Red Lips and Sticky Fingers

While on a fresh Summer fruits kick, thought I'd share another easy favorite baked treat from my kitchen yesterday. I'm always shocked at the high price of purchased muffins in grocery stores and bakeries. Often they have been frozen, contain yucky preservatives................and far too much sugar.

Fresh raspberries are my favorite soft fruit. Unfortunately their season is short and one has to grab them and use them quickly as their shelf life is brief. Growing up in England we grew our own in the back garden. Our neighbor had even more canes than us and she didn't like raspberries! For those few weeks in early Summer it was heaven, and my little fingers, and mouth, were stained with bright red juice which dripped down onto my cotton sundresses. I don't remember mum ever getting mad though - guess she knew the secret to getting out the stains and we always pegged the washing outdoors on the clothesline, the sun being our bleach!

Let's bake..................some good treats!

Old-Fashioned Raspberry Muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon each salt and grated nutmeg

1-1/2 cups fresh raspberries (or blueberries)

2 large eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/4 cup sliced almonds and 1 tablespoon sugar for garnish, mixed together

In large bowl mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Add raspberries, stir gently to coat evenly. In small bowl beat eggs with fork, beat in milk and cooled butter. Add to raspberry mixture, stir until just blended (berries will break apart but this is OK). Fill greased muffin cups 2/3 full. Sprinkle with almonds and sugar. Bake in preheated 400 degree oven 15-20 mins. until pick inserted in center comes out clean. Makes 12 reg. size muffins. Can be baked in a 9" square pan 30-35 mins. for a coffee cake.

Illustrations from this gorgeous large format book, a gift from my son -

FRUIT ~ An Illustrated History published by the Royal Horticultural Society.

Cherry Ripe........

Cherry Ripe (1879)

John Everett Millais - 1829-1896

Cherry ripe, cherry ripe,
Ripe I cry,
Full and fair ones
Come and buy.
English Folk Song set to words by Robert Herrick ~ English Poet (1591-1674)

This past week Costco displayed these boxes of American grown cherries ~ firm, sweet and fresh. If you love cherries, the best way to eat them is of course right off the stalk, spitting the stone surreptitiously away from whom ever you may be sharing these treats with, or dropping them daintily into a bowl ~ as I did on Saturday while sharing with my new neighbor and trying to display good manners. We had afternoon tea in the gazebo, flowing lazily into an evening aperitif consisting of a lovely chilled dry Rose accompanied by these cherries.

The remaining cherries were pitted and turned into a Father's Day dessert, French cherry clafoutis.

This is my favorite clafoutis recipe from Ina Garten's Barefoot in Paris cookbook. She tweaks it by using pears which are wonderful, but here I'm returning to the traditional cherry version.

Cherry Clafoutis

1 tablespoon unsalted butter at room temperature

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

3 extra large eggs at room temperature

6 tablespoons all purpose flour

1-1/2 cups heavy cream

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons Brandy or Kirsch (Ina uses pear Brandy for the pear version)

1-1/2 lbs. fresh cherries, washed and dried

Confectioner's sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 10 x 1-1/2 round baking dish and sprinkle the bottom and sides with 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar.

Beat the eggs and the 1/3 cup granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. On low speed mix in the flour, cream, vanilla extract, lemon zest, salt and Brandy. Set aside for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, pit the cherries (an inexpensive cherry pitter is a great help - OXO makes a nice one with a juice guard). Arrange in a single layer, packed together, in the baking dish. Pour the batter over the cherries and bake until the top is golden brown and the custard is firm, 35-40 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, sprinkled with confectioner's sugar. Bon Appetit!

Photo from FRENCH - Delicious classic cuisine made easy.

***************

Below, granddaughter Jasmin choosing cherries from a market stall during our visit to France - June 2006

"The best ones ever Grandma".

Roses for the guys

Not only were my roses drying and dying from the intense heat of the past two weeks, just about everything else was beginning to struggle ~ the gardens, the animals and we the people!

Last night we had some rain, thank goodness. This morning the shrubs have perked up ~ the squirrels look cool in their fur coats ~ the Robins are not fighting over who gets to dunk in the birdbaths ~ and the Chickadee doesn't need to perch on top of the fountain for his morning shower. The leaves dangle wet and shiny from the trees ~ the tiny figs on the small bush may have expanded ever so slightly ~ the basil has reached the top edge of the pots ~ the driveway is washed clean again making everything look brighter. Perhaps more showers later ~ fine with us, and our gardens.

Roses and wishes to all Fathers everywhere today.

Pink Saturday

We're definitely having Summer straw hat days around here - and this is such a pretty one for all those hip, pink loving gals, who are heading out and about town to do a little 'junk shopping' on a hot weekend.

It's important to always keep a cool head!

Display in Jeannie's booth at SuzAnna's Antiques ~ modern twist against a beautiful French tapestry back drop.

To join in the fun on Pink Saturdays - visit Beverly

at How Sweet The Sound for details.

WELCOME mat.....

This sweet young miss, a female American Robin fairly new to the world by the color of her plumage, crashed into my glass storm door this morning - such a loud thud I heard it upstairs. We came running and found her flat on the door mat - WELCOME did not seem the appropriate word at that moment. However, after a few minutes she stood up, and perhaps five minutes later, following some wobbling and heavy breathing, she fluttered under a hydrangea bush. Later I watched her fly into my neighbor's garden where her family was waiting - she seemed fine. Granddaughter, dh and I were relieved and happy.

"God finds a low branch for the bird that cannot fly." Turkish Proverb

"Be like the bird that, pausing in her flight awhile on boughs too slight, feels them give way beneath her, and yet sings, knowing that she hath wings."

............Victor Hugo ~ 1802-1885...........

Tagged by a Brit!

Well I've been tagged to do the meme list thing........this time by M, my ex-pat Brit friend at Steamed Sponge. I never did get around to doing this before so have promised to forge ahead this time telling you things you probably don't even want to know!

What was I doing 10 years ago? Living here in Raleigh, probably moaning about the same hot Summer weather and biting mosquitoes. I had recently retired and was taking care of my new granddaughter much of the time.

Five snacks I enjoy ~

• English Digestive biscuits (plain or chocolate covered) with a cup of good tea


• Cracked pepper Triscuits with Trader Joe's Goat Cheese


• Handful of raw Almonds


• Greek Yogurt with fresh Raspberries


• Starbucks Classic Coffee ice cream - of course!

Five things on my TO DO list today ~

• Water the garden - still restricted but today's the day


• Make soup - chilled will be perfect


• Bake a fresh pear gateau


• Wash all the china in the dining room Welsh dresser


• Sit in the gazebo at tea time even if it is 100 degrees - luckily there's a ceiling fan

If I suddenly became a billionaire I would ~

• Help family members who need it ~ but only for housing, medical expenses and education


• Donate huge amounts to cancer, MS, and arthritis research, local elder care facilities, and local SPCA


• Start searching for a dream home here which would still be small and manageable for my 'golden years' ~ one level, easy to care for bathrooms, huge French family style kitchen, easy to get into storage areas, low maintenance garden, garage


• Buy a small, but exquisite old house in the French village where my brother and family live for my 'holiday home'


• Buy everything at SuzAnna's Antiques so they could have a break....and then go hunting to fill the shop up with treasures again!


• Travel first class to visit all the wonderful blog friends I've made around the world

Five places I've lived ~

• Torquay, England


• Washington, D.C.


• New Hampshire


• Massachusetts


• North Carolina

Five jobs I've had ~

• Insurance Secretary


• Medical Secretary


• Full Service Art Studio/Ad Agency Manager


• Admin. Asst. to Director (State Agency for Deaf/Hard of Hearing)


• Admin. Asst. Geropsychiatry (State Psychiatric Hospital)

Five Random Facts you may not know about me ~

• I came to the USA for one year and have been here almost forty six!
• I'm a cheese-aholic ~ but only good cheese, none of that dyed orange rubber stuff
• I have always wanted to be an artisan baker ~ I love good bread
• I used to sew almost all my own clothes ~ would only use Vogue patterns ~ my mum was my teacher as she actually made clothes for the Royals when she apprenticed in London

I wasn't going to pass this along as most of you have already done it, however there are a few new friends who may enjoy participating, so I'll tag ~~~~~~~~~~~~

Vanessa at Vanilla Lavender ~ Pamela at The House of Edward ~ Ms. Daisy at One Daisy Chain

Coffee Break

Just returned from granddaughter Jasmin's fifth grade graduation ~ with the temp. close to 100, and the high humidity, it officially registered 103 degrees. Stepping out from the school gym to the picnic area the heat just knocked your socks off ~ if you were foolish enough to be wearing them on such a broiling hot day! Myself, crisp white linen and sandals......to start. Wrinkled, damp disheveled linen, bare feet in the grass.........the end!

So it's time for a coffee break....................forget the mug, this is what I'm planning and all that's required is a spoon, the only way to indulge in the best coffee ice cream ever. Right from the container.............of course.

Coffee ice cream lover's dream.

Bring your parasol.....

"Goodness gracious, can't we find a cooler spot to loll? This North Carolina Summer has arrived too soon".

But, doesn't this look much more romantic than camping indoors with the air conditioning running at full blast?

When I step inside the North Carolina Museum of Art I always turn left to view this beautiful painting first. It's very large (57 X 76 inches) and always seems so welcoming. I love everything about it ~ the parasols, dresses, hat, garden furniture, and the table set for afternoon tea most likely. The play of light and shadow and the brilliant colors are truly beautiful.

The Garden Parasol ~ 1910

Frederick Carl Frieseke - (American 1874-1939)

North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh

Presents for the heart

FRIENDS often want to spoil you. They present special little gifts that bring a smile to your heart. They KNOW what you love, taking a moment in their busy day to scoop up something they spy on a shelf or counter, perhaps at an auction, or tucked away in a vintage shop, thinking that YOU might like that treasure.

Last week Susie and Anna at SuzAnna's Antiques presented me with this 1891 edition of USES of TISSUE PAPER. They just knew I would love the illustrations. They often find sweet things to share with me ~ thank you so much, you are the best shoppers............and shopkeepers!

I just have to share the introduction from this little book. So many of you create beautifully crafted items, from soft quilts to glittering mosaics. We all share a love of displaying decorative items in our homes so I think you'll find this quite interesting.

The Uses of Tissue Paper.

It is surprising to find how very much can be done in the way of decoration by the use of simple means. One of the greatest triumphs of this age of invention is seen in the use of every-day materials for the purpose of producing beautiful effects. In the past a mistaken idea prevailed that the beauty of a thing depended upon costly material and elaborate workmanship, and so it came to pass that decoration was left to a few skilled hands, and was only possible to the wealthy. Marvels of decorative needle work, consuming years of time, attest the love of our ancestors for the beautiful, and later on as the taste for home beauty spread, samplers were wrought by girlish hands and often formed the principal ornament of a home. But these are more hurried days - days of activity and pressure, and only the few, comparatively speaking, have time for elaborate work, and so year by year, decorations that can be quickly made acquire a greater value.........................

...........and this was written one hundred seventeen years ago!

Southern HEAT

Trickling down my back, feeling like miniature rivers, the water pools around my waist, dampening my flimsy clothing.

HEAT - the scourge of Summer in the South. It arrives without fanfare, seems suddenly to envelope one's day quietly, welling up from the cool, misty dawn.

By high noon, it envelopes one's senses, slows one's pace and breathing.

By late afternoon it sears bare arms and legs even when lolling, useless and damp, in the shade of the porch.

I am melting.........bring me a river, a pond, a pool, the ocean......ice, water, water, water.

Cool, clear crystals against water-colored wood - vintage sconce at SuzAnna's Antiques.

The Door is Always Open

The French inspired guest room welcomes you ~ but when empty something pretty was needed to prop the door open. This heavy resin, hand painted piece may have been made to use as a doorstop, it is flat on the back ~ if that was not its original function that's what it is now, and I love it!

Pretty painted 'doorstop' found this week at SuzAnna's Antiques.

And then...............step through the door into the room and what do you see but this fabulous French clock attached to a black iron stand. This is a beautiful and thoughtful gift from my friend Vanessa at Vanilla Lavender - we met for a little treasure hunting and lunch on Tuesday and had a great time together. Thanks again Vanessa ~ truly love the clock and will always think of you when I glance up at the armoire.

forever (for-ev`er) 1. for always, without end 2. without the bonds of time; eternal

Front Porch Party Day!

Welcome to my southern front porch in Raleigh, North Carolina. As you know, Rhondi at Rose Colored Glasses has taken on the huge job of hosting a worldwide Front Porch Party today ~ what fun, many thanks Rhondi. Hope to spend time visiting each of you on your porch ~ or viewing pictures of your dream porch.

When you reach the top of the driveway, notice the Hydrangeas in front of the porch. They decided to bloom in time for the party today. These two are Endless Summer and were planted as small gallon size pot plants just 18 months ago!

As you climb the front steps this vignette of things I love welcome your arrival at the front door of the cottage. SIMPLIFY has been my mantra for the past year............unfortunately it's not working too well because I keep finding treasures that beg to come home with me.

The porch is small but perfect for my cozy cottage. The dining room window looks out onto the porch. There's room for three comfy wicker chairs ~ I can squeeze in a fourth if you bring an extra friend along ~ and a small round table to display ever changing vintage treasures. We can move them if you want a place to put your cool drink, and as the temperatures have decided to stay in the mid to high 90's all this week, I'll make extra ice!!

Palest pink picnic basket from SuzAnna's Antiques.

Last year, one fresh and brilliant morning, Spring fever overtook me while visiting SuzAnna's Antiques. Many of you know this is my favorite local ~ make that favorite anywhere ~ shop, and y'all will be stopping there when you come to Raleigh, right? I bought the chartreuse green potting bench that day and it has become a place to display garden items such as birdhouses, pottery and crockery, vases of flowers, birds' nests and a collection of birds. It's a perfect fit at the end of the porch. In the coming weeks of Summer, the Morning Glories and Moon Flower vines will clamber up the end of the porch making a curtain of leaves and purple and white blooms, providing shade from the hot afternoon sun.
Above hang two candoliers - pretty in both the sparking sun and under the stars in the evening with the candles lit.

In front of the porch is a small fountain which is becoming popular as a drinking and bathing pond for many of our garden birds. Chickadees like to drink on the very top as the water spurts out. House Finches, Robins, Cardinals come to drink, and yesterday a large Catbird actually appeared to be trying to swim in the lower basin, quite funny to watch. We've also seen squirrels drinking and one day a black cat stopped by to taste the water.

If you followed my chronicles of the Carolina Wrens this Spring, these pictures show you how they enjoyed the porch so much they raised a family here, and a corner of the porch ceiling is a favorite sleeping spot at night for the female Wren.

I'm so happy you stopped by today to relax with me on the front porch. The perfume from the Jasmine climbing the porch posts is wonderful. The trickling water in the fountain is calming and, if we stay still and whisper, perhaps a bird will splash around as we sip our cool drinks.

Often described as the forum of the American nation, the porch is a stage upon which the drama of everyday life is acted out. Whether simply rustic and charming or ornate and imposing, they can be as diverse as the country itself.

The porch is a bridge between the interior life of the home and the world outside----a place to quietly reflect on the day, sit with the neighbors and catch up on their news, linger with friends, or be alone with your loved ones and your dreams.

............Porches - American Beauties ~ Wynn Wheldon............

Early Spring ~ porch sitting time is here!

Thank you for taking the time to visit my front porch today. Be sure to come back again soon, I'll be looking for you.

This morning as the sun came up ~ it's going to be a hot day.

P.S. Just found out that today is Rhondi's Birthday ~ best wishes dear friend, Happy Birthday and many more. We'll celebrate your day on the porch of course!

Oops! I needed a little break.......

Know I should have been in the garden yesterday morning but meeting Vanessa for a a little fun and retail therapy at SuzAnna's had to be squeezed in too! Will show more pics later of the fun things we found ~ gets better all the time.

See you all at Rhondi's Front Porch Party tomorrow.

Blue Angel

I'm not really 'blue' ~ just so busy with the garden chores and other things that I just have to take a bit of a blog break for a day or so. When I get back I'll be stopping by to catch up with all your news. Don't forget, Rhondi at Rose Colored Glasses is hosting a great Front Porch Party this week ~ stop over to get details.

" A garden without seats is unfriendly."

Christopher Lloyd ~ 'In My Garden' 1994

Deep Purple

As dusk falls across the garden

some flowers take on an

otherworldly look.

A favorite purple clematis climbs an old obelisk each Spring. Rusting legs caused it to fall in a recent wind, I was concerned the thin brittle stems were broken and my flowers would die. Happily they survived. I shored up the shaky structure with strong wooden stakes. Improvise in the garden. Don't toss out the old things, they bring history to the place.

Shabby in the garden works really well.

Deep purple in the thunderstorm this evening.

Hydrangeas in the Garden

I love them, don't you? Beautiful Hydrangeas ~ great bushes of them tucked around the garden in mixed borders, in front of fences and porch railings, on a corner of the cottage sheltered from hot afternoon sun and chilling Winter winds. They love to drink, show you when thirsty by drooping sadly and making you run for the old galvanized watering can. But in the evening as the sun sinks into the West and a slight coolness is felt in the air, they perk back up in all their glory, straight stemmed, their lovely leaves firm, their magnificent blooms fresh looking as in the early morning.

A bunch of Hydrangeas picked today for the table on the front porch.

Cream crackle vase from SuzAnna's Antiques.

Party Time on the Porch

RHONDI'S FRONT PORCH PARTY ~ JUNE 5

With Summertime almost here, many of us will be enjoying our outdoor spaces around the house.

Be sure to pop over to my friend Rhondi at Rose Colored Glasses in time to join in her porch party this week. You will find the instructions there and you can join in even if you don't have a porch of your own ~ you can borrow one! Looking forward to sipping a tall, chilled drink on your porch, and then hurry on over to mine, I'll be waiting to welcome you!

Beautiful Terra Cotta (Baked Earth)

If you have traveled in Europe you will have seen how terra cotta is used profusely. Over 500 hundred years ago, Filippo Brunelleschi demanded that the roof bricks of the Santa Maria del Fiore (the Duomo) in Florence be made of Impruneta clay - they are still in place and as beautiful as ever. How is this possible?

Pieces made from the rugged, red-colored clay of Impruneta in Tuscany are the epitome of Italian terra cotta. They are durable and frost-proof to -30F. Unlike mass produced or machine made products from other countries, Italian terra cotta is made from the robust clay indigenous to northern Italy and is kiln fired at 2000 degrees F for five to seven days. This slow 'high firing' ensures that the clay is fully fused, resulting in a legendary product. These traditional methods create high quality terra cotta that is durable, frost and salt resistant, and can last a lifetime

One of my most vivid memories of Tuscany are the thousands of terra cotta pots of every shape and size, lining the sides of the road as we drove past the potteries in Impruneta - they were breathtaking.

The other areas well known for terra cotta are Umbria, where the clay is softer and used for urns and classic Renaissance shapes - these are frost-proof to -20F. Siena, where the clay is similar in color to Impruneta clay, but with a finer grain and smoother texture, pots are easier to produce which keeps costs lower - frost-proof to -10F and ages well for many years.

The materials, methods and craftsmanship used by northern Italian artisans for hundreds of years has resulted in some of the most beautiful urns, vases and containers in the history of garden design. (Collezione ~ Italy's Finest Terra Cotta)

Above - the terra cotta tiled roof on my brother's 200 year old house in the South of France.

Below - view across the village from the upper story of the house showing the lovely roof tops.

Small terra cotta pots in my potting shed.

Terra cotta pots and planters at the garden center I described in my previous post.

A mix of glazed terra cotta and ceramic containers.

This has to be the 'guardian angel' of the pots.

"He who works with his hands is a laborer. He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman. He who works with his hands and his head and his heart is an artist."
~~~~~~~~St. Francis of Assisi~~~~~~~~~~