Sunny Sunday Afternoon

Martha Washington Imperial Rose Geranium Porch Plant

After day and days of non-stop rain, it feels wonderful to sit on the porch, in the shade and enjoy a marvelous breeze. I'm listening to my iTunes music and the playlist I chose to hear today includes my favorites from the 50's.  The laptop works well out here. I can watch the hummingbirds come and go at the feeder and at the hanging fuschia flowers along with seeing the other birds coming and going about their life here. The lake is calm with just a few ripples. I assume the waterfowl are all up at the other end. The Mister is indoors watching the Pocono Race on TV. 

A little earlier I took some shots of my neighbor's magnificent poppies. A couple of days ago they were all laying down due to being overcome with wetness. This isn't their best year but they survived and that is what matters. 

The rain sure was good for the Hosta. Everywhere they are, they flourish!

please click on image to be impacted with nature's beauty

Almond Amaretto Pound Cake~

I never made this before, forgot where I got the recipe but felt ambitious this morning. Lately making cakes from scratch seem to be daunting projects and I've been feeling lazy. If you belong to the group of people who like - no LOVE -  sweets I hope you will go ahead and try this. Recipe at bottom.

Fresh out of the Oven

Cooling Completely on the Front Porch

Sauce Simmering

Sauce Jarred to Warm in Microwave Oven when Serving Cake

Guess what! That cake STUCK! I NEVER had a bundt cake stick!!

 I think it stuck because I used SALTED butter. Oh well...

We are Having CAKE for LUNCH!

It was WONDERFUL anyway! Mmmmmmmmmm

The texture and flavor were perfect!

please click on image to view larger

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RECIPE

Almond Amaretto Rich Pound Cake

Source of recipe unknown

CAKE INGREDIENTS       AMARETTO SAUCE INGREDIENTS

1 C whole milk                 1 stick unsalted butter 

3 C flour                          1/2 C white sugar

2 3/4 C sugar                    1/2 C packed light brown sugar

1 T white vinegar               1/3 C half & half milk

1/2 tsp. baking soda           3 T amaretto

1/2 tsp. salt

1 C unsalted butter, softened (2 sticks)

4 large eggs

1 T pure vanilla extract

2 tsp/ pure almond extract

1/4 C amaretto

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325° - grease 10” bundt pan with baking spray or butter and flour it.
2. Whisk together milk and vinegar in a small bowl and set aside. In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Then stir in the vanilla and almond extracts. Beat in the flour mixture, alternating with the milk and amaretto.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and bake for 55 to 65 minutes until center is set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely in the bundt pan before inverting onto a plate. 

SAUCE

Combine butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar in small saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring often until smooth. Add the cream and amaretto and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.

After the Rain...

The rainbow was huge. I cannot get a good photo of the entire view because all sorts of wires cut through the scene, and I'm unable walk out far enough to avoid them in my image. There was also a faint double rainbow to its left.

A friend shared her shot of the sky after the storm had passed her home. She lives very nearby and we also saw this scene. We call these skies "sky-blue-pink." I broke her gorgeous picture down into three separate views.

Please click on image to get full impact of the skies.

Rideabout the Lake

Since it is difficult for me to walk a distance, I commandered the Mister to drive me and my "camera buddy" around the lake because I wanted to take pictures of the many rhododendron bushes that property owners have planted through the years. I have none here - what everyone has I don't want. It's a "Gere thing." I already missed taking shots of the beautiful lilac blooms in a neighbor's yard because it has been raining and windy all week. Now they are gone.  

"The rhododendron (rhododenron maximum) is undoubtedly the most conspicuous understory plant in the mountain forests of Pennsylvania. In ravines and hollows and along shaded watercourses it often grows so luxuriantly as to form almost impenetrable tangles. In June or early July, large clusters of showy blossoms, ranging from white to light rosy- pink, appear at the ends of the branchlets. People travel many miles to witness the magnificent show which is provided by the rhododendron at flowering time."

Link for more info.

These are my rideabout results. Next door they are deep pink. The white ones in the middle of the bush haven't yet opened.

Down the road on the backside of the lake are a couple of lavender bushes.

And back on the homestretch are two places with a mixture of pinkish red and lavender plantings.

Closer to the cabin you will see more humble flowers such as wild phlox and little buttercups. The best part for me is my beachfront with the iris.

And one VERY THIRSTY Fuchsia. It drinks three cups of water every day!

To top it off, the Canada Goose family is doing very well.

Don't forget to click on an image to view all larger!

Memorial Day Memories

It's a rainy day and it is still for remembering our veterans who have served our country in all branches of the armed forces. I'm very proud to be an American and hope you are too.

2016 Photo

Looking back, 60 years ago, this son was born and was in the 

United States Navy when a young man. 

Looking back, I cannot forget that our youngest son joined the 
United States Air Force 30 years ago!

Looking back, on this date 57 years ago, our sweet and beautiful 
daughter Missy came into this world.

Looking back, and I cannot forget that I fell and shattered my shoulder five years ago on Memorial Day weekend; just another kind of remembering.....

CLICK ON LINK TO MY VIDEO OF TWO YEARS AGO

The Iris Heard Me

So they popped out of their buds and became blooms! I only cut one for in-house viewing. Enjoy!

Following up on yesterday's baby information:

 And..believe it or not, THIS is the EXACT car seat my first children sat in to travel.