Morning Glory Muffins

Morning Glory Muffins
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 (15.2 oz) pkg cinnamon streusel muffin mix
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 (8 oz) can crushed pineapple in juice
3/4 cup grated peeled Granny Smith apple
3/4 cup shredded carrots
3/4 cup chopped toasted pecans
1/2 cup raisins
Vegetable cooking spray
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspon grated lemon rind
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Whisk together first 3 ingredients until blended.
Stir together contents of muffin mix packet and cinnamon in a large bowl. Make a well in the center. Add egg mixture, pineapple, and next 4 ingredients, stirring just until moistened.
Place baking cups in muffin pan. Spray with cooking spray. Spoon batter into cups, filling two-thirds full. Sprinkle evenly with reserved streusel packet.
Bake at 425 degrees for 18 to 23 minutes or until golden. Cool in pans on wire racks 5 minutes. Remove from pans and cool on wire racks.
Stir together powdered sugar, lemon rind, and lemon juice until smooth, and drizzle over tops of muffins.
Recipe from Southern Living

Good Morning, Glory!

This morning glory tea pot is special to me as it represents a generous kindness. The youth group at our church was having a rummage sale to raise money for a trip. I spotted this lovely tea pot and asked how much? The young man said, "whatever you want to donate." I was excited to think I could get a tea pot for about $5.00! My husband was with me and he handed him a twenty dollar bill! I am the bargain hunter, but he is very generous, especially when it comes to church functions or charities.

The book the tea pot is sitting on is one of my favorite books, "Morning Glory" by Lavyrle Spencer. It is a beautiful love story set in the 40s. My mother gave me the book about 20 years ago, it had been one of her favorites as well. Mother is no longer living, I always think of her every time I see this book.

One of my friends saw a picture of this tea pot recently and liked it so much she looked on Ebay and found one just like it, and won it at a great price! It is a Telefloral tea pot.

Open your hearts every morning to the Lord. You have to be open to receive Him.

Pretty Pansies

I love pansies, to me they look like they have little faces! These pansies were at Jekyll Club Hotel, I like the multi-color coordination.

Crane Cottage

Archway hedges at Crane Cottage. Crane Cottage is across the lawn from the Jekyll Club Hotel. These arches can be a beautiful backdrop for wedding photos.

Crane Cottage Doorway

Enter to a lovely courtyard through the doorway to the Crane Cottage. The Crane Cottage has been restored in recent years and now has thirteen guest rooms and a restaurant. We have never stayed at the Crane Cottage, but we have eaten at the fine restaurant.

The Crane millionnaires built this two story cottage for their winter home. Several other large cottages surround the Jekyll Club Hotel, but only three cottages are open to guests. Once at Christmas we went on a home tour of the cottages, they were decorated exquisitely.

Many weddings are held at the Crane Cottage. The Faith Chapel is across the street from Crane Cottage.

Crane Cottage Courtyard

The Courtyard of the Crane Cottage. Under the arches are wrought iron tables and chairs where lunch is served during pleasant weather. Wedding receptions are also held in the courtyard.

Crane Cottage Front

The front of Crane Cottage.

Hedges

The hedges at the Crane Cottage. The tree arches are in the background. This area is where some weddings are held.

The View

View from the Crane Cottage patio, looking toward the arches of trees.

Horse and Carriage

Horse and carriage passing the Crane Cottage.

Flowering Tree

This flowering tree is next to the Crane Cottage. I thought it was so pretty with the Spanish moss hanging from it so I took a picture. I'm not sure what kind of tree it is.

Plantation Oak

These huge trees are next to the Crane Cottage at the Jekyll Club Hotel. The largest one is a Plantation Oak. A historical marker sign is near it, but I've forgotten the details and my husband isn't here to refresh my memory.

Jekyll Tree

This tree is across the lawn at Jekyll Club Hotel. The branches are on the ground. This is a Live Oak, called live because it stays green year around. Spanish moss clings to the high limbs, the moss is a parasite and bad for the trees, but it is a signature characteristic of some trees in the Southern states and Florida.

Jekyll Club Chapel

Faith Chapel was built by the millionnaire club in 1904. It has authenic Tiffany windows. Only five windows bearing Louis C. Tiffany's signature exist, and one of them is in this chapel. The chapel is open certain hours for tours. A lot of weddings are held at Jekyll Club Hotel, and on the beautiful grounds. Sometimes weddings are at Faith Chapel, and it makes a beautiful backdrop for wedding photos. Once while there we observed a wedding party leaving the chapel, the bride and groom left in a horse-drawn white carriage, so romantic!

Faith Chapel

Faith Chapel at Jekyll Club Hotel. A non-denominaton chapel built in 1904 for the Jekyll Club millionnaires and their families and friends.

March Flowers

Ashleigh's birth month flower. I don't think they are her favorite flowers though. She prefers red roses.

Close-up of the daffodils at the Jekyll Club Hotel.

Happy Birthday, Ashleigh!

Today is my youngest daughter's birthday, Happy Birthday Ashleigh! She was born on a Good Friday and has always been a "good girl!" Ashleigh and Shawn are in St. Croix now visiting his mother. I know she misses her doggies. Here are pictures of the little darlings! In August Ashleigh and Shawn's baby boy will arrive!

Top photo is Grady, she is 2 years old, she is a little rascal! The bottom photo is Kasie, she is 13 years old, and she is a princess! They are beautiful dogs! Ashleigh, they wish you a happy birthday too!

Jekyll Club Hotel

One of my favorite places to visit. The Jekyll Club Hotel was founded in 1886, the Club was once the grand retreat of America's wealthiest families, with such names as Rockefeller, Morgan, Pulitzer and Vanderbilt wintering here at the turn of the century. The Victorian clubhouse, with it's famed turret, and a collection of adjacent structures have been splendidly restored.

http://www.jekyllclub.com/home.html

Welcome Sign

Welcome sign at the entrance of Jekyll Club Hotel. I like the plants, I believe they are ornamental cabbages.

Cabbage Rose

Close-up of the ornamental cabbages. I'm fascinated with these plants, they are so beautiful, these purple cabbages make me imagine giant roses!

Jekyll Club Time for Tea

This round room with the canopy window covers is the wing of the hotel restaurant area where the 4 p.m. tea was served. Behind that wing is a large porch with wicker rockers, a wonderful place to sit in the breeze and read.

Jekyll Club Tea Room

A Victorian Tea was served in this tea room area. Tables were all around the windows. Lovely and with a very homey and comfortable atmosphere.

Jekyll Club Victorian Tea

The fireplace flanked by two chairs and cozy seating around a small table with a silver tea service on it. This area is also in the dining room where the Victorian Tea is served.

Silver Tea Service

This beautiful silver tea service is on display and wasn't used.

Tea Time Server

We ordered the Victorian Tea for Two. A two-tired server held two blueberry scones each, served with lemon curd, cream and jam; cucumber sandwiches, banana bread with a cream cheese mixture and banana slices. The top tier had lemon curd tarts, Napoleon bars, and Othello (chocolate and coconut) bars. Everything was delicious!

Tea Table

Our table with the Victorian Tea goodies. I was a little disappointed with the tea pots and tea bags, and even the food although it was delicious. There was only one savory, a small cucumber sandwich, all the other tidbits were sweet! Never thought I'd complain about sweets, I could tolerate it, but my husband needed more savory. We did enjoy the atmosphere and ambiance and it was a "sweet" way to end our little get-a-way. We did learn from talking to the server that she was new and was the one in charge of the food selections, she even prepared all the plates. Another table of women nearby had different selections including a lot of chocolate desserts which is sometimes unusual to serve a lot of chocolate at tea time.

Table with a view

Our table overlooked the beautiful flower bed of daffodils! We were each served tea in a small metal tea pot. Tea bags were used, but they were silk tea bags. The tea packages had pictures of the Jekyll Club Hotel on it. We ordered Mandarin Orange Spice and Apricot spice teas and shared each pot. They were nice flavors, but a hotel of this size and reputation should have loose teas and china tea pots and dishes, IMHO!

The search for gold

My search for the golden trumpets ended when we finally found my beloved daffodils at the Jekyll Club Hotel! If we hadn't stayed for the 4 p.m. tea I may have missed them! They were right outside the windows of the tea room.

Jekyll Club Hotel

We went to Jekyll Club Hotel on our honeymoon and have gone back there several times. The front lawn (shown) is for playing croquet. Other activities are golf, tennis, biking, hiking, horseback riding. We rode our bikes about ten miles around the island. Jekyll Island is 7 1/2 miles long and 1 1/2 miles wide. It is located along the southern east coast of Georgia near Brunswick. It is only about two hours north of where we live in Florida.

I also enjoyed an art show that was going on while we were there! It was held on the lawn and inside one of the millionnaire cottages.

Daffodils

The daffodils at Jekyll Club Hotel were beautiful! Daffodils don't grow in Florida where I live so I'm always delighted when I see them growing!

Fountain of Blessings

For with Thee is the fountain of life. Psalms 36:9

Sometimes I feel the blessings in my life are like a fountain! Abundant, overflowing, refreshing!

Before I move on to Jekyll Island photos, I just had to share this photo Joe took of the famous Forsyth Fountain in Savannah. This fountain is usually shown in promo ads for Savannah. Paula Deen's show sometimes has a shot of it on her TV program.

Pink House

The Pink House in Savannah is in the background, the flowers are in the park across the street from the historical Pink House. The park is Reynolds Square. The Pink House is now a restaurant serving gourmet food and fabulous desserts. It was next door to Planters Inn where we stayed. I have misplaced the history at the moment, but it was always pink and always named "The Pink House."

Gaston Street

The stately old homes in Savannah are so beautiful. Gaston Street is a fine example of pretty row houses in Savannah. Gaston Street is across the street from Forsyth Park making a lovely view from both areas.

Drain spout

A lot of Savannah's buildings have these unique drain spouts! The Planters Inn where we stayed had these on the building.

River Street

River Street is a fun place to see in Savannah. Lots of shops and restaurants line the river. Park benches are along the way so you can rest and watch the large cargo ships come in.

Cobblestone

The roads at River Street are cobblestone.

Forsyth Park

Forsyth Park is Savannah's crown jewel, a serene sanctuary located in the heart of the city. This is my favorite "square." This cast iron fountain dates back to 1858. The design of the fountain is a replica of the famous fountain in the Place-de-la-Concord in Paris. The park is named in honor of Governor John Forsyth, a U.S. Senator from Georgia and Secretary of State during the Jackson and Van Buren administrations.

The Tea Room in Savannah

We had lunch at The Tea Room. It is located in the main shopping district in Savannah. A while ago I saw this tea room featured in Southern Lady (or was it Romantic Homes magazine when they were featuring tea articles.) We liked this tea room, the owners, and the food. One wall has shelves with rows of large tins filled with different loose teas. A large gift shop is in the front room.

This photo shows one area of the gift shop with a wall of shelves holding large tins of loose teas. We bought a tin of Emperors Bride, their most popular tea.

Dining Room

The Tea Room has three dining areas. This was the largest room, it was impressive with a fireplace flanked by two chairs. We sat in a small nook behind the gift shop with only three tables.

Serving Stand

Our food was presented on this pretty wooden serving stand instead of a tray.

Soup

This cream of carrot soup was served first. Joe loved it and was happy when I gave him mine because it was just a little too hot and spicy for me! I do wish I had the recipe so I could make adjustments and make it myself.

Quiche

This was the biggest slice of quiche I've ever been served! The spinach and tomato quiche was so good. The desserts were: blueberry scones with lemon curd, cream, and jam, shortbread, and frosted spice cake. We shared a pot of Emperor's Bride tea which is their signature blend. We bought a tin of the loose tea to bring home.

Sandwich

Joe said his grouper fish sandwich and salad were delicious, his desserts were served on a separate plate. I think those glasses were blue even though they show up green here.

Table Decor

These little black flower "frogs" were on each table with one fresh flower and a little water in the small container. I bought one, they were sold individually or in sets of three. I can't remember the name of the rock sugar in the sugar bowl, they sold it as well. It had a German name. The lemon slices were studded with whole cloves.

The Tea Room

The outside of the Tea Room, too bad the facade doesn't have more to offer! The inside is much more exciting than the outside. The Tea Room is located on Broughton Street where a lot of neat shops are. A mother and daughter are the proprietors of The Tea Room. We enjoyed eating there as the food is excellent, and they do serve loose teas which most tea rooms don't (but should!) I also like the idea of having a child's table and chairs with teddy bears in the tea room for children. I just wish they had tried a little harder to come up with a more descriptive name!

The Tea Room Gift Shop

I hesitate to post the gift shop photos as it makes it look cluttered, but it wasn't. In addition to teas they have a lot of nice things for sale. Childrens books with tea titles were also available.

The Book Gift Shop

Since some of us were discussing the best-seller book "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" by John Berendt, I will post the picture of "The Book Gift Shop" now. This shop is located on Calhoun Square in downtown Savannah. His book is known in Savannah, as "THE BOOK." This gift shop is named "The Book" Gift Shop. It features exclusive "Midnight" gift items, The Bird Girl items, author-autographed books and even a mini-Midnight museum. This store was one of the few places locally where Berendt autographed copies of his popular book when it was first published. He continues to sign books for The Book Gift Shop. The shop also offers daily walking and bus tours featuring sites highlighted in "The Book." We went there too early as we were strolling the squares early morning. The shop doesn't open until 10:30. I hope to go there next time we visit Savannah.