Firsts. When you’re only four months old there are so many “firsts” to experience.
This was the first time Charlie saw birthday candles being extinguished.
Everyone sang Happy Birthday.

Firsts. When you’re only four months old there are so many “firsts” to experience.
This was the first time Charlie saw birthday candles being extinguished.
Everyone sang Happy Birthday.

March 21st is grandson John Patrick’s 8th birthday.
Where does the time go? Happy Birthday Jack!
love,
FF Ruthie
Jack and Henry
Jack at swim meet last summer 2014
Jack at the Carnegie Museum of Art Sculpture Garden last summer 2014
Sneaking a cookie from cousin Vicci’s wedding cookie table. (Aunt Linda’s curtain veils weren’t enough)
Last year or the year before, I forget which year, I didn’t get a birthday card mailed.
But this year………
since it’s my sister’s birthday Monday,
and she’s going to visit our brother and his wife in Okanogon WA on Tuesday,
I thought I’d bake a cake with our mother’s old recipe. The Happy Day Cake. I decided to cook the old fashioned penuche icing, you have to put your hand on the bottom of the pan after it sits in cool water, then add the 10x sugar and beat it, just like our mom did and frost the layers. Tomorrow after school, I’ll ship it off for them to share.
I put it in a tin, packed it up and it’s in the front hall, taped in a box, ready to mail.
It’s a Happy Day Cake recipe from Swan’s Down Cake Flour box from way back. You can see it written in my sister’s hand on a quilt square from the fiftieth anniversary quilt we made for my parents in 1989.
And I put in a pound of Zeke’s coffee beans to go with it. Happy Birthday Mary.
love,
Ruth
Set alarm about 3:30 AM to catch a 6:25 flight to Nashville, connecting four hours later to Panama City FL.
“Oh beautiful for spacious skies”
Saw these flag pants at the airport
Knitting a horizontal ribbed cowl and two eggs over easy with toast and potatoes, coffee and juice.
Self portrait St. George Island on the Gulf Coast
The closest fireworks I have ever seen. The beach had a number of colorful displays.
Marlene sent a video of the family singing Happy Birthday and I was missing being with them but
Erin baked a beautiful birthday cake, it some candles and my friend’s family sanga again. Very nice.
Thanks for all the nice birthday greetings and wishes.
Fourth of July Birthday is fun. Then the Daily Post said, how do you celebrate July Fourth and I had already posted this one showing my actual birthday cake.
Weekly Photo Challenge: It’s Your Party
Wow! This evening I attended a 100th birthday party for my friend Joan’s father.
I brought my camera and had the privilege of photographing him as he blew out the 100 numerals on his cake.
He really liked the books of unexpected animal relationships.
The cake looked pretty and was enjoyed by all.
Born October 29, 1913 Happy 100th Birthday!
Blowing out the candles
The animal book with the unlikely pairs Reading with granddaughter Molly
With Rusty the long haired Dachsund They really enjoy one another! And sporting his new jacket to wear to the symphony
A lovely party! Grandson Luke is holding Rusty.
A hint, allusion, to something about to happen. Foreshadow. Sounds ominous. Doesn’t have to be.
I remember studying foreshadowing in high school English class. A tough challenge to “nail” this week.







We have interesting friends. Here’s a creative celebration Steve and I went to on Saturday night. What a fun event. Here are a few of the details. Hardtack crackers and dried black-eyed peas. The sheet music for Tenting Tonight on the piano. Photographs and books bearing the General’s likeness. A willingness to celebrate and have fun. A Prantl’s cake with five candles for his rank. I made Rice Pudding after reading that it was a favorite on the Presidents’ Food Timeline. Thanks Tim and Bernadette for being such welcoming hosts. We had a wonderful time!
Happy Birthday Marlene!
It’s a special one. I know you will have a very happy day. It is wonderful being grandmothers together. We have much to be grateful for, don’t we? Do you remember the day we met, before Mark and Erika got married? I remember it like it was just yesterday. What an exciting time and it has only multiplied over the past decade. And you share the birthdate with my mother, who would have been 99 today. Oh my.
So another round of cake- vanilla and vanilla buttercream on the front porch. I am blogging a birthday cake to you cause I have to drive your birthday card around in my car for at least another week or two. Why can’t I get the cards in the mail? Thinking of you as you celebrate. I am right behind you!!! 1-2-3-4 Cake recipe here 12:20 AM 9/3/11 p.s. just got the call that Mark Erika and the four grandchildren made it to your house just after midnight after 8 hours on the road! SURPRISE!! You called and said I GOT YOU!! What a great birthday present. I am so happy you were surprised.
(I mean it would have been nice if someone at work said Happy Birthday or they had a cake for you but having the family surprise you had to be a happy celebration!!)
Went to a surprise 40th birthday party Saturday night. Half chocolate/half vanilla. Potomac Bakery made the cake. The icing edge was smiley face yellow. Her husband and sister pulled it off and I hope he takes my friend the birthday girl to the new restaurant Andora she thought she was going to try. I figured it out- I was a freshman in college when Erin was born! If you want to see what was happening in the world on her birthday, check out the Nov 16, 1970 issue of TIME.

After I had baked the layers and let them cool, I knew I’d frost them before heading out to the Steelers game at Cj’s. Set a table on the front porch to photograph the effort while I waited for Steve to come home to go to the game. The occasion? Happy Birthday Roberta!
