A Wonderful Evening at the Fort!

Have you ever had one of those days where you know you have something to do after a long day at work and you just want to go home take a quick nap and just chill. Instead you rush home try to get a few things done and rush out the door to a meeting.... It was a beautiful evening, I could be working in the flower beds for a few hours!!!
It was our Master Gardeners Meeting and I really wanted to go I was just tired. So I went home freshened up a little and off Tom & I went.

Well this was the first thing we saw as we pulled into the bay right before getting to the Fort. They were so beautiful and having so much fun, I made Tom stop so I could take a picture. It was a clear beautiful evening and the Fort was looking great with the freshly cut grass and all the trees just busting out everywhere...

Prickett's Fort

(click to read history about the fort)

Job Prickett House built in 1859 by Captain Jacob Prickett's great-grandson, Job.

I'm sure you can imagine all the history that has come out of this beautiful home...

Another house on the property...

But this was why the evening was so wonderful, we got to go into the Fort and enjoy an hour sitting in front of a fire, listening to our wonderful speaker telling us all about all the wonderful herbs that were brought to this country so long ago, looking at all the ones dried hanging from the rafters. She made us feel like we had gone back in time...
Did you know we didn't even have honey bees???

Pointing out each an everyone she had us all amazed with all the interesting little stories she had to tell about the history of how they were used to cook with and dye yarn and clothing with. I could have stayed all evening listening...

But as she said...It will be dark soon and she wanted us to see the herb beds out back!

But herbs weren't the only things out back...

Look at this cutie and what beautiful wool....

These are the little guys that give her the wool to spin and use all those things to dye her yarn with...

What a woman!!!

She pointed out all sorts of yummy herbs and told us what tonic's they were used in or what part of them were used for the most beautiful dyes...

Everyone just taking in every interesting tid-bit she had to tell us...

So that evening I was dreading turned into one the the best evenings I've had in a while...
Spent with amazing gardeners and great friends!!!

Have A Good One,

Lynn

Braided Onion Filled Loaf... another winner!

UNBELIEVABLE....

You are not going to believe this but "I Won Again!!!" After submitting my Soup recipe that I thought would never win, I decided to submit my bread recipe that I really love and have made for years. When we first got married I bought a recipe book and this was my favorite recipe in it. That was probably about 1975, just a few years ago.... I have made it every year since for Christmas dinner and special occasions. My family would fire me if they didn't get it Christmas night... Now I can say it "is" the Award Winning Bread...

But I have gotten a lot of razzing winning 2 months in a row... But this one is my favorite! So I made a loaf to take to school tomorrow in hopes they won't tease me too much!!!LOL

I hope some of you make it and enjoy it just as much. I love sharing recipes..... Braided Filled Onion Loaf

1 pkg. active dry yeast rapid rise
1/4 cup lukewarm water
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup hot water
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
1 egg
1/4 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 Tbs. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbs. sesame seed
1 tsp. garlic salt

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add 2 cups of the flour, sugar, salt water, milk,1/4 cup butter, and egg. Stir until all ingredients are blended. Gradually stir in remaining flour until dough leaves sides of bowl. Place dough in an oiled bowl; turn to oil dough. Cover loosely and place in a warm area to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/4 hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, mix together melted butter, onion, Parmesan cheese,sesame seed, and garlic salt. Punch down dough. On a lightly floured board, kneed dough until smooth and elastic. Roll dough to a 12x18 inch rectangle. Spread filling on dough.(not quite all the way to the edges) Cut dough lengthwise into three 4x18 inch strips. Roll up each strip lengthwise; seal edges. On a buttered cookie sheet, braid strips, keeping seam sides down. ( I always start braid in the middle and work my way out).I brush top with mix of 1 egg and 1 Tbs. water and sprinkle with extra sesame seeds and even garlic and Parmesan cheese if you like.(I like it this way) Set aside and let raise for 1 hour. Bake for 45-50 minutes. Cover with foil for about the first 20 minutes (spray foil with Pam so it doesn't stick to foil) Cool on a wire rack.

STILL KNITTING...

I am in love with wool and what you can do with it "FELT". I started knitting in November and have learned so much, there's just one problem I just can't seem to Stop! Spring is here and I have slowed down but!!! I still have the knitting bug, and I love felting things, slippers, purses, even flip flops. I have so many things I need to be doing but I just have to sneak in a few minutes here and there to knit a little. Last weekend we had to take a drive to see my uncle in the hospital 2 hrs. away, I knitted all the way there and all the way back. If I keep this up I may never have to buy a purse again!!!LOL doesn't this look like Spring? I had some yarn left over from my moms slippers and just had to do this one the week before.

I even lined this one....

SPRING AND IT'S BEAUTY....

It is so wonderful to see all the spring flowers coming up again! I just love the wonderful smell it brings inside... This was just before we sat down to dinner today...

How can you not help but smile when you see the beauty that God gives us everyday....

HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A GREAT WEEK!!!

Lynn