Thursday, May 3, 2007

Whole lotta Lemon goin' on.



I just want to know who it is that came up with wallpaper. I have never put the stuff up but I have spent days taking it down. If when a marriage is being torn at, the vows would stick like the glue does on the back of wallpaper... the fiber of this country would be in such better shape. I have used the professional products and a number of good home concoctions to remove the paper, paper backing and glue. Short of being almost violently aggressive, the stuff does not come off. I have seen pretty wallpaper, certainly. There have been era’s in history that the wall covering defined its era. But, I will NEVER put the stuff up I don’t care how beautiful it is. There are flaws on the walls behind this gluey mess. It seems to me that patching the holes and cracks, and sanding the irregularities would be cost and time effective, rather than fighting with this stuff. And anyway, I'm not really a print or pattern kind of girl. I like the calming effect of very subtle colors and the simplicity of solid in my home. So, it's not a sacrifice for me to have paint rather than paper. It really would not matter though, did I mention that I will never hang wallpaper in my home??

A friend of ours Joe, and his wife, have had a very successful painting and wallpaper business since the early 80's. Last week, Joe came over and took measurements and assessed the condition of the walls. Oh, did I mention there is some early 70's brown paneling in the house? That has to go right along with the wallpaper. So, last night he came over and gave us a bid on what it would take to do the walls on the first floor. It was more than I anticipated, but it is not horrible. He does great work and I can trust him in my home. That feature is priceless. So sometime in the near future, Baxter and I will head out to my daughter's house in Oklahoma and visit and then I will go down to Texas and see my daughter that lives there. I could be here, but Baxter and remodeling somehow just don't seem to go together. I thought I might slip a picture of Baxter, in here.


And, I'm long over due to see my family in, Texas. That would be the one pictured in an earlier post with the upcoming stamping queen. The one in Oklahoma, is the family I just saw in Chattanooga while they were traveling back from, Florida.

So... since Joe was coming, I made a pie. I LOVE this pie. Lemon Meringue is my favorite with Rhubarb running a close second and Pecan and Peach tying for a solid third. This one is much simpler than Lemon Meringue and perfect for warmer days. The pie is pictured above and here is the recipe.

Lemonade Pie:

1 graham cracker pie crust
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 6-ounce can of frozen lemonade concentrate
1 medium size (8 ounce) container of Cool Whip, thawed

Beat together condensed milk and lemonade; fold in Cool Whip. Pour into pie crust. Freeze for at least 3-4 hours until firm.

That is the recipe as I got it. I have a few things I do that are not listed. First of all, I really am not nuts about the pre-made graham cracker crusts. So, here is what I do.

My Crust:
1 1/2 cups crushed Nilla Wafers (I grind them to a fine consistency)
5 Tablespoons melted real butter

Mix these together and press into a 9" pie plate. Let completely chill, then fill.

Also, I buy a 12 ounce can of frozen lemonade concentrate and use about 10 ounces. And, I let it firm up over night. It just slices and serves better.

And if you like, you can spread a layer of raspberry or strawberry jam on the bottom before putting in the lemon mixture. This pie is ssoooo easy and it always goes over really well. Oh, my grandsons made this pie when they were four. I honestly did nothing but provide the ingredients and tell them when what went where. (They used the pre-made graham cracker crusts.)

I enjoy the scent of lemon in the house, I like to clean with it, bathe in it, drink it, eat it, wear it... I think you get it. I like lemon! Those of you that are over 35 probably remember Love’s Baby Soft Cologne. But, does anyone remember Love’s Fresh Lemon Cologne? Yumm!!! I wore that for years many moons ago. Do they even make that anymore? And let’s not forget to mention that although Pink has always been my absolute favorite color, Lemon Yellow is the happiest and friendliest color on the planet. Hummm... there is Pink Lemonade... a beautiful thing!!

Seafood and fish are my favorite proteins... and guess what is wonderful squeezed all over those? I am a tea drinker. Guess what is great squeezed in there? Lemon juice is great to make salad dressings. Guess what I use to perk my drinking water up??? The rind, flesh and juice of a lemon can be used for culinary purposes. Lemon is the happiest of scents and flavors.

Lemons are rich in vitamin C, potassium an magnesium. They are a decent source of fiber. The oil in lemon juice helps to give relief to those suffering from rheumatism. This oil stimulates the liver to rid the body of toxins that aggravate that condition. A mixture of lemon juice, hot water and honey have been successful in treating colds and constipation. Lemon juice is a good choice to treat diarrhea and dehydration because of the amount of potassium and other minerals it contains. Squeeze lemon into water before grabbing commercial electrolyte products that are so high in sodium.

Because of the bleaching property of lemons, they can be used to remove stains. Because they are so high in vitamin C, they have the ability to prevent oxidation and so the juice of a lemon can be applied over cut fruit or white vegetables to keep them from turning brown.

Buy lemons that are firm and heavy for their size. A lemon's rind begins to get pale when it is becoming too ripe. They can be stored for weeks at room temperature, and a month in your fridge.

You know, I've had no stamping time this week and I have four cards to make. I think I have a lemon stamp around here somewhere. I think I just had an idea for Amy's, Super Sketch Sunday card for this week.

And then, it's off to stain the deck and trash corral.

Blessings....

3 comments:

Hey Hey Paula said...

Baxter is adorable. I have a Scottie girl named Molly. Aren't Scotties the best? I love their terrier attitude! She's so much fun and is always ready to play, especially with her ball. The pie looks delicious. I think I'll try it. Good luck on your remodeling.

Trish D said...

MMmmm.... lemon!! That lemonade pie is one of our favorite summertime desserts. In fact, I may have to make one for the weekend! :)

Knitting Mania said...

Hello, first time visit to your pretty blog. Nice to meet you this morning...

Love anything with lemon in it too!!!

Blessings--