Curry Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

Curry Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

6 chicken breasts

2 packages frozen broccoli

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can cream of mushroom soup

3/4 cup mayonnaise

2 teaspoons curry powder (I can't imagine anyone would, but less can be used if you like)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

Cook sliced chicken breasts in a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet. Steam broccoli till tender. Meanwhile stir together the soup, mayo, curry, and lemon juice, and salt and pepper. (If you run out of cream of chicken soup like I did, just substitute another 3/4 cup mayo and 1/4 cup chicken broth.) Layer half the broccoli, half the chicken, half the curry sauce, and half the cheese in a large casserole. Repeat layers. Bake in a 350* oven for 30 minutes. Best served with fresh homemade bread and butter.

A Pretty Prospect

I opened the curtains to water the cactus on the windowsill, and thought the view of the poppies and fountain looked so cheerful.

Now to screen the not-so-lovely chain link fence in the back.

The Dryad's Bubble

"We have agreed to call the spring down by the log bridge the Dryad's Bubble. Isn't that a perfectly elegant name? I read a story once about a spring called that. A dryad is a sort of grown-up fairy, I think." Anne of Green Gables

Coffee, Anyone?

We must visit Starbucks Coffee quite often, because whenever our girls see one, they call out, "the coffee station!" (What can I say? We do live in Seattle!) So Gammy and Gampy thought we should have one of our own. I get the best caramel mocha frappuccino in the world, right here in my own backyard from the cutest little "coffee givers". Zero calories!

Strawberry Shortcake

Shortcake

1/4 cup sugar

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup butter

1 beaten egg

2/3 cup milk

Stir together sugar, flour, and baking powder. Cut in the butter till mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Combine the egg and milk; add to dry mixture. Stir just to moisten. Spread the batter into a greased 8 x 1 1/2~inch round baking pan.

Bake in a 450* oven for 15 to 18 minutes or till a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan.

from Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book

Top with strawberries and sugar mashed with a pastry blender. I used a pound of berries with about 1/4 cup sugar. And don't forget the fresh whipped cream! A pint of whipping cream, a couple of tablespoons of sugar, and a nip of almond extract (I use this stuff in everything now); beat with an electric mixer till fluffy. Just see if any makes it out of the bowl and onto the shortcake!

The best compliment I could receive: happy, messy babies.

Happy Father's Day!

We love you, Daddy!

The Nursery

Come through the gate that Daddy made to look like the one in Mr. McGregor's garden. A little sign says, "Shhh...Sweet Peas Sleeping". Daddy put so much love and hard work into the nursery with its pea green walls and ivory beadboard, and beautiful honey~colored bamboo floor.

Mama sewed the curtains: black and white toile and creamy muslin.

Sisters sleep side by side.

This dear little fellow, crafted by Grandma, is named Fuzzy. Do you know the rhyme?

"Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear,

Fuzzy Wuzzy had no hair,

Fuzzy Wuzzy wasn't fuzzy, was he?"

His rocking chair was Mama's, too.

A cozy nook for cuddling, reading bedtime stories, singing songs, and saying prayers ~ our routine every night. The picture on the wall was given to me by my great~grandma who thought the little blonde girl holding the kitten looked like me. I think it's appropriate here.

Our heirloom christening gown, created from Grandma's wedding dress.

We love Beatrix Potter! Here is a little bunny~themed vignette on the dresser.

Some vintage chalkware lamps from Great~great~great Auntie Emma. (Whew! That's a lot of greats!)

"Baby Bunting takes his hoe, And tries to help the flowers grow."

A baby slip that belonged to Great~Grandma Betty Lo ~ from the 20's.

And here are Grandma's sweet little ballet slippers. After all, a little ballerina sleeps here.

Daddy's Home!

June Roses

I'm Honored

My sweet friend over at Poetikat's Invisible Keepsakes faithfully follows my humble spot on the blog~map, and presented me with an award! I laughed when I read her post about being slow at getting around to passing them out, because if anyone knows "slow", it is I. =) Thank you, Kat, for thinking of me! My readers should really hop on over to her place to enjoy her witty, competent poetry and her fun~loving personality.

And now my difficult task of choosing only three lovely blogs with which to share this award:

Mia at Aspiring Homemaker,

An amazing young woman with a beautiful lifestyle and love for Christ.

Mel at They Call Me Mama,

A busy girl who loves little ones and is my very dear friend.

And the girls at The Adventures of Baby Roo,

Rollicking good times are to be had with these two darling babies and their devoted mommy (also my dear friend.)

Thank you for sharing your lives with all of us!

We Played by the River

Just pulled off the freeway, climbed through the brush, and plunked ourselves down on the sunny rocks.

We snacked on pretzels...


threw rocks into the river...

"painted" rocks with sticks dipped in the water...

and made ourselves up with rock lipstick. Who knew?!

We will definitely be coming back here again soon!

"I Love To Go A~Wandering..."

The Happy Wanderer

I love to go a-wandering,

Along the mountain track,

And as I go, I love to sing,

My knapsack on my back.

Chorus:

Val-deri,Val-dera,

Val-deri,Val-dera-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha

Val-deri,Val-dera.

My knapsack on my back.

I love to wander by the stream

That dances in the sun,

So joyously it calls to me,

"Come! Join my happy song!"

I wave my hat to all I meet,

And they wave back to me,

And blackbirds call so loud and sweet

From ev'ry green wood tree.

High overhead, the skylarks wing,

They never rest at home

But just like me, they love to sing,

As o'er the world we roam.

Oh, may I go a-wandering

Until the day I die!

Oh, may I always laugh and sing,

Beneath God's clear blue sky!

We celebrated my birthday yesterday with the most delightful excursion through the woods and down to the river.

We played for a while in the cool, dappled shade, and then I took a little trip around the bend of the river to see the waterfall. As you can see, I was happily snapping many pictures on the way.

I wanted to get a good picture of the falls, and that rock in the middle of the foaming, swirling current seemed like the best vantage point. It was reachable by this slightly springy, possibly precarious log. Dare I?

No, not there. But here...

What kind of water fowl is this? When I tried to take his picture the first time, he mysteriously disappeared from the frame. I lowered the camera and watched the spot intently, and a moment later he popped up from the icy water. He repeated this a few more times before hurrying away; there must have been something tasty under there.

On our way home, my tricky husband had to stop off at work to pick something up. It happened to be for me (from The Victorian Trading Company.)

Most exquisite packaging.

A darling bird's nest ring with three little pearl eggs. I have the sweetest, most thoughtful husband.

And to end such a lovely day, the wind whipped up magnificently strong, the sky turned rose and orange, the power went out for an hour or so, and we ate the best key lime pie in the dark. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect birthday.