A Cake and A Mother’s Day

I made a cake today. From scratch. In my new kitchen. On my new granite and in my new oven. But I can’t find my cake pans, so I had to use the disposable kind. Ugh! Not pretty. As I was sifting, measuring and mixing on this beautiful Mother’s Day, I was transported to the past. A past when I was a little girl, sifting, measuring, mixing and most importantly…..licking the bowl. That delicious bowl of chocolate goodness.

Mother always made our birthday cakes (and any other event) from scratch. Her mother taught her and she taught me. When to crack and add the eggs, how to sift the flour/salt/soda, grease and flour the pans, operate a mixer, and make a lopsided cake look even. After my yucky, disposable cake pans we baked those layers in the oven, I noticed it. Yep. That lovely lopsided-ness! So I took out the handy-dandy-serrated knife and make it even. After the yummilicious frosting was added, it turned into a thing of beauty. Well, sorta of. I still have the 80’s cake storage thing instead of the lovely cake pedistals that are out today. But, you know, it doesn’t matter. That storage thing is just like the one my mother had. Again, memories.

But before the cake was finished, while the layers were baking in the yucky cake pans, I looked in the mixing bowl. Should I? Of course I should. I got that spatcula and I licked that bowl clean! Ahhhh! Delicious! Just like the old days!

Thank you Mother! Thank you for teaching me, loving me and showing me the way. The way to mother and especially the way to grandmother. I love you and Happy Mother’s Day!






















To Sally….thank you for your friendship, your love and the joy that you surround me with. I love coming to visit you. I actually get all giddy inside. I can’t get there fast enough! I love how you pamper and take care of this grown-up daughter-in-law. I love the food your prepare and the way your beautiful house makes me feel all cozy. I LOVE crafting with you! I love how you came into the lives of three boys men and took care of them and nurtured them. That takes a very dedicated and special person to do that. I just plain love you! Happy Mother’s Day!

 
And to Geneva, my first mother-in-law. I have known you since I was 16. You mean so much to me. I know we may not talk often, but I do think of you often. You also taught me how to “grandmother” and for that I am grateful. Our “days after” Thanksgiving and Christmas and all of our shopping adventures, well, they were, and are, priceless! I treasure our walks on the beach still and look forward to more. Thank you for loving me. Happy Mother’s Day.
 

Lastly, thank you Grandmother. For all the joy that you brought me as a little girl and as a grown-up girl. You are the ultimate Grandmother!! I miss you.

Happy Mother’s Day!

A Dinner

I am mesmerized by food photography. Some of the food blogs I love are Smitten Kitchen, Pioneer Woman’s Tasty Kitchen, Simply Recipes and For the Love of Cooking. So, without further adieu, here is my first food blog post.

I made a dinner of rib eye steak with a side of onions/peppers/mushrooms, and pear/arugula salad with balsamic glaze, feta cheese and goat cheese.



















First I prepared the steaks with chopped garlic and some steak seasoning. They rested on the counter until they were room temperature.



















While the steaks were marinating in their spices, the onion/pepper mix and salad was started.






































Time to grill the steaks on my NEW gas stove!






































Time to add mushrooms and finish up the salad.



















Fresh pears, feta cheese and goat cheese along with the balsamic glaze.



















Now to turn the steaks…..
 


















The finished products! One of the steaks has crumbled blue cheese and the other a pad of garlic butter.

Ahhhh, perfection!

Grow little seedlings!

A few weeks ago, Mady and I planted some seedlings. She has been watering them every day and this is how they look thus far:












































And the following is some beautiful light that I saw outside my bathroom window….yes, the bathroom window.




















































And again, just because…..
 

Today we….

-sat in the big, brown rocker and ate strawberry yogurt while watching Curious George

-went to the bookstore in search of books about the beach…..and we found three!
-ate hamburgers with your daddy
-watered your seedlings and talked about how they are growing so big
-lay on our tummies on your bedroom floor and read your new beach books
-said prayers before naptime
-sang in the car all the way to Lulu’s house

-use scissors to cut up paper and glued them to other paper
-lay in the big bed, watched the wind blowing the leaves on the trees and fed each other pretzels like a mama and baby bird
-ate hot dogs at the baseball game
-yelled and cheered when they scored and made good plays at the game
-giggled as you knocked off your GrandBob’s hat and glasses because you were so excited about the game
-laughed as you tried to swing yourself while we were walking down the sidewalk
-gave kisses and hugs as we said goodnight when you got into your mommy and daddy’s car

Today, I said thank you to God for your sweet little soul.

Time to Catch UP

I went to visit my parents for a few days. Just me. No daughter. No granddaughter. Just a plain ‘ole selfish me-visit. Enjoyed good company, good weather and good food! The first pictures are at my aunt’s house on the lake.

A few beautiful goodies from their backyard.



























Future garden with goodness beginning to grow.

Strawberry picking time!

And a few friends from the strawberry farm.

And just because I must….