Now there's a thought...

In a book I'm reading, I came across this....

"I want to kill myself...."

"Honey, you don't know yourself well enough right now to commit suicide. So it would be considered a homicide."

Spring?

Dare I consider that spring might have actually arrived? My plum and cherry trees have not yet bloomed, but there's a beautiful flowering 'something' out my bedroom window. The tulips and daffodils have finally opened. There are some lovely bushes lining the area between the yard and the pasture. They've got bright pink blossoms on them. At least they have blossoms until the horses find them. It seems that the horses like to eat these bushes every year, so I need to enjoy them while I can. We don't seem to need the heat every day anymore. There's more sunshine. The children want to go outside in short-sleeved shirts and shorts. But it is still only in the 50s, so I must tell them no. ;-)

Is it really happening?

See there is hope. There is promise of new life. And for that, I am thankful!

April birthdays

In a few days we will celebrate yet another birthday at our house. I guess that's inevitable when one has a large family. This young man was the first of my children to be born at home.

After lunch sometime on the day before his due date, I began to not feel all that well. I blamed it on what I'd eaten. But later in the afternoon, my mother commented that she thought I must be in labor, just by the look in my eyes. Ah, the experience of mothers. Around 5pm I headed home in that awful Atlanta traffic. Yep, I was definitely having some contractions, and I dared anyone to pull quickly in front of me on the highway. LOL Made it the 30 minutes home. Cooked dinner for the children, then went upstairs to time these contractions. About 7pm, I determined I ought to phone the midwife. She was attending another woman, and yet so desperately wanted to attend me too. She advised me to get in the bed so as to hopefully slow things down.

She finally made it to my house about 11pm. I just looked at her and said "what do I do now?" She replied "Whatever you feel like doing" I was at a loss. I was so used to being told what I could and couldn't do when I was at the hospital. I didn't know what to do. I got in the shower. Gotta love that water beating on your back in labor. Finally, I couldn't stand up anymore, so I climbed into bed. A little after midnight, out came my "little" boy. Over 10lbs!

It was such a quiet peaceful birth. And he was so calm after the delivery. I was concerned, but the midwife assured me that he was fine. I realized that he was quietly looking at me....nothing wrong with him. When the midwife rubbed his back, he just "mewed." Within a few days, he let us know just how well-developed his lungs were! So that was the beginning of my advocating homebirth.

Favorite Coconut Cake

Due to popular demand, I'm posting a favorite recipe of mine :-) Be prepared, this is a time consuming recipe, but well worth the trouble.

Coconut Cake

1-2-3-4 Cake
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
3 1/2 cups flour, sifted
4 eggs
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp coconut extract
1 tsp salt
1 cup coconut milk (yes, I used canned)

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating well b/n each. Add alternately liquid and flour mixture. Add vanilla and coconut extract. Bake in 3 - 9" greased, floured, and wax-papered cake pans at 325 deg for 30 mins. Cool.

Filling:

1 1/2 cups liquid. (use the rest of the coconut milk from can, making up difference with water)
2 cups sugar
Cook to 230 deg.
Add
1 cup heavy cream.
Boil one minute. Pour over grated coconut. (I use unsweetened shredded coconut that I chopped more finely in the food processor.) Spread between layers and on top.

7-minute Icing

Combine in top of double boiler:

2 egg whites
1 1/2 cups sugar
5 Tbp cold water
1/4 tsp cream of tartar

Place over rapidly boiling water. Do not let the water touch the top of the double boiler. Beat constantly for 7 minutes. It should form semi-stiff peaks. If it's not "cooked" enough, it will run down the cake. Remove from heat. Add 1 tsp vanilla.

Makes plenty for any 3 layer cake.