Yesterday's dinner!

Julie always takes beautiful pictures of all of our dinners, so I must share our Easter menu with you. First nibbles of veggies and Ranch dip, cheese and crackers and Julie's best deviled eggs. Then Easter Ham, of course. Stuffed shells in marinana sauce with pork bones and italian sausage missed the photographer.

Boiled little red potatoes with butter and chives (that are coming up in my garden!). Baked yams missed the photo too.

Sugared asparagus, made with brown sugar, butter and chicken broth. A favorite, Audrey, you would love it...yum!

Wonderful scalloped pineapple. Recipe, compliments of Mary Ann.

Julie made my mother's Dill Bread, another favorite.

Sauvignon Blanc with a name that I love! "Cupcake"!

I made another traditional recipe of ours - "Aunt Ethel's Easter Fruit Baskets". Got the recipe out of the newspaper years ago in a Holly Sugar ad and have to make it every year. I don't know who Aunt Ethel is, but thank you. They are little nests made out of Shredded Wheat, sugar and butter, and baked in muffin pans. Then you spoon in homemade whipped cream and top with sliced strawberries and kiwi. Oh my gosh!

...and then the Peeps sang "happy birthday" as Dan's birthday is this week!

Alleluia!

Here are the special cupcakes baked by Danielle and Aunt Julie for Easter this year. They were so pretty and so good and the Peeps were so glad to have a nest to rest on.

And "the" special dress of the day was absolutely beautiful! The sparkles on the skirt danced in the light and our special little miss looked like Cinderella.

Easter Egg Roundup

A rainy morning but the horses were happy eating hay and rolling in the mud...

and horsin' around!

We kept busy stuffing the baskets and handing them out to the children who visited the chicken coop and had picked their egg. Here's Lois and me.

And Lori and Lois.

The horses had a front row seat to watch all the visitors streaming by.

The piggies little tails went wiggle wiggle as they enjoyed their lunch.

The goats looked so festive in their Easter bonnets.

The calves found something good to lick. Maybe just cool and wet from the rain.

Three new baby lambs. Darling at two months old.

Our shift was in the morning and by 1 p.m. when we were done, the sun came out! Lucky afternoon visitors! But a good time every year no matter what the weather.

"References"

The MCS exhibit goes up tomorrow at Downers Grove Public Library. The exhibit is from April 3rd to May 1st. The theme is "References".

Go and have a peek!

The birthday girl!

" Happy Birthday" to Ruth! 99 years young today!

We had a lovely little birthday lunch with Ruth and Marjorie. We will be forever grateful to Ruth, who lovingly made us the poets we are today, and Marjorie who gave so much knowledge and inspiration to our class. What a blessing to spend time with them today.

Wednesday's Collage

Working on my "Bobbling on the Baltic" piece, I just couldn't resist including this fish. I guess I didn't actually see any fish when I was bobbling on that sea, but he looks like a fish that would be in the Baltic. You may see more of him before I am done.

Peggy is finding many images to satisfy her collage on "Time".

"New York"! Mary Ann is doing a lovely job on this building-scape.

Judy continues on with a series featuring Sacagawea. Makes me want to get out the history books and read about her again.

Teri begins her collage today. Colorful and exciting! Volcanoes being the action.

Bernie's tribute to Paris. It waits for the addition of a transfer and that will complete this piece.

And an image that struck her eye, begins a new story.

Sandy's beautiful Greek goddess enjoys the choosing of embellishments that surround her.

And the start of this collage of a very special house.

Denise has finished four to represent the lives and interests of each of her family. Now just to decide on a transfer and cut off the tape!

Spring activities

The robins are very busy hunting for worms.

Henri is very angry at the robins!

" Stop barking, Henri! This is what I do!"