Prom in the Garden

A few prom pics:

Jasper's boxers





Alice's dress:






Rose's dress






Bella's dress:

Images from the Garden

Here are a few of the charms Esme got for Mom's day:

Ch 53 links and photos

Here are some links and photos from ch. 53: Second Date

Butchart Gardens' image gallery

Above is the link to Butchart Gardens' image gallery. Our favorite trio spent most of their time in the Japanese Tea Gardens and Sunken Gardens. It's spring, though check out the full gallery if you've got the time. I haven't been up to the Gardens since the spring of '98, and I'd love to get back sometime. :)




These images are from the ferry company website. One's the ferry itself with the mountains in the background, and the second is a picture of the Victoria Legislature Buildings as seen (I believe) from the ferry. I'm pretty sure this is the ferry we took the last time I went to Canada with my high school marching and jazz bands. I've got a couple of the same pictures in a photo album somewhere. :)

Pictures from Chapter 50

Emmett's chocolate molecule tattoo. I'd post Bella's dress from the gallery, but it didn't save. Here's a link instead: Bella's gallery dress

Music references for ch. 47

Wow, I haven't posted here in awhile. There's a ton of music I had in my head for chapter 47, and I wanted to leave some links:

Karine Polwart: Daisy, Terminal Star, The Good Years (these songs aren’t on youtube, but search for her and you can find some of her others).

Secondhand Seranade: Fall for you.
Creed: Six feet from the edge

Finger Eleven: change the world (already on blog)

Martin Sexton: Glory bound, , hallelujah

Marc Broussard: Gavin’s Song

Garth Brooks: If tomorrow never comes


Don McLean: American Pie

Todd Haaby: Rattlesnake

Rodrigo y Gabriela

Billy Joel: so it goes

Jeff Buckley: Hallelujah

Title Inspiration ch. 41

Here's the song that provided the inspiration for the title for ch. 41.

links for ch. 40

Here are the links for the toys that Edward purchased, and Jasper used on Edward in Ch. 40: Valentine's Day:

the toy: Ripple
the vibe: the vibe

Musical Inspiration for Ch. 39

For Chapter 38

Here's the video for Ch. 38. Lyrics below.



Turn Me On

Like a flower waiting to bloom
Like a lightbulb in a dark room
I'm just sitting here waiting for you
To come home and turn me on

Like the desert waiting for the rain
Like a school kid waiting for the spring
I'm just sitting here waiting for you
To come on home and turn me on

My poor heart, it's been so dark since you been gone
After all, you're the one who turns me off
You're the only one who can turn me back on

My hi-fi's waiting for a new tune
The glass is waiting for some fresh ice cubes
I'm just sitting here waiting for you
To come on home and turn me on
Turn me on

Video Post

Here's the audio for the inspiration for the title for ch. 35:

Teaser for Ch. 32: Vacation in San Francisco

Here's a look at what's coming up for the boys' trip to SF:

They had planned most of the five day trip together, though it appeared that they’d unleashed a monster in letting Jasper anywhere near maps, brochures, and train schedules. Though he teased Jasper about it, Edward had to admit that Jasper was good at putting together a trip that allowed them to do everything, but not so over-scheduled they drove themselves into exhaustion. Through the process of putting everything together, Edward had learned that Jasper’s MOS (military operational specialty) was logistics with a secondary specialty in intelligence.

Since they knew they’d have seven hours of travel between the flight and catching the train into the city, Jasper had suggested an easy day of sightseeing. After they checked into their hotel and got settled, they were off to Golden Gate Park and from there, catching dinner and calling it an early night. The four days following were similarly planned, and their sixth day was for sleeping in and traveling home. They’d have one more week to themselves before classes started once they got back to Forks.

Edward was both dreading and looking forward to the new semester. He was excited for the plans he’d made for his band, but dreading what the travel and living arrangements meant for his relationship with Jasper. But he pushed the thoughts away as they both purchased $20 in BART fare and entered the gate to the platform.

**

Happy Thanksgiving to those in the US. Look for a post on Monday or Tuesday after the holiday.

No Teaser this week

Loyal readers, I'm sad to say there's no teaser available this week other than the review reply.

Why, you ask?

Because Ch. 31 is fairly short, and next week is a holiday week for us here in the States, I may post a few days early over the weekend and take an extended break so I don't get yelled at for spending time on the computer when I should be with my family. ~_^

Anyway - see y'all around the end of the week. :D

Garden Chapter 30 Preview

Here's a peek at what's coming up in Chapter 30:

Esme greeted him with a kiss on the cheek when they returned home and he delivered his one bag to the kitchen counter. “Thank you, sweetheart.” He turned back to go out for another, but his mom stopped him with a light touch on his arm. “Let Emmett get them,” she suggested, while Emmett settled his bags next to Edward’s.

Edward nodded, shifting his weight to lean on the counter. “What’s up, mom?” he asked as Emmett ducked back out.

“Is everything alright between you and Jasper?” she asked quietly, beginning to unload the bags and organize the contents on the counter.

“Yes. Why?” He frowned. He loved that his family was so sensitive to their moods, and he was trying not to find it overbearing that they wanted to make sure everything was alright.

“He’s seemed very closed off since you guys went out yesterday,” she answered. “He came down awhile ago and barely said two words, then went and played in the music nook for awhile.” She turned to him, a soft frown marking her face. “Did you fight?”

“No,” Edward said on a sigh. “It was a misunderstanding, and I think I shook up his worldview a bit more than I should have, but it wasn’t on purpose.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “We’re okay, I promise,” he assured her, moving to kiss her on the cheek. “Did he eat?” He asked, thinking he’d take something up with him.

Esme nodded. “It looked like his fever broke; his eyes didn’t look so bright. I made him some toast and tea. There’s still hot water on,” she said with a wave to the kettle. “He went back up about an hour ago.”

Update status

Hi guys - So the good news is that I not only finished the chapter I was struggling with, but I made pretty good progress on the one that comes after.

What does this mean for you? It means that I'll update sooner than I expected, though it's still not going to be Thursday. Look for an update on Monday.

I still say I've got the best readers in the 'verse. Y'all rock my socks.

<3

More Recipes from the Garden: Dump Cake

Dump cake is one of my father's favorite things in the world. It's something his mom used to make for his family and something I've brought back into our family in the last few years. It's ridiculously simple, but fantastic.

Dump Cake

Ingredients:
*boxed yellow cake mix
*1 can of cherries in juice, drained
*1 can of pineapple tidbits in juice
*1/4-1/2 cup butter, cut into small cubes

vanilla iced cream, cool whip, or whipped cream for serving.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Grease a 13x9 baking dish. Into the bottom, pour pineapple tidbits and juice. top with the drained cherries. Sprinkle the top with the boxed cake mix, spreading evenly over the fruit and pressing down lightly. Dot the dry cake mix with the diced butter, placing them fairly evenly over the top.

Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the butter has melted and browned over the cake mix and the fruit juice has startled to bubble up around the edges of the cake.

Serve warm or room temperature with vanilla iced cream, cool whip, or whipped cream. It's very rich, but very delicious.

I've used a low-sugar cake mix with great results (i.e. daddy didn't complain), and I've also made smaller cakes when it was just me. Use half a box of cake mix and a smaller can of pineapple. Use all the cherries. ^_^

Teaser for Ch. 28: Caught in the Rain

Here's a peek at what's coming up in ch. 28. It's written, but there might be a delay in posting for me to get my act together. Just in case there's a week lapse, here's a slightly larger teaser than normal:

He heard a feminine giggle behind him. “He’s like a big cat,” Bella mused softly, and Jasper felt more than heard Edward’s answering chuckle.

“Sometimes,” Edward agreed in a whisper. “Hey, Jas.”

“Hi,” he answered softly, wincing at the hoarseness of his voice and the scratchy feeling even that one sound produced. He swallowed roughly.

“Are you okay?” Edward asked.

Jasper wasn’t sure how to respond to that on many levels, so he shrugged best he could, making no effort to move out of his protective curl or Edward’s embrace. He felt drained, emotionally and physically, and he still hadn’t really figured anything out. His back was also throbbing, a result of his impromptu walk, Jasper assumed, but he embraced the pain momentarily, letting it become the focus of his thoughts.

“Do you want us to leave you alone?” Bella asked from behind him, her small hand warm on his back where his sweatshirt had ridden up.

“No,” he answered softly. “Please.” He had screwed up by walking away earlier and pulling away from Edward instead of trying to talk to him about things. Surely if anyone could understand the thoughts he was currently wrestling with it would be Edward, who would have had to have come to terms with his own sexuality somehow. But he’d been alone enough in his life with big problems to deal with. In the overall scheme, it seemed somewhat trivial, though Jasper knew that it wasn’t. For the moment, he just wanted to be reminded that Edward loved him and would support him and the rest would sort itself out.

Jasper felt Edward’s breath ghost across his ear as he leaned in close and spoke softly. “Relax, baby,” he said tenderly. “We’re not going anywhere. I think I kind of dropped a bomb into your life earlier, and I’m not going to leave you to deal with it alone. When you’re ready, I’m here.” He kissed the top of Jasper’s head. “I love you.”

Though he didn’t uncurl, he did relax slightly. “Love you, too,” he said softly. Edward resumed playing with his hair and Jasper fell quiet once more, soaking up the feelings of love and affection Bella and Edward were physically giving him, letting them quiet his mind for the time being. He drifted and dozed, Bella and Edward’s voices washing over him. He never quite fell back into true sleep, the pain in his back keeping him from true rest, but he felt himself slowly relax by degrees as he focused on listening to the sounds of their voices and not his own thoughts.

Music Teaser: Chapter 28

Here's a music teaser for ch. 28:

Garden Teaser: Ch 28: New Traditions

Here's a peek at what's coming up for ch. 28:

The grocery store was nearly empty on the day after Christmas, making it easy for them to gather what they needed. Jasper decided on the winter squash and white bean recipe, deciding to leave the ham hock for Esme to freeze and use later. They strolled through the store and grabbed their ingredients, plus a few things to restock the fridge and Jasper got the items necessary to make a dump cake, something he said was his father’s favorite dessert, with vanilla ice cream.

Jasper insisted on paying for the groceries, and Edward relented only because he knew it was important to Jasper to feel like he wasn’t taking advantage of his family’s hospitality, despite how often Edward had told him he was welcomed. They loaded up the groceries and headed back to the house.

The house was still quiet and empty when they returned. Edward expected his father and David to return ahead of everyone else, but since their golf game had likely been cancelled because of rain, Edward had no idea where they’d disappeared to for the day. Jasper unloaded the bags and sorted everything onto the counter while Edward stoked the fire back up and put on some music.

Edward and Jasper spent the next hour working together in the kitchen. Edward located his mother’s huge slow cooker under the counter and set it up for Jasper before getting started on the minestrone he was going to make. They worked fairly slowly, neither of them really accustomed to cooking, though Edward felt pretty assured they couldn’t really screw anything up. It took some time for Jasper to get the squash peeled and chopped, but once he figured out a method, it went smoothly. They teased and poked at each other as they moved around for the things they needed, and it was a different kind of relaxing for Edward. Though he was moving around, his mind was focused on something, and he found it an odd kind of meditation.

Garden Christmas

Merry Christmas from the Garden. Yeah, so it's not Halloween yet, but hey, who cares. Here's pictures of just about everything I could come up with for what everyone in the fic got for Christmas.


Jasper's
slippers from Bella:


Condoms from Emmett:




Bella:
Charms from Edward:



Esme:
Charms from Edward:



Charm from Jasper:


hat combo from Bella:


Edward:
Chair from Jasper (Without the stupid hood thingy):


Bear from Jasper (these aren't the same bear, but figure the cowboy costume on the Marine bear):




Beanie from Bella:


scarf from bella:



Alice:
Slippers from Bella:


sleep mask from Bella:


Charms from Edward:



Rose: Charms from Edward:




Engagement ring:


watercolor scarf from Bella:


Bella's coffee cup jackets(I made these, if you're interested in one, let me know!):



Emmett:
afghan:

Recipes from the Garden: Breakfast Pizzas

In the story, I've mentioned two (three) different pizzas. The first two are more savory, and the other is a sweet.

Savory Breakfast Pizza

I first encountered breakfast pizza while visiting my dad's family in Kansas one year. One of his sisters, I think, had come up with this, and I figured out how to make it when we got home.

Ingredients:
packaged crecent roll dough (like Pilsbury's)
1 pound ground breakfast sausage OR 1 pound bacon, chopped into bits
bag of frozen potatoes (we like o'brien potatoes, but plain hashbrowns, tater tots, or fries work as well)
1 dozen eggs
shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 350F, or whatever the package directions on the crescents says. Spray the bottom of a casserole with non-stick spray, or line with parchment paper for easier clean up. Place crescent rolls in bottom of dish, creating a crust that goes slightly up the sides of the dish. Bake until slightly golden brown.

While the crust bakes, brown up sausage or bacon in a large skillet. Drain, if necessary. To the hot pan and meat, add the frozen potatoes and let cook through. While that's working, beat the eggs with a splash of milk. When the potatoes are warmed through, pour the eggs over and get them started cooking through.

Pour the meat, potatoes, and egg mixture over the baked crust. Top with shredded cheese, and put back into the oven until the cheese is melted through and the eggs are cooked through, about 15-20 minutes.

I like to top mine with salsa and sour cream, but it's also tasty with just a bit of salt and pepper.

Fruity Breakfast Pizza

This recipe I think came courtesy of my grandmother.

Ingredients:
packaged sugar cookie dough
tub of whipped cream cheese
fresh fruit: we like strawberries, bananas, mandarins (canned are easier), and kiwi, but use whatever is in season/sounds good

Preheat oven according the package directions for sugar cookie dough. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper for easy clean up/non-stick. Roll the cookie dough into a large cookie to fit the sheet pan. Bake until lightly golden brown. This is best done the night before, so it has time to cool.

Once the cookie crust is cool, spread with the whipped cream cheese (whipped is easier to spread, but use whatever you have on hand or whatever you prefer). If using a more solid cream cheese, you could cut it with a bit of sour cream to lighten it up and add a different tang.

Slice your fruit into bite-sized pieces and arrange in rows on the pizza. Cut the pizza into small squares (it's very rich) and serve.

This pizza also makes a nice light dessert. We don't make it as often because my dad really prefers the meat version, but it makes a nice change. Maybe I'll do it this weekend while I can still find fresh strawberries that are close to in season. ^_^