Tuesday's Tablescape

I felt an Easter table was in order since it's Holy Week. I pulled out my original china and incorporated a few seasonal keepsakes (AKA antiques!) from my childhood.

I tucked the napkins into my two pair of childhood dress gloves.

 I used my antique  childhood keepsake candles in the centerpiece. 😊

I snipped some dogwood blossoms.

The linen placemats and napkins are from my parents who received them as a wedding gift.

Are you getting ready for Easter?

Have a blessed day!

Bunny Tails

These Bunny Tails (AKA coconut macaroons)  are delicious and easy! Perhaps you'd like to make some for an Easter dessert.

Bunny Tails

14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk

1 egg white

1 tsp. vanilla

14 ounce bag sweetened coconut

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk, egg white and vanilla. Whisk very well. Stir in coconut until it's evenly coated and well blended. Use a cookie scoop to drop macaroons in place on parchment-lined cookie sheets. Bake 15-18 minutes until golden brown and set. Once you remove the sheets from the oven, allow cookies to sit for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool.

Click here for a printable version.

Place cookies on parchment-lined cookie sheets.

I never realized it, but these cookies are considered a Passover treat. Since coconut macaroons have no flour or leavening, they could be prepared. Originally the sweet treats contained almonds, but that made them a bit too fragile to be shipped. In the late 1800s, a flour miller in the US received a shipment of coconuts. In an effort to sell them before they spoiled, he shredded and dried the coconut meat. Chefs discovered it could be added to a variety of baked goods and that popularized the product.

These cookies are consumed throughout the year, of course, and there are many variations of the recipe. Lots include almonds and some even have chocolate in them. While this four-ingredient recipe for Bunny Tails doesn't have either, it is good. Best of all, you don't have  to work off your tail preparing them! 🐇

Hoppy Monday!

Strawberry Butter

If you like strawberries, you're sure to enjoy this butter. I thought it might be something you'd enjoy including on your Easter table next weekend.  You could even serve it with the bunny rolls I shared last year.

Strawberry Butter

1 stick of butter, softened

1/4 cup powdered sugar

4 large fresh strawberries, chopped into small pieces

Chop strawberries, sprinkle with a little shake of salt and allow to sit for a bit. Using a mixer, blend butter and powdered sugar together until creamy. Stir in strawberry pieces and mix until incorporated. Store in refrigerator for up to a week.

Note: You can decide if you need all of the strawberries; it depends upon their size, of course. I probably used too many!


Have a berry good Friday and enjoy your weekend! 🍓

Jellybeans, Narcissus and Tulips

What's your favorite jellybean flavor? Mine is black licorice. Today's  idea uses our sweet, colorful candies for something besides consumption. You can fill a clear vase with them for a quick and easy decoration. Pop in a few faux spring flowers and you're all set!

I used narcissus in mine.

Now I have to share some real spring flowers from our yard. They remind me of a poem I used to teach my class each spring.

In the garden,

Tulips grow

Straight  and golden

In a row.

Each one holds its

Empty cup

Drinking rain and

Sunshine up!

                          V.W. Lachicotte

I hope you're having a wonderful day!

A Battle to Outsmart the Birds

Each spring, I battle the birds. Although we have numerous trees available, someone always decides to build a nest in the swag above our door.

I understand why our feathered friends would prefer raising their young on our porch where it is warmer, drier and safer than a big tree. I love animals and am happy to help them, but must draw the line at welcoming the birds to our porch for two main reasons. There is the safety issue...

Eggs (and baby birds) don't land too softly on hard porch floors.

and the sanitary issue. 😝

Daily scrubbings are necessary when birds reside on the porch. UGH!

Last spring, I found two nests when I switched the swag to summer décor. You can click here to see that old post.  I have done everything I can think of to deter the birds from building in the swag, but nothing has been effective. Once a nest has eggs in it, I won't touch it. I allow the babies to hatch and then hold my breath until the nestlings have flown the coop without crashing on the hard porch floor. The key to winning this battle, of course, is to intervene before the eggs are laid. How do you outsmart a bird?Several days ago, I observed a pair of sparrows making repeated trips to the swag. Upon inspection, I discovered a partially-constructed nest perfectly aligned with a large faux leaf. There were no eggs, so I had to act quickly. My mother reminded me of a practice that has worked for her. After reading an article several years ago, she placed some Mylar strips in a hanging basket in which house finches were nesting. Since it works for her, I dug out a bag of transparent "Sparklers" shreds I have.

The light reflecting from the strands plays havoc with the birds' compound eyes. Remember that they have a heightened sense of vision and that their eyes operate differently from that of human eyes. I'm told Home Depot actually sells a product called Bird B Gone. It's a reflective tape that serves the same purpose as Mylar, but I've not used it.

I carefully threaded a few strands into my swag.

See the shreds running through?

Guess what? So far, it seems to be working. There has been no additional "bird traffic" and the nest remains half-done. Could it be that I have finally won this battle? Is it possible that the birds are just waiting for me to relax with a false sense of victory before coming back? I guess time will tell if I have really outsmarted the birds, or not!

       Make it a great day!

Tuesday's Tablescape

My bunny plates hopped out for today's tablescape. I bought these last year at Home Goods and I still love them! They're perfect for springtime use. In fact, I just used them the other day for dessert when some crafting friends and I got together. Today, though, I matched them up with a quilt. Using it as a tablecloth, I recently mentioned this quilt in my National Quilting Day post (click here).

(Sorry about the unavoidable glare in the photos below!)

Have a hoppy day!🐰

Spring Morning Breather

Be forewarned that today's post is lengthy, so you may want to grab a cup of coffee before you begin! 😉

With busy lives and hectic schedules, it's important to have a little dedicated downtime. We decided to take advantage of the sunny spring morning to explore Dr. Edmund A. Babler Memorial State Park (commonly known as Babler State Park).

Its rolling wooded hills, CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) architecture, abundant picnicking areas and hiking trails make it a wonderful place to spend time. As a sidebar, the CCC constructed some buildings and seat-walls at Babler and we read an interesting point we'd not previously known. Workers for the CCC were expected to be literate. If not, one was permitted to endorse the first paycheck with an "X". Thereafter, the employee was required to sign his entire name. Every effort was made to help hired hands in achieving that goal by providing a teacher at each camp. Evenings were spent tutoring the men so that they could learn to read and write. Isn't that something?

Redbuds, dogwood and springtime flowers were a welcoming sight Saturday morning.

Comingled violets and Spring Beauties filled a field.

I don't think I have ever seen Sweet William bloom so early in the season!

There's not much better than fresh air and a bright sky on a spring morning.

Babler State Park, in St. Louis county, is part of the MO State Parks  (the system is celebrating its centennial through December of 2017) . This 900 acre park was named for physician, Dr. Edmund Babler, who studied and practiced medicine in St. Louis in the early 1900s. He had one of the largest local medical practices of the time and was known to have a caring heart for the area's disadvantaged. Upon his death, Dr. Babler's brother, Jacob, purchased the large tract of land on which the park was established. Jacob was a prominent St. Louis attorney who strongly advocated the preservation of land, so it seemed fitting he honor his brother in this manner. A bronze statue of Edmund is on display near the park's gates.

Nestled in the park is a visitor center, in which we spent a little time. Dedicated to educating, it highlights the park's history and provides plant and animal information. We stumbled upon a fabulous movie they were showing about MO black bears, which we thoroughly enjoyed! Slowly, bears are making a comeback in our state since our park environments are able to sustain them. There is a higher population in the southern portion of the state near AR. We learned that black bears begin the season by consuming mostly tender vegetation. As various berries ripen and the insects begin maturing, the bears primarily rely on those two food sources. Acorns are their favorite though. Once the oak trees begin shedding them, the bears move in and load up in an effort to fatten-up for their approaching hibernation. Gaining over a pound a day throughout the fall, the females top-out at 300 pounds and males at 600. They are the only animal whose young can be born during hibernation. Symbolic of strength and courage, two bears appear on the MO flag, so they are an important animal to our state.

Enjoying the park for a little bit was just what we needed.

After our spring morning breather, we felt energized to tackle the remainder of our day!

   Is your coffee gone yet? ☕ 

Happy Monday!