Wish List Wednesdays: Rooster Toile Dinnerware

I have never really liked toile, and I have had to endure more than my fair share of chicken-themed home accessories here in the state of Georgia.  Nevertheless, something about this Rooster Toile Dinnerware caught my fancy.  I can't explain it -- I normally prefer clean, modern lines (these are very ornate) and the price is rather steep ($119 just for a set of four dinner plates).  Maybe it is the bold black and white color, or the handsome roosters on the plates and mugs (assorted ones on the dessert plates) plus hens on the bowls.  For whatever reason, I would not say no to owning this set of chicken-inspired crockery.  Perhaps it has something to do with September being National Chicken Month -- although the point is to encourage more consumption, not collection!  (Don't tell that to the chickens, though!)

On the Home Front: July and August Flowers - Full Circle

The heat of summer has slowed down the flowering of all but the hardiest of our garden plants, but those few are doing quite well:

Black-Eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta)

Monkey Grass (Liriope spicata)

Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica)

Lantana "Miss Huff" (Lantana camara)

Butterfly Bush (Buddleja davidii)

Butterfly Milkweed and Trumpet Vine are producing some pretty impressive pods:

Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa)

Trumpet Vine (Campsis radicans)

The bountiful blossoms of Butterfly Bush and Lantana attract numerous butterflies to our yard:

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus)

Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae)

Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes)

The Giant Swallowtail in the photo above is new to me.  These butterflies are attracted to the blossoms of Butterfly Bush and Lantana in our yard, and lay their eggs on plants in the family Rutaceae, which includes citrus trees.  While there are no citrus trees growing in this part of Georgia, apparently both Ptelea trifoliata (Common Hoptree or Water Ash) and Zanthoxylum americanum (Common Prickly Ash), with which I am not familiar, are in this family and grow in our area.

I have now come full circle in my photographic accounts of blooms (and butterflies) on our property since my first post last September.  I hope to expand my skills by finding more challenging subjects to photograph, just to see if I am up to the task, and should I manage to capture something interesting it will certainly show up as a post here!

Morning Glory (Ipomoea purpurea) growing wild on our pasture fence.

         

Foodie Fridays: Super Easy Peach Cobbler

I couldn't let National Peach Month go by without posting at least one peach recipe!  Peach cobbler is a summer favorite here in the Peach State, and this recipe for Super Easy Peach Cobbler is just as effortless to make as the name implies.  Why not serve it up this holiday weekend and/or on Labor Day?  You will not be disappointed!

Super Easy Peach Cobbler

4 C. fresh peach slices
1 T. lemon juice
1 C. flour
1 C. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg, beaten
6 T. butter, melted

Place peach slices in a 9-inch square baking pan and sprinkle with the lemon juice.  Stir together the dry ingredients, then add the beaten egg and stir together until crumbly.  Sprinkle over the peaches, then drizzle the melted butter over the top.  Bake at 375 degrees for 40-45 minutes.  Serves 6.

Note: This cobbler is actually better made the day before you intend to eat it.  The crunchy crust can be a bit hard when eaten on the same day it is baked, so if possible cover it and let it sit for a day before eating so that the crust can soften.
         

This 'n That Thursdays: Butterfly-Kissed Dining Room

We have had so many butterflies visiting our flowers this year that I got to thinking about designing a space around these lovely lepidopterans.  After finding a photo of a butterfly-inspired table, the dining room seemed the obvious choice.  Here is what I came up with:

Clockwise from top left: Vanessa Table from Bonaldo; Rosewood Butterfly Dining Chairs from Red Modern Furniture; Butterfly Cafe Lumbar Pillow Cover from Pottery Barn; Swallowtail Butterfly Pitcher from Laura Zindel Design; Lepidoptera propriedae VII by Lacey Terrell; Butterfly Pendant Light by Alex Earl; Lenox Butterfly Meadow All Purpose Glasses from Belk; Black Felt Butterfly Placemat (no longer available); Center: Butterfly Plates from Signals; Background: Giandia Blasco Butterfly Rug from 2Modern.

Having butterflies in the dining room would be like dining al fresco on a perfect summer day all year round -- I could get used to that!
         

Wish List Wednesdays: Moody Aquarium Sink

When I first saw the Moody Aquarium Sink I thought it was a photoshopped image that someone had created as a joke.  Not so!  This amazing bathroom sink and fully functional aquarium is actually available for purchase.  If you happen to have $4,500 sitting around, you could become the proud owner of this novelty item.  You have a choice of black or white sand on the inside, and either a chrome or wenge wood stand:

The addition of fish is optional, of course.  I rather like the zen look of the wenge wood-base sink in the photo above.  In fact, the more I see it, the more I am drawn to this sink.  Now where did I put that spare $4,500 that was lying around...
         

Foodie Fridays: Madeira Cake

From BBC Good Food

Yesterday was National Sponge Cake Day, which reminded me of a recipe I haven't made in a long time called Madeira Cake.  Technically, a true sponge cake is made without oil or butter, but the addition of the latter makes for a very moist and tender, not to mention delicious, cake, actually more like a pound cake but with a lighter texture from the stiffly beaten egg whites.  Often a sponge cake is baked in a round pan, then split and filled with jam or berries and whipped cream, but I prefer the Madeira loaf, sliced and served plain.  Citrus flavoring, usually lemon, is often added, and sometimes almond flavoring with or without the citrus, but once again I am an advocate for a plain version.  This is the recipe I have had for years, and it remains my favorite.  Be sure to whip the egg whites quite stiff to get the most rise in the cake, although the baking soda in this recipe should help.  All you need is a nice cup of tea and you will be all set to enjoy a little slice of heaven!

Madeira Cake

1 1/2 C. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
5 egg whites, stiffly beaten
5 egg yolks, beaten
3/4 C. sugar
3/4 C. melted butter
1 tsp. vanilla

Sift together the flour and baking soda.  Fold the egg yolks into the whites, followed by the sugar, flour mixture, butter, and vanilla.  Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.  Cool in the pan on a wire rack for a few minutes, then remove from the pan and cool completely.  Serves 10.

This 'n That Thursdays: I Am Curious (about) Yellow

From House to Home

Back in the sixties an avant-garde movie oddly named "I Am Curious (Yellow)" (1967) caused much consternation in the nation.  Considered very risqué at the time, about all that it is remembered for now is that quirky title.  While I was a bit too young then to have any interest in this movie, I am curious now about the color yellow, especially in interior design.  Yellow has been selected as Asia's 2012 Color of the Year, so I am obviously not the only one who is intrigued by this vibrant hue.  However, yellow has always been one of the most difficult colors for me -- I like it, but have a hard time trying to figure out how to use it in my house.  I prefer bold, bright, in-your-face, dazzle-the-eyeballs yellow to more subtle shades, which may be part of my problem.  I don't think I am ready to completely saturate a room in yellow like the one above, although I adore the wallpaper.  Since some of my favorite flowers are bright yellow, and I frequently use them in flower arrangements to add just a touch of this color to my home:

From Easy Home Tips

From Central Square Florist

I guess I just need to learn how to use this color correctly, and then perhaps I can add some of these eye-catching items to my rooms:

From Layla Grayce

From Domestic Modern

Yellow rugs

From Fab

From Inmod

Yellow pillows

From Passementerie

From Unica Home

Yellow seating

From My Best Furniture

From A2

Yellow furniture

From CB2

From Maison Bertet

Yellow accessories

The only thing I find curious now is why it has taken me so long to embrace the color yellow!