An Over The Top Kitchen

with a La Cornue, France range. Mega bucks. Do you think this is a real working kitchen or a trophy kitchen? I get the feeling from what I can see that you'd have do a lot of walking here. via House Beautiful.

A Shrine to Laundry

There are no words. This could be my favorite laundry room out of all I've ever posted. I'm picturing the clothes line and the cutting garden just outside this room.

UPDATE:  I found out this was The HGTV Green Home 2010 and I found a website with many more pictures of this wonderful home - HERE.

Old Book Wide Cotton Tape | Love.This

There are so many creative crafters out there. I love this cotton tape. I can think of so many ways to use it too. Old Book Wide Cotton Tape

World Globe Ice Cream Cone

Treat yourself to something cool today. I must tell you that I am absolutely loving the creamy lemon popsicles I blogged about recently. I've made them 5 times so far and today I'll use the 6th lemon for another batch. I have adjusted the recipe for my taste.

 

Creamy Lemon Popsicles Recipe
1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice The juice of one lemon (or lime) with pulp
2 Tbsp. grated lemon peel The zest on one lemon. Zest before juicing it.
pinch of salt not necessary
1 1/4 cups buttermilk

Whisk sugar, lemon juice, lemon peel, and salt in a large bowl until sugar dissolves. Whisk in buttermilk.

Divide mixture among popsicle molds. Cover and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours and up to 5 days.

Here's how I make mine -- I just pour the buttermilk in a 2 cup pyrex measuring cup, add the sugar, stir until dissolved and then add the rest of the ingredients. I have a set of 6 tupperware popsicle molds and there is a little left over. I pour the extra into a heavy milk glass  cup. I run to the freezer often to stir the contents of the cup and have a bonus treat way before the popsicles have frozen completely. They are the most delicious and refreshing things for this kind of weather. I've experimented with other liquids. Once I used 3/4 cup of plain soy milk with 1/2 cup plain yogurt. That worked well too. I don't have any buttermilk so today I might try a batch with only soymilk and another batch with only yogurt. But wait...I only have one lemon so I may have to go out for more. I simply cannot be without these popsicles that delight my mouth with the perfect combination of sweet and sour. Enjoy.

Catherine in Trench and Red Scarf

Proof that it's not hot everywhere. She looks stunning in whatever she wears, doesn't she. Her taste is impeccable. And she always looks so happy.

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First Garden

at her first home.
So lovely!

Cats at Home

 

I absolutely love illustrations of animals doing people things in domestic surroundings. These cats have a real eye for interior design and they have such varied interests. I especially like the kitchen under the stairs; totally charming. This split level could work very nicely for people too. ©Franco Matticchio, illustration for "Gioia Casa" 2006 via Flickr.

Wheelin' Tortoise

A 12-year-old African spur-thighed tortoise shows off his new front "leg" at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington. Gamera had to have his leg removed after an infection set in. To aid in the tortoise's recovery, doctors at WSU’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital replaced his leg with a small swiveling ball-type caster attached to its shell with an epoxy adhesive. AP Photo/BCU/WSU, Henry Moore, Jr.

The nearly teenage mutant turtle is particularly good at moving toward food, and has gained 3 pounds since the wheel was attached. He's getting around too since the caster-style appendage allows navigation on both flat and lumpy surfaces like lawns. The 23-pound tortoise was named Gamera after the giant flying turtle of the old Japanese monster movies. I love this happy story, don't you?