photo taken by our sister Mary
My friend Vincie took me to a delicious birthday dinner at Off the Hook on my birthday eve tonight. Here’s the fancy dessert.
Happy birthday to me😂
Grateful to celebrate another year!
photo taken by our sister Mary
Tag: Fourth of July
photo taken by our sister Mary
I’m Going to Bake a Cake
Reblogged: 1-2-3-4 CAKE RECIPE
HAPPY DAY OR 1-2-3-4 CAKE?
IF YOU’VE BEEN FOLLOWING THE BLOG SINCE THE BEGINNING, YOU MIGHT REMEMBER THE PHOTOS AND RECIPES.ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, I’VE POSTED OUR “GO TO” BIRTHDAY CAKE RECIPES.
MY SISTER GOT ME THE ONE SWAN’S DOWN VINTAGE CAKE PAN IN OMAK, WASHINGTON WHEN WERE VISITING OUR BROTHER ONE SUMMER.
I DID MAIL A BIRTHDAY CARD TO MY SISTER. (UNUSUAL FOR ME THAT IT WASN’T BELATED)
IN MY FAMILY, WE’D TRY TO GET IT IN THE OCTAVE,AS MY MOM WOULD CALL IT. ENJOY YOUR DAY!
HAPPY DAY CAKE RECIPE-
For 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 into a sink of cold water and then beat it by hand once it cooled. I can hear the ring of the metal loop at the end of the pan’s handle. And as I remember it she added a dash of vanilla extract. My dad would pour milk over a slice 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.
Penuche Frosting Butter is Key
INGREDIENTS:
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar, more or less
- hot water, optional
PREPARATION:
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.
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A Birthday Card from 1963
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😀
Pittsburgh Fireworks 4th of July
Along Grandview Avenue 
At Sixes and Sevens?
“Sabina’s opening monologue from Thornton Wilder’s 1942 Pulitzer Prize winning play The Skin of Our Teeth: “The whole world’s at sixes and sevens, and why the house hasn’t fallen down about our ears long ago is a miracle to me” – Wikipedia
Today I’m sixty seven. That number seemed to come up quickly! Sixty seven isn’t exactly at sixes and sevens -which is defined as “a state of confusion or disarray”- but the phrase certainly came to mind when I thought of my new age for the year. I looked up the origin and meaning of the phrase and you can click the blue phrase for more details.
In light of a recent conversation I was asked, “what would your seventy seven year old self write in a letter as advice to heed now?”
Hmmmm, I didn’t start writing the actual letter yet but here’s a start-
Dear 67 year old Ruth,
What can I tell you from the vantage point and wisdom of 77 years of age?
Are you living your life to the absolute fullest every single day? Come on, be honest.
Tell me how are you coming along with your practice of that Golden Rule? Be kind.
Are you making a point to learn from past mistakes or are you repeating them? What did you learn today? You can still increase your vocabulary.
Be sure to become less judgmental, less critical and always choose to take that elusive high road. Difficult, isn’t it? It will be no easier when you’re 77 years old. Trust me. To whine and complain is tiresome and unattractive. Don’t do it.
Work on your listening skills. Hear what others are saying. Ouch.
You know you should really commit to doing serious physical exercise, eat more dark leafy greens, drink lots of water and by the way, what’s with all that cheese? Take good care of yourself and avoid the sun.
Be sure to clear out all those possessions you’ve accumulated all these years so your grown up kids aren’t burdened later. Just remember- no one wants your stuff.
Becoming 67 today doesn’t mean you’re at sixes and sevens for the year.
Anyway have a good birthday-and be grateful you have one.
Love ❤️.
Multiply it to the nth power.
My baby cup.
An Unexpected Birthday Gift
My former photography teacher, Germaine Watkins, laser engraved this personal wineglass for my birthday. You might have seen last week’s blog about his Haiti Photographs. He is one of the portraits of the People at Work.
He brought the personalized gift last night to my photography show. He etched fireworks for my July 4th birthday, loops of yarn for my knitting, my name and birthdate and a little cross to represent my being a PK. Sweet. Thanks Germaine. What a nice surprise.
Germaine Watkins show link below and the photo of Haiti’s countryside that I bought which is now hanging in my dining room.
https://rutheh.com/2018/06/30/pittsburghs-spring-garden-neighborhood-summer-evening/
July 4th Celebration
Good to be alive at sixty-five.
Happy Medicare card to me. I can get that free bus pass now.
My sister and I are in Columbus OH on the big birthday eve after our family gatherings and driving over 1700 miles.
Laura and James hosting a July 4th birthday celebration for me tomorrow.
Here’s a photo collage with some of my favorite things- my family, pignoli, fireworks, coffee ice cream, raspberries, Zeke’s coffee, reading books, teapots, knitting and sock monkeys. Oh yes, a few shots of me throughout the years.
Oh say can you see
Maura watched the rockets red glare-
A fireworks show at The Lakes.
Fireworks fit the theme Transient perfectly.
My brother and sister and I drove 484 miles from Rockford Illinois to Columbus Ohio. Plenty of time until it got dark enough.
Patriotic Sock Yarn and Red, White and Blue Party Items
My friend Joanne sent me red, white and blue birthday party napkins, cupcake papers, glow bracelets, tiny fairie lights, and some fun hand-dyed sock yarn– labeled You’re a Grand Old Flag. Self striping. You know how I’ve been into sock knitting this year.
My being born (is that proper English?)on the Fourth of July inspires her selections. You might remember the cupcake tree she sent one year? That post has the 1-2-3-4 Cake Recipe .
How about those Red white and blue chocolate covered Sunflower seeds? Where do you find this stuff?
I’m back in Ohio and the kids are coming over to celebrate Monday. We will put the items to good use.
Thanks J. It’s going to be a happy birthday party. Can’t wait to knit the socks. And wear them!
The Story of the Flag Dishes
My friend J found these dishes in a kitchen consignment store in Omaha-The Pot and Ladle.
J had them packed and moved with her when she relocated to Florida.
And then she wrapped them in bubble wrap and packed them herself in about eight boxes and shipped them to me in Pittsburgh.
When your birthday is the Fourth of July, people see red white and blue and think of you.
Last night I had house guests so got up and baked blueberry muffins with a container of greek yogurt (vanilla) and used one of the American Colonial plates (designed by Warren Kimble in 1997) When I looked up Warren Kimble it said he is “the best known living American Folk Artist”
(noticed I used the red, white and blue potholder I wove a few years ago)
