Cats on Tuesday ~ Meet Dolly

We have a guest on our blog today because our human mom didn't get any cute pictures of us for our special day, Cats on Tuesday. So, instead, we're showing everyone pictures of our friend, Dolly, who lives in Hertfordshire, England. We love this picture of Dolly and think she's so smart to sit on the bird table in the garden! MOL!! 

Here's another one of Dolly enjoying a cuppa!

...and here is Dolly showing off for camera!

We hope you've enjoyed meeting our friend! She'll probably get a big head now for having her picture on the internet. For more cute cat photos and cat stories, visit Gattina's blog, My Cats and Funny Stories by clicking HERE, or click on the orange cat photo. Happy Tuesday!

Buster, Rudy, Sam and Cindy

Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center

Yesterday I visited the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center in Fremont, Ohio, which is only about a 20-minute drive from where I live. Ohio is called the “Mother of Presidents” because eight men who served as President of the U.S. were born here (more than any other state.) Hayes, who was a Civil War General and the nation's 19th President (1877-1881,) inherited the 25-acre estate (called Spiegel Grove) from his maternal uncle, Sardis Brichard. This is where he retired and lived until his death in 1893.   

The 31-room mansion was constructed in 1859.

Spiegel is the German word for "mirror." Hayes' Uncle Sardis named his estate this due to the puddles of rainwater that collected underneath the large trees on the property, creating "mirror-like" reflecting pools. Luckily, it had rained just prior to my visit and I was able to capture a little bit of this beauty.

Sardis Brichard is also to have said that the trees and thick underbrush reminded him of the German fairy tales from his youth. As I walked the grounds, I detected a bit of this magic myself!

  

President Hayes and his wife, Lucy Webb Hayes are buried at Spiegel Grove. Hayes' horse, "Old Whitey" who served with him during the Civil War is also buried on the grounds.

Some very interesting facts:
President Hayes was the first President to have a telephone in the White House.
Lucy Webb Hayes was the first wife of a U.S. President to be called "First Lady."
Lucy Webb Hayes was the first wife of a President to have graduated from college.
President Hayes began the tradition of the "Easter Egg Roll" on the White House Lawn in 1878, which continues today.

For more information, visit the R.B. Hayes House website HERE.

Linking to Seasonal Sundays at The Tablescaper
                  Outdoor Wednesday on A Southern Daydreamer
                 Time Travel Thursday on The Brambleberry Cottage

I'm a Cat Person...enough said

"A catless writer is almost inconceivable...it would be easier to write with a herd of buffalo in the room than even one cat; they make nests in the notes, and bite the end of the pencil and walk on the typewriter keys" Barbara Holland  *

*make that computer keys today!  CA

 "...If man could be crossed with the cat, it would improve man, but it would deteriorate the cat." Mark Twain

 

"The smallest feline is a masterpiece."  Leonardo da Vinci

"Cats are love on four legs" Richard Torregrossa



"Kittens are born with their eyes shut. They open them in about six days, take a look around, then close them again for the better part of their lives." Stephen Baker

Until next time, have a great weekend!

Cindy

Linking to Pink Saturday on How Sweet the Sound

"In a cat's eyes, all things belong to cats" English Proverb

Pumpkin-Ginger Scones and Tea ~

 I admit - I haven't made these scones, but I've had the recipe for a while and they sound so good ~ especially for this time of year ~ and I wanted to share it. So, the photo isn't mine, but one I found on Google images from a website called Brown-Eyed Baker found HERE.  I've heard Starbucks has a pumpkin scone, but I don't know for sure about that because there is no Starbucks in the small town where I live. I think these would be perfect with a spicy chai tea, pumpkin or cinnamon-spiced tea. Yum! 

Pumpkin-Ginger Scones:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

 
Sift together:
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon powdered ginger with 1/2 cup sugar
Add 4 tablespoons of chilled unsalted butter chopped into small pieces (soy or vegan margarine works great also). Gently work the flour-butter mixture with a pastry blender until the dough looks like coarse meal.

*Tip: Overworking the dough makes these pumpkin and ginger scones tough and heavy. Be gentle working in the butter/margarine.

In a separate bowl, beat together:
1 large egg, or 2 egg whites (vegans may substitute soy milk)
1/2 cup homemade or canned plain pumpkin puree
1/4 cup sour cream (you can use cream cheese, non-fat yogurt, or tofu substitute)
3 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger
Add to flour mixture and stir just until blended.

If you are making large triangular scones, pat the dough into a circle and cut into wedges. Or you can roll out to 3/4 inch thickness and use your cookie cutter or selected shape.
If you are making smaller triangles, divide the dough in half, pat into two rounds, then cut into wedges.
Place on the baking sheet, bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden. Cool on wire racks.

Drizzle with ginger icing:
Mix ½ cup powdered sugar with 1 teaspoon finely chopped crystallized ginger and 1-2 tablespoons milk, cream, or soy milk.

Serve warm. Makes 12 large scones or 24 small scones
 

If you make them, please email me and let me know how they were! Maybe one of these cool, rainy autumn days, I'll bake up a batch of them myself to have with my afternoon tea. ~

Until next time,

Cindy

Linking to Potpourri Friday at 2805
and
Sarah's Homemaking Link-up Weekend on Hope in Every Season