Booties, Blooms, Girls & Cake Recipe

Before I say another word - it's Father's Day and I want to say to my hubby who reads my blog faithfully.. *Happy* *Father's* *Day*!!  You are a great father to our 3 kids.. and even more wonderful is how incredibly fabulous of a GRANDFATHER you are to our 6 grandkids.  You *ROCK*.  :-)

Another eventful weekend here on the old farmstead.  Our daughter brought our two granddaughters out to spend a few nights with us on Friday.  Before they arrived I put the finishing touches on a pair of raspberry colored cotton blend baby booties for a friend of mine who is expecting her first child, a girl, in September - up in Seattle.  I have written up a pattern but several crocheters tried it and none of them had success, so I'll have to try following my own instructions and see what the problem is.  But aren't these cute?  

I also got a few photos of flowers blooming on the farm to share with you.  Below is a lovely Clematis.  Now.. question for you all.. do you pronounce it "cluh-MAT-us" or "CLEM-uh-tus"?  

Another shot of my 4th of July rose.

There was a local art show a few weeks ago, below is a "hardy" fuchshia I bought and potted up for the deck.

When the girls arrived on Friday, we were having a splendiferous day - warm and sunny.  Our oldest granddaughter **LOVES** mint.. so she collected some of each of the varieties in the garden.  Peppermint, Spearmint, Lemon Mint & Chocolate Mint.  Here's her minty bouquet. :-)

Then she set about to weave on the little loom I gave her and below is Baby Girl, who is fascinated with the colors elastic weavers that came with the loom, and is putting them on Grandpa's hand.  I took a few and had some fun making ponytails with her wispy fine hair.. they didn't last long as she pulls them out.

We took the girls to dinner at Red Lobster and our server said hello, and BG said "We're going to have a sleepover at grandma and grandpa's house".  The server gasped and said.. how old is she and should she be talking like that?  We get that all the time.. BG is ahead of the curve on speaking. :-)

Knowing the girls love of fresh strawberries, we stopped at a new fruit stand in Troutdale and I hopped out and found the best flat of berries.  We've been enjoying them for 3 days!  Just had some of the last with pound cake and "squirty cream". :-)

Dayle played "Cars" for the girls.. notice the "Tow Mater" toy next to Jenna?

I made Nutella and bread sandwiches for the girls.. and later walked by and noticed BG was sitting there in a bit of a daze.. so I brought her in and held her and covered her up with the baby blanket I made for her when she was born.. a diagonal stripe using CottonTots yarn.. and soon she fell asleep.  I have to tell you it was the most magical thing to have her sleep on my chest.. and I thought.. this might be the last time a grandchild sleeps on my chest.  ::sigh::  I sure did appreciate the moment.. and will treasure it forever.

Soon our daughter arrived to visit and take them home.. she awoke when she heard her mother's voice.  Here she is all pink cheeked playing with blocks while we chatted.

I asked Jenna to pose with the weavings she made on her little loom.  She actually made 4, but one was packed away in a gift bag for her to give her dad for Father's Day today.  I got them a card to sign for him too.  The first (top) one was for her mom, the 2nd, for her dad, the 3rd for her and the 4th for her little sister.  She's so generous!

I'm very proud of the fine job she did on these.

My adorable granddaughters.  Below is Jenna standing on her head.. what a character!  We sure did enjoy having them for 2 whole nights!

I showed you a yummy cake on my post before last made by my older sister and the recipe was requested.  I asked her for it and she sent it.. and I can assure you, this may have been the tastiest and tenderest pineapple upside down cakes I've ever had.  Enjoy!!

PINEAPPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Preheat oven according to cake mix directions.

Rub butter or margarine on sides of 13x9 inch glass pan.

6 oz butter              in microwave melt butter in glass pan

brown sugar      sprinkle solid layer on bottom of pan

8-10 slices of pineapple   arrange in rows on top of brown sugar

Maraschino cherries      1 cherry in center of each pineapple slice plus 1 in each corner of pan

pecan halves      arrange pecans to fill empty spaces

Prepare ~ any ~ white or yellow cake mix per directions.  

Pour gently on top of pineapple slices, cherries, almonds, etc.

Bake according to cake mix directions.

P.S.  I used a ~ yellow butter cake ~ mix for the one in the photo, but any kind will work just fine.
EDITED TO ADD: After baking cake, let it sit for 20-30 minutes, then turn it UPSIDE DOWN on a serving platter.

============

Thanks for visiting!!  ((hugs)), Teresa :-)