So a few weeks ago, I showed you the flower boxes we'd finally planted.
A few days ago, we came out to this.
And when we peered inside...
Yes, it appears Mr. and Mrs. Wren have decided that our flower box would be the perfect place to bring their little baby wrens into this world. I have to say, I'm humbled. And in awe. And any snakes with less than honorable intentions has better stay away! Oh, heck, ALL snakes had better stay away.
(Insert shirttail tug and big huff)
Well, Easter is almost upon us. The day we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And it's only fitting that Easter is in spring. A time of rebirth and renewal. "If any man be in Christ he is a new creation." 2 Corinthians 5:17
And after a time of rejoicing with our church families, most of us head home to continue the festivities with family and, of course, food. In our church we always joke that Baptists can't do anything without food, however I have enough friends of other denominations to know that the same thing can be said about Catholics, Methodists, Lutherans, Episcopalians... You get my drift. We all like good food.
So as we look forward to those delicious Easter spreads, I thought I'd share a few of my favorite Easter desserts, just in case you're still trying to decide what to fix at your house.
This first one is always a favorite with the kids. Although, I'm woman enough to admit that this particular adult will still arm-wrestle one of those kids for the last one. Okay, only the kids that are bigger than me.
Simply start with your favorite cupcakes. Top with Seven-minute Frosting (find that recipe here), some tinted coconut (how to do that is in the same link) and some colorful jelly beans for a fun, festive treat.
When it comes to Easter desserts, I always think of color. It's spring, after all, so things should be colorful. Like this pistachio cake (recipe here).
Or these lemon bars (recipe here).
And a new favorite I discovered last year, this Sour Cream Blueberry Bundt Cake (recipe here).
Yum!
Which one would you pick?
And the Amaryllis that had to be dug up when the plumber replaced a drain line is coming back.
Another week or so and that entire area will be bursting with red blooms. I can hardly wait.
Of course, spring also brings other things, like thunderstorms. We're on tap for a few of those this week. And in only two more days, it's opening day for baseball season 2018. Woot-woot! I know Ruthy's as stoked for that one as I am.
Now it's your turn. Do you have a favorite Easter dessert? Or, maybe, just an all-round preference--colorful, fruity, cake, pie? Enquiring foodie minds really do want to know.
Three-time Carol Award nominee, Mindy Obenhaus, lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, the youngest of her five children and two dogs. She's passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. When she’s not writing, she enjoys cooking and spending time with her grandchildren. Learn more at www.MindyObenhaus.com
My mom use to make bird nest cupcakes like those when we were kids! Such a simple recipe too. Your photos make me long for spring all the more. The snow is great, but it keeps us cooped up way too much so we are taking advantage of our nice day today before it gets a little chilly this week and going hiking after work. I am sure I will find some kind of spring in the hills!
ReplyDeleteKatie, having grown up in Michigan and lived in Rapid City for a few years, I hear you on those lingering winters. Some years they seem to hold on forever. But all that cold makes you appreciate spring and summer all the more.
DeleteHere in Texas it's kind of the other way around. The scorching summer heat makes us appreciate winter and spring all the more.
Oh I also forgot to say I LOVE those flower boxes. They make a great place for vegetables if you cant have a garden. One year I even used old kiddie pools!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Katie. That particular area of the house is very blah, so those planters were the perfect way to spruce things up and add some color.
DeleteMindy, I love your Easter recipes! We're really enjoying all the blooms and now green leaves around here (Georgia). Your window boxes are gorgeous! And you have your own little resident birds. So full of nature!
ReplyDeleteMissy, these birds must have been bent on having their nest there because we had removed one that was in the making that first week we planted. And then, lo and behold, we have a new nest complete with eggs. It'll be fun to hear those babies chirping once they hatch. Fortunately, these planters are on the opposite side of the house, far away from the bedrooms.
DeleteOne fun spot we found a nest was in my daughter's bike helmet. :) But it was in the garage, which could get really hot. So my husband moved the helmet outside to a bush just outside the garage. It worked! Once they hatched and flew out, we reclaimed the helmet. :)
DeleteWhat a great story, Missy. And hubby was right to move the helmet. Not only because of the heat, but if you close the garage door, the mama can't get to her babies.
DeleteWrens are some of my favorite birds. You are so privileged to have a pair nesting in your flower boxes!
ReplyDeleteAnd I love seeing those flowers. Spring seems like it's taking forever this year - we had more snow yesterday - but I remind myself that we often have snow on Mother's Day. I just need to be patient. *sigh*
Easter desserts... I think I like them all. Light, fruity, and pretty. Those are the only requirements I have. :-)
Jan, any guesses how long it takes for those eggs to hatch? The eggs are so little. I can just imagine how tiny those babies will be. Not that wrens are very big anyway.
DeleteI think you left off one requirement for your desserts, though. Delicious!
I love those window boes!!!! Praying you don't have any kitties around who might think it would be fun to go hunting in the flowers!!! Must be good luck to have a wren nest in your garden!
ReplyDeleteSo -- those lemon bars. LOVE them!!! This is the only recipe I can nearly make. lol For some reason lemon bars challenge me and more often than not they turn out a bit runny. Still tastes good, just ooze a bit. But this recipe doesn't ooze as much so that's progress. lol
Easter Desserts -- ooooohhhh --- remember the bunny cake? Where you make a cake in two round pans. One is the face and then you cut the ears out of the other by cutting two curves off each side and you're left with a dapper bow-tie in the middle. Remember that? I used to make one every year for my daughter.
Kav, I totally remember those bunny cakes. I don't think I ever made one, but they are adorable.
DeleteI never even thought of cats getting those baby birds. Not that I've seen any around her, except for that cougar I spotted walking at the edge of the woods a few weeks ago. With all the dogs we have around here, though, our two and the across-the-road neighbor's boxer who keeps showing up no matter how many times we tell her to go home, cats shouldn't be a problem.
As for the lemon bars, keep trying. Because they are too good not to share.