Rose

Geranium

I brought my geraniums indoors for the Winter.  They're thanking me with beautiful blooms! 

They're now outside enjoying the Spring sun and rain.

Beach View

Port Royal Sunrise

Harbour Town

Kellie and the girls had never been to Hilton Head and wanted see Harbour Town.  It was packed with 4th of July vacationers...too crowded for us.  But the shops are great, and it was pretty to walk around at sunset.

Harbour Town Lighthouse

Maddie & Katie

nice boat

Palmetto sunset - I love the tiny crescent moon

Just Beachy!

Nothing like a day at the beach to get that Summer feeling...

Mini Napoleons filled with Lemon Pastry Cream

These gorgeous pastries taste as delicious as they look! And easy to make...trust me.  Just 15 minutes of patience is needed for stirring the pastry cream over the stove.  You will be crowned Pastry Royalty!

Pepperidge Farm Pastry sheets

Lemon pastry cream (recipe below)
Powdered sugar

Fresh raspberries

Follow directions for thawing pastry sheets. Cut each sheet on the folds, will give you 3 rectangles per sheet. Cut rectangles into 4 pieces, will yield 24 puff pastries.  Follow baking instructions on box.

After the shells have cooled, split the shells in half. Scoop a large tablespoon of pastry cream onto bottom 1/2 of pastry shell, spreading pastry cream edge to edge. Place top of shell onto the pastry cream.  Dot a bit pastry on the top of the shell, place raspberry on top. Dust napoleons with powdered sugar.

Enjoy!

Lemon Pastry Cream

4 large eggs

6 egg yolks

3/4 cup sugar 

Juice of 4 large lemons

Zest of 4 large lemons

14oz butter

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whisk in sauce pan eggs, egg yolks, and sugar. Add lemon juice and lemon zest. Whisk lightly to combine. Add chopped butter. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly. Cook until thick like a custard. Remove from heat.  Place fine mesh strainer above bowl.  Strain thickened pastry cream into bowl. Place plastic wrap directly onto warm pastry cream, will prevent a "skin" from forming on the pastry cream. Let cool then place in refrigerator for at least 6 hours.

Sunflowers

I have always loved sunflowers. They're tall, bright yellow, and you can eat (or feed birds) the seeds.

Two weeks ago I visited the McKee-Beshers Wildlife Management Area  in Poolesville, MD (still a rural area west of DC that runs along the Potomac River).  There are 2 separate fields that are staggered sunflower plantings.  It is a glorious place; a total of 48 acres!! of happy sunflowers...and even happier photographers!

At the end of the trip I took the long way home via White's Ferry.  The ferry is just west of Poolesville and drops you off just south of Leesburg, VA. It's a short trip, but a fun alternative to highways and bridges.

Moooooooo

Saw a group of cows this morning and had to pull over to photograph.  This pretty little lady was quite curious about me and my camera.

 

Magnolia Box

Hi, I'm Liz, and I can't throw unique containers away....ahhh, so cathartic! 

It's true; I can't throw boxes, containers, etc. that I think I can reuse.  Case in point, this cute little box that held an expensive candle.  

I went to The Graphics Fairy and found this great magnolia image.  I painted the box with ASCP old white, then used Mod Podge to decoupage the box.  Don't know what I'm going to do with it; maybe use it as a hostess gift with some candies, soaps, etc.

Hydrangeas

The hydrangeas are blooming now, and the creamy pastels pop against the dark green leaves. Love, Love, Love!

Sunset in the Northern Neck

 

Luke vs the Pool Cleaner

Luke is my chocolate lab, he'll be turning 3 in a couple of weeks. His archnemesis during the Summer is the pool cleaner...this goes on for hours!

Peek-a-Boo

Hard to believe that this little girl is 15...

Magnolias

It's magnolia time, and no self-respecting Southern home would dare not have at least one magnolia tree.  I have three; 2 very large mature ones flanking each side the front of the house, and a small one that sprouted on it's own in the back yard near the pool. Still trying to figure out how it got there; maybe a bird dropped a seed pod?