A painting I did for a friend. I know there is a point when you 'overdo' a painting, but I always felt I didn't take this one far enough. Parts of it I really like and other parts seem 'unfinished'.

mangoless

Since last we talked, I have been a busy bee! The remaining mangos were pureed, strained and added to some freshly brewed tea and served over ice. to me. I liked it very much! It was a little cloudy looking and no one would try it with me. More for me!
I also (even when the laptop ate my message) have prepared to be the speaker at church tomorrow. Went to swim at Alexander Springs, went shopping in the rain, spent the day at Walt Disney's Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom with two teenaged girls, and managed to avoid being involved in a terrible accident. Also, being a landlady sucks, as the A/C broke as soon as I left town. Oh yeah, the Blazer is not blazing right now! But, life is still sweet and delicious, and tomorrow I get to start again. No pictures, I am still on the very slow computer.

Mango Parfaits

If you know me at all, ya had to know I couldn't keep up that grueling schedule! Posting EVERY DAY?!?!? Just not possible!
Oh!...what's this?
Tuesday, while I wasn't blogging, I cut into 2 plump mangos. The juice ran into my palm and down my wrist. MMMM! Gonna be something good!
I cut them up into bite sized pieces and made Mango Blueberry Yogurt Parfaits. The recipe was a hybrid taken from 2 different websites;
www.freshmangos.com
Where I found that mangos are the most popular fruit in the world. Go figure.
and
www.mango.org
the National Mango Board. Again, who knew?
I had pictures of my parfaits, people enjoying my parfaits, and the carnage in the kitchen afterwards.
Then...
my laptop fried. One minute it was working and the next minute it was completely and utterly gone. (I want to go that very same way, when the time comes).
I am sorry that you cannot see those beautiful parfaits. They were very good.
Today, to try to make up for my absence I am going to cut into the 2 remaining mangos and try to load some pix onto this very slow, ancient PC.

Mangolicious

www.adventurequilter.com

Here are my mangos on day 5, and yes that one will be ready soon! It's softening up and turning a beautiful shade of...well...mango.
I think I put in a link to Ellen Lindler's website so you can check out her "Mangolicious" and "Mangolicious II" quilts. I didn't ask her permission, I don't think she'll mind a little extra publicity. Her quilts are fabulous, she is a nice person and a marketing genius! I love her site, very nice.
The two quilts are very different and were made 5 years apart. They really showcase her developement as a quilt artist. I like them both. Besides, this week we're talking mangos!

More Mangos! Day 4

http://frebblebit.wordpress.com/
Very Good Friend and I have agreed to share a link. She enjoys her privacy, and writes her blog with a certain amount of anonymity. I like to read her blog, not only for the subject matter and her wonderful style of art, but to see her craft her words carefully so as to remain, for the most part, anonymous. I have gone through my blog to make sure I haven't inadvertently given away her identity.

Because I am terribly bored with just taking a picture every day of the mango project and imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, I am going to draw the mangos.

Attempting to draw as VGF describes, I draw quickly, without being too studious or careful. Looks like my cabinetmaker could have used a square ruler. I have a hard time using such a fine tip pen, and relying on just one small line to convey the shadows and depth. The reflections just look like more mangos. Like there are 8 instead of just 4.

Let's do it again with a fat tip sharpie, like VGF did yesterday. I believe she used the word cavalier to describe the drawing style. Okay, cavalier it is. Even after noticing the crooked counter from the first drawing, I do the same exact thing with this one!

AARGH! MUST HAVE COLOR!

I can't stand it y'all! I HAVE to! I break out the watercolors and wash it all down with some COLOR! I have to pass my fabric stash to get to the paint, and for a second I'm tempted to start grabbing greens and yellows. Then I get a hold of myself. I remember 'Mangolicious', by Ellen Lindler, a beautiful quilt, and realize I really don't want to make a quilt right now.

I think my friend is a much better artist than I am, but this does not bother me, nor will it stop me from creating.

Thank you again, VGF, for the mangos, for the friendship, inspiration and motivation!

Day 3

This could get boring for me, not seeing an immediate change. I'm such an impatient person. Here is one last pic of the yummy tomatoes I plan to eat tomorrow for lunch. I think I'll cut them early and make a tomato, cucumber and onion salad. Let them marinate for a while in the dressing, then...mmm, mmm!

mini me

Jessi wants to make a cake.

Mom is tired and does not.

Mom agrees to Jessi making a cake without assistance.

Jessi does not take Mom's suggestion to make a simple round cake.
Jessi picks a 3 tier stacked round instead. Mom still does not want to help.

Jessi makes it by herself.

Add a bow (don't forget to take the tissue out later) and some beads.

Mom is very proud.

Day Two

The mangos have been flipped so they can tan evenly on both sides. I thought I'd include those tomatoes in the shot also, since they will likely be consumed shortly. Dad's tomato patch is producing like crazy. I like to pick 'em as soon as I see a little tinge of red. Then they sit in my sunny kitchen til they're good and ripe. That way I don't have to share with any bugs that like red, ripe, juicy tomatoes.

Daily blog?

Do you really think I can be disciplined enough to blog every day for a while?

hmm...

Very Good Friend came from south Florida bearing fruit today. Mangos to be exact. They need to sit and ripen. I think we'll watch ripening mango for a few days.
They were harvested from her tree down there and she was kind to share some with me, before leaving for Points North. We met near the airport for dinner (or supper, if you prefer) just before her flight. I saw her flight overhead as I headed back to Yulee and waved. Wonder was she looking out the window.
Oh yes, mangos...
I am planning to try mango iced tea when they get good and juicy ripe.

Grand Party

Well, since I've posted the work in progress, I suppose I should show the final product. The party was wonderful, the happy couple surprised and pleased, the cake and the quilt finished in plenty of time.

Uncle Joe wants to know how they both could fit under that quilt! I say, "What happens under the quilt~ STAYS under the quilt!"This was fun, we recreated the cake table from 50 years ago. See, there on the left, a picture of the bride and groom cutting the cake. We used the same mint and nut dishes and I tried my best to make the cake the same. Mine was shorter than the original.

I don't have any pictures of the best part of the party. Tambi, their daughter-in-law, set up a scrapbook, and took pictures of everyone coming in, printed them on the spot, and pasted them in. Each person recorded their well wishes beside their own picture. Very cool.