Whoopies and Mint Tea: Daily Art Practice
Couch Talk
It has been really hot as of late and my plants are getting sunburnt. BUT for the first time in forever (4 years) I got blueberries off my blueberry bush! How exciting is that?! Hopefully the other one will give us something next year but this year it continued to remain barren. Most of my plants are doing ok but the cabbage loopers have demolished my cabbage and broccoli plants, despite being in pots on my deck. So if you have any tips on how to get rid of them, I welcome the help.
11th Birthday Baking
My middle little turned 11 this past week and we had a family party. He asked for an ice cream cake this year and I didn’t feel the need to attempt to make one so we purchased it. Once purchasing it, I wondered if we would have enough dessert so I decided to make whoopie pies. I always wanted to give them a try so this was a good excuse. The whoopie pie recipe is from the book, Duff Bakes: Think and Bake Like a Pro at Home.
For those of us needing a gluten-free, dairy-free and sugar-free dessert, I made peach cobbler. Mine is dark in color because I uses coconut sugar.
Sourdough started needed to be used up, as well as bananas, so I gave this Sourdough Banana Bread recipe a try and it was a hit.
Art Practice
I recently I got this book from the library, The Art of Creative Watercolor: Inspiration and Techniques for Imaginative Drawing and Painting. For practice, I chose some of my favorite paintings from the book painted them in my sketchbook.
Tea Day
I am joining the ladies for Tea, hosted by Elizabeth and Bleubeard. My tea today is Chocolate Peppermint Tea. I have been getting this mint in abundance from my garden so I am drying it and tossing a handful into my morning tea. I wasn’t sure I would like the chocolate mint variety (purplish) but I really like the taste. Sometimes I even throw in a bit of dried orange peel and raw ginger.
Happy Tea Day,
Kate
Hi Kate, I love seeing all the different things you bake. I really like coconut sugar too, I also use the keto sweeteners . The watercolor book looks interesting too.
bummer about the bugs on your plants-I know the amish farmers pick off the big caterpillars and put them in a bucket of water when going through the large gardens. yeah for your first blueberries. Happy T wishes
Happy birthday to the young man! You baked / bought some tempting delicacies. And your water colour paintings are fabulous. Happy T day, hugs, Valerie
Wow, how wonderful to get blueberries from your garden which looks amazing in the background too! That ice-cream cake looks so yummy as do the woppie pies, they are one of my favourites 😁. We don’t get them here in the UK so I may have to get my cookbook out to make some too. Happy Birthday wishes to your son and Happy T Day! Hugs, Jo x
Kate your baking looks delicious and happy belated birthday to your son, love the ice cream cake.
You are so talented, your water colouring is amazing, I love the oft colours you’ve used, they are really lovely.
Great to get some blueberries, ive never seen them grown here although they sell very small punnets, imported I’m guessing and very expensive.
Happy T day
Jan
Hmmm, blueberries from scratch!
Happy Birthday! An 11 is coming up here soon, too (Big Niece).
Love your artwork again! I failed so big I don´t even know if to buy colors…
Happy birthday to your young man! The cake looks delicious! Not enough? Wow, you guys eat a lot of cake. But they look very yummy, especially the whoopie cakes. I had not heard of those so I will look up the recipe.
Your water coloring is beautiful! You’ve certainly cracked it this time! I love all those blues.
Blueberries from your own bush! How cool is that! We don’t have them here, so could I ask you to take a photo of your bush? Please.
The mint leaves do look a bit purplish. I have had fresh mint tea before but not this variety.
Happy T-Day,
Hugs,
Lisca
Happy belated birthday to your middle little. What a fun cake. And the whoopie pies, too. You bake a LOT of great things. I don’t bake much, but if I did, I wouldn’t heat up my kitchen in this heat. Just makes my AC work harder. I realize you have to use the starter, though.
Great drawings, especially the blue ones.
I’m totally impressed with your chocolate mint. Mine is still so small, it may be next year before I get enough leaves for tea. Thanks for sharing your baking, your drawings, and your tea with us, along with your son’ s birthday for T this Tuesday.
It must be a real treat to grow your own blueberries. I remember the first time I had ice cream cake. Who knew?! I was excited at the very idea lol I can’t imagine trying to make one. I never think to make tea with my mint. You inspire me 🙂
Happy T Tuesday
Hi Kate. I always enjoy your blog. First, for the loopers. If you see them pick them off. The morning and evening spray with Thuriside BT. It’s organic and you can get it from Amazon. You can spray every 7 to 10 days. It really works! Your art is just fabulous. I love that fist little creature. Happy birthday to your son. Wow! lots of good backing going too. Have a great day.
Gee, I don’t know what I love more- your yummy baking or the beautiful watercolor art…OK, it’s a tie! Well done Kate. Happy T day!
Such a joy to stumble across your sweet blog! Happy 11th birthday, and creating all the while!
Your baking looks yummy Kate. And thanks for reminding me I need to feed my starter. And Happy belated birthday to your middle little. In this heat ice cream cake would taste good. And thanks for also reminding me to pull out that Duff Bakes cookbook. . I haven”t used it in too long. You tea sounds delicious too. I like the idea of adding dried orange peel to it. I hope it was a great T day. hugs-Erika
Oh, my goodness, all your food looks scrumptious. And your wonderful artwork is even food. Off to get something to eat! LOL
Kate, happy birthday to your middle! The ice cream cake and the whoppie pies look fab – all your food looks fab .
I love your painting practice – that bear is cool but all of it is VERY good.
Super tea pictures to – making your own – that is impressive.
Great post. Happy T-day!
Wow, your own blueberries – nice! Love the icecream cake but those whoopie pies look like a really good way to celebrate! Your paintings are fabulous – love those blues! I love chocolate mint chopped up in vanilla ice-cream ! Belated Happy T Day, Chrisx
Happy Birthday to the Middle! My MIL made awesome whoopie pies. Yours look awesome, too, and now I’m craving them. Himself has something eating some of his plants. They nibbled the middles of my morning glories. He’s been spraying the plants with Neem oil. He said it would keep the critters away but wouldn’t hurt the plants or us. Happy T Day.