Oh…No!

….It’s getting scary in paradise

Death and destruction…everywhere

The Machete is out…and being used

…New pictures soon…

very soon.

bwwahhahahah

A Postcard From France

B IS FOR?



BOUND FOR BRITTANY!

Which is what I was doing last week travelling through Normandy, along the coast southwards in the direction of Brittany. The photograph was taken in the small town of Lessay. I am now in Brittany in the little coastal town of Binic where the weather is currently reasonably balmy but breezy. Bumbling around here for a couple more days yet before travelling on.

Make a beeline for ABC Wednesday where there be more posts on the letter B.

Coconuts…..

I can’t get enough of them…

hanging and ripening in the trees…

The epitome of tropical.

inside…

And out…

But best in a sweet cupcake…..

Coconut cupcakes…a la Ina Garten

• 3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 5 extra-large eggs at room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
• 3 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 14 ounces sweetened, shredded coconut

For the frosting:

• 1 pound cream cheese at room temperature
• 3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
• 1 1/2 pounds confectioners' sugar, sifted

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In 3 parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in 7 ounces of coconut.

Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Fill each liner to the top with batter. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove to a baking rack and cool completely.

Meanwhile, make the frosting. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on low speed, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and almond extracts. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth.

Frost the cupcakes and sprinkle with the remaining coconut

What a heavenly fruit

Ambrosia of the Gods.

Yes indeedy!

…And don’t call me Shirley…

Talk about a fuselodge!

In the verdant jungle that fringes the ocean in Costa Rica

you can rent this most unique lodge...

With unparalleled views.

Grab a coconut drink…and come have a look-see!

Put your fear of flying to rest

’Cause this baby ain’t movin’…

anymore.

The fully outfitted, meticulously detailed, two bedroom, Boeing 727 fuselage suite.

This vintage 1965 Boeing 727 plane has been refurbished...

In its prior life it shuttled globetrotters around the world!

Now....Fully appointed with two bedrooms and a jacuzzi in the cockpit…

why not?

The wings were made into outdoor seating…

Costa Rican teak paneling from the cockpit to the tail. Furnishings are hand-carved, teak furniture from Java, Indonesia…

Deep breath in through the nose....then out.

fully appointed kitchen…

Flat screen tv for your viewing pleasure

Hmmm. episode of LOST, anyone???

Who needs the oxygen bag…

with this view?

Rent it Here.

Dr. Rumack: Can you fly this plane and land it?

Ted Striker: Surely you can't be serious.

Dr. Rumack: I am serious, and don't call me Shirley.

~Airplane! (the movie)

Find more fun and funky finds at Julias Hooked on Friday's

Icy blues for you…

It’s hot…Like an itchy wool sweater hot.

And while I can appreciate summer. I can dream about cooler places

Wouldn’t this be fun?…camping.

But not your typical stake your tent and build a fire and swat the mosquitos kinda place…

Nope.

Clayoquot Wilderness Resort In the cool blue Mountains of British Columbia .

Promises the perfect pairing of soft adventure and soft beds -

a delicious blend of childhood wishes and grown-up dreams.

They boast tents and cabins….and comfortable.

oh. so. comfortable.

refined comfortable.

They cook for you….and clean up! And spoil you rotten.

Rotten I tell ya.

And Activities...EVERYTHING. Kayaking, biking,whale watching, massage,yoga

Horse riding…

Or just soaking in the cool cool blue

I’m cooler already.

Yep.

Clayoquot Wilderness Resort

Race ya.

Keeping It In The Family

A IS FOR?




AFRICAN VIOLET

Along with my mum's talent with the needle and paintbrush I wish I had inherited her genes when it comes to growing houseplants. One look from me and they usually shriek in horror and curl up their toes in due course. Mum however is a dab hand with all sorts of houseplants especially African violets and orchids. I am delighted to say that that after a couple of unsuccessful attempts, I seem to be doing better with getting this specimen established. I bought a little cutting home with me in April and now look !

ABC Wednesday hosted by Denise Nesbitt is back at the beginning of the alphabet - why not amble over there now to have a peek at more posts on the letter A.

The Wedding

My son got married this weekend and everything was nearly perfect. The rehearsal dinner was supposed to have been in the patio dining area of Hamptons Restaurant in Sumter, SC, but it poured rain an hour before our reservation so they moved us indoors. No matter, it was a perfect evening of families meeting and sharing good conversation with plenty of good food. The wedding was an outdoor event and the weather could not have been more cooperative nor could the bride and groom be any happier.

The service had just ended.

Me and my new daughter-in-law, Danny.

The reception tent.

To find out where we are…where we have been…where the Heck we are going…

The old fashioned way

With Maps.

We have a few in our casa…

Our family room takes the brunt of it.

Some old and showing their age…

in a wise sort of way

Others new…and wordly.

at least 5 X4 feet…Ikea. Who knew?

Others…I grew up with

and if I look closely can see the pen marks where I planned a 7 year olds journey

A 3-D of the Swiss Alps

You always have to have at least a faint idea

of where you are going.

So say we…

In Sept we are off to Brazil and Argentina.

Yehaw!

"As Graceful And Green As A Stem"

"If your life is a leaf that the seasons tear off and condemn
they will bind you with love that is graceful and green as a stem."
~ from "Sisters of Mercy" - Leonard Cohen

The title of this post may be misleading as this post is not gardening related. I know that he is not to everyone's taste but this man's music was a big influence in my late teens/early twenties along with that of the slightly younger Bob Dylan and Simon and Garfunkel. Many a night as students we sat round a record player (now a relic of past times) listening to their albums, drinking coffee/cider/wine and inhaling cigarette fumes etc. I ignored the taunts of some friends, particularly of the male gender, that Cohen's music was "music to slash your wrists" to and was delighted to get the chance to see him at what was the Newcastle Playhouse and Gulbenkian Studio sometime in the 1970s. I remember throughly enjoying the experience.

Well many moons later the opportunity arose to see him again. We now have the opportunity to go to concerts at the still comparatively new Echo Arena in Liverpool which has a capacity of about 10,000. This is within half an hours drive from home and does not involve any motorway travel which I thoroughly dislike,so all and all an ideal venue for us. Since the arena opened we have attended several concerts and have now seen all of the above artists with the exception of Art Garfunkel. Firstly an excellent evening with Paul Simon, followed earlier this year by a most disappointing evening with Bob Dylan. I had waited the best part of over thirty years to see him and what a let down. Absolutely no interaction with the audience and a somewhat perfunctory rush through songs which were hard to recognise. For me the only moving song of the evening was "Something" written by George Harrison which of course being played in Liverpool sent a quiver down the collective spine of the audience.

So it was with a bit of trepidation on my behalf that we set off earlier this week to see Leonard Cohen. Sometimes I have concluded that it is unwise to revisit events/places from the past. However my apprehension was completely unfounded. Like vintage wine he has improved with age. Now well into his seventies Cohen skipped onto the stage and held the audience spellbound. He was surrounded by excellent musicians especially the Spanish guitarist Javier Mas and backing singers including his writing collaborator Sharon Robinson as well as the Webb Sisters. He really seemed to put his whole heart and being into the evening. It was as if he was singing every song for the first time and singing it with love. He seemed delighted and surprised by the standing ovation from the audience. A truly magical evening and a truly humble and charming musician and poet !

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day - July

 

Although still high summer hints of autumn lurk in the garden - the elderflowers are now developing berries and the glowing white chestnut candles of May are now conkers in waiting. I have been participating in Garden Bloggers Bloom Day since March this year and as the year unfolds I have noticed that my colour palette is dominated by pinks, blues, shades of purple and white as well as green. There are very few reds, yellows and oranges in the garden. I must do something to rectify this sorry state of affairs.

Top row - left to right - geranium pratense 'Plenum Caeruleum', geranium' Salome' and rosa 'The Fairy' - this does not come into flower into July but then flowers for a long spell.

Middle row - left to right - astrantia maxima,unknown heuchera and petunias in a container and verbascum 'Jackie in Pink'

Bottom row left to right - a buddleia obtained as a cutting from my parent's garden, geranium pratense 'Plenum Violaceum' and what I think is geranium 'Rozanne' but it did not have a label when I bought it. I rescued it from the bargain shelf of our local Homebase store where it was looking rather worse for wear. I think that she was suffering from extreme dehydration and neglect so I am glad that I bought her home with me.

More June blooms can be added to the ever growing wish list at May Dreams Gardens hosted by Carol.

So…It is a relaxed place…

Furniture stripped down to the most basic. Raw eucalyptus wood sofa…Bamboo blinds…a whale bone as art…

The kitchen …so fundamental that even the propane tanks

fit in.

Cement counters showing their use

not shy.

The pot rack with rope.

why not?

One of two perfunctory bedrooms

No frills.

…But the marine blue cotton and wet sand colored walls

mirror the view…just steps away.

Solitaire and a thermos of coffee.

Life is good.

Contemplate the simplicity.

yes.

Photos: Cote Maison/ Uruguay

Alphabet's End

Z IS FOR?



ZUCCHINI !

"Zucchinis terrific!
Like bunnies, prolific!"

~ Author Unknown

When my Italian mother first came to England in the 1950s zucchini were not an item stocked by greengrocers much to her disappointment. So when my father got an allotment in the 1970s one of the first vegetables he grew were zucchini,using seeds sent by Italian relatives. His first crop was viewed with great suspicion by his plot neighbours but they soon became converts.

I have carried on the family tradition and would not be without zucchini plants at the allotment. This year I am growing 'Romanesco', 'Defender' and 'Green Bush'. The zucchini in the above photo are the first of the 'Romanesco' which we dined on at the weekend. The onions in the pan are also from the allotment. I added some tomato sauce to the pan and the final concoction went down nicely with a plate of pasta.

As we reach the the zenith of the alphabet more zany posts on the letter Z can be enjoyed at ABC Wednesday kindly hosted by Denise Nesbitt.

P.S. Fifty years on zucchini abound on supermarket shelves but greengrocers sadly seem less prolific on our high streets.

Full Circle

It's funny how you often come round to where you first started and this includes plant buying habits. When I started planting the garden here I was besotted with hardy geraniums. Slowly though I went on to develop other addictions and although the love affair has never ended I have not added to my geraniums for some time. They still must have a hold over me for it was a stall with a prominent display of hardy geraniums that caught my attention at a recent garden festival. So my Arley Hall haul included two new to me hardy geraniums - pratense 'Summer Skies' and 'Pink Penny'. The former is a double with very soft lilac tinges and the latter reminds me of geranium 'Buxton's Blue' but with pink flowers. I also bought an old friend whose name escapes me at the moment. It's too dark and wet out there to a go and check the label now. It is a rather delicate geranium which has a trailing habit and very small white flowers. I have managed to kill this off before but thought that I would give it another go. Also coming home with me were achillea 'Jacqueline', verbena rigida (smaller and more stocky than verbena bonariensis), some Redbor kale and for having the pleasure of inhaling its scent -a lemon verbena. On the subject of verbena bonariensis I have a surfeit of seedlings at the allotment and must make sure that I do not let any of the fully grown plants set seed this year. Famous last words :)

Too Many Trips to the Mall

We are just a week away from the wedding. Thank goodness I am only working on one wedding event as I couldn't have managed much more. I finished the menu cards and place cards and after doing some price comparisons we ended up ordering the bride and groom strawberries from Costco instead of trying to make them. We polished up some trays and gathered champagne glasses for the reception so I think we are ready. In fact this afternoon I stacked my clothes for the weekend so I'm nearly packed as well.

On Saturday we had to make one last trip to the mall to find something for my husband to wear to the rehearsal dinner and while walking through the mall I noticed the most intriguing thing. Have any of you had your brows done using the threading technique? My camera was in my purse and I wanted to pull it out to take pictures but frankly, taking pictures of someone getting their brows done just seemed too personal. I just didn't have it in me to ask if I could photograph the process but how amazing. (the photo posted is from eHow). A friend of the woman being threaded had just gotten her brows done and they were perfect. I watched for quite some time but I still can't figure out how to do the threading. Can you?

Today’s yard waste moment brought to you….

…. By the letter C and the number 10.

C for Crinum Lily…and a pink ginger as a bonus!

the number 10 is an old gas station sign that never found a home and sits in the kitchen. Sigh.

again…just keepin’ it real for ya.

I’ve also realized that The Lime in the Coconut blog turned 1 year old this week!

Whoop-dee-doo

I need to think up a way to thank all of you wonderful, loyal and down right funny readers and commenter's and followers...

You make it all good. All fun.

You make my day. Everyday…and I wanna thank you for that.

So…stay tuned…Perhaps a give-away.

really really

{big smoooch}