Monday, April 4, 2016

Spring Flowers and an Applesauce Spice Loaf


Hello, Dear Friends, I hope you had
a wonderful weekend! 

Mine was busy, with visiting my daughter,
Heather, pet-sitting for my daughter, Jennie, 
shopping for groceries, and in between,
baking and doing some potting up of 
my favorite flowers - pansies. 

Oh, and I gave my two dogs, Whitey Bear and Kai
a bath! Then I had to vacuum and mop because
I had white fur everywhere! 


Here they are all clean and always in motion. 
They are starting to shed, which means 
daily brushing (and vacuuming).
I brush handfuls of fur off them and 
I share the fur with the nesting birds:)


Here is one of my little house-guests, Peanut.
Isn't she sweet?
Don't let that sweet face fool you. 
She is the undisputed alpha-dog!  


And here is Weenie Baby, contemplating 
a prison break :) 

Actually, the weather was beautiful all weekend
and I left the gate open to the back yard
so they could run free. 
(The back yard is fenced)

Of course, they didn't choose that option, and
instead, I had an entourage wherever I went! 


So, I played with my pansies on the deck,
while the dogs sun-bathed (and barked at every noise). 

I saw this flat from across the parking lot
of the nursery and had to have it. 

The colors just glowed! 



I replaced the primroses in my lanterns 
with some of these. 


This little guy was a hitchhiker. 
I let him go in the wild blackberry patch. 


You can never have too many pansies :)


Most of these were planted last fall. 
We have mild winters here in Western Washington State. 
(Mostly)


It was a beautiful weekend - temperatures
in the 70's, with a slight breeze that sent
the wind-chimes singing and brought
the scent of flowers floating by. 

The soft and gentle cooing of doves 
and buzzing of fat bumblebees and hummingbirds made
me count my blessings. 


My curious Pansies want to say hello! 

I love these kitten-faced beauties. 


Sweet little violets. 


A tangerine whisker face. 


Johnny Jump up. 


Yellow pansies and fragrant narcissus. 


Pansies and Mt. Rainier. 


Pansies, Lemon Cyprus, and boxwood. 


Pansies on the tables, too. 


Pansies, pansies everywhere! 


Say Hello! 


A bouquet of garden flowers and an Applesauce Spice Loaf
for my daughter, Heather. 


A little brooch to hold the ribbon. 


Of course, I baked two.....

Here's the recipe:

Applesauce Spice Loaf

Preheat 325 degrees. 
Grease a 9x5x3" loaf pan.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp each: baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, & cloves
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup applesauce
1 cup walnuts, chopped fine

Combine first 5 ingredients in large bowl - set aside.

In medium bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs. 

Stir into flour mixture, 1/2 at a time, alternating with applesauce. 

Stir in walnuts. Pour into greased loaf pan. 

Bake in 325 degree oven 60-70 minutes or until toothpick
inserted in center comes out clean. 

Enjoy! 


Lilies and roses from my daughter, Jennie. 

Today we have much cooler temperatures and a little rain,
so I am glad that I was able to enjoy the sunshine. 

'Every day cannot be a feast of lanterns'
- Chinese Proverb -

xoxo

Thank you, Dear Friends for your kind and lovely visits. 

'A friend is a person with whom I may be sincere.
Before him I may think aloud.'
- Ralph Waldo Emerson -

57 comments:

  1. Hello Karen, I love those pretty pansies and I love the color the pots and the cute lanterns. I bet that cake is delicious.
    Thanks for sharing the recipe at Cooking and Crafting with J&J.
    Enjoy the week.
    Julie

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  2. The pansies do glow!! All of your flowers and plants are so pretty! Your deck looks beautiful!

    I can totally relate to all the dog hair after bathing them. I have 1 large breed, black, long-haired dog and she was recently bathed. After brushing I easily had enough hair for another dog. Could've filled a trash bag! Your fortunate to have more than 1 dog!

    Have a great week!
    Linda
    Mysewwhatblog

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  3. Pretty pansies. I just love them. Thank you for the recipe, Karen. It sounds like something we would like. With tea, of course. :) "Hi pups". Deb

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  4. Your pups look so sweet. My daughter would love to have Peanut come live with us!

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  5. I can just imagine you being followed by your doggie entourage, Karen! Fun! Our Bailey sounds a lot like Peanut.
    Your flowers are so lovely...I love all of the aqua color!

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  6. I just love pansies and especially violas. I planted a whole flat of the from seed and they are just about ready to bloom. But we are having very low temps now - lows in the 20s, so I'm not going to be gardening this week:( Your puppies are so cute and I'm sure good company while you work. have a great week!

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  7. Oh, I forgot to thank you for the recipe. I love any thing with apples and cinnamon!

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  8. I have planted violas [johnny-jump-ups] of late years--I like the delicate size, but appreciate the way both they and pansies will self sow and 'pop up' during a mild spell in the winter.
    I make a similar applesauce loaf using a recipe passed along by my late mother.
    Locally grown apples are rather a disappointment--nothing like apples from New England or Washington state.

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  9. I have a good feeling I'm going to enjoy following your blog this summer, your pansies are spectacular. I have an urn filled with them on my front porch. Temps dip down to the 30's at night and they hang on quite well. I've never seen so many grouped together as yours...what a beautiful sight. I love how you have them in your lanterns, too. Neat idea! I'm always looking for new ways to show off my annuals.

    I love the pics of your pups and your daughter's. Yours are simply beautiful with their lovely white fur. Peanut looks like he is full of antics. Both of my little guys are shedding, too. I have to practically pin them down to brush them. One is black and one is white so I can't win with the fur on my furniture or clothing! lol!

    I Pinned your recipe...sounds lovely and we have some cool days yet to bake!

    Happy Spring, Karen!

    Jane

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  10. Dear Karen, lovely pansees you have arround your house! Your tiny houseguests are so sweet and your applesauce-spice-loaf looks really delicious!
    Wishing you a wonderful week, my dear friend,
    sending love and Hugs and blessings,
    claudia xo

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  11. Beautiful white dogs , I owned one once every time I washed him he would roll in the dirt most of the time he was a brownish grey.
    Merle.......

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  12. Sounds like you have been super busy. Pansies are such happy looking flowers and that snail looks as though he would have been really well camouflaged in them. He'll be back!
    Whitey Bear and Kai look sparkly white and fluffy. When I bath mine they seem to shed even more and it wafts around the house. They look lovely when they've been groomed.
    Thank you for sharing your recipe, your cake looks delicious. Have a lovely week :)

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  13. Wow! I find amazing how plants can grow like yours after a hard winter like yours!!!!

    http://marinainblue.blogspot.com.es/

    Marina from the South of Spain

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  14. Karen, your lanterns with flowers are so wonderful!
    Wishing you a lovely day

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  15. Hello, your dogs are so cute. I love the pansies, they look beautiful all over your deck. I wish we had a mild winter. Happy Tuesday, enjoy your day!

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  16. I love the pansies in the beautiful array of colour. The lantern display was a feast for the eyes, a real delight.

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  17. First thing in the morning I stop by for a visit, and you have me DROOLING!! Your loaf looks scrumptious.

    And pansies!!! This so reminds me of my late father. It was his favorite Spring flower and our yard when I was growing up was filled with those smiling faced everywhere. I really enoyed this. =love the snail too=
    And your beautiful dogs and house guests!!! So so sweet. I think that idea of sharing the fur with nesting birds is simply awesome.

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  18. Love these photos, Beatrice, especially the one of the little doggy surveying the yard!

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  19. Your applesauce spice loaf looks delicious! Love all your pretty blooms; they're always such a huge inspiration!

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  20. You're overwhelmed by a world of delicious violets and fantastic dogs to cuddle, my dearest Karen, lucky you !
    And your applesauce spice loaf looks so great, thank you for sharing your recipe with us, I really want to try it as soon as I can.

    Hope your week is off to a great start, I wish you wonderful days to come, lovely, precious friend of mine,
    sending blessings of joy to you

    Dany

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  21. The pansies and violas are so pretty on your deck, Karen. I especially love the view of Mt. Rainier through the pansies, as I can never get enough of your lovely look out point! I do love a good spicy bread and the applesauce loaf sound so yummy. Enjoy your week, sweet friend!

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  22. Looking beautiful. You have two clean and fluffy dogs for five minutes before they get all messy again. x

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  23. Pansies are one of my favorite flowers. I love the wide variety of colors, markings and of course, their fragrance. Heavenly!

    Pansies are winter flowers here in TX. I plant mine every year in November and they bloom continuously throughout the winter months. Now that the temperatures are in the 80's, they are starting to fade, but it was a great showing November - April!

    As always, your picture are wonderful!

    Marilyn (in Dallas)

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  24. i am sure the birds appreciate all that dog hair during nesting season!! i live in new jersey and my fall pansies came back as well, they don't always. now i wish i had planted more.

    your deck area always looks so pretty, and your fur babies are so cute!!!

    ooooh and thanks for sharing that recipe, it sounds yummy and i'll bet it's super moist!!!

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  25. Dearest Karen,
    You always manage to create a little piece of paradise to which, no doubt, husband and children will love to come home to!
    Your fur babies look so lovely, as well as the grands! They are being loved thoroughly and it always shows.
    We are still nursing our Spooky boy back to good health after his 2.5 day stay at the Animal Clinic. He had complete urinal blockage and they sedated him and inserted a catheter for helping him empty his bladder. He was in such pain and luckily we found him in that condition, not wanting to eat and hiding already. The vet told us you know what that means, they will hide and die and such a condition could cause death in 24 to 48 hours as the kidneys shut off completely...
    We hope he will recover, at least he's home now and getting his special Urinary Care food which is medicated as well.
    Sending you hugs and blessings,
    Mariette

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  26. All those purple pansies and violas are so pretty grouped together. It is freezing cold here this week! Too cold to do anything outside even so, I enjoy the lovely sun streaming in the windows and dream of the work to be done outside one of these days. Enjoy the week. Hugs. Pam

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  27. I LOVE those lanterns! What a brilliant idea. I really do need to do more with lanterns...like buying some. Seriously, this is lovely, and the Applesauce Loaf sounds amazing.

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  28. I love all of your pansies. They are such sweet, happy flowers.

    Your place is lovely inside and out, with sweet critters too.

    Have a great week ~ FlowerLady

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  29. I love pansies and usually plant a pot or two but lots of them all together like that is just gorgeous!! I will remember that when I start potting for the summer.

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  30. Meine liebe Karen,

    es ist mal wieder sehr einladend bei dir, darf ich vorbeikommen auf einen Kaffee?
    Stiefmütterchen, yes indeed in Germany they are called stepmummy, liebe ich auch sehr , man möchte sie in allen Farben haben, nicht wahr?
    Dein Blumenregal in diesem Monet-Grün ist wunderschön. Dazwischen die hübschen Vogelhäuschen und Frösche, allerliebst.
    Oh ja, meine Hunde verlieren auch ihr Haarkleid. Ich sauge meine Setterhündin immer ab. Das funktioniert prima. Der Cocker Jonny ist pflegeleichter.
    Peanut looks like my grandmas Dackel Seppel. I know that a little devil lives in them.
    I love everything you have decorated. Coming home must be a great pleasure for you and your family. A cosy home is like heaven on earth.
    Have a wonderful week my dear Irish girl and tomorrow morning say a big Hello to this amazing mountain from me, hugs Barbara

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  31. Your pansies certainly have a glow about them, Karen. How beautiful you have made your place surrounded with all those happy faces. I love pansies just because you feel like they are smiling at you when you love and care for them, plus they are hardy where we live.
    All of your furry friends look as happy as can be, and a bath will do the job for a happy dog. I never think to share the fur with the nesting birds. I will have to put our rabbit and cat fur out for them to use as we get plenty of it. :)
    Your applesauce spice cake sounds delicious. I must give it a try. Thank you for sharing it with us.

    Blessings~~

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  32. Your pansies are so pretty aren't they! Gorgeous shade of blue! xx

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  33. A little hichhicker! the snail. How cute.

    And how lovely to be able to have so many gorgeous flowers, already. I say already, since here in upper NYS, we just had snow. And still have cold temps. No flowers here, yet.

    Those beautiful white dogs. I'm sure they are work, but they are beautiful.

    Tessa

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  34. Your pansies are glorious! I love the photo of the pansies and Mt Ranier. You know, all of last week we could see Mt Ranier from here - it doesn't happen often. The atmosphere was rather special I guess.
    The cake sounds good and has me wanting to bake a loaf, but it will be banana as I have some that need using.
    You are a brave woman to bathe dogs in springtime - my Rory would be rolling in the mud at the first opportunity!

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  35. Your garden is so beautiful and alive with so many beautiful blooms especially the pansies. And the dogs are also beautiful and great to have around. The applesauce loaf looks so good!

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  36. Your pansies are lovely. I can't belive how many you have and all of different colours!

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  37. All your dogs are great ...
    Pansies are so cheerful aren't they and I also like the flowers Jennie bought you.

    A lovely look at some gorgeous spring flowers and I bet that cake was gorgeous too.

    Hope the week is going well for you.

    All the best Jan

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  38. Pansies are the little darlings of the flower world, with bright cheerful faces that forever seem to be smiling at the world. And no doubt you, and anyone who sees your beautiful display, will be smiling as well.

    Between your pups and your daughter's, you have quite the menagerie going on! Your fur babies are beautiful. I do imagine they keep you busy! Peanut looks very mischievous and oh so cute! Wish we could read their minds...

    I didn't realize Washington is that mild in the winter, and how fortunate you can actually see Mt. Rainier from your home. Just gorgeous!

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  39. Your pansies are so beautiful! So awesome that they lasted from fall. I should plant them more often. Your bread looks delicious. I can smell it from here. Hope you have a lovely week, sweet friend!

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  40. Dearest Karen, your pansies are stunning! I can't wait until we can plant some sweet flowers here as you have inspired me :)

    I hope you are enjoying your week, dear friend. Thinking of you! Hugs!

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  41. When our cats were still alive I use to comb them out on the back deck and let the hair fly in the wind, I too figured it would be used by something. Our little dachshund Peanut is turning 16 soon and she is getting an attitude lately, I think getting older is changing her a bit. Your pansies are amazing, I so love them in the lanterns they look so pretty in there, your whole display is just lovely and so great they can last through the winter...Love the mountains in the background in the one shot!!

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  42. Oh this post just gave me the biggest smiles dear Karen! I'm DREAMING so badly of days like that - enjoying deck life, chimes and the scent of flowers in the breeze, planting green growing things. Aaahhhh - just fills the soul to see someone already enjoying it!! And those pansies! I just love them too - they seem the sweetest of flowers, don't they? Like gentle souls, yet so colorful.

    That applesauce spice loaf sounds delish!! I'm keeping that one! ;)
    Thanks for sharing your beauty and talents and wonderful home my Friend. Enjoy the rest of your week. xoxo

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  43. Love applesauce spice cake, yummmm!
    Sweet pansies just delight me. Now I must run to the nursery and find some for my garden.

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  44. Lovely weather you are having and I LOVE all the flowers on your deck and would spend happy days sitting and enjoy the view from far and near with all the added colors. And our Toby gives enough hair to keep many birds happy too - wink!
    Number 16 photo image is my favorite today.

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  45. Karen, I didn't realize you had to vacuum everyday because of those beautiful white dogs of yours. Peanut and Weenie Baby are too cute. The lanterns look so pretty with the moss and purple flowers. And your pansies are spectacular! It looks like they have faces, don't they? That applesauce spice loaf looks so moist and Yummy. I wish I had a slice to go with my coffee right now.

    Karen, it's always a pleasure to see bits of your home, your deck, and the glorious nature that surrounds your home.

    ~Sheri

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  46. HI Karen....
    Your Pansies made me smile....been so darn chilly here, have not bought my usual Spring Pansies....hopefully that will change next week!
    That cake looks heavenly....and probably fills the house with lovely aromas!
    I tried a new loaf this week...stellar! It is on my blog! Would love to try your recipe...
    Enjoy your evening...
    Cbeers!
    Linda :o)

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  47. What a lovely and cute post, love your pictures!
    Have a beautiful friday, take care...
    Love from Titti

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  48. Gosh, such a happy gathering of beautiful pansies! Those light purple with yellow bottom ones are soooo gorgeous. Beautiful photos you took. And Weenie Baby contemplating an escape is a priceless photo. Thank you for sharing your delicious looking recipe!

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  49. I love my visits here! So peaceful and inviting! Thank you for sharing with us on the Art of Home-Making Mondays at Strangers & Pilgrims on Earth! :)

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  50. Thank you for letting me come for a visit, I love your home and your beautiful flowers. The dogs are always so sweet!

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  51. Thank you for letting me come for a visit, I love your home and your beautiful flowers. The dogs are always so sweet!

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  52. Dear Karen,

    You are so right, you can never have too many pansies and yours are all so bright and cheery.
    Always a joy to come and visit you and see your gorgeous place and see all your beautiful pets.
    Happy weekend
    hugs
    Carolyn

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  53. This sounds SO delicious!

    I would love for you to share this at my Facebook Group for Recipes, Crafts, and Tips and Tricks!!  https://www.facebook.com/groups/pluckyrecipescraftstips/

    Thanks for joining Cooking and Crafting with J & J!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Jess, thank you for inviting me! I have joined the facebook group but have absolutely no idea how to link to the site! I will keep trying......xx Karen

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  54. I'm with you. You can never have to many Pansy's. I love it when they pop up into unknown places because the seeds blew so ewhere in the wind a lovely post Happy Monday, with love Janice A new follower p,z come by to join me as well

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Thank you for stopping by! Your comments are important to me and are very much appreciated. xx Karen

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