Sweet Tulips

.......be sure and visit the other participants in Mellow Yellow Monday!!!!

Today for Mellow Yellow I'm showing my Tulips that are a bit of yellow and some red. I searched the Market that I was at for plain yellow Tulips but there were none available so I settled for these.
I always feel that spring is around the corner when I buy Tulips to put around the house after those gloomy cold and snowy winters.

Although Tulips are always associated with Holland, commercial cultivation of the flower began during The Turkish Ottoman Empire.

The Tulip was first introduced to Europe in the mid-16th century from The Turkish Ottoman Empire, and beacme very popluar in the united Provinces which is now the Netherlands.

The "Tulip" gained much popularity and was seen as a sign of abundance, wealth and indulgence in the Turkish Ottoman Empire. The era during which the Ottoman Empire was wealthiest and most powerful was called 'The Tulip Era' or in Turkish Lale Devri.

The Tulips came to Canada my home in 1945, the Dutch Royal family sent 100,000 tulip bulbs to Ottawa the capital in gratitude for sheltering Princess Juliana and her daughters during the second World War ..............thus for the future creating The Canadian Tulip Festival.

The 'Canadian Tulip Festival'.................claims to be the world's largest Tulip Festival, with over 500,000 visitors annually. This major cultural event is held in Ottawa, Canada, over the course of 18 days in May, concluding witht he Queen Victoria Day long weekend.

Thank you so much for stopping by and I hope you enjoyed my tid/bit on the story of the Tulip.

Friday Fish Dinner

Please join Michael for Foodie Friday at designsbygollum.blogspot.com for this delicious weekly event and get some inspiration.

This year I decided to be good and during Lent I will eat fish on Friday's. I made Tilapia which is becoming a favourite fish in my house for my husband and I, but my daughter refuses to even come near any fish.
While at the veggie store they had some zucchini which looked good and first I bought them I thought I would make a zucchini cake but as you can see I roasted them for the first time and I loved them otherwise I'm not too much of a fan of that veggie unless it's in a cake or muffin.

Roasted Zucchini Spears

[Adapted from The Classic Zucchini Cookbook]

2 medium zucchini, cut in half and then 3" spears.
2 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbsp. EVOO [Extra Virgin Olive Oil]

salt and pepper to taste

Balsamic Vinegar

Preheat oven to 450 deg. Faren.

Grease a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Arrange zucchini spears skin side down on baking sheet.

Lightly brush the cut sides of the zucchini with the EVOO, garlic and salt and pepper.

Roast for 15 till done or tender and lightly browned.

Transfer Zucchini to a serving plate and drizzle with Balsamic Vinegar.......serve warm.

*I omitted the Balsamic vinegar but used a wee bit of red pepper flakes crushed and some Italian seasoning.

Roasted and ready to eat.......yummmmmm.

Baked Tilapia

Preheat oven to 400 deg. Faren.

Spray baking sheet with cooking spray.

I used some Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper sprinkled and rubbed some on the Tilapia fish fillets.

Roasted them for 25 min.............til done. Some ovens maybe different.

Here's my dinner on a plate........we also had Basmati buttered rice with some chick peas. I just use the canned chick peas and sauted some in a wee bit of butter and then add them to the cooked rice............. you can use any rice but this happens to be my husbands fav.

Thank you for visiting me today and do visit the other participants for some Foodie Friday fun!!!!!

On Top of the Piano

Today I'm joining Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for the first time for Tabletop Tuesday. Be sure and visit the other participants for some inspiration and fun.

This is on top of my piano that I have in a corner in my house. It's an old piano from the 1950's. I actually picked it up at a yard sale. It was a steal and my daughter was lil' and I wanted her to play the piano like I use to. She didn't want to really take lessons so I thought at this price I'll buy this piano and if she's better interested in her later years we would get a nice Baby Grand. ........but as you can see she played for 6 years and decided to quit.........I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

Here's another tid bit for this piano purchase...........my husband is originally years and years ago from Turkey so every once in a while he likes to visit his childhood home.........well when he's gone by himself for a month this is when I buy big purchases and this was one of them. I could go on and tell you what I have purchased in the last 25 years when he goes away himself to Turkey and I stay behind due to business......but another time.

I have a very vast collection of Blue ad Whites which I keep in vignettes all over my home. The picture behind was my Mom's that I inherited, so it brings back memories.

This brass thingy is called a Samovar..........I actually have a few different ones. Also in silver that I have from my side of the Family from the Ukraine. But this brass one is from Turkey, it was used in the old days for tea. When I visist Turkey there are a few places where you can order one of these Samovar's and they bring the whole thing to your table and you can serve yourself in these small glass cups with no handles. They look like large shot glasses. The tea is so good and I'm not a tea drinker really.

Turkish Tea Samovar...........yummy tea.

This is my all time favourite lamp in my house. I purchased it in Buffalo at a mall as I was walking by and it was in the window. Isn't the lil' guy cute with his lil' hat?????

This figurine was my Mom's and I inherited it because for Mother's day I had purchased this for her when I was in High School..............it always reminds me of my Mom. [rip]

Thanks for stopping by! Love to hear from you all.........:-)

"Blue' Teddy Bears

Thank you Hostess Sally for hosting "BLUE MONDAY". For some fabulous and inspirational ideas and fun!.........

Be sure and visit the other participants at http://smilingsally.blogspot.com/

Today I chose Mr. and Mrs. Bear to show for my Blue Monday because they are wearing blue clothes. I was looking around to see what was blue when this couple caught my eye........ :-)

Mr. Bear is so cute in his wool sweater.

Mrs. bear all decked out in her Blue checkered dress.

Thank you for visiting my Blog today for Blue Monday!!!!

Be sure and visit the other Bloggers on Blue Monday........due leave comments and don't forget me because I love to hear form you.

Antique Romantic Lamp

"Show and Tell Fridays"!
























I looooooove this Lamp, it has been around my Mom's house ever since I can remember. She got it sometime in the early 1950's. Well actually she bought it off an estate sale. I'm not sure how old it is but I do know that it's been in the family for 60 years.
My Mother adored this lamp, it was her favourite piece in her living room.........we were never allowed to touch it when we were younger. When my Mom passed away I inherited the Lamp, she always told me to keep it and as her wish I do. Maybe one of these days I will have it restored and rewired.

It looks all chipped away now, but I love the patina on it. I guess during the years the paint finish is coming off. When I dust it I do it very gently.................. I have had some comment on it like let me paint it for you, thats when I cringe.

I had some tassels and didn't have someplace really to hang them so for the time being I hung them on the Lamp and I guess they managaed to stay there.

.....here is the finial on top and I believe it is the original and the original lampshade.....but it is getting very fargile so I have to be extra careful with cleaning it.

Thanks so much for visiting my Show & Tell, if you haven't been over at Cindy's at My Romantic Home, please go visit and see what's new at her place and stop by as many Show & Tell participants that you can. I love looking to see what everyone is up to. There sure are some pretty creative Bloggers out there

Lemon Loaf

Be sure and stop at http://designsbygollum.blogspot.com/ for "Foodie Friday", there are some amazing food blogs to see.




Lemon Loaf

I know there are lots of recipes for Lemon Loaf but I thought I would post mine. It's from a cookbook from one of my vast collections of cookbooks.
The cover of the cookbook is called The Purity Cookbook. It was printed in the 1950's, I've been making this loaf for ever since I can remember.
It's sort of falling apart at the seams as I've been using for all these years.

Lemon Loaf

Preheat oven to 350 F. degrees.
Grease a 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan.

Sift together;
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Stir in;
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 tsp. grated lemon peel




Cream;
1/2 cup butter

Beat in;
1 cup granulated sugar

Blend in beating til' light and fluffy;
2 eggs

Add sifted dry ingred. to creamed mixture alternately with;
1/2 cup milk



Make 3 dry and 2 liquid additions, combining lightly after each.

Turn into prepared pan.

Bake in preheated 350 deg. oven for 60 to 70 min. til toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool 5 min., then drizzle over top a mixture of;
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice.

Cool, then remove from pan.

Enjoy!!!!!!






Lemon.........

Be sure and stop at http://designsbygollum.blogspot.com/ for "Foodie Friday", and see what the participants are showing for some fun.