My Yellow Bluff

Discover the beauty and ambience of Yellow Bluff on the coast of Georgia. Follow the prevailing southerly winds and Atlantic seabreezes to historic Liberty County,30 minutes south of Savannah and 10 minutes from the Intercoastal Waterway and I-95. You’ll find an almost forgotten high bluff with breathtaking views of Ashley Creek,vibrant golden marshes,and St. Catherine’s and Ossabaw Island across the way.Check back here often to see the latest posts by Debbie Brown from the bluff.

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Spun Gold on the Marsh

Spun Gold

The sunlight dances across the green marsh like magic,turning it into spun gold.  Peace,possibility,and permanence move to the forefront.   As the sun goes down,hope springs forth for a dark starry night or a magnificent moon over the water.

 

A Visit With The Day Tripper

Georgia white shrimp are an area favorite.  Boiled,grilled,blackened,or fried.  It makes no difference.  A plate of shrimp brings on a smile and a hearty appetite.

Trawlers,like The Day Tripper,fish outside the sound limits due to shrimping regulations,but they can drag their nets near the shoreline.  About 2/3 of the catch are white shrimp with brown shrimp as the rest.

It was exciting visiting with the shrimpers at the Yellow Bluff dock with thoughts of Georgia white shrimp simmering in my mind.

Clouds Over Water

There is something soothing about clouds over water.  Their reflections mirror the view in a way that soothes the soul and the weary mind.  Add a gentle breeze,the hint of salt air,and the sultry scent of the marsh …Um, must be paradise.

Winter Cassia In Bloom!

Winter Cassia in bloom

Yellow Bluff Streetscape

 

Today at Yellow Bluff

 

 

 

 

Lemony Lemon Cake —A Yellow Bluff Favorite

Lemon Cake with Lemon Buttercream Icing (from my Mom’s recipe files)

We’re heading into the season where we start looking for great dessert recipes.  Mom’s Lemon Cake with Lemon Buttercream Icing won’t disappoint.  No matter the occasion,the lemony cake is certain to boost your spirits and tantalize the taste buds.

Lemon Cake

1 c. butter,softened

2 c. sugar

4 large eggs,room temperature

1/4 c. fresh lemon juice

1 t. vanilla extract

3 c. cake flour

2 1/2 t. baking powder

1/4 t. salt

1 c. buttermilk,room temperature

(See Lemon Buttercream Icing recipe below).

Lemon Cake BatterPreheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray 2 round pans (8-inch) with non-stick cooking spray with flour.  Line bottom with parchment rounds (optional).  Spray each round with the non-stick spray.

In large bowl,beat butter with mixer until creamy;gradually add sugar,beating for 5 minutes or until light and fluffy (scrape the bowl twice during the 5 minutes).  Add eggs,one at a time,beating just until yellow disappears after each addition.  Add lemon zest,lemon juice and vanilla,beating just until blended.

Sift together cake flour,baking powder and salt,adding gradually.   Add to butter mixture,alternating with buttermilk,beginning and ending with flour mixture.  Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition (if you beat on high you’ll have flour on the ceiling,smile).

Pour batter evenly into the prepared cake pans.  Bake for 30-35 minutes at 350 degrees.  Cool in pans,preferrably on wire rack,for 10 minutes.  Remove from pans and cool completely.  Wrap layers and freeze until ready to frost.

Lemon Butter Cream Icing (makes about 4 cups)

2 sticks of unsalted butter

2 T. lemon zest

1/4 c. fresh lemon juice

2 T. milk

5 c. (16 oz) Confectioner’s sugar

Yellow food coloring gel

In medium bowl,beat butter at medium speed with mixer until creamy.  Beat in lemon zest,lemon juice,and milk.  Gradually add confectioner’s sugar,beating until light and fluffy.  Gradually beat in food color,a little at a time until desired color.

To ice cake:  Unwrap cake layers and spread lemon butter cream frosting between layers and on sides and top of cake.  Garnish with lemon slices and zest if desired.

Store finished cake in refrigerator up to 3 days.  (Cake layers may be frozen for 3 months).

Tip:  Ice the bottom layer first;add the remaining cake layers;ice the sides of the cake and save the top for last.  This helps to stabilize the cake and keep the top layer from sliding.

Captain Wild Bill’s October 2011 Eco-Calendar

Crab Boil at Yellow Bluff

Ren at Crab Boil

Danny and Ben at Crab Boil

Soothing Music at YB

Girls Just Want to Have Fun

Ben and Lucky at Crab Boil

Wayne Entertains Guests

Georgia Blue Crab

Every age loves Yellow Bluff.

Terri at Crab Boil.

Brad and Guests

Whitney

Chatting on the porch.

Howards enjoy crab boil at Yellow Bluff.

Yellow Bluff on crab boil afternoon.

Enchanting Eastern Tiger Swallowtails in our Gardens

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail –Georgia’s state butterfly (named in 1988) –gets its name from the long tail on the hind wings which look like the long,pointed tails of a swallow.

The large yellow butterfly with the bright yellow wings edged in black and black tiger stripes is the most common and conspicuous butterfly in the East.  (Males usually have a few orange and blue spots near the tail).They drink sweet nectar with a long,tube-like flexible tongue that uncoils to sip and then returns to a spiral when not in use.  Who knew?

The southern species are larger than the northern;  females produce 3 broods in the south and 2 in the north.  (See lifespan below).

Of course,the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail has enjoyed the goodies with others.  A pair of Southern Dogface Yellow and a small butterfly with black &blue markings have flitted around the lantana,impatiens,and other flowers in the garden.  It’s fun to watch them dart from flower to flower,and then flutter upwards toward the trees,often in pairs,in an exotic dance of flight.

Eastern Tiger SwallowtailEastern Tiger Swallowtail

Also called:  Tiger Swallowtail

Order:Lepidoptera

Family:  Papilionidae

Genus:Papilio

Species:glaucus

Habitat:  gardens,parks,orchards,rivers,roadsides,and broadleaf woodland glades.

Flight:  spring to autumn.

Lifespan:  Takes about a month to go from tiny yellow-green eggs to the caterpillar stage (starts out as brown and white blobs similar to bird droppings and becomes a green caterpillar with a fake eye) to light brown pupa attached to a plant stem (in the resting period with no eating or drinking) to the adult butterfly.  Females produce 3 broods in the south and only 2 in the north.

First Day of Fall at Yellow Bluff …Fantastic!

The first day of fall was gorgeous at Yellow Bluff.  Guess what?  It was just as pretty today.  Life is good at Yellow Bluff.