May Day Wishes and Catching Up ~ Plus Apple Cake!

Happy May Day! What a welcome it is. This is terrible but when I was little I remember stripping the apple trees behind our house of the blossoms and leaving them for our neighbors on May Day. Wonder why they just didn't seem to be as pleased as I felt they should?

The grand opening is today for the Early Work Mercantile Group. Stop by and take a peek at all the talented artists.
I've made a few simple May Day rag dolls named Rose, Violet and Lily of course...

and a wee primitive garden fairy from old scraps.
I can't believe its been over a week since I've wrote. The weather has been lovely and that just puts a little skip in the old giddy-up. Do you get that way? I like to take advantage of it while I've got it. Plus we've had communions, birthdays, reunions etc... May and June weekends are so busy.

My painting in the house is finished for another year (I think) and now have started working on the little garden around my studio shed. It's going to be a cottage garden with lots of flowers and veggies.

Here's a picture right after I finished digging the sod and passing out....its a LOT of work. (No I didn't get a sod cutter, yes I'm too cheap.)

This is as far as I could get before the rain came that afternoon. I've got the "bones" in (bushes and roses). I need to get more rocks for the the patio which will have thyme growing in the crevices once its finished. And that arbor was free from a local sale! Heavenly Blue Morning Glory seeds are planted to grow over it.



There is still a ways to go, if only I had garden fairies.... I will keep you posted and again any suggestions are welcomed...has anyone ever built a cold frame??

I leave you now with this delightful recipe for apple cake. It is wonderful with a hot cup of tea! Have a lovely weekend.

Apple Cake
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
3 teaspooons baking powder
1/2 cup butter, cut up
1 1/4 cup cooking apples, peeled, cored, & finely chopped...I use 1 giant Granny Smith
1 egg
1/2 cup milk

Butter and flour a 8.5 x 4.5 x 3.75 -inch loaf pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Sift flour, sugar & baking powder into large bowl. With pastry blender or knives, cut in butter until mixture resembles fine meal. (You can use your food processor also ~ just pulse and don't overdo it).

Toss chopped apple in flour mixture and set aside.

In small bowl, whisk together egg & milk until blended. Stir into apple mixture until mixed. Spread batter evenly in dish....batter is thick.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 to 50 minutes until skewer inserted in center comes out clean.

Remove from oven. Cool on rack 10 minutes before removing from loaf pan.