Friday Favorites | Bead Happily Ever After

By the Sea

Posted on June 25, 2010 by crystal

This week’s Friday Favorites has a summer theme – complete with vintage illustration and seasonal quotes!

I wonder if this bathing beauty went through the angst that her sisters in today’s world often face while trying to choose a new bathing suit! 😉

“In summer, the song sings itself.” ~ William Carlos Williams

“A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken.” ~ James Dent

“Oh, the summer night, Has a smile of light, And she sits on a sapphire throne.” ~ Barry Cornwall

“Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability.”
~ Sam Keen

“Summer is the time when one sheds one’s tensions with one’s clothes, and the right kind of day is jeweled balm for the battered spirit. A few of those days and you can become drunk with the belief that all’s right with the world.” ~ Ada Louise Huxtable

“The steady buzzzzzzz of the Katydid chorus, and the bass solo of the croaking Frog – a summer night’s serenade.”
~ Michael P. Garofalo

Thank you, thank you, sweet friends, for all of your comments this week. You are absolutely the best!

Hope you’ll have a chance to enjoy a little “you” time over the weekend. 😀

See ya Monday . . .

Hugs,

Slow Dance

Posted on June 18, 2010 by crystal

I bumped into this sweet little poem and just had to share it with you . . .

At first glance, it looks a bit long, but it’s really a quick read!

Thank you for your visits and comments this week! I appreciate it so much. 😀

Happy weekend! See ya Monday!

Slow Dance

Have you ever watched kids
On a merry-go-round?
Or listened to the rain
Slapping on the ground?
Ever followed a butterfly’s erratic flight?
Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?
You better slow down.
Don’t dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won’t last.

Do you run through each day
On the fly?
When you ask “How are you?”
Do you hear the reply?
When the day is done,
Do you lie in your bed
With the next hundred chores
Running through your head?
You’d better slow down.
Don’t dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won’t last.

Ever told your child,
We’ll do it tomorrow?
And in your haste,
Not see his sorrow?
Ever lost touch,
Let a good friendship die
‘Cause you never had time
To call and say “Hi”?
You’d better slow down.
Don’t dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won’t last.

When you run so fast to get somewhere
You miss half the fun of getting there.
When you worry and hurry through your day,
It is like an unopened gift….
Thrown away.

Life is not a race.
Do take it slower
Hear the music
Before the song is over.

[ Author Unknown ]

Hugs for all,

Finding a Smile

Posted on June 11, 2010 by crystal

Remember when we all talked about “Life Savors”, those ordinary things that make life special? 🙂

Some of the examples you mentioned were awesome!

I loved them so much that I compiled a list and put it here on the blog. (To see it, click on the pink heart “Life Savors” button, located in the sidebar.)

Recently, my parents moved to Cape Cod. While visiting them last week, my daughter and I discovered a breath-taking little example of a life savor in a wooded area of their yard.

One majestic Lady Slipper

As you probably already know, the Lady Slipper is a wild orchid. Wildflowers of all kinds are becoming more rare as development of the land increases. In Massachusetts, since 1935, wild orchids have been protected by a law that states in part that . . . “No person shall pull up or dig up the plant of a wild orchid, . . .”

My daughter took the picture with her cell phone, but I think you can see why it made us smile!

I hope you bump into a few “life savors” this weekend! 😀

See ya Monday!

Hugs,

TGIF

Posted on June 4, 2010 by crystal

It’s going to be a lovely weekend.

(She said confidently!) 😉

Even though we have a bunch of boring spring/summer chores to do, I’m taking a positive approach and concentrating on ways we can enjoy a few little breaks in the action . . .

I’ve stocked up on our favorite snacks, and will make a nice dinner on Saturday night. By the time Sunday evening rolls around, we’ll be more than ready to put our feet up – maybe watch a movie from our stash of “bargain” DVDS.

I hope you have a good time, too!

See you Monday 😀

Hugs,

Friday Favorites – Easy Recipe

Posted on May 28, 2010 by crystal

Some of my favorite recipes are the ones that are easy to make… and call for ingredients that I already have on hand.

For many years, hubby’s family lived in the midwest, and every summer we would drive 800 miles (from the east coast) to spend a couple of weeks with them.

My mother-in-law was a wonderful cook. She truly made every meal special during our visits. Here’s her recipe for coffee cake, which she loved to serve as a special addition to breakfast.

Maybe you’ll surprise your family or friends by making it before the summer heat sets in!

As soon as it cools, slice it into small pieces, and put it on your prettiest serving dish. They’ll think they’re at a fancy bed and breakfast! 😉

Sir Beads’ Mom’s Coffee Cake

2-1/3 c. flour
3-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 c. sugar
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
3/8 c. butter, melted
1 c. milk
2 eggs, beaten slightly

Mix all dry ingredients together.
Mix all wet ingredients and add to the dry ingredients.
Pour mixture into a greased 10” by 6” baking pan or a 10” pie pan.

Sprinkle over the top:
¼ c. sugar
¾ tsp. cinnamon

Bake @375 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes.

Well, Kids, this has been a great week! Thank you for your terrific comments – I enjoyed them so much!!!

Please be careful this holiday weekend. I hope you’re planning a little bit of fun and lots of relaxation.

Since Monday’s a holiday, let’s all meet back here on Tuesday, ok? 😉