Macintosh Martini Moments

After shopping last night with my hubby we stopped for a drink. I had a Macintosh Martini that I enjoyed (too much perhaps!:) we just went over to our local ski area's restaurant The Outlook at Nashoba Valley in Westford, Ma ..Nice to look at the large windows out at the snow (from the warmth of the inside with their fire going and a band playing).

 The color of drink was actually more RED looking in person. Here is a similar recipe for it:)

1 oz  Sour Apple Schnapps
1 oz  Canadian Whisky
1 oz  of VERY good vodka

2 oz  of cranberry juice

Add all ingredients to a mixing glass over ice. Stir but do not shake.

Strain into a martini cocktail glass, and serve.

WARNING: 1 is PLENTY:)!!!!

Spring thoughts

Woke up to another snow storm. The weather people thought we would get around 3" of snow but in my area we received a whopping 7". Tomorrow morning we will have a "mix" followed by about an 1" of rain. What a mess and I am SO ready for SPRING!!!!!!

Above & below: Negative of out front today

On the BRIGHT side of things I found this LIME green rain jacket at JC Penney's in the petite section. I just adore the shade of happiness!!!!! The inside has blue and green stripping ---

I was thinking of a great pair of puddle boots in the blue and green and already seen a pocket book which would match this..it was blue straw and had the lime green inside with some floral print, it was at JC Penney.

I am going to get a coupon and go back and get my Spring shopping fix. I managed to buy a few needed items while there though...undies, bras, PJ's, night gown, and a spring top and sweater! The trip was great and I held off on the coat only because I want to use a coupon when purchasing it.  

 Isn't it just so pretty and cheerful?

 My Camellia also received it's 2nd BLOOM! YIPPIE! The leaves are light and dark with spots--as it should be. Another thing I love about the one Tom selected for me.

 Course when you view the blooms you do see all that snow out there....can't wait for the snow to be gone and the trees to start budding up! Long walks will be grand!!!!! Opened windows, savings with heating...
trips to get fried clams and steamers! Oh yum! I can hardly wait! Let's not forget the nights outside on sun porch with the sliders opened and all that FRESH air contributing to a better night's sleep!

My First Camellia Plant & Bloom! So Exciting!

This was taken yesterday on Feb 22nd, 2011

today it's opened up even more with its yellow center showing beautifully!

I have six more buds on the plant that hopefully will open soon!

On Saturday Feb 19th We Spent Time with my 1st Cousins & their Families

This was a nice treat to have spend time with my first cousins, their spouses and kids along with my hubby and two children. It was long overdo!

• Billy, Chris and Marisa are the children of my mom's youger brother William.

One child was missing from photo (Will) as he was NOT going to give up skiing!

Back Left to Right: Ben, my son Richard, and Brantley

Front Left to Right: Abigail, my daughter Kayte and Meghan.

Back: (L to R) Me & Tom; Front: Cousin Chris, Cousin Billy, Cousin Marisa, Amy and Tom (missing was Billy's wife Linda who had to  fetch her son Will off the slopes!  

Forsythia

These early bloomers sport the vibrant yellow flowers that have become a fixture of our spring dreams. Their flowers precede their leaves. Border forsythias are fast-growing shrubs with an upright and arching form.

Although I don't have any now, in my last home I had an abundance of yellow clusters of spring dreams! They were great to bring in this time of year (late Feb/Early March) to force indoors in vases scattered throughout the house! Just made you feel like SPRING was RIGHT around corner!

Some people love to tame their shrubs and have them neat as a pin all edged out and looking like a neat row of yellow colored natural fence..whereas I always let mine grow very wild and carefree! They were in the back of the home of course, so that helped. What I loved most about them was they they truly were carefree, an occasional buzz here and there is all I had done. I would take new "shoots" and plant them in other places to keep the "natural yellow fence" growing longer and longer.

Bright, Dainty, Wild, Star-like, Strong...like many woman I know!

Valentine's Day

A gift from mother nature was given and accepted with great excitement & PLEASURE! It was 55 degrees outside on V-day! THANK YOU! A true sign SPRING is near!!!

I spent Valentine's Day with my loves (minus one, my daughter who was celebrating with her new fiance ) so it was with my hubby and son. Often going out to eat is expensive, overrated not to mention crowed and you never know how the food will be on a busy holiday. I opt to cook to a nice dinner @ home. I picked up some Rib Eye Steaks, seared up some Scallops (wild caught of course:), roasted some Yukon Gold Potatoes and three large carrots. I COULD have baked but while @ the market eyed two cannolis and a beautifully decorated over-sized cupcake (hey, somebody made them:). The night was quiet and it was great to have that time alone with my men. I hope you all had a very sweet Valentine's Day as well.

Above: Scallops searing away

Richard's cupcake!

Rib Eye Steaks cooking up

Our after dinner yums yums

Seared scallops on top of salad greens

Dinner plated



Spring is near!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

On Sunday, February 13th 2011 I went to the Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Boylston, Ma  http://www.towerhillbg.org/  to get my fix of SPRING, which was much needed after the abundance of snow fall this winter. It was their annual Camellia show. I never had a camellia before and although they seem fussy I found one in my home at the day's end! My darling husband bought me a simple white Shira ogi. It's budding up now and should bloom any day. Wish me luck with it! I am now a member of the Massachusetts Camellia Society  http://www.macamelliasoc.org/  because the membership was free with my plant/shrub purchase. Not that I will be doing anything with this membership .... but who knew I would be a member of a society with such passion of a plant in which I never cared for before and hope not to kill:)

Here are just a few pictures I took (which I took over 200:)!!!

Camellias @ the show on display

The Sira ogi that my hubby bought me

The 182nd Annual Camellia Show

Warmth-Nature-Beauty-Sun

What more could a lady ask for on a cold, bitter day?

The photo above and below is how my blooms will

look on my Camellia Shira ogi!!! Can't wait to share them with you once it blooms!