Happy Valentine’s Day, Y’all!

Happy Valentine’s Day, y’all!!! Obviously, I bought some Girl Scout cookies yesterday and they had the cutest marketing technique… An Axolotl costume!!! (Say: “axle”- “ought” – “L” sound) The girls told me it was their troop’s mascot.

I went into the store to buy some strawberries to make chocolate dipped strawberries to share with the staff today (Valentine’s Treat Day). But then I began looking at all the goodies… And I was hungry!

So I came away with Krispy Kreme donuts in heart and regular shapes (yum!!!) and a small vase of flowers with a cute woven Valentine’s heart. I came home and paired these for hubby, Mr. Ethereal, so he’d have something nice to surprise him for Valentine’s Day today. 😉

I looked in my desk drawers and found this sweet vintage-style card and Gramma had provided the pretty plates…

I might do some belated Valentine posts since I haven’t shared the sweet cart and it’s Valentine’s look behind the counter here. I also rearranged the cupboard but I just was in a blue funk (typical winter blahhhs) and didn’t get much done this month.

The sun is out now and it is getting warmer, so I am feeling happier! So nice to get back out into the garden and do a little work.

We had a nice luncheon at school and a bunch of sweet treats in the morning. One of our former teachers is now a realtor so she brought pinwheel sandwiches and chips for us all and gathered phone numbers and addresses in case we were looking to buy or sell a home.

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

These chocolate dipped strawberries are really easy to make. Messy but oh so good!!! Just microwave in a bowl:

• Buy and wash a couple of flats of strawberries, removing bits of old leaves and leaves which fall off. Pat the washed berries dry.
• Microwave about 1 cup of mixed 1/2 milk chocolate and 1/2 dark chocolate chips in 30 second intervals, about 3 times until the chocolate mixed with a spoon is smooth. You can use chocolate melts, too, but I was out of them. (This tastes better, anyway! :)’ ) Refill the bowl as many times as needed and microwaving the cooling chocolate as needed.
• Immediately dip freshly washed and dried strawberries twirling them to coat the bottoms. Lay on wax paper.
• Move the waxed paper and dipped berries onto a cookie sheet and place in a freezer for about 15 minutes to harden the chocolate.
• Transfer to a pretty plate when cold and store wrapped in Saran Wrap or in a plastic keeper in the refrigerator until ready to serve!

Has been a lovely Valentine’s Day so far! I’m surprising my mother-in-law with some flowers and a few chocolate covered strawberries for her Valentine’s treat. I left a message for Hubby to come and meet us for dinner, if he can get away from work. We shall see!

Anyway… No Share Your Style this evening since everyone will probably be celebrating the day with their loved ones. Enjoy your special day!!!

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Blessings & hugs on this remembrance day of the real Saint Valentine,