Parazul

I love these bags!! Does anyone know of a deal or discount available? I don't live near a cruise town!

Help would be appreciated!!

Black Bears Oh My!

OH MY!!!

Meet my black bear friend! I have lived in this house for 10 years and for the first time in my neighborhood, I saw a nice looking black bear.

What to do when you see a bear?

1. Stay in the Car?

2. Talk to the bear like he understands everything you are saying?

3. Jump out of the car and take a picture while he contemplates MAULING you!

(Right! We chose option three too!)

He quitely sauntered across the road, as my husband and I drove up the hill looking for a house a friend of ours recently acquired. He didn't seem to be in any rush!

We are in the grips of a heat wave in Vermont, I shouldn't complain, it's only in the 80's and 90's here and I know it's much warmer everywhere else! But Darn! It's Hot!

Now, do you use Craigslist? Okay who doesn't. I've got the best tip for you if you are looking to buy something, try http://www.craiglook.com/.



If you are looking for something specific (like Belleek China) you type in exactly what you want and it shows you all the Bellek China listed on all the Craigslists everywhere (even in Canada!) Cool!



What a time saver!

BALLOON FEST 2010! Quechee, Vermont

BALLOON FEST 2010!

For one weekend each year, my little village grows - by about 30 balloons! Then come the spectators, the trailers, the concessions, the crafters and the fun that follows! Check out the gorgeous pictures, then pack your friends and family into the car next father's day weekend for the event! It's great!

Here's the Monster Balloon!
The cowboy Teddy Bear, and the American Flag - flying high!


I love this shot, the airplane, the moon, the balloon and the clearest sky!

Look how beautiful!

Up , Up

And away!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(for a view of my little village from a balloon, check out the post in early June, "Up, Up and Away")

Happy Fourth of July Everyone!

Garden Salad!

True! My Garden is producing food!

I keep the Mixed Salad Greens in a pot on the porch so I have easy access.

Here is Mysti trying to help harvest some lettuce! How do you know when a Radish is ready? He pokes his little red head up out of the dirt!

I love fresh radish! YUM!

Here's my lettuce picked in the collander and ready for washing!Just add some fresh onion and pepper - Wha La! Salad!Served with Fresh Lasanga (with meat, but you can see some of the fresh spinach from the mixed green pot on the porch in the smaller lasagna dish).
You are not seeing double, I'm lazy! Uber Lazy! If I am going to make Lasanga, I usually make two at a time so I can freeze one - then if I'm not in the mood to make dinner, I can just pop one in the oven ! It's usually better after it's frozen, the moisture has been soaked up after baking .

RECIPIE:

• 1 Box of Lasagna noodles - boiled in salted water with 1 tblspn olive oil
• 32oz. Red Sauce of your choice
• 1/2 lb of ground beef
• 1/2 lb of ground sausage
• 32 oz of Ricotta Cheese
• 2 eggs - beaten
• 8 oz (or more if you like) of Mozzerella (low moisture)
• Bowl of fresh spinach (washed well) - You can use frozen, just defrost and dry well
• 1 medium onion - sliced or diced (your choice)
• tons of garlic (okay 3-4 tablespoons) or one fresh head of a garlic - smashed or chopped
• Parmasan Cheese to taste (I use quite a bit)

Boil your noodles to just undercooked so they soak up extra moisture while cooking. I suggest boiling for approximately 4-5 minutes then add cold water to stop the cooking/boiling water.

I brown the sausage and ground beef together with sliced onion. I also add the garlic to this mix close to the end so as not to burn it. If you need to add moisture or a tablespoon of olive oil, go ahead - live large! If you just want moisture try chicken stock.

I mix the ricotta cheese with the two beaten eggs to help bind the lasagna.

Now's a great time to turn on the oven - heat to 375

When all these steps are done you can prepare your pan. I use glass, but you can use metal if you prefer. I put a bit of sauce on the bottom of the pan so the noodles don't stick (key!).

Begin to layer your lasagna noodles. I slightly overlap the edg.es. After your first layer is down, I usually start with meat and I mix the ricotta cheese with the meat, but some people do cheese one layer, meat one layer. It's your preference. Sprinkle this layer with parmasan cheese.

Now repeat by layering the noodles again, the meat and the cheese, also add a bit of sauce if you like. Then top the whole pan off with more noodles. Add a bit of sauce to the top layer and then sprinkle or layer your Mozzerella cheese over the top. Cover the top with Foil or parchment then foil and bake for one solid hour covered. Then take the foil/parchment cover off and brown your top for another 10 minutes or so. Watch it doesn't burn! Let your pan set for five to ten minutes before cutting and then enjoy!!

Next up - Quechee Balloon Festival 2010!

Up! Up and Away in this Beautiful Balloon

Every year on Father's Day weekend my village hosts the Quechee Hot Air Balloon Festival! It's great fun! I've known Gary Lovell, a local pilot for a few years and tonight he gave me the surprise of a lifetime! A ride in a Hot Air Balloon. Piloted by Gary Lovell of Balloons over New England. A perfect calm night for a balloon ride! We started from the Green in my home town of Quechee.

Here I am helping to inflate the balloon.

Close to full!

The Balloon is filled almost completely before the Pilot adds the heat and tips up the balloon.Into the Basket I go!Do I look Excited???Basket View!My beautiful village from the air looking down (you may be able to make out the Quechee Covered Bridge on the River Edge. Center top of the photo).More village shots!Looking East from my village I heart Ballooning! (do you see it?)

You will only see this view in Vermont

(Our chase vehicle and my husband wait below for us).

Another Balloon pops out of The Quechee Gorge, Derek

Derek climbs higher into the evening sky - Beautiful!Here we are coming in for a landing - We touched down very softly!My Husband (in the tye-dye) helps pack up the BalloonPOP! Yes! We upheld the 200 year old tradition of Champagne on the landing!My Pilot Gary Lovell and his helper Bruce Toast to Cheating Death (??*%! - Now he tells me?)Wonderful picnic at the landing!Here I am with Gary happy to have had such a wonderful flight!Ever wonder how they get all the passengers home? Now you know!

I highly recommend Gary at Balloons over New England - You can just make out his phone number in this photo, but let me give it to you just in case! 800-758-5562!

Book early for the best flights!!

Until Next time!

13.1!

13.1 MILES in a Half Marathon

And the point 1 is the killer! I spent this morning running the Annual Covered Bridges Half Marathon. It starts in Woodstock, Vermont and continues onto Quechee Vermont, where I live. It poured the entire race and the temp never broke 61 degrees, but it was a great feeling to finish the race!Bib number 2589 (alpha order). The course crosses the covered bridge in Woodstock and passes by two others. Here I am coming into the finish! My legs are covered in mud from running on the dirt road!

At the finish, you get complimentary beer, massages and bagels! Lots of bagels!

Two years in a row to run this race! Lucky Me!

On the Cutting Room Table

Currently in progress are many things in my workshop. I could classified as a

compulsive "starter".

I have a great pair of pants coming together for the summer. I may have misjudged the fabric, it's a bit "cling-y" in areas I would prefer a bit more drape. More on those later.

I'm also working on some great flower pins. I'm thinking these are a fad, and I should get them together before they are outdated. I think Michelle Obama is responsible for the resurgence in Large Flower Brooches. Thanks to the first lady for that! These are made from wool scrap and cotton flowers cut from leftover shirting fabric.Don't throw away those scraps!! A Bunch of Bloomin' Flowers!!Here one on the machine getting top stitched. Some of the wool is boiled and very stable, and I also used polar fleece, so I'm not worried about fray.

If the cotton frays a bit I think it will look chic!Now it's time to trim, top and bottomGlue or stitch a pin to the back and it's grand! I made some big pins over the winter in all wool, and use a safety pin (large) just to keep the pins stable!

AND

The reason every project takes ten times longer than it should! I have to pet the pups!!! (Kyle) Mysti runs when she sees the camera come out!

See you all next time!