Ryan Patrick is 7!  Bowling anyone?

My Chris had them all in order, for about one minute!  They had so much fun!  I even got to bowl a few frames.  I’m a pretty good bowler.  Oh, did I mention we had bumpers?

Today wasn’t Ryan’s actual birthday, it was May 17th.  We celebrated on his birthday and at the family lake house with a very fun party my awesome Mother-in-Law orchestrated and today with Ryan’s classmates.  Up until this morning, I hadn’t made him his special birthday cake.

My little guy loves Scooby Doo.  I looked high and low the night before for a pre-made cake.  Yes, I was going to buy a cake!  I could not find anything Scooby Doo, pre made or otherwise.  No decorations.  Nothing.  Ok,  I’ll be making a cake in the morning.

I went on line and found this image and printed it.  This was going to be the cake!  Like his Mama, my guy loves chocolate! I was delighted.  My go to chocolate cake is the recipe on the back of the Hershey’s Cocoa box.  It’s the most delicious and moist cake I’ve ever had.  You MUST try!

There was pizza.  Lemonade.  Singing.  Cake.  Presents.  Good day.

I can’t believe my baby is 7.  Whew, I have a whole year to figure out what I’m going to make for his next birthday!

Have a great day!

Angie

Good Evening All-

It is about to finally start warming up here in Chicago!  Interesting because we were sitting out on the deck for St. Patrick’s Day!  Looking forward to getting outside and digging in the dirt in my garden.  March was very warm, so I put my hummingbird feeder out…..can’t wait for my favorite feathered creatures to arrive. It is the highlight of my summer, so awesome!

I haven’t been consistently posting for awhile.  Lack of energy.  I’ve had tons of fatigue over the past few years and was talking to my good friend Terri.  She recommended that I have some blood work done to find out what food sensitivities I may have as fatigue can be directly related to diet.   When I broached the subject with my endocrine doctor a couple of years ago, she said my life was most likely making me tired, so I let it go.  This is a doctor I completely respect so I do not intend to take anything away from her incredible abilities!  Four years ago this month, she saved my life.  I am so thankful for her.

This week, just for grins, I decided to eliminate wheat from my diet.  At first I thought I was imagining things.  I actually felt like I had more energy…interesting.  I also felt my mid section getting smaller…also interesting.   I strongly suspect that I have a wheat issue.  Will have blood work results in a couple of weeks.

If you know me at all, you know that I am a HUGE baker.  I’ve got working with butter, sugar, flour and eggs down.  I absolutely love everything about it.   I love being in my cozy kitchen turning out beautiful and delectable baked goods.  I love the joy it brings to the people I serve it to.  I love it being the center of many joyful celebrations.  It makes me very, very happy.

As it turns out, gluten free baking is possible but entirely different from what I’ve done all my life, a  completely different science.  Ahhh.  A challenge.   I am so up for it!

Take care:-)

Angie

Farewell to my beautiful little feathered friends!  It was mid September when I took these shots in my back yard.  They were buzzing around the feeder more than ever getting ready for their long trek south.  I stood outside about 10 yards away from the feeder very still for about 15 minutes with my camera focused on the feeder.  This is the first time I’d ever gotten really good photos of my humming birds.

About a month ago I was at my kitchen sink and noticed a humming bird hovering around my window.  I couldn’t figure out why she’d be there as there are no flowers or feeders there.  Then I noticed a spider web floating in the air and the hummingbird was tugging on it with her long beak.  I know that they use spider webs for building their nests but I’ve never seen anything like that before.  It made me curious why she’d be interested in the web this late in the summer, maybe securing her nest for winter???  Winterizing her nest???

These little creatures bring me so much joy:-)  Safe travels and I’ll have plenty of nectar for you next year!

Angie

Humans aren’t the only ones anxious for spring!  My hibiscus has been flowering consistently over the past couple of months!  My African Violets were in full bloom a couple of months ago.  They displayed gorgeous periwinkle colored flowers.

I’ve had this orchid for 3 years this May.  I remember this because my friend Nora brought me this plant when I was in the midst of thyroid cancer treatment.  I could not part with it.  I felt a bit of a spiritual connection to it.  The plant/leaves  looked healthy so if it could thrive, so could I.

Originally I think I was under watering.  I decided last spring/summer to put it on the deck thinking that if nothing happend I’d have to get rid of it.  Then  and unexpected rain absolutely drenched the plant.  It immediately flourished!  It sprouted new leaves and perked up as if to say, “ah, thank you!”

After I brought it in last fall, it began to sprout what looked to be a stem from the center.  I consistently watered twice a week and now,  flowers.  Whether cooking or caring for delicate house plants, all requires patience.

Love the rain we’ve been getting.  The narcissus have popped out of the ground, the butterfly bushes are sprouting leaves and many of our early flowering plants have leaves growing out of the base.  Yippee!

Of course, this all is food related.  Why you might ask?  As soon as our deck is chock-full of flowers, we begin entertaining.  Flowers and beautiful greenery are the perfect back drop for any outdoor celebration.

Ribs.  That’ll be the first thing I serve.  Maybe with an Asian twist?  I have a little time to ponder.

Have a blessed day!

Ang