Cookie Recipe for My Cookie Mold

 I found the perfect recipe for my Hessian Soldier mold thanks to a comment from @kathiquilts suggesting he would make Springerle cookie. I searched and found a recipe but I like the same auther's Traditional Speculoos Cookie better (also called Windmill Cookie). She illustrates how to use a mold like mine only hers are wooden.

The recipe calls for Baker's Ammonia (Ammonium Bicarbonate) and I have never heard of this but it's an essential ingredient to prevent the cookies from becoming too hard. I searched google and Whole Foods has it. She explains this on her blog post with recipe here. She walks you through every step with numerous photos. Enjoy. Save this recipe for the holidays.

xo

Hessian Soldier Cookie Mold from Williamsburg

I purchased this Virginia Metalcrafters item hanging on my wall long ago at an estate sale. It turned out to be the perfect size to hang in my pantry/office on a narrow space beside the front window. He is a Hessian Soldier made of Aluminum (called Silvertone) and was copied from an old mold used in the Bake Shop at Williamsburg. The impressed stamp shows the Virginia Metalcrafters’ familiar Betty Lamp hallmark.

I have never made a cookie with it but I would use a shortbread or maybe a gingerbread recipe if I ever tried.

I have seen a similar design on fireplace andirons too. There are wonderful items out there and it's up to people like you and me to find them, display them, brag about them, and love them again.

UPDATE: I FOUND A RECIPE TO USE WITH THIS MOLD HERE.

xo

Another View of My Pantry Home Office

This is another view of my home office in the pantry showing the hanging cupboard with yesterday's blog post's photo printed and hanging on the side. I have baskets on top full of  loose light bulbs of every description, a small portable paper cutter, and wooden rulers to the side. Bills waiting to be paid when they are due are in a standing organizer on a table below the chalk board. It really is a working office in this small space. Once bills are paid, the receipts go into a large filing cabinet in my attic office. This works beautifully for me. When I open my mail, the junk goes into a recycling bin and the important stuff goes into the proper divider until it is needed.

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HOW TO GARDEN

I made this illustrated quote years ago on a computer that died along with the software used to create it. I am finding/learning new ways to "doctor" my photos using only Snapseed and the iPhone editing software. 

I added an UPDATE to yesterday's post about my printer. I tried to answer all the questions you had and added a photo of the box it came in. 

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xo

Adventures with My New Printer

Three agonizing weeks ago I got a new printer and yesterday I finally got it to work properly without really knowing what I did! As you know, I am technically oriented but it wasn't at all easy because the printer is wireless and I had a very hard time getting it to work with my laptop and I haven't even tried it with my phone yet. Yesterday I tried printing the alphabet photo in my living room from my laptop and it magically printed upstairs in my office where my desktop computer and printer reside. I liked the print so much I hung it on a cabinet wall in my pantry office off my kitchen. I still don't trust the printer completely and need to practice more so I will be a confident operator when I really need it. I loved my old wired printer but it decided to stop working quite abruptly and I couldn't fix it and you know I tried! I think I'm going to end up loving the new one, fingers crossed.🤞 Wish me luck.☘️ NOTE: The alphabet I printed is on regular computer paper. The angle of the picture makes it look much larger.

HP DeskJet 4155e -- a photo of the box above

If you sign up for an HP+ INSTANT INK plan within 7 days of installing your printer, you get 6 months of free ink and one more year on the warranty which brings it up to 2 years. I decided to bite the bullet and sign up before I mastered THE MACHINE. I can do unlimited printing (up to 700 pages) the first 6 months and they sent replacement inks right away and the cartridges are twice the size of the ones that came with the printer. I signed up for 100 pages per month after the first 6 months is over and that is when the first billing begins. I think that will be fine and if I go over it doesn't cost very much. You have to sign up with a credit card and my plan is $4.95 per month. I can cancel at any time too. So it sounds like a win win to me. I think all of the newest HP wireless printers come with this plan. Click to enlarge the photo to see the box. 

I watched countless YouTube videos and each one had a helpful hint assisting me with the installation. The most interesting hint that the setup never mentioned was a little slider you have to push up against the left side of the paper to hold it in place!!!! You have to change it when using smaller sizes of paper for note cards or photos. I NEVER would have found that by myself and there was no mention in the instructions.

If there is a hinge on the scanner for thick items like books, I have yet to find it. 

You have to download the HP SMART App too. I have it on my laptop, my desktop computer and my phone as well. I am still learning about this.

The printer was $99 at BestBuy. This is not a recommendation or a paid ad in any way. It's just a review of the one I bought. You can spend more or you can spend less. This seemed just right for me.

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Have a great weekend.

It rained most of Friday night.

Today is nice and cool.

 xo

17th Century French Alphabet with Flowers

I photographed a page from one of my books on antique alphabets. Some of the letters are repeated and some are omitted. So this is just a sampling but still quite lovely, isn't it? I adore the flowers behind the letters, don't you?

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Have a great weekend. xo

Fabulous Goat Weathervane

I saved this fabulous weathervane to my computer because I love it so much! This goat was made circa 1880 and has survived with most of its yellow undercoat topped with gold leaf. The patina is wonderful! via

 

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Fabulous Screened Porch in Bellport, Long Island NY

The dining area of a fabulous screened porch attached to an 1850s shingled cottage in Bellport. The owner, Elizabeth Roberts, is an architect based in Brooklyn. I honestly don't think I could stop looking at the ceiling if I were there in person.

This porch view overlooks the delightful pool and some wonderful landscaping. Want to go inside the cottage? Really? OK. Here's the link.

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Wonderful Color Woodcut of Nasturtiums

Hall Thorpe (1874 - 1947) - Nasturtiums. Color woodcut. How much do I love this? As much as I love nasturtiums? YES! via 

John Hall Thorpe, invariably known as Hall Thorpe, was an Australian artist who achieved considerable success in England with his decorative prints of flowers, fruit and landscapes. via

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Great Galley Kitchen + Irish Cottage

Yup. I could cook here quite nicely. I love diamond stained floor and the topiary window. I would prefer the view to be a country one though. I don't know about having an open window opposite other open windows, especially at night. I had a galley kitchen once in a rental and loved it. via

Cottage Goals -- Ireland via

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Clouds at My Cottage: July 4th Sundown

The clouds last night (July 4th) were amazing at sundown. Hope you had a great holiday. I had the overgrown part of my field mowed yesterday and now I can see all the way down to the way back. 

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Lady Liberty in a Folk Art Painting

Both photos and a wonderful article about our American flag found in link below. More delightful folk art and antique flag photos as well as a photo of the event (depicted in a painting) that inspired The Star Spangled Banner by Francis Scott Key. Perfect reading today, July 4, 2021.

The Feeling of Love and Respect for the Red, White, and Blue By Judy Gonyeau

Read the article & enjoy the Fourth of July 🇺🇸 

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I finally learned how to make a link for you to get my new posts delivered to your inbox by email. The link calls it a Newsletter. The old emails are going to being discontinued by feedburner at an undisclosed date in July 2021. Thank you so much for your continued interest in following me.❤️  

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Shakespeare's Daughter's House with 17thC Garden

I copied the two photos above (with my phone) from one of my coffee table gardening books, "The Garden, A Celebration" Edited by Howard Loxton. I love the timber-framed house called Hall's Croft and the rear garden with no blank spaces for the weeds to grow. It looks care free but we all know there's no such thing.🪴

Enjoy the long July 4th weekend extending into Monday.

xo

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First Cool Day Today (Friday)

After running my central AC for three straight days, I an happy to report it has now been turned OFF. I am thrilled to be enjoying an overcast day after an overnight rain. My windows are now wide open and the birds are singing. I always turn off the AC at night and run this vintage oscillating fan that sounds like a freight train but doesn't keep me awake. The lowest setting should be labeled hurricane, so it does a great job😂 Don't worry, it's safe because I had it professionally rewired.

I got an email from a friend this morning. She was unable to sign up for the new emails on her iPad so I did it for her. If you are having trouble too, let me know in the comments and I will sign you up from this end. You will get a confirmation email to finish the process. All I need is the first three or four letters/digits of your email address. If you were an old subscriber, I should be able to find you on the email list I downloaded from Feedburner. If you are a new subscriber/follower, I will need your complete email address. 

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Hello JULY + Stunning Alabama Home

This home in Birmingham, Alabama stopped me in my tracks. Have you ever seen landscaping so well designed, planned, and executed? It is really absolute perfection, isn't it? I love the wall and arched entrance to the back garden, both made of brick and painted white to match the home. I wonder if that was added later or original to the brick home? Found on Instagram with more photos of this house on the post.

HELLO, JULY

Found on Instagram

I subscribed to my own blog yesterday to see what the new emails will look like and I'm very pleased. I still got my old email from Feedburner last night at almost 10pm which is going away some time in July. This is a partial screenshot of the NEW email subscription above. It arrived this morning. There is a place to unfollow (unsubscribe) in case you don't like it. When you discover that you are no longer getting the old emails you can follow/subscribe to this new site. Thanks so much!!! xo 

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New Way to Subscribe to My Blog by Email and Get New Post Notifications

I am thrilled to inform all of my followers I found a new way for subscribing to my blog and still receive email notifications for new posts. I subscribed myself and it's easy. Look at the screenshot above and see the new white box above my photo. Fill in your email and click the black subscribe button. A notice will come up that you have been sent an email confirmation. When you open your email you will click the green box to scribe to my blog. 

Thanks in advance. I wish I could notify each and every one of you individually but that would require almost 900 daily emails. This new subscription site with email notifications is offered by a site called follow.it

Starting in July 2021 you will no longer get email notifications the old way because they will be discontinued. 

You must sign up again using the box I have added to my sidebar. You will have to do this on your desktop or laptop computer. The sidebar on my blog does not appear on a mobile device.

Thanks so much!!!!!!!❤️♡❤️

xo, Rosemary

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Remembering the Old Ways

Don't you love this photo? I found and started following Michelle Clare @rememberingtheoldways on Instagram. I also love the quote that accompanied this image.

“We cannot stay home all our lives, we must present ourselves to the world and we must look upon it as an adventure.” ~ Beatrix Potter.

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NOTE FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO READ ME FROM EMAIL NOTIFICATIONS: Beginning in JULY, for some reason Google Feedburner is discontinuing EMAIL NOTIFICATIONS of my new blog posts. You will have to bookmark my blog or put a shortcut on your desktop and search for me yourself 😥 

If you don't know how to do those things you can just google me using these searches words "content in a cottage" to find my blog.

I do post almost every day, usually in the morning. Thank you to all of my followers. So sorry about this but it's out of my control.

xo, Rosemary

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Mice Making Rose Petal Jam

"Making Rose Petal Jam" -- From Brambly Hedge, written and illustrated by Jill Barklem. 

Brambly Hedge is a series of illustrated children’s books recounting the adventures of a community of self-sufficient mice who live together in the tranquil surroundings of the English countryside. Jill Barklem: 05.23.1951-11.15.2017

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Sunday at My Cottage

These chairs are under my balcony for shade and protection from rain. I took this photo earlier this week. I did a few Snapseed edits to bring out the sky.

This photo is right out of my phone with no edits. My lacecap hydrangea is giving me such pleasure this year.

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Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

This adorable photo makes me sleepy just to look at it. I love the dog and the chintz fabric on the sofa and pillow. Here's hoping you have a lazy first weekend of summer. I feel a nap coming on later. xo

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One Poppy per Day

There are a lot of Snapseed edits in my photo of a single poppy after a rain. I forgot to sow my saved poppy seeds and only one plant reseeded itself this year. I have a seed packet to sow in the fall or very early spring. Have a great weekend.

xo, Rosemary

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