stitchfest to celebrate her newest book.



It was a great night with wine and hors d'oeuvers that were so delicious. And the wonderful examples of stitch projects that are displayed beautifully throughout the book were at her offices where the Stitchfest was held.

I made acquaintances. We all stitched together!

page 150 in the book

Beautiful Singers! A glass of wine, take a sip, sew a stitch. Me and the machine (not in the pic here though, silly me) humming happily.

Martha, I couldn't snap that button fast enough. Elusive Martha.

Raffles to enter. A Singer 7470 Computerized model to win among other new models.

Stencil on fabric demo.

And me leaving full of food and wine.I had a blast!

A beautiful voice sings in Zimbabwe

Valentine's Day, little cutie and the stash arrived

Is not Valentine's Day for everyone? For the partnered and the single, for the children, for the pets, for ALL.
While watching this

Watch CBS News Videos Online

I love to watch this show on sunday morning. And writing this makes me think of  Sunday Morning by Maroon 5, sweet, sweet.

A great soup made from the LEFTOVERS, half a bag of yellow split peas, some very good chicken stock concentrate, and a few cubes of frozen homemade sofrito. Very, very, yum.

Handmade Valentine goodies

and my first stash arrived, JOOOOOOYYY!

Happy Birthday, Dr. King

I awoke this morning at 6 am. I was thinking of what to make for breakfast.  I got on my laptop and started going through my favorite blogs because I always am inspired by life and it was here I saw an entry for Monkey Bread.  We LOVE Monkey Bread! The recipe used was from Martha Stewart but I liked the one I have used before from

Mixing

Kneading

Yay! It's finally done!

never fails me. The delicious buttery balls, enveloped in brown sugar sweetness. Bread in and of itself is a heady, and aromatic indulgence when homemade. Bliss.

I wanted to do something today with my family, the kids and myself, for the day. I thought of making a card, but then decided after searching on the internet for a nice image of Dr King and found an activity to do about creating an MLK Jr acrostic poem .

Here is the acrostic we created-

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Poole-White Family Acrostic

C is for Character
I is for Illuminate
V is for Victory
I is for Integrity
L is for Life

R is for Respect
I is for Injustice
G is for Gain and Glory
H is for Hope
T is for Truth
S is for Segregated No More

and we read

On WYNC, New York Public Radio, I continued to listen about the awful devastation facing the people in Haiti. I have been listening, viewing, and reading since the beginning. What is apparent to me is my response continues to be as sorrowful as it was upon my initial hearing. As with all natural disasters you pray and do what you can to help others in need. But, when listening to WYNC this morning I overheard a commentator state that this country's recovery is more troubling because of the lack of Haitian people who have advanced education and degrees in which the country can utilize to mobilize their country out of the devastation. The economic plight of the country will only increase due this. And this knowledge mobilizes me as a teacher. I am mobilized for change. I am .

Cinnamon Bread

This is the best cinnamon bread you are ever gonna eat. The outside is so crusty and sweet from the cinnamon sugar mix. And the inside has a really moist crumb. It really is divine.
The recipe comes from





and it is really easy to make. This is a great book to have because there are some really nice recipes and home ideas that are very easy to incorporate into your routine when you want to get all homey and comfy on the weekends with activities that have big bang for little investment with a lot of WOW. Every time I look through this book, I want to throw a party, decorate, or cook up a storm. It's all about family and friends.

Sunday Braiding (pt II)

This is weekend hair braiding. It was getting late on Saturday. When this happens, we finish braids on Sunday evening after church service or before afternoon church service. I usually do a simple style. The special occasion gets more braids. This is a school style to make hair styling easy for us during the hectic weekdays ahead. It's just brush to smooth and we're done!

For an inspirational books on African braided styles look for magazines in beauty supply stores that service ethnic women or Sally Beauty Supply. Also-

 Very Fancy!

Saturday hair rituals with my girls

Every Saturday, I wash, blow -dry, and braid my two younger daughters hair. They have a lot of hair. It is a ritual that I feel is important. A time to connect with them. To build loving memories by sharing talk, singing, debating, and learning together. In the end, we all appreciate the outcome. I have two great hair models.