♥♥♥ A Smoothie in New Stemware ♥♥♥

 First & foremost, I want to lift in prayers the people of Boston & West, TX...in fact, our whole nation, as we recover from yet another horrific incident.  *sigh*  My heart aches for the people injured & for the families who lost their loved ones.  

I had this post ready to go before I left to care for my sister.
It seems so frivolous to be *playing with dishes* now but if 
we don't carry on with our lives, then we've given in to them,
and I refuse!      

I bought some pretty pink *bubble* stemmed glasses recently.
Just to have a reason to show them off, I made one of my 
favorite fruit smoothies...Blueberry Banana!! 

 1 small container of fat free blueberry yogurt
1/2 of a small banana..(DH gets the other half on his cereal)
a large handful of frozen blueberries (from my sister's bushes)

Blend it all together with just a splash of skim milk so it mixes well.  For the photo, I added a dollop of whipped cream but I 
don't usually do that.  I just wanted to make it pretty for YOU!

I went outside, looking for some mint sprigs to use, but they are not up yet.  
That was when I decided to cut some of my hyacinths to add to the tray.  Brilliant idea...now I need to go find my antihistamines again!  ACHOO!!!  I must be allergic to them.   

 Aren't the stems pretty?  They remind me of champagne bubbles....hey, I wonder what THAT would taste like in it??  Hmmmmm...I may create a new 'breakfast of champions'  
Just kidding!

Thank you for all your prayers & good thoughts this week.
My sister Fritzie is doing quite well after her knee surgery. 
So well, in fact, that she chased me home.

She is doing much better than my husband did after his, but she is a full decade younger than he was when he had his knee replacement done.
I sure hope I never need one!!  Ugh!

I'm linking to Cuisine Kathleen's Let's Dish party &
The Tablescaper's Seasonal Sunday, too.

Praying

My older sister, Fritzie, is having a

knee replacement surgery Monday.

I'll be away from my blog for awhile,

as I'm going to be her private duty nurse

 for the first few days, post-op.

If you're so inclined, I'd appreciate your

*knee-mails* that she has an 

uneventful procedure.

 I'd also be grateful for any good thoughts & prayers

  towards keeping my DH safe at home while I'm gone.

He can manage for a few days alone,

although he hates it.

I've made lots of meals in advance for him.

We figured out how to help him do his

own eye drops!

If you keep the bottle in the refrigerator,

you can better tell if the drop 

has entered the eye properly.

Also, he has learned to balance the bottle

on the bridge of his nose so that the tip

is directly over his blind eye.

Since he can't SEE it, it has been difficult

for him to get it positioned just right.

Maybe these tips will help someone else 

do their own eye drops &

be able to maintain their

            independence a little longer.     

Thanks for stopping by.

I'll be back soon, I hope!

 

If I can find some free Wi-Fi access,

I'll link this post to Yvonne' StoneGable

  Tidbits, Tips & Tutorials.

EDIT:  I'm adding to my prayers the people of

Boston & West, TX too,

 

Please Lord, give them your Peace &

the strength to

cope with such terrible losses?

          

Something is making me SNEEZE!!!

  

 You can sure tell it is Spring here in Ohio!
 
My eyes are itchy & watering, my nose is running & I'm sneezing all day long!

At first, I suspected it was because of this beautiful PURPLE Hyacinth
(does it remind you of Sarah's blog?) 
that I have displayed in my new-to-me hobnail milkglass pitcher.
 

 Aren't the candle sticks just precious?
My older sister...you know, the one
who puts the cake on the upside down Cool Whip container lid...found these for me. 

I just LOVE them!  Thank Fritz…my collection continues to grow, with your help!











I've hung my Spring wreath on the front door...I know THOSE
flowers aren't making me sneeze.
 


 However, if you look OUT the glass, through the door to the ouside...




 These might also be the culprits! 
Gorgeous white hyacinths are blooming.




 Several clusters of crocus, both PURPLE & YELLOW are also wide open
 


 along side of some more hyacinths in various shades, too.



I could be sneezing from these primroses that are also inside
one of my milkglass containers in the sunroom.




However, I highly suspect it is the Christmas Cactus that is in our bedroom & blooming AGAIN, that might be the source of
offending pollen.




They are ALL going OUTSIDE just as soon as I'm sure we won't have another frost!

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get another tissue. ~~sniff~~

I hope Cuisine Kathleen thinks I have enough of my milkglass dishes in this post to add it to her "Let's Dish" party tonight. 
Hop on over there & see what other's have brought to the party. 
This post is also perfect for The Tablescaper's Seasonal Sundays, so I'm hopping over to that party as well. 

Remembrance Pendant

    


This has got to be the most perfect "metamorphosis" transformation I have ever linked to Susan's Between Naps on the Porch "Metamorphosis Monday" party!

My baby sister commissioned this "Remembrance Pendant" to be made from her recently deceased husband's wedding ring and her own, as well.  He passed away on April 20th of last year.

The outer ring is his wedding band in its original state & her bands were melted down into the wave formation with the diamonds added to the crests of the waves.  To me, they mimic the white foam in the caps of the wave.  The center wave swings freely with any movement.

What a wonderfully creative way to be able to wear the symbols of their love every day!  If my husband passes away before me, I am sooooo going to have this done with our rings.

She is doing well, having rented out her big, beautiful home in AZ & taken a full time job on Maui!  She is lovin' it!   For someone who spent her entire adult life living in the desert, she sure has an affinity for the water.

I am joining Yvonne's Tutorials, Tips & Tidbits party because this is a just a GREAT idea.
I'm also linking this post to Marty's (A Stroll Thru Life) for her newly named meme, "Inspire Me Tuesday".

She has changed the parameters of her party to include lots more things than just tabletops.  I think this particular post fits right in...it sure inspired me!

"You can link up anything, crafts, DIY, projects, food, sewing, painting, gardening, tablescapes, vignettes, anything you have been up to and creating." 

I Never throw away a Rubber band!

 This post comes under the heading of helpful tips I've been wanting to share.

I, truly, never throw away a rubber band!
 

 I use them to keep lids in place on items, especially glass ones, when I put them away for storage.  I also use them to secure lids for transport, such as in this triple slowcooker that I intended to use for Easter.


 

  It works best if you loop one over EACH handle & then around the top knob.  That way, it is balanced & still secure, even if one breaks.




I also use them to keep my tongs closed when in the drawer.
I don't have the new fangled kind, with the push-handle closure that keeps them shut.  
This works just fine & they aren't all tangled
up with other utensils in the drawer.

   
 

The heavy duty rubber bands from lobster claws work great for this...they are very sturdy & don't break easily.  Just be sure to wash them well!

Of course, I also use rubber bands to keep boxes of Equal & Spenda closed till I need them.  Also the Cream of Wheat box, with that stupid cardboard pour spout?  The cereal sticks to tape if you try to use that to keep it closed.  A rubber band works great, especially if it gets knocked around in the cupboard.  I'm ALL about prevention of messes!



 Now, aren't you curious as to WHY I have this Cool Whip container sitting upside down????




Ta-Da!!!  This was how my brilliant ( & older ~snicker) sister suggested we transport our piece of cake back home, in the car!  You use the lid of the container as the plate & put the top of the clean, empty carton OVER the lid, snapping it closed.  

Sure beats losing all that yummy icing to plastic wrap or trying to stick toothpicks in so it won't touch!!

Sorry for the dark photos...I made it to 10 pm before it was calling my name & I wanted to dig into it, but I knew I had to share this with you before I did.  It was DELICIOUS!

Wish I could share a piece with you.
Thanks for popping by The Gazebo House.
I'm linking this to Cuisine Kathleen's Let's Dish meme &
 Yvonne's Tutorials, Tips & Tidbits  
The Tablescaper's Seasonal Sundays