German Chocolate Cake With Candied Flowers

Our kids came home for Spring Break so we decided to make a German Chocolate Cake.

Edible flowers make the cake look so pretty.

Wash the pansies off and dry them.

Paint them with egg white wash.

Sprinkle them with superfine sugar and let them dry on a rack in a warm place for a few days.

Try different edible flowers that are

 in season right now.

 Have Fun!

Garden Tea Cart

Having a tea cart is a great accent 

piece for your garden. 

I  use it to serve my tea or coffee on. 

It's fun to decorate it for the holidays. 

It's a added piece of furniture 

without taking up a lot of space.

It's made of wrought iron 

and has a glass table top.

Some added stamped candles

 for a romantic night.

Some roses for color.

 Thyme plants set the mood

  for a nice relaxing afternoon.

Pink Cupcakes

I spent the day making pink cupcakes.

I think one of my favorite colors is pink.

All lined up ready for to be eaten.

After I made them, I sat outside in the garden

 and enjoyed the sunny weather with dessert.

Our Chandelier Hummingbird Nest

We had a wonderful surprise 

happen to us this weekend.

 A visit from a hummingbird in our chandelier. 

It found the nest from 

last year and decided to stay.

I am lucky because I can see it from our upstairs bedroom.

The birds were busy feeding today.

I noticed the hummingbird 

was working on it's new home.

Making the nest just right.

Beautiful green feathers.

There was one egg the first day.

Then a surprise the next day, two eggs...

Can't wait to see the babies.

The mother dove is back making

 a nest in the staghorn fern again.

IT'S SPRING TIME!

Rustic Vintage Arches

We had an old wrought iron gate

 that fell apart. 

So, we decided to recycle it. 

We painted it white.

 Don't you think it looks better?

The white color will make 

them more noticeable.

We had two arches from the gate.

 We found just the right spot, near one of

 our miniature gardens.

Can you see the other arch through 

the window above the bench?

My next project is to make 

a garland to hang from it.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY EVERYONE !

My friend, Jackie made this card for me.

I couldn't wait to share it..

I love the old Irish Blessing...

Thank you, Jackie, love the card.

Blooming Jasmine

The Jasmine looks so

 beautiful in bloom this year.

The smell is so fragrant.

It's pretty growing on a standing arch,

 trellis or fence.

My Heart of Roses

Earth laughs in flowers.  ~Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Hamatreya"

Let us dance in the sun, wearing wild flowers in our hair...  ~Susan Polis Shutz

Apples & Pears

What a wonderful combination.

Apples & Pears

My mother-in-law, Mary, 

helped cook an

 Apple and Pear Crisp for dessert.

She is turning 87 years old in July

 and loves to help in the kitchen. 

Our niece, Katlynn, helped too!

Lots of fun telling old stories 

and making each other laugh.

Cooking with the family is so important, especially when we don't live near each other. 

It's always a time to 

reconnect and enjoy memories.

A little of this and a little of that!

Apple Pear Crisp With Fresh Whipped Cream

Bon Appetit!

Ina Garten's

Apple and Pear Crisp Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ripe Bosc pears (4 pears)
• 2 pounds firm Macoun apples (6 apples)
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

For the topping:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup old-fashioned oatmeal
• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Peel, core, and cut the pears and apples into large chunks. Place the fruit in a large bowl and add the zests, juices, sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pour into a 9 by 12 by 2-inch oval baking dish.

For the topping:

Combine the flour, sugars, salt, oatmeal, and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed for 1 minute, until the mixture is in large crumbles. Sprinkle evenly over the fruit, covering the fruit completely.

Place the baking dish on a sheet pan and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until the top is brown and the fruit is bubbly. Serve warm.