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Photographs and Memories

Back from my mini-vacation in Traverse City (you'll find out more next week), I am happily picnic hopping, nibbling from the delightful dishes, smelling the beautiful flowers, and enjoying the variety of garden party wear everyone has selected for the event.

A trip down memory lane was an unexpected surprise, as I planned my part of the mid-summer's get-together. A frantic hunt for the nostalgic pieces which go with those memories was undertaken, and this is my gift to you all as I arrive late for the festivities.

Pictures have been an important part of my life as far back as I can remember, and before that first camera it was the photograph I created in my mind which was my escape. A vivid imagination is a visual one. This summer picnic brought back my visual photographs...the treasures of a childhood summer spent at a cottage on a lake, with lots of places for a young girl to host tea parties, magical balls, and meet knights in shining armor.

So I bring the sweet clover of my youth, bending slightly in the breeze. The blueberries are fresh and bright...cooking up beautifully in a coffee cake topped with a crumb topping which includes toasted almonds. The ice tea wasn't "sun tea" in those days...or probably a "green" tea - but it was iced in tall glasses and twinkled golden in the sun. And that shiny little sugar bowl, the one full of sweet wishes, is part of a set my favorite aunt gave me to play with. It looked so grown-up then, with it's little tray and matching cream pitcher, and I used to host elegant parties at which I was the gifted hostess - the one everyone wanted to talk with. It makes me smile.

Under the hat on the chair...what else? I still have my visual images, but I now collect the concrete photographs which I happily share with others. Jim Croce's song was a poignant love song, but a few of the lyrics have always stuck with me - and came to mind putting together my collage.

Photographs and memories ...take me to another time....summer skies and lullabies



Bring on the 4th of July!

Comments

Anonymous said…
oooh the coffee cake looks yum!
Sandy K. said…
I almost forgot the recipe:

Almond-Blueberry Coffee Cake

350 degrees, 40-45 min., 13x9x2 glass baking dish

Cream: 3/4 c. butter, 1c. sugar, beat until fluffy.

Add: 4 eggs, one at a time, beat well

Stir in : 2 tsp. lemon juice

Combine and stir: 1 3/4 c. flour and 2 tsp baking powder

Spread into greased and floured pan

Sprinkle wiht: 3c blueberries and 2 tsp lemon juice

Sprinkle with Almond Topping

Combine: 1 c. flour, 1/4 c. sugar, 1/2 c. toasted almond almonds

Cut in 1/4 c. butter
Pugelicious said…
Cakes sounds yummy - I will give it a go!! I loved your photographs - reminds me of the old fashioned garden parties on a Spring afternoon - thanks for the retreat into that wonderful place :)
Char said…
mmmmmmmmmmm, the cake sounds divine and I love the description of the say. I also love Jim Croce. I still make my tea the old fashioned way (on the stove)
Sandy K. said…
Thank you for stopping by. Char, I actually looked for the old pitcher my dad used when he made ice tea, after boiling the water on the stove. When I find it...I'm back to the old tradition. Why can I only make it with that one pitcher?!
kendalee said…
Yay! Glad you made it Sandy and thank you for the delicious dessert! Ice tea and that sweet bunch of clover... perfect!

I love the memories too. Isn't it wonderful that we are able to trigger these emotions through words and pictures? Very special! Thank you for sharing them :)
joyce said…
Thanks for the memories...its interesting how everyone's childhood memories are so different, but always nostalgic. You have some beautiful, elegant photos...I like the b&w best, but the clover made me laugh, as yesterday I gave my son the job of pulling all the clover (& dandelions) out of our driveway. I never thought to put it in a bowl for display!!
Sandy K. said…
Joyce- I wondered about the clover, but it just seemed right for my memories. It didn't last long, though, so pulling and discarding is probably the better deal:).
Anairam said…
Glad to have met you at the picnic, Sandy! There are so many recipes I'm going to have to try, that I can feel myself picking up weight as I think about them ... blueberry coffee cake - mmmmmmm ... I loved your pictures in the post, especially the one with the silver bowl with the greenery - it looks so elegant!
Teresa said…
The black and white with the wicker under the tree is a super photo. Your dessert looks really good, I'll have to try it.
georgia b. said…
how wonderful. i love these images of summer. i love jim croce's music. i had not been too familiar with it until i met my husband. the words are what always impress me most, too.
georgia b. said…
oh, and can i just say how gorgeous that shot of the sweet clover is???
Dagmar said…
Hi Sandy, I've missed your blog. Thanks for taking me back to Memorie Lane. Simply love these pictures.
Anonymous said…
Beautiful photos, and I will have to give the cake a try.

Moonbeam yanked out his stitches and we spent yesterday (the day I most wanted to go to the balloon festival) at the vet, while they knocked him out again and re-stitched it.

it has been terrible.

however, my husband leaves today for a business trip, and I am dropping him off early at the airport and heading over to the festival for the final launch tonight.

I really hope I get something...
Yummy! What a delightful set of images! I was ready tyo come over and join you! :)
(What lens is that on your camera, and what kind of photos does it take?)
PS I'll be mailing out your prize in the next day or so :)
Sandy K. said…
Such great conversation...thank you! Tomorrow is Macro Monday!

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