Pink Saturday..A Horse in Pajamas?

While the rest of the world is flaunting their red, white, and blue; Beverly at How Sweet the Sound and a long list of participants are celebrating the 4th of July in pink!

What is this....a horse in pink pajamas? Is it wearing sneakers? This vision of equine pink loveliness is one of about twenty fiber glass horses painted by local artists in honor of the sixtieth anniversary of a local charity horse show. The finished horses were purchased by organizations and businesses and are now on display throughout the community. This particular horse sits in front of women's clinic most of time. However, she (I'm sure it's a filly, aren't you?) moves to the beginning point for the Susan Komen Race for the Cure each October. This horse show event is huge and attracts people from all over the Unites States to our suburban, yet pastoral community.

I hope you will visit Beverly at http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/ . Have a joyful and safe 4th of July celebrating our freedom in this great country!

Tablescape Thursday and Foodie Friday

Today I am joining two of my favorite hostesses for a double post. Susan at Between Naps on the Porch has invited us to share our table scapes on Thursday and Michael at Designs by Gollum is the Foodie Friday Queen. I'm so glad these two host on back to back days. They just go together...like summer and lemonade, like summer and watermelon.

We've gotten a break here this week. After over a week of temperatures with heat indexes of over 105, we've gotten a little cooler weather--high of a "cool" 92, but much less humidity and that's what makes the difference. It's perfect for a late afternoon snack at our little bistro table on the deck! What's better than watermelon and lemonade?

I recently saw a Target ad featuring cute little blue bandana melamine plates. Melamine is technical talk for plastic! They used a beach towel in the same collection as the table cloth! I can do this! Plates at $1.49 each and the beach towel on sale for $5.99. Of course, everything goes with the Big Lots white dinner plates! Remember I told you about my napkin secret? These yellow bandanas are $.99 at Hobby Lobby!

These are so cute and priced just right. I know I will find lots of uses for them. They might even go tailgating this fall.

I'm using a small galvanized bucket left over from the gift buckets we made for the out of town wedding guests--once again from Target on the $1 aisle. I filled the bucket with two bunches of alstromoeria from Kroger. I got these for $1.69 each--the Manager's Special. I love these flowers. They seem to last forever. Does anyone out there grow them? I think I would like to try my hand at these.

I like lemonade-almost any kind. But there is something special about lemonade made from scratch with fresh mint from your own garden. Here is my favorite homemade lemonade recipe. You will need: thinly pared zest and freshly squeezed juice of 6 lemons, 1 cup of sugar, and chilled sparkling mineral water or club soda. I like to zap my lemons in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds to get a lot more juice. Put the lemon zest, sugar, and 2 1/2 cups of water (the regular kind :) in a non-aluminum saucepan and bring slowly to a simmer, stirring to disssolve the sugar. As soon as the sugar is dissolved, and the syrup begins to boil, remove the pan from the heat. Partially cover the pan and leave it until it is cold. Squeeze the lemons and add the juice to the cold syrup. Strain into a bowl or jug, cover, and chill. To serve, dilute with chilled sparking mineral water or club soda at a ration of about 1 part syrup to 1 part water. Add lots of ice cubes and fresh mint. Rumor has it that this makes a fine "adult beverage" with a splash of vodka! This serves about 6-8.

I hope you'll visit Susan and everyone else at http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/ and click on the Foodie Friday button on the sidebar sometime Friday morning to visit Designs by Gollum for a food fest!

One more thing--If you haven't clicked on Susan's Best Eye Candy Blog Nominee button, hurry on over and show her the love :)! I hope you all have a safe and happy 4th of July with friends and family!

Wordless Wednesday....Red,White, and Blue

Please join Dixie at http://frenchlique.blogspot.com/ for a red, white, and blue-themed Wordless Wednesday.....'nuf said!

A Reunion and Celebrity Author

Last week I had a really special treat. I went to a book signing for this book by Sam Haskell. This book would have caught my interest under any circumstances--it's the story of "southern boy made good" as my grandmother would have said. However this author and this book hold special appeal for me. This book is by a very old and dear friend.

Sam, who was actually a fraternity brother of my husband, sang in our wedding. (Don't you love the ruffled tuxedo shirt and Farrah Fawcett hairstyle?) But it was Sam and I who shared the same interests. For two years we co-produced the Miss University (MS) pageant and he eventually came to entertain at the state pageant in my home town. We watched old movies in the bottom of the fraternity house. When it came time for me to practice teach, I went to his hometown to be mentored by his mother's best friend and his high school English teacher. Sam moved to the big city and eventually became head of television for the William Morris Agency and agent to many superstars.

I recently received an email from Sam telling me he'd written a book that was on the L.A. Times Bestseller List and would be in my area to promote it. That's his PR lady on the right ----yes, the other soloist in the wedding picture. She was a sorority sister of mine and on the pageant circuit herself. We had such a good time catching up. Nancy had Father's Day dinner with us and the newlyweds. I've read Sam's book now. The introduction is by Ray Romano, a client and friend of his and that alone was worth the price of the book. I enjoyed the anecdotes about celebrities and the stories of the many fascinating people he has met during his career, but what I enjoyed most was the story of this small town boy who has achieved remarkable success in a dog-eat-dog environment and yet kept the simple truths and lessons from his mother close to his heart and the standard by which he lives his life. Promises I Made My Mother is a good read and would make a great gift for a young graduate about to make his or her own way in the world. Sam is going to about 90 cities. He is a truly gifted speaker and generous with his time. I hope you'll visit my old friend if you get the opportunity!

I thought I would link this to Diane at A Picture is Worth A Thousand Words--For me and my friends, this is definitely the second time around! Visit Diane at http://diane1876.blogspot.com/ for more encore performances!

Metamorphosis Monday....Wedding Day

I want to thank Susan our gracious hostess at Between Naps on the Porch for hosting Metamorphosis Monday and thank you if you are reading this for indulging me! Some of you have asked to see pictures of the recent wedding of our daughter. One of the definitions of the word metamorphosis is " a transformation as if by magic". This day truly fit that definition. It was a transformation for me from fear to peace and from mother of the bride to mother in law. For the bride it was a tranformation from glowing bride to radiant wife; from being one to being half of one.

The Thursday before the wedding I began as I begin almost every day--reading my devotional. This particular day the verse from Matthew 7:25 was: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon the house; and it fell not; for it was founded upon a rock. Little did I know at the time that the verse must have been meant just for me! On Friday night a powerful storm with some winds up to 80 mph blew through our city leaving 90,000 people without power. Although the lights were on in the church, the reception site was dark. We had planned what we hoped would be a magical reception in the courtyard of the zoo. It was to be a wonderland of lit trees and soft lights. The band would, of course, need electricity. I prayed and asked God to help me accept whatever was in store for us, I vowed to keep the secret from the bride, and I waited.

These are skies on the morning of the wedding. We spent a happy day watching "Father of the Bride" and having our hair and makeup done. Strangely, the peace I had prayed for had come over me.

This is what the sky looked like as we headed to the church. Do you see that sun peeking through? Still no power at the reception site, but no rain!

The next couple hours were a blur of dressing and pictures. No word on the power. And the bride remained blissfully unaware.

Beloved got his first look at the little girl he has always called "Sunshine".

Here is the bride and her bridesmaids before the wedding. Do you see that sunshine coming through the window?

We headed to the zoo after the wedding. All I can say is that it looked like Disneyland to me. Candles around the reflecting pool and a few soft lights...the band playing thanks to a generator! About one hour into reception, the bride and groom came to me. They said it was all perfect. They never knew we were on generators!

Beloved and I are no longer just parents--we've morphed in to "in laws"! And the final "tranformation as if by magic" is complete and "the house fell not, because it was built upon a rock".From now on, Beloved and I will share our Sunshine

Thank you so much for letting me share this. I hope you will zip over to see Susan at http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/. I promise, next week I am back to decorating and planting!

Pink Saturday..Bridesmaid Bouquet

One thing I love about Beverly at How Sweet the Sound--she's consistent. No matter what is going on, I know that Pink Saturday will be ready for me and SO many others to join in and peek into on Saturday. Thanks Beverly! We're glad we can count on you!

If you read thoughtsfromovertherainbow at all, you probably know we have recently had a wedding. Our one and only daughter got married two weeks ago! These are the bridesmaids' bouquets filled with pink roses, white roses, green hydrangeas and bells of Ireland. I do not know why the picture is so small!

Here are two of the bridesmaids in the church before the wedding. You can see the bouquets just a little better. The dresses were a beautiful shantung silk in a color called "mermaid". Our daughter has always loved pastels. She's a pink kind of girl! Someone remarked that it looked like a Lily Pulitzer wedding, but that was not our intention. We just used the bride's favorite colors. Now I thought that once the wedding was over, I could put my feet up (or my body on a raft in the pool) and get back back Blogland on a more regular basis. Wrong! The past two weeks have been a blur of moving the bride in 100 degree weather into her new home, sorting and returning duplicate gifts, and transforming the house from a bachelor pad into a nest for two. I'm not complaining---they will still live just on the other side of town!

Thanks again to Beverly at http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/ for letting us into her pink world each Pink Saturday . Now click and see what everyone else has to offer!

Foodie Friday...Salmon Two Ways

Hallelujah! I'm back at my computer after the wedding. Life as we knew it has almost returned. So I am glad to be joining our gracious hostess Michael for Foodie Friday. Beloved is happy not to be eating things that come in styrofoam or bags. But I confess; I am still tired! Enter the thirty-minute meal! Rachael Ray doesn't have a thing on me!

About a year and a half ago Beloved was diagnosed with Type ll diabetes. Since that time we have drastically changed our eating habits (and his exercise habits) and he has lost over sixty pounds! He is now svelte Beloved and has his diabetes under control. One of the things we eat more of is fish--all kinds. I love salmon; Beloved, not so much. This recipe is his favorite and it works for us both. He eats it on romaine; I eat it as an entree with sides.

Here is the way I make honey-glazed salmon. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees (don't worry, not long enough to heat up the kitchen!). Season the salmon with sea salt and place in a oven-proof dish flesh side up. Mix 1/2 cup honey, 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and 2 cloves of finely chopped garlic. Drizzle this mixture over fish and roast for five minutes. Drizzle again! Roast about 3-5 minutes until salmon is firm when pressed at its thickest part. Top with your favorite dressing and eat!

This is how I prefer mine! I'm not a huge salad lover so I like a few carbs with mine! This salmon is easy enough for post-wedding Thursday night and delicious enough for company. These are twice-baked potatoes I am taking to our youngest son tomorrow. His birthday was Wednesday and he lives 3 1/2 hours from here. I think he could use a little pampering after all the festivities of the weekend ....he is the baby :). I can hardly wait to see what everbody has cooked up this week. Click on the Foodie Friday button on the sidebar and you will be magically transported to Michael's party at Design's by Gollum!