Flotsam / Jetsam

Summer vacation memories


Chris‘ participation in the Wordless Wednesday circle inspired me to find a similar project for today. I like the idea of Wordless Wednesday, but I’m not sure I could stick to the “wordless” part of the equation.

I also haven’t been taking many new pictures lately, which makes Throwback Thursday a good fit for now.

This week’s theme is Summer Vacation Memories. I would’ve liked to share the picture of the very cranky, child-hating Uncle Sam we met in New York (Really. He was wearing a button that said “I hate kids.”) or some photos from our ill-timed camping-and-Disney trip to Florida (in July). But the only thing I had scanned in that fit the theme was this one, from our trip to Georgian Bay in Ontario.

So here they are, a few memories from our adventure in Canada:

  • We bought some candy bars on the way up, and they tasted funny. We attributed this to their being Canadian.
  • Powering around in the paddle boat. I have a vague recollection of some kind of paddle boat war, with Justin or maybe my stepbrother Wayne ending up in the drink.
  • My stepsister Kristy’s hair turning green from the over-chlorinated hot tub. (Or maybe she was just worried about her hair turning green.)
  • The quiet. It was a very remote spot, and it was the first time I enjoyed the stillness of the outdoors.
  • Going to a science center and learning that the tallest I could hope to be was 5-foot-3. Their formula proved to be pretty accurate.

    And just for good measure, here are a few more “throwback” pictures. These aren’t in chronological order.

    1. Justin, a wagon and Mom. I don’t know when this was, but I’d guess 1984.
    2. Canada. Again. Just like up top.
    3. Me and Justin in tubs in our Granny’s front yard.
    4. My dad’s dad, Justin and the garden.
    5. Granny, Justin and Mom. Why do I have so many pictures of Justin in here?
    6. There I am. Ready to garden, apparently.
    7. Mom, me and Dad at the Sugar Beet Festival (I think). Check out Dad’s totally awesome hat. There was a whole lot of hair under there, too. He was a stylin’ dude in the ’80s.



    • Screen time

    "The Queen"

    My stars, “The Queen” felt like a long movie. Helen Mirren was very good as the queen, but I can’t help think the De-Glamorized Pretty Lady Effect played a role in how well the performance was received. The movie made it difficult for me to sympathize with anyone. The royal family was portrayed as a bunch of cold-hearted beasts (which, for all I know, they may be), and Tony Blair came off as a star-struck kid (which, again, maybe he was).

    And I had to turn on the subtitles because I couldn’t understand what anyone was saying. I don’t like low-talker movies in general, and I didn’t care for this movie in particular.

    Eating

    No birds were harmed in the making of this cake.

    3 Comments

    Hummingbird Cake
    3 cups all-purpose flour
    1 tsp baking soda
    1/2 tsp salt
    2 cups sugar
    1 tsp ground cinnamon
    3 eggs, beaten
    3/4 cup vegetable oil
    1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
    1 (8-oz) can crushed pineapple, undrained
    1 cup chopped pecans
    3 very ripe bananas, mashed
    Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)

    Combine first five ingredients in a large bowl; add eggs and oil, stirring until dry ingredients are moistened. (The resulting batter is very thick — practically dough-like.) Do not beat.

    Combine vanilla, pineapple, pecans and bananas. Stir in to flour mixture.

    Pour batter into three greased and floured nine-inch round cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 23 to 28 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pans and let cool completely on wire racks.

    Spread frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake.

    Cream Cheese Frosting
    1 cup butter
    2 (8-oz) package cream cheese, softened
    1 (32-oz) package powdered sugar
    2 tsp vanilla extract

    Cream butter and cream cheese. Gradually add powdered sugar, beat until mixture is light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla. (This makes roughly 3 tons of frosting. Cut the recipe in half if you’re not a frosting fanatic.)