A Patio Tour, Breakfast and a GIVEAWAY!

If I can get outside early enough, before it's too hot, I like eating on the back patio.  Fresh strawberries, a lemon poppy seed  bagel and a cup of tea with fresh lemon make for a simple yet satisfying breakfast. 
Grab a cup of tea or coffee and join me.

I set my table on the patio with a vintage yellow plate by Meakin in the Medici pattern.  Ethan and Kalyn love the pattern on these dishes. 

The table is set with vintage, purple ceramic handled flatware.  I believe it's Noritake, but don't recall with certainty.

A bandana serves as a napkin with berry and butterfly napkin rings

A little green and purple transferware crescent dish above the plate, just for fun.  I have some of these for sale in my Etsy shop and keep one out on the patio.  I love the garden theme.

I always like a little greenery or flowers at the table so I added a little topiary I made with a purple transferware creamer.   I'll post more on these later, with a tutorial.

My back patio is really small and hosts a juxtaposition of collected and re-purposed objects.  Somehow it seems to work.

Ok, this rattan ball found its way amidst a planter full of marigolds after Jonah kicked a soccer ball into it and left a big hollowed spot in the center.  I had this left from an old topiary.  Jonah never did fess up to the soccer ball thing.

The topiary bunny is set in a small piece of concrete and he found his way here too....Jonah broke the planter it was in, maybe at the time he knocked the soccer ball in. 

I guess I should thank him because I kind of like how it turned out.

This little wicker table used to be in Kalyn's and Ashton's room when they were little.  The orange paisley tablecloth?  That was one of the girls shirts they outgrew.   My Mom and Kalyn painted the little house a few years ago.  The rusty metal birdcage was a garage sale find...too long ago to remember when.  A little green transferware planter holds some yellow roses and trailing vines.

The bird topped, pansy decorated garden statue is a Hobby Lobby clearance piece.  I found two and plan to put them in pretty planters with English ivy planted at the base.  This one is resting on an wooden waste basket which was hand painted.  It used to be in my bathroom at another house.

The rocking chairs are some we import.  We've had these for about four years and always kept them outside, covered.  I need to re-finish or paint them.  What do you think?

This birdcage is entwined with lights, butterflies and berries which match the napkin ring at my table and two wreaths on the back porch.  Years ago, my dear friend Tonja gave me the little bird nest that's housed inside. 

One of the butterfly and berry wreaths hangs above two garden plaques, which are also some frugal minded clearance finds.

Had to hang at least one piece of transferware out here

The girls and I could not resist this sun-faux-flower.  It's so realistic looking and stands about 4' high.  Love it!

The picnic table in the background is being revamped to appear in a future blog post. 

I don't know what this plant is but found it at a local nursery for $3.  I water it once or twice a week and it's held up great, despite the much hotter than usual summer.  Looks good in a red transferware planter, doesn't it? ;-)

My Mom gave me the coleus earlier this summer and it has grown substantially since.  These are so easy to maintain.  The little metal yard chairs on the steps were salesman's samples.  I bought these years ago at an antique shop.

I bought this clematis last year and forgot to plant it!  It survived the winter but recently had some insect which about killed it.  It's being nursed back in an old Aesthetic transferware chamber pot.

Back in the corner, by the door, are a few rocks that my Mom painted with the kids during one of her visits to us while we lived in Colorado.  The scenes continue around the rocks, decorating both sides.

Hope you enjoyed your visit!

Now for the GIVEAWAY!

You have your choice of prizes in this one.

You can choose this gorgeous, hand carved mahogany tea caddy which sells for $100+ (click the link to see more photos and inside)

OR a $100 gift certificate to Ebay seller 09lakedrift HERE.   Here you'll find a stunning collection of hand made, hand carved, Old World Style, mahogany furnishings made by a 4th generation craftsman. 

Enter one or more ways by:

1)  leaving a comment on this post

2) following my blog, leave an additional comment (if you already follow leave an extra comment)

3) simply visiting 09lakedrift, come back here and tell me what furniture you love!  I know you'll find something! 

4) Tweet about the giveaway, come back and leave the link

I will announce the winner next Friday night, August 19th.  The winner will be chosen randomly via a numeral generator at random.org.

 Here is a small sampling of what you'll see at 09lakedrift

This regal, Jacobean bed is fit for a King and Queen.  Go look at this item and see the canopy...it's completely canopied.  Exquisite!

6' Tall Cathedral Tudor Bird Cage

French Vanity Table

Victorian Corner Tri Shelf

Catalan Armoire

Have fun perusing all the gorgeous furniture!

Linking to:

Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday
Show Off Your Cottage Monday
Just Something I Whipped Up
Making the World Cuter

Rednesday

A Stroll Thru Life

Toot Your Horn Tuesdays 
Vintage Thingie Thursday at Colorado Lady
Hodge Podge Friday @ It's a Hodgepodge Life
Feature Yourself Friday
Frugal Friday
Trendy Treehouse Blog hop
Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home
A Few of My Favorite Things at Bargain Hunting with Laurie
Summer Sundays at The Tablescaper
Garage Salen at Debbiedoos 
Flaunt it Friday at Shoestring Decorating
Coastal Charm
Mellow Yellow Monday

Chicken Wonton Dumpling Appetizers

Have some leftover roasted chicken?  Here is a scrumptious appetizer you'll absolutely love.  It's equally beautiful too and elegant enough to serve at a ladies luncheon or dinner party and fast enough to make for a quick snack or small meal. 

Starring:

Chicken Wonton Dumplings


Appx 1 cup leftover roast chicken, shredded 
1 cup ricotta cheese
couple sprigs fresh thyme, chopped (or about 2 tsp dried)
About 2 tsp fresh grated lemon zest
salt to taste
fresh cracked pepper to taste
Stir above ingredients to blend and set aside

***Wonton wrappers
1 egg, beaten in small bowl and set aside
Fresh grated parmesan cheese
2 tblsp butter



Take a few Wonton wrappers and lay flat.  Roll chicken mixture into small balls and place in center of wonton wrapper.
Brush each edge of wonton wrapper with egg wash.  The egg wash acts as a glue.
Pull opposite corners up, two at a time, and pinch together.  Squeeze other sides together.   Try to wrap them with no air inside if possible.
Drop 8 -10 in a pan of boiling water (I use a skillet with about 1.5-2" of water) and cook for about 3 minutes.
Remove from boiling water with a slotted spoon to allow water to drain off.
Place in another skillet with a tablespoon or two of melted butter and either toss them around to coat in the butter or, if desired, you can brown them up a bit to add a little crunch.  We like them both ways.
Pour onto serving plate and add some fresh grated Parmesan cheese and a sprig of thyme.


***When working with Wonton wrappers, use only a few at a time and keep the others covered with a moist towel to prevent drying them out.



These can be prepared ahead and kept in a plastic container, well sealed or covered in the fridge with a damp cloth to prevent them from becoming dry or hard.  You can boil them when ready.  I usually boil them about a minute longer when coming from the fridge to insure that they are thoroughly heated.


Shredded, leftover chicken

Topped with about an equal amount of Ricotta cheese

a couple sprigs of fresh, chopped thyme

a little freshly grated lemon zest, and some salt and pepper

Roll chicken mixture into small balls and place on Wonton wrapper

Brush each side of the wonton with the egg wash

Lift corners to center and pinch together, sides too, to seal

Drop up to 8-10 (not too many as you don't want them sticking together)  into boiling water and cook for about 3 minutes.  Remove with strainer and cook in butter and top with freshly grated parmesan cheese.  Moist, tender and very tasty.

Below, the two photos on the brown transferware plates, are the Wonton Dumplings boiled and tossed in butter, not browned in butter.

Here, shown on the black transferware plate,  I've allowed the dumplings to brown in the butter a bit.  Aesthetically speaking, I think they look better both browned, and served on the black plate. ;-)

My Michael is an Alfredo sauce connoisseur and decided to top his dumplings off with some of my homemade Alfredo sauce.  It looked good and tasted equally delicious.  In fact, all the kids preferred these with a dab of the Alfredo sauce.   Next time I make these and use the Alfredo sauce I'll add a dash of nutmeg on top.  It'll look nice and be complimentary to the other flavors in the dish.

Aren't the Mother of Pearl appetizer forks gorgeous?  They are available from a shop called simply4classic as well as the matching spreaders and demi spoons shown below.  The black transferware plate is Spode May and is also available in my Etsy shop, as is the Spode demitasse cup & saucer

Jonah and Ethan never mind the partaking of food

Linking to:
Toot Your Horn Tuesdays 

Frugal Creativity
Just Something I Whipped Up
Bargain Hunting with Laurie 
House of Hepworth
Harrigan howdy's
Designs by Gollum for Foodie Friday
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
Finer Things Friday
Ultimate Recipe Swaps, hosted by Life as Mom
Food On Fridays, hosted by Ann Kroeker
Funky Junk Interiors