Down the Shore

      I spent my last days  of summer at Wildwoods, about one hour away from
my home, where they have the biggest, best beaches in New Jersey.
They are the widest, safest and FREE beaches.
This is the place  where doo-wop began, where many rock and roll legends got their start,
 and where there are more "google" doo-wop style motels than anywhere else.
       I was at the convention center selling auto literature at the  Classic Car Auction.
 Every year we participate in this fantastic,  fun event where they park hundreds
of cars on the boardwalk.
      The  Irish Festival  is also a big hit, this same weekecnd, and you'll see
lots of green beads and hair, funny hats etc.
 They have Irish  music, dancing,  contests and performances.

WildwoodsNJ.com

 One morning ,I went to the Wildwood Historical Society museum.

The museum has old amusements memorabilia,

 Tons of antiques and vintage Wildwood stuff!

50's record player, like I  once had!

Chubby Checker  became famous in Wildwood!

Sign from a famous restaurant, once  in Anglesea, the northend of Wildwood.

Mario Lanza's family had a place here in Wildwood.

 Some  ship's antiques, an old barrister and  an oak captain's chair.

 An original  carousel horse from one of the amusement piers.

Boardwalk Rolling Chair

You could hire a ride in this wicker chair, 

 an be pushed from one end of the boardwalk to the other.

Old bumper cars from an amusement pier.  

These creepy passengers must have come from the " spook house"!

These and other great exhibits at the George F. Boyer Museum

Wildwood Historical Society

 3907 Pacific Avenue

Wildwood, New jersey 08260

E-mail: wildwoodhistoricalsociety@hotmail.com

Then on to a thrift shop, looking for vintage.

Megan is finding some super 60's fashions at Cheap Charlie's on Pacific Avenue

    I enjoyed meeting up with my new friend Megan and her fiance.
  She's a young chick who came to my yard sale wearing vintage,
  shopping with her grandma,and we got talking vintage!   Discovered we're both bloggers!
 Check out her pretty vintage clothes on her blog, Overpowered by Funk  
She's an expert at finding cool fashions,  and introduced me to some nifty thrift shops here
 and all over south Jersey!

These  vintage dresses  are at What Goes On,. a cool shop full of posters,
 vintage clothing, used books, and rock and roll stuff.

Now I'm walking back to the Car Auction

A pretty street with newer condos, rental units, 
 just one or two blocks  from the beach.
I must get back to the boardwalk and work at our car literature booth!

  Back on the boards were these adorable micro-cars that you rarely see!

And some really amazing custom cars

muscle cars 

General Lee!  Remember the  Dukes of Hazard?

The  beautiful Convention Center is located at 4501 Boardwalk, Wildwood, N.J.
 There are many events scheduled including Greater Wildwood Chamber of Commerce
Fabulous '50s & Beyond Weekend, October 18-19
For lastest updates, please visit WildwoodsNJ.com or call 800.992-9732

'57 Chevy

 Cute tray on a 50's car

 Inside at the Auction,  a cool VW Bus/Camper

 '47  Cadillac Limo

Crosley

 And here's our booth, a traveling library..  See, I really do work!
We sell back issue auto magazines to car guys and gals.
 What cars do you need articles about?  I'm sure I could find you something.

It is the most fun, seeing all these incredible classic cars on the boardwalk
with the gorgeous background of the sea, dunes and huge beach.

'55 Chevy

'58 Chevy

   But I just have to get 'down the shore', at least once during the summer,
 and hear the surf, feel the sea breeze, feel the sand in my toes!
   It sorta puts everything in perspective, like the song says,
  "I hope you still feel small,  when you stand beside the ocean."
 I usually sing goofy songs  "Down by the sea",  "Under the Boardwalk", as I stroll along,
 Then I begin to comtemplate the wonders I see, and I can't help but think and sing,

 "How Great Thou Art".  

It's an amazing experience, when I'm down here alone,
 just me and the shorebirds, and my Lord.
 Just a little time away from the noisy commotion on the boards,
  and  I'm fully restored.

Now I am ready to let go of summer, and embrace autumn.  So glad to turn off the air conditioner!
Hoping Tommy's pumpkin turns orange soon!

Back home, back to work, I saw these mums growing near my daughter's new home.

Happy Fall, Ya'll! 

 Love, Linda

For more cars pictures, and Wildwood beach shots, see my last year's post, www.grandmalay.blogspot.com/2012_09_01_archive.html

Happy Grandparent's Day!

Well, my yard sale was a flop, but the weekend was beautiful!  I made a new friend, enjoyed being out of doors, and soaked up some sun   while savoring some gorgeous  last-of-summer days!  I'm cleaning out our aunt's house, and decided hold a sale when I heard how perfect the weather would be.

Smiling sunflower, I found  in a Photography magazine

Some vintage mid-century  furniture I tried to sell, but not too many people stopped by.

Inside there's  a cute little mid-century dining room set.  It's in great shape.
 Blonde wood in Danish modern style, was popular in the 50's. I listed it on Craigslist.
Our aunt and uncle took care of their things, so they lasted.
 I'm hoping some young couple starting out, or old couple down-sizing will like it.

  I walked around the yard taking pictures, since I was waiting  and hoping for customers.  Rose of Sharon  is growing in the sideyard.

Pokeberry in the back yard border.  I'm thinking of using it to dye some fabrics. Did you ever try that?

 a lovely white  Rose of Sharon  also blooms on the property

 Cute house, their pride and joy, They built it in 1957.  Too bad the nursing home gets it all.  I sure would like to have inherited it.
 I'm in the process of cleaning it out, and painting, so the real estate agency can list it. Makes me sad.

Then I was delighted when a sweet young woman and her granny stopped by.  She was wearing vintage clothing!  And out shopping with her grandma!   I knew I liked her right away!
She purchased a few dresses from me and told me about her blog and her interest in modeling and wearing vintage, so we exchanged blog addresses and now we're friends!

http://www.modelmayhem.com/1751824

Came home tonight and found the sweetest message from my little darling waiting for me!

Hope you're enjoying your last days of summer too! 

 Linda

Making Pesto in the Sweet Summertime!

     We've been enjoying the tomatoes and cubanelle peppers from my garden
 and using fresh herbs every day!   Last night, I made a Caprese salad with tomato slices, basil leaves, sprinkled with parmesan, and drizzled with balsamic dressing.  
Today I trimmed my daughter's basil,and surprised her by making one of her favorites---- pesto!
 Then I cooked some spiral  Rotini pasta to go with it, so when she comes home, her dinner is all ready.

My little patio herb garden.

Did you ever stake a cantalope plant?
  I wonder if the stake will support the fruit as it grows bigger.

I also have okra, for the first time. It is a really pretty plant to have in a flower and vegetable garden.
Do you know a good way to use okra, besides fried okra, and gumbo?

Jersey tomatoes are the best!

Pesto ingredients,  are mostly things we usually have on hand.
 Except the pine nuts, but you can make pesto without them,
   or use any other nuts you may have.

                    Quick and Easy Pesto
2-3 cups fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup pine nuts, 
              or substitute walnuts, almonds or cashews
1/3 cup olive oil
2-3 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 cup  grated or shredded parmesan
 salt and pepper
2-3 tablespoons lemon juice,  to prevent pesto turning brown

    Pick fresh basil leaves off the stems, wash and dry. 
 Combine leaves, nuts, olive oil and place in food processor
 or other chopper/ blender. 
 Blend until  it becomes a smooth paste. 
 Add garlic and lemon juice.  
 Stir into hot pasta, or use as a spread. 

Refrigerate for up to one week, freeze to preserve longer.     

Shortcuts:  I used prepared minced garlic, and purchased  already-shredded cheese. 

Lemon or lime juice will keep the pesto from browning, and add a little tang.

Combine and blend. 

There you go!  Fresh Pesto!

       It makes a tasty pasta dish.  Simply stir into any type cooked pasta,

 or use as a sandwich or cracker spread.

 I've had pesto on chicken paninis, pizza and various hors d'ourves.

 I've heard that Italian grandmothers hand chop the basil and nuts because they prefer the courser texture, but I like the convenience of using a food processor.   Quick and easy!

 My daughter's Kitchen Aid Chopper would have been a better idea, but, because she's getting ready to move, it was packed up.  So I used the Magic Bullet, and made it in  two small batches, which I combined in a bowl.

 It keeps in a covered bowl, in refrigerator for up to one week.
Canning is not recommended, but basil freezes well, for later use.
You can freeze in an ice cube tray.  Then pop them out and bag them.
  Thaw one or more as needed.    It's great to have fresh-tasting pesto year-round.

Even Tommy likes it!
 And he  really loves his own home-grown tomatoes
 in his grilled cheese and tomato sandwiches. 

  

Mommy has a potted basil on Tommy's  patio.


I love gardening, cooking and teaching Thomas about  all these things---tomatoes, praying mantis',
  birds and bees, growing plants, eating from our garden, the beauty all around us and
  all God's gifts in nature!
 He's growing up so fast, and I  feel like this time of  sharing his childhood is so precious. He'll be off to  nursery school  one day soon, and summer is flying by,  and  this time is so important,  there's so much to share with him,  and it's going by too quickly!   

 Earlier in July, a robin red-breast made her nest on the patio light fixture, 
and we were always  watching her feed her babies. 
 But they were grown and flown away within three weeks!  

Look who we found on Tommy's pumpkin plant! 

This Goose was hissing at us on our walk today!

 Unfortunately, Thomas got his first bee sting,  by a yellow jacket  on his swingset, earlier this week.
I felt so bad, when he was stung.   But I  showed him that bees really are our friends and  usually won't bother us if we stay a safe distance.  This busy  bumblebee was on a wildflower at our neighborhood pond, where we always  go on our walks.   Tommy's moving soon, and we will not be walking this same place much longer. Next summer it  will be a different neighborhood. 
 Oh, I'm getting so sentimental and change is so hard.     
Sweet,  sweet summertime, with my sweet, sweet baby grandboy, 
who just turned three, how fast his sweet baby days have passed!  

Hope you're enjoying a sweet summertime too! 
Love, Linda