CAROL'S SPRING PEA SOUP AND MY MOST FAVORITE COLOR!......



Even though we still have about a foot of snow on the ground here in the Adirondacks, Spring is definetely in the air.....

Why, it's supposed to be almost 55 degrees here, all week long....SWEET!

And if you've been checking out this here blog for any time at all, you know what a freaking FREAK I am about decorating my home for the seasons. It's an obsession...probably the old retailer in me. Valentine's Day over and done? February 15th, wipe the slate clean and bring in the Springtime! Day after Easter? Why not decorate for Summer?

Yes, I know-- I have a few screws loose. But you still love me, right?

You know what makes me craaaazzzyyy? Folks that leave up their Christmas decor until St. Patrick's Day. How can they stand it? I mean really, at this point, why not just leave it all up until next Christmas, hmmm??? Well, everything except the dead and dried BROWN wreaths and kissing balls, that is...

(Believe it or not, I'm trying not to judge....I know that people are super busy and have actual JOBS and all. I just happen to believe that one's home should be one's haven, and how on earth can home be a haven if there's dusty Christmas ornaments and burned out lights everywhere? Oh there I go, thinking too much again.....)

I just love the color green....it truly is my favorite. Used to be barn red, but I've found that green just makes me feel calm, and whenever I decorate with green, my home just feels freshie fresh--know what I'm sayin'?

Here's my centerpiece for our kitchen table...kinda went nuts at Hobby Lobby recently...can you tell how much I love my two-tiered plate rack (I've been using it since last summer!)?......

The candle holder, she's from Hobby Lobby, and so are all the terra cotta pots that I white-washed.....

Remember that song, "God didn't make little green apples"? Well, I beg to differ--Yes, yes he DID....and little lambs, too (watering can also from Hobby Lobby--think I paid about $3 for it).....

The hidden little fleur de lis is from our recent trip to the Big Easy.....twig ball also from the "Hob-Lob"....

Wink and I are trying sooo hard to be a little bit more "green", and one of the ways we're achieving this goal is to use cloth napkins at most meals...just so they're handy, I have them piled into another terra cotta pot....

I love this graphic table runner, also from (guess where?) Hobby Lobby......

I am OBSESSED with bird's nests (when I open my dream shop some day soon, I think I 'll call it "The Nest"--get ready!)....this one is the real deal, saved from a climbing rose vine that grew up the chimney of our Omaha home....

I crack myself up....like a bird (chicken) with eggs this large wouldn't have a bigger nest!...

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My mom Carol sent me this Spring Pea Soup recipe years ago, and it's a real favorite in our home. I can't think of a better first course for your upcoming St. Patrick's Day feast!

To begin, my mom sautes yellow onion in butter, then adds flour and stirs....

Add pepper, salt, curry powder and broth, and bring to a boil....

Add thawed chopped frozen spinach.........

and tiny baby frozen peas to the broth, along with some sugar......

Puree with an immersion blender (I busted my old one just so I could buy this shiny new model!) until ALMOST smooth....



Turn off heat and stir in some half and half.........

And VOILA! You've got yerself some nice Spring Pea Soup...thank you, Mom!...

Here's the recipe....

CAROLS' SPRING PEA SOUP

Serves 4

1/2 cup butter

1 large yellow onion, chopped

2 tblsp. flour

1 tsp. curry powder (or more, if you like!)

1/4 tsp. pepper

5 cups heated chicken broth

3 3/4 cups tiny frozen peas

1/2 cup chopped frozen spinach, thawed

1 1/2 tsp. sugar

1 1/2 cup half and half

1 1/2 tsp. salt

Saute onion in butter until translucent. Add flour; cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add pepper, salt, curry and broth. Bring to a boil; simmer for 5 minutes. Add peas, spinach and sugar. Simmer for 8-10 minutes. Puree with an immersion blender until almost smooth. Add half and half--do not boil.

TODAY I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR.....

***This Friday..our town's annual and quite famous St. Patrick's Day parade! Our group, once again, is hard at work, trying to win the coveted first place! In case you missed last year's extravaganza, here were a few of us, getting ready...our theme was, "When Irish Eyes are Smiling"........(girls in photo are Sharon on far left, Pam in middle and Yours Truly on the right--I was "Red Eye")

***We just found out, due to internship scheduling problems, that our very own Little Miss Thing will be home for summer, one last year! I am one happy, happy mama!
Here's a cute photo that a friend took of her, during their recent spring break trip to Spain/Portugal...LOVE it!

***My thoughtful husband, who, once realizing that (oops!) we sold Little Miss Thing's car last year, thinking that she wouldn't be home much anymore, has decided to buy his girls a cool new bike to share for our jaunts into town this summer. Hopefully, this will resolve our squabbles over who gets the car!