“The Icing on My Cake”

~ rabbitpatchdiary.com

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The drive to Elizabeth City, on Friday was a pleasant one.  The three  rivers , I  cross, were full of shining, peaceful waters and the sky above them was a friendly shade of blue.  The sunlight fell gently casting faint shadows.

Lyla was napping when I arrived.  I sat on the porch admiring the day.  I watched the “laughing river” tumbling happily by.  Moments later, Miss Claudia (Wills’ mom and my friend) came in.  Will and Jenny were going out for dinner and so Lyla had both of her grandmothers at her “beck and call”.  Things were going along nicely til Lylas’ program went off and the remote proved to be quite a challenge.  Lyla  did not take this well, which did not help at all.   Somehow, we either bought or rented a movie-we are still not sure, which happened.  It was a Christmas movie and Lyla quieted down-and so all was well, when Will and Jenny came home.

Saturday dawned and right off, I thought the sky looked suspicious.  The air was damp,and cooler than the day before. It seemed quite fitting conditions for Saint Patricks’ Day.  Jenny and I got started early, sorting through all of Lylas’ clothes.  Warm weather clothing replaced bulky coats.  Little cardigans with tulips and butterflies hung where the heavy coats used too.  The pale pink “Easter dress” was hung last.  Piles of clothes lined the walls . . .some to be returned to the friends that lent them, some to lend and some to be packed away.  We couldn’t help but wonder aloud about the baby, Jenny will have in September.

Lyla and I spent a good deal of time in the kitchen, that afternoon.  We made fifty cheese biscuits for the gathering, hosted by the “Donahues”.  If you can imagine a toddler and a five pound bag of flour, in the same vicinity, you can also imagine what sort of things unfolded in the kitchen.  The angelic sound of the “The Flower Duet”- and flour dust filled the air, creating  a heavenly look . . and I laughed aloud.  When the first batch was ready, I gave Lyla the smallest biscuit and she ate it standing in a small heap of flour, in her chair.

That night, a terrific storm descended on the  “Riverside” village .  There was thunder and lightening with heavy downpours and I was so grateful, that Will and Jenny were home “safe and sound”.  Some things never change.

On Sunday, Lyla and I watched robins and redbirds prepare for their day.  They were a busy lot for a long while.  When they flew away, Lyla wished them well and waved good bye. . . then we went back to the kitchen.  We were on another mission.

Miss Claudia had mentioned a coconut cake, on Friday night.  The “Flour Girls Bakery” had posted a picture of an elaborate coconut  cake.  Miss Claudia seemed to take quite a fancy to that picture and so I devised a plan then and there to bake a coconut cake, before I left.  In the meanwhile, Jenny decided she wanted a cheesecake. This kept Lyla and I busy  for a while.  As usual, Lyla did not like the mixing to end and complained when the batter was poured to bake.  She took some comfort that we needed to make icing, next.  When we made the cheesecake,  Lyla could not understand why it looked like a pie.

I carried Miss Thelma a few biscuits and still warm coconut cake, an hour later. She was sitting in the sun, on her porch and so we visited there. Her silver locks became her, so did her smile.   She ate a biscuit and told me she had a birthday recently and  had turned ninety four.  Miss Thelma, has a story, and I want to hear it.  

Jenny was not feeling well when I returned.  In that case, I decided to delay leaving.  It was almost six o’clock, when I thought to ask the time.  I was alarmed and worried about having to drive in the dark.  I had everything loaded in the car, or else, I may would have spent the night.  I needed to take Miss Claudia her cake and I needed gas, too.  I left hurriedly and Miss Claudia met me at the door.  (She knows I do not like to drive at night.)  Without ceremony, I handed her the cake but Miss Claudia had something for me too.  She had made a beautiful spring wreath and gave it to me.  I was so touched, I wanted to cry.  It was perfect for a “rabbit patch”-colorful and whimsical . . . What a cheerful wreath!  Now, that was the “icing on my cake”.

As it turns out, I made it home by twilight.  I called Jenny to let her know.  She was eating cheesecake, but said Lyla would not try one bite. (Lyla loves cake?)  Jenny asked her why and Lyla said . . . “I can’t eat pie-because Peters’ daddy was put in a pie, by Mrs. McGregor!” 

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Happy Spring!

 

42 thoughts on ““The Icing on My Cake””

  2. Oh MIchele, what a wonderful weekend you had. I love your little Lyla, even though I have never met her…she is a treasure. I did grin about the confusion with the movie…..because I have done those same types of things!

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  4. Happy Spring Michelle! Your lovely wreath certainly looks pretty, and well placed. Even though it’s really shameful that I’d be green with envy, I am. I absolutely ❤️ 🥥 cake!!!

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      1. Neighbors? I’m not sure what part of the country you live in. I’m in Indiana. I may not be ready to move, but I do have a car, and will happily travel. Happy Saturday!

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  6. The Flour Girls Bakery! I love it! Its been a while since I’ve visited The Rabbit Patch and it reminds me what I’ve been missing. Miss Lyla is a doll! And what Gma hasn’t wrestled with a remote or two??What a lovely, relaxing weekend you had with the family. I suppose I picked the right morning to visit today, only to find out another little one will be arriving later this year! Congrats to all! This little one has no idea the beautiful family he/she will be joining. I wonder what musical instrument he/she will choose to play? Thank you for your beautiful stories. And that spring wreath? WOW! So beautiful. BLESSINGS.

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    1. I am sooo glad to hear from you! Thank you so much! I have missed you. We are all so happy about the new baby. Oh-since i teach violin they will all at least start with that-haha! love you dearly-Michele

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  9. Happy spring, Michele. Please send some my way. I can picture the grandparents and the remote. Funny and so true. I often fill my sensory table at school with flower and add kitchen utensils. A favorite! Lyla would love this. All you need is a big tub.

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  10. I feel so full and complete upon reading.
    There’s something about this post which pushes the world away and allows me to just ‘be’.
    However . . . one new thing which I’ve fallen deeply in love with is . . . “The Flower Girls Bakery”. Rabbit you HAVE to put this on the back burner for a slightly later date and think about (or get advice about) setting up a real business bakery, with yourself and Lyla, and perhaps her other Grandma too. Cakes for sale (and breads if you have the notion) – in a little shop, with maybe three (or more) tables and chairs, so that nice ladies can come and have afternoon tea – with cakes included – whenever they’d like to. Then, at the end of the day – if there are any cakes and breads left, a Raffle Ticket Event could take place.
    Visitors to the store would buy a raffle ticket (one or more) during the day, to be in with a chance of winning what was left from that day, and either keeping it themselves or sharing it with relatives, friends and neighbours.

    “The Flower Girls Bakery” . . . I can see it inside my mind right now. Perfect. Absolutely perfect.

    Love you Rabbit and sending buckets of love and squidges your way. ~ Cobs. xxx ❤

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    1. I’m with Cob on this one. A tea room kinda place.
      Bless Lila’s heart. Now that we have managed to humanise our animal friends we can’t even eat pie. I know…I have a heart sink when I have to do away with a mouse….after all…where would Cinderella
      be with out her friends? Love you dear Rabbit.

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    2. Oh Cobs-there really is a “Flour Girls” bakery, much as you described-just down the street from Jennys’ house! They were out of coconut cake-hence we baked our own. I will share the raffle idea with the owner. I so love a bakery and have often teased that in retirement, I may want to sell cookies! thank you dear friend and please know I do try to push the world away every chance I get! love your rabbit, always

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  11. Sounds like you’re surrounded by lots of loving people who all give & take beautifully… Birds of a feather stick together! How nice that both you & Miss Claudia spontaneously had thought, each one, of something for the other!

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  14. so sweet, and the comment about not eating pie because of Mr. McGregor’s wife was precious! I have such fond memories of watching Peter Rabbit with my two sons and then of course we got a rabbit and one guess what they named him, lol!

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  15. Lyla is so right. it wouldn’t be right to eat our “friends”, especially if they have been baked in cake/pie.
    I am glad all is going well at Jenny’s place and that you got home before it became too dark.
    You are a morning person.
    Hope the days are long, full of sunshine and baking and sugar and spice and everything nice, Ma’am.
    Susie

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  16. Only you can take a typical day’s happenings and make it sound like a wondrous fairy tale. The wreath is beautiful; coconut cake sounded delicious; and I, too, have trouble with uncooperative remotes!

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  17. Happy Easter! You do have lovely days. I have not visited in a while my days seem to get busy lately. I spend time writing to my RCT Marine he is half way now and doing well. Lyla is precious Spring is slow to come to us in NJ although I am seeing a bit of yellow here and there in our yard but no green grass a lot of mud as the snow has finally melted and left everything so wet. Peggy

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