Blessed Mother and Jesus "Byzantine" Icon

This gold-toned icon of the Blessed Mother and Baby Jesus belonged to my late husband.

He was a very Spiritual man who had several religious articles in his man cave.

This wooden icon is one that I will never give away as it is very special to me. 

The curved surface at the top are so pretty and it has a little doors that close.

Everything is set on a block of carved wood that is also gold tone.

The Blessed Mother's expression is quite sad. There seem to even be tears falling on the left hand side of her face.

Angels, (Michael and Gabriela?), are shown on the side panels.

On the back, there's a certificate that says the icon is "hand made."  

It reads: "It is a selected copy of an old Byzantine icon worked on canvas, old wood and set in a gold background."

That saying also listed in three languages besides English. 

I'd say they are French, German, and Italian.

The old icon is kept on the top of a tall dresser in the bedroom but I just discovered a small loop where it can be hung.  

Hmmmm.  Where could a space be found to hang it?

Here's hoping your Sunday is completely blessed.  

Who Knows Where the Time Goes?

Time is a funny thing.

We think we have a lot of it, but we really don't.

Those 24 hours in a day usually go by pretty fast.

No matter how many "to do" lists are made, there's rarely an occasion when we can cross everything off the list because, well, there's just not enough time!

Even in mostly retirement, the days whiz by in a flash.

So now, it's better to simply pace one's self, do as much as the body and spirit allow, and leave the rest.

Chores will always be there. So will bills.  You, however, and myself, will not always be here. 

So be sure to do things you love as well as the necessary tasks in any given day.

The famous singer, Judy Collins, used to sing a really sweet song called "Who Knows Where the Time Goes?"  

I love that song and loved that singer. 

She's still alive!  She's 87 years old.  

I'd be willing to bet that she'd say life has gone by fast. After all, she was a young singer just yesterday!

Have a blessed Friday!

One of Summer's Special Treats

Summer's edible treats are so numerous, they are almost unending.

Farmers' markets abound with yummy treats like delicious berries, fresh corn-on-the-cob, cucumbers destined for salads, squash, big, fat tomatoes to die for, and on and on.

Seafood lovers can swoon over lobster rolls where the buttery lobster pieces are piled high into soft rolls.   Mmm mmm mmm

But let's not forget that for some people, (myself included), the best dessert treat of summer is namely, ice cream.

Ever since early childhood days, this treat has been a favorite.

It doesn't matter what flavor the ice cream is because almost all of them are loved.

Super duper ice cream dishes, served in fancy restaurants, are definitely delicious but to true ice cream lovers, a simple dish of creamy vanilla is just as satisfying.

Ice cream is tempting in every season but especially when hot temps are here in summer.

It cools one off and tastes so refreshing until every single smidge in a dish is gone.

Remember to treat yourself this summer with a dish ( or two, or three, or more) of your favorite ice cream.

WHAT  IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? DO YOU HAVE ONE?

Luxury at the Red Lion Inn

The Red Lion Inn, in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, draws guests from all over the world.

It is quintessential New England at its best.

White chairs line its expansive front porch and guests can enjoy a drink and snacks in the shade of huge trees.

Gigantic plants hang above. Could they be begonias?

There are dining rooms inside, as well as guest rooms upstairs, and people can  also dine on the back outside patio.

A jazz band plays wonderful mood music under a canopy.

Once in a great while, driving to the inn and treating one's self to luxury, is a guaranteed afternoon of pure delight.

Last weekend, with one of my sisters, we took the plunge and spent a few incredible hours at the Red Lion.

Guess what we had for lunch? Lobster rolls!

These are not the kind of lobster rolls mixed with mayonnaise and celery.  Uh uh. These offer lobster pieces that are heated up in butter and then piled high into buns.

For someone who loves lobster, these rolls taste totally decadent and luscious.

They come with tiny containers of cole slaw and potato chips. Perfect!

A nice, cold Corona rounds out the special luxurious lunch!

Our afternoon at the Red Lion Inn, mixing with the tourists and locals, as well, and dining on delectable food offerings, turned out to be a highlight of summer, 2026.

Tasty Lassi

 

In cuisine from India, a very refreshing hot weather drink is lassi.

It's a yogurt concoction that refreshes.

My own version of a lassi is made by putting a good-sized handful of ice cubes in a blender. 

Then, add a cup of Greek yogurt.  

My fave is Cabot Greek yogurt, from Vermont, made with whole milk.

Then add about one to two tablespoons of sugar and a splash of half and half.

Whip this up in the blender until well mixed.

Then, pour into a pretty glass and sprinkle cardamon spice on top.

When looking to buy cardamon, I wondered why it was so darned expensive. 

I read that the cardamon must be harvested by hand, so it's quite labor intensive.

Plus, there has been bad weather in many places where it is grown, such as Sri Lanka.

Thus, there is no inexpensive cardamon. 

However, it's so delicious and adds so much yumminess to lassi drinks, I bought it anyway.

Here's to lassi drinks all summer long!