Mudpie's Grove

Dishing the dirt on cuteness, and getting to the root of adorability! Welcome to the home of Mudpie, the pudgy mandrake root. Here you will see photos of all of Mudpie’s adventures and learn more about the habits of this portly, adventurous, and adorable little fellow, as well as those of his friends, the other members of the Roots & 'Shrooms Gang. =)

[rootedincuteness]

The Perfect Time For a Tropical Treat

Resident Human: "Hey, Mudpie. It's a little early for a drink, isn't it?"

Mudpie: "Been waiting for perfect moment."

Resident Human: "Oh? And what moment is that?"

Mudpie: "National Rum Day. Mudpie prefers coconutty-nut version."

Resident Human: "Um... I'm sorry to tell you, but you missed it. Rum Day was yesterday."

Mudpie: "Yep. Had to wait for today."

Resident Human: "Why...?"

Mudpie: "National Piney-apple juices day. Perfect combination of holidays. Time for Mudpie to celebrate!"

Resident Human: "Ah, I see. I didn't know you liked pineapple juice."

Mudpie: "Do when mixed with coconutty-nut rums. Piña coladas are Mudpie's favorite."

Mudpie: "Perfect! Mudpie will now commence getting nicely tipsy."

Resident Human: "Well, that does look very tasty, but... that's not how you make a piña colada, though."

Mudpie: "Oh, Mudpie knows. This is signature drink."

Resident Human: "Oh really? What do you call it?"

Mudpie: *dramatic voice* "Sunset Over Mudpie."

Resident Human: *chuckles*

[fullcravings]

S’mores Cheesecake (Creamy & Toasty!)

[rootedincuteness]

S'mores... mixed with cheesecake?! Yes, please! Master Marshmallow thinks this is a very worthy entry into his ever-growing list of s'mores-related desserts. Who doesn't like cheesecake? It's a pretty perfect dessert on its own, but of course in Marshmallow's opinion, s'mores make everything better.

[rootedincuteness]

Happy World Honey Bee Day! 🐝

World Honey Bee Day is celebrated on the third Saturday of August every year. Honey bees are really important insects, as they are essential to the life cycles of many plants around the world, including many crop species. Without honey bees, there would be a lot less plant diversity and fewer types of foods available for humans. They may be small, but they make a huge impact!

So far this year, our best pictures of honey bees have been with the pink peonies back in May. They really loved these large and colorful blossoms!

Graer, our resident staghorn fern, absolutely loves bees and their aesthetic, especially honey bees. He even got a cute little pair of overalls with a pocket in the front just so he could carry around his rootling-sized bee Squishmallow. Now that's dedication! He's celebrating this holiday in a big way for his favorite fuzzy, buzzy insect friends:

So whether you think bees are cute or important, and whether you're obsessed or just a casual admirer of them, take a moment today to thank honey bees for all they do. 🐝🖤💛

[rootedincuteness]

@windpurr, about this post.

Unfortunately, it's been incredibly hot here, too, and humid in addition to that. Usually when it rains, it does cool off, but not so for us. So not only did Umbra miss the Eclipse because of all the clouds, but it was very hot and muggy as well. And today was much of the same, temperature wise, but the rain finally stopped. the result were some really beautiful skies! Please enjoy some photos of Umbra's outing today, as she admired the puffy clouds and the bright sun peeking out of them. =)

[mostlythemarsh]

This Way

[rootedincuteness]

Oh look! This helpful little mushie is telling you which way to go. How kind of it! You didn't know that mushrooms gave directions, did you? Well, now you do! Seriously though, Bobo is here to remind you of just how cute and beautiful mushrooms can be with this excellent example of one, just in case you weren't getting enough mushroom content lately. Also as a side note, the moss around this wee mushie in this photo is just as lovely and perfect as it is! 🌿🍄‍🟫

[rootedincuteness]

Umbra was playing out in the yard today, and she thought to make this PSA about the eclipse happening today. Eclipses are near and dear to her heart, since one occurred the day she was born, giving her the unusual birthmark she has. Today, a total solar eclipse is happening! If you live in Russia, Greenland, and some parts of Europe, you might be able to see the totality. In other parts of Europe and northeastern Canada and U.S., you night be able to see a partial eclipse. Unfortunately for us, it's been stormy for days, and tomorrow's forecast is projecting more of the same. Umbra is very disappointed, for a cloudy sky means she can't see the eclipse. If you can see it where you live, she wants to remind you so that you can enjoy it for her. Just remember to view it safely! 🌑🌒🌓🌔🌕

[rootedincuteness]

It was absolutely scorching hot today, and the sun was downright blinding. Despite that, Prickles ventured out to see the few flowers the "Rose of Sharon," a.k.a. Hibiscus syriacus, produced this year. We have two large bushes, but even though they're supposed to be covered in flowers, they consistently only produce about one to four flowers per year. Prickles says that just makes them even more special. Aren't they beautiful? 🩷

[rootedincuteness]

Happy National S'mores Day!

Today, we're celebrating one of our favorite Summer campfire treats... the s'more. S'mores are the beloved snack of our own resident storyteller, Master Marshmallow. As a rare toasted marshmallow mandrake, characterized by pale, marshmallow-colored skin and "toasted" tan-colored cheeks, marshmallows are very near and dear to his little rootling heart. Adding chocolate and graham crackers only makes them better, in his opinion.

He doesn't stop at just eating s'mores either. He also loves s'mores-flavored drinks, s'mores plushies, and the s'mores aesthetic in general. He wears a cute lil' s'more pendant every day. His kimono has a pattern with s'mores and toasted marshmallows on sticks. And let's not forget his running series on this blog of bringing you photos and recipes of s'mores desserts you may never have heard of before. It's fair to say that for Marshmallow, s'mores aren't just food, they're a way of life.

Marshmallow has put together some photos of his best memories of s'mores for you to enjoy, and he hopes today you are able to make some of your own! =)

[rootedincuteness]

It's National Rice Pudding Day!

Rice pudding is a dessert beloved by Lady H.N.C. Rootbottom, and I must say, she has great taste. It's such a creamy, lightly sweet, delicious snack, and with cinnamon added, it's positively perfect. It's also the perfect Summer treat, since it's best served chilled. Some people like to add nuts or raisins as well, but Lady Rootbottom just likes classic cinnamon on hers. She hopes you'll give it a try in celebration of this fun holiday! =)

[rootedincuteness]

Baking Zucchini Bread With Halfred! ~ Part II

After mixing up all the dry ingredients in Part I, now we're mixing together all the wet ingredients and creating the batter. Everything looks so dry when it's all added together, but very quickly, the juicy zucchini and hydrated raisins help to moisten everything nicely. We like to make little baby breads that can be split in half for two to share, and the rest can be frozen so it doesn't spoil before we have a chance to eat it. Aren't they cute? They came out perfectly, with nice crispy outer layers and moist, fluffy insides. Absolutely delicious, and with lots of nutritional value with the zucchini, raisins, and walnuts! =)

[rootedincuteness]

Baking Zucchini Bread With Halfred! ~ Part I

Today, we set out to make zucchini bread from scratch! It's a long and messy process, but it's so worth it. We started out by gathering and preparing all our ingredients and mixing up all the dry ones. The flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt all have to be sifted to make sure there aren't any clumps. We choose to add optional walnuts and raisins to our recipe, and we use a combination of white and brown sugars instead of only white. it makes all the difference in taste! We also soak the raisins for a couple hours in water so they're plump and juicy. This helps keep the bread nice and moist after its baked. Check back tomorrow to see the finished product! =)

[rootedincuteness]

It's National Root Beer Float Day!

Halfred: "Let's make a root beer float! They're super quick and easy to make, don't worry. All we need is a big glass, a long straw with a spoon at the end..."

Halfred: "Some tasty root beer..."

Halfred: "And of course, vanilla ice cream!"

Mudpie: "Hellooooo. Better to use this." Halfred: "Hey, Mudpie. What do you mean? It's just a different brand of root beer..."

Mudpie: "Better rooty beers. Is boozy. Makes you giggle. Much better. Mudpie-approved."

Halfred: *sigh* "Mudpiiiie..." Mudpie: "Don't judge Mudpie. Am party rootling. Was born that way." Halfred: "Oh for goodness' sake."

Mudpie: "Come on! Let's make boozy rooty beer floaties! Before icy creams melt!" Halfred: "Okay!" Mudpie: "Need lots of icy creams first..."

Halfred: "Mmmm... that looks so good!" Mudpie: "Masterpiece. Mudpie's greatest creation."

Mudpie: "Mudpie will dunk head in and slurp foam. Is requirement of how you eat rooty beer floaties. Then we pour in more rooty beers."

Halfred: "Sounds good to me!"

Mudpie: "Mudpie always has good ideas." Halfred: "Oh, brother." Mudpie: "No, cousins. We're cousins. Did you forget?" Halfred: *chuckles*

[importantpics]

[rootedincuteness]

Mudpie doesn't know who might need to see a snail living its best life by eating a popcorn kernel, but... for anyone who does, he's found you this. He hopes it will help smiles to happen, make days a little brighter, and maybe even draw forth some unexpected giggles. Sometimes life gets a bit tough and we all just need to see a slimy little friend chowing down on movie theater fare. It's an oddly specific request, Mudpie will admit, but he's got you covered, nonetheless.

[rootedincuteness]

For hardcore Halloween fans like Kizzle, August is the unofficial start of Spooky Season! We're pretty spooky in this house all the time, but as soon as the month of August rolls around, our lowkey level of all-year-round spookiness really starts ramping up again. Kizzle, who has been rather quiet all Summer long, wanted to do a cute little photoshoot to commemorate the kickoff of her favorite season. I have a feeling we'll be seeing a lot more of her in the months to come, as Summerween slowly winds down and we all look forward to ushering in Autumn vibes. 👻

[rootedincuteness]

Mog is a very quiet and solitary mushperson. Puddle mushrooms tend to be rather quiet as it is, and on top of that, Mog is painfully shy. But that's alright, for this dapper gentleshroom very much likes his private cups of tea, which he takes in various quiet spots around the house. I found him today enjoying just that, and he permitted me to take some photos for you all to see. He may be shy, but I think part of him is excited by the notion of potentially having some fans out there. =)

[fullcravings]

Moist S'mores Cupcakes with Marshmallow Meringue Frosting

[rootedincuteness]

Everything about these cupcakes is perfect, according to Master Marshmallow. The graham cracker bottoms, the moist chocolate cake, the very generous dollop of marshmallow on top (toasted, no less, as it should be)... yep, this dessert is checking all the boxes for him. One more decadent s'mores-inspired dessert to add to his ever-growing list! =)

[rootedincuteness]

For some, late Summer can be a little lackluster. All the Spring flowers and many of the early Summer ones are already gone, the landscapes explode in a monotone sea of green leafiness, and many plants are starting to produce seeds that will become next year's garden. Fernadette thinks the seed pods made by some plants around this time of year are every bit as beautiful as flowers, and that they deserve recognition too. So today, she donned her little sun skirt and ventured out into the garden to find some of them. She found some cute bud-like ones made by a tall weed, ones that looked like giant peanuts made by a yucca, and ones that looked like mini plantains made by a peony. There's actually a lot going on with plants at this time of year, if you know where to look! =)