Last weekend was hot here in Virginia, but it didn’t stop us from going to a chic country market…
This is the entrance of Lucketts Spring Market, that comes to Clarke County Fairgrounds, once a year during a weekend in May, is decorated with bright pink petunias in ornate cement planters and frosted spring colored balloons.
It showcases more than 200 of the best “vintage hip” vendors on the East Coast. It features painted furniture, vintage garden gems, architectural salvage, crusty antiques, and all kinds of crazy-good finds. This one was very creative using an antique RV as a showroom for her antique wares!!
This is one of the many booths of earthy finds!! Although, I loved perusing the beautiful vintage merchandise in this market, I have to say, at nearly age 70, I don’t need a single thing they had!! As a matter of fact, they were selling lots of things that I have around my home, that I bought new 50 years ago or more!!
However, Gina and Parker found lots of things to buy, little trinkets for kids…
And Gina bought two wine racks, made from old wine barrels, for her dining room wall, in which Parker is holding one!!
There were food trucks, with delicious selections, Parker enjoyed a creamy mack and cheese, that was so good and we had the Crabcakes that we loved so much, we didn’t want to stop eating them to take a picture!!
I would highly recommend, that if a country market comes to your neck of the woods, go and have a fun day of shopping and eating😉
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This is a recipe for blueberry muffins that I tried twice!! The first time was at our cottage on Cape Cod, I made them for a friend who is going through a difficult time.
They came out good, but were a little too dense. These are the ingredients I used…
And this is how difficult it is to bake at the cottage, a tiny kitchen, but it gets the job done…
I did everything right, I even coated the blueberries in flour and sugar, and added granular sugar on top off the muffins before they went into the oven!
But the muffins on the left came out a little too dense… So, I did some research on how to make muffins light and fluffy… Then we went to The Train House, I tried another recipe and they came out much better, as seen by the muffins on the right!!
These are the finished muffins, light and fluffy with lots of blueberries and a crumble topping…they were really yummy!! And the secret to fluffy muffins, use room temperature butter, eggs and milk, and don’t over mix the batter, just mix until the liquid and dry ingredients are combined!!
BLUEBERRY MUFFINS WITH CRUMBLE TOPPING
TOPPING
- 3 Tablespoons sugar
- 3 Tablespoons brown sugar
- ⅓ cup flour
- ½ teasp. cinnamon
- 5 Tablespoons butter softened
MUFFIN BASE
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 4 Tablespoons butter melted
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
BLUEBERRIES
- 2 cups blueberries
- 1 Tablespoon flour
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
Recipe Instructions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line muffin tin with cupcake liners or spray pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Next, prepare the crumb topping mixture. I find that it works best to use softened butter. If the topping is too moist, refrigerate it for a bit to firm up. You can then take a fork to break it up into large pea-size pieces.
Next, the muffin batter. Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted butter.
Pour the liquid ingredients into the flour mixture and blend until moistened.
The blueberries get dusted with a little flour and sugar before being gently folded into the batter.
Now there are just a few more things to do: spoon the batter into prepared muffin cups, sprinkle on the topping, and bake in the center of the oven rack for about 20 minutes.
Remove muffins from oven and let them cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
For best results:
- use room temperature ingredients.
- fill muffin pans to almost the top of the tin.
- let the muffins sit in the pan for 5 minutes after baking before removing them.
- allow the muffins to cool completely on a wire rack.
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This is a continuing story of how two spirits came together across the country…The beginning of the story is from a post I did back on May 12, 2018.
On my last post, I wrote about my high school friend, Toni, who painted a picture of my mom and dad, from a photo I had posted on Facebook!!
This is the photo of my mom and dad that Toni asked to paint and the photo on the right is the painting, that she named “The Greatest Generation!!” However, she didn’t paint it for me, she has a successful business and could have sold it to anyone. I asked her if I could buy it, hoping she hadn’t already sold it, but she said yes, I could buy it!! So now I own it, and I have to tell you, it is more stunning in person than in these pictures!! The colors are so vibrant and the whole painting seems to come alive…
I asked Toni if she could send a picture of her holding the painting…
Now that I have the painting, I had to find a worthy place to display it!! I enjoy looking at so much, that I wanted a spot that I could see it often…
And so it is, in our family room, where I pass by often, and enjoy having my mom and dad home with me.
The love of our parents is a special bond that spans the years. Through laughter, worry, smiles and tears. Parent and child their hearts as one, a link that can never be undone.
Unknown and modified by me
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As I am preparing this post, another unspeakable tragedy happens in our country!! 19 Children and 2 Teachers are gunned down by a sick person, with a gun used for war!!
“This is an epidemic we can control, and whichever side of the aisle we may stand on, we all know we can do better. We must do better. Action must be taken so that no parent has to experience what the parents in Uvalde and the others before them have endured.
And to those who dropped off their loved ones, not knowing it was goodbye, no words can comprehend or heal your loss, but if prayers can provide comfort, we will keep them coming.”
Matthew McConaughey
💔🤍💙
We will remember🙏🏽
Visions of My 70s 
Such a beautiful painting of your parents picture. Toni must have kept her talent quiet in High School who knew! Your grand boys are growing up fast so glad you keep them close. So sad about the senseless event in Texas. Your blogs are always so interesting , keep blogging
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Yes, that painting is amazing, Toni is humble, the pictures of her work on Facebook do not do her paintings justice, and that’s a compliment!! My grandsons are growing fast, those glasses on Parker swallowed his face up, not too long ago…now they fit him perfectly!!!!
This shooting of children and teachers in Texas, is so horrifying , no person should be allowed to own armament for war!!!🙏💔
Thank you for encouraging me to keep blogging, it keeps me going🤗 Stay well!!
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The painting of Mom and Dad is beautiful. I can’t wait to see it in person. I never thought Mon looked like her sister Tina, but in the painting can see a slight resemblance.
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Yes, I can see her looking like Tina in that painting!! But I thought Dad looks just like Uncle Gil in it!!! Yes, you will enjoy seeing the painting💗
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Lucketts Spring Market looks like a fun adventure!
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Yes, it was the type of market you see on HGTV, I’ve never been to one like that, it was awesome!! Thank you for checking my blog💖
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I’ve tried three times to post a comment and for some reason, it’s not being accepted! Argh! Computers are going to be the death of me yet. So, if this doesn’t go through…I give up! Needless to say, I LOVE the portrait of your parents. What a wonderful family heirloom and I’m sure you’ll cherish it always. Your muffins look yummy and I’m going to try your recipe. I hope you and Victor are having a wonderful Memorial Day weekend. Sending hugs…
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I’m so sorry you had a difficult time with sending a message, Nancy!! Thank you for persisting, because it worked, and was so nice!! I know how you feel about computers, I had such a hard time with this post, I thought I was ruining my whole blog, but I didn’t and I learned something too, but still😖
I hope my mom and dad are smiling down at the painting of them, I wonder what they would have thought?!
I finally got a blueberry muffin recipe that I like, the first try was a recipe for Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins, remember those?! But they didn’t come close to the texture or taste…I bet that recipe is a guarded secret!! Let me know how your blueberry muffins turn out!!
Wishing you and Art a wonderful start of the summer season🌸💖
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I bet your folks would love that painting, and you know for sure they are smiling down on you from Heaven. We just got some fresh blueberries, so I’ m really looking forward to making these muffins. YUM! Take care, stay well, and keep blogging! 💗
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😇😇👍😋🙏💗
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So many wonderful things to talk about! First of all, the painting you’re friend did of your parents is absolutely stunning!! It’s not only a beautiful rendition in the sense of clearly replicating the subject, but her artistic color choices were fantastic. And where you have it displayed is so beautiful and the perfect. Of course I had to laugh that you found a “vintage hip“ show!!! Very bohemian chic! It’s funny that you said you have a lot of the pieces already. I’m sure you loved every minute of it all the same. Even that entrance was luscious. The balloons look like ice cream! And OMG to your blueberry muffins. Just wow! They definitely look tasty. I thought to myself that maybe I could make them, but when I saw the recipe? Anything out of 8 ingredients and I start to panic! 😬 😂
And thank you for commenting on the horrible events at the elementary school. Did you know that since the beginning of this year there has been 27 school shootings?! And yet just days after this last one, The state of Ohio passed a law that no one is required to have a background check in order to buy any gun. I honestly don’t understand. If someone feels I need to have a gun for safety, even though it’s not my thing, A handgun seems sufficient doesn’t it? Why on earth would anyone need an assault rifle unless they’re fighting a war? I said as much on Facebook but no one could give me an answer.
Once again, you have added beauty and thoughtfulness to your blog. Don’t stop at 70!
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Oh Penny, thank you again for your thoughtful comments!! I know, I love that painting of my parents, I’m so honored that Toni painted it, and named it “The Greatest Generation!!”
The country market would be a great place for the Dancing Queens to have an outing, but I’ve never seen one around our area, we’ll have to check into it!! That shop with the RV was very bohemian, I wanted to sit and stay for awhile😉
I can see why you shied away from making the blueberry muffins, it’s not easy, but so worth it!!
The shooting of children is pure horror, what those poor children and teachers went through, I hope it is never forgotten and something will be done so it never happens again😥 I don’t understand how locking doors and giving teachers guns will help…couldn’t a person with assault rifles just shoot the locks and shoot the teacher before she could get the gun out, which should be locked up with children around…I just don’t get it!!!???
Thank you again for taking the time to look at my blog and make such thoughtful comments!! Hopefully we’ll get together soon😘
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HI Carol,
Sorry it’s taken so long to respond to your blog My computer died, since it was Memorial Day weekend, couldn’t get to Apple until Tuesday. Although my computer was less than two years old, had to get a new one.
I am back to normal, and was able to read your blog. The market looked like a great place to spend a day, even if was too warm. The painting of your mom and dad is a treasure for always, like where you have it displayed. Your quotes about parents is so perfect, and the comments by
Matthew Mc Conaughey says it all. I heard him speak in Washington. with such emotion. Too bad the legislators don’t listen. The blueberry muffins, my favorites, looked like they could be eaten right off the page.
Whether you were at the Cape or the “Train House.” hope you and Victor had a good Memorial Day weekend.
Take good care, be well and enjoy.
With Love,
Lucille
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Hi Lucille, I was starting to worry about you!! Glad it was just computer problems, and exciting you got a new one!!
I knew you would like the painting of my mom and dad. It’s like that painting has a soul, I love looking at it and seeing my parents young!!
I heard McConaughey’s speech in DC too, it was emotional. However, I think the only thing that will get to those politicians is if they get hurt by a gun or a loved one does…It’s so sad😥
We were at the Train House for Memorial Day, that’s when we went to the Market Place!!
I love that you thought the blueberry muffin could be eaten off the page…it gives me so much pleasure to take pictures like that, that’s one of the reasons I do this blog!!
Thank you again for reading my blog, and leaving such thoughtful comments!! Stay well🙏💖
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