A trip down memory lane was an unexpected surprise, as I planned my part of the mid-summer's get-together. A frantic hunt for the nostalgic pieces which go with those memories was undertaken, and this is my gift to you all as I arrive late for the festivities.
Pictures have been an important part of my life as far back as I can remember, and before that first camera it was the photograph I created in my mind which was my escape. A vivid imagination is a visual one. This summer picnic brought back my visual photographs...the treasures of a childhood summer spent at a cottage on a lake, with lots of places for a young girl to host tea parties, magical balls, and meet knights in shining armor.
So I bring the sweet clover of my youth, bending slightly in the breeze. The blueberries are fresh and bright...cooking up beautifully in a coffee cake topped with a crumb topping which includes toasted almonds. The ice tea wasn't "sun tea" in those days...or probably a "green" tea - but it was iced in tall glasses and twinkled golden in the sun. And that shiny little sugar bowl, the one full of sweet wishes, is part of a set my favorite aunt gave me to play with. It looked so grown-up then, with it's little tray and matching cream pitcher, and I used to host elegant parties at which I was the gifted hostess - the one everyone wanted to talk with. It makes me smile.
Under the hat on the chair...what else? I still have my visual images, but I now collect the concrete photographs which I happily share with others. Jim Croce's song was a poignant love song, but a few of the lyrics have always stuck with me - and came to mind putting together my collage.
Photographs and memories ...take me to another time....summer skies and lullabies
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Almond-Blueberry Coffee Cake
350 degrees, 40-45 min., 13x9x2 glass baking dish
Cream: 3/4 c. butter, 1c. sugar, beat until fluffy.
Add: 4 eggs, one at a time, beat well
Stir in : 2 tsp. lemon juice
Combine and stir: 1 3/4 c. flour and 2 tsp baking powder
Spread into greased and floured pan
Sprinkle wiht: 3c blueberries and 2 tsp lemon juice
Sprinkle with Almond Topping
Combine: 1 c. flour, 1/4 c. sugar, 1/2 c. toasted almond almonds
Cut in 1/4 c. butter
I love the memories too. Isn't it wonderful that we are able to trigger these emotions through words and pictures? Very special! Thank you for sharing them :)
Moonbeam yanked out his stitches and we spent yesterday (the day I most wanted to go to the balloon festival) at the vet, while they knocked him out again and re-stitched it.
it has been terrible.
however, my husband leaves today for a business trip, and I am dropping him off early at the airport and heading over to the festival for the final launch tonight.
I really hope I get something...
(What lens is that on your camera, and what kind of photos does it take?)
PS I'll be mailing out your prize in the next day or so :)