Perchance to dream . . .

Imagine for a time that money is no object and that you can have all that your heart desires. You have rubbed a magic lamp and a Geni has granted all your wishes. You have taken care of all of your family and all of the poverty, hunger and strife in the world and now all that remains is for you to have your little fantasty home . . . a place for you and your beloved to live out your days, in peace and harmony . . .

I like to dream sometimes of what I would do if I could buy any home I wanted to . . . and I fantacise about how I would decorate the rooms . . .



The kitchen of course would be bright and airy with a certain country charm . . . lots of pale blues and yellows, two of my favourite kitchen colours. Lots of windows letting lots of light into the room and affording me beautiful views out into the garden as I puttered away, cooking, baking . . . dreaming . . .



With quaint little shelves and touches . . . poked in here and there . . . filled with little surprises and bits and bobs . . .



With a lovely little laundry room, off to the side, filled with charm and lots of space to hold my American Sized Washer and Drier . . . quaint and cheery . . . a laundry room you would not mind spending time in . . .



A dining room . . . ample and inviting. A place that would welcome all of your guests to sit and eat and enjoy the company you would provide. Stories shared over a weatherbeaten table amidst laughter and love. Warm feelings. Warm welcomes. Joy . . .



A lounge too . . . that invites one to sit and to share. We can choose to be quiet and simply watch the fire as it licks the grate . . . or maybe not . . . mayhap we'd fill the room with laughter and cosy conversation . . .



A room with stylish pockets of charm . . . a room you'd never want to leave . . .

But of course you would because . . .



A long hot soak beckons you to rest your weary bones amidst it's warmth and charm . . . soothing music plays as you lay back and relax . . . not a care in the world . . . and then . . . just when you've had enough, you dry your self with Cotton towels and into your robe and slippers you slip . . .



Away into the comfort of your charming bed, all snug and warm and welcoming . . . perhaps you will just lay there and sigh . . . or maybe an interesting book will beckon you, and you'll read until your head begins to nod . . . and you can't keep your eyes open even one more second . . . you take your glasses off and lay them on the table next to the bed and slip off into slumberland and dream as if on a cloud . . .



Don't worry . . . there are beds for all the guests as well . . . no-one need be left out in the cold . . .



There is plenty of charm and comfort for all . . .



And cosy little nooks to dream in . . .



In the morning we'll slip outside and wander quietly in the gardens . . .



As we wait for all to arise . . . we'll listen to the morning chorus of birdsong . . .
such a delight.



The water which tinkles like a little bell, trickling down into the garden pond . . . soothing and quite, quite charming . . .



Perhaps a quite morning cuppa . . . as we wait . . . supped in the solitude of our country garden, with nothing but the bumble bees, blossom and birds for company . . . the perfect start to the perfect day . . .



An arm full of posies for the breakfast table . . . the smell of frying bacon beckons all to come and join you . . . the rafters ring with cheer and promise . . .



As another day begins and beckons in paradise . . .

Oh, it is so good to dream is it not? You have to have a dream in order for a dream to come true don't you . . . We may not be able to buy all the trappings of a dream home, but we can make our home a dream . . . especially if we fill it with feelings of love and warmth and welcome.

Those three things are all we need for a house to become . . .



Here's another tasty recipe to help to use up that glut of Courgettes (zucchini) in the garden. They seem to all come at once don't they???



*Skillet Vegetable Pasta*
Serves 8
Printable Recipe

A delicious way to use up that glut of courgettes in the garden!

2 1/3 cups uncooked dried penne pasta
5 slices Provolone Cheese
3 TBS Butter
1 medium onion, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tsp finely chopped fresh garlic
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp coarse ground pepper
2 medium courgettes (Zucchini), cut into half moons (4 cups)
1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 medium tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 TBS chopped fresh basil leaves

Cook the pasta according to the package directions, drain well, and rinse in cold water. Drain again

Stack the cheese slices on top of each other, then cut into thin strips. Coarsely chop. Set aside.

Melt the butter in a 12-inch deep skillet until sizzling. Stir in the onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is lightly browned (7 to 9 minutes). Add the courgettes and bell peppers. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are crisply tender (7 to 9 minutes).

Stir in the cooked pasta, Parmesan cheese, tomatoes and basil. Continue cooking until the tomatoes are heated through (3 to 4 minutes). Sprinkle with provolone cheese. Cover and let stand until cheese is melted (1 to 2 minutes).

Serve immediately. I like to serve a salad and some crusty bread on the side.

Note: To cut the courgettes into half moons, trim off ends and cut them in half lengthwise. Then cut each length into 1/2 inch slices which will resemble half moons!



In The English Kitchen today, Quick Sticky Buns. Ginormously delicious!