Everyday Living

Save Room For Dessert!

September 3, 2015~ Food & Entertaining

“Gracious words are like a honeycomb,
sweetness to the soul and health to the body”
Proverbs 16:24

The legendary Julia Child said, “A party without cake is really just a meeting”...and I agree, Julia! I guess you can say I sort of live by that motto, too! As many of you know, my Mother was a fabulous cook! I never remember a meal that wasn’t followed by dessert..homemade cakes, pies, cobblers, and cookies! When Mother had guests (which was often) she would serve at least three desserts…and yes, I had to “sample” all of them! Dessert was served on a regular basis at our home, so it was something I grew accustomed to. With that background, you can understand my love for sweets!

Butch and I have taken four cruises with Oceania. The cruise line is known for their small and intimate ships with large staterooms, exquisite accommodations, and the most fascinating destinations. They are renowned for the finest food at sea, and that is, in part, why we continue to sail with them! Inspired by Master Chef Jacques Pepin, these culinary delights have always been a hallmark that distinguishes the Oceania Cruises experience from any other. With my love for desserts and new-found hobby in food photography, I thought it would be fun (and mouth-watering) to share some of the delicious sweets from our summer cruise to the British Isles! The menu changed daily, so we had a plethora of choices every evening! Butch and I were strategic in ordering two different desserts so that we could share and taste as many as possible! Apple Crumble Pie Caribbean Coconut and Pineapple Tart Milk Chocolate Volcano with Passion Fruit Lava Pistachio Tartlet with Citrus Caramelized New York Cheesecake Milk Chocolate Mousse Cake with Caramel Truffle Banana Torte Flambé Almond and Rhubarb Cake with Mascarpone Cream Bavarian Cheesecake with Strawberry Coulis Grandmother’s Lemon Meringue Tart Bounty Cake with Coconut, Chocolate Chips, and Vanilla Bean White Chocolate Mousse Cake with Fruit Jelly and Macaron Fresh Berry Tartlet with Mascarpone Cream Semifreddo with Chocolate-Rum Sauce Warm Milk Chocolate with Passion Fruit Sorbet

As I was preparing this post, I was reminded of the verse I posted above and how the words that come out of our mouths are so important. God’s words are always relevant and he gives us ways of understanding, even in our everyday living. It is my prayer that my words will always be gracious, sweet, and a source of healing to the hearers.

So, now that you are all salivating over these beautiful desserts, I have to know…which one would you choose?
Tell us in the comments!

Linking with Pieced Pastimes , Silver Pennies , Life on Lakeshore Drive , Thoughts From Alice , Mod Vintage Life , Coastal Charm , My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia , The Dedicated House , Dwellings-Heart of Your Home , Savvy Southern Style , Ivy and Elephants, French Country Cottage , From My Front Porch To Yours , Stone Gable , Confessions of a Plate Addict , Worthing Court , Between Naps on the Porch , Cedar Hill Farmhouse , A Stroll Thru Life , The Charm of Home , Cornerstone Confessions , A Delightsome Life , Imparting Grace , Posed Perfection , Katherines Corner , My Romantic Home , Rooted In Thyme , Share Your Cup, The Enchanting Rose, Alabama Women Bloggers, 21 Rosemary Lane, Northern Nesting, Oh My Heartsie Girl, Cozy Little House, Rattlebridge Farm, The Turquoise Hom e, My Flagstaff Home, In The New House, Natasha in Oz, Vintage Refined, Must Love Home

Tablescape Tuesday: Rise ‘n Shine!

September 1, 2015~ Food & Entertaining, Tablescape Tuesday

“Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love,
for in you I trust.
Make me know the way I should go,
for to you I lift up my soul”
Psalm 143:8

On Monday morning after a week-long vacation, it is so hard to “rise and shine”! But work was calling and so was Tablescape Tuesday! I decided to keep it simple – breakfast for two at our kitchen island! As always, you are invited to join us!

I softened the granite top with a rooster patterned table square! A European charcuterie board provided the foundation for the centerpiece! Water hyacinth placemats added texture! Paisley napkins match the border on the table square! The centerpiece consisted of a Fitz and Floyd rooster and hen along with fresh herbs from our garden! I used thyme, lemon balm, rosemary, basil, and ornamental peppers. The salt and pepper shakers are vintage! Pineapple orange juice in champagne flutes turns an ordinary breakfast into a festive one! The rooster plates coordinate perfectly with the table square! The large rooster and Italian pasta jar are always at home on the kitchen island! “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver”
Proverbs‬ ‭25‬:‭11‬

The Details:
Table square/napkins – custom-made many years ago with Waverly fabrics
Charcuterie board – Blackberry Farm
Dinner plate/cup and saucer – Horchow.com American Atelier
“baroque” pattern
Flutes – Tuesday Morning (several years ago)
Water Hyacinth Placemats – Tuesday Morning
Pasta Canister – Horchow.com

Linking with Pieced Pastimes , Silver Pennies , Life on Lakeshore Drive , Thoughts From Alice , Mod Vintage Life , Coastal Charm , My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia , The Dedicated House , Dwellings-Heart of Your Home , Savvy Southern Style , Ivy and Elephants, French Country Cottage , From My Front Porch To Yours , Stone Gable , Confessions of a Plate Addict , Worthing Court , Between Naps on the Porch , Cedar Hill Farmhouse , A Stroll Thru Life , The Style Sisters , The Charm of Home , The Winthrop Chronicles , Cornerstone Confessions , A Delightsome Life , Imparting Grace , Posed Perfection , Katherines Corner , My Romantic Home , Chic On A Shoestring Decorating , Rooted In Thyme , Share Your Cup, TheEnchanting Rose, Alabama Women Bloggers, 21 Rosemary Lane, Northern Nesting, Oh My Heartsie Girl, Cozy Little House, Rattlebridge Farm, The Turquoise Hom e, My Flagstaff Home, In The New House, Natasha in Oz, Vintage Refined

Taken By Storm: A Week In St. Maarten

August 31, 2015~ Travel

“And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?””
Matthew‬ ‭8:23-27‬

A week ago yesterday, we left for (what we thought would be) a 5 day vacation to the Caribbean island of St. Maarten/St.Martin. We were guests of our long-time friends, Patti and Mike at their beautiful condo on the beach. The day before our scheduled flight, we had some concern about tropical storm/hurricane Danny in the Caribbean. We decided if the flight was not canceled we would go. Upon arrival Sunday, the weather was perfect! For extra precaution, the authorities shut down the island on Monday in anticipation of the storm. Monday morning brought cloudy skies and a little rain, but that was the extent of Danny. For a brief time while still well southeast of St. Maarten, Danny had been a Category 3 hurricane, but thankfully had diminished and passed by almost unnoticed. By afternoon, most of the businesses re-opened and things were back to normal. Tuesday and Wednesday brought back typical tropical weather….and it was perfect! We were in the clear! Or so we thought. Enter tropical storm Erika.

By late Wednesday afternoon, we heard of another storm approaching us. And this would surely put a kink in our plans, as we were scheduled to fly out on Thursday afternoon. We went ahead and checked in online, but we caught wind of authorities on the island implementing a mandatory curfew and shutting down the island starting at 10 pm. To prepare for the approaching storm, maintenance men from the resort came and secured and locked the storm shutters on all our sliding terrace doors and large windows. By midnight, the howling winds began to blow. It wasn’t looking like we would be leaving as planned. Thursday morning brought pounding waves, high winds, and the dreaded email that our flight was canceled.

We sat in safety and in the company of good friends, French pastries and tarts, Dutch cheeses, and crackers as the weather deteriorated. One thing was for sure– we would not go hungry!! The winds increased to 45-50 mph sustained and 60 + mph gusts (and maintained that level for twelve hours!) while the waves were crashing up to the second stories on adjacent buildings! We were forced to relax…and it was a welcomed time of rest! There were no Delta flights on Friday and we were rescheduled to depart on Saturday afternoon.

As I have more life experiences, hopefully, I have learned that plans can suddenly change and there is no reason to fret over things that are out of my control! I mean, we had two extra days with friends on a Caribbean island…what is there to complain about?! Unfortunately, the neighboring island of Dominica was hard hit with loss of life, property, and devastating floods. Butch and I are grateful for the mystery of God’s mercy that kept us safe!

St. Maarten/St.Martin is the smallest island in the world to be shared by two nations, the United Kingdom of the Netherlands and France, creating a European-influence vibe with Caribbean flair. Considered the culinary capital of the Caribbean, locals like to think of St. Maarten/St. Martin as delightfully Dutch and fantastically French!

The temptation to soak up sun and surf is overwhelming, but we also chose to take in the two-country ambience! The entire island has a population of 80,000 comprising more than 150 nationalities and is only 37 miles square!

Our friends have a gorgeous condo overlooking this scene!

We spent hours enjoying the beauty of the azure waters of the Caribbean. My Mother and I had visited with Patti and Mike in 2001, but this was Butch’s first trip.

Morning coffee with a view!

The condo is located on Maho Bay Beach. This beach offers thrills not for the faint-hearted. I captured this photo from our balcony!

People line the beach to capture KLM’s landing! This is the largest aircraft that lands on the island!

The Philipsburg Courthouse (on the Dutch side) was built in 1793 and has been renovated several times over the years

The guavaberry is a fruit tree that grows in the Caribbean. The fruit is half the size of a cherry. The Guavaberry Emporium on Front Street in Philipsburg carries products made from the sweet fruit!

From the Court House on Front Street, the wide palm-lined pedestrian walkway leads to the beach!

Old Street lives up to its name with 19th-century houses that today contain specialty shops!

There are 37 beaches on the island and we attempted to see them all!

On the French side of the island, you will find boutiques with many of the French luxury brands such as Cartier, Louis Vuitton, and Chanel!

We shopped the Wednesday market in Marigot (French side) to see the diverse wares that were offered! The “Spiceman” makes his own blends of spices and sells them along with classic spices at his stand.

I can’t resist macarons anywhere, anytime!

The French know how to do pastries!

The flamboyant tree (Delonix Regina) is prolific all across the island. It is noted for its fern-like leaves and flamboyant display of flowers!

These little guys were everywhere! The green iguana is native to the Caribbean!

Sunset over Maho Beach on Friday evening…what a difference a day makes!