Category — Linda

As I type this, I am sitting on the patio of a B&B outside of Hilo, Hawaii (the big island) in a torrential downpour. It is 9:40 pm Hawaii time, 12:40 am at home in Arizona. We are at the end of day seven of our trip, but I am going to start this post with Day 1.

We arrived in Maui on Wednesday, May 22nd in the early evening and got to our hotel after sunset.

On Thursday morning, we hit the ground running. After a room service breakfast at the Royal Lahaina, we took to the “Road to Hana” for the day.

Just the opportunity to see this gorgeous tree, in person, would be worth the drive. It is the rainbow eucalyptus, Mindanao gum, or rainbow gum tree. Isn’t it amazing!?!

But there is more than one pretty tree and a cool surfboard fence to see along the way.

Our first stop was Twin Falls. You enter through a tiny little passage at Wailele Farms.

There are two separate falls, this is the first, with a lovely swimming hole.

After the small fall, you continue to hike another 15 minutes or so and go past this cool rock/tree bridge thing.

And eventually, the path ends at the second, taller fall.

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Yesterday afternoon, I stopped in for a last-minute pedicure, before hopping on a plane for our first vacation of the summer.

So, to get myself in the vacation mood, I did what most women do and went for a pedicure.

We’re going to a location where pretty toes are a must.

How about a little guessing game as to just where we are jetting off to?

Hint #1 – It’s one of the 50 states.
You have a 1 out of 50 chance to get it right.

Hint #2 – It is bordered by an ocean, gulf, or bay.
1 out of 23 chance

Hint #3 – It’s the Pacific Ocean that this state borders.
1 out of 5 chance

Do you really need me to narrow it down a bit more?

OK…

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I bought a ton at the May Sweet Salvage sale. Wanna see it all?
Yes?
YAY, I’m excited and happy to show you!

Let’s begin with some of the more fragile finds.

There were two lovely Ironstone brown transfer-ware covered dishes. I couldn’t decide between them – so I got them both.

I researched the markings on the bottom of each and found that they are from the late 1800’s.

I further found a match to the second one for sale at an auction site online. Trust me, I paid nothing close to $150 for my two dishes!

The three little Ironstone hotel creamers are adorable. Two of them have markings, I haven’t had a chance to look them up yet.

The creamer on the left is from the New Southern Hotel in Jackson, Tennessee – you can read about the hotel’s storied history HERE. The center creamer came from the Hotel St. Charles in Winnipeg, built in 1913. The one on the right is from The Belmont. There are many Belmont Hotels all over the world, I have no idea which one this creamer is from.

I actually purchased two of these little gems at the April sale, but since I didn’t post about it, I thought I’d share them with you now.

I especially love the Ironstone brown transfer-ware butter pat dish. Sheila picked up four of five of these cuties too. The adorable flower thing is about as big as my thumb. That is the marking on the bottom of it. I think it’s half of a salt and pepper shaker pair.

The small square dish is from the Hôtel Plaza Athénée, a 5-star hotel in Paris, France that is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.

Looking at the little hotel dish every day, makes me long to be back in Paris!

The rectangular dish has the image of THIS on it.

Ready for more?  This batch is mostly metal stuff.

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Three weeks ago, my favorite lifestyle blogger, Heather Bullard, posted THIS.

Image via HeatherBullard.com

I was inspired to create a packaging/wrapping tote of my own. I decided to wait the three weeks until the next Sweet Salvage event to see if I could find the perfect container.

As always, the ladies at Sweet Salvage did not disappoint! Not only did I find this fantastic tote and vintage Arizona Winter Sweet Orange crate, but two dozen-plus additional treasures too!

I’m not quite certain what I’ll do with the Blue Goose Growers, Inc. crate yet, but I couldn’t pass it up. Loved the imprint with Tempe, Ariz. on the sides. I found this 1950’s label for sale online. I’m tempted to purchase one and attach it to the front of the crate. I’ll have to sleep on that…

It was an especially good month at the once-monthly sale! I’ll show you my other purchases in the next post, but today I’m going to focus on what I’ve done with the wooden tote.

After stenciling on the front, I loaded that puppy up in no time!

Shipping labels, muslin, and flat glassine bags.

Vellum envelopes and mini corked bottles.

Clay kitchen tags for baked goods and other food gifts. Numbered clay tags and the entire alphabet for unique and personalized gift tags.

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While riding our bikes home from Lisa’s Cinco de Mayo party a couple Sundays ago, we spotted a neighbor’s “trash” on the side of the road. Amy, Scott, Ronnie, Dave, and I made a u-turn on our snazzy wheels to check it out.

There was a big-screen television, a satellite dish, four Adirondack chairs, a bunch of boxes and toys… and a rustic outdoor couch. We moved the TV to the street, piled onto the couch, and snapped a photo of our intoxicated selves. What can I say… that tequila punch was really potent… and tasty!

Then we rode our bikes home and Scott and I went back with my car because I needed that couch! Either Dave was too tipsy or more likely, too embarrassed because he wanted nothing to do with my dumpster diving ways.

Note: Drinking and driving don’t mix… this house is in our gated community, no intersections or major streets were involved in the excursion… it is only two cul-de-sacs away.

As a point of reference, in the photo above, I am standing in my backyard looking across at Ronnie’s house. The “trash pile” was in the next cul-de-sac – just behind her house. The big trash pick-up was the next morning. Please forgive.

When we drove around the corner, we were aghast! There was another car there, picking up stuff. They better not lay their grubby hands on that couch of mine! Alas, all they wanted was two of the Adirondacks.

We loaded up my couch, I dropped Scott off at home and then forced Dave to help me unload it. He begrudgingly obliged.

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Wishing each and every one of you a joyous weekend!

And for those of you celebrating Mother’s Day, may it be wonderful. Hallmark holiday, or not… You deserve it.

I’ll be spending mine with my son and husband and missing my daughter, but knowing that I am in her heart.

I know this because she always goes out of her way to make sure I know and feel it.

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May 4, 1985 was our wedding day.

That’s a long time! I’ve been married for more than half my life. That’s weird!

I’m pregnant with Marissa in this 1987 photo. The start of our beautiful family.

Life is good.

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It’s Friday!

That means it is once again time for some funnies.

Can you relate to any of these?
Which is your favorite?
My favorite, this week, is the last one.

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It seems as though most of you really enjoyed the Friday Funnies that I posted a couple of weeks ago. In fact, some asked that I make it a regular feature. I’m not sure I can do that… but I do have more for today.

Sad, but oh so true!

YES!!! It does!

… and on their arms and hips too!

This one is posted for my sweet girl, Marissa! But, it’s more than OK – I love getting calls from her, no matter when or from wherever!  <3

This happens to me way too often!

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Happy Birthday to two of my dearest friends. Two women whom I adore.

Their birthdays are only two years apart, but I won’t reveal who is older or their exact ages.

Let’s just say that one is a tiny bit more than decade younger than me and the other is just less than a decade behind me.

Yeah, they’re young and they are both gorgeous, inside and out!

You may not be able to see them, but they are both in the image above. You can easily see that I am cooking with Tram Mai on the old Valley Dish. We are making Amy’s Famous Taco Soup. Because it is Amy’s recipe, I’d brought along a framed photo of Amy and her family… you can barely see it down in the lower right corner of the image.  Can you see it?

Since then, Amy and Tram have been together at my house a couple of times, but unfortunately, I’d never gotten a photo of them together, so until I do, this will have to do!

Before our mutual friend, Lori, moved to Chicago, we used to celebrate Amy (on the right) and Lori’s (center) birthdays together.

Happy Birthday, Amy! I love you!

This fun photo was taken in August 2010 when Tram invited me to cook with her on stage at Phoenix Cooks. Good times!

Happy Birthday, Tram! I love you!

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