Mid week musings

Good Tuesday afternoon, its been nonstop rain over here....good news its supposed to clear up just in time for Fathers day and be spectacular. I had a small impromptu birthday lunch for a special friend, and had a lot of fun making all the "goods". You know I like to share with you so here is a recap......might I say the peach sangria was DELICIOUS! I cannot recommend it enough and its simple as peach pie. Peach Schnapps, one bottle dry white white, about 4-5 white peaches cut into wedges, 1 orange diced and 2 tablespoons sugar. Mix all together and refrigerate for at least a few hours, up until overnight is fine too. Right before you serve, add half a bottle of Ginger Ale and voila...you have a drink even the most discriminating palette will be begging for seconds of, a promise! So here's a recap of me prepping, we were a small group so this was really enjoyable, no pressure. Then a few snippets of the landscaping in progress! Hope your week is going well......

Ripe tomatoes right off the vine serve as constant inspiration for what I prepare come summer

I made a wonderful cucumber, bellpepper, tomato (red and yellow), red onion, feta Greek chopped salad, a little olive oil, sea salt and fresh pepper....yum!

My tomatoes for my summer pasta dish marinating for about 4 hours, with plenty of fresh basil and garlic (please dont' judge my soccer bowl..haha)

This wonderful mixture is for one of the corstinis I was serving, its tomatoes, olive oil, kalamata olives, grilled zucchini (chopped) and topped with shaved Parmesan

Preparing my Chinese chicken salad, this is always a huge hit!

Chinese chicken salad getting ready to be mixed

Ugh...the water cooler (just block it out)

How pretty are the white hydrangeas!

I know that darn water cooler is such an eye sore...we have to remove it but my husband can't live without it:)

Some of my favorite silver pieces at the ready............

My pretty condiment holder....doubles for sugar packets!

How gorgeous are the chargers!!!!!!! One of my absolute favorite finds...........

I alternated patterns to make it interesting! Down to my last few sets.....they are sooo elegant.

Drinks all ready....

A new crostini that is to die for, marinated 4 tomatos, 1/2 cup blk ovives, roasted 2 zuchinni in olive oil and diced, added one can of white kidney beans, mixed together and added sea salt, olive oil and pepper. Marinated for a few hours, served on crostini with shaved parmesan.....heavenly!

Close up

And the amaizng peach sangria!

Cannot tell you how fabulous the peach sangria is....I don't serve it in the pitcher but pour it in the glasses then serve........

Tomatoes waiting to be tossed with pasta......

Chinese chicken salad......

Yum!

The summer pasta dish I so love..its a summer staple in this house!

Love this container for ice and mini bottles for serving

Love serving crostinins on my Spanish olive trays (and yes I sell these under European kitchen in my online store)

I am getting hungry all over again! The second ones are done with buffalo mozzarella and chopped mushrooms sauteed in garlic and olive oil.....tres bon!

The Chinese chicken salad and a wonderful grilled Salmon that a friend brought....

 Moving onto the house..........finally finished the powder room. I cannot tell you how much I love the paper...its exactly how I envisioned it would look. Cannot wait to get a mirror and the top to the vanity done...and then its almost a wrap! Looking for fabrics now.

Some more snippets of landscaping.......coming along, they planted the ivy on the facade to the far right, the far left and on the tower part of the center, cannot wait to see it do its thing! The planters are going...not at all what I wanted but one of the landscapers insisted we try them.

Side door

Big tree by garage, you might not realize it but its about 12 feet tall, its huge!

Did you notice we got the lead coated copper finials put on the roof! Will have to take some better pics of them...they are gorgeous!

The ivy....

So that is whats going on over here.Sorry I realize some of these pictures are redundant and I can imagine you are saying "why is this woman showing this picture yet again" Well, you know I can get carried away with my pictures. Nothing crazy, just busy and trying to figure out a way to enjoy summer! I feel like now that its here I have to get in summer mode and start figuring out a way to get more leisure time, especially before those rows of back to school supplies and winter coat advertisements start bombarding us! Wishing you a wonderful day and thanks for stopping in.