Birthday the 32nd

Another birthday has come and gone and I'm a year older. I love having my birthday in June -- I think it is the best month of the year to be born! It's always beautiful on my birthday!


Yesterday we took a day trip to celebrate my birthday, and I was so blessed to have so many of my beloved family along -- Douglas, the children, my sister-in-law, my parents, and grandmother all made it special! We ate lunch at a classy restaurant and then went to a nearby park with lots of attractions. A lookout tower to climb...






And a lake for paddling in. How fun are these swan boats? Reminds me of Make Way for Ducklings.


I attempted a selfie with Rosie while we were on the water. She was very dubious about wearing a lifejacket at first, but once we got going, she seemed to warm up to the idea of messing about in boats.


And there was a family of real swans!


I made myself a new sundress to wear on my birthday. It's been a long time since I've made a vintage-inspired dress to wear! This one was cobbled together from a vintage 80s pattern of my mom's and a basic sundress pattern of mine, and I drafted the 50s-inspired bodice details myself. The navy gingham came from Hobby Lobby. I have been pleasantly surprised by their fabric offerings lately! I think they are making an effort to cater to home apparel sewists (not just quilters and crafters), which I appreciate.




Then home for a lovely birthday dinner at my mom's. I always look forward to pink roses in June.


I feel very blessed indeed to have so much love showered on me on my birthday.

Collecting winter whites

A rosy day in February

Yesterday our baby Rosamund turned one year old! At breakfast, she opened some handmade cards from her siblings and a gift from Mommy and Daddy.


She has been in danger of getting very attached to a very soft, but very ugly, orange plaid throw blanket that we have. We gave her her own soft pink baby blanket from Berkshire Blanket. See those fingers in the mouth? That's a sign of contentedness. I think the switcheroo will go unnoticed.


She also received the felt rose hairclip, which I battled to keep in place all day long, and some new chocolate brown leather shoes made by me. I'll post about those soon.


I asked my mom if we could have the birthday luncheon at her house, so she provided the beautiful table while I contributed the food. We had tomato bisque and a variety of small, savory sandwiches and crudités, with cake and tea for dessert.


Mom set the table with vintage dishes belonging to Rosamund's great-great-great-grandmother. I sure hope Rosamund loves roses as much as I do, because the rose theme is not slacking off anytime soon!


For her first birthday cake, I used our champagne blush wedding cake recipe, which I've not tasted since our wedding. I thought the recipe was lost, but when I mentioned it to my mom, she found it for me. Whew!


Happy day celebrating a precious little lady. We love you, Rosamund!

Pink roses

Violet Cream Cake

Lavinia's birthday cake deserves its own post! I don't consider myself to be an expert baker or anything, but I wanted to create something special for our little girl's first birthday. I had some ideas floating around in my head, and I'm happy to say the end result was beautiful and delicious! Unfortunately, there's only a short time frame in the spring to make this with fresh violets, but you could easily substitute a different kind of filling and decoration at different times of the year. (Or, make violet jelly in the spring to use as the filling, and make or buy sugared violets for the decoration.)


VIOLET CREAM CAKE
FOR THE CAKE (adapted from Treasured Recipes from the Charleston Cake Lady by Teresa Pregnall):

• 2 packages of (18.5 oz.) Duncan Hines white cake mix
• 2/3 c. granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 2 c. sour cream
• 1 c. vegetable or canola oil
• 8 large eggs

FOR THE FILLING:

• 2 c. of freshly-picked violets from a herbicide-free lawn, stems removed
• 1 c. water
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 3 tbsp. freshly-squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. cornstarch

FOR THE FROSTING:

• 4 c. heavy whipping cream
• powdered sugar, to taste

FOR THE DECORATION:

• around 2 dozen freshly-picked violets from a herbicide-free lawn, stems removed
• other flowers as desired

To make the cake: Prepare three 9-inch cake pans by generously greasing them with butter or shortening. Add a little flour to the pan and tap the pan around until it is evenly coated with flour, then shake the excess out. Trace three circles of wax paper using the bottom of the pan as a guide. Cut out the wax paper circles, then press one circle into the bottom of each pan (they should fit smoothly).

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, sugar, flour, sour cream, and oil. Add the eggs and mix on low speed for 1 minute. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat for four minutes, or until light and fluffy.

Pour 1/4 of the batter into each of the prepared pans (this will leave you with 1/4 of the batter left over, which will make you a dozen cupcakes if you like). Set the oven temperature to 325º F and bake for around 33 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool on wire racks. (I baked mine in two batches -- two cake pans in one batch, one cake pan and one muffin tin of cupcakes in the second batch, taking the cupcakes out after about 25 minutes. I have no idea if you could bake them all at once -- like I said, not a baking expert.) :)

To make the violet filling: Combine violets, water, and sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for two hours. Strain the syrup through a sieve, pressing on the petals to extract all the liquid. Add lemon juice. Mix cornstarch in 1/4 c. cold water. Add to syrup and simmer until thickened, stirring frequently.

To make the frosting: Pour the whipping cream into a large metal bowl that has been chilled in the freezer. Beat on medium-high until the cream becomes thick and spreadable. Add powdered sugar to sweeten to taste.

To assemble the cake: Spread the violet filling onto two of the cakes, half on each. Spread whipped cream over that. Place one of the violet/whipped cream cakes onto the other, then place the plain cake on top of those two. Make sure all three cake layers are centered. Spread whipped cream over the top and sides of all three layers. Decorate with freshly-picked violets by pressing the flowers gently into the whipped cream. Add additional decorative flowers as desired (making sure not to eat them if they are not edible).


I served the cake with homemade blueberry ice cream, which turns out to be the most beautiful shade of purple. I found that both the cake and ice cream are delicious enough that I preferred to enjoy them separately, but it was nice to have an extra punch of purple.

"Where the nodding violet grows..."

We are having an exceptionally late spring in Nebraska this year -- flowers that have usually come and gone by early May are only just blooming out! It's been hard to wait patiently for warmer weather and the beauty of spring, but there is an upside. :) My sweet Lavinia's first birthday is coming up soon and I plan to bedeck the festivities with as many beautiful blooms as I can!

I found all five of these color variations of violets in our backyard. In previous years, I've only picked violets for small bouquets, but this year I want to try a few culinary endeavors, which means gathering a lot of violets. It's hard to find the time to concentrate on such a task. I thought I could get Edmund involved in picking the violets but his attention span for such an activity doesn't last long. He prefers "mowing" the grass with his toy lawnmower or swinging under the crabapple tree. He did present me with a handful of violets and dandelions, saying, "I picked a posy for you, Mama!" He is so sweet.

Life in snapshots

Douglas surprised me with an iPhone in March. Before he handed it over, I barely knew what a smart phone was. I hadn't carried a personal cell phone in years. But oh my, it's a handy little thing! One feature I especially love is the ability to capture photos and video so easily. I'm a little bit lazy about recording things about my children as they grow, so this is a boon to me. Now I have a video of Edmund saying, "You're my sweet love, Mama" that I can watch over and over when I'm 99 years old. And when I'm too busy to haul out my "real" camera, I can still take snapshots of life. Here are a few from Instagram that I've taken over the past two months...

[from top to bottom, left to right:]

1) I made a huge double batch of Sweet Potato, Carrot, Apple, and Red Lentil Soup while I was pregnant -- half to eat right away and half to freeze for post-baby. I added 1 teaspoon of garam masala to the linked recipe, which turned a good soup into greatness. Curry powder would also be a yummy option.
2) Douglas asked me what I wanted for Mother's Day, and I told him a bouquet of peonies. He delivered! And the smell of these beauties made my last week of pregnancy a little more bearable.
3) A newborn babe with the most beautiful little profile. That nose definitely comes through my husband's genes!
4) A border-print cotton poplin that is waiting to be turned into a vintage-style dirndl skirt... as soon as my waist loses a few more inches. ;-)
5) We took a break from packing on the evening of my birthday to enjoy dinner at my favorite local restaurant. I ordered their delectable sticky toffee pudding one last time!
6) The last view out our apartment balcony before moving. Goodbye, soybean field!
7) My curmudgeonly old cat, who continues to reside with my parents, was here to greet us in Nebraska. Well, maybe "greet" isn't the right word. How about "tolerate."
8) Now that I'm awakened several times in the night by a certain little lady, my morning cuppa has become a necessity again. It's like a beacon light in a great fog.
9) My mom's David Austin rosebush is still producing a few blooms for us to enjoy, though all the other roses have come and gone. What's not to love about this plant -- they look gorgeous, smell heavenly, and bloom often!
10) My toes are sporting Revlon's "Minted" nail polish right now.

Springtime beauty

We have been having the most beautiful spring here in Indiana that we've ever experienced since moving here three and a half years ago! It feels like a gift from God as this will be our last spring to enjoy here.

God has opened a small door for us after we have been praying and waiting for one for the past three years. We'll be moving back to Nebraska shortly after our baby is born. At first we will likely have to live with my parents for a short while, but then we'll be moving to a house only a few blocks away once it is ready for us.

I'm excited to have some of the things I've been missing the past three years of apartment-living -- a yard for Edmund and the baby to play in, a place to take walks with the kids without having to drive anywhere, space for some gardening, and less cramped living quarters! Not to mention ready-and-willing babysitters just a few blocks away. ;-)

Meanwhile, Douglas will have the opportunity to work on some entrepeneurial endeavors. There's no knowing where the next few years will take us, so it is especially a time to trust God for provision, care, and guidance.

[Dutchman's Breeches -- a favorite springtime flower from my Illinois girlhood that does not grow wild in Nebraska as it does here in the eastern Midwest.]
Of course, we will miss our Indiana church and friends. We're trying to savor the things we enjoy about living here these last few months. Douglas likes the taller trees that you find in the eastern part of the Midwest. It seems silly, but I'll miss the grocery stores I frequent. :) (Though it will be fun to coordinate shopping trips with my mom or grandma, to have an extra hand with wrasslin' two babes and a shopping cart.)

"Have I not commanded you?
Be strong and courageous.
Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged,
for the LORD your God will be with you
wherever you go."
--Joshua 1:9

Grand Hotel

Thanks for playing along with my little guessing game! Each of the photos I shared held a clue, which I'll now explain to you. The first photo shows that we were near water, and the subjects -- red geraniums -- are the "trademark flowers" of the hotel where we stayed. Photo #2 depicts a horse-drawn carriage, one of the main modes of transportation on the island (the other options are bicycling and walking). The third photograph shows lilacs blooming in late June, indicating a northern location. And the final photo shows a long porch, which is the façade of Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, Michigan!


We were very blessed by the wonderful opportunity to stay at this hotel for one night in the midst of a week-long reunion of my dad's family. Mackinac Island is situated just between the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan, in Lake Huron, and is a historic summer destination. The hotel was built in 1887 and is beautifully kept, both inside and out.

My dad treated some of the ladies of the family to afternoon tea after we arrived at the hotel. How luxurious to sit in the beautiful parlor after a day of traveling by land and sea! We were each given a plate of savory sandwiches and a plate of sweets, plus our own pot of English Breakfast tea.


Each of the 385 guest rooms at the hotel has its own unique décor, so here's a peek at ours! I loved the striped wallpaper, floral chintz fabric, and mint green ceiling. :)


Part of the fun of staying here is that guests are required to dress for dinner. If you know me, you know I love an excuse to dress up. I seized the opportunity to wear a 1920s-style beaded dress Douglas gave me for my birthday two years ago. I did my best to approximate an "Eton crop" by slicking my hair down and pulling the length up into a bun at the nape of the neck.

Dinner was a delicious five-course affair. My favorite dish was the Salad Caprese -- I am going to try to replicate it in my own kitchen! We even did a little dancing after dinner. Douglas has taught me some basic Lindy Hop steps so I can act like I know what I'm doing.

The following day was gloriously sunny, so after a wonderful breakfast we enjoyed some family time playing croquet and lawn bowling on the lawn in front of the hotel. Douglas went on a garden tour and showed me some of the highlights afterwards. It was amazing to see lilacs and peonies still in bloom in late June! We also took advantage of the swimming pool and Edmund had his first successful pool time (he has rather hated being in the water until recently).


[pink poppies in the gardens -- lovely!]
After a late lunch, we boarded the ferry to return to the mainland. For me, it was surely the most unforgettable experience of our vacation!

Guess where?

Can you guess where we were this week?

A posy of violets

I love the simplicity of a little bouquet of violets in a pretty glass vase. Placing it on a windowsill allows the light to filter through the petals in a most becoming way.


Despite the wonderful sunshine in Arizona, I wouldn't miss the beautiful Midwestern spring for anything. It's my favorite time of year!

Tulips

Happy St. Valentine's Day!

[White hyacinths Douglas gave me for St. Valentine's Day]
Are you doing anything to celebrate St. Valentine's Day? Douglas and I had a special dinner last night, since he is working tonight. I chose to fix dishes that don't take too much preparation, but are still something fun and special. Our menu was as follows:

• organic roasted red pepper and tomato soup with sour cream and dill
  
• Welsh rarebit
  
• brussels sprouts
  
• burgundy mushrooms
  
• Peter Rabbit chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream (so called because the recipe comes from one of my brother's childhood cookbooks)

After dinner, we watched The Young Victoria, which I had been wanting to see for a while. I'm always up for a good costume drama. :)

October morning

For my (sporadic) daily constitutional, I like to walk along the country road that heads north from our apartment. I carry Edmund with me in a front-pack or more recently, a backpack (front or back, he is still a heavy load). The traffic is reasonably sparse and there is a lot of beauty to be admired along the way.


Melting frost on the grass.


Vibrant, colorful trees.


Long shadows from an early-morning sun.


Reflections in the creek.


I love seeing what wildflowers are blooming at different times of the year. Right now we have purple and white asters, goldenrod, and once in a while, the last of the Queen Anne's lace.

(As an aside, I am always reading about Michaelmas daisies in my books, and I finally looked them up. Turns out it's the British name for asters.)


Edmund's favorite part of the walk is when we pass the dogs. You can see one waiting for us in the background. I don't know what kind of tree this is, but it looks gorgeous right now. It has no leaves, but retains vibrant red-orange fruit of some kind (about the size of crabapples). Any clues?



"He hath made every thing beautiful in His time: also He hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end." --Ecclesiastes 3:11