Followers


Snow in Louisiana
Powered by Blogger.

Always in My Heart

My Sweet Twin Grandgirls

Popular Posts

Followers

About Me

My photo
My passion is decorating with vintage and antique finds on a budget. There was a time when I wouldn't have dreamed of going into a goodwill. That day has passed. :) My second love is scrapbooking all those special family moments for posterity, and I recently set up my very own scrapbooking room. I have three beautiful children, two sons and a daughter as well as a sweet (albeit full blooded Yankee) daughter-in-law and two grandgirls. I also enjoy gardening, meeting new friends and relaxing on my patio in the evenings with a glass of fine wine. During the summer of 2001, I spent two glorious weeks at Kennedy Space Center. I've been somewhat of a space geek ever since....
The Background Fairy

My Favorite Blog

Friday, February 18, 2011

A Stroll Through the Past

Thank you for the sweet comments on my last post about dividing up my mom's things.  It has not been the best week for me.  I agree with all of y'all, things are just "things" and I brought home very little.  No one can ever take away all of the happy memories no matter how hard they try.   

My mom has been wandering out of her apartment and into the hallways after she has been put to bed and the manager at the assisted living facility is concerned about her safety.  The night before last, she decided that she needed to cook a gumbo and called my sister to come and get her so that she could go and buy some shrimp.  And it was 11:30 p.m.!!!  My sister told her to go back to bed but the night workers found her trying to enter the kitchen at 4:00 a.m. just determined to cook that gumbo!  My mom was always a night owl, staying up well past midnight and then sleeping in each morning once us kids were out of the house.  It used to drive my dad crazy.  We have explained repeatedly that she MUST get up and eat her meals in the dining room in order to remain there, and that means going to bed at a REASONABLE hour.  But it falls on deaf ears....  And when the sitter arrives at 9:00 a.m., she has a hard time getting her up and dressed.  Here's a picture of me, my mom, and my daughter on Christmas Day.  I sure hope I look that good if I live to be 89!


I want to share a neat item that I brought home on Sunday.  My mom, who was a fantastic cook, received this cast iron cake mold from my great aunt's estate and I recall her trying it out one Easter.  I googled cast iron lamb and discovered that the Griswold company produced lamb, bunny, and santa cast iron molds back in the 1940's.  I'm not sure if this is a Griswold because it doesn't have raised numbers across the front like the ones I saw online but it doesn't matter to me because I think it's pretty cool no matter what company manufactured it.


The two parts of the mold fit together and there are holes to wire them in place.  When I looked inside, there was a handwritten recipe for the cake in a yellowed envelope inside.  It appears to be my great aunt's handwriting.  Since there are no openings for pouring the batter inside, the first thing I wondered was how the cake can rise enough to fill the mold if batter is poured into only one half.  I think the answer is in the mix because it calls for 2 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder and 3 beaten egg whites.  I'm thinking that it will be somewhat of a sponge cake.  Here's a picture of the inside of the mold and the yellowed envelope containing the recipe.



Pretty awesome, isn't it?  Once I give the mold a good scrubbing, I think I'll try this recipe out.  Of course, I'll wait until my grandgirls are sleeping over so they can help decorate the cake.  The instructions call for icing it and then sprinkling coconut all over and adding raisins for the eyes and a ribbon or flowers around the neck.  I can envision a fantastic scrapbook layout featuring two adorable flour-coated little princesses, can't you?  :)


Do they still produce Calumet Baking Powder?  I hope you have enjoyed my little blast from the past..... 

HAPPY FRIDAY!


9 comments:

  1. That's the only kind of baking powder I buy!!! I love the mold AND the recipe...I can't wait for you to try it out. It is sad when our parents get to the stage where they can no longer live on their own and care for themselves. I'm sure they, like us, could never imagine needing help with the simple functions of day-to-day living. And bless her heart, trying to get into the kitchen to make gumbo at 89 years old....still trying to cook for someone and feed them.

    I know it is not going to be an easy road for you to walk down. My Mom had dementia and it was very difficult. You just keep your eye on the day itself and don't look forward with dread or back with longing...it is what it is..just for today. Blessings- Diana

    ReplyDelete
  2. That lamb mold is amazing. Great Easter decoration too.

    As you know I blog a lot about Alzheimer's because my husband has the early stages of it. It is so sad to see any family member go through this experience. I appreciate what Diana wrote above--"the day itself". Thursday at a Alzheimer's Association caregiver conference the keynote speaker emphasized "living in the moment". You can't argue with someone with Alzheimer's because that part of the reasoning brain is gone. Sometimes you can divert their attention. Sometimes they need antidepressants. However, at your mom's stage there is still a lot she can do and the key is to find activities that make her feel important. Terri, I have a link for 101 activities there.

    Hugs,
    Carol

    ReplyDelete
  3. Your Mom does look great! These are hard times at the age we are approaching. Stuck in the middle!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Love that mold. I am sure it will make a fabulous cake, Great pic of the 3 of you!Christine

    ReplyDelete
  5. It is so sad when our parents get to this stage and age. My FIL has Altzheimers (don't know if your Mom has been diagnosed) but it is tiny little losses that sssometimes go unnoticed and then looking back you go,"Oh that may have been the beginning". I will keep you all in my prayers. XO, Pinky

    ReplyDelete
  6. Terri-My heart goes out to you, not only because you are doing hard emotional work, but because it is causing resentment within the family.I pray that they will stop and think how sad your mother would be if she knew. I bet she would have preferred never to have had anything. Thanks for your comment. I can't even imagine the pure joy twin granddaughters must be! Of course, you must make the lamb cake when they can help! I look forward to seeing it. I am pretty sure they do still make Calumet. I have done a little research. I have a very old (early 1900's) Calumet cookbook

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi Terri!

    Your momma was just determined to make that gumbo huh? Sometimes you just can't keep a Louisiana girl out of the kitchen. I love your little lamb. And thanks so much for stopping by my blog. You're right, I am very far away from NOLA. There's just NO pLAce like home.

    Liz :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi pretty Terry...thank you so much for your far away visit! Like you say, this way brings us so close together, whoever knew when we were young? As a native "Newyorka", I'm so thrilled to meet all of you wonderful people from the USA and other lands. I love what you did with your wall, what a great find! Love your couch. The mold is fantastic!, I've never seen anything like it in cast iron and the recipe looks like is the right one for it, so if you ever try it, please share with us how it turn out! Meanwhile, thank you for sharing and you will definetelly look like your dear mom later on, all three girls are beautiful. God bless.
    XOXO
    FABBY

    ReplyDelete
  9. Oh...I'm also your newest follower!

    LOVE
    FABBY

    ReplyDelete

Leave me a comment. I'd love to hear from y'all....