Birthday Fun and Pinterest Fail

I hope everyone had a glorious weekend, in my tiny world we not only celebrated Mother's Day but also gathered to celebrate the first year of life for my youngest grandson Dominick. It was indeed a weekend filled with fun, food, family and most importantly love.

Here my sweet little man offers me a taste of his birthday cake. Oh, how my heart melts from such innocents and true love.

I made deviled eggs, potato salad, and baked bean casserole for the celebration. As I was writing my shopping list of ingredients I'd need for cooking, I remembered a cute idea from Pinterest, a lovely, healthy snack for the children. I looked it up to make sure I would have all of the necessary ingredients to make it.

Now, I don't know about you, but I'm really not a big fan of Pinterest. When my cousin Ruth from the blog Dian's Timpanalley sent me an invitation to join many years ago, I, of course, being as nosey as I am, joined. 

I have a few things saved, not many, but remembered this oh so cute healthy snack and thought this would be the perfect time to make it.

What could be healthier celery, craisins, peanut butter, I used soy peanut butter, we have allergies, and pretzels. 

How cute these will look, I thought, even the adults will want to taste them. I washed and cut the celery, and was excited to start assembling them. I decided to make the butterfly first. 

Quickly my enthusiasm was squashed by my first attempt. I tried another technique at assembling one only to be crushed again. After several attempts, I realized that this was not going to work!

Since we first eat with our eyes, I knew I could not take my creations to the party. How on earth could I mess up something that looked so easy to make?

Here is my Pinterest epic fail. . .

At the party, I was telling my sister and niece about my Pinterest disaster. My niece told me that I was certainly not the first person to have a Pinterest fail, but, in fact, there are sites all over the web showing other people's  Pinterest fails! 

I came home and did a Google search and was surprised to find that I was not the only one who did not succeed.

Have you had a Pinterest success or have you had an epic failure like I did? I would love to hear from you either way. 

Lark Rise To Candleford and Names

I have become smitten with the BBC historical drama "Lark Rise to Candleford" this period drama was adapted from Flora Thompson's memoirs of her Oxfordshire childhood.

As I was walking down the isle of DVD's at my library, I noticed the title "Lark Rise to Candleford." I picked up the DVD and read the description and quickly made a decision to give it a watch.

As I started watching the first season, which was first produced in 2008 and ended in 2011 after finishing its fourth season, I was hooked. I appreciated the simple charm of the towns Lark Rise and Candleford and loved all of the charming and not so pleasant people who live there.

I'm almost finished with the first season and I'm looking forward to watching season two.

The names of a few characters caught my attention such as Miss Dorcas Lane, the postmistress of Candleford and her housekeeper Zillah.

I find the name Zillah beautiful and I think it should make a comeback. Zillah was a wife of Lamech in Genesis 4:19 and the name was in the U.S. Top 1000 in the 1800’s.

Dorcas is of Greek origin meaning gazelle. The biblical meaning is a woman who is abounded in good deeds and gifts of mercy. This name peaked in the 1920's, thank goodness. If a child was called Dorcas, I fear, she would be teased  unmercifully because of the awful term 'dork.'

Lark Rise to Candleford" addresses class distinction, woman's rights, liberal thinking, friendships, love, secrets, and struggles of everyday life.

I'm looking forward to watching the other three seasons.

Celebrated Spring with a Morel Mushroom Dinner

I have had computer and router issues for over a week, so far everything seems to be up and working. Fingers crossed.

I attended a morel mushroom dinner last Tuesday evening with my youngest daughter Susan and my niece Kathy where we met other morel mushroom lovers and enjoyed a glorious meal.

I'm on the left, my daughter Susan and my niece, Kathy.

Chef Jason Gorman cooked a multi-course dinner featuring morel mushrooms. Sommelier Christain Damiano selected/paired wines for each course.

Sommelier, Christain Damiano on the left.
Chef, Jason Gorman on the right.

The evening started in the bar area where sparkling wine flowed freely while the waitstaff passed hors d'oeuvres. I was so excited to start tasting the food that I completely forgot to take a photo of the morel mushroom bruschetta, trust me it looked marvelous and tasted delicious! 

The second hors d'oeuvre was a pizza with morel mushrooms.

Morel mushroom pizza with gorgonzola cheese, yummy.

Morel mushroom polpette, which means a giant meatball.

Sweet pea brodo poured over gnocchi and morel mushrooms.

What a tasty mouthful.

 

 

Morel braised short ribs with cheesy polenta.

 

 

 

Vanilla panna cotta sans morel mushrooms ended our meal.

 

 

I enjoyed the evening very much: the food was superb and the company was fun.

The morel mushroom season is very short, so if an opportunity to taste morel mushrooms comes your way don't hesitate these mushrooms are delicious