What a Lovely Day For a Parade!

Yesterday was the annual Lincolnville Strawberry Festival and everyone in town turned out for the event. The parade marched down main street, past Petunia Pump and the old General Store, leading all it's followers to the town Church grounds. While there, folks enjoyed music played by the Lincolnville band, games for children, a book sale, ponies and even a clown. Of course there was enough strawberry shortcake and strawberry pie, served up by local ladies, to feed three towns.

 Lincolnville is in the middle of an effort to raise funds for their new library. They are moving the old, one-room school house from one location to another and that old school house will become the new library. Right now, a temporary library is set up in a small building called "Grandpa's Hall". I have included a link to my Flickr page at the bottom of the post so you can look at the photos I took of the day.

Here is the link to look at the other Festival  photos:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/82121288@N03/sets/72157630470372114/


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After spending some time at the Festival, I headed over to the cottage to do some work. It was terribly hot so I had to take a water break every 15 minutes but I was still able to get a lot done.

This is an old bush that was pretty much dead except for the offshoots it put out from the old wood. It was much too close to the house and needed to come down in order to paint and put on a new roof. It was also blocking the view of the meadow from the front of the house.

I also pruned the Scotch pines that border the property. 

                          After

Before

This Sunday morning is breezy and cool. Such a nice respite from the heat of last week. I think I will take my time this morning and read my book, sip some tea and enjoy the pumpkin muffins I just made. Then later off to the cottage I will go to trim another tree or weed another garden. 

Life is good and I am joyfully thankful!

This recipe makes enough for 2 large loaves or 1 large loaf, one mini loaf and 12 tiny muffins...

(Note: Notice 7 muffins are missing...those darn mice!)

Here's the recipe I used: 

Pumpkin Bread and Muffins

Ingredients

• 1 small sugar pumpkin, seeded or 1 can of pumpkin
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups white sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cloves
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil 
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup raisins and 1/2 cup walnuts (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 12 muffin cups or loaf pans.
2. Split pumpkin in half. Remove seeds and strings. Place on baking sheet, cut side down. Cover with foil and bake in preheated oven until tender, about 90 minutes. Remove pumpkin pulp and puree in blender. Measure out 2 cups pumpkin puree; set aside or open one 12 oz. can.
3. In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, nuts, raisins, baking soda, baking powder, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and salt. In a separate bowl, beat together 2 cups pumpkin puree, vegetable oil and eggs. Stir pumpkin mixture into flour mixture until smooth. Scoop batter into prepared muffin cups.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.