Hello Blog Friends!
Well, we seem to be whizzing through June as the small world of Day Camps gears up for another summer of Ministry.
Suddenly, the calendar shows that NEXT WEEK we will be holding a short information event for the small group of helpers from First Filipino Baptist Church who will be travelling to the Eastern Townships on June 22nd, to give a hand at a Day Camp there. Yesterday, I finished putting together a slide presentation to use at the event and am anxiously waiting to see if I can get the AV Projector to connect with my new laptop. A few days ago, In the middle of the night (!!), I suddenly realised that said projector had not, last August, been returned to the office, following Junior Youth Camp. I have managed to track it down and expect it to be delivered later today so I can, hopefully, run the test.
This week, a bit more progress has been made on assembling the files for the “Cook-Along Cookbook”. I’m creating a new Drive folder but it takes quite a while to find all the recipes and photos and make sure they are in the correct order. More on this as the project unfolds!
Finally, the Google Slides for both Programs have arrived but now we still have to wait to share them as Jillian needs to create the video tutorials, which accompany the slide presentations. People are being very patient, but the waiting has certainly been stressful.
A few alumni have started signing up for the July Team Gathering and, in addition to sending out flyers via email, Instagram and Facebook, I’m starting, each day, to send a few personal text messages, individually, in the hopes of gaining more participants. It was encouraging to hear from one Alumnus in the USA, who has asked to receive the Meet Link, YAY!
Outside of office hours, the “Maple Keys War” is still being waged but, thankfully, they do seem to be slowing down, so soon it will be possible to start crawling around in the flower beds, picking out as many as possible, before they begin to sprout.
Wednesday morning, Sarah came for a nice little visit on her way home from her nursing night shift, and even helped pick up a few maple keys, before we headed inside for tea and toasted sourdough English Muffins. Her son, Owen’s, birthday is next week, so I sent her home with his gift bag of four bowties. Sarah also likes gardening, although she has little time with a husband, two young children, an active church life and her nursing shifts! but I also gave her some Lupin seeds I harvested, as she would like to try growing them.
That afternoon I had a text from a longtime friend asking if I could possibly bake a birthday cake, Saturday (ala TODAY), for her elderly husband. I think it must be a special birthday as she said her son could come, this afternoon, to pick it up and, as he actually lives in New York City, he must be flying in for the celebration. After checking what ingredients I had on hand, I said “yes” and rearranged my Friday afternoon to including baking the cake and cupcakes as I need to ice them this morning. EEK!!
Then, on Thursday afternoon, Jillian came with baby Clara. She had made the usual grocery run to Tau (a Whole Foods store near their home) and so, I immediately opened up the package of cream cheese she had brought and hastily iced an Applesauce Cake, which we then enjoyed with a pot of tea!
Yesterday, the young Deacon, whom I mentor, came for a morning visit on his day off. He had some gardening questions for me as he has been trying to grow herbs on his small apartment balcony. We also had tea (good job I keep a big stash!) and some of the applesauce cake.
Not too much time for crafting this week. Slow progress is being made on the pair of socks I’m knitting, from a very complicated pattern, as a Christmas present and I did manage to sew a denim apron as a gift for a friend whose birthday is coming up in July. I want to make it a special gardening apron and plan to paint flowers on the pockets. My original plan was to do the painting this afternoon but the friend for whom I am making the gift has asked if she could come over and have me help her make earrings so it would not be a good idea to have the apron drying in my studio. Maybe tomorrow afternoon will work?
Right now, I had better stop rambling and get this post published as the cake and cupcakes must be iced. When baking last weekend, I decided to make a cake that I had not made for several years. The recipe comes from a sweet lady, Helen Kahre, who was a member of the ACW (Anglican Churchwomen) at St. Matthew’s church. Mrs. Kahre always made it whenever the ladies were asked to bake for an event. It is a Basque Cheesecake and is particularly delicious when served, in the summer months, with fresh berries. It also freezes well, if you have leftovers, which is highly unlikely!
Helen Khare’s Supreme Cheesecake
- 1 ½ cups, sweet cookie crumbs, blended until fine
- 2 Tbsps. melted butter
- 4 eggs
- 2 8oz. packages cream cheese, softened to room temperature (use organic, it makes a difference!)
- ½ cup raw cane sugar
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 1 cup heavy cream
Mix the crumbs with the melted butter and 2Tbsps of the sugar. Press into the bottom of a 9” springform pan, set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the sugar, salt and cream cheese until very smooth. Beat in the egg yolks, on at a time. Finally beat in the cream. Pour into the pan and bake for 1hour at 325°F. The top should be firm to the touch, and golden brown. Cool completely before serving. Serve at room temperature or chilled.