Finery and Whimsy

buddhabrot:

“Magma from the mantle intruded the deep crust and cooled slowly. Pyroxene and olivine started to crystallize from the magma. Since these where heavier than the surrounding magma, they sank to the bottom of the magma chamber where they became layered. Later, the remaining melt intruded higher levels of the continental crust, where it cooled and crystallised as tønsbergite, larvikite or lardalite. Some million years later the rock was carved and polished by glaciers during the ice age.” via

Peek…

A path on Montague Island

A bird on a balmy evening.

bear-ballet:

rarebird:

invisiblestories:

Gray Whale

(via bear-ballet)

smelloftherainynight:

(via folkteeth)

celebratewithcake:

onlycupcakes:

Chocolate olive oil and blood orange cupcakes by Love and Olive Oil

This is there recipe, the original post can be found here:

Chocolate Olive Oil and Blood Orange Cupcakes

Makes 12 cupcakes.

Ingredients
1 cup coconut milk
1/3 cup pure olive oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon blood orange zest, finely grated
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon almond meal
1/3 cup cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

For Frosting:
1/2 cup butter or margarine, room temperature
2-3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons blood orange juice
1 teaspoon blood orange zest, finely grated
1-2 tablespoons soy creamer or heavy cream (as needed)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin pan with paper liners.

Whisk together the coconut milk, sugar, oil, vanilla extract, and zest until incorporated. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, almond meal, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center of dry ingredients and pour in coconut milk mixture. Stir until just smooth (do not overmix).

Pour into liners, filling each with 3 tablespoons of batter (cups should be no more than 2/3 full). Bake 18-20 minutes (or 10-12 for minis), or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely.

For frosting, cream butter until smooth and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add 1 cup powdered sugar and beat until combined. Mix in orange juice, zest, and vanilla. Continue adding sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition (depending on the temperature of your butter, you may need more or less sugar or added cream to achieve the proper consistency). Continue beating until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Spread or pipe onto cooled cupcakes.

thegardengirl:

cherrysweetpea:

misscedar:

dancingcorpse:

endofmarch:

thegardengirl:

justswell:

charlottecorday:

sealmaiden:

via reicachatani and poisoned-apple:

Kay Nielsen in “In powder and Crinoline” (1913)