Weather conditions can affect not only how floriferous rose bushes are, but also the color of their blooms. We’ve had relatively cool temperatures here in Manhattan, Kansas lately, and several of my bushes are producing extraordinarily vibrant blooms. This photo is of Secret blossoms, which are loving this cool weather. Not only are they showing beautiful color, but they are also wonderfully fragrant.
Have a lovely day!
A little rain is always good for the garden!
Have a lovely weekend.
Happy National Donut Day!
Strawberry Shortcake Donuts
1 3/4 c. + 2 T sifted all-purpose flour or gluten-free all-purpose flour
1/3 c. granulated white sugar
2 t. baking powder
pinch of salt
3/4 c. buttermilk
2 lg. eggs, beaten
2 T. unsalted butter, melted
1 t. fresh lemon zest
3/4 c. finely chopped ripe strawberries
Lemon Glaze
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a 6-mold donut baking pan with oil. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, eggs, butter and lemon zest. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients until mixture is smooth. If the mixture is too stiff, slowly stir in a little bit more buttermilk. Fold in strawberries.
4. Divide the batter between the donut molds. Spread with the back of a spoon. If needed, run your fingers under cold water, shake them off lightly, then finish shaping donuts with your damp fingers. The batter will stand above the donut pan. Bake for approximately 10 minutes or until done to the touch.
5. Remove donut pan from the oven and place on a baking rack to cool for just a few minutes. While the donuts are resting make Lemon Glaze, recipe below. After a few minutes, turn donuts out upside down onto serving plates and then glaze. The donut holes will have slightly filled in on what was the top and is now the bottom of each donut. Top with fresh strawberries and whipped cream if desired. Serve while donuts are still warm. Enjoy!
Lemon Glaze
1/2 c. confectioner’s sugar
1 T. fresh lemon juice
1/2 t. fresh lemon zest
Directions: Slowly stir lemon juice into confectioner’s sugar until perfectly smooth. Stir in lemon zest.
Have a great weekend!
This recipe is loosely based on the Cinnamon-Dipped Donuts recipe that I posted a few years ago which originally came from Frugal Feeding.
Pictures from today of Marilyn Monroe Rose … always beautiful!
Have a lovely evening!
June is National Rose Month.
This is a photo that I took a few mornings ago of a Royal Amethyst bloom. In hotter weather than we have been having, the flowers on Royal Amethyst can be a bit lighter-colored. This one, though, is a rich pinkish purple, literally dripping with color – probably due to a rain the day before. Oh, and it is so fragrant!
Wishing you a rose-filled month! Of course, I’ll be sharing more photos of roses from our front garden. I hope that you enjoy them.
Iced coffee is a truly summertime treat – cold, delicious, and easy to make. Be sure to use good brewed coffee. Serve for dessert or as an afternoon treat. Enjoy! Have a wonderful weekend!
Start with coffee ice cubes.
Pour in cold coffee.
Top with whipped cream, flavored if you like. Then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. If you are in the mood to really indulge, stir in some of the cream, then add some more! (Top photo.)
While working in the garden early this morning, I noticed a patch of toad stools growing beneath my lamb’s ears and thought that it looked like something about which a storyteller could spin an amusing children’s yarn. (By the way, in case you were worried, I wouldn’t try eating these. I have no idea what they are; but they are fun to see.)
Of all of my roses, Cinco de Mayo seems to be the most variable, ranging in color from deep maroon to coral to hot pink. (I read one catalogue’s description of the flowers as being anywhere from smokey lavender to rusty red.) While a gardener working with a strict color scheme might find that frustrating, I find it fascinating. From one day to the next, this floribunda can be almost unrecognizable except for the ruffled form of its flowers. Aren’t those ruffles wonderful? These are pictures that I took early this morning. Just a few days ago, the roses appeared to be a deep red-orange. The bush is a pretty consistent bloomer – apart from color – producing lightly scented flowers all summer. My rose bushes had more than normal die-back this winter, so they are all a little small right now. This bush should get to be about three times the size that it is now in the bottom picture below.
Have a lovely day!
We had a beautiful garden wedding at The Morning Star this afternoon. The bride and groom chose butterflies for their theme and their family and friends did a wonderful carrying the theme throughout the decorations. Even mother nature cooperated and provided a few living butterflies. Congratulations and warmest wishes to the happy couple!
Just in the past few days, my roses have started to bloom. They are about a month late this year. Fortunately, they still overlapped with the irises a bit. I just love the combination of irises and roses – really what’s not to love there? Over the next week or so, the irises will finish off for the season, but the roses will keep blooming into next autumn. The sky has been overcast this afternoon, which always makes the colors in the garden seem all the more vibrant. So I stole a few minutes during check-in time to catch some quick photos.
Have a wonderful holiday weekend!
A Taste of Morning 