An ABC Mosaic.

 I recently shared some "silver" ABC plates that I had collected.  Today, I have a mosaic of glass, ironstone, and china plates in my collection.  Two are identical except for color.  One has a missing letter of the alphabet. I have shown the detail of one plate because there are actually two alphabets going around the edge-the second being the hand alphabet.  Most of these plates are English, one is marked Germany, and one is stamped France. 

 

Thanks for stopping by Applejack Lane. Visit the  Little Red House  and The Gypsy's Corner.

Snow, Snow, Snow!

We had about eight inches of snow here at Applejack Lane on Saturday. As I looked out the window, my gazing ball seemed to be wearing a snow  hat!

Have a wonderful Blue Monday!

ABC

It's Silver Sunday time.  I have thoroughly enjoyed this party hosted by the Gypsy Fish Journal.  I hope Beth will sponsor this event again sometime in the future.

One of the things I collect is children's ABC  and nursery rhyme plates.  Some are glass; some are ironstone;  some are tin. Some I have bought either at auction or in antique shops, and others have been given to me by friends and family.   Here are some that are "silver" in color.

This tin one has a raised rim and is somewhat like a bowl...

Another tin plate with nursery rhyme figures...

A close up showing the detail on the rim...

This tin plate is fairly common.  I have two. My mother had a plate like this one.  I surely wish that I had hers...

This is not a fine example, but it was given to me by an old family friend who was born around 1910. There is some type of silver coating on this one that is flaking off with age..

If turned just right, you can see the alphabet...

Thanks for stopping by Applejack Lane.   The Gypsy Fish Journal has more Silver Sunday participants.

BME Lunch Bunch

On Thursday, January 14, seventeen retired Beverley Manor Elementary folks gathered at the Depot for a wonderful lunch and great fellowship.  It seems as though this "lunch bunch" has had a few gatherings in the past, but this particular luncheon was the first that I had attended.

Andrea  has been instrumental in getting this event organized.  We were to have met on December 21 with approximately 35 people making reservations to greet, meet and eat.  But as we know here in the Valley, Old Man Winter had other plans for us that day.  You can see Harry having a good laugh at the next table.

Here we have George-doesn't he look distinguished with his beard- and Lannette his wife.  I was married to George for a while.  At least that is what we told our students and had them reeling .  We used to have so much fun at BME!  We loved the kids, and we loved each other!  

Sue and Rick are having a real serious moment at the back table... 

Here, Bonnie and Andrea must be talking about some vacation destination.  And then my next picture...

my next picture...

my next picture...

Rats, the battery just died in my camera before I could get around and snap each person who was there!  But  Debbie, Agatha, Linda, Shirley, Linda Puff, Sandy, Bonnie, Andrea, Lannette, George, Cory, Mary Jane, Sue, Rick, Harry, Suzanne, and I want you to know that we had a wonderful time although it was much too short.  We are meeting again on March 8 at 11:30 A.M. at the Bistro.  We hope you will be able to join us!

If you have email addresses of any eligible "lunch bunchees" to whom I can send this link, please leave a comment.

Come back to Applejack Lane soon!

All In the Family, Part II

Last week, I shared a table vignette that I called All In the Family.  This week, I could easily name this post All In the Family, Part II.  We are very antique oriented in our decorating.  We've held on to a lot of family pieces as well as collected other old ones.  We're back in the living room today to view a small tabletop.
 
My mother had a pair of oval marble topped tables.  My brother took one and I took the other.

We have very few pieces that came from my husband's grandparents.  One thing my MIL salvaged was this lamp base.  I found someone who could paint a shade,  and I had the brass  refurbished...

My daughter gave me this porcelain pitcher for a Christmas gift one year.  She made it while she was in college.  The color goes so well with her great grandparent's lamp...

When my husband was in the army stationed in Germany, his mother asked that he bring home some Hummels.  This is one of two that he brought her..  The colors are perfect beside the lamp...

Thanks for stopping by Applejack Lane. Please visit Barb at Grits and Glamour for more Tabletop Tuesday fun.

Piggy Banks

The kids piggy banks needed a little polishing on this Silver Sunday.  Long ago, one of my mother's best friends remarked that Sunday was the day she made the rounds to polish her silver.  How coincidental!

We have a Santa which was a baby gift to  our daughter...

an elephant which was a baby gift to our son...

and a  pig which also belongs to our son ...

Enjoy your Silver Sunday!

Thanks for stopping by Applejack Lane!

My Experimental Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup

Last Saturday night at Applejack Lane, I had a yen for some warm soup.  So, I searched the cabinets for some ingredients.  Alas, I came up with three-canned crushed tomatoes, a jar of roasted red peppers, and beef broth.  So I thought I would try a roasted red pepper and tomato soup.  Granted fresh ingredients would have been best, but I had to use what was handy. Plus, I was winging it as far as what to do and what ingredients to add to the pot.

Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup the Applejack Lane Way

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion,chopped
1 tablespoon McCormicks Roasted Garlic Blend
1 12 ounce jar roasted red peppers, chopped into very small pieces
1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes with basil
1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 14.5 ounce can beef broth
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 to 2 dashes of  Tabasco sauce
salt and pepper to taste
parsley flakes for garnish, optional

Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven..  Add the chopped onion, and saute until the onion becomes transparent.   Stir in the garlic blend.  Add the finely chopped peppers to the onion and garlic mixture and cook for five minutes.  Add the crushed tomatoes, beef broth, bay leaf, brown sugar, thyme, Tabasco, and salt and pepper.  Simmer for about 30 minutes.  Remove bay leaf.  Puree the soup if desired before serving.  Garnish with parsley flakes.

*This is not a Top Chef recipe, but it worked for the two of us.  I have since read some published recipes that uses chicken or vegetable broth instead of beef broth and added cream or sour cream for a different texture.  Pureeing the soup would create a smooth texture, but we enjoyed the bits of red pepper.

Thanks for stopping by.  Join Designs by Gollum for more Foodie Friday fun.

Winter Whites

Over the weekend, it was warm enough to take down the outside Christmas greenery, but we still are having winter here at Applejack Lane.  So I did a little winter change out on hubby's sled.
 My old white skates...

with a little nandina addition.

Thanks for stopping by Applejack Lane.  Join Kathleen at Faded Charm for  more White Wednesday fun.

Happy Birthday, Mr. Guy!

Happy birthday, Mr. Guy, 

Happy birthday to you,

To make your birthday turn out good

I give this present to you!
 adapted from The Little Rascals

Today you get a feature on the blog!

Whether you're resting with Mr. Murph...

playing golf....

watching TV...

eating...

or working at the Hallmark shop...

have a happy birthday!

All In the Family

Welcome to Applejack Lane. This post is my  All In the Family tabletop.  Let's take a look and let me explain.

A floral arrangement in an etched lead crystal vase, a Fenton rabbit,  a German pitcher, and a tilt top table...

This floral  pitcher is marked Germany and came from my mother's Highland County home...

Although this bunny is new, he came from the Fenton factory at Williamstown, West Virginia.  He is signed by a person who has the very same first and last name as our son.  I had to have it...

The etched lead crystal vase was a gift from my grandmother to my mother and father when they married back in 1942...

The tilt-top table belonged to my parents and was made by F.H. Rosen and Son,  local craftsmen...

Here is the label pasted on the bottom of the tilt top...

Made by F.H. Rosen & Son, Middlebrook, Va, Cabinet Makers Since 1895

My guess this table was made circa 1930-1940 since the son was born  around the same year as my dad...

So there you have it-my All In the Family tabletop display for today.  Join Barb at Grits and Glamour and Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for more participants.  Thanks for stopping by Applejack Lane.

My "Hooking" Project aka Yes, I Am A Hooker!

It's still winter here at Applejack Lane. Several years ago, my husband gave me "hooking" lessons for Christmas, and I was able to complete several projects. Among the things I made was a rug.  I don't put it on the floor.  Instead I use it on the dining room table or place it on the step of our raised hearth.  Murphy the cat enjoys lying on it!.
With this...

and this...

you can get this...

Thanks for visiting Applejack Lane.  Come again!.

I am linking to Smiling Sally for more Blue Monday and Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday..

It's Birthday #4!

Monday is January 18 and marks the fourth birthday of the 2010 for someone in our family.  We send special wishes out to our niece Beth. She will be #?**@ years old!  Here she is with Santa and Stuart .

We wish Beth a very happy day!

Silver Dresser Items

Welcome to Applejack Lane.  We have many  sterling silver grooming items that have been passed down to us.  This hodge-podge collection rests on an antique dresser in our bedroom. Not a single item has a match.  I just saw a wonderful matched collection on eBay with a starting bid at almost $1500!  Wow!  I sure wish ours matched!

A hand mirror, hair brush, clothes brush, and tortoise comb with monograms...

The mirror is dated 1899...

A few grooming utensils:  a shoe horn, button hook, cuticle tool, nail file, brush, and crystal jar...

The button hook is great to scratch my back!

Visit the Gypsy Fish for more Silver Sunday participants.