Happy Halloween!

Click here.

Thanks Linda! :-)

German Apple Cake - You'll Want the Recipe!

I made this recipe a couple of times last week. I took one to Church and I kept one at home and ate nearly the whole thing myself, I guess! ha. It works for breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner and I think you'll like it, too. :-)

I made one last night for the freezer, and tonight I've just made two recipes, divided into three pans (one 8 x 11 1/2" and two 9x9").

Here's the recipe:
(My alterations are in parentheses and
cooking hints will be within the instructions.)

German Apple Cake

2 eggs
1 cup oil (1/2 cup oil plus 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt)
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
2 cups sugar (1 1/3 cup sugar)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
4 cups sliced apples

In a 4-cup glass measuring cup, measure the oil, yogurt, eggs, and vanilla. Mix thoroughly. In a large bowl, measure the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and sugar; mix. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ones. The batter will be rather thick. Peel, core and slice your apples about 1/4" thick. (I have a little "peeler, slicer, corer" machine that leaves you with your apple shape that is sliced. I cut the sliced apple into thirds.)

The recipe calls for a well-greased, 9x13" pan. I use a well-greased, 8x11 1/2" pan, as it makes it "cakier." Bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes (50 does it for me).

It is so moist! You may sprinkle the top of the cake with cinnamon/sugar mixture (as though you were making cinnamon toast) very lightly. This is certainly not necessary.

The house smells Wonderful as it's baking!

Enjoy!!
:-)

Wordless Wednesday

A Look at the Bushes Once More

For really colorful Fall posts, check out Dave at Home Garden who's encouraging people to participate in posting their Fall Colors and leaving a note at his site. :-)

These first couple of bright red bushes are the Euonymus alata "Compactus" Burning Bushes. You can see a PMJ Rhododendron squished between them. The BB on the right is exceptionally beautiful.

(Planting Circle #1)

Can you even see the bright red berries?

As we back away from the garage, this is "Planting circle #2."
Here you see another BB and leaves of a redbud tree.
(looking carefully to the right, you can still glimpse "planting circle #1)

Again, backing away a bit further,
now you can see the redbud tree with its golden fall foliage
(and zillions of seeds... do you want some?).

There was no ID on this bush, which I've always assumed
was also a Burning Bush until Fall. Do YOU know what it is?

A little closer view of the leaves. I really like the color,
as its an interesting contrast to the other bushes along the driveway.

This may be my last "colorful" Fall post.

*PostScript: I'm feeling embarrassed, as I'm remembering this is a forsythia! I've looked online and have found three forsythia with purplish foliage. I hope someone can help me provide a Real ID! I'm sorry if I've thrown people off-base!

Summer 2008 Inspiration

**In any of these posts, you can be looking forward to next Spring and the things you might do due to inspiration in 2008! :-)

October - Have you a visited a gardening friend (blogger or otherwise) who inspired you this past season (2008)? Tell us all about it!

November - Have you planted anything during the 2008 growing season that you can credit to another gardener (blogger or otherwise)? Tell us all about it!

December - What about your hardscape? Did you do any landscaping that you might credit to a fellow gardener (blogger or otherwise)? Tell us all about it!

January - What does your "2009 Wish List" look like? Is there anything there you plan to purchase and/or grow because of your 2008 Summer Inspiration (or even last Winter)? Please tell us about it!

February - Did you add and/or create any decorative, whimsical items for your gardens in 2008? Please share! Can you give credit to anyone?

March - Will you be doing any early seeding? Will you be making any special landscaping plans for the upcoming season? Please share.

April - Thank you for participating. Anything else you'd like to share (like container planting) before we all get busy with our 2009 gardening??? :-)

You can even create more than one post per month, if you need to (I did in October!). You don't have to participate every month... just when it applies and/or you have the time!

Whenever you've posted YOUR Summer 2008 Inspiration posts, please leave a note here or at one of my current postings. :-)

Your gardening friend (always looking for inspiration!)
Shady Gardener

Green Thumb Sunday

I really did post about this Tricyrtis earlier. The label just said Tricyrtis hirta.

Cute little squirta, don't you think? ;-)

(Sorry. ha. The photo's just a little blurry. The light was nearly gone and I tried and tried to "hold still" in the wind!)

It still has one bud, but it won't make it, as we're do for a good, solid freeze tonight.

This is my most distinctively different Tricyrtis, so far.
"Seiryu."
Like I said, the wind was active and the light was low.
(It also has a bud here and there.)

I took a lot of photos to get this nice clear one!
A close-up of Tricyrtis "Seiryu."

Do you want to participate in Green Thumb Sunday? Check it out here at Feverish Thoughts!
Have a great night!
SG

Mush Push?

I've just visited a new-to-me blog that was recommended by Rosey Pollen.
The name of this blog is Our Mush Push and its author is Lindalou.

I've been looking through her latest posts; all of which are varied and interesting.
She seems to have many interests and I believe many of you would enjoy visiting her site.

Lindalou is celebrating her blog status by having a giveaway.

Why?

Just pay her a visit!
:-)

I'm not being shady,
just about as obtuse as usual!
ha.