Trip to USA

There was this one long hot summer day that Toad was walking in the large field surrounding The Garden of lace. Buried into the long stalks of growing wheat he found an airplane. The plane was a model plane, perfect in size for The Minimice. Toad fixed the plane so Penstemon, Saintpaulia, Magnolia and Buxux could be transported to USA for the book signing. Things have a funny way to work out, doesn't it?

Let’s wish them a safe trip and hope to see you in Atlanta at the 16th of May.

 

Group picture

           "Theminimice" from the garden would like to present themselves in a group picture

In random order:

Apple tree: Saintpaulia (f) Penstemon (m), children, Buxux (m) and Magnolia (f)

Buttercup (f) in the attic

Oak tree: Choisya (f), Berberis (m), children Cherry (f) girl and Turnip (m) boy

Chestnut tree :Rumus (m), Asminia (f), Lavendulia (f), Baccharris (m), children two boys and two girls.

Medowsweet (f), Cloudberry (f) Fern (m) Pokeweed (m)

Dollhouse

Hazel (f) in the attic, Rosemary (f) Sage (m) Honeydew (f) baby Thyme (m) boy

The apple tree

Welcome to the apple tree. The apple tree house is the home for “theminimice” Penstemon, Saintpaulia and their two children. The tree stub is as high as 193 cm or 6’4”. The tree has some flowers in the spring and some apples in the fall. Most of the fruit that the mini mice use are picked from nearby younger trees where no tiny mice are living.

Delivery day

8. of December today and “theminimice” from the apple tree woke up to a snow coated garden. “Perfect Christmas weather for us today. We will visit the mice families in the oak tree, the chestnut stub and the dollhouse by the currant bush. They all will get apples, cider and apple pies from us at the apple tree”, Saintpaulia said to her children. "It’s after all Christmas and what is more important than taking care of the people you care about. I am sure they will appreciate it".

They had a long day ahead but “theminimice” invited them inside so they could warm themself up by the fire before they went to the next stub. They got hot chocolate with cream, chicken pot pie and cheese with crackers. Luckily Rubus drove them home in his car late in the evening. They ended up being too full of treats, and too sleepy to walk home to the apple tree.

It all took place in one abanoed garden, but when you are a mouse, you are very small and a garden can seem like a very large place.

“When all the theminimice come to us they will surely get some of our delicious hot apple cider.” Saintpaulia said when she got back home to her husband Penstemon.

Have you tried the recipe yet? Here it is Hot apple cider

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Saintpaulia's homemade apple pie

1. of December tradition

In the apple tree "Theminimice" are busy planning for the annual apple cider testing day that always is held at the 1. of December. "Theminimice" all gathers in the ballroom, and while Buxux plays the piano, Penstemon carefully opens one bottle. “Cheers and have a merry December” he says. “Let’s hope the cider is sweet and fresh this year too”. Of course they all think the cider is just fabulous. Like they always do. This will keep them happy for a long, long time.

                               Saintpaulia and Rubus are in good Christmas spirit mood

 

Asminia brought a present for the host

 

 

                    More and more mice arrive to the apple tree stub that evening for the tasting.
                                                     They drink, dance and sing for hours.

Cider making

Penstemon from the apple tree have a very important task today. He needs to check the quality for the apple cider. His little cider cave in the apple tree have a cider press, and lots of apples. When the cider has fermented in the barrels he pours the cider into bottles and labels them. He is looking forward to serve it to Theminimice on the 1 of December.

basket by Kari Mette Tvedt

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Hot apple cider recipe

Saintpaulia have a very nice and warming recipe for hot apple cider. The smell that fills the apple tree house while she makes this is out of this world. A warm, spicy apple and cinnamon fragrance that is the most welcoming smell and taste you can think of. See recipe below.

Serves 4

4 cups of apple cider
1 cinnamon stick
3 cloves (stick them into the orange peel)
the peel of 1/2 orange (not the white part)
1/4 cup of light brown sugar
fresh apple slices, optional

Process,

Place the apple cider, cinnamon stick, cloves, orange peel and brown sugar in a saucepan and cook over medium low heat for about 15 minutes. Ladle up and enjoy!

This drink is also very nice with a splash of dark rum, or serve it cold with lots of ice cubes.

(Use fresh apples. About seven apples and a juicer for this recipe)

Early in the morning making cake

 

Such a nice day in the the old garden. Saintpaulia went up very early and made tarte tatin. A French cake with lots of apples and a lovely caramel aftertaste. She is planning to serve it with tea in the afternoon. I am sure the family will enjoy it. It's after all autumn and the harvesting of the fruits
                                                                 has already begun.

 

She has to get the cups from the top shelf. It's high and usually Penstemon has to reach for it, but he is still sleeping. If she steps on the chair maybe then she will get it...

 

 

 

As you see the sun has just risen in the old garden..

would you like to make tarte tatin? Saintpaulia watched Julia Child makes tarte tatin on televison.

The mice wishes you all a nice weekend.

 

Family photos

            
            Photo shooting in the apple tree ballroom. The mice family are growing, happy days.

Cheesecake anyone..

 

"Nothing like a fresh newspaper, cake and coffee. Oh I forgot the coffee! Please run down to the kitchen, Thymus, and get Rubus some coffee", Santpaulia said. "Love the feel of a freshly printed newspaper. Let's see if something interesting has happened"

 

 

"It's so warm and inviting here Santpaulia. You really have made the most out of your stub" Rubens said. "Mmm lets see ..this cheesecake looks amazing". After the first bite Rubens knew he had to get the recipe from Santpaulia so he could serve it in his bakery.

 

 

"Of course you can have the recipe dear brother. I was using what I had on hand to decorate it. It's great to use the ripe berries found in the garden now late in the summer". She tucked the written recipe into his paws and smiled to him. "Thank you! Now can I have another slice please?" Rubus said.

 

Santpaulias cheesecake.

 

Ingredients

15 digestive crackers, crushed
2 tablespoons butter, melted
4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup whole milk
4 eggs
1 cup full fat sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9 inch springform pan.
2. In a medium bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs with melted butter. Press onto bottom of springform pan.
3. In a large bowl, mix cream cheese with sugar until smooth. Blend in milk, and then mix in the eggs one at a time, mixing just enough to incorporate. Mix in sour cream, vanilla and flour until smooth. Pour filling into prepared crust.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Turn the oven off, and let cake cool in oven with the door closed for 5 to 6 hours; this prevents cracking. Chill in refrigerator until serving.

Decorate top with raspberries or fruit and berries to your desire.

 

 

If you like to make the non edibel variation of polymer clay please click on this link:

1/12 scale cheesecake tutorial

Rubus the old mouse

Rubus the old mouse arrive the apple tree stub after a couple of minutes drive in the overgrown grass garden. Rubus lives in the large stub and is a former baker. He still runs the bakery but rarely bakes anymore. He just eat the baked goods. He like to sit in his office and also reads a lot. Newspaper mostly. He loves to visit his sister Santpaulia and her husband Penstemon. They have one of their grandchildren Thymus staying at their stub for the summer.

 

 

Here is Rubus old car. "Works like a clock" he usually says...No wonder it's operated by a large clock battery.

 

 

 

               
                         As soon as Penstemon and Thymus see his car, they run out to greet him.

 

"Hurry inside" says Thymus. Saintpaulia has made cheesecake. "Oh, how lovely. I am looking forward to that. Do you have todays newspaper?" "Yes of course Pentemon replies".

Crêpe making in the apple house

A handful of oranges was traded to the mice in the apple three. "That is wonderful, lets make crêpe suzette" mummy mouse proclaimed. She had in her younger days tasted this treat in wonderful Paris.

Mommy mouse delicious thin pancakes recipe, or crêpes if you like.

11/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
4 eggs
1 tbs sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbs butter (melted)

Melt the butter in the pan. Wisk together egg and sugar. Add the flour, salt and milk. Pour in the melted butter. Let it sit for about 30 minutes. This batch will make about twelve thin crepes. Make the orange sauce if you please like this:

150ml/5fl oz orange juice (from 3-4 medium oranges)
1 medium orange, grated zest only
1 small lemon, grated rind and juice
1 tbs caster sugar
3 tbsp Grand Marnier, Cointreau or brandy
50g/2oz unsalted butter
a little extra Grand Marnier, for flaming

For the sauce, mix all the ingredients - with the exception of the butter - in a bowl. Melt the butter in the frying pan, pour in the sauce and allow it to heat very gently. Then place the first crêpes in the pan and give it time to warm through before folding it in half and then in half again to make a triangular shape. Slide this onto the very edge of the pan, tilt the pan slightly so the sauce runs back into the center, then add the next crêpe. Continue like this until they're all re-heated, folded and well soaked with the sauce.
You can flame them at this point if you like. Heat a ladle by holding it over a gas flame or by resting it on the edge of a hotplate, then, away from the heat, pour a little liqueur or brandy into it, return it to the heat to warm the spirit, then set light to it.
Serve with sliced orange filets and a big scoop of vanilla ice-cream.
The crêpes can with great success be served with blueberry jam and sour cream. Nutella is not a bad
idea either..

 

Hope you try the recipe. Love, Mummy mouse.

After piano lesson it's nice with a break in the tea room. Someone bring the tea and biscuits?

Piano practice

It's piano practicing day in the apple tree house's ballroom. Mama mouse is watching and corrects while they play.

Bath

What could be more inviting on a chilly day than a bath. That is the mice plans today.

Sun rise in the bedroom

Master bedroom in the mouse house. Country chic style.

The sun has just risen and the mice has made their beds. Ready for a new day

Baking bread in the kitchen

Upclose from kitchen cabinet and sink.

The mice has been busy baking lots of breads

Mice recipe for white bread:

Ingredients

• 2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 50 grams dry yeast
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 6 cups bread flour or all purpose flour

Directions

1. In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar in warm water, and then stir in yeast. Allow to proof until yeast resembles a creamy foam.
2. Mix salt and oil into the yeast. Mix in flour one cup at a time. Knead dough in mixer for about 6 minutes, until smooth. Place in a well oiled bowl, and turn dough to coat. Cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
3. Punch dough down. Knead for a few minutes, and divide in half. Shape into loaves, and place into two well oiled 9x5 inch loaf pans. Allow to rise for 30 minutes, or until dough has risen 1 inch above pans.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes