My Mom’s German Plum Cake – the Recipe

/ still a dreamer

For any of you out there who wished I had posted the recipe for this yummy German Plum Cake, (see earlier post), I apologize. There are just times when work is going at a crazy tilt, and I really can only post as much as I can. Sometimes, there’s no time to post at all! And remember, if you ever want a recipe, you can always post your request in Comments. (You know who you are ;-) )

That said, here is the recipe for this easy and delicious dessert.

Preheat oven to 400˚

Ingredients:

2 C. flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 C. butter
2 egg yolks
2 Tbsp. milk
Approx 10 Italian prune plums

Combine flour, sugar, salt together and work in butter, egg yolks and milk. Cover bottom and halfway up the sides of a 9″ x 9″ x 2″ pan. Mix all ingredients in the pan. Press firmly.

Arrange plum halves in parallel rows. Mix together 3/4 C. sugar and 2 Tbsp. cornstarch and sprinkle evenly over all.

Bake approx. 30 minutes or until crust is done, not too brown.

Could it be easier?

This can also be made with peach or apple slices, in which case, mix in desired amount of cinnamon with the topping sugar  for apples. (maybe for peaches, too!) Prune plums have a very short season; if you can’t find them,  regular plums would probably be good – I might try Black Friar.

Here’s Looking at You, Kid!

/ still a dreamer / 6 Comments

Finally! Work subsided sufficiently that my blogging brain returned and I knew what I was going to write for a post as soon as I got the chance. But in the meantime, something else happened.

 

In the afternoon, the western sun bathes my office and upstairs bedrooms in warmth and light. Great in cooler weather, not so much in the summer. Anyway, about noon or so each day I go upstairs and open all the windows facing that way so as to soak up as much heat as possible to stave off the chill of the cooler autumn evenings and nights. In the back bedroom, Claude was soaking up that sun on top of a piece of furniture, too, but seemingly oblivious to the fact that he was being closely watched!

Then he realized … it moved! As I moved with my camera, the praying mantis got into prayer/attack position and rotated his head to keep an eye on me. Claude was interested only when he moved, which I suspect has something to do with an animal’s depth perception or ability to comprehend something on the other side of both screen and glass.

These creatures are so bizarre looking, but so fascinating. If they are symbols of good luck, which has been said to me, then I ought to be in for one big bucket-o-luck anytime soon!

Claude, below, not quite knowing what to make of this slow-moving creature. (I’ll get to that other post real soon. This was too good to pass up!)

 

Bathing Beauties

/ still a dreamer / 4 Comments

While an endless stream of work flows across my desk – for which I am grateful, albeit bone tired – I noticed not everyone was quite as frazzled as I. In fact, some occupants of this household were completely oblivious of anyone’s efforts to keep their food bowls filled, beds washed, litter cleaned, etc.

It was all I could do not to lie down and nap in that sunshine.

“If I had to sum up Friendship in one word, it would be Comfort.” ~Terri Guillemets

Remembering 9/11 – The Great Boatlift

/ still a dreamer

In memory of all those who lost their lives on 9/11 and in honor of all those who became heroes in a moment’s time, I am re-posting this video from earlier on my blog. So few people are aware of the Great Boatlift of 9/11, the largest boatlift in human history, evacuating 500,000 people by boat to safety.

With the towers in flames and everyone running for their lives, it soon became clear that Manhattan was an island and that there weren’t many places to run. But that it’s an island also meant something else. There were boats. This is such an amazing film, made 10 years after 9/11 by Eddie Rosenstein and narrated by Tom Hanks. When the call went out for help, hundreds of  tugboats, ferries, fishing boats, coast guard cutters, party boats and others sped to Manhattan to take as many people as they could for as many trips as they could make. People who could not refuse the call to help – who were honored to assist the thousands of people, standing desperate on the edge of Manhattan – became largely unsung heroes. This video sings their praises and so beautifully.  It’s nearly 12 minutes long but worth every second.

Touched By an Angel

/ still a dreamer / 4 Comments

She’s just a bit of a thing – her name is Pipsqueak and she’s a female betta fish. I first met her when my neighbors prepared to go on vacation, a time when I mind their cats and their pond fish. This year, one of the girls brought over a vase with her new pet, Pipsqueak. My experience of Pipsqueak was so enjoyable; I never imagined such a tiny creature to have such a personality – not only curious about everything, but also very responsive to me as we got to know each other over the 3+ weeks of her stay.

Pipsqueak and one of her favorite friends. (Pipsqueak is not actually that big, BTW, nor are the marbles – it’s a distortion of the glass.)

Pipsqueak often stayed on my computer desk while I worked, though not too close to the computer, and sometimes on my other work desk. I often placed various items next to her, as she seemed to really enjoy checking out new objects. But one struck her fancy, as you can see in the photo … a Willow angel given to me as a gift. She is an Angel of Wishes.

Pips was fascinated. She checked out the angel’s face, (which, if you know Willow angels, you know their faces have no features), but then every aspect of her from top to bottom. She really seemed to enjoy spending time with her. Sometimes I rotated the angel a bit, and she became interested all over again. Of all the things she had the opportunity to see, the angel and my bringing my face up to the glass and waving at her – which brought out actual body wiggling and fast and furious front fin action – were Pipsqueak’s favorites.

I think I was touched by a little angel, too.