Beautiful moonlight over Vermont.  You see a lot of churches like the one above in the little rural towns.

I got some corn on the cob a few days ago at Pete’s which is one of my favorite vegetable stands.  The butter and sugar corn is just so sweet.  I got a lot of fresh vegetables that were picked from their garden that morning.  Love it.

This morning I went to a farm stand that is near where I live.  They have a bag of greens that you can buy that has kale, 4 kinds of lettuce, beet greens and all kinds of greens.  I love it as it’s all organic and costs only $1.49 for a huge amount.  I made a salad and can also use some of the greens for soup.  I also found some summer squash and some broccoli which I used in a stir fry and will also throw into a soup.  I think that this might be one of my favorite times of the year.

One of my neighbors has a colorful flower garden.  It looked so colorful from a distance that I had to go closer and get a photo of it.

I like how she put stones in the garden and all the colors.  I bet that it attracts  butterflies as well as hummingbirds.

Another neighbor has white phlox which definitely attracts butterflies and Hummingbirds.  My Mom used to have pink phlox that came up every year in front of our sun porch.  There were always lots of butterflies and Hummingbirds attracted to the Phlox.

My favorite fashion blogger had the above blouse as one that could be worn now and into Fall.  I like the color and the style.

I got a new King Arthur Flour catalog in the mail today.  They are already thinking about Fall.  I always read their catalog from cover to cover.  I would buy everything in that catalog if I could.

They had an Apple-Pear pie on the back cover.  I like how they made leaves out of the top pie crust and I like the dark plum pie pan.

King Arthur carries Blake Hill Apple Butter which sounds really good with a mini loaf of Apple Bread.   All their Harvest Bread mixes sound good.  They have online tips for taking mixes to a delicious new level.

I really like the above bowls and storage sets that were in the catalog.  Their store is within driving distance of where I live and it’s one of my very favorite places to go.  My cousin, Kelly lives way up in Burlington and her and her friends travel from northern Vermont way down to the upper Valley where the store is.  That’s like almost 100 miles I think.  It’s only about 35 or 40 miles for me.

They had a neat pizza recipe in their catalog.  I like the Pizza seasoning idea and the Italian Herb-infused dipping oil.  Plus the pizza cutter is neat.

There are lots of blueberries at all the farm stands, now.  The above recipe for Blueberry Cobbler sounds kind of good.

King Arthur Flour had all kinds of ideas for Fall baking with pumpkin and I like their pretty patterned paper pans and their awesome mixes.

All the fashion bloggers are wearing white skinny jeans.  That T-shirt above is from Banana Republic and the navy blue ones are all sold out.  I notice that bangle bracelets are really in style now.

I just love summer.  Although Fall is just perfect weather.

And that’s my thoughts for today.

 

Lake Sunapee is one of the nicest lakes ever.  The water is so crystal clear and clean that you can actually drink the water from the lake.  But with the motor boats going on the lake, I don’t think that I would.  My Mom liked the shade and my Dad liked the sun.  I think the above is the picnic table they always chose where half the area was under a tree that had shade and the other half was directly in the sun.  They always loved going to that lake.  And I always did too.  I used to take my sons there when they were little.  I had a bumper sticker on my car that said “Follow the Sun to Sunapee”.

My kids used to love to make sand castles, swim and they had little boats they put in the water on the beach at Sunapee State Park.  We would pack a lunch and there was a place in Newport that we stopped and bought brownies from a bakery that the kids loved.

Sunapee has a beautiful beach area.  You can see sail boats going by out in the lake every once in awhile.  And there is a huge grass area as well as the sandy beach.

Another area of the lake is Sunapee Harbor.  All kinds of boats there and it’s fun to watch the ramp where boats are backed into the water and also loaded back onto trailers.  A lot of people own boat slips on the docks where they keep their boats.  There is a gift shop, the Anchorage Restaurant and an ice cream place where they have really good ice cream cones there.

The Harbor is really beautiful.

The Anchorage restaurant has tables out on the deck as well as tables inside that have views of the lake.

I used to like to have the clam chowder and a salad at the Anchorage.  The lobster rolls are good, also.  Fun to enjoy with a view of the Harbor.

There is also a dinner boat at the harbor that goes out on sunset cruises.  They have a buffet and it’s like one big party.  So fun.

I think that Lake Sunapee is one of the most beautiful lakes ever.

I think that a lot of people love Sunapee as well.  Love the vanity license plate.  Sunapee is in New Hampshire but a short drive from southwest Vermont.

The tramway at Jay Peak in northern Vermont makes for beautiful views.  There is also one almost like it at Cannon Mountain in the White mountains of New Hampshiere.

As long as you are not afraid of heights, it’s really fun.

I think that Peacham, Vermont is like the most scenic place ever and it’s like Vermont used to be.

You know how that country has the “running of the bulls”.  In June every year, Brattleboro has the “Strolling of the Heifers”.  So fun to watch the parade.

They have fun.

I worked for Holstein Association in Brattleboro at one time and the lines that they have for registered Holsteins has quite a bit of science to it.

One of my grandfathers used to work for a Creamery.  I can remember the delicious cottage cheese that creamery made.  My grandmother used to use a lot of creamery products in her cooking and baking.  The above cookbook is on my must have list because it reminds me of my grandparents and all the wonderful cooking my Gram did.

Remember Tuna noodle casseroles?  I saw a recipe with peas and mushrooms in the casserole that brought back memories.

I love the above Le Creseut serving dish.  The pasta salad looks awesome in that dish.

I like the Caribbean blue color of Le Creuset.

I also like the sunshine color of Le Creuset.

I love the flower shaped coquette pot that Le Creuset has.

I just love a farm house porch.

Summer flowers are just beautiful.

When I was a kid, we used to spend a week at my grandparents farm in northern Vermont when my Dad had a vacation in the summer.  Sometimes for breakfast, my aunt Mavis would make pancakes with maple syrup that was from their own sugar house that they had on the farm.

I like the style of the above pocketbook.  And I love the style of that ring.  The ring has an asscher cut for the stone.  It’s 2.50 carets and it’s the engagement ring of the Duchess of York’s sister.  So you know it costs a small fortune to say the least.

So to have the look without the price just for fun, I kind of like the QVC 2.50 caret asscher cut Diamonique version for only $59.00.  So cute and so classy looking.  I mean who would want a ring so expensive that you would be afraid to wear it.  This one would be just for the look and totally beautiful style.

I like those cakes that you can make in a bundt pan.  King Arthur Flour has a recipe on it’s website for Caribbean Rum cake that they use their bundt pan to make.  Looks good to me.

Giada had a recipe for a no cook Cobb Salad that looked good to me.    The dressing was just Sherry vinegar, whole grain mustard and olive oil.  She used olive oil and chopped dill to marinate the chickpeas and she used rotisserie chicken and Prosciutto but she said to feel free to substitute bacon for the Prosciutto.

The Vermont Country store has April Cornwell French Country stuff and I love her linens.

A stylish look now seems to be the skinny jeans.  I don’t know, I think that if I wore them that they would make me look top heavy.  I mean I guess that if you have a perfect body they look good.  The stretch white jeans with a navy blue T-shirt that has a scoop neck and roll sleeves is kind of neat, also.  I like the comfortable flat shoes.

I like the color of the above cabinets.  It’s the kitchen of a beach house and I like how they have the neat corn on the cobb holder that they probably took with them to a farmers market or their own garden and the steamed clams pot is awesome.

I think the above sign is cute to have in a garden.

And that’s my thoughts for today.

 

I really don’t think that it’s all that exciting for fun in Vermont, but there are some interesting things to do.

I like the cheese that they cut from a huge cheese wheel at the Vermont Country store.  It’s Vermont cheddar and you have to try it to know how wonderful it is.

It’s really good with a glass of wine.  It’s the same cheese as Cabot sharp cheddar, but when it is cut from that big wheel, it just is especially good.

I went to a farm stand yesterday and it’s fun to bring your own basket and getting veggies that are so fresh that they were picked that morning.

I got French radishes that are just so good with a little cream cheese and garlic over some artisan bread toast.

My gentleman friend, Sigurd, looked at the radishes and thought they just were not ripe or something.  but they are so good and that’s the way they are supposed to look.

I had some local garden kale, some baby greens, local cucumbers, french radishes, colorful cherry tomatoes, red onion and my own vinaigrette for a summer tossed salad that I love.  For a wine, I saw a sale on Rose that was too good to pass up.  You had to buy two bottles and I was not quite sure if it would be good, but it was actually the best Rose wine that I ever tried.  Not too sweet, but just right.

Then I steamed local broccolli, summer squash, zucchini and corn on the cob.  I just love it when all these veggies are so fresh and so good this time of year.  Sometimes I make a stirfry and have healthy grains brown rice and quinoa with the stir fry.

One place I like to visit is a really beautiful farm stand that sells plants and veggies and it’s in New Hampshire just across the river from where I live.  It’s called Hemingways and it has several greenhouses with little garden paths and all kinds of flowers.

I love the stone walls along the paths.

All the flowers along the way.

Plants that you can buy.  I want everything that I see as usual.  But have to browse and just enjoy the beautiful place.

So pretty.

In Woodstock, VT Gillinghams is a really fun store.

Woodstock is beautiful with little outdoor cafes along the main street.

There is a covered bridge in the middle of Woodstock.

Lots of fun places to visit.

 

Warren, VT is a small town and very pretty.

Stowe is beautiful.

Maple Creemee’s are so good in the summer.

I love the summer flowers and butterflies.

Wildflowers are so pretty.

I love the Farmers Markets this time of year……

I love wildflowers……..

Hot air balloons are awesome…….

Hot air balloons are so colorful…..

I just love Farmers Markets.

Ben & Jerry’s near Stowe is always fun to visit.  They have a tour of their ice cream making factory and free samples of their ice cream.  Also a dairy bar there with all kinds of ice cream cones with all their flavors and a neat gift shop.

Summer in Vermont is just beautiful……..

 

What I like about the above bracelet is that the Citrine is my birthstone, I love turquoise and silver plus the style of the cuff is just plain pretty.  It’s something that is on the frivolous list because it just isn’t practical.  Just a whim and way too expensive.

Did I mention that I like butterflies and also cuff bracelets.  The above bracelet is a cute style but again on the frivolous list as the price ruins it.

I like the color of the above bracelet and it’s stylish.  Again on the frivolous list.  It’s a classic style, though and I don’t think would go out of style too soon.

I like the above style bracelet.  It would look good with a 3/4 length sleeve white blouse.  I guess I should call this day “cute cuff finds”.   I think the first bracelet on this page is my very favorite.

The above set of Le Creuset is a more practical investment.  Those pans just cook like a dream.  They last forever and are just beautiful to have for the kitchen.  They are expensive, but not really frivolous except for the price is not something that is easy to come up with so goes on my frivolous list.  I have a Le Creuset pot in the above color and the cover doubles as a grill pan.  I just love it.

And then frivolous of all frivolous would be a trip to Paris.  Mai oui!  Now that would be the ultimate frivolous.  Through photos and videos, I know every inch of Paris and all the must sees.

But all of the above are just whims that I could very easily do without.  The most important things in life to me are to stay happy, healthy and to be thankful for the little things.

But it’s always fun to think of all the pleasures that are out there.   I love stuff like that and I can’t help it.

But I have learned at this stage of my life that happiness does not come from whims.  The greatest happiness is making someone else happy.  That is where it is at in my opinion.  When people I love are happy, I am happy.  But if Mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.  So that’s my excuse to keep myself healthy and happy and then I can give to others.  But I have learned to keep a lid on my whims as they are just whims.  Other things are much more important and anything in moderation and balance is where it’s at in my opinion.

 

I saw the above and thought it was helpful to use as an addition to my organizer.  Some nice tips and good ideas on how to have a good day.

Then I saw the format above that would be good to use to plan meals for the week.  That way all the ingredients needed for each meal could be planned ahead and shopped for in advance and would be on hand when needed.

The Pioneer Woman has at least one give away a week.  Today she had a Jet Setter convertable bag for her give away.  She said that Taylor Swift also has this bag that can also be a back pack from straps that are on the back of it.  I always enter the Pioneer Woman giveaways as it is just fun.

I like French recipes and the above Cherry Clafoutis sounds wonderful.

I think that Lillies are beautiful.  There are all kinds of them out this time of year.

My little Grandsons would have fun with the above to have for their yard.  What a cute idea.

I like a good book to read this summer.  “Here’s to Us” by Elin Hilderbrandt sounds good to me.  That author always writes stories about Nantucket Island.

A really good sounding recipe is “One Pan Balsamic Roasted Chicken and Vegetables”. I pinned the recipe on my healthy recipes board on Pinterest.

I like the above Crepe Wrap Dress from Nordstrom.

Not that I am a fashion blogger or know a lot about style, but  I just like clothes.

Can you imagine having a walk in closet full of clothes like a department store in your own house.  The above amazing closet is 3 floors high.  I forget where I saw it, but what a dream place.

It has one whole section just for pocketbooks and one section just for shoes.

It even has a Champagne bar.  The house that the amazing closet is in is for sale.  How spoiled must that woman be and I wonder where they will find any house that could match that extravagant feature of a 3 floor walk in closet with a winding staircase connecting it.

Ok, another dream room would be a sewing room with the chandelier and French doors and armoir to keep supplies in.  The French doors would look out on a beautiful summer garden.

So much for dreamy ideas and fun stuff that is out there.  I think I have too much time on my hands but it’s just so much fun to think of and to blog about.  I just love having a blog.

 

I love summer salads.  Plus the Nicoise salad, which is so French is one of my favorites.  I think I will hard-boil some eggs tonight and pick up some tuna, olives, cucumber, green beans and radishes tomorrow.  Also a tomato.  I’ll get the cucumber, tomato, radishes and green beans at a local farm stand.  Yum!  Almost as much fun as living in France.  Fresh, local ingredients.  With fresh produce like that, you almost have to pick it up daily.

The above salad sounds really good and will definitely try it.

I tried the above salad for lunch today as I had all the ingredients.  Kind of good.

A fruit salad is always good and so refreshing in the summer.  I love cantelope and also raspberries and pineapple as well as melon and grapes.

I’m always looking for healthy salads that will be tasty.  I really like the little heirloom tomatoes that are so colorful and any kind of beans are so good for you and it looks like sprouts and herbs were mixed in, also.

A nice little quiche made in a muffin tin with mushrooms and baby spinach is kind of a nice change from a salad, but also no gluten in it.  I would add a little cheddar because I just can’t help it.  I like flavor.

I love the above on how to perfect your salad game.

I like chickpeas and they are really good for you.  The above salad sounds good to me.

I love antipasto and it’s a nice cool dish for summer.

I like a wooden bowl for salads and a little glass of wine just makes for a nice touch.

Avacado is so healthy and makes a nice addition to a salad.

A Spinach pesto salad sounds like it might be good with a little parmesan sprinkled on top.

I love broccoli salads.

Buffalo chicken salad with blue cheese dressing sounds really good.

Berry salad is always good.

I love an Italian Sub salad.

I like the above idea for a salad.

It’s just fun to make up your own salad.

I just love salads.

 

 

 

 

There are a lot of swimming holes in Vermont.  A really nice one is Pikes Falls in Jamaica, Vt.

Another fun swimming hole is Buttermilk Falls in Ludlow, VT.

Another view of Pikes Falls.

When I was a kid, we used to go up to Hapgood Pond in Peru, VT a lot on weekends.  Really fun to take a picnic and swim.

It just makes for a really fun day.

There is a walking trail that goes around the pond and all the wildflowers along the trail are marked telling what they are.

At the Hapgood General store they have a breakfast sandwich with home made biscuits and all local ingredients including locally cured bacon.

Yum!

They have wood oven pizza.

And all kinds of kale salads that are made from local ingredients.  I love the whole Hapgood pond area.

Also Bromley Mountain is right near Hapgood and in the summer they have an Alpine Slide that is wicked fun.

You can control your speed somewhat, but it’s fun to slide down the mountain in summer.

They also have a zip ride for the very brave.

I just love the whole Hapgood Pond area.

The Burlington area with views of Camels Hump mountain is also a beautiful area.  There is a bike trail in Stowe that is really fun to go on.  We have roller bladed on the trails as well as ride bikes and taken walks along the trail.

The Green Mountains of Vermont………………….

I was born in Vermont, my ancestors from way back were Vermonters.  And now I am stuck in Vermont.  But you gotta love it.  It’s just beautiful all 4 seasons.

 

I think that sunflowers are like a ray of sunshine and just looking at them makes for a little sunnier day.

 

I think that it would be fun to have a huge garden and all kinds of land.

Have strawberries and blueberries from awesome berry patches.

Bunches of French breakfast radishes.

 

 

Rainbow carrots are so good and colorful in soups.  They are always in seed catalogs.

Flowers from my flower gardens mixed with wildflowers would be a nice touch.

Some maple syrup made in a fun sugar house.

Lavender would be beautiful to have.

 

All kinds of stuff including eggs and herbs.

There is a place online that you can order similar pie boxes to the above and I love the “Pie fixes everything” logo.  The boxes can be personalized with anything you want to write on them.  Avery on line has labels that can be designed and personalized for the “Pies” label. I love that key lime pie idea and the string around the box.  It would be fun to take a pie like that to family gatherings.

I would like to have a few signature pies, like a Chocolate Truffle pie.

A Banana Cream pie.

A Strawberry Rhubarb pie.

A Maple Peanut butter pie would be neat.

Coconut Cream pie would be scrumptious.

All kinds of pies.

Maple Pecan Crunch sounds good.

Then I would like to try to make old fashion doughnuts.  I can remember as a kid, the most delicious doughnut that my Mom would buy from a Polish bakery that was on Valley Street in town.  They were called “Bismarks” and they were raspberry jelly and cream filled.  That bakery is long gone.  But it would be fun to try to make some kind of similar doughnut.  So fun to have a little tradition for Sunday mornings for anything in moderation treat.

Maple French Canadian Crullers would be awesome.

Cider donuts are always good.

Maple bacon doughnuts sound scrumptious.

Blackberry filled doughnuts sound really good.

Lemon filled pistachio sounds really scrumptious.  I really think that practice makes perfect and anything with the right recipe is doable.  I tried to get the recipe for the lemon filled pistachio doughnut but the closest I can come to it is a lemon filled doughnut recipe and a lemon glaze recipe.  The glaze would make the pistachios stick to the doughnut.  It would work.

I think that the really main ingredient in any kind of food preparation is love.  If you love cooking and baking, it just comes out in the product you produce.  That’s why I think that these fast food places with kids working in them and being pushed for speed and not many of them being very happy for anything except the paycheck, it shows in the food they put out.

I like to enjoy being in the kitchen.  I once worked at an Inn and totally loved it.  Sometimes I would pretend that it was mine and I was the owner.  I treated it as if it was.  I know, sometimes I get carried away.

Because sugar and gluten are not really good for anyone, I would like to tweak recipes to make them healthy for any kind of diet.  The above recipe book was on QVC from America’s Test kitchen.  What they did was use natural sweeteners like honey and some kind of natural sweeteners. Not those artificial sweeteners that have chemicals in them that are worse the sugar.   And gluten free white flour is actually available at places like King Arthur flour.

And that’s my thoughts for today.