Plum Bush Cottage is my kind of blog. It has the essence of feminine fragility and soft lush pastels inviting you to stay a while. It is a quiet place where I feel as if I have shut the outside world away and I am allowed to walk peacefully throughout its pages. This is a serene place to visit and I have done so on many occasions. Because I have enjoyed reading this blog it makes me wonder about the person behind the scenes … about Shirley, who loves beautiful things and picturesque landscapes. Take it from me you will like it too.
How did you create this stunning site and how did you come to name it Plum Bush Cottage?
I started blogging several years ago and like many bloggers, it took me a while to find my niche. I eventually made my way to Blogger and used many of the beautiful blogs I found there as inspiration to create my own. I’ve always loved pastel colors and feminine surroundings and I wanted my blog to reflect my personality and what I love. The name Plum Bush Cottage really has no significant meaning; I like plums, I like purple and I like cottages. It’s as simple as that.
“Your First Cheesecake,” turned out perfectly, and your “Virgin Voyage with Sourdough,” was just as successful. How long have you been cooking? Your “Roasted Bell Peppers,” were so well demonstrated and your scrumptious “Pasta Caprese,” really inspired me!
I’ve actually been cooking for a very long time, since my twenties, and I’m now retired so that makes it over 40 years. However, I never really enjoyed it or was very good at it. I was a working single mother and by the time I got home from an exhausting job at a men’s prison and did all the things all mothers do, I was really too tired to enjoy cooking. It was just too difficult to put something delicious on the table and try to keep it original. So most of the time it was the same few recipes that I could make quickly and inexpensively. I always said that once the kids left home I was never cooking again. And for a while I didn’t. Then I retired and had the time and money to do many of things I couldn’t do before. I needed to find things to do that would fill up my time so I got out a few cookbooks and started watching the Food Network, and began to try my hand at cooking. I found that I loved it and was much better at it than I thought I could ever be. Now I love cooking for friends and family.
You have such varied interests, cooking, decorating, photography and gardening, to name a few. What are the best parts of these … what attracts you? How long have you been taking those marvelous pictures?
I think the thing that attracts me to all of these interests is the creativity. When cooking, even though I may be following a recipe, I often adapt and adjust the ingredients to make it my own or to conform to our tastes. The tomatoes, peppers and herbs that I grow go into the dishes I prepare. Decorating allows me to inject my personality and part of myself into our home. I have really gotten into photography more in the last several years when I bought a really good digital camera. I began taking pictures of everything I could in order to improve my skills, and rarely leave the house without my camera just in case I run across something worthy of a photo. Taking pictures of the dishes I prepare gives me a lot of practice too. I take a lot of shots using different settings to get the effect I want.
New York is one of my favorite places. Are you in The Big Apple, or a different region? Have you lived in this state all of your life? What draws you, what do you like the most about New York?
I’m in the Hudson Valley region, about 70 miles north of NYC. It’s gorgeous here with mountains, streams, and lots of wildlife. We have apple orchards and wineries and beautiful scenery. I look out my windows to see water, trees, deer and many types of birds, even bald eagles. Every season is beautiful here and I spend a lot of time photographing it. I like the proximity to NYC because of the many wonderful and interesting things to do and see there. I actually grew up in the Kansas City, MO area and moved here 30 years ago.
I saw you are on Twitter. Do you incorporate your blog into your Tweets?
Yes, I use twitterfeed to feed my blogs to Twitter automatically.
Do you like to travel? Please name a few of your favorite travel spots.
I love to travel; it is the thing I most wanted to do when I retired. Most of my travel has been in the USA. There are places I love in every section of this beautiful country. The only area I haven’t spent time in is the most Western part of the country, unless you count Vegas, which I don’t. My favorite place so far is Rockport, Mass., a beautiful, quaint seaside town. I also love Hilton Head Island, SC and Colorado. Coastal Maine is also a favorite.
When did you start writing your blog? Do you see yourself doing it a year or two from now? What has it brought you?
I started my Blogger blog about a year ago but prior to that I tried Yahoo 360 and Multiply; in all, I’ve been blogging for about three years. I do expect to still be blogging in a year or two because I really enjoy it. There are wonderful talented people in blogland who I’ve learned a lot from.
Are you single, or married with or without children? How does your blogging fit in? Do you have family or friends supporting your writing efforts?
I’ve been divorced for a long time now but I’ve been in a relationship for many years. I have five children and five grandchildren who are scattered around the country. My blogging is actually separate from my family and friends. Some don’t even know I do it; I’m not sure why, I just haven’t made a big deal about it. I do it for myself.
What is your inspiration for your blog? Which types of foods do you enjoy preparing the most?
There was really nothing that inspired me when I first began blogging. I was just trying to fill up some spare time. But as I wrote and became better at expressing myself I really got into it. Any inspiration came later as I branched out into trying more and different things. I was inspired by the creativity and often by other women bloggers who caught my interest.
I really enjoy cooking Italian dishes because they utilize fresh ingredients and although simple to prepare, they taste amazing.
How did you hear about Half Hour Meals and why did you join?
I recently received an email from Half Hour Meals asking if I would like to join. I took a look at the site and liked what I saw. There was such a variety of simple to prepare recipes and all sounded delicious.
What are the features you like about Half Hour Meals?
I really like the way the site is laid out and the way the recipes are categorized.
Have you tried any of our members’ recipes yet?
I’ve made Focaccia Bread Pizza and pasta with a creamy mushroom sauce that we both enjoyed very much. And I definitely want to try today’s Meal of the Day, Stir Fried Tamarind Shrimp.
If asked, what would you tell others about Half Hour Meals?
I would tell others about the ability to find a large, varied number of recipes that are quick and easy to prepare. This is so important for busy people who want to give their families something good and healthy to eat every day. There is also a friendly community of “foodies” to learn from and become acquainted with.
* I certainly wish to thank you for sharing your time with me, and our members. It is truly a joy to visit and read your blog and personally, I sincerely hope you continue writing for many, many years to come.
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