Last night I went out on the front porch of the B&B and was startled by the hues of the setting sun. I ran inside for my camera, took a few shots from the porch and headed up the street for a better vantage point. I’m guessing that I took these photos over about a 15 minute period. For the last shot, I really zoomed in on the sunset. The view made me feel like I was in the mountains. Our sunrises and sunsets have been unusually bold lately due to the fires in Colorado. It is sad to think that something so destructive helped to produce these beautiful colors.
Monthly Archives: July 2012
Darjeeling Decisions
Before pictures.
Out with the old and in with the new …
Over the past week and a half, we have been redecorating the Darjeeling Room. (All of our rooms are named after teas, though I’ll confess, the tea-theme does not carry over to the decor.) We changed the wall color from a pure white – to a very pale blue-green shade called Morning Breeze. (The shadows in the before picture don’t quite allow one to fully appreciate the change.) The bathroom is now white and a blue-green called Holly Glen which replaces the dark Admiralty Blue that used to be on the upper wall areas. We are going for a more contemporary and airy look than we had with the previous decor and are very happy with how the room is turning out. (I’ll be updating the photos on our website soon.)
We purchased new bedding, curtains and lighting. The only thing left is putting artwork on the walls.
Sometimes, I reach a point at which I just can’t make any more decisions. I picked the two pictures below for the walls, and … then got stuck. I choose these because I like them and I thought that they fit with the overall look for which we are aiming. Then I realized that they both related to the Darjeeling Room because it looks out at the front garden and also on the crab apple tree on the East side of the house.
I’ll wait to see how these look framed and hung; and then, I trust, inspiration shall walk in to help me take it from there. (Oh, I’m so excited about the new look!)
Happy Guests
A few days ago a delightful young couple from Texas stayed with us. They had come up to Kansas to purchase a Wirehaired Griffon puppy and while they were here got engaged! They just sent me these pictures of them and their new “baby” … an 8 week old boy. So cute. Congratulations and good luck to Cory, Abigail and Judge! What happiness!
Weekly Photo Challenge: Movement
I love getting action shots of our dogs playing. Here, Abbey and Penny enjoy a game of tug.
Just Out of the Oven: Strawberry Buttermilk Muffins
A summertime favorite of our guests at The Morning Star Bed & Breakfast …
Strawberry Buttermilk Muffins
2 c. all-purpose flour (or, for gluten-free muffins, white rice flour)
1 c. granulated white sugar + 2 to 3 T. extra for sprinkling tops of muffins
1 T. baking powder
8 T. unsalted butter, melted
1 c. buttermilk
2 lg. eggs, beaten
2 t. orange extract
2 c. chopped ripe, fresh strawberries (washed & stems removed)
(1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare 10 one-half cup ramekins or 12 standard muffin pans for baking using one of the following methods: spray with baking spray (not for gluten-free), butter and flour (rice flour for gluten-free), or line muffin pans with muffin papers/foils. (Using foils is the safest way to prevent cross contamination of foods for people who are gluten-intolerant.)
(2) In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and baking powder. In a medium bowl, whisk together butter, buttermilk, eggs and orange extract. Stir buttermilk mixture into dry ingredients. Fold in strawberries.
(3) Scoop batter into ramekins or muffin pans. Sprinkle tops of muffins with sugar. If using ramekins, place them on baking sheets. Bake for about 20 minutes or until muffins are firm to the touch and lightly golden brown. (Gluten-free muffins will just be brown around the edges.)
(4) Place muffin pans or baking sheets on wire racks until muffins are cool enough to serve – about 10 minutes.
Thank You to A Touch of the Divine & to Blessed with a Star on the Forehead
Thank to you Michelle from A Touch of the Divine for including me in her list of nominees for The Versatile Blogger Award. Michelle is from Alberta, Canada and describes her mission with her photography blog as “searching for the Extra in the ordinary.” She does a wonderful job of exactly that! I quite enjoy her blog.
Thank you also to Blessed with a Star on the Forehead for including me in her list of nominees for the Sunshine Blogger Award. Blessed with a Star on the Forehead is about a middle-aged woman’s search for inspiration and is filled with honesty and positive thinking. I appreciate the keep on keeping on attitude of it!
I was pleased and touched by both of these nominations. I take A Taste of Morning seriously and it is nice to be appreciated!
The Versatile Blogger Award requires stating 7 things about oneself and the Sunshine Blogger Award requires stating 10. So here are 10 things about me:
(1) I’m a morning person.
(2) I once was a research subject in a Horticultural Therapy study on the effect of plants on well-being in the workplace.
(3) I’m all for plants in the workplace.
(4) I’ve been to 3 countries outside the U.S.
(5) I played intramural inner-tube water polo in graduate school.
(6) My husband and I once went to sushi school for vacation.
(7) I have one cousin that I’ve never met.
(8) Every now and then I listen to disco music.
(9) My youngest friend is in her early 20’s.
(10) My oldest friend is in her early 90’s.
The Versatile Blogger Award requires nominating 15 bloggers and the Sunshine Blogger Award requires nominating 10. So, here are 15 blogs that I follow – listed in no particular order – and that I nominate for whichever of the awards they feel best suits them. Thanks for your work everyone! I believe that it is also tradition to post something on the blogs of those you have nominated to let them know of the honor and if you accept the award to paste its image on your blog.
(1) Hermits Door
(7) Photo Stream
(10) Spilling Sunlight
(11) Putney Farm
(12) Arabica
(13) Bon Photage
(14) Frugal Feeding
The Scent of Summer: Sweet Garden Phlox
Over the years, I have come to appreciate flowers that smell like flowers. So many modern varieties have been bred for bright colors and giant blooms, but not for fragrance. Garden Phlox (phlox paniculata) is an old-fashioned, tall and fragrant flower that is perfect for the back of border gardens. We have these planted along the curve of our wrap around porch. They are just delightful.
Weekly Photography Challenge: Fleeting Moments
I’ve Been Inspired by … The Moon
Due to the warm weather, I have been outside earlier in the morning and later at night than usual. So I’ve been seeing more of the moon. I had tried getting pictures of it in the sky near Seven Dolors Church, but was disappointed with how they turned out. Right around the same time Lynda Michelle posted a photo of the moon and we exchanged a few comments which determined me to try again. At around 10 p.m. last night the moon was bright orange – like a sunrise and just captivating. So I grabbed my camera and tripod and ran outside to try to get a good shot. I didn’t quite manage to capture the glowing orange color – maybe I need to use a filter? – but I did get a few photos that indicate what a beautiful scene it was. Lynda Michelle took her photo when it was not quite as dark out, but I loved the contrast between the dark sky and the orange moon. Every time I see the moon like that, I am amazed that it is just reflecting the light of the sun. Thanks for the encouragement, Lynda Michelle.
Happy 4th of July everyone!
Eloté: Mexican-Style Grilled Corn
This is a recipe that was sent to me by our friend Brian. We made it for dinner the other night, despite the heat, and it is absolutely the best tasting corn I have ever had. If anyone is thinking about cooking out for July 4th, this would be a great dish to try. The lime-mayo sauce is similar melted butter but with a lot more flavor. The cheese and spices soak into the sauce and add a smoky-spicy-salty component to the flavor. We might just have to have it again this week.
Eloté
4 ears fresh corn on the cob
3 T. mayonnaise
2 T. fresh lime juice
2 T. fresh grated parmesan cheese
1/2 t. ground ancho chili pepper
1/4/ t. ground cayenne pepper
1/4 t. ground cumin
1/8 t. garlic salt
(1) Peel back the husks on the ears of corn, but keep them attached. Remove the silk, then pull the husks back up. Soak corn in cold water for about 20 minutes. (If your corn is missing husks, wrap the ears in buttered aluminum foil or skip the grilling step and just steam the corn until it is tender.)
(2) Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Spray with high heat cooking spray. Grill corn, turning occasionally, until tender. This will depend on your grill, but probably about 10 – 20 minutes. (To be honest, I always have to test the doneness several times when grilling corn.)
(3) Meanwhile, in one small bowl, combine mayo and lime juice. In another, combine cheese and spices.
(4) When corn is done, pull back husks, brush corn with lime-mayo mixture, then sprinkle with spiced cheese mixture. Serve right away.
A Taste of Morning 