The Best Carrot Cake

Last weekend a storm blew down the creek leaving us with some very cold weather and the threat of snow. It was a great opportunity to finish off some winter vegetables.

Warm creamy risotto accompanied by a wilted cabbage salad from Frank Stitt's Southern Table were delicious and comforting as the leftover fall leaves flew round and round the house.



But the highlight was The Best carrot cake served for dessert.

This is an old Southern Living recipe:

Best Carrot Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 large eggs
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups grated carrot
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 (3 1/2-ounce) can flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (I don't use nuts)

Line 3 (9-inch) round cakepans with wax paper;

lightly grease and flour wax paper. Set pans aside.
Stir together first 4 ingredients.
Beat eggs and next 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add flour mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Fold in carrot and next 3 ingredients.

Pour batter into prepared cakepans.
Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks. Spread Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake.

Cream Cheese Frosting
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth.

And yes, it is as moist as it looks!

Children

Children are a blessing.

One aspect of this blessing is how my children's interests have opened my heart and mind to new things in many areas. Two obvious, specific areas are my younger child's serious interest in golf and my older child's serious interest in birding.

I have just finished a pair of paintings commissioned by the older child for his room. The first was an Acadian Flycatcher, this one is an Eastern Meadowlark. After painting these birds I feel as if I am intimately acquainted with them and can't wait to see them happily adorning his room!

In Bloom

Drifts of pink...

Flowering Crabapple...I believe.

Eating Seasonally

OK---sprouts are always in season, always fresh, and always easy, easy... because they can be nurtured in 3 to 4 days on your very own windowsill. Here's how:

Purchase your choice of sprouts (I did alfalfa) at your local health food store. You do not need a sprouting jar---a mason jar with a small square of panty hose works great.

Measure 1 tablespoon of seed and place in jar. Attach ring with panty hose over the opening of your jar. This enables your seeds to get air and lets you rinse the seeds daily.

The first day you will cover the seeds with about a half inch of water. The following days you just rinse the seeds and empty the water.

And in several days...voila! Perfect for sandwiches, salads, and wraps.

In Bloom

Isn't this captivating? Running along one of the busier streets on the "Hill" in Augusta is an old wall complete with an alluring gate. If, during a few choice springtime weeks, you happen to glance over as you are speeding by to the next "thing" (grocery, children, or appointments) you will struck by...

a soft emerald green mossy path..



bordered by millions of diminutive delicate blossoms,



and tiny gossamer petals blushed with the palest lavender you can imagine...





And... an exquisite deep violet brush stoke up the center of the back of each petal.



I love the point that Gene Edward Veith makes in State of the Arts: "good art rewards close attention". How much more so the art of the Creator "rewards close attention"!

In Bloom

The South---encapsulated in a flower.

Camellia japonica.

In Bloom

I remember holding his hand...

his pinky was crooked and wouldn't quite fit with mine.

We strolled slowly...

he had been sick and couldn't quite get around as well as he used to.

I picked the choicest golden trumpets...
he fashioned them into a crown.

For me, Daffodils are Love...
embodied by my grandfather, Dar.

Eating Seasonally

We've been immersed in winter vegetables the past several weeks as I have been learning to prepare things like arugula, Brussels sprouts, kale and other greens. Expanding our repertoire of seasonal vegetables has been enjoyable for some (my husband and myself) and not quite so enjoyable for others (my children), but they'll learn. I adapted a spinach recipe we love to some rainbow chard, it was delicious with marinated chicken and brown rice.

Simple Spinach

large bunch of spinach, cleaned

2 to 3 tblsps real butter

2 to 3 tblsps chopped Vidialia onion

1/4 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

Melt butter in heavy skillet, saute onion until translucent.

Add spinach, sugar, and salt, cook 3 to 5 minutes until wilted.

Simple Chard

large bunch of chard, cleaned and chopped
2 to 3 tblspns real butter
2 to 3 tblspns chopped Vidialia onion
1/4 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt

splash of red wine vinegar

Melt butter in heavy skillet, saute onion until translucent.

Add kale, sugar, and salt, cook 3 to 5 minutes until wilted.

Add splash of red wine vinegar.

In Bloom

One of the Oriental Magnolia's--Yulan, I think. Don Hastings in his Gardening in the South calls these Southern favorites "a blessing and a trial" because of their tendency to bloom early thus sometimes resulting in a tree of brown petals because of a late season freeze.

"A blessing and a trial"---There are many areas of my life that I considered a trial but through God's infinite grace became to be unimagined blessings. Here are some:

• our infertility for 3 years
• financial hardships since 2000
• having to move 4 times in 3 years in 2 different cities
• our small house (1700 square feet)
• my creativity
• homeschooling
  

In Bloom

Early morning hath gold in its mouth. (Benjamin Franklin)

Mesmerizing, arching, living, sunshine---Forsythia.

Georgia-February-What's in season?

Ideally eating seasonally means eating locally---from your own garden plot, if not, then local farms, but the supermarket works if the other two are not available. As a whole, our culture over focuses on food and eating, so I don't want to get too hung up on organics, local, etc---just try to do my best providing a variety of healthy fresh food with what's available and cutting out (as much as possible) processed foods.

Where to start? We are planning a spring garden, but for today---what is in season this time of year in Georgia? Georgia Organics has a Local Food Guide with a chart showing what is being produced on Georgia farms during the year long growing season. Here's the list I took to the grocery:

Arugula
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Collards
Kale and other greens
Lettuce
Mushrooms
English peas
Sweet potatoes
Radish
Spinach
Turnips

Impressions of Epcot

Love

We love because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19)



Happy Valentine's Day!

In Bloom

Daphne Winter Jasmine

A quick glimpse of two delightful blooming shrubs before we depart for Florida. I fear Augusta will be in full bloom when we return. Adieu!

Eating Seasonally

This past June when fresh picked, local fruit began to appear at our fruit stand I started canning. Since this was my first attempt at water bath canning I felt total immersion was the best way to learn—literally. As quick as the strawberries, blueberries, and peaches could reach the fruit stand from the farm I was toting them home—gallons and gallons and gallons. It was work... messy, bothersome, and time consuming. But this is our sweet reward...

64 pint jars of divine strawberry jam,45 pint jars of piquant blueberry jam, and 45 pint jars of melt in your mouth peach jam arranged row by beautiful row in my pantry. And the taste is a......spoonful of summer.

Forced Branches

"---a Christian, above all people, should live artistically, aesthetically, and creatively. We are supposed to be representing the Creator who is there, and whom we acknowledge to be there. If we have been created in the image of an Artist, then we should look for expressions of artistry, and be sensitive to beauty, responsive to what has been created for our appreciation".(The Hidden Art of Homemaking, Edith Schaeffer)

Be inspired to live a beautiful life...in spite of your circumstances or because of your circumstances...wherever you are placed.

Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. (Psalm 16:5-6)

The Little Black Dress

.
About a year ago I realized my dinnerware wardrobe needed some updating. My beloved blue and white dishes had dwindled down to a few chipped and mismatched plates. I was ready for a blank canvas---at a great price. I kept my eyes open for several months and finally happened upon some white dishes at my local Food Lion...$1.00 apiece. At that price I was able to buy 24, then found bowls at the thrift store for 25 cents each. Over the months I have gradually added to my set of Whites. Why White?

White dinnerware and pottery is the Little Black Dress of the kitchen. Like the quintessential cocktail dress it can be paired with ”pearls” and become fabulous for a formal dinner. Mix it up with flats and a Pucci scarf and you have the perfect casual for everyday. White easily consorts with all levels of society from Saturday thrift store shopping finds to antique English Ironstone received as a thoughtful wedding gift.


This adorable heart shaped ramekin is the perfect example of how versatile White is...individual portions of: baked macaroni and cheese, corn pudding, creme brulee, instant chocolate pudding or homemade chocolate mousse, asparagus souffle, m and m's, oatmeal, french onion soup, need I go on?. And the best part about this newest addition to my collection is the price...$1.00 each at Michael's!

The Rose

“Nobody sees a flower – really – it is so small it takes time – we haven't time – and to see takes time, like to have a friend takes time”. Georgia O'Keefe

Sweet Valentine Cards in my Etsy shop!

In Bloom

Spotted peeking over a stone wall, reminiscent of The Secret Garden...Flowering Quince: Chaenomeles speciosa. The color alone makes you catch your breath.

He bestows rain on the earth; he sends water upon the countryside. (Job 5:10)

Eating Seasonally

Usually around this time of year I receive a box or bag of grapefruit from my Father and his wife who live in Florida and have a hundred year old grapefruit tree in their backyard. They are the sweetest, juiciest, freshest and most beautiful citrus I have ever tasted.

The natural abundance of the seasons seems so logical as a way of eating—it is difficult to believe we, as a culture, have ever gotten away from this. What is better than.... a deep scarlet tomato surrounded by the jade and verdigris of summer, a juicy claret colored pear plucked from copper and sepia leaves, bright jade and saffron citrus against the ashen January sky, and crisp, pungent early emerald lettuces amidst the spring blossoms? It seems eating local, seasonal produce not only tastes better and is better for us, it is a better choice economically and environmentally.

And so I am determined to be a better steward by taking steps to put food on our table that is seasonal and local. The first steps in this process (and it is a process!) have been locating local sources for meat, dairy, and produce, planning a larger garden, and learning how to “put up”.

Birding Georgia

Having just met my deadline for the March/April issue of Newnan Coweta magazine, I now have time to begin a long promised series of Bird paintings for my First Born---our resident birder. This is the first in the series---an Acadian Flycatcher.
A 12 year old whose driving ambition is to beat the Georgia "Big Year" record of 331 species.


He started in January with a four day trip traversing the perimeter of Georgia with a trusted driver...Dad. His map, with route in red (beginning and ending in Augusta).

In Bloom: Helleborus × hybridus

This little Lenten Rose bowed her head just enough for the sun to melt the tiny ice diamonds on her crown.

The Ice Storm

We are in the midst of our coldest temps thus far this winter---20's at night, 30-40's during the day. In the South that is cold, so we have kept the wood piled on the fire and took to reminiscing about The Ice Storm. It happened while we were living on the farm---January of 2005.



Three days of sharing meals with neighbors, wet clothes, lots of hot chocolate, farm chores, games, sleeping in front of the fire---great memories.

My Chair

When we moved into this house 2 years ago I was determined to have my own “space” where I could retreat---physically, emotionally and spiritually. I go here for coffee, contemplation, quiet time, reading, and occasionally I'll relinquish it to favored children.


I am very thankful for this small space and the beauty and comfort it provides. It suits me aesthetically and was created economically---two “musts” for me. The club chair and ottoman were hand-me-downs which I recovered with clearance fabric. Inexpensive, but fabulous velvet and linen pillow from Wal mart...yes, Wal Mart!. The “antique” tole shelves began their life as white bookshelves in my boy's nursery-- I painted them black, added a gold leaf design and scratched them up a bit. I made the curtains from toile fabric found on the $1.00 per yard table at...yes, Wal Mart! They are lined with a pale blue found on the same table. The best part is the window that provides incredible light and and ever changing views of our backyard and the creek.


The battered and crusty tiered table was found at a second hand store. For 11 months it holds all my current reading material, but in December it moves into my son's room where it is transformed into a snowy Christmas village. (Sorry for the blurry photo!)