Last of the glads and dahlias

One last bouquet before rain and frost in the garden.

I will be visiting Joy and her family next week, so Julie will add a few posts. Have a great week!

A New Shelf

When my friend Nancy was over for the week-end, we decided to go and visit a new/old vintage store in my neighborhood. We had a great morning, poking around in the small space and making delightful discoveries. I found the above shelf amongst the clutter and found that it wasn't priced. I took it to the front counter, and the lady thought about it for a moment, then asked me if $6 sounded OK. I said yes, $6 sounded really good to me. I have never been in any specialty shops that only wanted $6 for anything. So my new shelf of roses came home, I found a lonely spot that needed it, and the insurance man put it up securely. A very good match.

Recipe of the Week: A Very Happy Daughter

I set a date with Amelia to finally do our first recipe from her own cookbook. We planned for Saturday and she picked Snowball Cupcakes.
Putting in the muffin papers. She loved this job.

Mixing dry ingredients.

Watching the mixer go round and round.

Later that afternoon...frosting...

...sprinkling coconut...

...and sprinkling sprinkles. Another favorite job of hers. :)

I haven't seen her so happy in a while. She proudly served them to "all the boys" after dinner for our Sabbath feast. Happy daughter.

I'm remiss in posting an actual recipe for last week. I'll be posting one in the next couple of days.

Gathering of Believers

We've been hosting again...another group from our church. As we sat around visiting after a wonderful spaghetti dinner last night, we realized how diverse our group was. Included in our group: one German, one Kenyan, one raised in Long Island, one raised in Mississippi, one a Navy child, growing up all over the world, two from northern Washington State and three from Oregon. We all had one thing in common: so great a salvation in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We got to wondering how so many from so many places could all end up in one room together on a fall evening in Bend, Oregon. Only by the grace and hand of God!

JUNIOR

And the winner of the 'Name That Dog' contest is: Calvin Jones!

Calvin's name for Doris's new puppy was JUNIOR.

Doris tried out all the guesses on the pup and the one he liked and responded to was Junior, so Junior he is.

By the way, Junior is growing by leaps and bounds.

Recipe of the Week- Bean Dip

For our staff party I fixed a couple of appetizers to enjoy while visiting and waiting for everyone to arrive. I tried out a new bean dip that is served hot, and it got rave reviews. So I thought that I would share that recipe this week, for those of you waiting for a good bean dip to serve with chips. I bought two really hot chili's (that did not get cut open) to put on top for color. The actual dip is mild.

One of our group can not have cheese, so I fixed a fresh guacamole dip for her, and served the blue and yellow corn chips along with some fresh tomatoes from our garden.

For one of our main courses, I made up a lasagna. I haven't made this in many years, but it was fun to do again and really hit the spot. I thought of my older daughter Joy, who always used to LOVE lasagna. When I told her I fixed a pan of it this week, she asked me to make one for her when I go to spend a week with her in September. So...I will be having some more wonderful tastiness.

Hot Bean Dip

1- 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes

1 cup sour cream

1/4 cup chopped green onions

1 or 2- 16 ounce cans, refried beans

1- 8 ounce package shredded cheddar

1/2 package or recipe taco seasoning mix cheese

1 can chopped mild green chili's

1- 8 ounce pkg shredded monterey jack cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. In a medium bowl, blend the cream cheese and sour cream. Mix in the refried beans, taco seasoning, parsley, green onion, 1/2 of the cheeses. Transfer the mixture to an 8x12 baking pan. Top with remaining cheddar and monterey jack cheeses.
3. Bake in the preheated oven 20-30 minutes, until the cheese is slightly browned and bubbly.

Serve and enjoy!

Have a wonderful Labor Day week-end, and enjoy the last of summer days.

Dahlia Time

Here I go with another flower post...but oh how I do love the flowers in my garden! Right now the glads are starting and the dahlia's are coming on strong. Each season during the flowering period, I see another kind of flower and think...that one is my favorite! I obviously have a lot of favorites. One of my long standing favorites is the dahlia. Partly because they are difficult to grow here, and so I put in more effort, but am so wonderfully rewarded.
Each and every bloom is an amazing work of God's creation.

We are entertaining again tonight, and hosting the staff and crew from the insurance man's office. It's a farewell to his partner that had to retire due to health issues, and a hello to a new partner. All I had to do for the centerpiece this week was to walk out into the dahlia garden, cut a few and add a few large daisies and baby's breath left over from last week. The dahlia above looks red, but it is actually a beautiful shade of purple-ish rose. It's called 'Fremont's Memory'.

One of the other sides of the bouquet....featuring 'Margaret Ellen'.

and the final side, featuring 'Lady Liberty' a fabulous white dahlia. What a great photo...it almost looks lit from within. Maybe it is?