Walk by Hello: A Ramble...

26 April 2010

A Ramble...

We have been getting acquainted with the woods behind our house, venturing a little further each day. Natalie and Adam would rather play back there than the playground or the sandbox. They can't wait to uncover old logs and dig up millipedes and worms and beetles and bugs. Off they trudge, large sticks in hand, scrabbling over who is the leader this time, while I bring up the rear with Will in the baby carrier. He wiggles and laughs and kicks his legs as though he thinks he's somehow walking right behind them. I can hardly keep him from grabbing at branches and leaves along the way and often look down to find he's been dragging a large stick along with us.

We will go in circles, getting further and further tangled in the underbrush, Natalie and Adam shouting "Let's go south, we need to go south!" South seems to be whichever way they choose to go at that moment. After many minutes of roaming around we inevitably end up back at the same trickling stream.

They are convinced that around each corner could be a tiger or a koala or a large bear. I keep quiet, enjoying listening to them share stories and secrets, occasionally breaking up a fight or two and keeping on the lookout for briars and thorns. Each time we head in there we talk of what Daddy would say or do or think and how happy it makes us to know how very close he is to coming home.

He has long been a lover of the woods himself and how much we look forward to sharing these times with him.

2 comments:

Dawn Ackermann said...: Hi Sarah,
I'm trying to find out your new address. I have a gift for Will, that has been returned since you are no longer at the old address. Can you email me your address?

Love your blog.
Love,
Dawn Ackermann; April 27, 2010 at 10:20 PM
Mel said...: Isn't it great all the wonderful things that you "re-see" when you're out with your children? My boys have been keeping a "grub farm" They found a lot of grubs as we were weeding out our garden in the front of our house. They LOVE picking them up and holding them. We started a vegetable garden too and the boys spread the soil out yesterday with their "scrapers" (rakes) to make it ready for the plants. I'm loving being out with them. And Eden ... she tries to eat every blade of grass she can get her hands on.
Beautiful, fun times.; April 30, 2010 at 10:55 AM

Pecan Cream Cheese Icing:

8 ounces cream cheese
1 stick unsalted butter
1 (1-pound) box confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup chopped toasted pecans

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter 3 (9-inch) cake pans with 1 tablespoon of the butter and set aside. In a large bowl, cream the butter with an electric mixer. Add the sugar, and beat. In a medium bowl or on a piece of parchment, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt, and mix well.

Add the dry ingredients, alternating with the eggs, beating well after the addition of each. Add the vanilla extract and mix. Add the carrots and beat on medium speed until well incorporated, about 2 minutes. Fold in the nuts. Divide between the 3 cake pans and bake until set and a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest in the cake pans for 10 minutes. Invert onto wire racks, remove from the pans, and let cool.

For the Frosting: In a large bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add the sugar gradually, beating constantly. Add the vanilla and pecans.

When the cake is cool, place 1 cake layer on a cake plate or stand. Spread the top with cream cheese frosting and top with a second and third cake layer, spreading the icing between each layer. Spread the icing around the sides of the cake and let harden slightly before serving. To serve, cut into wedges.