Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson

Tell Me Who?

Friday, August 31, 2012

Hi everybody. I just got home from an outdoor craft fair called ‘Swiss Days”.

It is held annually in the little town of Midway, UT. named that because it is located midway between Salt Lake and Provo. It’s a quaint town decorated in a style to make you feel like you are in the Swiss mountains. A lot of the homes and businesses look like Swiss Chalets.

Vendors from all over travel here to sale their wares. My cousin, her girls, and dil’s attend it every year. They always invite me to tag along. We head up the night before and stay overnight in a near by town.

One must rise early and hit the fair. If not, before long it is wall to wall; or should I say, elbow to elbow people.

Look what came home with me.

I mean really, who, could resist a face like that?

For now I sat him on my green table in front of the family room window. Not sure if this is where he will stay.

Don’t you love that black ticking? And how about that bottle cap eye???

There is always a lot of Fall and Halloween items at this fair. The last few years I have been good to resist most of it. I try to pull out my Fall décor before we go so that I remember how much I already have.

However, this guy told me that one would be WISE to buy him.

So WHoooo, WHooo, could have resisted this little fella? Could have you?

Hugs,

Jann

Share Your Cup Thursday #23

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Hi and welcome to Share Your Cup. This is the place that you come to share whatever it is that fills your cup, (makes you happy)

Just wanted to let you know that I am the guest blogger at http://www.linkyhere.com/share-your-cup-with-mrs-olson/. I would love you to hop over and learn a little about how this all began.

Last week we had more links shared than ever before. Thanks so much to all of you for making this party a success. I look forward to it every week.

Here are this weeks features:

Carolynn from Chenille Cottage shared darling children’s aprons that she made. I love this vintage looking print. Go visit her to see how cute the others are.

I love this potting shed shared by Penny from Pennys Vintage Home. It was built using lots of old doors.

This next feature is a husband and wife team. Paul and Cathy from One Creative Couple. Together they rescue and redo old pieces. Just look at those details.

Emily from the French Hutch shared a wonderful tablescape. I loved her vintage milk bottles turned vases.

One More Time Events found an old telescope and changed it up for her husbands office. I love the map print.

Thanks so much everyone! As usual, there were so many links that I absolutely loved. Please grab my button if you were featured.

Now a few rules and then let’s party!

1. I would love for you to be a follower of Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson
2. Link up a particular post and not your entire blog.
3. Please have a link back to this post. That way others will know where the party is. Feel free to grab my button on the sidebar if you’d like.
4. Please find time to visit at least a few other participants. It’s a great way to discover new wonderful blogs

August Blooms. . .

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

It’s hard to believe that the month of Aug. is coming to an end. Kids have headed back to school and cooler mornings and evenings are a delight.

I thought I would share what’s blooming in my August garden.

Phlox

Liatris.

My friend, Kathy gave me these Canna bulbs. I have loved their beautiful blooms.

The hummingbirds have loved both the Canna and Zinnia blossoms. They are planted outside our family room window. A few times the hummers have flown right up to the window as if to take a peek inside.

My small black eyes have been so tall this year that I keep having to cut some down because they fall over.

This gorgeous Hibiscus delights me with new blooms daily.

Roses are coming back for a second showing.

Cosmos and miniature Hollyhocks.

I love it when friends come to visit. One morning I had these cuties pop in to say hi.

Some of them preferred higher ground. You can see that my Sweet Potato Vine is starting to trail down the rock wall.

My friend, Amanda gave me these starts of what she said was a perennial impatiens. I had never heard of them before. Love the sweet blossom.

Ice Plant newly planted this Spring.

I have been cutting back my annual planters and they are starting to put on a second show.

This one made me laugh. It’s easy to see that the left side is much happier than the right.

How does your garden grow? Won’t be long before I will be putting my beds to rest.

Hugs,

Jann

p.s. I want to thank Elaine from Sunny Simple Life for featuring the post I did about my friend, Diana’s playhouse.

I will be sharing with:

Kathe with an e for You're Gonna Love it Tuesday

Cowgirl up Link Party

Lavender Garden Cottage for Cottage Style Party

A Deligtsome Life for Home and Garden Thursday

All Star Block Party

Fishtail Cottage for Cottage Garden Party

How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday

Birdbaths. . .

Saturday, August 25, 2012

If you are like me, you love the visual interest of a birdbath in the garden. So, if one is good, three is even better!

The concrete birdbath is one that you have seen many times and probably think that it is nothing special. But to me my friend, it is very special. It was my first birdbath and was given to me many years ago for Mothers Day by my sweet hubby. I have had to cut a lot of my sunflowers down. They were blocking my limelight Hydrangea tree and that just is not a good thing. I have placed the heads throughout my garden. The birds are having a hay day. You can bet I am going to have random sunflowers popping up all over again next year.

The leaf birdbath was a reminder of my trip to the Tulip Festival in Washington. A local lady made them. I have since made some of the leaves with the help of my sister, Julie and friend, Dolly. I have given them to my girls. I have had a few people ask how to make the leaf. I will buy the items to make it and do a tutorial on it next week.

My third birdbath was a birthday gift from my dear friend, Joyce many years ago. Her hubby made it.

This is what it looks like with the plant removed. Love it’s rustic charm. It was made from a metal lid to a barrel.

Remember this? This is the hill behind my fire pit that was full of Larkspur this Spring. Ha, ha, life after Larkspur. Yup, all this was buried behind those gorgeous blooms.

The two birdbaths above reside in the backyard and the concrete one is out front.

How about you, do you love birdbaths?

Hugs,

Jann

I am sharing with:

Funky Junk Interiors for Birdbaths

Little Red House for Mosaic Monday

Fishtail Cottage for Cottage Garden Party

Everybody’s Favorite!

Hi my friends! Growing up did your mom cook a favorite recipe that everybody loved?

When my family was young I often made Sweet and Sour Chicken. It was everybody’s favorite.

The recipe was given to my by a wonderful college roommate who has since passed away. I think of her fondly whenever I make it.

My youngest daughter and her hubby came for a three day visit from AZ a couple of weeks ago.

I had taken some chicken tenders out to thaw and decided I would make some. After I thought about it. I realized that I had not made it in an awfully long time.

Doesn’t that look yummy? I made this on a Friday night. On Saturday the family got together and had BBQ’d Pastrami Burgers and Homemade Onion Rings. We were celebrating Kylee’s birthday a little early.

Both of my sons got into the refrigerator for something and when they spied the leftovers they both said, “You made Sweet and Sour Chicken?” I think they were a little disappointed that they hadn’t gotten any.

It made me laugh. Here is the recipe:

Sweet & Sour Chicken

3-4 lbs. chicken (I now use boneless/skinless) 2 beaten eggs

1 garlic salt 1 c. cornstarch

Sauce: (I double and sometimes triple this. We serve the chicken over rice and my family likes to put extra sauce on the rice.)

1 c. sugar 1/2 c. vinegar

1/4 c. cr. pineapple 1 Tbs. soy sauce

4 Tbs. catsup 1/2 tsp. salt

Sprinkle garlic salt on chicken and let stand for a while. Mix cornstarch with chicken in sack and shake. Dip in egg and fry in oil just till browned on both sides.

Place in casserole or 9x13 pan. Heat sauce and pour over chicken. Cover and bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Here’s the thing, I couldn’t remember whether or not I covered it. Didn’t say on my recipe. After baking it I am sure that I did. DUH, I use to cook it in a covered casserole. Am I losing it or what? lol!

As you can see, it was a bit overcooked. Still yummy, but not as juicy and some of the sauce had cooked away, darn!

This is not a healthy meal, but every now and then; YUM! I tried to balance it out by serving lots of garden veggies.

Long post, but before I end I have to tell you that our daughter and her husband have decided to go to Spain for a year and teach English. UGH! This is my baby!

I am trying to be adult about it. I keep telling myself it is meant to be. They sold their condo in AZ in one day and got exactly what they were asking for it. They also have a small home in Lehi and were able to rent it this week. They close on the 27th and will be coming home to stay with us until Oct. 1st when they head for Spain. Hubby and I are thinking that we must go visit.

This is something they have wanted to do before starting a family.

This is Kylee. She has started a new blog called, Postcards from Ky I would love if you hopped over and wished her well. She will even send you a postcard if you would like.

Missing her already!

Hugs,

Jann

I will be sharing with:

Elaine for Sunny Simple Sunday

The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sunday

Vintage Inspiration. . .

Friday, August 24, 2012

Don’t you find that sometimes it’s fun to create something with a bit of vintage inspiration?

Something new, but looks as though it could have been around for a while?

Some of you may remember the cute lampshade my hairdresser, Shalana made for me last April. I snagged the little lamp at an estate sale and showed it to her when I went to get my hair cut. She took it home and made her into a real beauty.

Needless to say, my hairdresser is a multi-talented gal.

A local business, Thanksgiving Point discovered her talent and has asked her to teach classes. My SIL and I signed up and made an Art Board. Created by using pages of old tea stained books.

A fun and easy class with vintage charm. I hung mine in my entry.

We made a few different garlands to hang from it. Right now mine has my favorite, the bird tags. This photo has been enlarged from her class display. it Isn’t the best.