Tuesday, February 15, 2022

This and That

 Hello…is there anyone still there? One way to lose followers is not to post on a regular schedule. 

The dark days of winter are here and not always easy to find something to blog about. I have been busy but doing what I am not sure?


I did try my hand my hand at baking a cake. Made a three layer carrot cake from scratch…We Americans  are usually prone to using a cake mix…but this is the real thing with creme cheese icing. Now I just need to learn how to decorate. I didn’t exactly put much thought into how to space my letters, and I got the decorating (orange ) icing too thin to properly make the ruffled trim.I will try again soon if someone will have a birthday. We certainly don’t want a cake this big around here to temp us!

My daughter and granddaughter sent this picture of them  posing at an event inside a Van Gogh painting.

I recognized it right away,


since Tom and I were in Arles, France at the very spot  where they are standing a few years ago.Van Gogh painted this coffee shop The Terrace Cafe in 1888 while living in Arles.That was the same year he sliced off his ear…


I am still taking courses at TCU. I wasn’t too keen on taking this course, Happiness, because a lot of these self help books seem like psycho babble sometimes, but I really like the instructor.



Right off the bat there is this chart. She says 50% of  your happiness  you inherit (set point). So if I have good circumstances (10%) in my life and I intentionally try my hand at happiness but let’s say I am a descendant of Scrooge…my chances of being happy are still only50 50.

Looks like I not only need a course in cake decorating…but I need to read this book and figure this out!…stay tuned..

9 comments:

  1. I'd love to help you with the cake It's my Favourite. Happy Birthday

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  2. I'll be right over for a home made piece of carrot cake!

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  3. Happy Birthday! The cake looks great. I just found a recipe to make one with almond flour and now I can't wait to try it. Enjoy your evening! (who is having a birthday?)

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  4. That cake looks really delicious - cream cheese icing is a favourite of mine, but it is a rare treat. Was it your birthday? If so, hope that you had a happy day.
    Arles is such a lovely place to visit - it is nice that the photo from your daughter and granddaughter bought back happy memories of your visit there.

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  5. You are a great baker, that cake looks very tasteful!
    Well I am a bit blog tired too. Doing it for a long time and life has not been so interesting the last two years with all that Covid stuff going around.

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  6. I think that cake looks very good. I watched an old episode of the Great British Baking show last night and cake baking from scratch takes a special talent. I'm impressed.

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  7. Dearest Janey,
    That cake you made, for whomever was the lucky Birthday person, is done with LOVE and that is all what counts! No doubt its taste was delicious.
    Fond memories of your Van Gogh's footsteps visit and I love your daughter and granddaughter captured in that painting!
    As for the Happiness, there is way too much psycho babble out there, all trying to replace the basics taught in the family. Based on Christian principles and that is the BEST foundation for true happiness!
    Hugs,
    Mariette

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  8. I am not a baker and like you I don't want to bake lots of cakes as I will then eat far too much. I have no will power when it comes to refusing a piece of cake,!

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