Summer Strawberry Cake.

Strawberry Season is here, yay!  I love strawberry season it reminds me that even though the clouds are looming it is indeed summer and I better get to enjoying it because, in Seattle, the weather can turn on you in a flash.  So I look forward to things that remind me of summer and strawberry season always prompts me to savor all the sweetness this season delivers.

I have professed, in the past, I am not a jam maker but that does not stop me from picking a farm tote or two, full to the brim, of these vine ripened ruby gems.  And every time I am at the berry farm to pick, I am asked by other pickers and often the cashier if I make jam.  A somber "No", is always my reply and it seems to be met with a bit of disappointment.  And with an heavy eleven pounds of sweet berries they just can't help but reply, "Well, what do you do with them?"  And sometimes I feel a bit of shame as so many pickers are jam makers.  I always feel a bit less than for just a moment until I start rattling off my sweet plans for my own strawberry haul.   "Well we eat them fresh, we use them in smoothies, salads, I make lemonade ice cubes, and I make this amazing strawberry cake that is incredibly delicious".  Their eyes a bit more intrigued and then all of a sudden the shame is lifted as I describe, my cake.  Well, it's actually Deb from Smitten Kitchen's cake but hey I am the one making it here and I must admit, as I describe the "puddles of jam" and the "dimpling batter", I own this cake.  I always give her credit but my enthusiasm as I share her recipe feels as if it were my own discovery.  

Deb's blog Smitten Kitchen is one of my all time favorites and I gladly sing her scrumptious praises.  But let's get back to this cake because this faintly sweet, delicately crisp cake that buckles around the berries like a country quilt is freaking amazing.

Summer Strawberry Cake.

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for pie plate
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, the original recipe calls for a cup of sugar plus 2 tablespoons but I cut ¼ out and thought it worked perfect.
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pound farm fresh, just picked strawberries, hulled and halved, store bought berries will not yield the correct results, consider yourself warned.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 10-inch pie pan or 9-inch deep-dish pie pan.  I also have also done this in a 9X13 pan and I used one and a half times the recipe.

Whisk flour, baking powder and salt together in a small bowl. In a larger bowl, beat butter and 1 cup sugar until pale and fluffy with an electric mixer, about 3 minutes. Mix in egg, milk and vanilla until just combined. Add dry mixture gradually, mixing until just smooth.

Pour into prepared pie plate. Arrange strawberries, cut side down, on top of batter, as closely as possible in a single layer, and yes, I had to squeeze the last few berries in. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over berries.

Bake cake for 10 minutes then reduce oven temperature to 325°F and bake cake until golden brown and a tester comes out free of wet batter, about 50 minutes to 60 minutes. (Gooey strawberries on the tester are a given.) Let cool in pan on a rack. Cut into wedges. Serve with homemade whipped cream.

This year I made two and froze one.  I will update later on how that worked out.  Deb says it will be fine on the counter for two days but good luck with that.

I shared this with a gal last year at the berry farm and Shannon left me this comment on my blog post the very next day, "I heart you!!! Bumping into you at the berry farm this morning ended up being heaven to my taste buds. I made your cake and it was devoured in seconds. The second one is in the oven. I did make jam too but the strawberry cake(s) > jam. Thank you!!"

...and a special thanks to the Biringer Farm, that's where I pick and their berries are the best!

Enjoy and  let me know if you try it and what you think, we think it' a keeper.

The gift of words, friendship, connection and the magic of Write: Doe Bay.

There was a lot of divine intervention at Doe Bay. The three and a half years that preceded my attending this retreat seem connected somehow. I have written and re-written this post every day since returning. Finally I just gave in went back to my original draft, re-read it, and left it exactly as it was. I did split it in two parts, the path that led me to Doe Bay and WRITE: Doe Bay – the retreat.


The path that led me to Doe Bay.

I, like many others, was a bit nervous signing up for a writing retreat. Was I really a writer? I knew I enjoyed writing my blog, but I hesitated for a moment before signing up for this retreat. I think it was the idea of the kind of writer I wished I would become that drew me to attend Write: Doe Bay. I want to be a writer that connects with others. I want to share my ideas and thoughts in an effort to inspire people to make each day count. I want to live authentically, to embrace it all, the happy and the sad, the tough times and the amazingly good times. I want to share that because someone else shared that with me and I am in awe at how powerful that can be.

I had followed Kelle Hampton’s blog, Enjoying the Small Things, for almost four years. Kelle’s voice always spoke to me, it was almost like she showed me a part of myself that was always there but tucked just out of reach. I found her blog shortly after my sweet friend Diane had been diagnosed with both stage 4 ovarian cancer and a second primary cancer in her breast. I was devastated by my friends’ cancer, and I guess in hindsight, I was looking for something to make sense.  

Kelle’s blog made sense, it changed my perspective and it changed how I reacted to my friend's diagnosis. I honestly feel her words helped stitch my broken heart back together and that really surprised me. How did this blogger 3000 miles across the country have that gift, that power?

Kelle has shown me that even though we are all so different, even though our lives are completely different, we really are all the same. We love the same and we are sad the same, but most importantly we all have the ability to make the most out of every day, not just the good days. She has shown me through her own pain and within the depth of sadness, there is beauty. She showed me that if you choose to show up and walk through it, you will be better for it.

In the past three and a half years I have learned that when we are faced with painful times, we instantly get a crash course in reality. When we are forced to deal with difficult times we learn to let go of things that are too heavy, things that don’t give back to us, we cut out the drama and we really find what is most important to us. We end up editing our life because we know that life can change in an instant and we want each moment to count. So we are more conscious to suck the marrow, throw caution to the wind, and to live authentically. We love deeper, have more gratitude, more patience and a deeper understanding of what is really important in life. Instead of competing with others we see the value in supporting one another. Instead of taking from the world around us we are driven to give back, and leave the world better than we found it. And all of a sudden we linger with friends a bit longer, we are the last to let go of a friendly hug and we are compelled to make the most of our, one wild and precious life. And the incredible side effect of that perspective is our life becomes more meaningful.

Kelle’s blog is honest, raw and real and it was such a gift to me. I emailed her a few times over the years and thanked her for showing me through my own sadness.

She always wrote back.

It was December when I saw Kelles' post about Write: Doe Bay I knew I wanted/needed to be there. It is easy to get distracted in life and it seemed my life was taking me away from my writing. I needed to be refueled and inspired with regard to my blog among other things and I thought this writing retreat would rekindle that, and I knew it would be filled with kindred spirits.  So, after triple checking the cancellation policy, I signed up. I honestly did not think I would cancel but I had doubts if I was qualified to be there.

Soon came Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and Valentine’s Day. I would call my friend regularly and we visited as much as we could. And then, like a switch was flipped, I started to see her change.   A few weeks later there was a hospital bed delivered to her home and a book supplied by hospice that detailed what we were to expect. Gone from my sight, is a little book that I found so valuable.  It can be read in just a few minutes and truly walks you through the process of dying in the most gentle and beautiful way.  Family came from out of state, the most vibrant rainbows were seen over her home, and love filled the air in her final days.

My sweet friend passed gently, on April 2nd, at home with her husband by her side.

Three years and seven months had passed since her initial diagnosis but we chose to look at that time differently. We saw that time pass, not in days but in picnics, in dinner parties, and in champagne bottles. We saw time in the weekend trips to the beach, the laughter, the amazing low tides and the long summer evenings in the backyard. We measured time in the hugs and the "I love you's", and the deeper connection we found post cancer.  My friend once told me over lunch, that through cancer she had found a connection to others, to the universe and to herself.  She said she had been searching for that connection her entire life, and then she paused and said, “As strange as it sounds, I have to thank cancer for that.”  She was amazing.
 
She loved my little blog and she was equally excited for me to attend this writing retreat on Orcas Island. I have not written much in the past six months.  The last thing I wrote before going to Doe Bay was her obituary. It was hard and healing and left me very raw.  Concerned about going away so soon after her passing, I found myself completely afraid. Afraid of letting it all come out. What if the pain settled in? What if I arrived there and couldn’t stop crying? What if I was angry? What if I was not really myself? What if…?

I really had no expectations of this retreat. I think every so often things just unfold as they should and Doe Bay did just that.  A two hour drive North with a quick stop at the tulip fields, an hour and a half ferry wait then an hour ferry ride and another forty five minute drive over rolling hills, scenic vistas and pristine waters I had finally reached Doe Bay Resort.







I felt completely away.

I arrived at Doe Bay raw, my head swirling, and a little lost. I met some amazing people, true kindred spirits and I intend to keep and nurture those friendships. I learned a lot in 3 days, both creatively and technically. And I left with a new focus, a stronger voice and a deeper confidence in how I want to share my words and thoughts. I also left with a deeper connection to those who truly open themselves up, it’s hard to do.

And Kelle, yeah she’s pretty amazing. She speaks in hugs and with a focused attention to her audience of one or thirty eight. She is open and lovely and I thanked her for the gift of her words.


WRITE: Doe Bay - The Retreat.


Doe Bay, is known for many things, a resort for Hippies, home to a renowned music festival, an award winning farm to fork restaurant, and for its pristine 38 acres on the edge of Orcas Island. And Doe Bay is all those things but for the 38 creative beings that shared meals, cabins, music, poetry and stories from April 10th-13th in Spring of 2014 it will always mean so much more.







I loved at Doe Bay, I gave myself away and took a bit of everyone with me when I left. And I felt at Doe Bay, a deep connection with each and every person within our very special group, and within myself. I laughed and cried and was uncomfortable and completely at peace, all at the same time. I gained insight on how to move past writers block, how not to let other voices change my own, how to see each moment with a bit more beauty and how to procure the avenues to share my words and see my stories published, if that happened to be my goal.





Returning from Doe Bay has been different than I expected. I left early the next morning, before the closing ceremony, to attend my friends’ service; which was set for that afternoon. Sometimes I wish I had stayed for that closing ceremony, wrapped up my experience with the ritual I heard takes place on that last day. I wonder if there was cohesiveness in the closing day that would have sent me back a little more complete than I felt when leaving. It’s hard to imagine but in many ways I actually felt a bit more raw and unraveled than when I had arrived. I have since learned that we all felt this way upon “re-entry”.

Arriving home, those 3 days away felt like a year.

Life has been a bit of an adjustment since coming home, sinking into my friends passing, busy at work and balancing getting back in my routine. Sometimes it feels as though I am afraid to lose what was discovered on that tiny island. So keeping that in mind, my goals post Doe Bay are as follows: I intend to fit more creativity into my life, music, books, art, I need it. I intend to seek out more of what brings me joy, truly connecting with others. And I intend to let my voice share, inspire, guide and give back.
 
Many people have asked me about my time at Doe Bay and I find it somewhat difficult to explain. I have read my fellow Doe Bay writers’ words describing their own experience and while they are all so different they are all so incredibly accurate. I love reading their words, I loved meeting them and sharing that sacred space, and I know when we meet up again, we will pick up exactly where we left off. Until then I am grateful for social media to bridge the gap and I look forward to supporting their creative spirits.

We are storytellers, novelists, songwriters, singers, movie makers and poets. We write and share our stories, and we support each other in finding our own unique voice. And we are all forever changed and connected for our time and experience together.
 

     Photo credit Jesse Michener

We are different but we are also exactly the same, and we are better for attending Write: Doe Bay.


Thank you to Jenn and Jesse, thank you to Daniel, Kelle, Nici and Claire, thank you to Rebekkah, our amazing chef, thank you to Joe and the Doe Bay staff and thank you to the rest of the kindred spirits who left beautiful marks on my heart on that island far, far away.

Happy Valentine's Day.

This year I sent out a few valentine's, it brought back so many memories of picking out special cards and giving them away in grade school, I always loved that tradition.  This also helped me achieve my 2014 goal of sending more handwritten notes, which I really want to do more of.


Tonight we are having a quiet dinner at home, which is exactly how I like to spend Valentine's Day, tucked in and cozy.

And because our oven broke this week, I stopped by the French Bakery for a few Valentine sweets for my Sweetie.

And remember you don't need a "mate" to give love to, everyone can use a bit more love in this world.   So be generous and give it away, it comes back in bucket-fulls so toss it around like confetti and watch the magic that unfolds.

And here is a little Matt Brown Valentine for you all to enjoy! 

Happy Valentine's day!

Turning the page on 2013.

The past few days have brought some very sad news as I learned that a friend/co-worker from my younger years in Maine passed away.    He was a year younger than I and left this world, his three children and loved ones much too soon.  

Tonight is the last day of 2013 and its natural to look back, reflect and anticipate hope for what lies ahead.  As I sit here and reflect on the past year for myself and my friends, I must embrace that 2013 had its share of joys and sorrows, which will never leave us.  And as some of us rush to usher out a year that has held struggles and sorrow, we must acknowledge that although the page turns and a new chapter begins the past is still a pivotal part of our whole story.  

We cannot help but be shaped by the past, and sometimes the bad seems to greatly outweigh the good.  These experiences are burrowed deep into our souls and can often feel like the us we knew before, will never again be; and let me tell you it’s true, we do change.  And sometimes we feel so broken we can’t even imagine our way back to the light, but it’s there, patiently waiting for us.  And the healing takes shape in different ways for each of us, but the root is in humanity.  A hug, a phone call a visit, a connection with someone who is there for us, holding us up until we can stand on our own again.

We change and hopefully, in time, we grow. 

Life does that to us. 

We become more aware, more compassionate and more in tune with what we are really here for, to connect with others and to reap as much joy from this life that we can. 

Many people often comment to me regarding my positive outlook.  They joke that my glass is always half full, and chuckle at my never ending search for rainbows and unicorns, this is my way to bring balance into my life.  I need that balance because I know life may try to push me over when I least expect it.

2013 has been challenging for me.  I have a very sweet friend who is making the most of her one “wild and precious life”,  amidst a terminal cancer diagnosis.  And let me just say she is a ROCKSTAR.  She is someone who has always been an amazing friend and a blessing to my life.  We have been great friends for over the past seventeen years.  But in the past few years she has taught me so much about life, love and gratitude and I am a very lucky girl to call her my sweet friend.   

Yes, 2013 has change me, I am more grateful, more compassionate and hopefully a bit wiser.  My goal for 2014 is to “make it count”.   We have but one life and it is fragile.

So, as I am about to turn the page here in just a few moments, I am reminded of Mary Oliver’s famous quote, “What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”  

Well Mary, I have 365 blank pages ahead of me and my intent for 2014 is to make them all count.

Wishing you all peace, courage, gratitude and strength in 2014.

Behind the Eight Ball.

The idea of this blog is to chronicle my life, share the ups the downs and the things that inspire me and bring joy to my life, and hopefully yours.  It’s my canvas and as you can see from my last post, cough, cough, in September, this post should come as no surprise, as I am, well, completely behind the eight ball.

September was busy we were savoring the last bits of a delightful Summer and getting ready for an amazing two week trip to Maine and NYC, which was all kinds of crazy, wonderful fun.

Camden, Maine

Times Square, NYC

And when we returned it was hectic, I was super busy at work.   I love selling Real Estate so that's fun busy.  Our Vintique and Handmade handcrafted soap business was busy with many people ordering ahead for the holidays, thank you all so much for your orders.   Busy is good and I love being busy, but before I could catch up the holidays began.   

Thanksgiving was a beautiful day.   



It was a day filled with gratitude and Pomegranate Martini’s.   We shared this lovely holiday with our very sweet, camera shy, friends and I was grateful for every moment of it.   Turkey good, rutabagas good, gravy great and the BEST-EST friends, which all added up to a perfect Thanksgiving holiday.

And then, as if someone was playing a cruel joke on us all,  Thanksgiving was late, rendering Christmas only 3 ½ weeks away.   I am still waiting on an answer as to how that happened, and all of this has left me whining and completely wedged behind the eight ball.

Soon I found myself trapped here, behind this big black orb, and the panic set in fast.  I decided not to host my annual Christmas Cookie Exchange and rather attended one hosted by a friend.   It was fun to see how someone else hosted their exchange and I left with many delicious treats and a lovely ornament and gift card from a “white elephant” gift exchange.   But I did miss catching up with some of my friends and may have to host another type of winter get together after the holidays settle down. I’m thinking a Valentines chocolate cookie/candy exchange, to give your Sweetheart, in lieu of the traditional commercial boxed candy.   But wait.  We have another holiday in the mix and I must get back to that.   It’s a big holiday; in fact it’s the busiest holiday of the year.   Are you ready?

Remember that eight ball I mentioned, it’s still here.   My tree is not up yet, I only have half of my Christmas cards sent, some gifts still to get together, all gifts to wrap, and many to get in the mail to ensure they reach the East Coast by the 24th at the very least.

Yes, it’s getting a bit tight back here, along with panic the sweats have arrived and at times I fear I am about to have a full blown breakdown.   Breathe, deep breathing helps to slow the heart rate, right?  

So as I sit here, breathing and wiping the mist from my brow I have been looking around.   And through my panic-y haze, I have noticed a few of my friends and family back here with me, they are stuck too.   And now I find myself saying, “Hi Mom”, “Hi Sister”, “Hi friend with the new baby”, welcome.   And like in all dilemma’s, we are supporting each other.   “Don’t stress, it will all get done and what doesn’t get done won’t matter”, “Do you really have to put a tree up this year?”, “How can I help?” and the best advice of all, “Take a few minutes to just do something else, take time to recharge, when you get back you’ll have a clear head and be more focused.”   And so that is just what I did Friday night, and it was magic.

Friday night I took a few hours off from Christmas.  Clyde and I met some friends in Seattle to welcome back Matt Brown and the Connection who were making their return to the Pacific NW for a few shows.   Matt has been in Nashville working on his music career and it was great to see him, hear his new music, which is wonderful, and enjoy a much needed date night.




And on Saturday morning I was ready to rock this holiday out!  My behind the eight ball combined with a little friendly support has become a Magic 8 ball and as I shook the bejesus out of it this morning, it read, “Outlook good”.

I may still be on the wrong side of this eight ball, heck I may have even pulled up a chair and propped my feet up, but my family and friends are here, we are toasting with some brandy and eggnog and with 10 days till Christmas as I wonder, will I be ready… all the “Signs point to yes”

So today I am wishing you all a lovely and manageable pre-Christmas holiday rush.

PS: And let me not forget to mention the Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond, came to town and I just had to go see her. 




She was warm and lovely and very funny.  She chatted and connected and gave everyone as much time as they wanted.  Well, I would have loved to have had a drink with her but the hundreds behind me in line may have taken issue with that.



She signed her newest cookbook and a photo I brought, of her delicious Mango Margaritas that have now become a Summer staple around this home. Yum!



So that's almost like having a drink with her!  She said she could use a pitcher of those at that very moment.  Ahhhhh, we will always have Mango Margaritas Ree, come back soon!



... and that was my date with the Pioneer Woman. 

And I bet she's back here too, ya know behind the eight ball.  Four kids, a blog, a television show, cookbooks to sign, and a ranch to run, yes, I am sure she is around here somewhere I just need to look around.

Matt Brown Concert at the Creek.

Last Summer I saw a post on FB from a small restaurant in La Conner Washington. It went something like this:

"Come join us for an intimate summer evening of soulful blues with singer/songwriter Matt Brown on the deck under the Beech tree,  August 1st from 6-10 p.m."

I was intrigued, I'm not exactly sure what it was or if it was a combination of the whole thing.  But the idea of soulful blues, under a beech tree sounded so fabulous, plus August 1st 2012 was a Wednesday and I like doing things mid week.  Mid week events break up the work week, venues are less crowded and we have had some of our best times mid-week.   So I called our friends to see if they were up for it.  We met on the deck, under this giant Beech tree, ordered dinner and when Matt Brown started singing, we were all instant fans.



We chatted with him during the break and purchased both of his cd's.  He was gracious as he chatted with the crowd and really seemed to love what he was doing.   After the brief intermission we sat back down and enjoyed the rest of his set.  Soon we found ourselves saying, "this guy is really great!", "what a great idea this was", and my favorite, "the only way this night could be better, was if he was playing out on the deck at our friends home".

Our friends have a lovely home on 16 acres along the banks of the Pilchuck Creek and an amazing partially covered deck in the middle of it all.   They agreed it would be "over the top" to have him play at their home.  And then like all good things, the evening came to a close but we succeeded in having yet another great mid week evening and now two new amazing cd's to listen to.

I think it was mid January when we saw him again, this time at the Edgewater in Seattle. And by now  I knew all the words to his songs and have shared his music with many of my friends.  I mentioned to him, during the break,  that we had seen him at Seed's last Summer with friends and we really enjoy his music.  He asked my name and said "Wendy, thank you so much for coming out tonight". 



So soon it's April, and after a few more discussions with our friends, I thought I'm just going to email him and see if he does private concerts.  It was only a few quick emails back and forth and then another quick call to our friends and the wheels were in motion.  A surprise phone call from Matt confirming schedules in May and a few text messages later,  the Concert at the Creek was set for August 24th, 2013.

We planned a yummy taco bar, invited a small group of friends, and were super excited for our intimate Summer Concert at the Creek.

And let me just say, this evening exceeded all of our expectations.




The guests had a great time, Matt was wonderful and as hosts, we could not have asked for a better evening.  In fact the only thing that I would have changed is, I did not take enough photos.   I wanted more photos of the venue the details and the guests enjoying it all.  But I was too distracted, it was like Christmas morning.  We had an over the top idea, took the steps to make it happen and after months of planning he was here.  He was playing his beautiful music out on our friends deck.  This deck that has held farm to fork dinners, pumpkin carving parties, cider pressing celebrations and leisurely evenings that were special just because we were there with friends.

I did however manage with the help from a few guests and with the few photos I took, to put together a video of this most special evening.


MB Concert from WA Nutting on Vimeo.

Now, I must add here that the next few days that followed, Brenda and I both received numerous facebook messages, texts, etc from guest saying, they had the best time, they love Matt Brown, they hope we do it again next year, next week and so on.  And Brenda ran into a neighbors Mom, who happened to be visiting her kids the evening of the concert.  She told Brenda they came over for a short visit and ended up staying the entire night, sitting out on their deck enjoyng the music.

And isn't that what this is all about spreading joy, connecting with people and making memories.   I'd say that's the Matt Brown unicorn right there.

This life is a gift, don't waste a single moment of it.

Thank you to all the friends that attended, thank you to our dear friends John and Brenda for sharing their wonderful home and thank you to Matt Brown for an amazing evening.

Matt Brown is a beautiful songwriter and has an amazing crystal clear voice.  He has played all over Washington and Oregon, toured college campuses around the country, opened for some big names and made a few trips to Nashville to work on and record some more music.

We wish him all the best and look forward to following his career.  If you ever get a chance to catch him playing in your area, by all means, go see him and for more information on Matt Brown click here.

Buckling batter and puddles of jam, behold the Strawberry Summer Cake!

So Saturday morning I picked 'em, Saturday afternoon, I gave some away, and Saturday night we ate 'em.  Yum, so good, Summer sweet strawberries. 


...and I still had a lot left over, a lot.   And now I was in a dilemma, what to do with them, I knew Monday after returning from work they would be well, not so fresh. 

I asked a few ladies picking what their plans were with them and they all replied jam.  And while I do love jam and will graciously take a jar or two if a fine jam maker is willing to part with their homemade gift, but I am not a jam maker.  And I will gladly enjoy a serving of strawberry shortcake, but it's not a dessert that would end up entirely being consumed in our house of two strawberry lovers and one four legged dog-child.  I thought about freezing these little ruby gems but they are so fragile and so perfect, sending them to the deep freeze along with the peas, corn and other cast offs buried in the freezer, forgotten about, did not seem worthy of their greatness.  No offense to pea and corn lovers but they are a little heartier than these delicate berries.

And then I remembered a recipe I saw a few years ago on Smitten Kitchen, calling only for the kind of strawberries found locally and picked at their absolute peak.  



Deb, from Smitten Kitchen, described the recipe like this,

"When Monday rolls around and the strawberries are on their last legs, if you listen closely to them, they’ll tell you that this cake is how they’d like to go out."

And since I would be working Monday but was home today, I decide to give it a whirl!



With over a pound of fruit and her comment describing "puddles of jam",  I was well, smitten.   And if you like the term "puddles of jam" as much as I do you'll be quite happy by the end of this post, because it's going to happen a lot. 

"The strawberries take over. Nobody complains. The cake is short on steps but long on baking time, and in that hour that it hangs out in your oven, those strawberries turn into puddles of jam. The batter buckles around the receding berries, which dimple like a country quilt and the edges of the cake become faintly crisp."

I can only say she had me at, "puddles of jam", buckling batter, a country quilt, and faintly crisp,
 
And of course I had to used my blueberry pie dish from LL Bean's, a gift from my Momma.  I think my favorite part was gently tucking each one into this billowy batter.



 Just over an hour later, behold perfect "puddles of jam!"



This cake is yummy!  Beautifully rustic, which I love.  Crisp, delicately sweet, and bursting with the flavor of summer. 



And by the way, in my last post I ended requesting Summer to stay awhile and as always, in Seattle, just when you have a lovely, sunny, warm day, you can almost bet in less then 24 hours the rain will return.  I wonder if it's Mother Natures cruel joke or a just reminder to be grateful and savor each fleeting moment.  And speaking of fleeting moments, the remainder of my strawberries and this beautiful cake will be gone by the end of the week but we will savor each bite and hope the sun will return soon.  And it may be raining outside but we are thoroughly enjoying our little "puddles of jam" inside, because we are nothing if not grateful.

Have a lovely week!
Many thanks to the Biringer Farm for the sweet berries in this post!