Wednesday and Thursday~ time is closing in

Yesterday I had a picture of baked beans on this site but it looked so dark and dreary that I took it off.  Actually the dish looks, in real time,  like it would be delicious and it is stored for consumption for Monday, July 4th.  We are expecting 40-50 people, the list keeps growing and we are glad to have everyone celebrating JD's accomplishments. I have a slow cooker going again with another ham and bean concoction.  If there are left overs, the Cincy gang likes to take the left overs home to enjoy all week so they don't have to cook. Yesterday was busy in the kitchen.  Andy brought in a large head of cabbage from the garden and I had a pork shoulder in the crock pot along with carrots potatoes. kale, onions...you know the bubble and squeak kind of goodness? Well, in went the cabbage for another hearty party dish.  All of this is not just for the party.  JD, David, and Johnna are coming Saturday for several days, from Florida, and they too have to eat (or so they hope.)  I don't want to spend every minute over the stove.(JD's thank you note.)

I had to bake another maple pecan cake with maple icing.  It has cream cheese in the batter and people went wild over it.  I have this file of 'to make' dishes and this scrap from the Dispatch paper (Cook's Corner) was among the clippings and I just read it and thought that sound lovely and easy and so I made it.  I took a bite and called Andy to try it and that was all it took; soon the entire family was tasting and then, some how, it was gone.  If you want the recipe, just email me.

I am cleaning out the kitchen frig today making room because soon it will be pasta salad day, cheese ball day, and who knows what else will appear on the party buffet.  I am cooking like this is my last event, I pray that it is not. lol

Have a great day.  Ours is cool and sunny and after the rain the plants are jumping out of the ground.  I have to make my rounds outside and pull the spent flowers off the plants so they will looking lush on Monday.

Note:  Keep checking back.  I keep adding to the post all day long.  No pictures so far, nothing pretty enough to show you, yet,... besides my phone is up stairs.

These thank you notes are so cute.  This one is from JD.  We celebrate him on Monday.


Pasta salads obviously, with pepper jack cheese, and salami and vegetables... With corn, black beans, and couscous
                                                                                             

Tuesday, last of the baking and wine gathering

Day two of party prep:

I finished off the baking with maple pecan cake, a new recipe that is easy, fast and delicious.  I will be going back to that one.  Then the bananas tapped me on the shoulder and indicated they needed using.. So I whipped up a loaf and said that's it!
Now I am off to Trader Joe's to get the champagne.  We like to start off the party with cold, sweet Italian bottles and Trader Joe's has the best prices for that.

After that it is set up and cover up day.  I haul out all of the plates, flatware, glasses, cake plates, serving bowls...well you get the picture.  After everything is in place I cover the areas to keep the items fresh and clean.  That process takes a lot of time and needs to be done well ahead.

Note:  I'm afraid this cake will not make it to the party.  I cut it and tried it and it is wonderful. (maple pecan cake.)It was new to me and I wanted to see how it tasted  The family will be on this like white on rice. It has cream cheese in the batter. Lovely.

Looks like I am baking again tomorrow.  I have to make this again, it was that good.  I got the recipe from Cook's Corner years ago and it has been on my 'to make list' a long time.

Looks like we are ready for a party...or getting there.

Monday is cake making day~

I've made three cakes so far and had my nails done and shopped at Carfagna's.  I am moving right along because I thought I had two weeks before guests arrived and I have only a week as of today.  It will work out because the Cincinnati gang is taking care of all of the meat this time and Pam is doing pies.  Everything is under control because Matt is doing the outside, Andy does the pool and flowers, Beth does the inside and I am doing the cooking sans the meat dishes. Heather's husband is bringing one of his big, famous, luscious, cheesecakes too.  So we are setting up the dining room as the dessert station; the porch is the drinks and starters, and the kitchen holds the rest of the delights for two meals on the 4th. We figure forty people this time and the day is supposed to be beautiful.
The orange juice cake is still in the oven, but here are two finished products: a rum cake / pecans and a raisin spice cake with a frosting of ginger lashing.   And above, right is an orange juice cake. If you want recipes email me at dorislechler77@gmail.com

 Cake #4 maple pecan cake

Feeling pretty happy here at Many Branches.              

July 4th

Note: The ladies who travel are back on American soil.   
Chow from Italy.  Thanks, Beth.  To the right, Nate's garden on a Sunday morning at Many Branches.

This is JD Lechler.  July 4th is all about him.  He graduated from high school with honors and amazing grades, won free tuition to any state university in Florida, and is enrolled and ready to meet his future. We are having this party to celebrate his success.  The ladies who travel, the ones you have read about for the last twelve days, are helping to make this a success.  There is a lot to do with thirty or forty guests and not knowing exactly how many will or won't be there, so we go all out. We have worked out a menu and we are off! (It might include fish.  Look at what Andrew, Dan, and George caught in Alaska while the ladies were away.)

JD with his honor cords. 

JD movie star pose.

Pam's guys were busy in Alaska.  Maybe we could have these bad boys for the 4th.

What happened to the one bag rule of carry on?  LOL.  I thought that wouldn't work.  The ladies are in the sky now and on their way home.

The last flash dance for the tour guides and tour friends.

The End.

The last full day of a wonderful trip~

Note: Stop back now and then, they send pictures and comments all day long...believe me. lol

Kathy. Pam. Beth. Chee. Pam Taylor

Water taxi                                  

   Pam. Chee. Pam Taylor.Kathy.                                                            

                                           
                                             

                                                                   

The last supper in Venice.

Today they are to take a walking tour sight seeing all morning. The afternoon will be theirs to explore as they wish.  Wednesday around noon the plane leaves for home and we will be happy to see their sweet faces many hours later.  We will have a big family and friends party on July 4th here at Many Branches with David, JD, and Johnna flying in from Florida.  Can't wait. Life is good.

My phone started pinging early this morning but not at 4:00 like the other days.  It is a nice alarm and gets me going.  I will miss that.  Today they meet Anna, their walking guide.  The water taxi picks them up and they are off to the open market and a morning of exploring. 

   Yiiiikes. expensive

     
-We arrived in Venice yesterday and it is just like in the movies. There are water canals everywhere and beautiful scenery. Today we went to San Marco square and walked around then headed to Buranno via water taxi to see all the different colored homes. While in Buranno we had a  3 course fish dinner with wine and dessert. It was another great day.

Today we went back to San Marco square to tour the island and shop. Alex met up with some college friends whom coincidentally were here also.  We did our version of a flash mob dance for our tour guide before departing. I don't think it will make the Ellen show but it was fun.We love Venice and the picturesque scenery. It was a nice relaxing way to end our vacation.

t we have our farewell dinner and sadly will be saying goodbye to our new friends.We have met so many nice families on our tour and in the words of our tour guide Almedeo “ we are family.”   We have a family from California who lost their dad/husband in a car accident last year. The honeymooners who can’t keep their hands off each other. The Washington state doctor and pharmacist with their teenaged daughter who is a terrific photographer along with his widowed sister  (and dancer)  and her college aged children. The family from Pennsylvania with their teenage daughters. The librarian from Australia who is headed to Greece to visit family. Everyone gets along so well and yes they still talk to us after all our  antics.  Kathy

THE END

hee boarding the water taxi.

Outdoor
market and 
Chee & the 
water taxi.

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It's like 'Where's Waldo' picking them out of the crowd. Pam is standing high up; Beth and Kathy and Alex are sitting in the middle of the steps and Pam Taylor is standing far right.

Travel by water taxi in Venice~

Note: Remember to check in several times today, they keep on sending pictures and notes and you don't want to miss anything. In between, we will try to keep on, keeping on.

My phone started beeping about 4:00 in the morning and I knew the ladies were on foot (or maybe in the water.) The dogs, coffee, and Nate's portable breakfast are my first priority in the mornings, but I got to the phone as soon as I could.  The women had already been to the Murano glass factory and were sporting new glass necklaces.

This is such a good picture of Chee and Beth that I wanted you to see how rested they looked.  They were looking pretty frazzled on the day of their 2 mile, up hill, bike tour in Florence, so I was glad to see they looked  perky in Venice.  This is how they travel in Venice, the water taxi. Next stop, the lace factory in Burano.

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Pam, Alex, and Chee have new glass necklaces from the glass showroom.

How would you like this hanging in your house?

Or this sitting outside your door?

Park your boat in front of your house. Pam said they spent the afternoon in Burano, a fishing town where the boats are the same color as the house they are parked in front of. (Excuse my dangling participle.)

Beth took this glorious shot in a church.  To have that art work to see when ever you wanted to would be wonderful.
And comforting.

And then there's this:

A night out in Venice.

In Ohio we have just planted a long alley of peony bushes.  This is Martha Stewart's --double rows and every color.  We planted ten yellow which I have never seen and various other ones as well.

Isn't this glorious. We save it from year to year in the conservatory.

I am reading Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children.

Goodbye Florence, hello Venice

Note: Keep checking back, they are sending pictures so fast I can't plant my Foxglove. (We've been to Oakland Nursery again.)  

Hello Venice: The last three full days of the trip.

Sunday the 19th Always handsome guides and they are always hugging Beth.

Ohio  

Venice

Venice

Beth and Chee's room in Venice.

Their Venice hotel.

Beth's lunch.  On purpose????

Breakfast with the dog.

Saturday. The 18th

Yesterday we drove to Pisa to see the tower. It's still leaning. It was nice to see but not much else there. Then we drove to a family villa in the Tuscany mountains for lunch. We tried their black olives, olive oil, and wines all grown and processed there. Lunch also included pasta, risotto, bruschetta and a variety of cheeses and meats. We got to see their vineyards and groves of olive trees. Their villa was nestled in the mountains with a spectacular view.

Today we had our bike trip, aka Tour de Italia. It was more difficult than we expected. It began with a 2k uphill ride which was difficult. It was a little concerning at first but got easier as the day went on. During the uphill battle I stopped  to get off my bike and fell. It was a graceful fall until the bike landed on my ankle. Then I felt weak and held up the tour for a few minutes. Everyone was very nice but now later this evening the “giggle sisters” think it was funny. We continued our ride through the country side and stopped at a winery and had a light lunch and wine. I don't think it's a good idea to drink and drive on two way roads built for one car and paved with uneven rocks. I think we should have gotten medals when we finished. Andre our escort was a nice young man and very patient. We really did enjoy the ride and it was another great adventure.

Alex, Kathy, Beth, Mary Susan, and Pam Taylor saying goodbye to Florence.  What a lovely time they have had so far and Venice is here today, Sunday.