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I have a lot of morning glory and naturtium vines in my vegetable garden right now.  I feel amazed each October at how crazy these vines grow from small direct-planted seeds in my Illinois garden.  I cannot get them to grow at all on my ranch in Idaho.  It's too high of an elevation I believe. Anyway, I plan to paint a picture of the cupcakes next to the nasturtiums for you soon.  Will post pics as soon as possible!

Actually, the recipe is a cake.  But it makes perfect muffins.  Especially because it's a dense and sturdy and moist cake filled with grated zucchini, lots of cocoa, and both butter and oil and eggs.  Plus buttermilk gives it that muffin-like texture and crumb.   The muffins are perfect for this time of year with zucchini is at its peak and grows like crazy (like the giant zucchini behind the muffins).

I made lace jelly this week after picking the Queen Anne's Lace at my parent's farm in Wisconsin.   It's really fun to make foraged wildflower jellies.  Just be very positive in identifying Queen Anne's Lace because it can be mistaken for Poison Hemlock, which is fatally poisonous.  There are many sources to help one identify the safe Queen Anne's Lace plant. I got the jars at Walmart and they are cute little jars with a jewel-cut textured side.  I plan to give some away this fall or for Christmas gifts.

I've been wanting to try this spot for awhile now.  Kimmer's Ice Cream Shop has three locations.  There is one in my town, Elmhurst.  But my son and I drove to Wheaton for dinner and stopped by the Wheaton location after.  This is my caught in the rain no makeup look.  I had been picking vegetables at my parents' farm in Wisconsin earlier in the day.   Notice the death grip on my ice cream, lol.   Loving the sparkle cones available in pink or blue sugar.  I have to admit I came down with a bit of a headache after all the sugar.  I ended up not eating most of the cone.  But the ice cream was super creamy...