Bluebonnets say, Springtime in Texas!

Yes it's springtime in Texas

when the Bluebonnets are in bloom!

Fields of blue grace the countryside 

with gorgeous shades of this blue wildflower.

People come from all around to see these beauties,

standing in the fields and taking photos with  family and friends.

This week I'll be doing the same as we take a spring break to head south to the Hill Country.

We do have Bluebonnets growing wild here too but the further south you go, the better the site.

Each year I love to paint this beautiful bloom and I hope to get a few photos this week

to help in my creativity and new designs.

I'll do a little junkin, site seeing, walking the countryside

and 

on the way back home, 

we will stop in at Magnolia Market and check out the new Magnolia bakery.

Would you like me to bring you back a cupcake?

Well, I wish I could, but I will let you know how good they are and take a photo or two.

So off we go, to enjoy springtime in Texas and these pretty Bluebonnets!

Below are  a few paintings done from years past and present!

Have a great week and see you soon.

 Happy Spring!!

Vintage Banana Tea Bread!

Going back into my archives in celebration of 10 years of posts,

I want to share a banana bread recipe I have made for so many years I've lost count.

I'm calling it Vintage Banana Tea Bread simply because it goes back so long ago.

So here is the post below in the original share from about 2007

*****************

 Today I have a recipe to share.

 One that I have made for years.

 Tea Bread! 

It can be made with or without bananas.

.

 Perfect to use when you get down to the last couple over ripe bananas. 

Instead of throwing them away, 

why not make this delicious bread for breakfast, snacks or a tea break! 

It's not sweet, but rather a light snack bread without using yeast.

 I have so many great recipes to pass along. 

As I have shared  in past posts, my mother was a gourmet cook.

 She had an amazing talent to make anything taste delicious.

I don't even come close to her cooking abilities, 

but I inherited all her tried and true recipes
 and cookbooks when she passed away.

Little written captions to herself, sideline notes, and pages of wonderful directions for meals she shared with family, friends and many church dinners.

 Most of the time, she didn't follow a recipe. 

Another talent she had for just pulling it all together.

 Oh how, those dinners bring back memories of special times.

I hope to share many here in time and most will be easy and quick. 

So copy if you like, enjoy and share with your family and friends.

Let's get started.

Perfect any time of the year.

Wrapped or  boxed it makes the perfect hostess gift

 or

 welcome to the neighborhood gift.

This bread freezes really well too.

Hope you enjoyed another look back at a past post.

Have a wonderful week!!

Erin Go Bragh

Meaning, Ireland Forever!

Greetings blog friends and Happy St.Patrick's Day.

Being Irish is a blessing to me and I look forward to this day each year. 

St. Patrick's Day brings back many memories growing up

 and our home celebrations with special meals and Irish music. 

My Father was Irish and his father was from Dublin.

 I have not been to visit, but look forward to a trip one day.

Ireland is about the size of West Virginia, 

and this tiny island has some of the richest history of the Western world. 

Some important dates in Irish history are 600 B.C. when the Celtic arrived on Irish soil.

 In A.D. 432 St. Patrick brought Christianity to Ireland.

 During the time from 500- 800 known as the Golden Age of Ireland,

 great music and  literary creativity made Ireland the most accomplished in Europe.

 When the Vikings invaded Ireland in 800, they founded the first towns, including Dublin in 988.

In 1002 Ireland was united for the first time under one leader

 and by 1801 Ireland is part of the United Kingdom.

In the year 1845 a million and a half Irish starve to death due to the Great Potato Famine

 and a million more people emigrate to avoid the same fate.

 By 1922 Ireland becomes a free state within the British Commonwealth except for six counties of Northern Ireland which still remain part of the United Kingdom.

 In 1949  the twenty six counties of Ireland become an independent republic.

St. Patrick is the man who converted the Irish to Christianity

 and is the most famous Irishman of all time.

 No one is sure where exactly the patron saint was born or buried,

 but they do know when he died,

 which is March 17th.

 So on this day, the Irish worldwide celebrate this holiday in honor of his name. 

The shamrock is the symbol of Ireland and comes from Gaelic Seamrog, 

which refers to the plant's three leaves. 

As the story goes,

 It was in a heated debate with a Druid priest that St. Patrick bent down,

 picked a shamrock and used it to demonstrate the Christian trinity

 using the three leaves held together by one single stem. 

Meaning, "The Father, The Son and the Holy Spirit." 

The Shamrock is regarded today as the national plant of Ireland

 and worn in many forms on St. Patrick's Day.

Churchill once said," We have always found the Irish a bit odd. They refuse to be English"

My grandfather Charles was from Dublin and came to this country residing in Pennsylvania in 1921.

 He married a wonderful girl , my grandmother Rebecca also from Ireland,

 and they had four children, one of wish was my father Joseph,

sisters Kate and Mary and youngest brother Charles.

Here is a picture of Dublin today overlooking the River Liffey.

 Shown is a portion of the Ha'penny Bridge. 

The Dome building in the background is the Custom House.

 The photos below share some of my favorite books

along with a few treasured keepsakes I enjoy and display this time of year.

I hope you enjoy a bit of the Irish today

and may your day be filled with blessings and good cheer!

Thank you for stopping by.

 May the road rise up to meet you, and may the wind always be at your back."

ERIN GO BRAGH

 "Ireland Forever"

Love From Yesterday

Hi Friends!

Thank you for the birthday greetings and sweet messages last week.

Your wishes were so kind and a blessing!

I hope you enjoyed a nice weekend.

We had rain, but thankful for the moisture with the new spring blooms on the way.

As part of my 10th year blog celebration,

I will be sharing posts from years past.

As I was looking through the archives for one this week,

I came across this post sharing a special teacup

I cherish and love.

With it's green beauty it seemed appropriate with

St. Patrick's Day coming soon

and

The Enchanting Rose

10th  Tea cup/Mug exchange.

So as we take a look back in blogland

I thank you for letting me share this poem 

I wrote in 2011.

LOVE FROM YESTERDAY

There's a cozy little corner, within my cottage dear,

it was crying for a visit and so I sat right there.

With my chair that graced a redo and table close at hand,

I’ll sit my sweet green tea cup with thoughts of days to plan.

My mind so filled with ideas,

While sipping raspberry tea.

I’ll plan and wish and dream away

Of things not yet to be.

Sweet teacup was so lonely, until I filled her up,

My chance to recall memories of days and loved ones much.

Remembering this teacup a gift to Mother dear,

From a sweet little Godchild, for a birthday one fine year.

Wrapped in pink with ribbons and smiles of giving delight,

Mother opened the precious present for delicate was inside.

With glee and squeals of affection and hugs to go around,

Godchild was so happy for Mother was so proud.

Through the years sweet green tea cup, gave joys and love untold,

Mother cherished it completely, for God had blessed her so.

With love and admiration for simple things in life,

I learned a faithful lesson, to give is always right.

Today this sweet green tea cup, lives with me so near,

Within my cozy corner forever to be dear.

Joined in many moments upon my comfy spot,

I cherish quiet blessings and tea within sweet cup.

For life has given joys never to compare,

And when I want to visit, I’ll sit upon my chair.

Sweet teacup will be waiting to meet me for the day,

And together we’ll remember,

Love from Yesterday!

author,© Celestina Marie 2011

Thank you for visiting to share in my

 year long celebration of 10 years of blogging!!

See you soon~