feliciakw: (baking)
Several months ago, I ran across this recipe for Irish Battenburg cake.

I'd never heard of it before, and I don't know for certain if this is an "authentic" recipe or if it's been kind of Americanized (as we sometimes do), but it looked really neat, and didn't seem too complicated (in theory), so I gave it a try yesterday for St. Patrick's Day.

The butter cake seems very similar to the recipe my husband uses for Lamingtons, which is delicious all by itself. I'd never worked with marzipan before, and it was kind of like playing with Play-Doh. :-)

Battenburg cake

Batt cross section

For a first attempt at the recipe, I'm rather pleased with how it turned out. And it got rave reviews, along with the Irish bread I made, from everyone who tried it. The best review being from an 11-year old boy, something to the effect of, "I must have died and gone to Heaven, because this food couldn't have been made on Earth."
feliciakw: (coffee)
Happy St. Patrick's Day. Be sure to enjoy a healthy serving of corned beef and cabbage or shepherd's pie--whichever's your pleasure--with some soda bread and a Harp. Or Guiness, but Harp's more my speed. Or even better, an Irish coffee.

I've made Irish bread (though not soda) and Battenburg cake for Life Group tonight.
feliciakw: (Christmas - snowy tree)
I don't have a graphic to share, but my warmest wishes to my f-listies and lurkers for a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holiday, and joyous and blessed 2013.

This season, one of the songs from Trans-Siberian Orchestra has caught me.

Good King Joy )
feliciakw: (US flag)
Happy Independence Day to my American f-listies! I hope you have a safe and festive day with family, food, fireworks, and fun.

I've just gotten back from giving open house tours of the theater restoration where I work and will be working once the theater opens. My feet are numb, I've melted in sweat, and I'm ready for a nice cold shower. But the theater is going to be quite amazing when it's finished!

In a couple of hours, Geo and I will be heading back to the theater to watch the fireworks from the new "garden terrace" balcony of the theater. I get fireworks this year! Whenever I miss out on fireworks, July 4 just doesn't seem quite finished.

Actually, it's hard to believe that it's July 4 already. Where is the summer going?

Each year, I try to share a quote from 1776 one of my favorite musicals, that really brings to life the personalities of those individuals and motivations of the American Revolution. The following quote is one that was running through my head (though I couldn't remember it exactly) with the most recent turn in the road with our adoption journey--

Abigail Adams, reminding John of something he'd told her:

Commitment, Abby, commitment. There are only two creatures of value on the face of this earth--those with a commitment and those who require the commitment of others.
feliciakw: (US flag)
Had what sort of felt like it was approaching a proper Memorial Day, the first since the move to Virginia. We went to the commemorative ceremony at the national cemetery in town, and although there was no parade and no reading of "In Flanders Field" or the Gettysburg Address (which is on a plaque on one of the buildings at the cemetery), but the keynote speaker was very interesting, and one of the high school bands played. We walked around downtown before doing a wee bit of shopping and coming home.

We ate both breakfast (waffles) and dinner (steak on the grill) on our screen-in porch. The weather is lovely, and it was just a nice, relaxed day.
feliciakw: (Daffodils)
Happy St. Patty's Day to ye!

Tonight I'm working an Irish dance. Our band is The Toad Mamas, and the dance is "contra dancing," or community dancing--American, Irish, squares, and reels. It will be an experience.

And beforehand, Geo and I are going out for shepherd's pie (me) and corned beef and cabbage (him).

Hope you all are having a festive time.
feliciakw: (Daffodils)
Spring has sprung. The trees are budding--beautiful pinks and whites. The forsythia are amazingly golden. Our daffodils are in bloom. Spring and autumn have such amazing color here. We've opened the windows to breezes through the house. We've got a chipmunk or two that uses our back porch as a shortcut. It's just amazingly contenting to find a comfortable spot in the house and just be.

The Good Friday play )

I'm going to DC tonight with a local drama reviewer. She has an extra ticket to a show, and she offered it to me. Free ticket, transportation, press night, and noshes. Why not?

St. Patrick's Day Toads )
feliciakw: (Love)
Just a quick entry:

George and I went to Dragon Chef and ate at one of the cooking tables. I've never done a hibachi grill before. It was fun.

I gave him a bottle of Bay Rum, and he gave me a Hallmark blooming rose and Reese's cups.
feliciakw: (celebrate)
Wishing you all a ridiculously joyous New Year. May the new year bring good, exciting things. May 2012 bring health and wealth, happiness and peace. Prosperity not only of purse, but of spirit and soul. And may we each find the peace that passes understanding.
feliciakw: (Christmas - snowy tree)
Merry Christmas, one and all! May you have a joyous day celebrated with family, friends, food, fun, and faith.

If you happen to be in the midst of celebrating the Festival of Lights, a Happy Hanukkah to you.

If this is not your day to celebrate, may your day still be filled with happiness, friendship, peace, and love.

This is the illustration the minister used as the centerpiece of our Christmas Eve homily. It is a dramatized account of something that really happened. Heartwarming and thought provoking. Peace be with you.

Last year's illustration still holds particular meaning to me as George and I continue our adoption journey.

And now I must go make ganache for the peppermint ice cream torte for today's luncheon.

May the Spirit of Joy CASCADE MAJESTICALLY through your day.
feliciakw: (Bible Dean profile)
Happy Thanksgiving to all. I hope you were surrounded with family, friends, food, laughter, and love, whether you celebrated today as a holiday or not.

Psalm 95:1-2
1 Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD;
let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
2 Let us come before him with thanksgiving
and extol him with music and song.
feliciakw: (Bible Dean profile)

Blessed Good Friday to those who commemorate it.

Tonight is the Good Friday play I've been working on. I'm very excited and praying it's a blessing.

The parents are here for the weekend, too.

This means, of course, that I won't be watching SPN live tonight. My insta-reaction will have to wait. Just FYI, in case you're interested.

Posted via LiveJournal app for iPhone.

feliciakw: (coffee)
Happy St. Patrick's Day, all.

The wearin' o' the green. One of my favorite colors.

Last night Geo and I were watching (well, Geo was watching, and I was dozing) a PBS show about Ireland. And listening to the music, I realize (again) that that's one of the things I miss most about Ohio--the easy availability of Gaelic/Celtic music. I mean, good grief. One of the suburbs of Columbus is Dublin, Ohio. I've often said that Gaelic Storm should purchase property in Ohio, they spend so much time there. Our Club Kuss series at the PAC always included at least one Irish or Scottish group in their season. I miss it.

Oh! But I didn't tell you about the concert on Saturday, did I? I'll post about that in a separate entry.

It will be a quiet St. Patty's Day. No time to fix the corned beef and cabbage or shepherd's pie per our tradition, as Geo has a StageWorks rehearsal tonight. I'm going to make soda bread after work, though, and a lime pound cake. If nothing else, I can put a shot of Irish creme in my coffee tonight.

I should also have some Gaelic Storm playing in my car today, but I need to get my CDs out.

In other news . . .  )

So many Irish blessings, some with the Irish wit. But I'll leave you with the traditional . . .

May the road rise up to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
And the rain fall soft upon your fields.
And, until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.


Have a grand day!
feliciakw: (Love)
It was a quiet V-Day today. I was in the office by myself all day (now a basement office, so no contact with the outside world except to run errands).

Tonight, though, Geo and I went out to a very nice dinner at one of the local wineries. Indian food (a bit spicy for me, but still good), delicious wine, and chocolate on chocolate cake that was to die for.

I think this weekend we're going to go see Gnomeo and Juliet.
feliciakw: (celebrate)
Happy New Year, f-listies!

May 2011 be blessed with joy and peace for you and yours.

The party is over, the guest have left, and the dishes are almost clean.

Time to collapse into bed.

Cheers!
feliciakw: (Christmas - snowy tree)
Geo and I went back to Ohio for Christmas. It was really strange, and kind of didn't really feel like Christmas. This is the first Christmas we've spent somewhere other than in our own house.

We left Thursday. Travel was reasonably smooth, though there was snowy travel in the mountains in Maryland. No surprise there.

Christmas Eve )

Christmas Day )

December 26 )

Then came back Monday.

A warm thank you to [livejournal.com profile] smalltwndreamer and [livejournal.com profile] luvwinchesters for the v-gifts. They came at a much-needed time. Thank you to [livejournal.com profile] just_ruth for the card. It arrived yesterday. And I've already thanked Izhi for enabling my habit the mags. :-)

And that, in a nutshell, was my Christmas weekend.
feliciakw: (Christmas - snowy tree)
Merry Christmas, one and all.

And if this is not your day to celebrate, may you have a happy day nonetheless.

May your day be safe and happy, spent in the warmth of those dear to you, because we are not meant to be alone.

A story from Christmas Eve service )

As my late Aunt J often signed her e-mails . . .

May the Spirit of Joy CASCADE MAJESTICALLY through your day.

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