Tag: grapefruit cake

Spring Break: Day 3

Today began gloomy and damp, burst into sunshine, and now is back to gloomy and damp.  Easter should be sunny and filled with all the bright colors of Spring!

Yesterday’s grapefruit cake was a success; we had it this afternoon with coffee and a game of cards.  The recipe was simple to make, even if a bit time-consuming, but it certainly was worth the effort.  If you followed the link to the recipe, which I posted yesterday, you can see some really beautiful photographs of it.  Mine are hardly worthy of publishing, but you might be amused by our version of a cake box.

I also did accomplish two things on my list from Friday:

  • build photography reflectors and stands out of PVC pipe
  • sewing
Awhile ago I came across plans for photographic studio equipment called “Tinker Tubes” by Dean Collins at software-cinema.com.  These are really cleverly designed, easy to make, and incredibly inexpensive.  I decided to make small frames to use as reflectors and diffusers, and put together frames measuring 2 x 3 feet.  Being a novice to PVC pipe, primer, and glue, a small project made sense.  Then, I followed Collins’ footing plans to support the frames.
The coverings were easy enough, as I’ve done a lot of sewing.  I basically made pillow cases to cover the frames, using inexpensive or on-sale material from the local fabric store.  I used white nylon tulle for the white diffuser, and for the reflectors a stretchy, shiny gold lame, and a woven metallic silver material.  I double stitched all the seams, as well as overcast the edges to keep raveling to a minimum.

Spring Break: End of Day 2

Whew!  I really got a lot done today – some planned, some not.  Very satisfying to accomplish little things.  And big things.

Today I took Wicket out for a walk, around 9:00 a.m., and as I usually walk him at night, I don’t get to see the details in the neighborhood.  Along the way I discovered avocado trees in bloom, raspberry blossoms, roses, and the sweet scent of orange blossoms mixed with lavender.

Dandelions are popping up in the grass – much to the grassophile’s chagrin (admittedly mine, too) – but they are such cheerful plants, how can you not but appreciate them?  Did you ever make “curly cues” out of them?  You blow away all the seeds, and then take the stem, tear it in lengths, and put them in water.  They curl up into all sorts of shapes.

Then, home, and phone calls to friends and family, as well as calls from friends who know I am not teaching right now, and am actually interested in being sociable!  A nap, spanikopita for lunch, Vietnamese coffee for an afternoon treat, and then the pleasure of sitting in the sun to read.  And, as the sun began to get lower in the sky, the chill of the spring returned, and I went inside to sew.  I made frames for photographic reflectors out of PVC pipe, and today I put together a silver and gold cover for it (one color on each side) and a transparent white one.  These pull over the frame like pillow cases.  Tomorrow, I think I will make some feet for it.

And now, I am making grapefruit cake.  I’ve never heard of it, but came across it quite by accident.  You can find the recipe here, at Not So Humble Pie.  It sounds so good, and right now it is citrus season and my counter is loaded with pink and yellow grapefruit, limes, lemons, oranges and mandarins.  New uses for the fruit is always welcomed; I’m seriously considering putting up a batch of lime marmalade or lime curd.

Not a bad way to spend a Saturday, if I do say so myself!