Americus Garden Inn Bed and Breakfast

Santa Comes to Willett Way in Americus

2011-12-24T11:23:00.025-05:00

'Twas the night before Christmas eve and it seemed that every child in Americus had come to Willett Way Wonderland to see Santa Claus. You haven't experienced Christmas in Americus if you haven't paid a visit to Willett Way. Please click on the first photo so you can view the photos as a slide show. Enjoy the photos and have a very Merry Christmas.

Love, Peace and Joy,
Kim and Susan Egelseer
Americus Garden Inn

Christmas Lights in Americus 2011

2011-12-21T11:52:00.014-05:00

Every community has a special place to see the Christmas lights each year. Here in Americus there are two places to see elaborate light displays - Willett Way Wonderland and Gradyland. Since we had never heard of Gradyland, we decided to check it out. From what we read, they have been doing this for quite a few years. Here are the photos I took for you to enjoy.
Click on the first photo so you can see the photos as a slide show!

Thanks for visiting the Americus Garden Inn blog. We wish our Jewish friends a Happy Chanukah and our Christian friends a Merry Christmas.

Super Easy Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Muffins

2011-11-29T12:15:00.008-05:00

For most of us, finding gluten free recipes and products that actually deliver on texture and flavor is difficult. Since so many people with gluten intolerance also have other dietary restrictions, I am always on the lookout for recipes that can be made without eggs or dairy products. I was aware of this recipe using a traditional cake mix as a healthier version of a chocolate treat. So, I decided to try it using a gluten free cake mix.

There are only 2 ingredients in this recipe - pumpkin and chocolate cake mix.

Since I am soy intolerant, I do not use the nonstick sprays. I prefer to use paper liners. I didn't want to waste the whole package of cake mix (if the recipe was NOT good) or a whole can of pumpkin, so I divided the box of mix in half.

I added half the can of pumpkin. This is just pumpkin not pumpkin pie mix.

It easily came together with a rubber spatula, although the batter was thick.

I decided to add a handful of chocolate chips. There goes the 2 ingredient recipe! I just couldn't help myself. The more chocolate the better...

I mixed the chips into the batter.

And the batter looked absolutely perfect.

I used a small scoop to ensure even muffins and it worked out to be 10 small muffins. I always fill the empty muffin cups about 1/4 full of water.

They baked at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. The package directions for regular cupcakes said it would be about 22 - 24 minutes. But, using the toothpick test, they needed more time.

I let them cool in the pan for about 5 minutes and moved them to the cooling rack.

I got a cup of our Americus Garden Inn Signature blend coffee in my Deneen pottery collector's mug to taste test the muffins.

They looked beautiful on the inside, but, I felt they were missing something.Powdered sugar! Now they look special.

These muffins were better with the sugar dusted over the tops. And, they were tastier once they cooled. I would have thought that the chocolate chips would add more flavor warm, but, the pumpkin flavor mellowed once they cooled and the chips added an extra textural component.

So, don't be afraid of entertaining your gluten free friends. Have a gluten free cake mix handy along with a can of pumpkin and you can treat them to something special in no time.

Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We're open through the holidays and we'd love to see you at the Americus Garden Inn.

The Easiest, Quickest, Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies

2011-11-10T08:45:00.018-05:00

Well, it's that time of year. Cookie time! Everyone starts thinking about holiday baking and cookies right after Halloween. They even have Christmas displays set up everywhere and it is not even Thanksgiving yet. So, what are the choices for gluten free baking? There actually are lots of options. But, this recipe is truly one of the easiest and requires nothing that you have to buy at a specialty store. Here are the ingredients. I'll bet you have them all in your pantry and fridge right now.
Start with a cup of brown sugar.
Add a cup of peanut butter.
Add one egg.
Add 1 tsp of baking soda.
Add 1/2 tsp vanilla extract.
Mix with a wooden spoon
until well combined.
Add 1 cup of chocolate chips
Mix thoroughly
Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto a parchment lined cookie panI do use my hands to make little balls after scooping. At this point, I put the whole thing in the freezer

and once they are frozen, they go in a ziploc bag so I can grab a few to bake when I want a cookie!
Well, actually, I want more than one cookie. So, I made enough to share with Kim.

Baked at 350 degrees for about 14 minutes, they are perfect.

I am ready to settle down with a cup of Americus Garden Inn signature blend coffee in my signature mug with my gluten free peanut butter cookies. Yum! If you were here, I would be happy to share my private stash of gluten free peanut butter cookies with you, too. :)Here is the recipe for

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup smooth peanut butter (chunky may be used if preferred)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk chocolate chips (or morsels)

Stir together first five ingredients in medium bowl, using wooden spoon.
Stir in chocolate chips/morsels
Drop cookie dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet
Bake at 350 F for 12 minutes or until puffed and golden (Cookies will be soft in the center). If baking from frozen, bake for 14 minutes.
Cool on baking sheet 5 minutes, remove to wire rack.

HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS RECIPE AS MUCH AS I DO.
Love,
Susan

Make My Recipe A Winner

2011-10-03T21:49:00.005-04:00

The Top 10 Finalists have been announced for the Betty Crocker Baker's Challenge Gluten Free Baking Contest and my Decadent Chocolate Chip Almond Scones have placed me in the Top 10!

I need your help to win. Now until October 15 voting is open and the winning recipe will be the one with the most votes! You can vote once every day.

Please vote for me! There is a print friendly version of the gluten-free recipe on the voting page.

Thank you for your help!

Cold Brewed Iced Coffee on a Hot Day in Georgia

2011-08-25T11:03:00.010-04:00

I love coffee. I've loved it since I was a little girl.
I need coffee. It's too hot for coffee. Well, it's too hot for HOT coffee!

Let me start out by thanking my sister-in-law, Susan, for reminding me how to make cold-brew coffee. For those of you old enough to remember when "sun tea" was popular, we used to put tea bags in cold water in a pitcher and set it outside in the sun to brew. This recipe is similar, but, it is for coffee. Of course, I start out with our signature blend coffee from Cafe Campesino, Americus Garden Inn Signature Blend freshly roasted beans.If you look up cold-brew coffee recipes, you will find that 1/3 cup beans

coarsely ground
mixed with 12 ounces of cold water
are the perfect proportions.

Mix together and cover.

Let it sit at room temperature overnight or for at least 8 hours. I find that if you put it outside, in this heat, it takes as little as 4 hours.

A quick stir and prepare to filter your brew. I use a metal strainer along with a paper coffee filter.

Pour the coffee mixture slowly to allow the liquid to drip through.

You can see all that coffee goodness.

Gently press the liquid through the strainer.

As you can see, we have 12 ounces of cold brewed coffee. This stuff is super strong and does need to be diluted which makes it ideal for iced coffee.

I decided to make mine with equal parts coffee and almond milk.

Of course, you could use regular milk or soy milk.

I added a little Splenda, Kim added some Hershey's syrup to his.

Now, doesn't that look refreshing? Try the recipe for yourself and see how easy it is to make. You could put it in the blender with some ice cream and make your own frappuccino, too!

Thanks for visiting the Americus Garden Inn blog. Have a great day.

The December Project Revisited in July

2011-07-22T15:57:00.008-04:00

It must be a cold day in July... The guys came to work on the remaining portion of the Winter /December Project.

The work is being done on the bay window area between floors on the north side of the house.
It was previously covered with cedar shakes.
Insulating foam board was applied over the Tyvek over the plywood to gain additional insulation value in this area.Aluminum flashing was installed over the foam board.

The new shakes are made of the same material as the new siding (Hardie "cement board"), however, 5/16" thick vs the 5/8" thick siding. This difference in thickness allowed us to use the additional 3/4" insulating foam board in this area.

We had hoped they would finish this area in one day, but the 96 degree heat definitely affected the outcome.

So, the Winter Project continues... Stay tuned for future updates.

Thanks for visiting the Americus Garden Inn blog. We'd love to see you in person. Maybe in the fall? Remember, the Plains Peanut Festival is in September and the Andersonville Historic Fair is in October.

Deneen Stoneware Mugs Coming Soon to Americus

2011-07-09T18:45:00.005-04:00

Years ago, when we first started looking for a B&B (we've been at the Americus Garden Inn almost 9 years...), we first fell in love with these beautiful mugs made by a company called "Cloth and Clay".

Many people collect these mugs in different styles and colors.

The company is now known as "Deneen Pottery" but the mugs are still the beautiful, HANDCRAFTED, stoneware - MADE IN THE USA!

We are working with Niles Deneen to decide on a style (or two) and a color (or two or three or four). He sent us these samples to experience Deneen mugs first hand. (Yes, the pun was intended...)

This is where we would like your help.

If you collect these mugs, do you have a particular style or color that you collect? If you have never seen these mugs before, please let us know, would you be interested in purchasing one with a beautiful emblem on the front featuring our gorgeous home along with "Americus Garden Inn", of course? Lastly, what color or colors would you like to see?

We truly appreciate your input on this project as the mugs will be for YOU, our wonderful guests and friends. I'm not going to tell you which one is my favorite, but, once I started using it, I haven't switched back to my old mug. You can view all the styles and colors at www.deneenpottery.com.

Thank you so much for visiting our blog today. We look forward to your comments and suggestions. FYI: Americus Garden Inn Signature Blend coffee tastes even better in a Deneen mug!

We're Going Bananas with Banana Muffins

2011-06-26T17:25:00.029-04:00

You know the old saying, “When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade”? Well, when life gives me over-ripe bananas, I make banana muffins. Don’t throw those bananas in the trash! Put them in the refrigerator (or the freezer) and when you have 30 minutes, make these muffins.

I'll bet you have most of the ingredients on hand. Banana muffins taste best a day or two after baking, so, I'm making them right now for tomorrow. First thing, line the muffin tins. This recipe makes 12 muffins.

Measure the flour into a sifter or wire strainer. I used 1 cup of all purpose and 1/2 cup of whole wheat.

Both flours ready to go

Baking soda almost always has a few lumps, so, the strainer takes care of that.

I skimp a little on the sugar. Look, there are lumps in my sugar, too.

Whisk all dry ingredients through the strainer into the bowl.

Looks perfect.

Add the chips to the dry ingredients and whisk. I just happened to have peanut butter chips and chocolate chips. You can use white chocolate, dark chocolate, walnuts, pecans, raisins, sunflower seeds - whatever you like with bananas.

Perfect.

In a separate small bowl, crack an egg.

Add oil.

At this point, I decided to peel the bananas onto a plastic cutting board. I also set the oven to 400 degrees.

I like to mash the bananas with a fork, but, you can do it in the food processor, if you prefer.

Back to the egg with the oil mixed in.

Add the vanilla to the bowl.

Add the bananas to the bowl.

Mix thoroughly.

Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.

Stir with a rubber spatula just until combined.

Use a scoop to measure the batter evenly

into your 12 prepared muffin cups.

Bake 15 - 20 minutes at 400 degrees or until nicely browned and a toothpick comes out clean.

They look fabulous, don't they? Perfectly domed tops, you can see the chips poking out of the muffins. I'll bet you want one. :)

BANANA CHOCOLATE AND PEANUT BUTTER CHIP MUFFINS

1 cup all purpose flour

½ cup whole wheat flour

½ baking soda

1 cup sugar

½ cup chocolate chips

½ cup peanut butter chips

1 egg

½ cup oil

½ tsp vanilla

3 bananas, mashed

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Line 12 muffin tins with paper liners

3. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients with chips.

4. In a small bowl, whisk egg with oil and vanilla. Add mashed banana.

5. Mix banana mixture into dry ingredients.

6. Scoop into prepared pan and bake for 15 – 20 minutes.

Try to resist the urge to eat them all right away. They are delicious the day they are baked, but, they are even more delicious the next day.

Thanks for visiting with me in my kitchen at the Americus Garden Inn Bed & Breakfast. Please let me know if you try my recipes.

Glorious June Day in Americus

2011-06-18T14:07:00.013-04:00

Finally a beautiful day with temperatures below 90 degrees.A perfect opportunity to enjoy the natural beauty outside.

And share our beautiful home with you.

New stargazer lilies seem to be opening every minute.

The waterlilies are in bloom.

A single pomegranate shows itself on the tree by the gazebo.

The Brown Turkey fig tree

is loaded with figs.

The persimmon tree

is so loaded with fruit that the branches are drooping.

This will be our first crop of persimmons. They are fuyu, non-astringent, persimmons which according to what I have read can be eaten like apples, when ripe. I'll keep you posted!

Unfortunately, our blueberry bushes are not doing well. We asked the agricultural extension agent, Bill Starr, to take a look. He took some photos as he had not seen blueberry bushes with this particular affliction. Hopefully, he can get some help from UGA for us.

Thanks for visiting the Americus Garden Inn blog. Hope you are enjoying your Father's Day weekend. Happy Fathers' Day!

Memorial Day Weekend at the Americus Garden Inn

2011-05-29T15:42:00.006-04:00

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!Yesterday, I was looking at our evergreen trees and saw what appeared to be little balls towards the top of the trees.

I saw them in the bald cypress and the cryptomeria.

On closer inspection of the bald cypress, I found these. The texture was so interesting.

On closer inspection of the cryptomeria

I saw a similar structure, although the texture is very different.

Have you figured out what these are?

Baby pine cones!

This is the first year we are seeing these. This year there have been a lot of firsts!

Hope you are enjoying the holiday weekend. Stay cool!

Please visit us again soon.

Warm days in Americus

2011-05-11T13:30:00.009-04:00

It is May and it feels like August, here in Americus!

The echinacea has started blooming in the rock arch garden.
The wild gladiolas have just begun to open.

The Mexican petunias are multiplying rapidly.

As I was checking the plants, due to the excessive heat, I felt something crawling on me and as I reached to brush it off

I realized it was a very small praying mantis!

Once it decided to climb on my hand,

it did not want to leave my hand.

Maybe, it was because I had moved into the shade and it was cooler.

I'm glad that I didn't hurt it.

We looked each other in the eye and said a prayer together for cooler weather.

The men are supposed to come work on the December/January... project tomorrow. Stay tuned! :)

Thanks for visiting. Stay cool and hydrated! Love from Americus.

Susan

Easter Garden Treasures

2011-04-24T19:05:00.013-04:00

Happy Easter!

A stroll through the garden revealed a treasure trove of blooms. These are some of our knockout roses. Remember to click the photos for a larger view.
The oakleaf hydrangea has begun to bloom.

A pomegranate blossom by the gazebo.

Stella d'oro daylilies in the side garden.

Crinum lilies in one of our planters.

One of several salvia varieties in the garden.

Whirling butterflies or guara.

Most of the oleander is full of buds, but, several blooms have appeared.

Happy returns daylilies on the path.

Creeping jasmine blooms near the entry point to the back garden. Wish I could share the incredible aroma with you!

The pond iris are almost finished blooming, but, these 2 beauties remain.

Hope you had a wonderful day, this Easter Sunday. Thanks for your virtual visit to the Americus Garden Inn. Come see us!

"Toad" Frogs Arrive in Americus

2011-04-05T08:26:00.005-04:00

Last night we were a little concerned about the possibility of severe weather. (Remember to click the photos for a larger view!)We knew that there was 100% chance of rain. And, the possibility of strong winds and hail. When we started to hear the trilling sound of the "toad" frogs

and saw that our yard was covered in frogs

we knew, for sure, that there would be rain.

It is truly amazing that they know when to come to the "pond party".

When the sun came up this morning, I took these photos in our pond.

There is only one male still trilling loudly.

We are looking forward to the tadpoles helping with the algae in the pond. For us, the frogs are the true indicator that Spring has arrived.

Want to hear the frog "singing"? Check out our video on our facebook page at:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Americus-Garden-Inn-Bed-and-Breakfast/130302087040764

Have a Happy Day from Susan and Kim at the Americus Garden Inn Bed & Breakfast.

Gluten Free Chocolate Coke Muffins - vegan recipe

2011-04-04T10:11:00.009-04:00

If gluten free, chocolate and vegan recipes interest you, check out this recipe I have created. Some days, I really want to have something that tastes decadently delicious but does not contain the things that I can't have. So, I try to find and develop recipes that I can have that are gluten and soy free. This recipe was inspired by the idea that seltzer water is used in tempura batter.The recipe only makes 6 muffins. Through trial and error (I made about 6 batches of muffins before settling on this version), this batch came out the best. I tried using brown rice flour and it was not good.

The dry ingredients were sifted together - sugar, white rice flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and xanthan gum. Xanthan gum was the ingredient that made this recipe work. Just making sure that the lumps of cocoa have disappeared. Wet ingredients were measured right into a measuring cup - coffee, oil, vanilla, vinegar and Coke Zero 6 muffin tins were lined and ready Wet ingredients were poured over dry

and quickly incorporated.

Batter was evenly scooped into the 6 muffin liners.

20 minutes later (baked at 325 degrees)

Cooled on a wire rack for about 10 minutes.

Texture was perfect.

Here's a bite for you!

I thought they were delicious. Hope you do too! If you try this recipe, please let me know.

GLUTEN FREE VEGAN CHOCOLATE COKE MUFFINS - small batch

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup white rice flour

3 TBS baking cocoa

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp salt

1/8 tsp xanthan gum

1/2 tsp vinegar

1/4 tsp vanilla

3 TBS oil

2 TBS brewed coffee, cooled

3 oz Coke Zero

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line 6 muffin cups with liners. Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl.

Measure wet ingredients into measuring cup. Do not stir. (You want to keep all that carbonation from the soda)

Pour wet over dry and stir just until combined.

Quickly spoon into prepared muffin pan.

Bake at 325 degrees for about 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Cool slightly and enjoy!

It is a gorgeous day here in Americus and there is lots to do. So, have a fabulous day and visit us again soon at the Americus Garden Inn.

Stormy skies in Americus

2011-03-26T17:13:00.007-04:00

While we are watching the skies over Americus, (we are under a tornado watch), I ran outside to take some photos.The dogwood tree is full of blooms.
If we have severe weather, we might lose some of our beautiful flowers. So, I took pictures of the Kwanzan cherries,

the azaleas,

red ruffle azaleas,

and the iris.

Hopefully, the storm will just pass us by.

The first official day of Spring

2011-03-20T16:54:00.006-04:00

After an incredibly warm day in Americus yesterday, high in the 80's, today is a comfortable 76 degrees on the porch.Today is the first official day of spring and the dogwood trees have just started blooming.
The saucer magnolia is greening up

but there are still quite a few beautiful blossoms on the trees.

The knock-out roses are putting on quite a show.

I noticed a strong sweet fragrance in the air near the parking area.

From the balcony of the balcony suite I located the source - wisteria!

Thank you for visiting the Americus Garden Inn blog. Remember to check out our facebook page for the latest news at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Americus-Garden-Inn-Bed-and-Breakfast/130302087040764

Have a happy day!

A Beautiful March Day in Americus

2011-03-16T17:48:00.004-04:00

Although the weather was perfect today, the contractor had another project that needed attention, so the workers did not come. They weren't here yesterday, either. But, that gave me a little time to enjoy the yard/garden and Kim has been working on touch up paint and caulk. When I looked out at the pond, several of the cats seemed very interested in what was under the surface. Unfortunately for one of the fish, one of the cats was successful in catching a big one. The leaves are starting to come in on the magnolias and the blooms are disappearing. The saucer magnolias are still gorgeous.
The society garlic is budding.

The ruby lorapetalum is still all covered in flowers.

The weeping cherry is prettier than ever.

And, every day, there are more iris.

This is truly the most beautiful time of the year in Americus. Wish you were here enjoying it with us. For the first roses of 2011, please visit us on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Americus-Garden-Inn-Bed-and-Breakfast/130302087040764

A Quick Garden Stroll in Americus

2011-03-13T16:22:00.006-04:00

Every day, I make a point of taking the time to smell the roses, or, whatever else might be blooming in the garden. While waiting for our guests to return from their day's outings, I took a few photos for you to see. Remember to click the photos for a larger view. I just love this plant.
It's the curly filbert.

Right now, it is still leafless.

But, you can truly enjoy its beautiful form.

The saucer magnolias are still blooming.

I can't believe how pretty the weeping cherry is this year.

The ruby lorapetalum are still gorgeous.

You can see the plum tree is blooming and the oakleaf hydrangea is leafing out.

This caught me totally by surprise.

I was looking out the window of the Library Suite.

They weren't blooming yesterday.

But, today, the white iris have arrived.

Thanks for taking the time to join me in the garden at the Americus Garden Inn. Hope you are having a great day.

December Project; Lights go off and back on

2011-03-09T17:44:00.005-05:00

We ended the previous day with our main electrical service being disconnected so that we could do the necessary work behind the panel boxes. This photo shows the start of the following day. Remember to click the photos for a larger view.By midday the band board, drip rail, bead board, window trim and a fair amount of siding had been installed.

Siding work continued after lunch with the goal being to get high enough to enable the attachment of the mast for the electrical service wires.

During this process, work began on reassembling the electrical meter panel and the wire feeds to the two 200 amp panel boxes.

Work continued above during electrical reassembly. We should have worn our hard hats. Thank goodness there were no mishaps.

The electrical mast was put into position and was secured on top of the new siding.

Siding was nearly complete at day's end.

A closer view.

The City Building Inspector approved our reassembly of the panel boxes and we waited for Georgia Power to return to reconnect us.

Georgia Power, thankfully, arrived and reconnected us as evidenced by the wires going to the electrical mast. Extreme caution was observed while doing touch-up painting.

Due to weather issues, guests and lack of materials, the work has been delayed for a few days. We will continue sharing the progress as it continues.

Thanks for visiting the Americus Garden Inn blog. This post was written by Kim.

Let's Play "Name that 'Shroom"

2011-03-01T19:18:00.006-05:00

You can really tell that spring is in the air. Everywhere you go there is a distinct aroma. As I was working in the garden yesterday, (since the electricity was off I couldn't do my usual tasks), there was a familiar odor.I had not experienced this odor prior to the installation of the new garden after the tornado. It is hard to believe that today is the fourth anniversary of the tornado.
After we planted the trees, perennials and shrubs and mulched the yard, we found these orange "things" coming up in various places throughout the garden.

It is the distinctive aroma that leads you to their identity.

They are stinkhorn mushrooms.

They are fascinating mushrooms that use insects to spread their spores

That is why they are called "stinkhorn". They exude an odor that attracts insects.

Hopefully, they will not be around too long. Because of the rain yesterday, they had perfect conditions to develop. If it dries out in the next few days, they will soon just be a smelly memory.

Thanks for your visit to the Americus Garden Inn blog. Stay tuned for more renovation photos soon.

December/January/February Project Goes into March

2011-02-28T16:19:00.005-05:00

Today has been a stressful day at the Americus Garden Inn. In order for the siding to be removed from the exterior of the Veranda Suite, the electricity to the house needed to be disconnected so the electric receptacles could be safely moved. This is how we started the day. But, it was very damp and cloudy (sunny off and on) and looked like it might rain any second. Remember to click the photos for a larger view. Do you see where the electric connects to the two boxes (shown above) through the tube and across the low roof to the pole?
They started removing the old siding while we waited for Georgia Power to disconnect the electric.

When the guys are in demolition mode, things usually go pretty fast.

Georgia Power arrived.

He clipped the electric cables to the house.

Work started immediately on removing the electric boxes as we did not want the electricity to be off for too long.

The men continued to remove the old siding.

At around noon, this is how far the work has progressed.

The new insulation was installed.

The area was wrapped in Tyvek.

That is as far as they got.

It is a good thing that we do not have anyone staying with us tonight or tomorrow as there is no electricity in the house. Of course, that would be a more authentic 1847 experience...

Thanks for visiting the Americus Garden Inn B&B blog and following along with our project. When it is all done, we will be so happy!

Cowbirds in Americus

2011-02-26T09:19:00.005-05:00

Yesterday afternoon, the cowbirds descended upon the trees in our yard.I watched through the kitchen window as flock after flock joined the others in the pecan tree.
As the new birds joined the group, they all would slightly rearrange themselves.

If you can imagine these photos in one of those old fashioned books where you would flip the pages to see movement, that is how they are intended.

If you click on the photos you can see a larger image and you will realize how many birds are really in the tree.

Our guests were outside taking photos of the birds, too. Outside, the birds were deafeningly loud.

And, just when it seems like the tree couldn't possibly hold another bird

They all took off at the same time for another tree.

There were birds flying from all different directions, swirling through the sky, and they all landed on another pecan tree in my neighbor's yard. Dusk was just falling.

Once again, they all took flight at precisely the same time.

I stood outside with our guests just watching in amazement as the birds took to the sky. It was one big blur of birds and they were gone.

Although cowbirds are not exactly my favorite birds, they stay still long enough to take a photo with my camera!

Hope you enjoyed the Cowbirds in Americus from the garden of the Americus Garden Inn.

December/January/February Project Continues

2011-02-26T08:52:00.004-05:00

Another beautiful morning here at the Americus Garden Inn. While I am waiting for guests to come in for breakfast, here is a recap of the latest progress on the renovation project. As of Monday afternoon, the siding above the kitchen window was at this point.

As we had guests through the week, the hours the men could work were limited. But, by Thursday, the beadboard was installed on the north side of the house. This had to be special ordered to match the exact dimensions of the original.
Kim had prepainted the siding and while the ladders were still in place, he was touching up the paint after it was installed.

While Kim was using the ladders, the work on the beadboard continued at the lower level.

Besides the touchup work, Kim also did some caulking.

It's a good thing he does not have a problem with heights!

That is about where we are today. You can see that the band of beadboard below the siding has been finished. Monday, weather permitting, the last major section will be done. I'll keep you posted.

Thanks for your virtual visit to the Americus Garden Inn. Visit again soon.

Rees Park in Americus on a Beautiful Day

2011-02-24T17:57:00.004-05:00

Today was gorgeous, so, I took a walk across the street to Rees Park. This is the view down our driveway looking towards the park. There is a beautiful Japanese magnolia in the park.
This is the view through the magnolia looking at the Confederate statue in Rees Park which stands guard as a memorial to Lucius Rees, son of Dr. Albert Rees, who died during the "War Between the States".

As I walked back towards the house, I was taken by how incredible our house truly is.

As I got closer, I could really appreciate all of the work we have done on the house.
The December/Winter project is almost completed. Next post I do will have the photos of the latest siding and beadboard that are finished.

Coming back up the driveway, I was greeted by the daffodils all in a row.

Thanks for joining me for a quick stroll across the street to Rees Park and back. Wishing you a day of sunshine and flowers.

February Flowers in Americus Garden

2011-02-20T14:04:00.007-05:00

Another beautiful day at the Americus Garden Inn. Thought it would be the perfect time to give you a tour of the flowers in the garden. The Japanese magnolia located next to the koi pond has just started to bloom.The daylilies are beginning to break ground.
Along the driveway, the daffodils have appeared.

A beautiful specimen in the stone arch garden.

One of the camellias that is full of buds.

The snowball bush on the path towards the gazebo has some new flowers.

The ruby lorapetalum is full of blooms.

Buds can be found on the many tea olive bushes.

This is the first time we've seen this in the garden.

A closer look at oleander seeds.

Thanks for taking a stroll with me through the garden. Visit us again soon.

Americus Garden Inn December-Winter-almost Spring Project

2011-02-17T16:43:00.007-05:00

Look what I found in the garden today - the first daffodil of the year. That means that the December/Winter project my become the spring project...Here are the latest photos of the renovation project taken in the last couple of days. Remember to click the photos for a better view. The window trim on the Magnolia Suite is being completed.
The gable on the south side of the house has all of the siding removed. Can you tell how tall our house really is?

Siding on the gable has been replaced and the trim is being installed.

Kitchen window has been removed and this is the view from the inside.

This is the view from the outside.

The kitchen window is being installed.

The two men were trying to synchronize their hammering...

Once the window was set, the work started on the siding.

This is where we are as of this afternoon.

They finished the trim work on the gable, and moved the ladders to the other side of the house.

As I was taking the last two photos, I found more evidence of spring. Can you believe it was 75 degrees today?

Thank you for allowing me to share the latest photos of the Americus Garden Inn Bed and Breakfast. We hope to see you soon. Have a great day.

Vegan Wacky Cake Recipe

2011-02-16T14:42:00.010-05:00

It is an absolutely gorgeous day here in Americus. Hope you are also having a break from the crazy weather we have all experienced this winter. I wanted to post this recipe before Valentine's Day, but between the "winter project" and guests, I just couldn't find the time.

Recently, we have hosted many guests with special dietary considerations. I try my best to please everyone. In looking for a chocolate recipe for vegetarians that was also dairy free, I found variations of what is known as "wacky cake". From what I read, it is a recipe from the depression era when milk, eggs and butter were not readily available.As you can see, it looks quite appetizing! So, join me in the kitchen of the Americus Garden Inn as I prepare this recipe.

It starts with items you already have in your pantry. I always sift the flour, but, you don't have to.

Add the cocoa. Again, I always sift cocoa to avoid lumps.

Add the sugar.

Add the baking soda.

Add the salt. That's it for the dry ingredients.

I used the whisk with the strainer.

And finished in the bowl.

Now comes the fun part. They say you can do this in the pan, but, I did it in the mixing bowl. Make 3 indentations in the dry ingredients. Add vinegar to one indentation.

Add the oil to the second indentation.

Add the vanilla to the third indentation.

You can see the vinegar has started to react with the baking soda.

Pour the water over the top.

Stir until just combined.

Immediately pour into an 8" square pan (sprayed with PAM) or 12 muffin cups.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 - 35 minutes (20 minutes for cupcakes)

Sprinkle the top with confectioner's sugar. Some variations suggested placing some chocolate chips on the hot cake and spreading the melted chocolate over the top.

I made sure there was enough powdered sugar to cover the top.

Slice the cooled cake and serve.

Looks good, doesn't it? You can also make this gluten free by using gluten free all purpose baking mix.

So, when you are looking for a chocolate recipe that is dairy and egg free, this is the recipe. Let me know what you think.

VEGAN WACKY CAKE RECIPE

1 1/2 cups flour

1/4 cup cocoa powder (some recipes called for 3 TBS)

1 cup sugar (some recipes called for 3/4 cup)

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 TBS vinegar

5 TBS oil

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup water (some recipes used coffee instead)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray 8" square pan with PAM.
Combine all dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
Make 3 indentations in the dry ingredients.
Pour vinegar, oil and vanilla into the 3 indentations.
Pour water over the top and mix quickly just until combined.
Immediately pour batter into the pan and place in the oven.
Bake for 30 - 35 minutes, or until it tests done.
Sprinkle with lots of powdered sugar. Allow cake to cool before slicing.
Enjoy.

This cake is extremely moist and is very good, possibly better, the day after baking. You can use flavorings other than cocoa for a distinctly different cake.

Thank you for visiting the Americus Garden Inn blog. Next post will highlight the latest photos of the December/Winter project, which is close to completion.

Americus Garden Inn December project now the "Winter Project"

2011-02-05T13:15:00.008-05:00

Greetings from the Americus Garden Inn. The December project is now officially the "winter project". We are hoping to finish soon. When we have guests staying with us, we do not allow the workers to come as we do not want our guests to be disturbed or inconvenienced in any way. Between guests and weather, this is taking much longer than expected. Since I haven't posted in awhile, allow me to share what has been accomplished. Remember, if you click the photos you can see a larger view.

Here you can see front upper corner is wrapped and ready for siding. On the lower level, the old siding has been removed.

A closer view of the exterior of the living room, or ladies' parlor before insulation. Kim is working on the window trim.
The upper balcony has had old siding removed. Insulation and Tyvek are done.
The west side of the Burgundy Suite is what you see in this photo.
This is the south side of the Burgundy Suite.

Insulation went up quickly and it was wrapped in Tyvek.

The work begins on the exterior of the Veranda and Magnolia Suites.

The siding around the Veranda Suite was removed and the space between the upper and lower floors was prepped for the fiberglass insulation to be blown into the cavity.

The insulation was installed, Tyvek wrapped and siding put up.

As of yesterday, this is where we are on this project. We had to special order bead board to match the original and it has not yet arrived. I can almost see the finish line...

Thank you for visiting the Americus Garden Inn blog. We hope you'll visit again soon.

Vintage Magazine January 2011

2011-01-20T13:44:00.006-05:00

What a surprise to find my face front and center on the January 2011 cover of Vintage Magazine. You can read the article on their website. The photos were taken by Scott Umstattd.

This one gives you a great view of the back porch.

The article was written by Mandy Flynn.

An interesting view through the stone arch.
Special thanks to Kate DeLoach, the editor/publisher of Vintage Magazine for printing the article and sharing the photos with us.

Gluten Free Brownie Muffins

2011-01-18T15:17:00.011-05:00

I started to post the gluten free brownie muffins, but, I saw this incredible full moon outside. Remember to click on the photo to enlarge. Look up at the moon tonight and think about all of us together looking at the same bright, beautiful sky.Back to the original intent of this post, the gluten free muffins. It is really difficult to satisfy a chocolate craving when you have to avoid gluten and soy. I have found the most delicious way to solve this by making a very small batch of gluten free brownie muffins. Can you see how yummy this is? This recipe is easy and quick. You can make them with regular flour if gluten is not a problem for you. This recipe only makes 4 muffins.Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees and place 4 liners in your muffin pan. I always fill the extra cups halfway with water for even baking.

Measure 1/4 cup of oil and 1/2 cup of sugar (I use a little less sugar)

Pour the sugar into the oil

Mix thoroughly (I used a fork)

Crack an egg into the same bowl or measuring cup

Mix well (I was still using a fork)

Add 1/2 tsp vanilla

to the same bowl or cup

Stir to combine

Measure 1/4 cup rice flour into a small bowl

Add 3 TBS baking cocoa powder

to the dry ingredients

Add 1/8 tsp of baking powder (eyeball 1/2 of a 1/4 tsp measure)

same amount of salt

Whisk the dry ingredients to combine.

Make sure there are no lumps of cocoa.

Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients

Mix well.

Divide the batter evenly (I use a scoop measure)

into the 4 lined muffin cups

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 - 20 minutes (toothpick inserted will be almost clean)

Let them cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 5 minutes. Remove muffins from pan.

Enjoy these fabulous muffins.

Small Batch Gluten Free Brownie Muffin Recipe

1/4 cup oil

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup rice flour

3 TBS baking cocoa powder, unsweetened

1/8 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 4 muffin cups with paper liners.
Mix oil and sugar until blended.
Add egg, blend well.
Add vanilla, blend well.
Mix all dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
Add wet to dry ingredients, mixing well.
Scoop evenly into 4 muffin cups.
Bake for 15 - 20 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out almost clean.
Enjoy! With 4 muffins, you can share with a special someone, if you want to...

Thank you for visiting with me in the kitchen of the Americus Garden Inn Bed & Breakfast. I would have shared my gluten free muffins with you, if you were here! Next post will detail the progress of the December/January project. Visit again soon!

December Project 2010 Americus Garden Inn Continues

2011-01-16T15:05:00.010-05:00

Our special coffee blend is now available online at Cafe Campesino. We came up with a blend of French Roast Nicaragua, Viennese Roast Peru and Full City Roast Mexico to create a full bodied cup of coffee with intense flavor without intense bitterness. Ten percent of the purchase price will be donated to the Sumter Historic Trust Revolving Fund which helps protect and preserve our community's historic treasures.

Although the beginning of this week brought the challenges of ice and freezing temperatures, the porch thermometer is reading 62 degrees right now. The oakleaf hydrangea adds a little color to the rather bleak landscape.The December (January) project continues. When the work crew left yesterday around 4:00pm, the moon was shining in the sky.
Here's the recap of the last few days of work on the house. They came after lunch on Thursday and started on the siding of the living room.

Two hours later, this is all that was done.

Friday, there was a little more of a work groove going on.

Kim was also working outside, scraping the window trim outside of the Veranda Suite.

When the workers left Friday, this is what they had finished.

Since we had no guests Friday night, Kim asked if the workers would work on Saturday so that we could move this project along. Three men came to work. They were not able to move the scaffolding, so, they worked on the corner of the Jacuzzi Suite wall and the upstairs front porch.

You can see that some of the siding of the exterior of the porch has been removed. Remember, you can click on the photos for a larger view.

Kim finished scraping the window trim.

Safety is a priority when the men are working on the second story.

By the end of the day, you can see some progress.

The porch has been stripped and is wrapped in Tyvek.

That wraps up where we are as of today. The project is moving slower than expected due to the weather and we are very anxious for completion. I keep reminding myself that "patience is a virtue" and "good things come to those who wait". The house will look gorgeous when we are done.

Thank you for visiting the Americus Garden Inn blog. Visit us again soon.

First Snow in Americus Georgia in 2011

2011-01-10T15:42:00.008-05:00

Since moving to Americus 8 years ago, the weather has changed significantly. Last winter, we had below freezing weather for several days at a stretch. This year appears to be following the same pattern. We woke up this morning to this sight. This photo is of the parking area near the pond looking down the driveway. It is one big slushy mess.
All of the trees are covered in icicles.
Without the sun to melt the ice, it has been gloomy all day.

The holly bushes have little icicles dripping from almost every leaf.

The magnolia trees look very much like the holly today.

One of the trees out on the street in front of the house.

The mailbox was picture-perfect.

Walking towards the back porch entrance

The persimmon tree

One of the planters along the path with the weeping cherry and the ruby lorapetalum

The bench facing into the garden near the camellia and bamboo

All of the bamboo is leaning over from the weight of the ice

The oleander is not taking the cold weather well.

The view from the back porch shows that although the pond pump is still circulating the water (look to the right at the running water) the left side of the pond is frozen over.

Glad you could stop by without going out in the cold! Hope you are staying nice and warm wherever you are. We hope you will visit the Americus Garden Inn blog again soon.

Baked Pears in Americus and December 2010 project continues

2011-01-09T14:57:00.013-05:00

It is a cold day here in Americus Georgia so I thought I'd start off with a warm thought - chocolate! Yesterday I made these delicious chocolate streusel muffins. They look scrumptious, don't you think?Today, I made baked pears. As it is going to be cold just about everywhere, I thought it might be a good time to share a warm fruit recipe. You can use almost any variety of pears, I used d'anjou today.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the pears in half.

Using a melon baller, remove the seeds.

Also, remove the stem.

In a baking dish large enough to hold the number of pears you are baking in one layer, sprinkle some brown sugar. I don't use a specific amount. I just barely cover the bottom of the pan. Then, just sprinkle a little cinnamon on top of the brown sugar. Place the pear half cut side down onto the brown sugar/cinnamon.

I made 6 halves today.

Pour some orange juice over the pears. You want to cover the bottom of the pan by about 1/4 - 1/2 inch.

Dot the pears with a little butter.

Bake at 350 degrees until they are somewhat soft when you squeeze them gently. The skins will shrivel slightly when they are done. They will not be mushy soft, just fork tender. Depending on the ripeness of the pear, it can take anywhere from 25 minutes to 45 minutes. I check them at 25 minutes and then every 5 minutes after that. These were not ripe and took 40 minutes.

You see all that juice in the bottom of the pan? That will make a delicious sauce to go over the top of the pears. You can reduce the juice in one of two ways: in the microwave or on the stove top. If you do it in the microwave, make sure the measuring cup is much larger than the amount of juice. When it starts boiling in the microwave, it will expand in the cup and may boil over.

I decided to do the sauce on the stove today. I poured the juice into a sauce pan and allowed it to simmer until it reduced by about half. It will thicken up some, and will thicken even more as it cools. In the end, it is about the consistency of honey.

Once the sauce is ready, let it sit for a few minutes. While you are waiting, you can prepare the pears for presentation and serving. I slice them into 4 or 5 pieces.

Fan the slices in a small bowl or plate and drizzle the luscious sauce over the top.

The finished plate - baked pears ready to enjoy.

The December 2010 - January 2011 project is continuing on its slow pace. On Friday, the crew continued working on the north side of the house.

They started at the bottom replacing the siding. Kim has already painted the siding so all it will need is some touch up as they go along. What you see is the exterior wall of the living room.

Work also continued on the window trim of the bay windows to the dining room.

By about 2:00 in the afternoon, they had finished halfway up the windows.

Kim was supervising the men and checking the progress of the work.

By Friday afternoon, they had the siding up to the top of the window.

Thanks for visiting the Americus Garden Inn blog for the latest "events" here at the Americus Garden Inn. Hope your New Year is going great.

December Project 2010 becomes January 2011 Project

2011-01-04T16:14:00.027-05:00

Happy New Year from the Americus Garden Inn Bed and Breakfast. It's been a few days since I posted about the December project. Well, now, it is officially the January 2011 project and Kim is going to bring you up to date.

Although it was 60 degrees today, last week, it was so cold that the pond was frozen over almost every morning.

The materials we have been waiting for have finally arrived - the James Hardie Artisan Lap Board siding and the composite trim board.

Firring out the window trim with 3/4" plywood continues to accommodate the composite trim board.

These windows still need to be firred out with plywood.

Removal of the cedar shakes revealed some additional water damage and previous repair.

As we remove the old pine window trim, I am salvaging as much as I can and denailing it prior to setting it aside for possible future use.

The nails used to fasten it are the old "cut" nails that have rectangular heads and are very brittle. Removing them is a real challenge in that they almost always break before the entire nail comes out of the wood. Our original thought was to remove the old trim, pull all the nails and run the board through a planer to remove the old paint and then, put them back up. This is impractical for two reasons: first, any remnants of the old cut nails that don't come out of the boards (and there are always some) would ruin the blades of the planer; and second, due to the age of the wood and its brittleness some of the boards break during removal.

After removing the shakes, we again discover an opportunity to install additional insulation in the space between the first floor ceiling and the upstair's floor.

We call on the local insulation company to blow in loose fill fiberglass since the cavities measure up to 15 to 20 feet long.

Installation of the plywood is done after the insulation in preparation for the new window trim.

In removing the siding outside the Scarlett Suite on the second floor, we discover this honeycomb that our visiting honeybees constructed in under 3 days before we encouraged them to take up residence elsewhere (see previous blog entry from Memorial Day weekend).

In addition, we found what appeared to be an abandoned yellow jacket nest that was relatively large. Both of these were inside the wall cavities outside the Scarlett Suite.

Fiberglass batt insulation is installed after the old siding is removed and before any plywood and housewrap are applied as shown below.

We begin to remove the trim around the second floor bay windows.

The second floor Jacuzzi Suite windows are ready for the installation of the new trim.

New trim around the first floor dining room windows is nearly complete.

The new window trim is now installed around the Jacuzzi Suite windows and the front parlor windows on the first floor.

Susan here. Today, it was back to Spring temperatures, 60 degrees on the porch in the shade.

The pond has thawed and the fish are awake but very slow.

The sasanqua by the entrance look like beautiful roses, don't they?

Thanks for visiting the Americus Garden Inn blog. As you can see, the project is moving along. Hopefully, the time-consuming work has been done and the siding will go up quickly. We will keep you posted! Happy New Year, y'all!

December Project 2010 Americus Garden Inn - Part 2

2010-12-28T15:27:00.009-05:00

All of the residential historic district of Americus is on the National Register, so, all work done to any structure or property in our neighborhood has to be approved by the Historic Preservation Commission. There was reluctance to allow us to remove the old siding, but, as you can see in these photos, we would not have been able to address potentially serious structural problems which were hidden from view. The prior photos showed previous fire damage. These photos highlight the wood rot and termite (old) issues that were underneath the siding. Remember to click the photos for a larger view. You can see in this photo that the supporting beam has significant damage. Another area with damage.
I was totally surprised by the beautiful wood under the bay windows. It was the back side of the baseboards in the dining room. It became very clear how important insulation was going to be for energy conservation.

With all the damage to the main beam, we had to cut out the rotten parts and replace it. Another area in need of attention.

Another view of the surrounding wood.

The guys had to get under the house to jack it up while they worked on the supports. (If you click you can see one of them under the house "cheesing" for the camera.)

Almost the entire length of the living room needed replacement.

And the bricks were in need of fresh mortar on the foundation.

Here, the bad wood has been removed along with the crumbling bricks.

A side view of the same area. You can see why this project is taking longer than expected.

The fresh wood has been installed.

You can't get timbers the size they used in 1847 to replace the original beams. Here is a side view demonstrating how they filled in the space from 1 single beam. That was a huge piece of wood!

Underneath the bay windows, the insulation was placed. You can see the new wood replacement to the right, old wood from center under the windows.

After the insulation was finished, the entire thing was covered with OSB.

I hope you are getting a feel for the speed (or lack of) of this project. Obviously, the December project will be extended into January...

Although it was very cold this morning, the sun is shining and the wind has finally diminished. The crew did not work today. Our trim materials for the windows arrived today, so, maybe tomorrow they can get back on track.

Thanks for visiting the Americus Garden Inn blog. I'll share more of the project with you soon.

Americus Garden Inn 2010 December Project

2010-12-27T16:19:00.007-05:00

December is usually a slow travel month here in Americus Georgia. So, every year we plan a project that could not be done when we have a house full of guests. This year, the December project is replacing the siding on the main house and insulating to help with comfort and energy consumption. We had hoped to start the project early in the month, but, the crew was not available until the middle of December. Day one, the weather was not exactly pleasant.There were no surprises as the siding outside of the Scarlett Suite bath came down.
The siding from the kitchen wall has been removed in this photo.
Here is one of the surprises we found, burnt timbers from one of the many fires this beautiful house has endured. If you click on the photos for a larger view you can see the burnt area more clearly.

On the other side of the bay window there was more evidence of fire.

The insulation went up rather quickly.

They wrapped the area with Tyvek.

The siding outside of the Jacuzzi Suite and the living room came down next.

To insulate between the floors, we had fiberglass insulation blown into the space.

We were afraid he might fall into the wall... if he wasn't careful.It is really amazing to see the craftsmanship of days gone by. Remember, our house was built in 1847. All of the work that went into building something like this boggles the mind.

This is where I leave off for this post. I promise to continue documenting the progress of the Americus Garden Inn December project soon. Due to the fiercely cold weather, they did not work today and are not scheduled to work in the morning tomorrow.

Thank you for your visit. Hope you'll be back soon.

Christmas Lights in Americus Georgia

2010-12-16T16:01:00.018-05:00

Tuesday night, Kim and I took a drive around Americus to enjoy the Christmas lights. I thought you might enjoy them too! Please click on the photos to see a larger view. There is a street in Americus that always decorates to the max.I tried to get the "feel" of the flashing lights. Imagine Christmas music playing as you look at these photos.
It was a very cold night and it really felt like Christmas was coming soon.
At one of these houses, Santa usually sits outside and waves. It was too cold for Santa, he stayed inside.

This is a long shot to give you perspective.

I just love angels.

The gingerbread house was in the distance.

This yard was really full of decorations.

This one looked really pretty from the distance.

There is a huge live tree that gets decorated every year.

This year, the City Hall building was all lit up.

There was a show at the Rylander Theatre, "It's A Wonderful Life", a live radio show adaptation. Judging from the number of cars, it looked like a great turn out.

We were driving up Lamar Street and caught every red light, as you can see.

Kim took this beautiful shot of the Windsor Hotel, all lit up for Christmas.

Earlier in the day, I let the cats run around outside for a while. Rufus and Cinderella chased each other up the dogwood tree.

Here Squeaky is proclaiming himself to be "King of the Garden statue".

Thank you for your virtual visit to the Americus Garden Inn blog. We are just starting a major project and I will be sharing updates as we go along. Stay warm, stay happy. Hope you'll visit again soon.

Baked Apples a la Americus Garden Inn

2010-12-11T16:25:00.016-05:00

There are certain aromas that bring you back to your childhood. I remember the Cream Puff Bakery in my hometown that made the most delicious chocolate cheese cake. There aren't many stand alone bakeries anymore, are there? Anyway, there is nothing like the scent of freshly baked goodies. That includes freshly baked apples with cinnamon.This morning, here at the Americus Garden Inn Bed and Breakfast, I made baked apples. When I was a kid, I remember my Mom made baked apples when she was on Weight Watchers. I believe she used cherry flavored soda to add sweetness to the apples. These days, I make several different versions of baked apples. Sometimes, I do it the old-fashioned way. I bake them for almost an hour and baste them every few minutes. Today, I did it the quick and easy way in the microwave. If you are interested, follow along as I show you exactly what I did. The original recipe is on our website at http://www.americusgardeninn.com/ just go to the "recipe" page and you'll find it. What I did this morning is a variation. I started off with some beautiful rome apples.
You will need a melon baller and a small sharp knife.

You will also need some butter, cinnamon and splenda or sugar.

I really like raisins with baked apples and when I bake them in the oven, I always fill them with raisins which I have soaked in orange juice. For this version, I used dried cranberries that I plumped in hot water. Place the desired amount of cranberries (or raisins) in a cup or bowl.

Pour some hot water over the cranberries or raisins (enough water to cover them) then cover the dish with plastic wrap. Let is sit for about 5 minutes.

Just drain the liquid and they are ready.

Scrub your apples to get the wax off. Using the melon baller, scoop out the stem.

Here is the apple with the stem scooped out.

Take another scoop with the melon baller and you'll see the seeds.

One more scoop should be perfect. You want to leave the bottom intact. Place the apple in a microwaveable dish.

Now, take your knife and carefully start creating a "waist" in the middle of the apple.

You don't want to cut too deeply. You just want to allow some room for expansion when the apple bakes in the microwave.

I always do this step when I bake apples in the oven, too.

Pour one envelope of Splenda into the apple (you can use up to 1 TBS sugar, brown sugar or honey instead, if you prefer).

Put a pat of butter into the apple. I used about 1 tsp of real butter. The original recipe calls for 1 TBS per apple. You really don't need that much.

Sprinkle the apple with some cinnamon.

Cover the dish with wax paper.

Microwave on high for about 2 - 3 minutes. Check after 2 minutes to see if the apple is soft to the touch. You will have an apple with lots of liquid around it in the bowl.

Spoon the liquid into the apple.

Spoon the cranberries into the apple.
To make the apple easy to eat and eye-appealing, use kitchen shears to cut the apple on either side, dividing it in half (but leave the bottom intact.)

Now, cut each half into 3 pieces and you have a beautiful baked apple ready to eat.

Wish you had been here for me to make this for you personally. But, I'll be with you in your kitchen when you try this recipe. Let me know how yours comes out.

Thank you for visiting the Americus Garden Inn blog. We hope you'll visit us again soon, virtually or in person!

Winter has arrived in Americus at the Americus Garden Inn

2010-12-08T11:53:00.009-05:00

Greetings from a very chilly Americus Georgia. The temperature on the porch is, as you can see, in the 30's. Definitely cold for here. Yesterday, it was cold but the sun was shining. I just got a new camera and decided to try some test shots. This is the view from the parking area. You can see the October glory red maple still shows lots of color and the ruby lorapetalum appears to be almost purple.
The bald cypress is almost bald for the winter.

Looking towards the gazebo in the far corner of the garden you can see that the bloodgood maple has lost most of its leaves.

Although it was rather chilly, in the sun it was comfortable. Here is Squeaky soaking up some rays.

Today, it is overcast and feels much colder than yesterday. You can see by Kitten's expression that she is not happy today. It might have to do with the fact that the fish in the pond are down towards the bottom and she can't reach that far...

Rufus, on the other hand, was chasing the dead leaves and having quite a good time.

The red dragon Japanese maple has not lost its leaves just yet, but the monkey grass around it is starting to turn yellow. The sago palms still look gorgeous.

A different view from the parking area into the garden shows that the red rocket crepe myrtles have lost all their foliage. The magnolias look great.

It may be a little cold for strolling the garden, but, it is never too cold to snuggle on the swing.

This view of the garden shows the curly filbert has no leaves, the day lilies are gone, the weeping cherry is bare, but, the Leyland cypress and cryptomeria are beautiful.

A view of the other planter on the path towards the gazebo.

With so many plants going into hibernation, it is nice to see the paperwhites coming forward all around the yard.

And, the gardenia by the porch entrance has new buds.

We have been fostering 2 very affectionate kitties that our neighbors left behind when they moved, Cinderella and Thumbelina ("Lena" is her nickname). If anyone has room in their home for 2 adorable companions, please let us know.

This is Cinderella asking me to give her some attention.

And here is Lena. Aren't they cute?

Thank you for your visit to the Americus Garden Inn blog. Hope you are staying nice and warm on this very chilly day. Wish you were here.

Blueberry Oat Muffin Tops for a Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-25T08:18:00.016-05:00

While I am waiting for our guests to come in for breakfast, I decided to invite you into the Americus Garden Inn kitchen for a peek at today's muffins - Blueberry Oat Muffin Tops What can be better than the slightly crispy top of a freshly baked muffin?
These are really easy to make, even if you don't have a muffin top pan. The recipe makes 12 muffin tops or 6 regular muffins.

The recipe is at the bottom of this post. Here is the pictorial version of exactly how I made these muffins. Combine the oats and the orange juice to allow the oats to absorb the juice. Let it sit at least 5 minutes. (I usually do this step the night before).

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees so it will be ready when you are.
In a small bowl, crack 1 egg
add 1/4 cup of oil
and whisk until combined.

Add the oat mixture
Mix until combined.
Measure dry ingredients into a sifter or wire strainer.
Using a whisk, sift to ensure there are no lumps.
This is what the dry ingredients should look like after sifting.
You don't have to sift, but I always do.In a small bowl, mix the topping ingredients - 1 TBS sugar and 1/8 tsp cinnamon. If you have cinnamon sugar already mixed, feel free to use it.
This is the pan I use for muffin tops. I found it online a long time ago. It was really for some kind of special cookies, but, I remembered the Seinfeld episode about muffin tops and thought this pan might make the perfect muffin tops. I was right!
I sprayed the pan with PAM. Of course, you could use shortening or butter if you prefer.
Once the pan is ready and the oven is up to proper temperature, it's time to mix the blueberries into the flour mixture. I buy blueberries from Koinonia Farm, here in Americus, when they are in season. I wash them, dry them thoroughly, and freeze them for future use. If you didn't know, Koinonia Farm is the birthplace of Habitat for Humanity International. And, if you have been looking for a great holiday gift, Koinonia makes the most incredible fair trade chocolates. Anyway, back to the muffins.
Mix the blueberries into the flour gently. You want them slightly coated with flour.

Remember the egg, oil and oat mixture?

Add that to the blueberry flour mixture and mix gently. You don't want purple muffins, do you?

Mix just until combined.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, either 12 muffin tops or 6 regular muffins.

Sprinkle each one with some of the cinnamon sugar.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 13 minutes (18 - 22 minutes for regular muffins)

Test for doneness with the toothpick test - if it comes out clean, they are done.

Cool in the pan for about 5 minutes on a wire rack, then remove from the pan to the wire rack.

Here are 2 muffin tops ready to be enjoyed.

Wish you were here to be my taste-tester. Don't they look delicious?

Here is the recipe:

Blueberry Oat Muffin Recipe

1/4 cup oats

1/4 cup orange juice

1 egg

1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup blueberries, frozen or fresh

Topping:

1 TBS sugar

1/8 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine oats and orange juice in a small bowl. Let stand 5 minutes.
Combine egg and oil in a small bowl. Add to oat mixture. Stir until blended.
Combine flours, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
Spray muffin pan with PAM (12 muffin tops or 6 regular muffins)
In a small bowl, combine 1 TBS sugar with 1/8 tsp cinnamon for topping.
Add blueberries to dry ingredients. Mix carefully. Stir oat mixture into blueberry flour mix just until combined.
Spoon batter evenly into prepared pans. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
Bake at 400 degrees for 13 minutes for muffin tops or 18 - 22 minutes for muffins (until toothpick comes out clean)
Cool 5 minutes. Remove to wire rack to cool.

Thank you for visiting the Americus Garden Inn blog on Thanksgiving Day 2010. Have a very happy day.

It Feels Like Summer in Americus

2010-11-23T19:41:00.008-05:00

I can't believe how beautiful the weather has been here in Americus, Georgia. Today, it was 80 degrees in the shade on the porch. The small sasanqua next to the porch has just exploded with flowers.

The persimmon tree is turning a gorgeous orange hue. Remember, you can click to enlarge the photos.

This crepe myrtle is one of the tornado survivors (from 3 years ago) on the north side of the yard.

The parrotia tree in the front yard.

We are not seeing as many pecans this year. From what we have heard, this is not a good year for the pecan crop.

The gingko tree leaves are a beautiful yellow.

A glimpse of the bald cypress looking up into the tree.

As I was taking the photo of the bald cypress, I smelled a familiar aroma, and not a pleasant one. And then, I found the source. A stinkhorn mushroom.

The stinkhorn mushroom was under the salvia. When we first did the landscaping, two years ago, the stinkhorn mushrooms appeared. We had never seen them before. They are incredibly interesting - this exotic, orange, columnar "thing" appears. The precursor to the mushroom looks like a hard-boiled egg just under the surface. They don't become "stinky" until they are orange. The insects are drawn to the scent and they spread the mushrooms' spores. Fascinating, but "stinky". What is really peculiar is that they normally appear when the soil is damp. But, it hasn't been raining... Hmmmm....

The salvia above the stinkhorn.

As I said, it feels like summer and the "endless summer" hydrangea is blooming, again!

But, there is another stinkhorn directly underneath.

We thought the yarrow was finished for the season, but, it is blooming again.

This past weekend, we had some really wonderful guests staying with us. Some came to attend Jimmy Carter's Sunday School class, some came for Andersonville National Historic Site, Milt came for his fraternity reunion. We had some first time B&B folks and some people just passing through our area. One of our guests was a vegan, so, I made some special things just for her. I found a recipe for vegan yeast pancakes which came out quite good. Lory, here is the recipe that I promised to share.

VEGAN YEAST PANCAKES (small batch for 2 - 3 people about 7 pancakes)

1 cup flour

1 tsp dry yeast (I used rapid rise because that is what I had on hand)

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1/2 TBS flaxseed meal

1 1/2 tbs water

1 TBS oil

3/4 cup soy milk (I used vanilla)

Whisk first 4 ingredients together in a medium bowl.
In the small bowl of the food processor, combine flax and water until thick and foamy.
Add oil and soy milk to flax mixture.
Add wet ingredients to dry.
Allow batter to sit covered overnight in the refrigerator.
Remove batter from refrigerator as you heat griddle to proper temperature for pancakes.
If batter appears too thick, add a couple of TBS of extra soy milk.
Grease griddle lightly using canola oil or use PAM.
Cook on one side until golden brown, flip and cook other side until golden.
Serve with real maple syrup.

NOTES: I did add a little cinnamon to the batter and fresh banana slices on top. Kim said that the texture was reminiscent of yeast dinner rolls. You can add any fruit, nuts, granola - use your imagination.

Thank you for visiting the Americus Garden Inn blog. We wish everyone a Thanksgiving full of wonderful blessings.

Autumn Colors on a rainy day in Americus

2010-11-16T15:34:00.008-05:00

To some, it might be a dreary day in Americus, Georgia. But, on a closer look, it is a beautiful autumn day at the Americus Garden Inn. I took this photo earlier today from the front gate. The sasanqua is in full bloom and the crepe myrtles are gorgeous this year. Remember, you can click on any photo for a larger view.This is the view from the parking area behind the house. The purple queen is, well, purple. The red rocket crepe myrtles turned a beautiful orange. However, the rain caused most of the leaves to drop making it appear that the trees has "melted".
One of the crepe myrtles in front of the house.

The Chinese flame tree still has the "pom poms" but the leaves at the top of the tree are now a bright yellow.

The holly berries are starting to turn red.

The nandina berries are already bright red like cranberries.

Every day, the oakleaf hydrangea shows more color.

One of our oak trees.

A view of the parrotia leaves up close.

From the distance, the parrotia tree looks orange.

The pistache tree has just started turning.

A fragrant gardenia has appeared by the porch entrance.

Today, the knockout roses are truly knockouts!

By the porch entrance, a single pink bud has emerged.

One of the two varieties of sasanqua in front of the house.

A close up of the other variety of sasanqua, from the bush in the front of the house in the first photo of this post.

It is hard to believe that we have been here since 2002. In the years we have been here, this is the prettiest autumn we have seen. Wish you were here enjoying it with us.