We have a lovely space outside of our master bedroom that has been sorely neglected.  It is located on the second story so it feels like it we are up in the tree tops. It is very private and surrounded by lush foliage. There’s a wonderful view over to the pool house and is ideal for watching sunsets.

The cast metal furniture has oxidized over time and little maintenance had been done to the deck such as cleaning and sweeping.

We added this fireplace during our original restoration/renovation but we hardly seem to use it as this space has never felt attractive or inviting.

I don’t know what prompted me to get busy with this part of our home, but after I purchased 5 cans of Rust-Oleum spray paint from Lowe’s in Metallic Oil-Rubbed Bronze I was up and running.  I’ve used spray paint cans before and have suffered from a stiff index finger in the process.  I am very happy to find this tool which is very inexpensive and so well worth it. The handle clips onto a spray paint can and all you have to do is squeeze the handle.  So easy!

The table top has a stone insert that was not removable so I covered it with paper and used Scotch’s blue painters tape to protect the stone from overspray.

Each piece of outdoor furniture is sprayed with new paint. After they are all dry, it is time to put the seating area back together.

And here is the AFTER.

The rug I ordered online through Rugs Direct.  I’ve had rather good luck with this company and have been very happy with their selection, their prices and the speed of their delivery.  This 8′ x 10′ Caspian (1005D) outdoor rug cost $199 (with free delivery) and it defines the space.

The throw, pillows, lanterns and acrylic glasses and tray are from Pier One Imports.  I haven’t been there in some time and I am always so impressed with their selection of products. The cushions are covered in Sunbrella fabric. The furniture was purchased several years ago and I believe the manufacturer is Pompeii.

Pier One has such a nice selection of outdoor trays and dinnerware.  Look at this tray-the details are so pottery-like but unbreakable!

I imagine this will now become a favorite spot for a cup of coffee or glass of wine.

Some things to learn about this project:

1.  Wear gloves unless you want to scrub off your first layer of skin to get the paint off.
2.  Wear shoes or socks.  I was barefoot and yes, I had to scrub and scrub to get the paint off my feet.
3.  Make sure you put down an appropriate amount of protective sheets or drop cloths.  Mine were a bit small and yes, there was overspray.  Thankfully I was able to scrub that off the deck.  Lots of scrubbing after this project!
4. Check the paint color before you start.  I didn’t dislike this paint enough to stop and purchase more, but I do wish it was a bit lighter.

If you enjoyed this post, please feel free to share it on Pinterest.

This post shared with Between Naps on the Porch Metamorphosis Mondays #604

I hope you had a wonderful Easter holiday weekend.  I love this holiday as we get the opportunity to blend family traditions from both sides of our families while creating new ones for our children.

We had a very relaxing day which included attending Easter service and the annual egg hunt in the orchard.  My girls also colored eggs~~ it is the only time of the year we buy store bought white eggs, which color and peel easily.

So what to do with all those beautiful hard boiled eggs?  There’s a breakfast tradition in my husband’s family passed down from his mother, Mabel.  A life-long educator, Mabel, wasn’t a gourmet chef, but a simple, straightforward cook.  She didn’t waste much and came from a generation where less is more. She learned to cook in a Home Economics class in school (remember those?) and this recipe is one of the first meals she made as a new bride for her husband, John (Scott’s father). This recipe, entitled Goldenrod,  is straight out of the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook.  We have the 1968 printed edition, and yes, Goldenrod is on page 267.

Scott makes his mother’s Eggs a la Goldenrod recipe for Easter and Christmas and it has become a family favorite.  This recipe utilizes all aspects of the hard boiled egg (except the shell of course!) and makes a wonderful special breakfast.

First, peel the eggs and slice in half.  Separate the yolks from the egg whites. Chop the egg whites and reserve. Smash the yolk with a fork until it is crumbly (or press through a sieve).  Make a white sauce and then add the chopped egg white.

Toast a slice of bread, butter it if you’d like.  Pour egg white/white sauce mixture over the toast and then sprinkle with the egg yolk (the goldenrod).  Season with salt and pepper to your liking.

Here is the recipe for Mabel’s Eggs a la Goldenrod.

[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:7]

Have a wonderful weekend!

Easter lamb cake (known as agnuszek or baranek wielkanocny in Polish) is a traditional Eastern European dessert. Every year during my childhood, we looked forward to Mom making the traditional Easter Lamb cake.  The cast iron mold was a cherished gift from her mother.  I knew, being one of 5 children, that I probably wasn’t the one who would inherit the lamb cake mold, so I purchased mine online several years ago on eBay.

The mold came in the original box and was made by Griswold Mfg. Co. from Sidney, Ohio. The price tag is still on the box~~~original price was $4.95 marked down to $3.95!!

In previous years I experimented with cake batter made from scratch and boxed cake mix, but this year I decided to make the recipe that came with the mold, which I believe to be from the 1920s.  Pound cake or firmer cakes seem to work best.

I seasoned the mold by greasing it and then baking it for 20 minutes on 375 degrees.  I poured out the excess melted shortening and then let the mold cool.

I made the batter according to the recipe, and put it in the face side of the mold (after I re-applied shortening and flour). In order to make sure the ears don’t break off, I put a toothpick (or shortened wooden skewer) between the ears.

With the leftover batter, I made a small bundt cake.  After I put the back side of the mold on top of the front side, I baked the mold face down on a baking sheet for 25 minutes and then turned the mold over for the last 20 minutes in the oven.

For the frosting, I made a Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream from Tessa Huff’s cookbook, Layered. 

I then coated the lamb with coconut, making the eyes and nose with Jelly Belly jellybeans.

Here’s the finished product!!! Isn’t he sweet? I am so happy that I can create this tradition for my family while bringing back fond memories of my own childhood.

I have purchased 3 lamb cakes molds over time that I will give to my children with hopes that they will continue this tradition when they have their own families.

Have a blessed Easter Sunday!

Today is my birthday! My husband asked me what I’d like to do today and I said I wanted to go BACK to Blackberry Farm. A year ago was a BIG birthday for me and it’s hard not to reminisce about the fabulous surprise birthday trip to Blackberry Farm in Walland, Tennessee.

Traveling to Blackberry Farm http://www.blackberryfarm.com has been on my bucket list for years.  Situated on a pastoral 4,200-acre estate in the Great Smoky Mountains, Blackberry Farm is one of the most intimate luxury hotels and as a result, can be challenging to get reservations.

My sweet husband secretly worked behind the scenes for nearly 8 months to coordinate and organize the birthday of the century.  I thought we were meeting our college son for a family weekend. I should have suspected something when my husband happily agreed to make the travel reservations (not something he has EVER done).

The biggest surprise was that my husband planned all of this.  He has never been a birthday person.  Truly, for the last 22 years we’ve been married, birthdays have sort of come and gone without a lot of fanfare.  It was a little hard for me to understand at first because I am the type of person who wants to celebrate everything, and in a big way.  But, out of respect for him, I’ve kept his birthdays low key and haven’t expected much for mine.  So I truly had no idea he was capable of or had the desire to plan something this extravagant and then to keep it a secret for so long.

We flew into Knoxville and spent the first 2 days with our son who is a student at the University of Virginia. Family and friends, who came in from all parts of the country, surprised me at dinner on our second night and then we all celebrated for two more days in this beautiful place.

Blackberry Farm has an amazing spa (best pedicure ever!), horseback riding, fly fishing, archery, hiking, wine and food tastings, classes, and entertainment. All the food grown on the farm is used by the incredible chefs and nothing is served out of season.

I can’t even begin to describe the level of service.  We’ve been to fine hotels, but our experience at Blackberry Farm was more than that.  We felt like we were in someone’s beautiful home, treated like favorite family. To share this experience with people I love was more than anyone could hope for on a special birthday.

Scott arranged for our group to meet Blackberry Farm’s master gardening legend, John Coykendall. We had a Farmstead tasting tour where we learned all about the garden and heirloom seeds while tasting delicious food and beverages made with the ingredients from the farm.

Another blessing was having my siblings and their spouses there.  The last time we been together as a family was for our parents’ funeral.  It was so nice to be in such a lovely setting  for a happy occasion.  It was fun gathering at the end of the day for dinner and hearing about everyone’s adventures at Blackberry Farm.

Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, Scott presented me with 3 beautiful leather binders, filled with birthday letters and wishes from all the wonderful people I had met over the course of my life.

So even though this year will be a quieter celebration, I am deeply grateful for my wonderful family and dear friends.  I am one lucky gal!

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I love a bargain, especially an unexpected one!  During a simple grocery shopping trip to Safeway a few months back, I stumbled upon a 75% off display of floral items.  Not that I need any more vases, but I was so drawn to the cool, serene blue color of these glass ones designed by Debi Lilly.  I purchased 6, yes 6 of the smaller ones at $3.25 each and the two larger ones were $3.75.

Don’t they just make you happy?  I also bought the most beautiful white roses with a pale pink blush to the petals.  Hard to believe the flowers cost more than the container but I’m thrilled with my discovery!  It’s nice to find unique items in ordinary places and at such a great price.

A very long time ago, I worked for a company that had fresh flowers delivered to everyone’s desk each week. Flowers add such an elegant touch to every environment.  Wouldn’t this make a great hostess gift or a “just because” gift to a friend or family member?

I get to enjoy 3 arrangements on the living room mantel and 3 on the dining room table!  The blue containers are perfect for adding a touch of spring to the house! Love, love, love a bargain!!!!

I hope you have a bargain story of your own.  Also, treat yourself to some flowers ~~you deserve it!

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May the Irish hills caress you. May her lakes and rivers bless you. May the luck of the Irish enfold you. May the blessings of Saint Patrick behold you.

St. Patrick’s Day is a significant day for our family.  March 17 is my Mother’s birthday. Mom passed away in 2014 at the age of 89. My second child, Julianna, was also born on March 17 and as a result was named after my mother, Julia and my great grandmother, Anna.  Though we are not Irish, Julianna feels like she is Irish by having this very special birthday date.

Tonight we will take her out to dinner to celebrate and then come home and have dessert. Julianna wanted me to make a Brooklyn Blackout Cake from my FAVORITE cake cookbook, Layered by Tessa Huff.  My son, Benjamin and I made this cake last summer and it was a big hit.  I will be assembling this cake later today so these photos were from the last time we made this cake.  Please forgive the clarity of the photography, but I wanted you to see this cake.

This decadent chocolate cake, was named after blackout drills during WW II. It was developed by Ebinger’s Bakery and was a staple for Brooklyn for many decades.  Unfortunately the bakery went bankrupt in 1972 and though many have tried to replicate it, apparently nothing can compare to the original.

This devil’s food cake is layered with chocolate custard and then the cake is covered in more cake crumbs. It is DELICIOUS and will be the perfect birthday cake for my sweet daughter.

As you know, I am always so curious as to why we celebrate and recognize certain holidays.

So who is Saint Patrick and why do we celebrate March 17th?

Saint Patrick was a fifth-century Romano-British Christian missionary and bishop in Ireland. Known as the “Apostle of Ireland”, he is the primary patron saint of Ireland, along with saints Brigit of Kildare and Columba.   However, St. Patrick was born in Scotland but devoted his life to missionary work in Ireland.

First, a few misconceptions about Patrick:

Patrick isn’t really a Saint with a capital S, having never been officially canonized by Rome. And Patrick couldn’t have driven the snakes out of Ireland because there were never any snakes there to begin with.

The modest observance of St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland dates back to the 17th century, as a religious feast day that commemorates the death of St. Patrick which was on March 17, 461 AD.  Patrick is credited with having brought Christianity to Ireland, and as such became a figure of national devotion and, in due course, the nation’s patron saint. The day’s importance was confirmed in 1631 when it was recognized by the Vatican.

The first recorded celebration of St. Patrick’s Day was in 1737 in Boston, held by the Charitable Irish Society of Boston to assist Irish immigrants in finding jobs and homes.

The day grew in significance following the end of the Civil War and the arrival, across the 19th century, of ever increasing numbers of Irish immigrants.  In essence, St. Patrick’s Day was a public declaration of a hybrid identity—a belief in the future of Ireland as a nation free from British rule, and a strict adherence to the values and liberties that the U.S. offered.

The tradition of celebrating St. Patrick’s Day grew across the U.S. and became a day that was also celebrated by people with no Irish heritage. Corned beef and cabbage—rarely eaten in Ireland but commonplace in American cities as a springtime dish—became the meal for March 17.

The power of St. Patrick’s Day in the U.S. was its ability to survive and then spread. It survived over the decades because generations of Irish immigrants were eager to celebrate their origins.

So, wherever you may be on this day, raise a glass to toast not only good old Ireland, but America’s interpretation of it as well.

Happy 20th Birthday, Julianna!  Miss you, Mom….