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: July 4th
photo taken by our sister Mary
Always good to have a birthday
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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It’s My Big Seven O on 7/4! Oh my!
Happy birthday to me. It’s a fun birthdate. July Fourth.
Grateful to be in Columbus, celebrating my milestone birthday. And it’s a big one!
I made it through my seventieth year.
Snail Mail
It’s a delight to find personal mail in the mailbox. Thanks to friends and family for mailing these thoughtful birthday cards. H
ow about the 3-D stove my sister sent?
Happy to celebrate my birthday today.
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 
Grateful for Birthdays
Grateful for birthdays. It was a happy but quiet celebration. Glad my sister is here. More family coming in soon. It was a relaxing day.
Steve, Mary and I took a walk around the Highland Park Reservoir after supper. We got drenched when a sudden thunderstorm appeared just after I took these photos of the peaceful water.
Our power has been out a few hours now. Heard a tree is down on Highland Avenue. Wires down. Hope it can be fixed soon.
Okay Can You See?
We’re celebrating the Fourth of July in Virginia. I’m grateful for another birthday.
When I was Maura’s age I used to think all the fireworks were just for me on my birthday. Ha!
Not sure if there will be fireworks to celebrate the fourth as there’s rain and more rain.
My granddaughter Maura (4) sings the Star Spangled Banner with a slight alteration of the opening lyrics.
“Okay, can you see?” or more like “O-O-O-Okay can you see”
The title for this post could also be How to Photograph Four Kids at a Time. I’ve had a lot of practice. It’s not impossible but to get ALL four with their best expression is not an easy task. Add the new puppy Henry to the effort.
I’ve used the -get ’em in action method- quite a few times. On the playground, the backyard, the hula hoop, the swing, the bicycle. Anything so they aren’t conscious of Grandma’s lens.
The sitting around all in a row or even staggered grouping and looking at my lens with the old CHEEEEESE doesn’t work for me. Or them Not that I haven’t tried. Canon 70-200mm L series lens ISO 100 f/2.8 1/125 I’m up on the front porch.
On Your Mark-
And they’re off-
Uh oh not that view of Henry. Henry, turn around.
Oh Henry, turn around. Nah, too posed looking. ACTION!
Maura, Anna, Michael and Jack and Henry
Here they come.
Anna calls to Henry to join them.
He’s getting it now
A moment of childhood captured.
Maura doesn’t like coming in last. Henry is watching the cows in the field next door.
Ohio House Front Yard
The blog has been a real family effort since I have been on vacation. My DIL drove by slowly so I could shoot the giant flag and Mustang on the lawn. This is one of those 100+ days we had in early July. Already we are past mid July! Oh my.
Now it’s drought conditions around here so the lawns are more brown. The thunderstorms just don’t provide enough precipitation
