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Of course, I switch it up with things most excellent, such as this.
And of course, Stevie visits through speakers too.
And then I plunge.
Full summer desert night immersion.
In hammock, happy as can be.
Fairy lights swinging about...
From that great big mesquite tree...
Summer nights in the desert mountains, so good.
Not one bit of chilliness in the air.
Just plain cozy.
I feel little bodies bumping underneath me.
Little playful growls, first one bump, then two.
Then a head pops up :)
We watch giant dahlias sway under twinkle lights...
On these...
Wonderful...
Summer nights.
Zero bugs that bite you are out.
No mosquitoes.
We don't get those until monsoon season.
And even then, they aren't as bad as places that are humid.
Thank goodness.
And since it's been rain free for months, it's dry.
Dry heat.
Sure, you have to lob a couple harmless beetle type things off you a couple times.
But that's no biggie.
:)
Mister Lovee got home from the office last night, and went straight from his car, into the hammock. I took his shoes off and there he stayed for a good long while.
They were moist and tasty, and I totally came up with some random recipe on a whim.
I had about 6 recipes for carrot cake.
So, I looked at them all, and then thought one up.
A random test, that thankfully worked.
I picked carrots from my veggie garden to make these.
Using garden carrots made it feel like a whole lot more love was going into these cupcakes. Since I get up early every day and tend garden and all. There was also a tinge of exciting fear, since I was sort of winging a recipe, and didn't want to ruin them.
Plus, there is the planting of the seeds, and trying to keep birds away from seedlings, etc...
To finally arrive at these lovelies.
Anyhow, I scribbled down what I thought might work for a recipe...
Throwing in some of my own thoughts/ideas for good measure.
And yay!
It worked.
Phew.
The boys seemed to love them on Sunday.
And Lovee really seemed to love them.
Did you Lovee? I forgot to ask.
So, now I think I can recommend making these to others.
:)
Here's what I did.
Carrot Cupcakes
Makes 24+
For the Cupcakes:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil (I used extra virgin olive oil)
4 large eggs
3 cups grated carrots (about 8 large carrots)
1 cup well drained crushed pineapple
1/2 cup raisins (soak in water to plump for a few minutes)
(you can add chopped pecans to your mixture if you'd like)
For the Frosting:
1- 8 ounce package of cream cheese (room temp)
(you can add a 2nd package of cream cheese if you'd like a cheesier frosting)
2 sticks butter at room temp (equals 1 cup)
(I use regular salted butter, I think frosting needs a little salt to taste best)
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 350'F
Line muffin tin with cupcake liners
In a bowl whisk together dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and ginger.
In a second bowl mix sugar, oil and eggs (I used a mixer for this).
Add flour mixture to sugar, oil and eggs and beat until well blended.
Stir in carrots, pineapple and raisins.
Divide batter amongst cupcake cups, filling about 3/4 of the way.
I have a very hot gas oven, so mine were done in 11 minutes. But these could take up to 18-20 minutes to cook depending on your oven.
You want to take them out when they are still moist and tender, and not overcooked and dry, so test them with a toothpick when they begin to look done. When your toothpick comes out clean, they are done.
While your cupcakes are cooling, make the frosting.
Using your electric mixer, cream butter and cream cheese together until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla, and last the powdered sugar. Mix well.
You can refrigerate your frosting for a little while if it is too soft.
I think we should take a nice calm early morning stroll, you?
Let's start with the giant volunteer sunflower.
Mid June is a crazy busy month in my neck of the woods.
Lovee had a birthday on the 15th, which I baked and made a nice meal for.
And then I had a day to put a lil'shindig together for Sunday Father's day.
And then...
Dad's birthday on the 17th.
So we got together for a 4 hour lunch party yesterday, which was super lovely.
(plus whipping up some handmade gifts too)
Phew, that was a lot of partying.
I know about 20 people who have a June 17th birthday, isn't that wild?
So now, it's peaceful garden times...
That early summer sun, when the earth isn't scorching yet, is beautiful.
I know it's not "technically" summer yet.
But it has been over 100'F for a couple weeks now, so it's summer to me :)
My furs and I make the morning rounds.
Miles can't wait to get into the veggie garden and sniff around every morning.
Matty cuddles up and just watches us.
He still isn't 100% himself, and relapses when we try to take him off the meds.
He gets lots of love and treats, and I for one can't wait for the day that we see the old Matty again. If we never do, that's okay too, we love him just the way he is. Little guy. He is so strong and bigger and meaner from the steroids. I am sure he scared the knickers off our Sunday guests plenty :)
Loooooove that lil' meanie!!
The huge sunflowers are waking up these days...
Miles is 3 steps up on the front porch below.
So, you can imagine how big that sunflower is.
I didn't try to fight the bugs that cause brown sunflower leaves this year.
No dishwashing soap sunflower leaf hand contact for me, no sirree.
For fear of last years hives, plus anaphylactic shock, I stayed away from that.
So, I am embracing the leaves as is :)
Hollyhocks are unfurling every morning...
Some are extra pretty...
It's amazing how many varieties turn up year to year.
Oh, look whose watching us again ;)
He switched spots.
(I loooooove those ears!)
Out back to the veggie garden we go...
Tomatillo lanterns, squeal!
Love em.
Growing growing growing...
This year, instead of a huge pumpkin patch, I opted to use a few beds to grow pumpkins.
As well as surrounding the domed veggie garden.
We'll see how that works out.
I just wanted to make less work for myself this year.
Mister Lovee loves those sage like plants below with the purple flowers that invade my garden.
So, I kept some.
(they are about to come out though, I'll leave him some others)
All the sunflowers in the veggie garden are volunteers this year.
I love seeing what grows on its own when you water the earth.
The best gift...
Yep, a volunteer fairytale pumpkin vine.
I didn't plant it.
And there are about 6 pumpkins more coming, all on one vine.
This is a magical happening, I tell you.
It is indeed.
Isn't that special?
I wanna hug that thorny vine.
I'll hug a punkin baby instead :)
We leave the veggie garden and whip back towards the west side of the yard.
Past the gypsy camp...
And the white endless rose babies.
Past the shastas...
Thanks ever so much for the tips, I was wondering exactly what kind those tall daisies were.
Admiring the dinner plate dahlias on our way...
And the bees too of course.
On an early morning garden day...
Where my huge oregano patch surrounding the rose arbor is blooming.
Perfect for that early morning bouquet collection...
Summer garden days are here.
Undoubtedly.
I can't wait for some rain.
I think February was the last time I saw rain?
Now, time to get my life in order after all those boy birthday days and events.
The whole Sahra cd is excellent by the way, I haven't tired of it all these years later. In fact, in about 1996 I fell in love with the song titled Sahra, like the album, and played it on repeat for years. I think I drove everyone around me mad ;)
Note to self, still playing.
Detni Essekra, Aicha and Mektoubi are also major faves on the album.
Anyhow...
It's time to have a nice evening in the warm desert.
See you extra soon!
Love, V
ps: You may have noticed I am trying to tidy up my blog sidebars a little.
I guess it was about time, no?
I wanted something fresh and different, so I decided to scan my handwriting for the links in my left hand sidebar. That way it's easier to find things. Is change good? I dunno. Change majorly freaks me out ;)
But, I am getting a little better with it as I get older.
And after a little while, you will have one snazzy house plant.
You might not get avocados for 7-15 years if at all, once your tree is in the ground.
I personally like to keep them as beautiful house plants, that love shade and are super low care.
Fun fun.
Grow avocado plants/trees.
It's so fun.
And adds a little something to look forward to everyday.
Spying on the little big seeds from time to time.
As for daily stuff.
The ghosties are at it again.
Messing up my room, throwing doors open.
Darn ghosts.
See em?
:)
Ears are such strange things aren't they?
But, smart move in human creation.
I mean, how ever would our sunglasses stay up without ears and a nose bridge?
Odd ear things.
And what about putting your hair behind your ears?
Yep, brilliant.
Much like, two little sculptures you get to wear on the side of your head all day.
And night.
Ugly lil' things we love.
OKay, well, off I go.
I finished most of my big projects and it's studio time.
Oh oh, one thing...
This is sort of stinky but, for a couple weeks I have been chatting with so many of you in comments. At least I thought I was, but noticed day before yesterday, that nothing I said to anyone for weeks was posting. I wrote to my blog service, and they said, yep, it has not been working, so sorry.
So, all my silly tales and responses and chats with you are lost in the ether.
(although I am certain he'd beg to tell you all the ways he is, ha!)
In fact, he dresses and jewels himself.
And gets into all sorts of shenanigans in costume, all on his own.
(that's what I noticed about him when we first met, those curls and the debonair attire)
It's hilarious, and sometimes, I have to ask him to remove some of the garb it's so over the top.
He has acted and such, so this must be part of it.
Plus he's been a musician his whole life, in bands and on stage.
So I guess he loves it.
He's inspired!!!
And inspiring.
That one.
(and a pain in the tuches too, but who's counting?)
Hahahahaa!
Okay, off I go for now.
See you soon.
Love, V
ps:
1 random thing for the day.
I would LOVE a mechanical music cabinet.
You?
(every single one in the video below is incredible)
pss: Sorta Important.
Okay so, guess what?
All those comments I was leaving you all, and even some from you, that disappeared into the ether?
They were in my blog service spam folder. OH MY!
All my own comments, hello spam.
And some of yours.
I just resuscitated them.
But they got published all jumbled, and some of them, were of some of you saying you wanted to be at the mad tea party. So please please please, if you don't see your name on the list, let me know and I will fix it right away, k?
I would never leave anyone off the list intentionally, ever.
It's been madness here, of the real and true variety.
I can't even tell you.
One thing I know for sure, I am soooo excited about the Mad Tea Party.
YAY for so many of you joining in.
Of course, there is still lots of time to plunge, so you can tell your pals.
I have been so busy, and in the midst of it all, guess what I did?
Yep, last living person on earth to create a Facebook page.
(folks have been asking me for years if I had one)
Hello. Why did a FB page always scare me?
As for life...
I was finishing up some deadlines...
On my way to playing with shoes, and working on some recipes to share...
When, I plunged into another very busy project.
Details to come soon.
Alice was like, wait wait, we need to play with shoes.
And I was like, shoe tidying is going on the back burner.
I have to go to work asap on some quick happening things.
Busy bee times!
Shoe time to come later, re-organizing, getting rid of.
Etc.
Later.
Heaps of shoes on the floor still.
400 pairs still boxed from city to country move.
Still.
Faves in the closets, safe.
Be nice to your shoes, they have souls too you know.
Soles.
Oh oh, and get this.
Our small community well pump... Broke.
So for 4 days we have had nary a trickle of water.
Watering the garden, what a job.
Having to let some thing go.
Sobs.
The pumpkins are coming up so fast it isn't funny.
Crazy fast.
Flower, pollen, plump in a week, ripe the next...
What on earth???
We are waiting with bated breath for water stuff to be fixed.
Meanwhile, it's 105'F
(40.55' C I think?)
Hotter than you can imagine.
Thank goodness it is a dry heat.
Not one bit of humidity at all anywhere.
Mama mia!!
:)
Lots of veggies are coming up.
Giant onions.
Celery...
Lettuce by the barrel full.
Carrots, radishes, ever so much dill which I am enjoying greatly.
And before the heat fire ball hit us, I made...
Bunuelos.
Squiggly on the "n."
Brown sugar cinnamon stick sauce.
Ooooo.
Recipe to come soon, I promise.
As for breakfast...
I learned how to make a frittata a few years ago from Jennifer, of The Two Fat Ladies.
We enjoy them so much.
(Basically you just sautee all your veggies, then put them into your raw egg mixture - I use 6 eggs- that has a little grated cheese in it plus spices/salt, swirl together, and then pour into a pan with a little olive oil and butter, cover, cook on low heat for 15-20 minutes until the top is set, never flip)
Veggies, broccoli, thin sliced potato, red pepper etc.
Perfect sunday brunch.
This guy and his wife (horned toads) and babies are doing great.
I love seeing them every year when it gets real hot.
They hover over ant hills and munch.
Someone slept until 10 a.m. today...
Granted...
I did take them out at 3:50 a.m. with me, to attempt to water with a trickle, and enjoy the cool early morn air.
Then we all jumped back into bed for a few minutes a couple hours after garden stuff.
Only, I had to get up and Miles kept snoring.
Matty goes where I go, so he went off with me.
Miley, stayed in bed until now.
Snore, roll on back, snore more, puts paws over eyes.
What a life.
YAY for Mad Tea, hopes for water soon (please!), deadline central around here.
Back to work I go.
How are you????
Looove, V
♥ ABOUT ♥
Hello, my name is Vanessa Valencia and I am an artist living in a lovely part of Arizona. I make all kinds of art, from painting to clay sculpting. I love tending my gardens and cuddling my dogs. This blog is about art, lifestyle, gardening, cooking, crafting & every single little magical thing in between ♥
