Blueberries----and a super simple, one dish recipe!! This recipe was given to me by my aunt who found it in a cookbook that credited it to Sally Fields. So--we always called it Sally Fields Summer Cobbler. It is my go to recipe when I need a dessert and don't want to go to a lot of fuss.

Sally Fields via Mary Manders Summer Cobbler

Preaheat oven to 350.

1 stick butter

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup flour

2 tsp baking powder

dash of salt

3/4 cup milk.

2 cups berries--any kind or an assortment

Melt butter in 11 x 7 baking dish. Stir in sugar, flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in milk and then pour berries over the top. Bake 30-35 mins.

When it is done, the batter is golden on the top and the berries are on the bottom.

Here's a sight you don't see everyday. I don't know who is driving this VW bug, but I like them already. All the way from the BUGLY vanity plate to the eclectic assortment of items strapped to the top of the car!! I'm just glad I had my camera with me, because I this is a classic! And yes--that is an antique bedpan on the left!

Seriously-have you ever in your life wondered what it was like to be an earthworm? Me either. But this is the view from their little eyes. Wait a minute---do they even have eyes? This is an exhibit at the Fort Wayne Botanical Conservancy. And if you were an earthroom and were slithering along in the tunnel that you dug--and happened to look up, this is what you would see(assuming you have eyes). Onions and rutabagas and other wonderful garden delights!!

The weather today was perfect, we had planned to meet Adam and Jonelle in Fort Wayne for dinner----and then I was able to get off work early!! So we headed out and visited the Fort Wayne Botanical Conservatory!! Beautiful!! Especially the butterfly house where we played with our Macro lens. I can't believe I have never visited this before----and how many other places within a 2 hour drive have I neglected!

I love being married to a teacher during the summer. So far, I have a newly painted and tiled bathroom and 1/2 of a new kitchen floor. And we are only 2 weeks into summer vacation. Good thing he has a helper with all these summer projects!

Whoever installed these chimney toppers HAD to either be a knitter or be married to a knitter--esp. one who knits socks. I couldn't believe it when I saw them------sitting atop the house was this rib stitch designed clay chimney cap. Probably a knit 4-purl 4 rib knit. I loved it. I want one.

Did you ever wonder if there really are bats in bat houses? Me too---along with wondering why anyone would want to provide housing for those nocturnal creatures that have been known to get in people's houses. I know--I know--they eat .insects and are good for the yard. But back to topic. I've often wondered if there are bats inside these things but have never had enough nerve to actually peek inside---until now. Actually--I just stuck my camera underneath and took a picture. Alas---this house appeared empty!

After the garden tour last weekend, I felt inspired to utilize more garden art! Mmmmm--should I attend the Toledo Botanical Garden's Festival of the Arts and spend the big bucks on already made objects? Or should I take an old bowling ball and some broken shards from a ceramic Halloween Pumpkin I have been keeping forever(just for a project such as this). So I dug right in and covered the bowling ball and here it is----waiting to dry a little more and then have grout applied. When it is finished, it will go on a wrought iron stand I have been saving forever(just for a project such as this) and proudly stand in the middle of my flower bed. And then I will go to Toledo Botanical Garden's Festival of the Arts--and spend the money I saved by making my own garden art--on jewelry instead!!

It's been a sunny, quiet Father's Day. The guest of honor requested Blackberry Pancakes for breakfast and that is how our day started----eating al fresco. A little yard work, a break to watch the Tigers(win) and then a steak dinner. Happy Father's Day to all Dads everywhere!

We went on a Garden Walk today! It was an annual fund raising event to support the Toledo Day Nursery and was held in historic Perrysburg. We toured 8 homes---and came home with plenty of ideas. My favorite garden was a Hosta and shade garden under the arms of a 200 year old Elm tree behind a converted carriage house on the Maumee River. But each home was full of ideas I am anxious to use-such as a Fairy Garden using tiny leaved plants with tiny wheelbarrows and gardening tools. AND------there was a beautiful garden with Alliums that---no surprise here---were spray painted. Only a fellow Allium painter such as myself would recognize that!

I am going to air my dirty "laundry" in public. I like to think I keep a neat house, although working full time sometimes gets in the way. I never noticed the dust on this very old chair until my sweetheart of a husband took his finger and drew a heart on it. And now I find it so touching, I don't have the heart to dust it(pardon the pun)!

Mayflies. Make that June Bugs---same thing. They are appearing in full force this year and what started with one or two on the side of the house has grown into a hundred. Interesting little creatures. We live close to Lake Erie and a lot of Mayflies or Junebugs means the lake is clean and pollution free. They come out of the lake to mate and live for 24 hours and are drawn to the lights. Before their short season ends, they will be so prevelant that shop keepers have to shovel the sidewalks of them in the morning and spectators at our municipal ball field sometimes have to hold umbrellas to prevent being showered with them. I experienced that once----not a pleasant experience!

We recently spotted this painted "work of art" in downtown Toledo and perhaps it is true---Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. So, which side of the fence are you on? Is it "there is no accounting for bad taste" or perhaps you are considering taking a paintbrush to your own vehicle.

It is pretty special when you have a parade on your street. Even better when the parade is of vintage tractors! Now, how often do you get to see that!!

I feel so blessed and grateful tonite---and this piece of roofing we found in our yard really hits that point home to us. After those horrendous tornados went through the area, we found several pieces of building debris. I am going to keep this small piece of roofing as a reminder of all I have to be grateful for. My family was untouched and our house had no damage. But whose house did this come from? I pray it's owners are alive and safe, because there is so much sadness coming out of that storm. Sadness and also a strong sense of community. And so now, the rebuilding begins in our community.

Lake HS & Surroundings Photos SEE IT, SNAP IT, SEND IT - WTOL
I live in NW Ohio and today my little world is the subject of news stories around the country--all because of a tremendous, destructive storm that ripped through our area last nite, bringing with it a tornado, and death and destruction. The news stories give the facts but what they may not tell you that a local high school was destroyed--on the eve of the graduation ceremony for the class of 2010. Or that the father of the valedictorian was one of those killed. It may not tell you about the mother and her 4 year old son who went to a neighbors for dinner, and then came home and were killed by the storm. And the young parents with their newborn who were frantically seeking shelter at the police station----the father and infant made it to safety but the mother was sucked into the storm and killed. And the young woman who was frantically talking to her dad on her cell phone, seeking advice on where to go for safety---and she too was killed by the storm. And then there is the kindness of neighbors and neighboring communities. The storm was barely over and volunteers were going around picking up debris and cutting fallen limbs. The local police station's building was devastated and the neighboring communites police force offered them space in their offices. Other area schools have offered their facilities for use for the high school graduation.
This devastation happened about 5 miles from us and we were lucky to not have any damage. I have been thanking God all day for keeping us safe. As soon as the first storm went through around 11:30pm, the news service said another storm would hit around 4am with tornado potential. Needless to say, we did not sleep and thankfully the second storm spared our area but brought a tornado to areas of Michigan.

Summer is really heating up here in NW Ohio and it is time-----to spray paint the Giant Alliums. They've looked so pretty all spring, I help Mother Nature along by "enhancing" the faded blooms. Last year I felt guilty doing it, but this year I sprayed away with gusto. Okay, I did it after dusk when nobody could see me but I am so happy with the results that I am eyeing a few brown spots on the lawn and hoping I can find the right shade of green!