Week 12-14, June 13-27th: bread, pies, tarts and birthday cakes

I'll make this one brief- It's been super busy here and we've got a little guest this week:

Em is here this week!  That naughty Kevin didn't make the trip... my guess is he's enjoying a vacation and some of these by the pool.

Lord knows, I've needed a couple the past few weeks with exams, final grades, company and anything else you can imagine.

For baking:

I did a rhubarb upside-down cake from a NY Times recipe that our English teacher gave me.

It was pretty straight forward...

But once again, I neglected part of the recipe with interesting results-- If it calls for a pan beneath it, put a pan beneath it...

Or smoke out the house, which is what I did.

I made two strawberry rhubarb pies, one for my cousin and one for the faculty

I did some apple, fig and griere (sp?) tarts with puff pastry for breakfasts during Regents week.

And some peach and blueberry tartlets for a faculty party I had last week.  I can't wait to make more of these guys.

Then, for Mom's B-day, I did a Raspberry Zinger cake, a cannoli cake

Pre-baking and frosting

 And a quality sangria

Other than that, there's been gardening... new rose bushes planted before painting the front of the house...

My soon to be sweet potted gladiolas

And the construction of the grape trellis-- thank goodness for little cousins!

And bread making-- Lisa still has a lot of work to do with me.

I was sad to see this year end (as ready as I've been for it to be over with). The saddest part was taking down all of the cool stuff the kids have made/ designed over the year.  This was our community wall- a set of hands for each student I had this year, color coded by class they were in.

I'm splitting this week between conferences in Albany and family company... it's strange, irritating and empowering that I understand more about contract language and legalese at this point than I do about the people around me... but like bread, it's something I'm working on.

I'd better get going- while I've been writing, Ker's helped Em slide down part of the banister, Missy's been teaching her some dance moves, Lau's taking a million pics, Angie's singing and commenting on my wardrobe choices and dad's just trying to enjoy the Yankee's game and his last night with Emers in the house.

Off to hang out before Em's bath time!  Be well!