These are just a few of the photos from my trip to Frederick Meijer Gardens here in Grand Rapids. It's such a beautiful place and I wish I could post all of my photos, but I don't want to do a huge photo dump here on the blog. These were some of my favorite photos, either because I loved the nature, the artwork, or both! We arrived at the gardens about an hour before closing time and now I really regret not getting there earlier. We only got to see about 3/4 of all that was offered and had to practically jog through the parks just to get to see that much. I can't wait to go back with enough time to really experience everything this place has to offer!
"I urge you to please notice when you are happy, and exclaim or murmur or think at some point, 'If this isn't nice, I don't know what is." -Kurt Vonnegut
Monday, June 23, 2014
Life Lately (Goats and Shows)
It's been far too long since I've posted! I just finished exam week in one of my summer classes and have been working during most of my free time. Gotta pay that rent! Being a broke college kid is so exhausting- I truly cannot wait for it to be over. Maybe then I'll have enough energy for more creative endeavors! Money might help...either that or nicer weather. I live about 45 minutes from the beach and can't afford to get there very often, so without a Great Lake to jump into, I'm stuck suffering in this West Michigan humidity! What can I say? I'm a Northern Michigan girl at heart. Anyway, my sister came to stay with me last week and ended up hanging out by herself half of the time because I had to work so much. Even though I was gone a lot, we made the most of our time and had a lot of fun before the week was up!
My sister, Jessie, making friends! |
My favorite goat, #8, getting all up in my face. |
I call this little sweetheart "baby," even though he could just be a tiny goat. |
A blurry photo of Vampire Weekend. |
A blurry photo of CAKE. |
Thursday, June 12, 2014
(Super Simple) Coffee Swirl Chocolate Cake
It's been so long since I've baked anything. I guess I've been pretty busy lately, but really my lack of kitchen time is mostly due to my impatience with my tiny kitchen. If I'm going to make something, I'd rather it be quick and easy. I absolutely cannot wait to move out of this apartment and finally have a kitchen that will inspire me to cook and bake, but for now, I'll just get by with things like this super simple coffee swirl chocolate cake!
I had a box cake mix and some frosting in my cupboard and I was in the mood to get a little more creative with it. I'm so happy with the results! And so was everyone else- it's only been a day and the cake was devoured. If you're looking to whip up something different and delicious, consider this "recipe"!
You will need:
- box of chocolate cake mix (preferably one that calls for at least a cup of water)
- ingredients for the cake mix (eggs, vegetable oil)
- container of white/vanilla frosting
- freshly brewed coffee
- instant coffee grounds
Steps:
- Read the ingredients list for your cake mix and replace the water with freshly brewed coffee, then add whatever else it calls for.
- Bake the cake!
- Add a few drops of warm water to about a teaspoon of instant coffee to dissolve the grounds. Pour into the frosting and mix well. Add more to taste.
- Set about a tablespoon of the coffee frosting aside and add more instant coffee to it for an even stronger flavor.
- Frost the cake with the majority of your frosting, then use a butter knife to swirl in the stronger flavored bit and create a marbled design.
- Garnish with loose instant coffee grounds on the top of the cake if you're a coffee lover. (I added extra to my slice!)