An 8 Year Birthday

I'm going to try to do all new cakes this year so we can find some favorites for future years. The four layers in this one was fun. We liked the raspberry-mixed-with-frosting filling. The marshmallow-creme-like frosting wasn't too exciting though. Overall look was very nice, but flavor was a little lacking. Hmm. Maybe I could make some adjustments for improvement.
Happy to be 8.

A C.S. Lewis gift from Grammy and Papa. :-)

Spring-like Weather

It has been just beautiful here, with temperatures in the 60's, bright blue skies and lots of sunshine. All this in February! It makes me start thinking of spring, and my bulbs and flowers starting to bloom. Although it makes me long for that, I know that spring is actually a long ways off. We actually don't have much of a spring here on the high desert, it jumps from winter right into summer most years. But I can dream...

The above picture was taken last year in Woodland, Washington at the Lilac Gardens there. We can't grow camellias, as they most often bloom in January and February, usually in the middle of a deep freeze here. But since I grew up in Seattle where my Dad and grandmother both grew outstanding camellias I long for them this time of year. The pink ones above are delightful, but my particular favorites are pink and white variegated. My mother used to send me to school with a blossom or two for my teachers, and she floated the blooms on water in a crystal bowl for display.

We are leaving on vacation today and will be in Woodland briefly. I will just have to stop and make time for a quick visit to the Lilac Gardens to satisfy my longings to see these beautiful shrubs and blooms. I will be gone from blogging for about 10 days and hopefully Julie will be able to cover for me. I know she will have a few photos from Williams birthday tomorrow anyway. I'll post a few more photos of camellias when I return : )

Paper Romance

This is an antique tray that I recently found in helping to clean out my in-laws basement. Grandma Addie had taped in a series of photos from the 1970's and I took these photos out to put them in an Asmussen scrapbook of their lives. What to do with the tray? I found an immediate answer for this month anyway...by showcasing a few old valentines and calling cards along with paper doilies. It made a very fun display for Valentines Day.

My favorite one didn't show up too well in the photograph. (It's the one with the glare) No matter how I photographed the tray it still had a glare on that card. However, it has little dainty violets and a lavender ribbon on it. Especially pretty. The detail on these cards and papers is exquisite. Now what to do with the tray next month? I will let you know!

Old Books and Old Valentines

I am always attracted by anything old, and old books and old valentines are no exception. In a family sale after the death of John's Grandma Brown I found this wonderful old book "The Quiver of Love". The copyright is 1876, London.

Here is the flyleaf with a description of the contents...

There is a wonderful collection of old valentines in this book, most of which I have never read before. Here is a sample:

AN INVITATION

Come dance in the meadows,

The cowslips are there,

Nodding their heads

In the sweet scented air.

The bluebells make music

Which we cannot hear,

And play for the fairies,

Whose delicate ear

Can catch all the talk

Of each insect and flower:

They see in my eyes

Love increasing each hour."

M.E.G

There are beautiful full page illustrations from drawings by Kate Greenaway and Walter Crane that are just delightful.

Some famous love poems are also included like this:

"Come live with me and be my love,
And we will all the pleasures prove
That hills and valleys, dale and field,
And all the craggy mountains yield...."
Marlowe

I put this book out on display every February and revel in love poetry.

Oat Scones

I really have about two different types of things to contribute. It's usually cooking or baby things. I really do love to cook and it's one way for me to foster creative expression in something I "must" do (we do have to eat after all). So here's my contribution. I tried a winner of a new recipe this week. I have several recipes for scones and yet I try more, because one can't have too many recipes for scones. I really liked these, plus they are make-ahead (love those), plus they taste great a day or two after baked. I got this recipe out of the Christ Church of Moscow, Idaho cookbook, called Hot Providence. It used to be for sale on-line but is sadly out of print right now. I have really benefited from my copy.

OAT SCONES

2 cups oats

2 cups flour (I did this amount of home-ground, pastry wheat flour)

1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour (I did this quantity of organic, white, un-bleached flour)

3/4 cup sugar (Really good with a natural, granular sugar)

2 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. salt

1 cup dried fruit of choice (I did raisins)

1 cup plus 2 Tbs. butter, cut into chunks (I did 1 cup at room temperature)

2/3 cup buttermilk

1 Tbs. heavy cream, for glaze

Stir dry ingredients together except the dried fruit. Cut in butter, mix in fruit. Add buttermilk; stir until moistened and binding. Roll the dough out and make into a rectangle. Place dough on saran-wrap and cut into triangles. Wrap with saran-wrap and foil. Freeze for 2 hours or up to 1 month. Place frozen scones on baking sheet and glaze with heavy cream. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

I made these on Saturday and baked them on Sunday morning while we were getting ready for church. That's why I love make-ahead recipes. A special breakfast that's fast on Saturday and virtually no prep on Sunday. A good find in my book.

Romance and Old Buttons

February is here and it is the 'pink' month for me...valentines are best in pink and white. I do really like pink or rose, and so I welcome this month when I can revel in pink and lace and all things romantic. On a little table by my wing chair I have set up several candles in shades of deep rose to pink to white, along with a pink dish of antique buttons. It is very pretty in the evening to light the candles and enjoy the fireplace. I don't remember where I got the pink dish, but it works to hold a few of my old buttons in shades of white and ecru to even a light tan. I love the feel of these buttons...they are so smooth, probably worn by the washing of the garments they used to adorn. My granddaughters like to string buttons and play with them, but are more interested in buttons from the more recent past that have a greater variety. Still, these are my favorites and I like getting them out for pink month.

Crockpot Cooking

Just before the doctor had me sit down for a 'spell', I gave a friend my old round crock pot that had a broken lid (she really did want it) and replaced it with this nice new oval one. It has such a nice shape, it fits whole roasts and chickens much better than the old one. With my insurance man doing most of the cooking these days, we have been using this crock pot frequently so that dinner is ready when he gets home. We recently tried a new recipe that we enjoyed using a roast and veggies, so I thought I would share the recipe for any who would like to try something different this month.

The recipe is called 'Pot Roast with Noodles' and is from 'Crockery Cookbook' by Better Homes and Gardens.
1 2-to-2 1/2 lb beef chuck pot roast
1 T. cooking oil

2 medium carrots, coarsely chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. quick-cooking tapioca

1 14.5 can Italian style stewed tomatoes
1 6 ounce can tomato paste
1 T. brown sugar
1/2 t. salt
pepper to taste
1 bay leaf

4 cups hot cooked noodles

1) Trim fat from pot roast. If necessary, cut roast to fit into crock pot. In a large skillet brown roast on all sides in hot oil.

2) Meanwhile, in the crock pot place carrots, celery, onion, and garlic. Sprinkle tapioca over vegetables. Place the browned roast on top of the vegetables.

3) In a bowl combine undrained tomatoes, tomato paste, brown sugar, salt, pepper, and bay leaf...pour over the meat.

4) Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 10 to 12 hours or on high-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours. (I usually start it on high for an hour or so to get it cooking, and then finish on low for a total of 7-8 hours) Discard bay leaf and skim any fat. Remove meat to serve, then stir up veggies and serve over hot noodles.

This is a picture of the roast covered with the sauce before cooking.

This is a down home comfort food type of dish and my insurance man was pleased with the results!