
So grown up, and it happened so quickly.


out her birthday quilt, photographed by Mark.
So grown up, and it happened so quickly.
Happy 17th Birthday dear Anna.
I remember the day you were born here in Pittsburgh, just before dawn.
The first grandchild. I went to school that morning and was so excited. Everyone at school was happy for our family.
Love, FF Ruthie
(Left photo with Murphy taken at Sears photographer unknown.
Right photo 9/26/2020 Pittsburgh weekend )
About 18 years ago Erika, my daughter-in -Law, was pitching this little ceramic pumpkin she had created in elementary school. They were cleaning out the basement. I said No, no no and took it out of the trash. “You have to save it and give it to your children, show your kids someday.” Well her eldest is 17 at the end of this week.
I found this in the back of my China closet. I can’t wait to give her daughter the little ceramic pumpkin her mom made circa 1984. Hoping it doesn’t end up in the trash again
And
Happy Sunday Birthday to Erika.❤️
It’s my sister’s birthday today.
The Happy Day Cake Recipe post is from a birthday post I made for her ten years ago. For many family birthdays it was the 1-2-3-4 Cake recipe or the Happy Day Cake recipe on the back of the Swan’s Down Cake Flour box, frosted with Penuche icing. My mother would put the saucepan filled with boiling brown sugar and butter, into a sink of cold water and then beat it by hand once it cooled.She’d add Confectioner’s sugar to it. I can hear the ring of the metal loop at the end of the pan’s handle. She added a dash of vanilla extract. My dad would pour milk over a stale slice of cake and eat it with a spoon. Cake and frosting recipes below photo.
Happy Day Cake
2½ cups sifted cake flour
1½ cups sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup shortening, at room temperature
1 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
Sift flour with sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir shortening to soften. Add flour mixture, ¾ cup of the milk and vanilla. Mix until all flour is dampened, then beat two minutes at medium speed. Add eggs and remaining ¼ cup milk. Beat one minute longer. Pour into two 9-inch layer pans that have been lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pans; remove from pans and cool thoroughly on racks.
This cake also may be baked in three 8-inch layer pans for 25 to 35 minutes, or in a 13- by 9-inch pan for 30 to 35 minutes. Batter may be spooned into 36 medium paper baking cups in muffin pans, filling half full. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.
In a saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter. Add the brown sugar. Bring to a boil and lower heat to medium low and continue to boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the milk and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cool to lukewarm. Gradually add sifted confectioners’ sugar. Beat until thick enough to spread. If too thick, add a little hot water. Frosts top and sides of a 2-layer cake or a 13×9-inch cake.
Happy Birthday Mary.
I didn’t count the cake posts I’ve created in the last 12 years but if you have time on your hands and like cake you can look at some photos from theblog tagged CAKE here
My Maternal Grandfather was born on September 4,1887.
Judd Dewitt Van Sickle. Durand, Illinois
John Christopher Van Sickle 1851–1927and Lucy Maria Judd Van Sickle 1850–1915 were his parents. He was the one of their seven children, to reach full adulthood, passing in 1975.
The inscription on the back of his baby photo is in my mother’s hand.
“I’m glad it’s your birthday”
Joanne painted this tea bag art and created a greeting card for my July 4th birthday.
My friend Joanne, belongs to an artists’ group in St. Augustine, Florida, -Cafe Sketchers
“Mary Ann Miller is the leader . Our group is the Cafe Sketchers and the blog is Sketching in Provence as a group of them went a few years ago…
We meet at a different cafe each time and sketch and eat. Lately we meet via zoom and share what we’re working on.” Joanne writes
The Sketchers in Provence founder, Mary Ann’s blog post says….
“the idea was to use a teabag in a sketch/painting/print in any way you desired. Ideas included painting directly on dried and emptied teabags (inspired by New York artist Ruby Silvious), printing with the wet bag and making something out of that shape, painting with tea or painting a picture of a teacup. I used tea to dye unbleached muslin to cover my T-Doodles books”
The members painted tea bags and to see their artwork click here
You know I’m always trying to cull the memorabilia around my home. Glad I saved this one as I found it again just in time for today.
This is a birthday card from my mother and father wishing me a happy Fourth of July birthday. The year I turned eleven. 1963. I looked on the back and it’s a Norcross card for 25 cents. I was visiting my godmother in Maybelle, Colorado that birthday. My mother wrote “What a life.to have a ride on a super jet.” The red words are raised and flocked.
A cool find while cleaning out papers in the desk.. my dad’s lengthy messages inside includes an itinerary for my brother’s trip to Philmont Ranch in New Mexico with the Boy Scouts.
There is also a lovely card from my sister from this year, too. Happy Birthday to me😀