My Garden Shed Is Wired!

     Hey, I am one lucky Mom!   Our garden shed has a new overhead light, a really convenient  outlet to charge all of my rechargeable garden tools, and a  wonderful switch!   The third box is a fuse box so that I won't overload it all!   My electrician, I mean son,  did all the work by  himself!   I'm so proud of him! 

A Grand Time On Historic Grand Avenue!

     Saturday was a splendid day indeed.   Me and my cousin Jody decided to spend our afternoon on Grand Avenue.   Of course, we must start with lunch.   Our choice today was Billy's on Grand.

Billy's is famous for their walleye, however today I opted for the usual Asian Chicken Salad with mandarin orange slices and wonton strips, etc.  and Jody had a honey chipotle chicken sandwich and fries.   The restauarant is divided into 3 parts , large outdoor patio,  four season porch, and large dining room.   I wish I could show you a pic but I forgot to bring my camera - bummer!   We opted for the four season porch.  I thought of Gollum right away because the room was full of 9' ficus trees and a multitude of plants.

 

 

The first stop was Pottery Barn.   After a purchase of the red bistro chairs and striped cushions, we moved on to Restoration Hardware and Smith & Hawken.   We must have missed out on the big end of season sale at RH because it was stocked with all new merchandise and not a sale to be had.   Now we're talking with Smith & Hawken!  They had a large clearance corner!   I purchased the 3 tier wire mesh  stands.  Half Price!

Well, since we are across the street from Cafe' Latte we had to stop.  They have a famous Turtle Cake.   Since we really were stuffed, we shared a huge slice.  I have actually made this cake once or twice before.  They had the recipe featured in Midwest Living Magazine a few years back.

Cafe'Latte Famous Turtle Cake

Cake Recipe

• 1 egg
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 cups flour
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup good quality cocoa
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tbsp baking soda
• 1 cup hot coffee

Frosting

• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup sugar
• 6 tbsp butter
• 2 cups good quality semisweet choc. chips
• 3/4 cup caramel
• 1 1/2 cups toasted pecans

Prepare oven & pans:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease  3 9"  cake pans.

Cover each bottom with disk of parchment paper.

To make cake:   In bowl, combine egg, oil,  and buttermilk.   In large separate bowl mix together flour, sugar, cocoa, salt and baking soda.   Gradually  add wet ingredients to dry until well mixed.  Gradually add hot coffee.   Scrape batter into prepared pans.

To bake cake:   Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Let cake rest in pans for 10 minutes.   Turn out onto wire racks to cool.

To make frosting:   Mix sugar and milk in saucepan.   Add butter.   Bring to a boil.   Remove from heat.   Add chocolate chips to pan.   Using wire whisk, mix until smooth.   If frosting is too thick or grainy add 1 to 2 tsp. of hot coffee.  

To assemble cake:   Place one cooled cake layer, top side down on cake plate.   Spread with 1/3 of frosting, pushing it out  gently from edges to make petal effects.   Sprinkle with 1/2 cup pecans and 1/4 cup caramel.   Add next layer, again top side down.  Repeat with frosting, caramel and pecans.   For the top layer, place top side up, frost heavily with petal effect, and finish with remaining caramel and pecans.  Yum!

Lillian's Handbags, which is only open 1 weekend a month, was loaded with women.  However, we struck out.  The handbags are faux designer bags.  They really didn't look much like the originals to us.  

Traditions, what's not to like?   I always get a good idea or two from browsing through.  It is an upscale furnishings store.   A few years ago they had a sofa upholstered in the prettiest fabric of annabelle hydrangeas.  It was different shades of greens and creams.   Just beautiful.   Rich down seats. Over stuffed fringed pillows.   It was only $8,000.00, on sale.

       After a few incidental shops we concluded our tour with stops in Woullet's Bakery for an anniversary cake for Gramma & Grampa (52 years!)  and the Bibelot Shops.   They are a very fun gift shop.  You never know what you're going to find there.   I bought a bird feeder that suction cups to a window.  

      

My Dear, Sweet Raggedy Ann

Dear, Dear Raggedy Ann.  She is only 45 years old.

The stories she could tell. 

She was with me since I was an infant.  I took her everywhere.

I couldn't go to sleep without her.

I used to launder and iron her little clothes.

She rode along on my trike and then in  my flowered bike basket.

I brought her along to my Gramma's house for a summertime visit (1970).

Against my wishes, I left her behind when I went to visit cousins.   Pepe' the Mn. Poodle

chewed off her foot!   My Gramma called my Mom LONG DISTANCE during the DAY 

so worried about telling me!   My brother, 5 years older than me, (age of 12) had to 

sew on a new foot constructed from an uncle's black sock.  Can you 

imagine the "goings on" in that house all afternoon.   My Gramma

was afraid to show me when I returned.   I wanted to cry, but I was a big girl 

and acted like it was okay.

Now let's fast forward to the 1990's.

I had the cutest little Miniature Schnauzer,

BusterBoy.

Buster was such a good boy.  He was very smart.

He could do a lot of tricks.   He was my baby before I had my son.

He was my true companion.   

I had Raggedy sitting on a rocking chair in my bedroom.

I walked into my room to see her lying on the floor 

with her eyes ripped off!  Whatever possessed him to do that - I don't know.

I just don't know how to repair her.  I don't think that I can.  

Her material is soooo old.  45 years old.  

She sits on my closet shelf.  Staring at me with her poor 

little shoe button eyes every time I open the door.

I'm afraid to take her out of the closet.   I don't want to lose her eyes.

Afterall, she still means so much to me.

And Jacob pointed out through it all she still wears her smile!

 

A Sunny Patio and other Fun Stuff

     As promised (before I left on my junket)  are the shots of the patio on a sunny day with all the cushions and pillows in place.   As with all my favorite items, the patio tables and my BBQ cart were crafted by my Dad.

  

Mmmmm, Jacob don't forget about me.   (This doesn't fly in the house at dinner time - somebody forgot their table manners.)

The chairs below have blocks of wood in front of them because my Ma and I and most of my cousins are shorties so we use them like little footstools.   How tacky, I know, but if you are a shorty you know that it is comfy to be able to actually  touch your feet on the ground.

A couple of birdhouse benches that my friend Sandy & I constructed a few summers ago.    This one has Jacob's old "crossarm" and insulators from his collection. (Cute. He thinks so.)

Picklepoo, here is my attempt at being a bathroom diva.   I actually took pics of a bathroom on my vacation, but I forgot to include myself.  Then when I went to upload them they were not rotated.  Since I am still learning about this blog stuff I'm lucky I got this far....Robyn

It's a Road Trip!

      Tall ships sail into the Duluth, MN harbor.  That calls for a Maritime Festival!   We didn't waste a moment,  we packed our bags and hit the road.   Duluth is about 2 1/2 hours north of the Twin Cities.  My brother Mark and sister-in-law Lori joined us.  They live near St. Cloud so we met at the halfway point - Tobie's.  

     Tobie's has been in business forever and they are noted for their World's Famous Caramel Pecan Rolls!  They are as big as your head, warm, gooey, delicious.  You have to have one on the way up north, as well as the way back down.   

     The View into the city is dizzying.  You drive up over the hill and look off onto the lake and into the horizon.     But with both hands on the wheel and Jacob telling me I'm doing a great job we made it to  our final destination.   (I'm  a  big baby.....that's for another post.)

      We checked into our rooms - and head out for lunch!   Our first stop was the Lake Superior Agate Store and Antiques.   Raggedy Ann is one of my favs (since I was a newborn a million years ago)  and by gosh!  there she was - and with Andy, no less!   Since we can't leave a shop without a purchase we scooped up on a stone schnauzer charm and a few dozen stone magnets.   How cool!  

    

       

Finally, lunch!  Pizza Luce' - Yum!  Okay, Yum-O.  It would be a great stop for Rachael Ray.   We ordered appetizers - loaves of warm garlic bread with assorted dips - warm artichoke, sundried tomato pesto, marinara, and bruschetta.  And the wing assortment, buffalo, honey, and peking. Mmmmmm.   Jacob ordered the mostaccioli with ricotta and marinara sauce and meatballs, we had the Classic fire roasted  pizza with  Italian sausage, pepperoni, onions, olives, mushrooms,   and mozzarella cheese.  I know it's so typical but oh-so-good!   Needless to say, doggy bags were a given. (Guess what we had for breakfast....)

  We popped into a few more shops, dropped off our leftovers to our  hotel room fridge then took off for the canal.   It was spectacular.   The parade of ships, I guess you call it a flotilla, went through the canal  - cannons firing.   Sailors in the crows nests.  It was fun!   Duluth has the historic lift bridge and it was a nail-biter to see if the masts would clear that bridge.    Amazingly so, they did!   Hmmm.  The bridge was taller than I thought.   It was crowded - wall to wall people (almost like being at our beloved State Fair).

  Back to the hotel for a swim and soak in the whirlpool and it was already time to go out for dinner.   You really should eat at Gramma's, however they were closed for a private maritime party.   Bummer!   So Angie's Cantina filled the bill.   Mark & Jacob are both fuss-budgets and Mexican cuisine is not one of their usual choices,  but they did find one or two things to pick from.  Jacob had a very large cheeseburger that looked delicious and a big helping of fries, topped off with a (virgin) margarita.   Mark had the chili.   Lori and the fajita salad and I had chicken and cheese enchiladas.  Service was good, food good.  I would definitely return.

     The next day after our pizza and pasta breakfast we tooled up highway 61 (revisited - ha ha) to search for agates.    What a gorgeous day!   We dipped our feet into the icy waters of Lake Superior.   Kids were swimming in it - I don't know how.   It felt like the water right out of the fridge dispenser.   Lori said it gave her  a whole new appreciation for the survivors of the Titanic.    The beach in Duluth was scoured free of agates and we moved in a  more northerly direction to Two Harbors.   Lighthouses were toured.  Paths were followed.  Beaches were searched.   Jacob was satisfied -  the little town had a hardware store  - A True Value - as well as an antique store (that was also having a 20-50% off sale)!   

      

     You know,  he always finds a treasure wherever he goes, the antique store had a Coca-Cola pencil sharpener he couldn't live without and I actually bought a tablecloth.   The hardware store had freshly canned  habanero pepper pickles and a some type of light fixture component that  he really really needed.   

      The final day brought us through Canal Park and all of the remaining shops we missed on day one.   Father Time Antiques, The Antique Boutique, Duluth Pack, The Harley Store,  Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory (for our Cashew Caramel Bear Claws),  and several other artsy-fartsy shops.

       

           

   

     Well, I couldn't prolong it any longer I had to drive home.   I'm such a weenie I  had to time it perfectly.   Not rush hour.   Not at dusk when the deer start to come out.  Not when it gets dark.    I hate driving against headlights.   I don't like driving on long spans of bridges (especially since the 35W bridge collapse - 1 year ago this weekend - yikes!  A moment of silence,  please).   It was a pleasant drive.  I was perfectly spaced with the traffic flow and a pecan caramel roll was devoured from Tobie's in Hinckley, MN.   Also, a box was brought home for Gramma & Grampa to scarf down, too.  All was well.   Miles was thrilled that we were home!

      

Pretty Petunias in the front Porch Planter

If you're an RMSer  you may remember the pansies in my front planter.  After the last risk of frost,  I switched it out to a variety of petunias and ivy.   I just love petunias.  Especially the sugar daddies and the very large white ones.  Oh, and the little white million bells and the hot, vibrant pink.   I guess it's like your children - you just can't chose one.