sandi, I think my friend got this one on ebay! I did see some at Ben Franklin before Christmas and they had a green one that I wish I would have bought because now they don't have any. :( luvstocraft, I am missing a couple of plates and saucers but otherwise still have most of the set (set of 8) and also the vegetable bowls and the big round platter. And NO chips on any of them! lol! The yellow tablecloth is as old as the dishes and has had lots of wear! kathleen, I didn't know there was such a thing as a olive tray before my friend sent me that one. I think they are so unique!

Thank you all for the ideas. We are going to start freezing flour and similar dry goods for a few days before putting in the pantry in well sealed containers. I would just store them in the freezer if I could, but we are always short on freezer space thanks to Costco. Speaking of which, I plan to buy a Costco size bag of bay leaves and use them generously around our stored food. We do watch out for phthalates, pvc and bpa in plastics (I'll add styrenes to the list). That is part of why glass containers appeal to me, as well as the aesthetics. Of course, glass containers are tricky with a 2 year old in the house! We are going to run around to Ikea and The Container Store and wherever else I can think of to look at the available options. Maybe we will do a few really pretty glass jars with frequently used items like lentils and rice on the counters, and do a mix of glass and plastic containers in the pantry. I love the pantry pictures that show all the dry foods lined up in matching glass jars, but I should probably get over that fantasy. We have started checking the spices (which were in a different location), and there is no evidence of pests so far. We are bad about collecting spices. I'll buy something like juniper berries or cumin for a particular recipe, and then not want it again for a long time. We probably have 40 jars of various dried herbs and spices and another dozen of seasoning salts and seasoning blends (most of which we were given and don't use because we like to mix our own seasonings).

Deeby, mules eat the same as horses but better a lower protein...like about 10% and less sugar....because too much sweet feed (molasses added to oats and corn, etc.) can make them hyper. I also have 3 donkeys and they eat about the same as the mule...lots of good quality hay and they are all on pasture as well. Mules are different than other equines. The old saying goes (something like)....you tell a horse, ask a donkey and negotiate with a mule. Mules are very smart and they can be easily ruined if badly handled. You really do need to form a bond with a mule....if they like you, they will do so much more for you. Mules are male or female, just like horses...except a boy mule is called a john and a female is called a molly. It is preferable to geld a john mule when they are very young (geld means castrate...neuter, if you prefer). They are a hybrid of a horse and a donkey and they are sterile. Only very, very rarely has one reproduced. Interestingly enough, there is a farm in Florida that raises Gypsy Vanner horses, which are a large breed, supposedly the ones that Gypsies used to pull their caravans. Often paints, sort of like a draft horse....anyway, they do embryo transplants from Gypsy Vanner mares into female mules. The mules carry the little Gypsy Vanners and raise them and are said to make superior mothers. The reason they do that is because Gypsy Vanners are very expensive and they can produce many more foals that way....by having the mare mules carry the babies. Male donkeys are called Jacks and females are Jennies. My donkeys are named Amos, Moses and Hobo. Cherry Fizz, I collect dice too....I have four big jars of dice and also those flat craft marbles....two big jars of those. I have all kinds of things in jars....cookie cutters, scoops, polished stones, little ornaments, weird odds and ends....little bones, teeth. I'm sort of a cross between a pet coon and a magpie.

This is a nice side dish with roast beef or roasted chicken Roasted Fingerlings and Green Beans With Creamy Tarragon Dressing Makes: 4-6 servings Prep: 15 mins. Bake: 44 mins 1 ½ lb. fingerling potatoes* 1 ½ tbsp. olive oil, divided 1 tsp. salt divided ¾ tsp cracked pepper, divided ½ lb tiny green beans (haricots verts) Creamy tarragon dressing 1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut fingerlings in half lengthwise and place in a large bowl. Toss with 1 Tbsp olive oil, ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper. Place potato halves, cut sides up, in a jelly-roll pan. Toss green beans with remaining ½ tbsp oil, ½ tsp. salt and ¼ tsp pepper and place in another jelly-roll pan. 2. Bake potatoes at 425 degrees for 30 to 32 minutes or until tender and browned. Remove from oven, and let potatoes stand in pan. 3. Bake green beans at 425 degrees for 12 min. 4. Arrange green beans round roasted potatoes on a serving platter. Drizzle with Creamy Tarragon Dressing. *1 ½ lb small red potatoes, halved may be substituted with a bake time of 35 minutes. 1 ½ russet potatoes, quarted may be substituted with a bake time of 40 minutes. Creamy Tarragon Dressing: Makes: about ¾ cup Prep: 10 Min ¼ cup buttermilk 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice 1tsp sugar 1tsp Dijon style mustard ¾ salt ¼ tsp coarsely ground pepper ½ cup olive oil 2 tbsp finely chopped green onion 1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon 1. Whisk together first 6 ingredients in a small bowl until combined. Gradually whisk in olive oil in a slow steady stream whisking constantly until smooth. Whisk in green onion and tarragon. Use immediately or store in airtight container