Dreaming of Spring with Lemon-Blueberry Tea Cake

The bulbs that I planted last fall are starting to bloom.  

All it took was a couple of days of much-needed sunshine

to coax the bloom. 

Planting bulbs are an act of faith and a tangible hope. 

Something to look forward to during the long, cold winter. 

Old Man Winter has tried very hard to hold on, 

as we've had some late-season snows in the last 

couple of weeks. 

Fortunately it hasn't lasted long! 

I have been staying busy while dreaming of spring.

I'm crocheting a new cardigan in a watery hue. 

Dreaming of wildflowers, singing birds and warm sunshine. 

Tansy is a perennial wildflower/herb that I grow in my gardens. 

The leaves have a pungent scent that is wonderful for moth sachets,

and the yellow, button flowers dry beautifully for arrangements and wreaths. 

They are tall, invasive and rangy, so they need their own bed or a back corner. 

I cut the stalks close to the ground and strip the leaves in early fall, 

as soon as the flowers go to seed, saving the seed-heads for planting in spring. 

I dry the leaves in wicker baskets in a cool, dim room, 

turning them once a day until dry - about 2-3 weeks. 

From there I strip the tiny stalks from the leaves. 

Now the leaves are ready for sachets. 

xx

I found these glass-towels in the paint section 

of the home-goods store. Apparently, they make 

good paint rags! The fabric is perfect for sachets, as 

they have a loose weave. Plus, I love how vintage it looks. 

I made cardboard templates in 3 graduated sizes:

5x6, 5x4, and 4x3, and cut out the doubled fabric and 

sewed around 3 sides. 

I used equal amounts of lavender buds and tansy to fill the sachets. 

Both are wonderful insect repellents and are great 

for pantries and clothing storage. 

They look charming with blanket-stitch edging, 

bundled up with string. 

xx

I cleaned out my pantry

and put down new shelf-paper. 

It's a good feeling to know that

everything is clean and all of the outdated 

items are gone. 

I stenciled the inside of the door years ago. 

We pick up our little grandson from preschool 

on Wednesday's and he loves to bake cupcakes. 

He especially loves frosting them and putting on the sprinkles. 

The 'cupcake' tea towel was a sweet gift from my Sis. 

xx

We decorate paper plates with crayons so he can take 

the cupcakes home on them.

After we each sample one, of course!

Papa signed his. 

xx

I created my own sourdough starter in jam jars at the beginning 

of February and just baked my first loaves. 

I followed the instructions on the Delightful Repast blog.

My loaves were a little dense, but they sure were tasty! 

So good with home-made minestrone soup.

I baked a lemon-blueberry tea cake, too. 

Lemon-Blueberry Tea Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour

a 9x5 inch loaf pan. 

Toss berries with 1 tablespoon flour; set aside. 

Ingredients

1 cup blueberries (frozen is ok)

1 and 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon grated lemon peel

Glaze:

Mix juice of 1 lemon with enough powdered sugar

to make a runny consistency. 

In large bowl, cream butter or margarine. Add sugar and beat 

until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add milk, 

flour, baking powder and salt. Beat just until combined. 

Fold in prepared blueberries and lemon peel. 

Transfer to loaf pan. 

Bake 60 to 70 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center

comes out clean. Cool on wire rack 10 minutes. 

Prick top all over with toothpick and pour glaze over top. 

Yum! 

While the tea-cake cools, let's take a little walk-about. 

xx

The top of the 30 foot holly tree is still covered in berries. 

The birds love these, especially robins and cedar waxwings. 

This tree was only 10 ft. tall when we moved here, growing in the forest. 

A snug little home at the base of an Alder tree. 

Jet trail through cotton-wood in a winter sky.

Old tree stump that's been here since we bought the land

in the early 80's. 

A little friend - female Annas Hummingbird. 

These are year-round residents. 

Rufous Hummingbirds will be returning soon. 

Mossy trees and ferns. 

Kai scouts the surroundings. 

Huge old Douglas fir with mossy trunk. 

My arms outstretched barely reach across this side. 

 Some gatherings for a woodland potpourri.

Silvery skies. 

A cold wind is rising, let's go inside....

A nice time for hot tea and a slice of cake.

It's been a long winter. 

I'm looking forward to spring. 

I know that you are too. 

It's been quite a time for all of us.

Some more than others, and my 

heart goes out to you. 

Life has been so surreal.  

I hope that you are being good to yourself

in as many ways as you can.

xx

We are all in this together. 

Remember that, remember that. 

xx

"Human kindness has never weakened the stamina

or softened the fiber of a free people. A nation

does not have to be cruel to be tough." 

- Franklin Delano Roosevelt -

"Wise sayings often fall on barren ground;

but a kind word is never thrown away."

- Sir Arthur Helps -

"When I was young I admired clever people.

Now that I am old, I admire kind people."

- Abraham Joshua Heschel -

xoxo