Eye Drops

I had to buy some allergy eye drops this week.  I have sneezed a little but mostly my eyes have watered constantly.  I usually get allergies for a short while in the spring but it goes away and them I get them very badly in the Fall.  This seems to be a bad year all over the U.S. for allergy sufferers.  I don't exactly know what I am allergic to but maybe it is one of these.  It's a pussy willow bush that I planted.  It was a start from one in my parent's yard and I love it.  This year it bloomed early and profusely. 
You can't tell just how yellow the tree is because the sun shining was from behind, but it is very yellow and covered in bees.  The little toes didn't last long this year and it went right into bloom.

Spring is about here ( I hope) , and after checking our storage shelves downstairs, the jam was almost gone.  Now.... I don't make jam, but my man does.  He mixes strawberries, blackberries and raspberries and when you taste his jam, you will never want any other.  We really don't like being without it at any time.  We tried a bottle of grocery store jam when we ran out once but we could hardly eat it. It just didn't seem to have any flavor.  He uses fresh berries but when we can't find them, he uses the good frozen berries.  We pick our blackberries all summer and freeze them for just such moments as this.  Mmmmm, I can't wait until tomorrow's toast. 

Someone Help Me

For some reason my template, new layout and the newer look didn't all mesh.  I would rather use the older look but can't figure how to get back to it.  Help????

The Gourmet Group Eats Again

We had our gourmet dinner group again at the Welton's home. Paul and Susan hosted and made gourmet pizzas. (They left off the goat cheese for me)  Oh, thank you.  Some of them had Greek olives, artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers and mozzarella cheese, some had sausage and some had chicken and cheeses. They were delicious. Susan had made the homemade crusts.  They were cooked on clay pizza stones.

I made a spinach salad.  The dressing is really good and so are the crunchy bits. I got the recipe from Colett.

                                     Spinach Salad                                  

bunch of baby spinach

roasted garlic sliced almonds

craisins

Italian cheese blend shredded cheese

1/2 package bacon cooked until crisp and chopped

Dressing

In a blender combine:

1/2 c. sugar

2t. dry mustard

2 t. salt

6 oz. vinegar

1 t. pepper

1/4 onion

2 c. oil

2 T. poppy seeds or to taste

The dressing makes a lot and you will have enough for several salads.

The Ahlstroms brought a fruit platter and dip that really went well with the other food.  I neglected to get her dip recipe though.

Sorry Julie, I caught you with your eyes closed but you still look really cute!

Jaymie Utley made the dessert.  It is so simple, elegant and beautiful... but guess what?  We ate it after we had visited for a quite while and I forgot to get a photo of it.  Here is the recipe though, and you will LOVE it.

Sherbet Delight

1/2 gallon pineapple sherbet (softened)

1 pkg. frozen raspberries, thawed with the juice (10 to 14 0z size)

2 diced bananas

Blend with a mixer and scoop into small waffle bowls

garnish with  a Pepperidge Farm Milano cookie on top