Sponge Cake

 

 I have no intention of minimizing the impact of all the wildfires. The loss of homes and businesses as well as all the forests is heart-breaking. But when I saw this silly cartoon posted I had to chuckle. 

I did bake yesterday....first the cheese buns then I made a sponge cake. I found a great recipe for one on British Chef's Table. It's called  Mary Berry Sponge cake with oil.  I reduced the sugar from 1 cup to 3/4 and I may try reducing it even more next time.  I like that the recipe calls for only 1/2 cup oil whereas other sponge cake recipes called for 1 cup oil or 1/2 butter.

My bush beans are ready for picking and I'm going to make Green Bean Soup for supper. A vital ingredient is Summer Savory. Are you familiar with this delightful little plant?  The seeds are hard to find so I depend on mine self-seeding. One year I must have hoed out the tiny volunteers in spring. Luckily my sister had seeds and shared them. I do grow Winter Savory and that is a perennial but it's flavor is much milder.

It blooms with the sweetest little flowers.

I think I'll go sit on the porch now and read before starting that soup. What are you having today?  With the time zones being what they are you probably already had your evening meal. In that case, how was it?

Cooler weather & Flowers

It feels so good to be wearing a light cardigan after the weeks of hot weather.  No surprise to anyone but I'm baking today,.  Grandson M loves the cheese buns I make and of course we were out of those last week already. So the breadmaker is on and later I'll make those.

The old PG Hydrangea is enormous and almost covers the front arbour. At this point no one can sit on the bench.  I do cut off the branches that poke into the walkway but other than that no pruning is done.

 

When we walked yesterday morning the sun shone on the fountain in the lake and caused a rainbow effect.
There's a boat on the water in the distance.  You can see it better in the next picture.

I have PG Hydrangeas, and regular Mopheads, but I don't have a lace cap so Eldest Daughter brought me a bouquet of those. I put it on the picnic table outside ( next to the freezer).

Another bouquet, this one for the diningroom table.  This one was courtesy of Middle Son.

I'm off to look through my recipes to see what else I should bake. 

Thanks for visiting 🌼🌼🌼

 

Monday Chit Chat

 

Monday again and for me at least it means the usual laundry.  I'm so happy that it's cooler today. One feels much more energized than when it's so hot. Who knows, I may even make a supper that involves turning on the oven!!

 The first nasturtiums are opening.....

 ...and the first morning glories

 Did you remember to look out for the full moon yesterday? Sadly we had cloudy skies. It was the Full Buck Moon. The internet has this to say  "In late spring male deer start to grow new antlers, and these new antlers, coated with velvety fur, can be fully visible by July."

 

 

I hope your week is off to a good start. 

Thanks for coming by

Pillowcases

  

Do you ever have a problem coming up with ideas for a post?  That's my problem today. SO... I've been browsing Pinterest again and I thought I'd show some of the pretty pillowcases I've been looking at. 

#4

I like them all but some are not practical for sleeping on  but the last one #7 and also #8 would be my choices for being pretty but also practical.  Do you have a favourite ?

Thanks for coming by

Lily pads and Vegetables

 For days there has been a machine similar to this one on the lake clearing at least some of the lily pads that can totally cover the surface. I kept forgetting to get a picture until today when I got one of dealing with the pile of leaves that had been dumped at the edge of the lake.

 Today was also grocery shopping day. I prefer to buy my vegetables at a smaller market. I got a lovely assortment all for $12. Hot weather or not there will be soup on tomorrow's menu.

 The weather continues to be sunny and hot. Hopefully we'll get a break one of these days.

Thanks for visiting

 

 

Pineapple Jam

 Another warm week begins. I have finished dealing with the laundry. DH brought home a box of 8 large, very ripe pineapples from Gleaners. They were given several hundred lbs of pineapples which they couldn't use. After all, it's dried soup mix they make and pineapple just doesn't work for soup. In cases like that the volunteers are encouraged to take and use what otherwise will be compost. So we made jam. We used equal amounts of pineapple and rhubarb and it's surprisingly tasty.
(Our grown children were happy to take a pineapple home too).

 Gleaners also got 60,000 lbs of potatoes of which 5000 lbs were beyond hope and were put in the compost but the rest will make a great addition to soup mix. It's always interesting for me when DH comes home after working there all morning with tales of what the latest  produce that was donated and in what astounding quantities.  In the case of the potatoes it seems that the warehouses have to make room for this year's crop so are getting rid of last year's.

Thank you for coming by,  GM

More Flowers and an Apron

 One of my Amaryllis decided to bloom. Her blooms are so heavy that I've had to prop up the stalk that holds them.  Now I noticed that another Amaryllis has a flower stalk ( scape) emerging.

 I have just 2 Dahlias, both are in pots on the porch.

 I don't sew but if I did I'd try making this pretty apron that I saw on Pinterest.

 Thanks for visiting,  

         Have a pleasant weekend

                    Granny M