Hollyhocks

Happy Thanksgiving 2009

Thankful for family and friends, especially 2 little artists, one of whom took her first steps yesterday...See you soon.
 

The British Are Coming...

The twins are starting to cook Thanksgiving dinner...

It's a long process...

So, sometimes you need a little snack.

Josie's  coming over to bake pies today, so I got to use the post title I have been waiting forever to use.

Don't you love the smell of Apple, Pumpkin and Pecan-Toffee Pies baking? Stop by Hollyhocks tonight and have a slice.
  
 
 

The Recipe That Will Change a Risotto Lover's Life

I love risotto. I had some once at a fun local restaurant called La Ti Da. Arugula Risotto...and I was hooked. Now I order whatever I have to at restaurants to get it under whatever they make it with. Last Saturday I had Mascarpone Risotto with Sweet Peas...Amazing.

Williams-Sonoma has wonderful Risotto recipes...but...the recipe that will change everything for you is in Beth Hensberger's recipe for Parmesan Risotto in her book "Not Your Mother's Slow-Cooker Cookbook". There are so many mouth-watering recipes in that book, but the idea that great risotto can be madein a crock pot makes it accessible to every  busy one of us. (Click on photo to enlarge).

 Boy is your house going to smell good! Have a great day.
 

You Know You are Busy...and Distracted... When...

You go to an estate sale...

Buy a bunch of things...
 

...and a week later, you can't remember for the life of you anything about the house, including where it was...as Kitten said "when he was little" AYE!!!

Full Disclosure: the coffee pot was from AmVets...at least I remember that! Thanks for stopping by Hollyhocks!
 

Dear barnesandnoble.com

 
It didn't have to be like this. When I got your gift card for my birthday, I was in a long-distance relationship with Amazon. Amazon knows my hopes, my dreamsand my wishes, but alas, long-distance relationships are hard.

Amazon and I never saw each other, and you live nearby...so, I called, but you didn't have most of the books I had hoped for. I tried your online store, and sure your prices were higher, even with "member pricing", but I had the gift, so I ordered, you emailed, and we were happy together...until your email the next day.

 You noticed that 2 of my books, Rashida's book and "I Love Macaroons" were pre-orders and, because I qualified for free shipping, you weren't going to send my order for almost A MONTH ! You knew that I was hoping to see your package before thanksgiving. I emailed and asked you to reconsider, cancel the per-orders for now and send the others, you refused.

 I felt just awful that we were arguing through email.It was all so impersonal. You didn't even sign your emails with your name. I emailed a few more times and you took forever to answer. Finally, I had to speak to you in person, so I called, you listened to my story and promised to fix things.

The next day I checked my "order status" and found that you had canceled the 2 pre-order books, for now...and...

raised the prices on all of the books and charged me almost 9 dollars shipping.

Barnes, I know we quarreled, but this was just so mean-spirited. I called again and emailed your boss. I hated to get others involved, but you just wouldn't answer my calls and emails.

Finally, you straightened the mess out and credited me for the shipping

and sent me $5. Barnes, after all we've been through...$5.

 I wanted to say that things were over for us, but I still had money on the gift card, so I ordered another cookbook and a sewing book to use for my class...and..you refused my Educator Discount Card because of the much-less discounted "member discount" you are currently giving everybody.

 Barnes.com, this long-distance relationship is over. I am going back to Amazon.

I am sorry that you had to find out this way.

How Much is That Doggie at the Thrift Store?

I got this addition to the chalkware dog collection at the thrift shop for $1.48...which is highly unusual. Barbara has thrift shops in her area that regularly stock antique store-caliber vintage goodies. She just has to stuff a bag full of great finds every week. My thrift shop has the occasional find, but there are also a lot of 1970s lamps and tattered bathrobes...so you can imagine my glee at finding this little guy.

 Josie posted a free pattern for this...

Her Moleskine notebook cover pattern. I couldn't stop there, though and made a matching zipper bag and fabric envelope to store receipts...guess what the day care ladies are getting for Christmas...

Thanks Josie!!!

The twins are on the move. Imagine Joe's chagrin when he found that daddy was ending his access to the flight of stairs he ascended last week while daddy was in the next room. This child is into everything, he tips things over, pounds on glass, shuts off power strips and tries to climb into the bathtub...I really should be thinner from chasing after him AND fretting over what he will get into next.

The sweater vest was handmade by Josie and he gets tons of compliments whenever he wears it. He is quite proud of the fuss made over him too. I think his grey turtleneck matches better though. The DH says that he is one of the rare guys who can pull off a sweater vest.

So, here we are at 15 months, my daughter's a brute and both are, thank God, growing like weeds and loving cauliflower-stilton soup and pumpkin bread. Which reminds me, does anybody have a system for deciding what to make for dinner each week? I stand in that kitchen and stare, on a daily basis. We were restaurant and takeout people before the twins.
 

I have some nice estate sale finds to post about, as soon as we have a sunny day so I can take photos. Thank you for stopping by!
 
 
 
 
   

Some Things Are Illuminated

Adults under 30 probably shouldn't speak at all. Wisdom belongs to the very young and the very old. In the middle we think we know too much.

 When you are young, people tell you that "someday you'll understand" and you write it off. Then you get a job...and you understand...then you marry...and you understand...then you get a puppy...and you understand...then you have children...and you understand...and then you watch your parents age... and you understand...

There are so many more grey areas now than there used to be. It's not as easy to have a strong opinion...there are a lot of times when I can see both sides.

I suppose that may eventually make me a better person, a less judgmental person. I know what life can do to a person now, and I've been relatively lucky so far.

I was just thinking...

Note to Barbara: Have you ever seen a Gurley choirboy with a maroon robe? I couldn't resist.

Pumpkinville

 

 

Hope your weekend went something like ours....pumpkin doughnuts, hot cider and baby kisses...

Lemon Ricotta cookies on Saturday. It's a Giada recipe. Google it, they're really, really good. No icing though, not necessary.

Thanks for visiting Hollyhocks!
 

A Case of Mistaken Identity

I first saw this bit of vintage adorableness

here,  in Country Living magazine, US edition, slide 8, and fell in love with its perfect outdoorsy good looks. I could picture sitting outside on a crisp autumn day, mulling cider for the twins...so I looked it up and found that it is from the 1950s and not available. I looked on Ebay and in other places and found that lots of people want one of these...for way more than I was willing to pay...

Until it became mine through a case of mistaken identity. I spotted it in a basement at an estate sale last week for only a few dollars. I thought it was a Thermos, but saw the air holes and knew it must be a grill. I took it upstairs and asked the people to hold it while I looked through the rest of the house. A couple minutes later I was in the attic and heard the unmistakable sound of metal being tapped and moved around. I went to investigate and found the estate sale people grouped around, admiring my grill! It seems that when they priced it they thought it was a Thermos. They sold it to me for the marked price and I happily paid the few dollars and skipped out to my car. This weekend may be the perfect weekend to introduce the twins to mulled cider...

It's just one of those finds that you enjoy so much.

The twins have been very busy, into everything. Last night Joe was pretty tired and crying a lot, for no real reason. I was holding him on the sofa and the DH was holding Rory. Joe cried and cried and Rory looked very concerned. She crawled out of the DH's arms and over to her twin. She put her face near his and...slapped him right across the face!

 The Dh laughed and after the shock wore off I had to restrain myself from laughing at his obvious PROLONGED discomfort. The twins surprise us every day.

Thanks for visiting Hollyhocks!
 

If You Give a Compulsive a Pattern...

You'll get 7 reversible pinafores...

...and you thought I'd never use up all of my fabric...

These pinafore tops are such fun to make that it's ridiculous...

 

It's just simple cutting and sewing and lots of ironing...

Heather Ross fabric was made for these...

 

Rory can wear them alone now or with a shirt when it gets chilly...

They're like those darned pincushions, addictive (pattern here) . Now I need to become addicted to a nice, simple boys pants pattern.  Cadbury and I are loving the cooler evenings. Pesto and scones (not together) this weekend...and possibly a rustic apple pie/tart with homemade creme fraiche and Calvados whipped cream. I should probably just pack the skinny clothes away...

Have a great weekend all.Thanks for visiting Hollyhocks.

 Maybe I'll just make a couple more...