Ellenberger Adoption Auction

My sister is having another online adoption auction.  All money raised will go to help with their travel expenses.  The will have to travel 2 times within a month to South Korea to bring my nephew Andrew home.  They are hoping to travel before the end of 2013, but more than likely it won't be until after the start of 2014.  Please visit their Facebook Page to participate.  Please "like" their page, "share" it with all of your friends, and bid away on some great items.  There will be a drawing for a wonderful prize at the end of the auction.  You can be entered by sharing the page and bidding.  There are some wonderful items available.  I have donated one of my Turkey wreaths to the auction.  I will try to make another tulle wreath as well.

Turkey Tulle and Yarn wreath I donated.

Please help support my sister and her family in bringing my nephew Andrew home to his forever family!!  

Until next time...

Happy Fall Y'all!!

I can't believe that Autumn starts this afternoon at 4:44pm!!  This is my favorite time of the year!!  I love the cool, crisp mornings, clear blue skies, and the pretty colors!!  Plus everything pumpkin and apple!!  I already made some pumpkin cheesecake ice cream last night.  Hopefully I'll post the recipe soon!!  I can't wait for the leaves to start changing colors so that I can go out and explore with my camera!!

I decorated my house for fall the first weekend of September.  Some people may think that was too early, but I get to enjoy it for all of September, then I will put up the Halloween decorations the first weekend in October to enjoy all of October, and then put up the Thanksgiving decorations the first weekend in November to enjoy until Thanksgiving day when I decorate for Christmas...but let's not get ahead of ourselves now!!  

Here is my Autumn fireplace.

Here is just the mantle.  I did an owl theme this year.

Finally found a cute place to put my cornucopia this year!!
And this stuffed owl is too cute.  He is new this year and from Michaels. 

These owls are new this year and are also from Michaels.

I also have this tall vase filled with artificial seasonal flowers.  I think these sunflowers may be my favorite!!
They look wonderful with the grapevine gourds.

I've had the metal milk jug for years, but I still love it filled with leaves!!

I can't believe that I found that purple sunflower a few years ago.  

I haven't had this cornucopia out in years, but I found the perfect spot for it this year.

I hope you enjoyed these photographs of some of my fall decorations.  Maybe I'll post some pictures of the Autumn tulle wreath I made last year.  It was my first tulle wreath, and is one of my favorites!!  I hope you enjoy the Fall season wherever you live.

Until next time...

Turkey Tulle/Yarn Wreath

So I finished my Tom Turkey wreath today.  I think He turned out pretty nice!!  I think the only thing I would do different is to put more tulle in and less yarn.  I didn't realize until I looked at the pictures that it is almost even and I wanted it to be 2/3 tulle and 1/3 yarn.  But I still think he's pretty cute!!

Hope you are enjoying the start of fall wherever you are!!  I can't wait for everything apple and pumpkin!!  And cool crisp days with clear blue skies!!  I hope you enjoyed this wreath!!

Until next time...

Springton Manor Farm

Earlier this spring I spent a morning at Springton Manor Farm.  I had a nice time visiting with the animals and enjoying the nice spring weather.  And the best thing was it's free!!  I'll have to go back sometime to get some better pictures of the animals.

I love the "oreo cookie" cow on the far left.

The sheep a week after getting sheared.

Another shot of the sheep.

I just want to give these guys a good brushing!!

Someone needs a hair cut!!

Crabapple tree in full bloom.

I hope you enjoyed these photographs.  I can't wait to go back again soon and visit with the animals again.

Until next time...  

Raspberry Swirl Sweet Rolls

I've made these sweet rolls several times earlier this spring.  They are delicious!!  Well worth the wait of letting them rise several times in the baking process.

Recipe is from Sally's Baking Addiction (link below), but photographs are my property.

They are the perfect size to fit in two 9" round cake pans.

Look at that gooey raspberry goodness!!

Even more delicious after drizzled with glaze.

Yummy!!

How delicious do these look?!?!

Oh my goodness!!

I need to make these again ASAP!!

Recipe from:  http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2012/12/16/raspberry-swirl-sweet-rolls/

makes 16 rolls, Active time: 30 min, Total: 4 hours (or overnight)

Ingredients

Dough:
1 cup milk
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 and 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast (2 standard size packets)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting/rolling
Filling:
One 10-oz. package frozen raspberries (NOT thawed)
1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
Glaze:
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
3 Tablespoons heavy cream (or half-and-half or milk)

Instructions
Make The Dough: In a small saucepan, warm the milk over low heat until lukewarm (no need to use a thermometer, but to be precise: about 95 degrees F). Pour the warm milk into the bowl of a stand electric mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment and manually stir in the sugar and yeast. Cover with a towel and let stand until the yeast is foamy, about 5-10 minutes. Add the softened butter, eggs, and salt. Scrape down the sides and manually stir as needed. Gradually add the flour and beat at medium speed until a soft dough forms. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until the dough is soft and supple, about 10 minutes longer. *If you do not have a stand-mixer with a hook attachment, knead the dough by hand in this step.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead it with your hands for about 2 minutes. Form the dough into a ball and transfer it to a lightly greased bowl. Cover the dough and let sit in a warm place until doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours.

Line the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish with parchment paper,leaving room on the sides (I actually used two 9 inch cake pans, which worked out well). Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and, using a rolling in, roll into a 10x24 inch rectangle. Make sure the dough is smooth and evenly thick, even at the corners.

Make The Filling: In a medium bowl, toss the frozen raspberries with the sugar and cornstarch. Spread the cold sugared raspberries evenly over the dough. Tightly roll up the dough to form a 24-inch-long log. Cut into 16 even rolls (about 1.5 inches in width each). I used dental floss to cut them, which was easier than using a knife.  Arrange them in the prepared baking pan, cut sides up. Cover the rolls and let them rise in a warm place until they are puffy, about 2 hours. The berries will release their juice at the bottom of the pan - this is OK.

Preheat the oven to 400F degrees. Cover the rolls with aluminum foil and bake for about 25 minutes, until they are golden and the berries are bubbling. Transfer the pan to a rack to cool for about 15 minutes.

Make The Glaze: In a small bowl, whisk the confectioner’s sugar and heavy cream until smooth. Add more sugar or cream, depending how thick you want the glaze. Pour glaze over the rolls and serve warm.

*Make Ahead:* The recipe can be prepared through Step 4. Cover the rolls and let sit overnight at room temperature before baking in step 5. Baked rolls can be frozen up to 2 months and warmed up to enjoy at a later date. Glaze right before serving.

Since I baked them in two 9 inch round cake pans, I froze one pan and kept one pan out to eat.  I've made them several times and they are delicious.  They are easy to make, just takes a while since they have to rise several times.  I made them when my parents came to visit Memorial Day weekend, and they were a hit!!  I highly recommend them!!  I hope you enjoy...

Until next time...

Valley Forge Park

Memorial Day weekend my parents came to visit and one of the things I planned was a trip to Valley Forge Park since they had never been.  Of course it was windy and C-O-L-D for a Memorial Day weekend on Saturday when we went (it did decide to clear up and warm up in time for our bar-b-que on Memorial Day!!).  But we had fun nonetheless.  It was a fitting time to go since it was Memorial Day weekend and my dad is a veteran.  I hope you enjoy these photographs I took.

"I pledge allegiance to the flag..."

Under the arch.

Train coming outside of Washington's Headquarters

Row of cannons.  My are things different nowadays!!

Washington's Chapel

Stained glass at the chapel.

More stained glass at the chapel.

Gorgeous inside of the chapel.

One last photo of the chapel.

My parents enjoyed the history of the park and I enjoyed taking some cool photographs.  I was there last fall, and it was gorgeous with the backdrop of leaves changing color!!  I hope you enjoyed the photos.  Until next time.

Chanticleer Garden

So I've visited Chanticleer Garden in Wayne, PA a few times this spring.  I figured I'd post a few pictures from those visits.  It's a very nice and quiet garden.  Not as busy as Longwood Gardens is, which is another favorite place for me to go and photograph.  But I was looking for someplace different to photograph this spring, and Chanticleer Garden was recommended by a coworker.  I hope you enjoy the photographs.

I just love the depth of field of this photograph.

Iris's are one of my favorite flowers, right up there with orchids.

I loved the color of this flower and the detail of the center of it.

I thought this was a cute little flower.

Reflecting pool in the ruins area.

Tulips blooming in the spring.

Backside of the mansion house.

Who doesn't love yellow and purple tulips?!?!

Quiet little stream.

Dogwood blooming.

Tulip tree bloom.

I think this may be one of my favorite photographs that I've ever taken!!  Just a spectacular view of the reflecting pool on a very sunny day.

Hope you enjoyed these photographs!!  I sure enjoyed taking them!!  Might have to go back and explore what summer has to offer at Chanticleer Garden.  Until next time...