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Category: flowers

new life

new life



I know that it was there all winter, but really, everything seemed so dead. The yards, parks and roadsides were beginning to seem as if they were populated by skeleton trees and a remnant of brave but lonely evergreens.
And then one day last week, we went to the park. The Bradford Pear and tulip trees were blooming. The first of them all to bloom and leaf out. The rest of the trees and bushes almost seemed to be waiting for them to take the lead, for now there is a hazy green film everywhere. Just in time for Easter. How appropriate.

As long as the earth endures,
seedtime and harvest,
cold and heat,
summer and winter,
day and night
will never cease. -Gen 8:22

If those words have proven true, these will as well:

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am. -John 14:3

cute clothes make the day better

cute clothes make the day better

Emma and I have been having a …… trying day. We have been bothered by what seems to be some very uncomfortable gas in her tummy. Nothing I have done has been able to calm her for long. So, knowing that a cute baby is harder to be upset with and to reduce the likelihood of frustration on my part, I put her into one of her adorable outfits. I’m not sure if it made her feel better, but it helped me.


She did enjoy putting it on, though.

Emma finally settled down for a long nap …

… and her bow slipped down over her eyes. I was not about to move it because 1) she might wake up, and 2), it was really cute!

Did you know that tulips smell like honey? I didn’t either, until John brought these home the other night. Their scent has been wafting by me pretty much all day long. A nice bit of spring when it’s 7 degrees outside.
pictures from an october walk

pictures from an october walk

:: a little “friend” we found ::

I love fall. I love it almost as much as I love spring.

I love the intensity of color, how inviting it is to take an evening walk, the sound of the leaves as they crunch underfoot. I love the cooler weather, the crispness. I love how the grey days make me want to bake and clean. Or snuggle up with a blanket and a book.

I love fall.

yesterday

yesterday

The herbs that John bought for me in the beginning of May were starting to crowd the tomato, so I split them up.

And because we were just about out of bread, and I really didn’t feel like asking John to go out again, I made some. Rosemary Raisin.

6 to 6 1/2 cups flour
2 pkg. (1 1/2 tbsp) active dry yeast
2 1/2 cups milk
3 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp butter (I used olive oil)
2 tsp salt
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 cups dark or golden raisins
4 tsp dried crushed rosemary
1 egg white
1 tbsp milk

In a large mixing bowl combine 3 cups of flour and the yeast; set aside.
In a medium saucepan heat and stir together the 2 1/2 cups milk, the sugar, butter, and salt until warm and butter almost melts. Add milk mixture to the flour mixture, stir. Add egg yolk, stir until combined.
Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping the bowl. Beat on high for 3 minutes more. Sprinkle with raisins and rosemary. Using a wooden spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.
Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 to 60 minutes.
Punch down the dough. Divide dough in half. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Lightly grease two loaf pans; shape each half of the dough into a ball and place in prepared pans. Cover and let rise until nearly double, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375. For the glaze, combine the egg white with the remaining milk; brush lightly over the surface of the dough.
Bake about 40 minutes or until loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Cover loosely with foil to prevent over browning during the last ten minutes of baking, if necessary. Remove from pans immediately.

For dinner John barbecued some steak which he had marinated with a bit of balsamic vinegar and a shake of seasoned salt (one of the best simple marinades we’ve done yet), and I defrosted some peas in the microwave and topped them with blu cheese. A simple, yet extremely delicious and satisfying meal.

dinner guests

dinner guests

Evan, Sarah, Leah, Elizabeth and Esther stopped by for the evening yesterday. It was awesome to have people over!
We took them to church with us (we went last night because John had to work today) and stopped to pick up groceries on the way home. John BBQed some burgers and hot dogs (he is really starting to enjoy the charcoal grill!), and I made up some guacamole. John and I decided that we really enjoy having our family over. Mhmm.
The girls gave us a housewarming gift!

Oh, as they were about to leave I remembered that I had a cheesecake in the refrigerator that I had made up the day before (just because I felt like it). So they decided to stay a moment longer to partake. The recipe looked rather mundane, and the cheesecake itself rather resembled a wheel of Brie cheese, but once you bit into it (with some blueberry coulis on top), it was heavenly!
Sour Cream Cheesecake
Joy of Cooking
Crush or grind fine:
1 1/2 cups graham crackers
Stir into the crumbs until well blended:
1/4 to 1/2 cups powdered sugar (if substituting granulated, use 1/4 cup)
6 tbsp melted butter
1 tsp cinnamon
Pat into a 9″ springform pan. Chill.
Mix well, then pour into the crust:
2 well beaten eggs
3/4 lb. soft cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp lemon juice or 1/2 tsp vanilla (I used vanilla)
1/2 tsp salt
Bake about 20 minutes in a preheated 375 oven. Remove from oven and dust the top with cinnamon.
Let cool to room temperature.
Mix well and pour over the cake:
1 1/2 cups thick cultured sour cream
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
Bake about 5 minutes in a 425 oven to glaze the cheesecake. Let it cool, then refrigerate from 6 to 12 hours before serving.
Blueberry Coulis
Cook’s Illustrated, May/June 2003
12 oz fresh or frozen thawed blueberries
5 (scant) tbsp sugar
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
2 tsp lemon juice
In a medium saucepan, bring berries, 1/4 cup water, sugar, cinnamon and salt to bare simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally; cook until sugar has dissolved and berries are heated through, about 1 minute longer.
(I skipped this next step) Transfer mixture to blender or food prcessor; puree until smooth, about 20 seconds. Strain through a very fine-mesh strainer , pressing and stirring to extract as mush seedless puree as possible.
Stir in lemon juice.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, as least 1 hour.