My magnificent coffee creation, red flowers on trees and sunset over the ocean

Yes, I am not humble when I call the above coffee creation my masterpiece. It is pretty and tastes fabulous and I added frothed milk to it and some chocolate mini sprinkles. Below is my new electric milk frother. Why did it take me this long to discover such an appliance?

I pour in one cup of whole milk, press one button and three minutes later have frothed milk that stands up in pretty peaks. The directions say only whole milk works, not lower fat, and I bought whole milk and am using it. Apparently you can froth almond and oat milk, but best to research and find frothers recommended for that. Hey, I am from the dairy state, Wisconsin, so milk it is for me. A nice source of calcium too.

The brand I bought is Secura and I do recommend if you buy one you get one like mine that is in two pieces, the motor in one piece and the pitcher that lifts off for easy cleaning. Many frothers I looked at are one piece and more tricky to clean.

Above is another of my coffee creations. I tried this also with black tea and that worked fine too. There are four settings on the machine, one is cold froth for iced coffee and one is for hot cocoa.

My neighbor has four of these gorgeous tall trees, perhaps 70 feet tall, I am just guessing their height, and they are loaded with red flowers. I think they may be a type of eucalyptus.

Below is the early phase of a sunset over the Pacific Ocean, photo taken at 7:15 p.m. at the end of my street. "For He hath made all things beautiful in its time." Ecclesiastes 3:11 When I see the beauty of the ocean I always pray thankful prayers and sometimes ask God to take my worries. He always does.

"The Heavens declare the glory of God." Psalm 19:1

Castle Richmond by Anthony Trollope, my favorite book read thus far in 2022

 

Castle Richmond by Anthony Trollope

Writing this review in September, Castle Richmond stands out as my favorite book I have read thus far this year of 50 books read. I like Trollope’s novels so much that I always buy the print copies and keep them. He wrote in the 1850s -1880s and his books give a wonderful picture of the Victorian era in England and Ireland.

This book is set in 1860 in Ireland in the time of the Irish potato famine and explores the ups and downs of the fortunes and loves of three families. Owen Fitzgerald of Hap House, Patrick Fitzgerald of Castle Richmond and the widow aged about 38, Lady Desmond, and her daughter Clara age 17 of Desmond Court. The Fitzgerald cousins deeply love Clara and each was briefly engaged to Clara. Meanwhile the famine begins and is raging across the land, while Patrick works to provide work and food to the poor. Trollope writes with great insight about the rivalry and mistrust of 2 Protestant ministers and the local Catholic priest as they set aside differences to save the lives of starving people.

How will the love triangle of Clara and her two suitors be resolved? Lady Desmond has her own lonely and impoverished life to consider while she struggles to find the right husband for Clara. Who will inherit the title and estate of Castle Richmond as evil blackmailers cause immense suffering for the family? The whole novel and especially the ending are brilliant and Trollope provides some humor and also his clever asides to the reader, when he makes comments as the author directly to us.

Do you read Anthony Trollope as I do? I just realized some readers might like to try one of his novels, a good one to start with is Barchester Towers. Richmond Castle is also a good choice. Who is your favorite author and what are you reading today? I have many authors I enjoy reading and Trollope is at the top of my list.

Queen Elizabeth II, Rest in Peace

 A life of service. Style. Devoted to family, faith, and country. I like the photos of her laughing and with her beloved corgis and horses and family. A role model I admire. R.I.P. Queen Elizabeth.

Above is Princess Elizabeth and her father riding together in the 1930s.

Above is Queen Elizabeth and her four corgis in 1969 at the train station returning from holidays at Balmoral. The first photo below is of her in South Africa and the next two are more recent photos