Blueberries

 This is not a post about berries. It is, however, about train of thought, how one thing leads to another, especially when you're in a creative mood.

The other night, I was putting finishing touches on a mixed media piece titled Carnival and suddenly, I thought of blueberry muffins. When I got to a place where I could reasonably take a break from Carnival, down came the cookbooks. This time I wanted to make something without so much butter and sugar, just something I could snack on, or maybe have in the morning with coffee.

​Time was running out, I needed to get back to Carnival, so instead of muffins, I made muffin bread. No need to grease and flour all the muffin tins (didn’t have any muffin papers), so I greased and floured a bread pan. This is the result. It's easy to slice and stays well in the fridge uncovered. I thought I would have to toast it, but no, just slice a hunk off and enjoy with coffee or tea. Of course you could toast if that's your preference.

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Here’s the recipe. It’s a one bowl thing. I left out the sugar because the blueberries seemed sweet enough. I used oil instead of butter, and egg whites instead of whole eggs (those pesky yolks and their cholesterol!).
​I like King Arthur flour. This time I used King Arthur white wheat, but I suppose any flour will do.

Prepare pan. 350 oven
​Ingredients: 1 ½ cups of flour, 2 t baking powder, ¼ t salt, 1/3 c oil, 2 egg whites or one whole egg, flavoring, pint of berries.
Wash and dry berries. Sprinkle a little flour, about a teaspoon or so, on the berries and toss for even coverage.
Put dry ingredients in bowl, stir.
Put oil in a measuring cup; add two egg whites and enough water to make one cup, stir to break up egg whites
Add liquid to flour mixture
Stir, just enough, it’s not a cake, you want it kind of bumpy. If it's too wet add a little more flour; if it's too dry add a little water.
Add teaspoon or so of flavoring (vanilla, lemon)
Fold in blueberries. I’ve made it with strawberries and will try raspberries
Scrape batter into a prepared bread pan (you could make muffins if you want)
Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or so
Cool in pan about 5 minutes
Scrape sides of pan and turn onto plate

Now, back to Carnival. This is acrylic paint on canvas, magic marker (sharpies in different size nibs); and sequins. The yellow fading into the darker colors made me think of a carnival or circus tent.

This is art as therapy. Try your hand. There are no mistakes or rules, only paint, a surface, your hands and heart. The first one will probably feel a little tentative, but then watch how you feel the next time you try.
Here’s to happiness!

#ArtAsTherapy

One final thing. Squirrels are the bosses. I noticed when the squirrels leave, the birds come out. Here's the male cardinal singing. He was really getting into it.