Lovely Day in the Neighborhood

Yesterday's Temp: 32
Today's Temp: 64 degrees and breezy!
Forecast tomorrow: Winter Storm Warning with sleet, snow and ice.
Ah, the joys of living in the North Eastern part of the US.

We had a wonderful day yesterday with Tim (my middle child) and his family to celebrate my birthday. We had brunch out and then came back here to just hang out. John and Joey (8) played chess, Karen and I looked through old photos, we all ate pie and cookies. I got to open presents and we just talked and enjoyed each other. We also spent some time planning the big 4th of July family party. We are all looking forward to this whole family get together.

Linda O'Brien tagged me. The rules are simple: 1. link to the person that tagged you - 2. post the rules on your blog - 3. share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself - 4. tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs - 5. let each person know they've been tagged by leaving a comment on their site.

1. I love cheese. In fact, I think all other foods are just a vehicle to get cheese to the meal. Every other place I have lived has had cheese shops, but I have yet to find one here. I was truly in cheese heaven when we lived in Holland. We used to go to the cheese farm and buy herbed gouda. Yum. Here is my sister-in-law Leslie's recipe for a great appetizer using Jarlsburg Cheese:

Saute 2 cups chopped onion in 1/4 cup butter
Combine with
2 cups shredded Jarlsburg Cheese
1 3/4 c mayonaiise
Dash Paprika
Bake @350 in a greased casserole for 25-30 minutes.
Serve with crusty bread cubes or crackers.

2. I have a thing for the number 5. I don't know why, but 5 does it for me.

3. I have an even bigger thing for small plates. I have been collecting them for years and years. I have brought very expensive ones home from my travels to remind me of a special place and I have purchased inexpensive ones in shops for no reason at all other than I liked the design. One can never have enough dessert plates or cheese plates or salad plates or little French tip plates.

4. The color red. Absolutely my favorite in big doses and tiny accents.

5. Note how the photo above brings 1-4 all together. One could say they all came full circle. I like things to tie together or come together and make sense somehow. For instance, in a collage, not only should the elements be balanced as to placement, value and color, but they should tell a story and have some relationship to one another. Stampington came out with a series of collage stamps several years ago that would have a unrelated mix of elements like a French phrase, a woman and a Spanish postage stamp. Huh?

6. I love to talk in person, on the phone, in my sleep...it's all good for me. I think everyone has a story to tell and I want to hear it and discuss it with them. John teases me that I have a sign across my forhead that says "tell me your story" because total strangers will start talking to me in line at the grocery store or at restaurants, really anywhere. I have also been accused/teased about rambling on, but I am absolutely sure that every single one of my words is ultimately interesting and important and that people just hang on my every opinion and story. Hey! Hello? Is anybody still reading this?

I tag Robin, Gina, Andrea, Randi, Wendy and Andi.

Stencils are coming! Stencils are coming! We are revamping Small Studio Productions and when it is done we will have a whole section devoted to stencils and these are not your mother's stencils, but really fun and cool stencils. I will keep you posted.

Comments

[Rachel Greig]

Hey Ginny, before I forget - I have noticed you changing your profile picture lately, and I have been loving them! My fav was the one with the book with the pondering expression. Loved that!

Loved reading your 6 things. And next time I see you in person I'd love an old natter together to tell you my life story ;) Just so long as I hear more of yours!

[Andi Sexton (rrlscrapgal)]

Yep! I was reading this all the way to the end! ACK! Tagged! I'll work on it, I promise... I'm not a good taggee... but since I love reading everyone else's, I should pony up!

[Judy Wise]

Happy Birthday! I'm a Pisces too (the 3rd). I have lots of Birthday sisters. xoxo

[Wendy Vecchi]

What's this NATTER stuff, Rachel??? WHAT???
HA!
Ok...I'll play when I think of a few ODD things...
wendy

[TACE]

Yum, cheese. We're big cheese lovers too. In our family we bring the cheese to any get togethers. I'm not even sure it's us they're inviting any more or the cheese. haha We have cheeses in the fridge the way some people have sauces. A few times I've counted how many kinds we have at once but it just ends in a hedonistic cheese fest.
We are powerless to resist buying new kinds, we pour over the shelves at the super market and dream of owning a cow some day...sort of for serious. Once we visited a Gouda making farm in California, a small but tasty farm. haha

[Ellie]

Hi again Ginny
Love your blog - and the natter. I'm not sure how to do the linky thing so I thought I'd try and copy and paste my recent tag. To let you into the secret of fives!!

7 FACTS,
1. My second name is Aukje. It is a Friesian name, that as I child I didn't like. Now I am proud of carrying it, that old family name.

2. My fifth birthday was on the 5th of the 5th of 55. Beat that if you can.

3. When my eldest son was born 18/4/73. His grandfather in Holland received a telegram to tell him of the child's arrival - the telegram arrived at his place on the 17th of April. (True, MJ still has the telegram as proof)

4. Met Lex at a friends place in Ohaeawai, Northland, NZ at age 45. Ohaeawai consists of a garage, a pub, a butcher shop and grocery store. Blink and you miss it. We found out we were born in the same place in Holland (Amstelveen) delivered by the same doctor and midwife. I lived next door to his mother's uncle for the first five yrs of my life. Would we have met if our respective parents hadn't emigrated to NZ?

5. I once sat at the dinner table till 9pm at night looking at five brussel sprouts on my plate. Hated the smell of them.(at approx age of 8)

6. I went to primary school in Dieren, St Agnes school in Arnhem, Holy Cross in Henderson, Christ the King is Owairaka, Marist Girls in Mt Albert. Auckland Uni, Victoria Uni and Waikato Uni.

7. Being born on the 5th of May in Holland they fly the flag to celebrate the end of WWI. Till age 7, I thought the flag was flown for me! True.

I'm obviously meant to read more of your stories. Another hour before my first client arrives - must go and make some coffee to keep me company.
Cheese - cheese any self respecting Dutch person just has a fridge full and takes it for granted. Unfortunately I've had to cut back my (gargantuan)consumption. Have too many favourites to mention This week it is Havarti.

Ellie

[EyeStamp In Ohio]

I LOVE your blog!! You are just hitting your stride, methinks!

Jean Wrightnour, she who does eyes --and-- stamps!

[Pam R]

You want a great cheese shop in NE Ohio?

West Point Market in Akron. Didn't I bring you there once?

Pam