I am a tree

I was checking out the self-portrait Tuesday group on Flicker and came across this in
http://www.navylane.com/musings/index.php owned by Melanie of Pa. I am not sure where in Pa. too, too fun for I live there also.

You Are A Poplar Tree

People tend to look up to you, and it's a bit lonely at the top. Inside, you are not always self confident, but you show great courage. Mature and organized, you are reliable in any situation. You tend to have an artistic or philosophical outlook on life. You are very choosy in love and take partnership seriously.

What is Your Celtic Horoscope?

I was standing on the bridge to get this of house and river. You can see down in the trees the picnic tables where we would eat later that day. 

The section of tree from back yard swing saved... 

Don't you love this porch. He went to Monticello and measured Thomas Jefferson's railing as a model angle by angle.  

Great porch shot with view of river. 

Friends from totally different sides of the globe posing. My eldest and Kazakh friend, Nelufar. 

Great shutters and stone work. I really enjoy ferns, they add so much to that cottage appeal. 

This is a different angle of the below view back side of wrap around porch. 

A view opposite the driveway entrance. The small planting in the rocks would be found over on the right of the home. The stump is a remnant of one of the trees which held a swing. The branch that grew around the swing pipe can be found in one of the above shots. 

All over the grounds were these little nooks of plantings.  

He had some trivets made of his home. Aren't they just too fun!  

Look how grown up my Rose is! Such a beautiful day! 

This is a shot from the house to the bridge. Nelufar is being led this time. She really wanted to ride independantly, but Lou decided the opposite.  

We all enjoyed the two horse inhabitants. The poor boys endured taking guests for rides the entire day. My youngest really was excited about the chance, LOL... Look at that face, I wonder if there was any drool there ;) 

We are getting ready to have dessert. They were so delicious, a sample of each had to be plated. 

Swedish Nut Cake

This is one of 3 desserts that was prepared by our host! Dean's Lemon Stuff and Icebox Peanut Butter Pie from his daughter Angela were the other 2.

1-20 oz. can crushed pineapple
2 cups sugar
2 eggs beaten
2 cups flour
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup chopped nuts
------
1. Grease and flour 9x13" pan
2. Combine pineapple with juice, sugar, and eggs.
3. Add flour, soda, nuts, and vanilla.
4. Pour into pan and bake at 350 degree F for 30-35 minutes

Cream Cheese Icing

8 oz cream cheese softened
1 stick butter softened
1-3/4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

-Beat and spread on cake while it's warm

recipe from: Teresa Ellis

My DH, with the two youngest of our's, tubing in Fishing Creek. The Rose is all about it but, the tiny Distler cannot seem to wrap herself around the ice cold spring water. 

We had such a wonderful time at the 'Cousin's' , thank you so very much! 

the pic and recipe comes from 'The Book of Country Herbal Crafts' by Dawn Cusick
It was one of my favorite herb books when I first started out in 1992 with my shoppe.

Lemon Balm Bread

I have not made this recipe since my Herb and Art Festivals. My dd wanted to bake some lemon muffins and I suggested these. She did a fantastic job, they turned out totally lemon! I forgot how good they are, unbelievably tangy.

Lemon Balm Bread

1 stick unsalted butter

1/4 cup finely chopped lemon balm leaves

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

pinch of salt

1-1/2 cups sifted flour

1 tsp baking powder

ground zest of one lemon

1/4 chopped nuts(optional)

GLAZE INGREDIENTS

juice of one lemon

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup hot water

1/4 cup finely chopped lemon balm leaves

1. Cream butter with lemon balm leaves. Add sugar and beat well. Then add remaining ingredients and mix well.

2 Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour batter into greased loaf pans. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, depending upon pan size or until batter tests done with a toothpick. Batter will be thick

3. Mix all glaze ingredients together. After the bread is removed from the oven, pour the glaze over it and allow to sit in the loaf pan for four to six hours.

4. Wrap the bread in foil and allow to ripen overnight before serving or freeze immediately

Garden nook children.....I am looking from my kitchen window and what do I see but, two urchins taking an afternoon rest under the apple tree.  

Cottage journaling

I promise to start putting up my cousin's 'Ironwood and Roses' cottage with in the next couple days. His riverside home is just beautiful in thought and execution and I know it would be a lovely addition to my garden blog.