Tales of the Traveling Tote #35 - Giveaway

Eva's Spaghetti Sauce

 I'm making up for lost time, and realized I never blogged about a favorite easy dinner. I hate referencing the pandemic in my blog posts, but this crazy time has me catching up on filing, blogging, reducing clutter and reconnecting with inventory in my home that I forgot about. Eva's Spaghetti Sauce was shared with me by one of my best friends when her mother Eva passed away. Donna grew up on this recipe, as it was a fairly inexpensive way to feed a family 50 years ago. Donna and I share a passion for cooking (she only uses organic and local grass fed meat), and quite a few of our text messages are inspired by what we have cooked that day. 

I took a photo of the recipe for Eva's spaghetti sauce for you. I printed out these recipe cards one Christmas, and gave our children a food basket for Christmas with all the ingredients to make this meal. If you try it, I'd love to hear if it becomes one of your favorites too. Even Joe gets excited when I tell him I'm making Eva's sauce. It's a comfort food, and he loves Donna as much as I do. 

Deb

Traveling Tote #20 and a Giveaway

Is it September already? I say it every year. 

Welcome to Tales of the Traveling Tote. If only these totes could talk :-) Most of our August excursions were planned out in advance, and the summer calendar filled up very quickly. We attended a wedding in Malibu for our niece who lives in California. It was a pleasure being together with family, and we hadn't been to California to visit family since December 2004 since they come to New York to visit us. 

 

While we were in California, they surprised me with a birthday celebration. The cake was delicious, and I have requested the recipe. Such a pretty cake, and they know my favorite colors. 

We went to private gardens of the owners of a highly successful travel business. Their motivation was to give back to the community in which they live and share the beauty of the world to Conejo Valley. The 4.5 acre cultural landmark features different gardens representing France, Italy, England, Japan and the unique California Courtyard. Having just traveled to France, I enjoyed the French Fountain which is a replica of one found at Versailles.

Here is the beautiful wedding cake and adorable couple in Malibu. Miss Aurora had to stay home since we rode on a shuttle through the canyon to the venue and she is too big for a wedding tote. 

Our day at Universal Studios was so much fun, but I will never sit in the front on one of those rides again and you'll see why in the photo below. That is soaking wet me in the front row in orange.  At least I got to try a sip of Joe's frozen Butterbeer. Our friend Jackie posted the recipe on her blog if you'd like to whip up a batch. 

What a wonderful year it has been, and I will always remember my 60th that way. It's just a number for me, and I am blessed to be be able to celebrate it. Thank you to the TOTE GALS and blog friends for the phone calls, Facebook messages, cards and gifts. I am very thankful for all of you in my life.

Now pour yourself a glass of ice tea, and see how the rest of totes are enjoying summer. 

I WILL PICK THE WINNER ON SEPTEMBER 4.

Patti with Miss Kenzie @ Pandora's Box

Debbie with Miss Aurora @ Mountain Breaths 

Emily with Miss Courtney Childs@ The French Hutch

Jenna with Miss Coquille @The Painted Apron

Linda P with Miss Lola @ Life and Linda

Rita with Miss Luna C @ Panoply 

Sarah with Miss Merri Mac @ Hyacinths for the Soul

Jackie and Miss Madi K @ Purple Chocolat Home

Our next post will be 12/1/19. Time to start organizing the fall and Christmas decor.

xo

Soon I'll be off to the MacKenzie-Childs Warehouse Sale!!

It's ALMOST that time again! We enjoy taking a ride to Union Springs and then visiting the Cayuga Lake area. Our first stop will be the MacKenzie-Childs Warehouse Sale which is on a smaller scale than the famous Barn Sale in July. There is usually a lot of holiday items, and a variety of ceramics, enamelware, etc. Very good prices, up to 80% off, and just as thrilling for me as the Barn Sale. 

 Twenty five years ago, my co-workers happened upon MacKenzie-Childs in Aurora, NY (Finger Lakes region of New York). I had never heard of it. Enthusiastically, they would tell us about their purchases, most of which were seconds at reduced prices that they bought from Richard and Victoria MacKenzie-Childs. 

In 2017, MacKenzie-Childs hosted their FIRST warehouse sale in Union Springs, NY. We went, we enjoyed it. Not too crowded. It was like the July barn sale, just on a smaller scale and MUCH LESS crowded. In 2018, it EVERYONE found out about it and there was a line to get in.  LOL

In the photo above, you will see the "black and white checks". Courtly Check got its start more than 30 years ago and in 1995 it was featured on the enamelware in the Camp MacKenzie-Childs collection, which was designed for casual outdoor use and glamping. The enamelware was called Roasted Marshmallow because mixed in with the overall black and white check were subtle hints of additional colors that resembled the caramelized sugar on marshmallows toasted over an open fire. A few years later, the pattern was renamed Courtly Check after an editor referred to MacKenzie-Childs as “the court jester of tabletop.”

This photo was taken at the April 2017 warehouse sale. And I still love that wreath that I bought!

I'll be back next week with a full report!

Tales of Traveling Tote #15 - Miss Aurora Tours the Farmhouse

 If you are here for the first time, welcome to Mountain Breaths. Today I am joining a group of talented bloggers to bring you our quarterly Tales of the Traveling Tote. 

Before we start the Farmhouse Tour, Miss Aurora enjoyed the flowering trees in spring at Sycamore Hill Gardens in Marcellus, NY on Mother's Day. We have gone for the last four years, and each year we invite someone from the family to join us. This year it was my sister Diane and niece Chelsea and we all loved it. My husband and I took a quick trip to Beekman 1802 Mercantile in Sharon Springs just before Mother's Day to stock up on Happy Place laundry detergent and goat milk soap. I loved the wicker picnic tote and the bed of ferns! 

Miss Aurora was very content traveling locally so in April, Joe and I attended the MacKenzie-Childs Warehouse Sale in Union Springs and added a few items to our collection. Then we headed to the lovely Farmhouse on Cayuga Lake for a tour. 

On the farmhouse tour, we started in the living room (parlor) that was under renovation.  Artist "Corey" from the Visuals team had finished the walls of the farmhouse, one bouquet at a time. Hand-painted flowers on tone on tone stripes. This is the new look. 

Below is a photo I took of the same room in the fall. A big change!

The 3,300-square-foot, three-story Farmhouse is an example of classic Second Empire/mansard architecture, which was popular from 1860 to 1900, particularly in the Northeast. It shows many features of that style, including a mansard roof, decorative dormer windows, and porches with columns. Its interior was remodeled extensively in the early 2000s, but some of its original charming features remain, including the front doors and several sets of pocket doors believed to be black walnut. Here are a couple photos that I took last the summer and you can see the mansard roof and porch with columns. 

Prior to being acquired by the founders of MacKenzie-Childs in 1986, the Farmhouse was the centerpiece of a working dairy farm. I have loved this vintage bed forever. Miss Aurora wishes she could have a bedroom like this :-)

Miss Aurora posting on the new living room rug at the Farmhouse.

Much to my surprise, we saw a woman with "The Tote" and we conversed and determined that the twin sisters were from California and visiting NY to attend the warehouse sale.  

It was a pleasure meeting Dot and Donna and having our picture taken with Tom. (a wonderful long time MKC employee that you will see at the barn sale if you attend). 

Here's a few of the items we purchased at the MKC Warehouse Sale in April. A lone sleigh ornament which Joe quickly grabbed from the employee that was pricing it. I stash these items away, and it's like Christmas once I dig through the bag again in November. 

As you can see in the photos above, the MKC warehouse sale is packed with goodies. We never know what they will have so it's hit or miss. I try hard to only buy items we will use or give for gifts. This year we bought the following items:
Moose wine bottle stopper
Baseball cap
Small whisk
Canape knives
Angel ornaments
Owl ornament
Courtly Check dinner plates
Flower market salad plates

In the photo below, that is me pushing the cart in one of the rooms at the warehouse sale. 

At the end of April, we attended the Herb and Wine Festival on Cayuga Lake. For those of you who don't know the area, MacKenzie-Childs is located on Cayuga Lake, however we didn't have time to visit on this trip. Our spring blooms are late this year, so only the daffodils were blooming. I've included a picture from last year when the tulips were in bloom at the same time of the year. 

Yes, I am cold! It started out "warmish" and then the clouds started rolling in and rained.

  My new friend Melody.

Hope you enjoyed the tour! This was my 15th Traveling Tote post. Miss Aurora definitely gets around, and I had several compliments on "her" when I visited the retail store and had to explain that she is retired but may possibly be found on Ebay. The common thread of MacKenzie-Childs has started many conversations. We are offering the lovely Flower Market Globe Vase as a giveaway to our loyal readers. All you have to do it visit Katie with Miss Daisy @ Preppy Empty Nester. Let them know you would like to be included in the drawing for the vase.  It looks so sweet with flowers!

My friend Tami (who doesn't blog) shared this great photo on Facebook when she was in Cape May. Love how these totes get around! 

Come along and travel with:

Debbie with Miss Aurora @ Mountain Breaths (you are here)

Emily with Miss Courtney Childs@ The French Hutch

Jackie with Miss Madi K @ Purple Chocolat Home

Jenna with Miss Coquille @The Painted Apron

Katie with Miss Daisy @ Preppy Empty Nester

Lia with Miss Scarlett @ Cici's Corner

Linda P with Miss Lola @ Life and Linda

Patti with Miss Kenzie and Miss Taylor @ Pandora's Box

Ricki Jill with Countess de Monet @ The Sketchy Reader

Rita with Miss Luna C @ Panoply 

Sarah with Miss Merri Mac @ Hyacinths for the Soul

Until next time, enjoy your summer! xoxoxo