Summer Blooms July 2016

Here's what I'm enjoying now in my garden!  It's been very hot and there hasn't been much rain, so these plants deserve our respect:)

Blanket Flowers

Coreopsis

Daisies

Astilbes

Potentilla

One Lone Clematis Bloom!

Obedient Plant

Look at our Basil!!!

Beach Inspirations

I just spent a few days at Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.  
I'm always inspired when I'm in awe of God's creation.
Here are a few photos that turned out better than I expected.

Late Spring Blooms 2016

Japanese Painted Fern

Bachelor Buttons

Clematis

Sweet William

Jacob's Ladder

Coral Bells

Sage

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Delphiniums

Clematis

Not a bad spring turnout!  

My House Is A Mess!

What do you do when you feel like your house is a mess and you don't know where to start??  Don't panic.

I read somewhere that the best way to eat an elephant is "one bite at a time!"  Instead of being overwhelmed with everything that you think needs to be done, just focus on ONE small task at a time!

My focus this week was my windowsills.  After a long winter, I was thrilled to open my windows to get some fresh air in the house.  This is what greeted me!

Even though there is a long list of chores I need to do around the house, I focused on ONE thing.  I got a rag and some cleaner and wiped my windowsills.  It only took 5 minutes.  I can clean windows and mini-blinds and ...another day ...one "elephant bite at a time."

How do you handle big tasks?  Any words of advice?  I'd love to hear them!

Spring Flowers 2016

I'm enjoying this spring very much.  Maybe it's because the weather "feels" like spring, chilly mornings, warming up in the afternoons, sleeping with the windows open...

Here's what's blooming in my yard!

Sweet Woodruff

Dogwood

Siberian Weeping Pea

Lily of the Valley

Lilacs

Not sure??

Chives

Italian Cream Cake

Here's one of my favorite classic cakes!  I love to serve this one after a nice Italian dinner.  It wows everyone presented on a beautiful pedestal.

Italian Cream Cake

Cream together 1 stick margarine and 1/2 cup butter-flavored Crisco, add 2 cups sugar and beat until very smooth.  Separate 5 eggs.  Set aside whites and beat until stiff.  Add yolks to the mixture.  Alternately add 2 cups flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp vanilla, and 1 cup buttermilk to mixture.  Stir in 1 cup chopped walnuts and 3/4 cup coconut.  Fold in egg whites.

Pour into 3 greased and floured 8-inch cake pans.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25-35 minutes until cake tests done.  

Frost with your favorite cream cheese frosting and top with more coconut.

This is such an impressive cake to serve to guests.  The consistency of the cake is very fluffy.  I just wowed some teacher friends with this dessert.  They loved the combination of the coconut and walnuts in the cake.

The Best Ribs Ever

Tony makes the best ribs ever!
Our friend, Danni, showed us how she oven-bakes them.  
And Tony's rub spice blend is unbeatable.
Here's how it's done.

Mix together:

1 / 2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp coarse black pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 / 4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 / 2 tsp paprika
1 / 4 tsp hot smoked paprika
1 / 4 tsp chili powder

Place ribs on a foil lined baking sheet.  Rub the mixture liberally on both sides of ribs.

Cover with foil, then bake at 290 degrees for 3 1 / 2 hours.

They will look like this.

Spread your favorite barbecue sauce all over the top.
Put them back into a 425 degree oven for 20 minutes - uncovered!

The meat will literally fall off the bones.  You can eat these with a fork.  They are the most tender and flavorful ribs we've ever had.  Enjoy!!