THE DESSERT CARNIVAL ~

UMMMMMM......I have been waiting FOREVER for this DELICIOUS DAY and I know all of you have, too.....................

My entry is, OF COURSE, Chocolate !! What else ?

~ CHOCOLATE BLISS CAKE ~

It can be made in any cake pan you would like but I chose a BUNDT pan for this one............
If I plan to take it somewhere, I use a 9x12 sheet cake pan....



It has a really good icing .....not the FUDGE one I told you about before but it is very good indeed, especially for a BUNDT........


It is more like a SAUCE and when making a BUNDT, you will have some icing left over that is SCRUMPTIOUS poured over slices of cake...just that extra SWEETNESS, in case you aren't getting enuf sugar !! ;o)


It drizzles down the grooves and makes delicious little puddles on the plate......

TA DAAAA !

FOR YOUR NOTES......this is almost fool-proof and very easy to make......
It's a very moist and rich cake and I've never, ever had it to flop.....

It can be decorated in so many ways from filling the center with

ICE CREME (coffee ice creme is especially nice)

TO FRUITS, drizzled with chocolate

Whole STRAWBERRIES for a very pretty look and

once, I filled the center with MANDARIN ORANGES and SLICED STRAWBERRIES and nearly made my own piggy self SICK from eating TOO much.........

OINK...OINK

CHOCOLATE BLISS

In a bowl, mix

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

In a pan, melt

2 sticks of butter

4 Tablespoons Cocoa

add

1 cup hot water

Boil for about a minute

Pour into flour mixture, adding

1/2 cup buttermilk

(if you don't have buttermilk, use just a smidge less than 2 cups of milk and add 1 teaspoon of either LEMON JUICE or VINEGAR to make buttermilk)

2 well beaten eggs

1 teaspoon soda

1 teaspoon Vanilla

MIX well and pour into your cake pan.

Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes when using BUNDT pan

about 20/25 minutes if you use sheet cake pan.

***************************

BLISS ICING

MELT

1 1/2 sticks butter

4 Tablespoons Cocoa

Remove from heat and add

6 Tablespoons Milk

1 teaspoon Vanilla

2 to 2 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar

Beat well and add

1 cup chopped pecans, if desired

Pour over warm cake and

DIG IN !

My mom made this cake all the time I was growing up and it IS a delicious, from scratch cake that you will enjoy.

I hope we aren't all sick on a sugar high this week!!! But....what a way to go !

Come on....follow me....let's go check out

THE DESSERT CARNIVAL

at

THE HOUSE IN THE ROSES

Thanks to CIELO for this wonderful day !

AM I THE ONLY ONE HAVING TROUBLE WITH BLOGGER TODAY ?? GRRRRRR

PLEASE DON'T FORGET THAT I WILL HAVE MY DRAWING FOR THE

LITTLE BIRD HOOKS

IN THE MORNING (THURSDAY)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ~

HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY STACY GIRL

CAN YOU EVER KNOW HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU?

YES.....

BEING A MOTHER YOURSELF, YOU KNOW I WOULD LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU....

AND NEVER EVEN QUESTION IT.....

WE ARE ALL SO PROUD OF YOU....

I LOVE YOU, SWEETIE

*****************************************************************


UPDATE ON THE LITTLE BABY MOURNING DOVE

25 MINUTES AFTER I SNAPPED THIS SHOT .....

SHE FLEW AWAY

APRIL 28TH

*****************************************

PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO GO OVER TO SEE THE

DESSERT CARNIVAL

AT HOUSE IN THE ROSES

WEDNESDAY MORNING....8:00

**********************

Remember to leave a comment on my

I'll Fly Away posting

for the

JUST BECAUSE GIVEAWAY

BLESSINGS, bj

SPLISH SPLASH......

Aren't these puppies soooo cute ? Especially when they are WET !!
oooooo, and these aren't MY puppies....just a cute photo off the net.

THIS is what my lowly, old and average BATH TUB looks like.....


...and such HO-HUM, YAWN, UGLY, OLD, .....AN OLD BUILDER GRADE faucet ..................

Faucets and knobs are the JEWELRY for bath tubs !! Don't they know ANYTHING?


PITIFUL.......


THIS is what a C.O.O.L. tub looks like...................


................and this.....................


.................and, PLEASE note the faublous FAUCET SET ! See? .....JEWELRY !


UMMMMM, wouldn't you love to soak in this beauty............ (does it look a little SHORT, or is it just me??)


HERE'S the black and white I love.......................

MY favorite.....a SLIPPER TUB..............

I saw a movie once....and MR. HARRISON FORD was sitting in a slipper tub and I've been in LUV with slipper tubs ever since !!!!!! ;o) (gulp and blushing here)

OR, WAIT A MINUTE....I love this ROUND one, too............. actually, it may be oblong..

BUT, if I had to choose my VERY FAVORITE....this is the bathroom and tub I would choose.... tis my dream bath *sigh

....bubbles

....candles

....music

....chocolate

....wine

OH...and did I remind you that THIS ONE is Beautiful Daughter's ?

I can remember this tub, found on the acreage they purchased, being used to water the horses ......AMAZING !!

MUSIC AND CANDLES to you today

bj

DESSERT CARNIVAL

THE HOUSE IN THE ROSES

WEDNESDAY

APRIL 28, 8:00 AM

EDITED at 7:13 AM to say that I just stopped by THE PIONEER WOMAN COOKS , Ree, and she is showing how to make the BESTEST looking potatoes....

Oh, I DO hope I have some potatoes...I WANT SOME LIKE THESE this morning.....

Go take a look-see........

********************************************

Don't forget to sign up for the birdy hook on my

I'LL FLY AWAY

posting......

Drawing on Thurs. morning, EARLY

GOOD LUCK

A BEAUTIFUL NEW AWARD.......

I am so honored to receive this lovely ARTE Y PICO award....and especially honored because the lovely RHONDI at ROSE COLORED GLASSES thought I was deserving of such an award.

So many thanks to you, RHONDI.....I will display it proudly.

*****************************************

I'm sorry to be "hung up" on this little bird family but.......

I've never been this close to a nest before with a good camera and I've enjoyed watching this little one grow......

SO FAST !!!!!

FOUND the pretty egg APRIL 12TH

BABY HATCHED OUT APRIL 19TH

(you have to click on the picture to enlarge to see the little, tiny sweet baby)

PICTURE TAKEN APRIL 25TH

Only 6 days later, that baby is a LOT bigger.

I had NO idea little birds grew that fast.....I must really lead a sheltered life !

Looks like the mom is about to smash the baby..

Sometimes when I look at them, the mom is standing up, just above the baby...to give it some air, I suppose...

Taken TODAY, 27th

I haven't done research to find out how old the baby must be before it trys to fly...

I DO know that I will miss them both !!

Blessings, bj

VINTAGE LINENS ~

Sweet MARY at LITTLE RED HOUSE showed us some of her pretty vintage linens and reminded me that I have a FEW...from my precious little AUNT FRANKIE......

She made the most beautiful cloths, scarves and pillow cases and I am so very glad to have a few of them...................

I should have enough to give to my grandchildren for keepsakes...........

Even more remarkable is the fact that AUNT FRANKIE only had one finger and a thumb on one hand and 3 fingers and a thumb on the other !

Every time I find myself saying, "Oh, I can't do THAT !".......

I think of my AUNT FRANKIE and at least give it a TRY.

She was remarkable and always did everything she wanted to and never gave in to her handicap. I admired and loved her very much.....

Aren't they lovely !!

I never liked SLEEPING on embroidered pillow cases ....they always left a mark on my face....

But, I sure am glad I saved these and didn't give them away......

She always used such pretty colors............

This scarf has always just amazed me......I think it is so pretty and the depth perception is very interesting...almost like a painting.

I have ALWAYS wanted to display it....just never have known HOW.

I wonder if it would be pretty in a frame? The only thing wrong with that is that it has this lovely pattern on BOTH ends....Hmmmmm

If you think of how it would be pretty, please let me know. It's way too pretty to keep in a drawer !!

************************************

Please remember the DESSERT CARNIVAL, hosted by lovely CIELO

Go to her beautiful site and get the instructions......

AND, please sign up on my "I'LL FLY AWAY" post for my

GIVEAWAY

EDITED TO SAY BE SURE AND GO OVER TO SEE LAURIE

for another charming GIVEAWAY

to happen on this coming MONDAY

Please tell her I said HELLO.....

HAPPY SATURDAY TO ALL MY FRIENDS,

bj

"I'LL FLY AWAY".........

I don't know if you remember seeing this little bird hook thingy, hanging on my large book case in my living room or not......

I've had it for a few years and have enjoyed it...have had LOTS of different things hanging on it at one time or another......

The other day, I found ANOTHER one and decided that I want YOU to have it........

SOOOOOO, IT'S TIME FOR ANOTHER

"JUST BECAUSE" GIVEAWAY

If you would like to have a chance at receiving this IRON BIRD HOOK (plus some little tiny SURPRISES included) ALL you have to do is leave a comment on THIS post, telling me that you would like to have it.........Be sure to mention if you WANT it or not as sometimes, ladies leave a note but would rather not be in the drawing.....

Let's see...........I will have the drawing on Thursday of NEXT week !

If you would be so kind as to MENTION THE DRAWING ON YOUR BLOG, I would thank you deeply......

**************************************

OH, and speaking of BIRDIES......

THIS IS THAT LITTLE TINY BIRD YOU HAD TO ENLARGE THE PICTURE, JUST TO BE ABLE TO SEE IT ONLY A FEW DAYS AGO......

THE STARTING OF ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL

MOURNING DOVE

Isn't she so sweet....I think her mom must have flown off to find food....she will surely be back!!

PLEASE LET HER COME BACK !!

I don't know how to take care of a BABY BIRD !!

So, ya'll say it with me....

"PLEASE COME BACK TO YOUR BABY, MOMMA BIRD"

NOTE:

The momma bird did come back to her little baby !

Have a beautiful day !

~ WORK ....and ....DREAMS ~

I am like anybody else....I don't mind work when it produces something THIS pretty....

in fact, I LOVE working in this sort of environment.....I dream of it a LOT...

the beauty.....

the lovely fragrance.......


"One's heart is nearer to God in a garden
than any place else on Earth"................I believe that !

I WANT to be working in a place like this...........*sigh

And, ESPECIALLY in a place like this ! ..............

....Isn't this just the neatest way to garden you've EVER seen ?

I am so excited about doing something like this. We had already decided to try some patio container gardening this season but THIS.....

Oh, I REALLY want to do something like THIS !! *sigh and double sigh

*************

BUT, IT IS NOT TO BE BECAUSE OF THIS...................

If there is anyone left on the planet that doesn't know what this lovely, little yellow beauty is...it's a DANDELION.....a weed....an undesirable !

And, THIS is a Dandelion PICKER ! You push it in, right beside the dreaded WEED, push, tilt, and it pulls that weed out, roots and all........

This year, for reasons unknown, we have a LOT of these little, mean, hard*to*get*rid*of boogers and we HAVE to dig them or else spray. Since I'm not a big fan of weed killers, we (did I say WE?) will dig them out............

*sigh and starting to sob just a bit here

I dug a LOT of them out yesterday and still have some to do but....it's getting there.

We also worked on our winter wood pile for our fabulous wood burning stove....

It was all stacked on the patio, up next to the fence on a home-made log holder...

Logs covered in dead leaves.....BIG MESS ! BIG !

So, we put together the new log holder BILL got for Christmas, cleaned the leaves off the logs, positioned the holder beneath the porch overhang, right beside our doors, and filled it up to the brim.....what a fabulous place for the logs !

Now, the logs will stay dry and will be handy from the door to bring inside during the winter for a nice, roaring fire.....

But....I sure was tired and, all the while, was STILL dreaming of my lovely gardens that I would rather be working in.....*SIGH and downright cryin' now

We ALSO cleaned out our outdoor fun fireplace....the one where we roast marshmallows and hot dogs with the grand kids....

Cleaned and scrubbed, inside and out....all ready for another round of cooking when the kids are hungry for another weenie roast.
***************
Yep, there's lots of yard work to be done and cleaning of THE PLACE before I can devote time to other projects like.....

GARDENS......

Remember...we are OLD and we work awhile, rest awhile, play awhile...It takes us twice or three times longer to get a job done now that even 5 years ago....And......

....speaking of playing, I finally.....

after a long, LONG work day, decided we needed

REST, RELAXATION AND................

REFRESHMENT !!!!!!!!

The good thing.....there's still time to start a garden of sorts...and if we continue to work as we did yesterday, we'll have the clean-up done in nothing flat and then......DREAMS CAN COME TRUE !

Have a relaxing day, if you possibly can...WORK tomorrow!! :)



Oh, and did I remember to give thanks for being ABLE to still work ? Let me do that this very minute!


Hugs, bj

FROM DECORATING IDEAS MAGAZINE, Feb.'06

Good morning....have a Cinnamon Biscuit and a cup of coffee and let's look at some great ideas in this old magazine....




I just LOVE these pretty flowers planted in an iron hanger, covered in moss....

SPRING IS IN THE WINGS

OH...and look how adorable THIS is....and so easy to achieve....

Find an old dresser or desk...repaint it a glorious color..

3 shelves of different lengths (I get lumber pieces at Home Depot or Lowes and hubby just
routes the edges for me...or you can have it done right there for
a small fee....cheaper than buying pre-made shelving!

and.........6 pretty corbels or heavy shelf brackets.....adding a pretty molding of sorts to the top..


PAINT IT ALL the same color and, WALLA.......You have an OUTSTANDING piece !!

And the great thing is that probably no one else will have one like it !!

How's this for dressing up just a plain, ole corner of your room.........


3 shelves, faced with old molding (this looks like tin)....and you can buy NEW tin, distress it and do the same thing.......

A really cute corner of the room.....

Now this one is too cute !! She just took a cool looking chair and added all sorts of things to it....

a hook on the back to hang a shirt..

screwed a cool soap dish to the upper front to hold her watch, rings, bracelets......

little wooden knobs on the sides to hold her necklaces, scarf or a pretty belt.....

painted flowers on the seat that can hold a book, a dish of candy, a glass of water...even an alarm clock...

I think one of these cute babies would be so neat in a guest room, beside their bed, for their belongings....

Oh, and look at all her roosters on top of the FABULOUS hutch that HER HUBBY BUILT.....

The article in DECORATING IDEAS, where most of these pictures came from, says that when she started collecting roosters, she decided they all had to be LIFE SIZE to avoid a clutter effect....

And, don't you love the softness of the fabric in the lower doors of the hutch ? I think I might like this idea beneath my kitchen sink....just remove the doors and make some really cute curtains to match my kitchen.....something different and for a change...I could always put my doors back on if I got tired of the fabric...

This talented lady blocked off and painted these amazing squares on her wooden floors....

Talk about STRIKING....

I don't have WOODEN floors but ...if I did...........................!!

I love the colors of this awesome chest...so FRENCH !

When the wife wanted to sit it in front of a large window, the hubby removed the backing and left it open so the light could come thru....now, how smart is that!! How do people think up such NEAT ideas such as this ?

OHHH and this is so IMPRESSIVE to me....

Two stock bookcases, screwed to the walls for stability.....

A shelf across the upper back wall, supported by the bookcases....

Another larger shelf, acting as a desk, also supported by the bookcases....

Curtain rod attached, once again, to the awesome bookcases......

Beautiful curtains, held back by beautiful brackets.....attached, YEP....to the bookcases!

Fill it all up with baskets, plants, lamp, waste basket, comfy chair and talk about a GREAT little office space that looks like a million dollars!!! WOW

OK...see that little French gold, white and red, drop leaf table by the chair....

I saw this and GOT INSPIRED !

IMPORTANT NOTE HERE......

PLEASE remember that I have NO talents !

I am TOTALLY TALENTLESS !!! So don't expect much here............

BUT...I just HAD to try my hand at stenciling and I had this old dining table of my mother's....and the table isn't as sweet as the little oblong one in the magazine but.....I wanted to TRY anyway !

This is a HUGH table and I only am showing one side up....

The design makes it look like a "cloth" on top when the table is folded out which is pretty cool....

If I had a pretty enclosed porch like SOME people I know, I would use this table out there !! :)

*******************************************************

If you have some neat ideas, be sure to show us all. It's fun to see how you use your talents, especially for those of us that HAVE NONE !! :)

HAPPY DAY...

bj