100 POSTS

A celebration - 100 posts for The Daily Fiber.   I don't make attachments easily, but this form of journaling has wrapped its arms around me and held on.  And, unlike all of those beautiful notebooks that I've collected and partially filled over the years, THIS story telling 'vessel' provides the photographic illustrations so that you can 'see' what I see.  The small victories and defeats - the little details and profound events - the many layers, real or imagined.  Your "following" is important to me and my story.  I value each and every comment.

 I have been knitting - my perennial Blue Sky Alpaca "Silk Alpaca" in a color that defines spring for me.  It is almost willow-green - a twin to those first tender shoots that are emerging now.

Airing out the batik 'biscuit' coverlet - old fashioned tied and pieced in those spring greens, caribbean blues ...

The morning began with baking.  My BFF is having family in for the weekend and I volunteered to bring over a cake.  She works so hard during the week that there isn't much energy left by Friday night - and since I am a free agent, without restriction for the next few weeks, I have enough get-up-and-go for the both of us.   I decided to make my 'Bishop's Cake' which is easy and delicious and if there are left-overs - they are sensational to toast.  Basically, it's a glorified pound cake.  I won't tell you how much butter goes into this bad boy.

Out of the oven, sans frosting.  The thing is - this little beauty will never see a frosting.  While I was preparing it, I did something that I have never done in 30+ years of baking; I dropped an eggshell into the batter and before I could turn the mixer off, it incorporated the shell into the mix.  There was no turning back - I fished out what I could and threw the rest into the bundt pan to bake.  I'll set this out, in the form of crumbs, for the birds.  This cake calls for 5 eggs, so I had to go to the little farm up the road and buy more eggs.  Starting over ... but this time I'm in the mood for something a bit more dramatic, and I happen to have some nice oranges waiting in a bowl.

Orange Poppy-Seed Bundt Cake w/Orange Glaze - from the Silver Palate Cookbook


8 TBS sweet butter
1 1/2 c granulated sugar
4 eggs
2 c flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 c milk
1/2 c poppy seeds
1 tsp vanilla extract
grated zest of 2 oranges
orange glaze


Preheat oven to 325, grease a 10" bundt pan
Cream butter with sugar until fluffy and light
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each
Sift dry ingredients together and add to creamed mixture alternately with milk
Fold in poppy seeds, vanilla and grated orange zest
Pour batter into prepared bundt pan
Bake 50 - 60 minutes, let rest in pan for 30 minutes before turning out
When cake has cooled on rack, prick holes in it with a toothpick and pour glaze evenly over the top


Orange Glaze
1/4 c fresh orange juice
1/4 granulated sugar


Combine in a small saucepan and simmer gently for 5 minutes, until a light syrup forms


Enjoy!

The daffodils were asking to come home with me this morning.  I picked them from my friend Louise's garden.  Louise is not living in her house any longer, but her spirit remains behind, informing all who stop by that she is far from gone - that she has simply moved on to the next level.  I have a lot to say about Louise and I will, in time.


So I have sent 100 posts out into Blog World.
Before I actually hit my first Publish Post button, I was hyper-aware of my language.  I spent a lot of time editing these short posts.  It was important to me not to bring the sorrow and darkness that I had been experiencing in 2009 to this journal.  I mean, really.  Who wants to 'follow' the posts of a sometimes maniacally depressed individual - one who can be needy and despondent, crazy and depleted, but always, and I mean ALWAYS, willing to pony up the good stuff?   I limped along, dropping little slices of my fiber life and some of you decided to follow me into the woods.  You love to create as I do - to stupid excess!!!!  I think that we are grand.  Thank you all for helping me to be more courageous and authentic.