I’ve never been a big fan of azaleas, but up here in the mountains, there’s a wild variety that can be domesticated and I’m crazy about ‘em! I’ve heard them referred to as Fire Azalea, Honeysuckle Azalea, but most commonly Flame Azalea. They range from deep yellow to orange with hints of pink. It feels strange to walk just over the ridge beside our house…right outside our bathroom window, and there are bushes and bushes of them growing, no house in sight, no gardener, no careful fertilizing and pruning and watering. Just as carefree as they can be. I picked some to bring inside but alas they were just past their zenith but still look good enough for my Dr. Enuf vaaases, daaahling ; )))
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In other news, last week, I scored big time with some great pieces of furniture courtesy of bartering through craigslist! I’m always jealous of my sister who scores big-time in the Raleigh/Durham area and figured I’d never get those kind of opportunities here in southwest Virginia, but I was wrong!
Many moons ago, more than I care to count. Or remember. My mother gave our vanity, the one we girls had grown up with, to a cousin. I have the bed, and I guess I ended up with it since I was the last girl to leave home. Sorry Linda & Debra…but I’ve taken very good care of it and still sleep on it. But I’ve never forgotten that cute vanity. One night browsing craigslist I decided to check out the barter section. It’s rare that there’s a deal on there in which I’m interested, usually it’s someone wanting to trade a Parrot for lawnmower or firewood for a HDTV. But I happened to notice an ad for bedroom furniture that the trader was wanting antique postcards and paper ephemera for. SCORE! I had oodles of postcards and antique valentines. I picked up the set last Sunday and after a little bit of cleaning the pieces are part of our house now, though they still need some cosmetic attention. Not sure if I want to leave them as is or paint them white with clear crystal knobs.
The vanity and the dresser both have little cubbies on top for jewelry.
I didn’t give away ALL my stuff…couldn’t bear to part with Mother’s stuff and the antique card Mommy gave me:
It even came with a bed which I didn’t expect. Now if only I had an extra bedroom for it!!
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Now here’s a sneak-peek of something I’m bringing to market tomorrow, my favorite lettuce, Tom Thumb. Isn’t this just the cutest???
And not only is it cute, it’s sooo sweet. Our low nightly temps and the constant rain has produced a bumper crop of these beauties and I’m eating ‘em as fast as I can because I’m not sure how they will hold up to heat! They’re just perfect for one-serving sized salads, and delicious added to other greens. They resemble and taste like a cross between iceberg and romaine, with a very tender, soft yellow, dense center. Just perfect for the dressing recipe below! Look me up at the market tomorrow to get your own–I’m usually at tables 52 & 53!
Poppy Seed Dressing
1/2 cp salad dressing-can use mayo, lowfat, full-fat, whatever suits you
1/4 cp milk
1/4 cp sugar (or use some of our stevia!)
1/8 cp white vinegar (apple cider is a bit strong in this although I have used balsamic and it turned out great, too)
1 TB poppy seeds
Mix together, chill to meld flavors. This is more of a sweet dressing but pairs well with the Tom Thumb lettuce and summer fruit, especially strawberries!
