Peaches And Cream Cake....

Peaches and Cream Cake.......

When I was growing up my parents belonged to a small pinochle card group. The group would meet at each others houses a couple of times a month. The ladies were always responsible for serving some sort of dessert and coffee. Sometimes in the summer months my mother would serve this cake. It's very simple, yet decadent, and delicious......
My mother would buy a large can of sliced peaches and chill them over night. In the morning she would drain the peaches, cover them, and place them back in the refrigerator. Then she would whip together two cups of heavy cream with two tablespoons of sugar until it formed peaks. She would cover the whip cream and place it in the refrigerator. Next she would bake a white cake mix according to directions and cool. After the cake had cooled she would take a knife and slice each piece of cake in half. Then she would layer each piece with the peaches and cream. My mother would refrigerate the cake until ready to serve.......
Peaches and Cream Cake is a nice, easy, and simple summer dessert.....

With warmest regards, Carol

Hopeful Friday.....

Welcome to Hopeful Friday, hosted by my friend Cielo, at http://houseinroses.blogspot.com/ This post is dedicated to positive thoughts and inspirational messages. It is a post to celebrate God!
Thank you Cielo for hosting this lovely post. If you would like to join our group, or you would like more information about us, just click on the above link to reach the official Hopeful Friday web site.......

"The heavens tell of the glory of God.
The skies display his marvelous craftsmanship"
-PSALM 19:1-

"Our world is filled with beauty, but usually we are too busy to notice. An early morning routine forces us to miss the sunrise, and we're engulfed with activities intro the evening so we don't enjoy the sunset. Maybe your daily commute takes you past majestic scenery-but you never notice because you're too upset by the driver that cut in front of you.
Imagine that you attend an art exhibition featuring incredible paintings by a local artist. If you blasted through the gallery without looking at the paintings, you would insult the artist, and you would be depriving yourself of the beauty of the display.
And so it is with the world around you. God is the Master Artist Who creatively designed the beauty in nature. Don't rush through His gallery. Stop long enough to enjoy the splendor of the earth. And compliment Him on His artistry."
-Keeping God in the small stuff-
Happy Hopeful Friday everyone!.....
I hope all of you have a beautiful day ♥.....
Peace be with you ♥.....
With warmest regards, Carol

Dogs on Thursday......

Welcome to Dogs On Thursday at http://dogsonthursday.blogspot.com/

A post where dog lovers such as myself get together weekly to talk about their most precious little four legged friends. If you would like to join our group, or you would like more information about us, just click on the above link to reach the official Dogs On Thursday web site.........

We have had an upsetting couple of days at our house. It's been raining on and off. Along with the rain has come thunder which is diffinately one of Charli's least favorite things. She has been pacing up and down the hall night and day either antisipating thunder or trying to survive through one of the thunder storms that rolls in. As a result Charli is very moody today. We are all suffering from lack of sleep. Yep, we have one crabby little schnauzer on our hands.

"Charli turn around. I want to get

your picture."

"No."

"Come on Charli. Please."

"No."

"I'm sorry your upset"

We hope all of you have had a good week......

Charli will get in a much better mood when I tell her our son Kurt is stopping over. Shh.... I can't tell her to soon or she will drive me crazy until he gets here. I think he must be her favorite person in the whole world :>) Kurt will definitely cheer little Charli up ♥

Happy Dogs On Thursday everyone!

With warmest regards,

Booking Through Thursday........

Welcome to Booking Through Thursday, at http://btt2.wordpress.com/ A post where book lovers like myself get together weekly to answer specific questions related to literature and books. If you would like to join our group, or you would like more information about us, just click on the above link to reach the official Booking Through Thursday web site........

This week our questions have been suggested by C in DC and are as follows:

"Is there a book that you wish you could "unread'? One that you disliked so thoroughly you wish you could just forget that you ever read it?"

No, there has never been a book that I wish I could have "unread." However, there have been many books that I have read that have been quite unsettling. I like to read literature that helps me gain knowledge and insight into life and life experiences. Books related to history and humanity have always been favorites of mine. These types of books can sometimes be very unsettling but a wise European History professor once told our class that we as individuals are a culmination of our past. In order to fully understand and appreciate who we are as human beings we have to know and understand from where it is we have come. Those words have stuck with me all of these years. How can we possibly exercise our right to vote or affect change in the world with out this type of knowledge?

Happy Booking Through Thursday every one!......

I hope all of you have a lovely day!.....

With warmest regards, Carol

Tea and friendship Tuesday's..........

Welcome to Tea and friendship Tuesday's hosted by Charli and Me. A fun post filled with recipes, photos, tablescapes, teapots, teacups, stories, quotes, poems, and interesting facts related to tea, friendship, or both. This is a place to share anything you would like with a friend! If you would like to join me, just pick up a button, write your post, and then leave a comment here so my friends and I can pop over for a visit. Otherwise, I hope you enjoy this post.......

Please do come in. The table is set and you are just in time for tea. I hope all of you had a nice Memorial Day weekend. We certainly did at our house. Do you like my tablescape? As you can see I just love my little bird houses and birdies. I incorporate them into my decorating scheme any way I can. I picked up my salad plates at Home Goods a couple of months ago. I just love them because of the pattern. They have red, white, and blue flowers with two American flags on them. I am so happy and blessed to be living here in the United States. We are afforded so many freedoms and I don't ever want to take them for granted. Let me fill the candy baskets and put on the tea.......

I have something I would like to share with you...

As you know, prior to the American Revolution King George II imposed heavy tax on tea. He said "The women of the colonies will pay any price for their beloved tea." Well the women of the colonies revolted. Yes they did. They got together and signed the following pledge....

"We the daughters of those patriots who have, and do now appear for the public interest, and in that principally regard their prosperity, as such do with pleasure engage with them in denying ourselves the drinking of foreign tea, in hopes to frustrate a plan that tends to deprive a whole community of all that is valuable to life."

At the time the following verses were also circulated:

'A Lady's Adieu to Her Tea-table'

"FAREWELL the tea-board with your gaudy attire,

Ye cups and ye saucers that I did admire;

To my cream pot and tongs I now bid adieu

That pleasure's all fled that I once found in you.

Farewell pretty chest that so lately did shine,

With hyson and congo and best double fine;

Many a sweet moment by you I have sat,

Hearing girls and old maids to tattle and chat;

And the spruce coxcomb laugh at nothing at all,

Only some silly work that might happen to fall.

No more shall my teapot so generous be

In filling the cups with this pernicious tea,

For I'll fill it with water and drink out the same,

Before I'll lose LIBERTY that dearest name,

Because I am taught (and believe it is fact)

That our ruin is aimed at in the late act,

Of imposing a duty on all foreign Teas,

Which detestable stuff we can quit when we please.

LIBERTY'S The Goddess that I do adore,

And I'll maintain her right until my last hour,

Before she shall part I will die in the cause,

For I'll never be govern'd by tyranny's laws."

-The Great Tea Rooms Of America-

Happy Tea and friendship Tuesday everyone!.....
I hope you have a beautiful day ♥
With warmest regards, Carol

The Gettysburg Address........

THE GETTYSBURG ADDRESS..........
was delivered on November 19, 1863 by Abraham Lincoln.

Anne, Ryan, and I went to a Memorial Day concert yesterday at our local cemetery. The Gettysburg Address was read by a man with a very deep tenor voice much like historians say Lincoln's voice was like. As this man read the speech the orchestra played The Battle Hymn Of The Republic softly in the background. It was a very moving and daunting experience. If you have not read this powerful speech in a while I invite you to do so now......


"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought
forth, upon this Continent, a new nation, conceived in
Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men
are created equal.......
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether
that nation, or any nation so conceived, and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met here on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of it as a final resting place for those who gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.......
But in a larger sense we can not dedicate-we can not consecrate-we can not hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled, here, have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here, but can never forgot what they did here........
It is for us, the living, rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they have, this far, so nobly carried on. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us-that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here gave the last full measure of devotion-that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain; that this nation shall have a new birth; and that this government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

Memorial Day......

Memorial Day......

A day to pay tribute to those men and women who have served our country and fought so valiantly for our freedom............

The following poem was written by Lisa M. Pedersen as a tribute to her father..........

"He followed his orders with strength and resolve,

No challenge too great that he couldn't solve.

But war has a way of not favoring sides,

Bombs fall where they may leaving no place to hide.

No safe arms of family to help ease his pain,

No warm hand to hold as his life slipped away.

But the comfort of buddies, one of their own,

His war finally over, time to go home.

And what of the soldier who lived to fight on?

Was it fate, was it luck, was it trust in his God?

No time for his grief or the sorrow of tears,

For his duty was battle, he must silence his fears.

He fought on through each battle, etched deep in his brain

Memorized every town, every bridge, the terrain.

His prayer would be answered and peace reign again,

But how could he fit? For he wasn't the same.

He pledged an allegiance when battle was done,

To carry the torch, the victory won.

He lived all these years upright and true,

To be worthy of those who had paid the war's due."

-The Greatest Generation Speaks-

Hopeful Friday.....

Welcome to Hopeful Friday, hosted by my friend Cielo, at http://houseinroses.blogspot.com/ This post is dedicated to positive thoughts and inspirational messages. It is a post to celebrate God! Thank you Cielo for hosted this lovely post. If you would like to join our group, or you would like more information about us, just click on the above link to reach the official Hopeful Friday web site.....

On Our Earth........

".....Why do you stand

looking up toward heaven?"

-Acts 1:11-

On this earth

We fix our eyes

to look for you, Lord.

On this earth

Where wars are bursting out

Where goodness is sprouting,

Where hunger

is killing men and women,

Where goodwill is blossoming,

on this earth

where hatred

is pursuing foreigners,

where fraternity is rising,

where suffering

is hidden

in minds and bodies,

where gentleness unfolds,

on this earth

where injustice

displays its privileges,

where the same people

are always without money,

where justice and honesty

are progressing,

on this earth

where night and day

are mingling,

on our earth

where good and evil

move forward

side by side,

here your are, our Lord,

on our earth,

we find you,

Son Of God,

invisible yet present

with us,

sons and daughters

of the earth!

-Prayers for Feasts-

Charles Singer
I would like to introduce all of you to our precious great grandson Aaron Mitchell.

Aaron is a child of God, who represents love, life, hopes, dreams, and endless possibilities....

Our children are a gift from God to be loved and cherished.

Thank you God for sending our family this beautiful baby boy!...

Peace and blessings to all of you!......

Happy Hopeful Friday!.......

With warmest regards, Carol

Dogs on Thursday......

Welcome to Dogs On Thursday at http://dogsonthursday.blogspot.com/ A post where dog lovers such as myself get together weekly to talk about our most precious little four legged friends. If you would like to join our group, or you would like more information about us, just click on the above link to reach the official Dogs On Thursday web site..........



"There you are Charli. What are you doing?"
"I'm getting ready for the parade."
"You mean the Memorial Day parade?"
"Yep"
"Well Charli the parade isn't until Monday."
"I know, but I want to get a good spot."
"I think your just a little early. Memorial Day is still four days away but is there anything you would like to say to all of our Dogs On Thursday friends?"
"I just want to tell all of the soldiers thank's."
"Awww. That's very nice Charli. Your a good little girl."

Happy Dogs On Thursday everyone!.....

Booking Through Thursday........

Welcome to Booking Through Thursday http://btt2.wordpress.com/ A post where book lovers like myself get together weekly to answer specific questions related to literature and books. If you would like to join our group, or you would like more information about us, just click on the above link to reach the official Booking Through Thursday web site........

This week our question is as follows:
Suggested by Rebecca......
"What book would you love to be able to read again for the first time?"

There are so many books that I would like to be able read again but unfortunately like most of you I just don't have the time. I don't think I could possibly limit my choice to one book, but if I had to choose a book, or several books that I would like to read again it would definitely be something in the history category. These books have always been fascinating to me and contain a wealth of interesting information......
The following is a list of several of the books I would choose.....
No Ordinary Time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt - Patrica Kearns Goodwin
Arc Of Justice: A Saga Of Race, Civil Rights, and Murder In The Jazz Age - Kevin Boyle
The Great Influenza:The Story Of The Deadliest Pandemic In History - John M. Barry
The Speckled Monster: A Historical Tale Of Battling The Smallpox Epidemic - Jennifer Lee Carrel
Team Of Rivals: The Political Genius Of Abraham Lincoln - Patricia Kearns Goodwin
Personal History - Katherine Graham

Happy Booking Through Thursday everyone!......
I hope you have a wonderful day!......
With warmest regards, Carol

Kabul Beauty School....... A book review.........

Kabul Beauty School....... A book review........

Kabul Beauty School, written by Deborah Rodriquez, is a true story based on the authors experiences while living in Afghanistan. Rodriquez, a hair dresser from Holland Michigan, originally went to Kabul, Afghanistan as part of a humanitarian effort but as she ventured out on her own into the city she discovered that there was a real need for established beauty salons as well as a beauty school. Beauty salons had been banned in Afghanistan by the Taliban along with dance, music, and pictures of people or other living things. When the Taliban came into power they also cut down all of the trees to eliminate the possibility of people standing behind them to shoot or hide thus making Kabul a virtual dust bowl where people easily develop respiratory problems and what Rodriquez refers to as the "Kabul cough."
Rodriquez is able to take her readers on a journey to a country where the birth of a baby boy is celebrated for days and the birth of a baby girl can throw a family into depression for months. We learn that in Afghanistan it is not uncommon for a man to have more than one wife and especially if the first wife is unable to produce a son. According to Rodriquez, one of the reasons why son's are so highly regarded in Afghanistan is because when they marry they continue to live with their parents and provide support.
Rodriquez takes her readers to a typical women's prison in Afghanistan where young girls are incarcerated because they tried to run away from an abusive husband or THEY were raped. We hear of women who are living in deplorable conditions, sometimes with their children, in cold, damp, lice and rat infested cells. Some of these long forgotten citizens of Afghanistan are plagued with open sores, suffering from malnutrition, and other deficiencies related to an on going lack of sun light. Kabul Beauty School is filled with example after example of the horrors of living in a country that has little or no respect for the dignity of it's women.
As Rodriquez befriends her students at the beauty school we gain insight into the beautiful young women of Afghanistan. We learn what they're homes are like, what they do for entertainment, what types of clothes they wear, what types of food they serve, and more importantly what they're hopes, dreams, and aspirations are. There seems to be a sweet naivety about these women as they laugh, talk, and share secrets with one another within the confines of the Kabul beauty school.
Rodriquez also takes her readers along to a typical Afghanistan wedding where the bride is hand picked by the mother-in-law. These weddings are usually huge and elaborate affairs where the men celebrate on one side of the room, and the women on the other, separated by a large curtain drawn down the middle. Readers learn about marriage contracts and consummation parties. Kabul Beauty School is very rich indeed in cultural diversity.
Throughout the book Rodriquez sort of lives on the edge putting herself in dangerous and questionable situations. She herself states in the book that her friends sometimes refer to as "crazy Deb."
There is much controversy surrounding this book because Rodriquez went to Afghanistan, not as a journalist, or as an author looking for a story, but as a friend to these women who shared some of the most intimate details of their life. One wonders if they would have been so open had they known in the beginning that she was going to write this book. Rodriquez is now living safely back in the United States, but these women, as well as their families, remain in constant fear and danger because of the outrage the book has caused in the Afghanistan government. Some of the women have tried to obtain visas but remain unable to get out of the country.
Have any of you read this book?...... If so, I would love to know what you thought about it...
I hope all of you are having a lovely day ♥
With warmest regards, Carol

Where do I begin?.......

Where do I begin?........

First of all I would just like to say a great big THANK YOU to all of you for your kindness, prayers, and well wishes. Thank you so much for all of your comments and e-mails. It has meant so much to us. My hubby and I are feeling much better although we remain very tired. I was literally flat in bed from Tuesday evening until Saturday morning at which time I knew I was going to survive this nasty little virus of ours. From Saturday afternoon until this morning we have been running around like crazy celebrating and trying to catch up. I am so far behind on everything. It may take me a while to catch up here in blog land but I look forward to visiting with all of you and seeing what you have been up to. I have missed all of you so much!.......

Thanks again Rosanne, at http://fireflynights.wordpress.com/ , for wanting to include some of my dessert and tablescape pictures in your power point presentation program on tea. It made my day ♥

Thanks again Muse, at http://adivashammer.blogspot.com/ , for adding my Tea and friendship post to your Memorable Post Selection. I was touched beyond words ♥


Speaking of Tea and Friendship Tuesdays I will officially be back next week but I would like to leave you with the following quote:
" In hours of distress and misery, the eyes of every mortal turn to friendship; in the hours of gladness and conviviality, what is our want? It is friendship. When the heart overflows with gratitude, or any other sweet or scared sentiment, what is the word to which it would give utterance? A friend."
-Walter Savage Landor-

Sunday was such a lovely day for our family. Our grandson Ryan made his First Holy Communion ♥ We are so proud of him! The parish went all out to ensure that this day was a memorable and special day for everyone. After church we had a wonderful First Holy Communion party at Anne and Mike's. It was very touching for me to watch as our son, Ryan's Uncle Kurt, helped him read his cards and open his gifts. We have a great family and it was just an all around amazingly beautiful day for all of us ♥















Yesterday I was in the delivery room to witness the birth of our second great grandchild! Little Aaron Mitchell is 7 lbs 1oz and 20 inches long. He's absolutely beautiful! Mom is doing well. I'm so proud of her. There is nothing quite as touching as holding a precious little new born infant in your arms and especially when it's your very own great grandchild ♥ What a joyful moment that was!.......
Well, that's what I've been up to. As you can see we have had quite a week! Poor Charli has her little snoot in a snit because she has been left alone so much and when we have been home we were to sick to play with her at all. I have some major making up to do with her LOL.....
I am so grateful and blessed for everything God has given us ♥ I am especially grateful for all of you. Again, Thank you so much for being the wonderful friends you are. It's going to be fun to get back blogging again......
I'm off to check in with our granddaughter, grocery shop, take Charli out walking, weed, and buy flowers.
I hope all of you have a beautiful and blessed day!....
With warmest regards, Carol

Feeling just a little under the weather.....

Feeling just a little under the weather...............

My cold is actually getting worse and I think I have contracted some sort of a virus with chills and fever. I'm off to bed and really to sick to blog at this time :>( Poor hubby is also sick. I will be back when I'm feeling better. Thank you for all of the lovely comments you have left on my blog. I will miss you and I will be around to visit with all of you soon........
With warmest regards, Carol

http://www.fundraw.com/clipart/clip-art/00001413/Virus/

Booking Through Thursday........

Welcome to Booking Through Thursday http://btt2.wordpress.com/ A post where book lovers like myself get together weekly to answer specific questions related to literature and books. If you would like to join our group, or you would like more information about us, just click on the above link to reach the official Booking Through Thursday web site.......

Mariel suggested this weeks questions and they are as follows:

"Book Gluttony! Are your eyes bigger than your book belly? Do you have a habit of buying books far quicker than you could possibly read them? Have you had to curb your book buying habits until you catch up with yourself? Or are you a controlled buyer, only purchasing books when you run out of things to read?........

I will admit that one of my true passions is reading. I would rather spend the day in a book store than out shopping just about any where else. I would love to be able to read every book I come in contact with but it's just not possible. There are very few books that I haven't enjoyed reading. If I start a book, and I don't like it, I will force myself to finish it any way. To me that is called reading outside of the box. In the end, I always learn something new or find something interesting about the book I have liked........
I do have a basket of books waiting to be read. I guess it's because I always want something readily available. I am also a slow reader in the sense that to me it's not so important how many books I've read, as it is, did I enjoy it and did I learn something from it.....

I try not to go to the bookstore more than once a month because I know the chances are I'm going to come out of the store with more than one book......

To give you an example of what I'm talking about, a couple of weeks ago Dot http://dot-scribbles.blogspot.com/ mentioned The Secret History in her Booking Through Thursday post. It sounded intriguing. It is not a book I would have normally chosen to read but all of the comments on Booking Through Thursday seemed to be positive. I thought why not. As soon as I finished the book I was currently reading I set off to the book store intending to get only that book. However, while I was looking for it I came across The Road From Chapel Hill. It looked like it would be an interesting read so I tucked it under my arm. On the way out of the store I noticed The Winter Rose which is about a 1900 century women physician. Now I ask you.... How could I pass that up?....

I just finished reading The Road From Chapel Hill. The Secret History is sitting on my desk waiting to be read and I popped The Winter Rose into my book basket. If I have the time this month I will either pull out The Winter Rose or another book from my basket to read. All of the books I buy eventually get read but I'm forever adding new books to my basket.........

Happy Booking Through Thursday everyone!

I hope you are enjoying your day. I've been a little under the weather the last couple of days with a pesty cold but the sunshine in our area today is helping to make me feel better........

With warmest regards, Carol