Green, Door, Recipe

More of August Break.  See Susanna Conway's blog for the list.

# 25  Green

Green provides a beautiful background for a lovely lavender aster,

but green marsh in the foreground takes over the view of the redwood trees in the background.

#26   Door

Fortress Ross wooden door

#27  Favorite Recipe

I don't make my favorite cinnamon rolls exactly like this anymore since I no longer eat eggs or dairy and I use whole wheat flour.  But oh my, they are still delicious!

SOUR CREAM CINNAMON ROLLS

Patricia Blem (The Oregonian)

1 cup sour cream

2 TBL oil

3 TBL sugar

1/8 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 large egg, unbeaten

1 pkg dried yeast (1 TBL)

2 ½ cups flour

Heat sour cream to lukewarm.  Stir in next 4 ingredients until well-blended.  Add egg, then add yeast until dissolved.  Mix in flour.  Knead. 

 Cover with damp cloth, let stand 10 min. Roll dough ½ inch thick.  Spread on 2 TBL softened butter.  Sprinkle with 1/3 cup brown sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon. Roll, then cut in 1 inch slices.  Place in greased pan to rise.

 Bake 20 minutes, 350 degrees.

August Break Catch Up #19 - #24

I've been road tripping and am behind on the August Break photos.  I took plenty of pictures, just didn't have time to upload them and post them.  The list for August Break is here.

So here they are.  Without further ado:

#19  Sweet Delights

#20 Two

I got  a little carried away with this one.

two leaves on a bridge railing

two roses

two lane road

two large rocks/two small rocks near the shore

Mendocino County

#21 Real Life

In Real Life, some days are cloudy, the tide is out, and there are rusty things in the way.

#22  Curves

Hwy 1 in Mendocino County is famous for its treacherous curves.

#23  Water

Water, water everywhere

#24  In the Distance

ocean view from the top of Point Arena Lighthouse

bonus

Golden Gate bridge with San Francisco in the distance

Looking Up

#18 Looking Up

My sister-in-law once commented that if we don't look up, we miss an entire world of activity and experience.  She was of course talking about the fowl life.  The drama of birds flying, fighting, swooping and swirling often occurs above our heads and we have no clue anything is happening in the avian world.

My youngest daughter was fascinated with the birds which sit on wires, perching in groups.  One Sunday morning, she pointed them out and we decided that they were attending 'bird church'.  The term stuck and to this day we refer to those flocks as 'bird church'.

If you're not 'Looking Up', you are missing out!

Art, Fire, Reading

#15, #16, #17

Art

Art on the ceiling of the Los Angeles City Library

Downtown at the Hope Street Main Library

Fire

At my house, there is no fire place.  There is no fire pit or chimenia.  If I ever move again, I think a fire place will be a non-negotiable item in my new house.

Like this Tudor kitchen fire place.

Reading

I own  a Kindle and I do read books on it.

But truly, I prefer to hold a book in my hand or on my lap while I am reading it.

Books are treasures waiting for me to pick them up and read them

August Break #14

August Break #14

 Favorite Smell

This one was hard.  There were so many favorites to choose from.  At first, I thought, "Roses.  Of course."  But then I stopped and considered.  Lovely luscious lavender--oh how I love lavender.  And chocolate.  Rosemary.  Although rosemary isn't really my favorite, it is so memorable.  And aromatic sage.  Chocolate mint.  Cinnamon.  Ginger.  Nutmeg.  So many wonderful odors in the world of smell!

I realized, however, that the smell that makes me smile most often is COFFEE.

Five Faves and One August Break

Friday Fave Fives and August Break.  It has been a busy week.  Spinning.  Writing lesson plans.  I've decided to join August Break and post a picture every day.  And of course, since it's Friday, it's Friday Fave Five.

1.  #13 August Break.  Last year.  One of my favorite places--the beach.  On New Years Day 2014

2.  Another afternoon of spinning at the fair.  I do enjoy it--explaining the mechanism of the wheel, showing the spinning process.  I actually get some fiber spun.  And we get in free.

Our family has a lot of birthdays this month.  Beginning the last day of July and going through mid August, three of my children celebrate their birthdays.  Although we don't live near them, we call them and send them presents.  Happy Birthday X3!

3.  Youngest

4.  First Born

5.  Older Daughter

I am truly blessed to be mother to these three!

Bonus--Son #2 is visiting for a couple of weeks.  My fourth blessing!

August Break #11 and #12

#11  Edge

Living life on the Edge

County Fair Fearless Fun 

#12  Yellow

Yellow Flags Flying at the Fair

August Break #9 and #10

#9  Earth

This is my part of the earth, my daily view above my neighborhood.  Santa Monica Mountains, a rugged coastal range between us and Los Angeles.  Two years ago, all the vegetation burned off and because we are enduring a drought, there is still not much green up there.

#10  Talisman

I checked on the definition of a talisman.  Talisman means an object which is endowed with magical powers.  According to that definition, I have no talisman.  But I own a beloved and favorite necklace which is one piece of jewelry which I actually wear on occasion.  Celtic Cross in sterling silver.

August Break is a meme which I found HERE through Tracy's blog.  I don't have flickr or instagram accounts, so this is the only place I am posting.  No links.

August Break #8

Smooth

I love the smooth lines of these vases.  Two turquoise glass vases which my daughter gifted me.  I love them.  Full disclosure:  it's not a recent photo.  I snapped it a few years ago, but I still love it and think it's one of my all time favorite photos.

August Break #7

There is a meme going around this month titled August Break.  I noted it at Tracy's blog, so I thought, "Hmmm, why not?  It's August."
Of course I've missed the first six days, so I'm jumping in at day #7.  Maybe I'll go back and catch up; maybe not.

Day #7 is:  five things about me.

1.  This one isn't a secret.  I like to knit.  A lot.  All the time.  Every day.

2.  I am a simple living advocate.  Years ago, I taught a little class in simplicity because people found out I was passionate about simple living.  These days, the simplicity movement has moved to include minimalism.  While people would not refer to me as a minimalist since we own a smallish house and two cars, we certainly own much less than our neighbors.  Our focus is on enjoying our family and all those non price tag things--walks, gardens, beach views.

3.  I am steady and steadfast in my Christian beliefs.  The Westminster Confession states 'Man's chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.'  That's me.

4.  I eat a whole food, plant based diet.  Cuz I want to live a long time and watch my grandkids graduate from college.  That's why I exercise, too.

5.  I am not afraid of spiders.  Or cockroaches.  I used to be scared of worms, but I'm not any more.  Snakes I'm a bit wary of.