The Ice Cube Cometh!

And ice doesn't just come in cubes these days - look at these fun shapes!

How cute are these Gin & Titonic ice cubes? The tray makes one iceberg for each ship, so no guest will feel left out . . . or, as bartender, you can mix them up any way you like. Would you prefer three icebergs or two ships in your White Russian?

And how about these ice kabobs? I'd love to find one of these in a tall glass of lemonade or iced tea!


And finally, the ice jewels! Serve these with carrot juice if you're feeling punny. You can find these clever ice trays, and more, here. I think the ice kabobs are my favorite! And if you're going for a Mad Men feel for your summer parties, you'll need a retro ice tray, like this one from Vermont Country Store:
And an ice bucket! How about this lovely monogrammed one from Williams-Sonoma?
So don't underestimate the importance of ice in your summer drinks! And remember, Aristotle and Sir Francis Bacon believed warm water freezes faster than cold. Were they right? Click here to find out before you fill that ice tray!

Can't wait for the new season of Mad Men?

Do you have July 25 circled on your calendar? I do, because that's when the new season of Mad Men premieres! But, what's a fan to do until then? Mad Men Yourself, of course!

That's what I've done and now I'm popping over to your house for a nice cup of tea and a long chat about Season 3! How do you like my new red purse? I'm thinking of it as an authentic Kelly bag. But, back to Mad Men, if you're a fan of the show, you must check out the Mad Men site on AMC. And even if you're not a fan (which must mean you've yet to watch the show!), you'll enjoy exploring the '60s side of your personality with the Mad Men Yourself feature.

And if you'd like a little Don Draper for your desk, get in line to purchase the Barbie Mad Men collection that goes on sale in July. You'll need to be a big fan of the show and of Barbie for these - they're $75 each . . . and in the world of Mad Men that could buy quite a few drinks, not to mention smokes!

So, don't worry, July 25 will be here before you know it! Think of the interim as an opportunity to rewatch Season 3 - I know it's on the top of my Netflix list. And now I'm back in my Mad Men mode, but this time in formal attire for a night on the town (no wild encounters in the coat check closet, though . . .).

See you in July!

Dust Off Those Tap Shoes - Today's a Holiday!

That's right, all you Fred & Ginger wannabes - today is National Tap Dance Day! It's no coincidence that today is also the birthday of Bill 'Bojangles' Robinson who was born in Richmond, Virginia in 1878. Bojangles is often credited with changing the style of tap dancing - from a flat-footed shuffle to an on-the-toes precision. He's also remembered for coining the phrase "everything's copacetic" . . . which is probably how his audience felt while watching his performances!

As a girl I took tap and ballet lessons and have taken tap again as an adult. Luckily, I never had aspirations of being a professional (if you saw me dance, you'd know just how lucky!), but I still love to tap. Perhaps tap dancing will emerge again as a popular entertainment . . . there must be lots of movie-goers who would prefer to see a rousing Gene Kelly number over another teen-age haunted house flick.


So, who's your favorite tap dancer? How about your favorite dance movie? I can't really choose a favorite, but am especially fond of all the Fred & Ginger films. In honor of National Tap Dance Day - here's a great clip from Swing Time.



Happy Tapping~~~~~ shuffle, ball, change~~~~~~shuffle, ball, change~~~~~~~ remember, everything's copacetic when you're dancing!

A Porkchop Walks Into a Bar . . .

. . . and the bartender says, "I'm sorry, we don't serve food."

I hope you liked this little joke - it never fails to crack me up. At a previous stage in my career I was a technology trainer and on a (seemingly) regular basis my classes would be halted due to technical issues. The students and I were often held hostage while someone from IT tried to fix the problem.
Have you ever tried to keep a group of adults (who were mostly forced to attend in the first place) happy in similar circumstances? If so, you'll know the value of a good joke - and by good I mean one that is appropriate for all audiences and not offensive to anyone (including porkchops and yo momma) and is moderately funny. The porkchop joke was always my go-to joke and I highly recommend it.

Here are a few other tried and true bar jokes:

Two peanuts walk into a bar . . . and one was a-salted.

Charles Dickens walks into a pub and orders a martini. The bartender asks, "Olive or twist?"

A skeleton walks into a bar and says, "Give me a beer and a mop!"

Hope these gave you a chuckle and I'd love to hear your favorite jokes. I'll leave you with a sneak peek of this iris and later in the week I'll reveal why it's special:

Have You Drawn a Bird Today?

Quick, you still have a few hours! Yes, it's April 8, a.k.a. Draw a Bird Day, the day set aside each year to try your hand at a little avian art. According to Wikipedia, DAB Day was started in the '40s as a morale booster and continues today (it's unclear why drawing birds was thought to boost morale - perhaps spending time in the great outdoors or simply the fact that it was an activity with little or no associated cost?). The drawings can be any media and any skill level - this is one time when effort is the most important factor. I don't know why I even said that . . . of course there are no rules.

Flickr has several sets of DAB Day pics - check one out here. Some cities, like Hartford, have their own ways to mark the day and, of course, there's a Facebook page (if you visit, don't miss the charming French drawing guide). And for a little professional inspiration look to Dr. Seuss and John James Audubon (click here to see this chromolithograph appraised on Antiques Roadshow!).

So, I'm off to draw a bird . . . how about you?

Serendipitous Friday!

It is a truth universally acknowledged that Friday is the most promising day of the week.

Okay, so I borrowed a bit of that from Jane Austen, but don't you think it's true? Weekends are great, of course, but Friday holds the promise of the weekend - relaxing Friday night knowing you can sleep in the next day or perhaps starting the weekend a few hours early - that seems more rewarding than Saturday itself . . . The odd thing about this is that I don't even have a regular job now, I'm not committed to a five-day routine, but I still look forward to weekends and wake up on Fridays feeling a bit excited about what might be in store. And today turned out to be a great day - a mid-morning change of plans led to:

Lunch and tea with my husband at a fun cafe:

Some beautiful spring blooms spotted while I was out and about. The tree-lined drive at the top of this post is stunning in real life, unfortunately this house is on a busy road and it was difficult to get a good picture - this one was taken from the sun roof! As for the flowering shrub below, I can't think of its name - it's been driving me crazy all afternoon. If you can identify it, please help! I'd love to have this in my garden . . .

And finally a detour this afternoon led to the discovery of a book sale for a nearby library. We love book sales and this one was great - lots and lots of well-organized books at ridiculously low prices. Here's our stash (yes, they provided shopping bags and building-to-car umbrella service!).

So now I'm ending the day with my new (old) books and one of these:

And, I'm not thinking about the things that were left undone because of these last-minute diversions. After all, what's the point of a play-day if you're going to feel guilty later?

I hope your weekend contains a bit of serendipitous fun!

Peter Piper Picked a Pile of Pitas . . . freshly baked, of course!

Do you like pita bread? I'm guessing you said yes, because who doesn't like it? The next question is a bit trickier . . . have you ever baked pita bread? No? It's so easy . . . since first trying this recipe last week, I've baked it twice. Yum!

I saw this recipe several months ago at The Fresh Loaf and am glad I finally baked it. It's the easiest yeast bread I've ever made and a great recipe to try if you are new to baking. And if you have kids I think they will like this because you put the dough in the oven as flat circles and in five minutes it's puffed into the two-sided pita we know and love. To be honest, I rather like watching this myself . . .

You can get the full recipe here at The Fresh Loaf, plus there are step-by-step photos and lots of good info. (FYI - I used half wheat flour and half regular and loved the results!) While taking pictures of my pitas in the bread basket, I was reminded of the Operation game - remember the bread basket? It turns out this game is still pretty popular and has its own Wikipedia page.

I learned quite a few things about Operation today - first, the original 1965 version featured a smoking doctor on the box. This is now prized by collectors. Look at the doctor - isn't he scary?

Second, Operation-themed costumes are pretty popular - that's something to keep in mind next October. Finally, there are websites that show you how to turn the Operation board into other games. I'm not including links to those because if you're that kind of Mr. Fix-it person you'll know where to find these instructions . . . and if you're not, I don't want to be responsible for injuries when you re-wire the board. (It's not fun when your nose lights up!)

Hope you have a great weekend - with or without pita in your bread basket.

Alice Fever Spreads to J Peterman

Have you seen the new Alice in Wonderland movie? Whether you plan to or not, you might enjoy browsing through the new J. Peterman catalog.


It features an Alice-themed tea table on the cover - just a bit of cheery March Madness! And, as always, the catalog is an interesting read - and if you're in the market for WWII cotton Army drawers or a flirty dress from the '40s or '50s, you'll find it here. Here's my favorite item:



These are very similar to Dansko clogs (which I love on days when I'm on my feet for hours!), but have this great floral pattern and wooden soles. Here's my dilemma: would I wear these almost every day during the spring and summer or would they be relegated to the back of the closet because in real life they are more clown/housefrau than in the catalog? Because I don't think there will be any middle ground with these . . .

Click here to check out the J. Peterman catalog - and feel free to offer comments about the clogs!

Three Minis I Love This March!

As March blows in this week, I'm thinking about minis. What kind of minis you ask? There are lots of minis - some might even say many minis - but, here are three that I love this week.

First the adorable and sporty Mini Cooper. I don't own one, but did consider purchasing one a few years ago - and may consider one the next time I'm car shopping. After all, what's not to like? They're really cute, fun to drive, and (according to our friends at Consumer Reports) safe.

You can choose one of the standard colors such as British Racing Green, Chili Red, or Laser Blue as seen above. But something about the Mini Cooper cries out for a little customization and this is what makes them so appealing. From the Austin Powers Union Jack version . . .

. . . to this one-of-a-kind George Harrison version, the possibilities are endless. And how cheery to see this in your driveway?

Next there's Minnie Mouse! Would you believe she's almost 70? Yet, she's still the fun-loving, multi-talented (have you seen her dance?), mouse we've grown to love. Always stylish and usually cheerful, she brings a smile wherever she goes (and how many of us can say that . . . )! She's always up for an adventure and even prepared for inclement weather with an umbrella that matches her outfit! Now that takes a bit of planning . . .

There is one final mini that's been really nice to have around this week, and that's the minneola! A cross between a pomelo and a tangerine, these golden citrus fruits are perfect for snacking or salads. They're easy to peel, consistently yummy, and loaded with Vitamin C (of course!).

Any weekend is good if minneolas are on the menu.

Have a great weekend!

Which Action Figure Is the Most Polite?

Is it G. I. Joe . . . or someone/thing from Star Wars? No! It's Jane Austen. Action figures have come a long way from the bags of grubby little army men who couldn't even raise an arm (much less their Arms!). Today there are all types of action figures - from angry mobs of villagers complete with torches and pitchforks to Carl Jung to Edgar Allen Poe (complete with raven). My favorite, though, is the Jane Austen figure.

Available from the fun folks at Archie McPhee, Jane comes with here very own lapdesk and quill pen. She can perch on the edge of your chair as you're reading Persuasion or stand on your desk as a little muse when you're writing . . . the possibilities are endless. Wherever she goes in your world, the Jane figure will be gracious and well-mannered (not rolling in the dirt like the army men). And, there's sure to be polite, witty conversation when you and Jane share a pot of tea!

So, if you can't travel to Jane's home (seen above), bring a little Jane to your world with this fun desk accessory. Personally, I plan to purchase Jane and the famous consulting detective seen below . . . perhaps a little romance will be afoot!

If You Freeze Ginger . . .

. . . where does that leave Mary Ann?

Sorry for the lame joke, but I always think of it when I'm freezing or thawing ginger - and it cracks me up (which certainly says something about me . . . but what?). And this brings me to our topic, which is actually a two-parter.

Here's a little song (to the tune of the Gilligan's Island Theme) that serves a hint for tomorrow's post. You really need to sing along . . .

Just come right back and you'll hear a tale,
A tale of a fateful bake,
That started from this southern town,
When I thought, "cake I'll make."

The chef was a mighty baking girl,
Ingredients at hand,
Her Kitchen Aid was standing by,
With greased and floured pan.

The batter started rising high,
The oven it was hot,
If not for the courage of the fearless cook,
The cake it would be not, the cake it would be not.

The cook saw smoke through the door of this uncharted oven aisle,
With Ginger Root, the Butter, too, the Broken Egg and his Wife,
The Cake Flour, the Molasses and Lemon Zest,
Here on the kitchen isle!

So join us here Mon-day my friend,
You're sure to get a smile,
From ginger cake that went astray,
Here on my kitchen isle!

Tune in tomorrow to see how this:

And this:

Ended up like this . . . (and, no, unfortunately I did not have the cookie sheet under the cake pan in the beginning!).

Happy Baking and see you tomorrow!

Not All Moss Is Created Equal

So what do we know about moss? It likes wet areas, it comes in lots of fabulous green colors, and it is rarely seen on a rolling stone. I've been on a bit of a moss-roll myself this week - taking lots of pictures of moss growing in the wooded area by our house. As we don't normally have moss growing in our yard, it has a certain attraction - especially its vivid colors.

My little moss is nothing, though, compared to the moss used by talented 'green artists' like Anna Garforth. Her moss designs are seen below:

Aren't they wonderful? I've only seen them in photos, but would love to see them in person.

Check out her website for more pictures of her fascinating work (she does amazing things with leaves as well . . .).

And then there's the master of vegitecture, Patrick Blanc. His designs are growing in major cities the world over and his website gives you a glimpse into his magical world.

Of course, his vertical gardens are not entirely moss . . .

Click here to see the step-by-step installation of a recent project in Melbourne.

I hope you enjoyed these mossy finds. Happy Saturday!