I’m a big fan of planting fruit trees. Even if you’re renting. Ever since I wound up living in one rented home with a huge yard for over ten years, and realized I could have had a whole orchard back there, I’ve planted fruit trees. They do take a long time, but time passes, right? This curl-free peach tree (‘Frost’) is about 4 or 5 years old. There are only a couple of dozen peaches, if that. But they are such heaven!

Fuzzy home-grown peaches, so perfumed!

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Our local Trader Joe’s has had magnificent peaches this year. I noticed that they are even MORE beautiful than the illustration on the packaging, which is saying something! Hope you are enjoying your summer fruit in this unusual, to say the least, year.

Heavenly yellow peaches, the best part of summer

Linking up with Through My Lens Monday1, Macro Monday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Our World Tuesday, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Tuesday Treasures, Wordless Wednesday, My Corner of the World Wednesday 1, Little Things Thursday, Friday Bliss, Pink Saturday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, and All Seasons Sunday1. Thanks so much for visiting here and hope to see you again soon. Please sign up at upper right for notifications of new posts.

A box of dead-ripe peaches from Trader Joe inspired me to adapt a very easy raspberry clafouti dessert recipe.

Peach clafouti (or clafoutis) easy custard and fruit dessert

Here is my version:

Ingredients:
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (I used whole wheat pastry flour)
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (3 ozs) sugar
• Pinch kosher salt
• 3 large eggs
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• Finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (3 ozs) whole milk
• 3 cups ripe peach wedges (about 3 peaches or so), peeled and cut into wedges
• dash vanilla
• Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Instructions:
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°. Generously butter a 9-inch gratin dish or pie plate. In a bowl, whisk the eggs, butter and lemon zest until smooth. Whisk in the sugar and a pinch of salt. Add the milk and whisk until light and very smooth, a couple of minutes. Add a dash of vanilla. Whisk in the flour until no lumps. Pour the batter into the gratin dish and top with the peach wedges in a pattern from the center, or just any which way (rustic!).
Step 2
Bake for about 30 minutes, until the clafoutis is just set and golden. If using a glass pie plate, raise temp. slightly, might take extra 10-15 minutes. Let cool slightly. Dust with confectioners’ sugar, cut into wedges and serve.

Even though I forgot to do the sugar dusting, it was FABULOUS.

Linking to on Through My Lens Monday1, Macro Monday, Our World Tuesday, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Tuesday Treasures, Wordless Wednesday, My Corner of the World Wednesday 1, Little Things Thursday, Friday Bliss, Pink Saturday, and All Seasons Sunday1. Thanks so much for visiting here and hope to see you again soon. Please sign up at upper right for notifications of new posts.

Seattle certainly has been having a cool and rainy spring and summer, so far. The way roses look after a light rain, however, is priceless.

Rosebud after a light rain

Also posting this on Through My Lens Monday1, Macro Monday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Our World Tuesday, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Tuesday Treasures, Wordless Wednesday, My Corner of the World Wednesday 1, Little Things Thursday, Friday Bliss, Pink Saturday, and All Seasons Sunday1. Thanks so much for visiting here and hope to see you again soon. Please sign up at upper right for notifications of new posts.

This David Austin rose, named after the queen of butter, is worthy of her namesake. Blooming so bountifully!

David Austin rose ‘Julia Child’

Also posting this on Through My Lens Monday1, Macro Monday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Our World Tuesday, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Tuesday Treasures, Wordless Wednesday, My Corner of the World Wednesday 1, Little Things Thursday, Friday Bliss, Pink Saturday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, and All Seasons Sunday1. Thanks so much for visiting here and hope to see you again soon. Please sign up at upper right for notifications of new posts.

My carport has at least one new occupant. Mama (or papa?) bird looked like a dark-eyed junco. Small bird with black head, brown on top of body. Hubby reached way up to snap this.

Brand new hatchling in carport nest

Connecting up with  Through My Lens Monday1, Macro Monday, Our World Tuesday, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Wordless Wednesday, My Corner of the World Wednesday 1, Little Things Thursday, Friday Bliss, Camera Critters, Pink Saturday, and All Seasons Sunday1. Thanks so much for visiting here and hope to see you again soon. Sign up at upper right for notifications of new posts.

Happy Easter! Here are some plum blossoms buds just starting to open.

White plum blossoms against a clear blue springtime sky

Also posting this on Through My Lens Monday1, Macro Monday, Our World Tuesday, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Tuesday Treasures, Wordless Wednesday, My Corner of the World Wednesday 1, Little Things Thursday, Skywatch Friday, Friday Bliss, Pink Saturday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, and All Seasons Sunday1. Thanks so much for visiting here and hope to see you again soon. Please sign up at upper right for notifications of new posts.

Happy Spring Equinox! We are blessed with sunny weather in Seattle this whole week. Don’t know why we don’t see more of these forsythias around Seattle but I love them.

Brilliant yellow and old-fashioned forsythia is the glory of springtime

Also posting this on Through My Lens Monday1, Macro Monday, Our World Tuesday, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Tuesday Treasures, Wordless Wednesday, My Corner of the World Wednesday 1, Little Things Thursday, Skywatch Friday, Friday Bliss, Pink Saturday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, and All Seasons Sunday1. Thanks so much for visiting here and hope to see you again soon. Please sign up at upper right for notifications of new posts.

Perfect, tender tulip flowers help us welcome springtime.

Delicate white and pink tulips

Also linking to Through My Lens Monday1, Macro Monday, Our World Tuesday, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Tuesday Treasures, Wordless Wednesday, My Corner of the World Wednesday 1, Little Things Thursday, Friday Bliss, Pink Saturday, and All Seasons Sunday1. Thanks so much for visiting here and hope to see you again soon. Please sign up at upper right for notifications of new posts.

I know I’m getting ahead of myself. In April at the Pike Place Market in Seattle, we will have tulips. Many tulips.

Many kinds of glorious tulips for sale in April in Seattle WA

Connecting with Through My Lens Monday1, Ruby Tuesday 2, Our World Tuesday, Tuesday’s Wordless Wednesday, Tuesday Treasures, Wordless Wednesday, My Corner of the World Wednesday 1, Little Things Thursday, Friday Bliss, Pink Saturday, and All Seasons Sunday1. Thanks so much for visiting here and hope to see you again soon. Sign up at upper right for notifications of new posts.