FLOUR

     We are coming to the end of summer.  School is back in session and the Labor Day weekend is in the near future.  Yet our gardens are still going with those goodies that can take the heat, and we are harvesting still delicious vegetables and fruits.  I had some peaches and decided to make a recipe from Grist Mill Quick Loaf Breads by Patricia B. Mitchell,copyright 1991.  My husband loves cornbread, so I thought Georgia Peach Corn Bread would be a good choice.  With the two cups each of flour and cornmeal, it was a dense loaf, naturally sweet with the peaches and mildly highlighted with the hint of honey.  He did said, "This is good!"  I was able to get one small round pan and also 10 muffins from the recipe.  Enjoy!

Corn bread and honey anyone?

 GEORGIA PEACH CORN BREAD

2 c. unbleached flour                2 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 c. cornmeal                        1/4 c. honey
3/4 tsp. salt                        1 to 1 1/2 c. drained canned
1 tbsp. baking powder                  peaches, chopped up (Or you
                                       can use fresh peaches.)
                                     2 cups milk

Mix dry ingredients.  In another bowl combine the remaining ingredients, then stir together the two mixtures.  Spoon the batter into a well-greased 9x5x3-inch loaf pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes, or until the loaf tests done.  Yield: 1 loaf.

& FLOWER

     Here are some of my garden buddies.  This Wandering Jew at left was moved to our back deck this year.  For the past two years it has survived on the front porch.  There it was puny and barely climbed above the rim of its wide and deep container.  This summer it has surpassed the rim of the container and taken on a whole new life.  I have never had this much success with this particular plant.  I did not know it just wanted more sun.

I also took a couple photos of the Wandering Jew during the eclipse Monday.  The first one looked like the one above.  The photo below was at totality.

          These cute little pink roses grow on a bush near our garage.  I got some cuttings for this rose bush from a dear friend of mine, who also knew my mom.  I was lucky that some of the cuttings survived and grew into the seven foot tall bush I have today.  Every time I look at it I think of her.  This lady clips numerous pink buds from her vintage beauty and makes little bouquets to give to friends.

     These green pears at right were given to me by a friend.  I decided to try making a table decoration with them before they became an ingredient in my next baked good.  Actually this was harder than I thought it would be.  I made three trips out to my flowers, herbs, and plants before I opted to use four different types of mint in this arrangement.  The yellow flower is a type of daisy that blooms every other year. 

     This lilac colored hydrangea is actually hiding at the back of my mophead bush.  Usually by this time in August, all the rest of the hydrangea blooms that had not been cut have died.  This one, however, has remained very pretty and is in the process of drying. Hiding in the back for this guy was a good thing.