Happy mid-week everyone,
We have been waking up the last couple mornings in the mid 20's F so we definately have had a hard freeze. Slow to warm up as well. The first night it did not seem to effect my perennial garden too much but this morning-yes a frost has hit.
Monday the road trip to the cardiac unit at Mercy in Springfield Missouri was a long one. Although the route we took this time-almost the same amount miles of 100-was a route through rural Missouri and Amish country instead of all 4 lane highway. We even saw the Niangua river area that flows into the Lake in the Ozarks. I hadn't seen that before, but Larry and his late friend Lilburn would launch the boat in this area to fish. Pretty country. Took 2 hours to drive in, very little traffic to deal with til we got into the city which is always bumper to bumper now no matter the time of day.
The test results were sadly what we were thinking, less heart function than two years ago. A couple options hubs will need to decide if he wants to or not. My husband has been ill or in constant pain since childhood this is one more life struggle for him-sadly. I will push him to do more fishing and forget about house projects going forward. He has always worked all the time, never time for himself or fun-I will insist on it now.
This morning I baked up Larry's favorite holiday treat-an English dark fruitcake. I know many don't care for this and it is full of sugars but homemade is totally different than those cakes you find in the stores. I even dug out a handmade pottery bowl which I enjoy using.
Ready for the oven-vintage baking pans I found years ago perfect for this recipe
These will bake for 2 1/4 hours-rest, and tomorrow will wrap up in cheesecloth soaked with brandy. My gluten free version from 2 years ago is still good-I keep it in the back of the frig.
and in comments about the pineapple upside down cakes, someone asked to see the bottoms Mine are not as pretty as the photos in the recipes show with the pineapple rings and cherries but these tasted really delicious (and we don't like those cherries) and since I stored them in a sealed container they are still very moist and good tasting
I had taken my camera along to hopefully grab some fall photos, but the lake area is much further along than the areas we drove through so sorry no scenic photos this time.
I love English fruitcake my grandmother always made it but she was a teatotaler no boozy wrap for her but I bet it taste divine.
ReplyDeleteSending prayers to your husband.
Cathy
Glad to read others liking homemade fruitcakes-they really are special. my Mom didin't drink but she always added the booze to the fruits and then the soaked cheesecloth wrap. thank you so much Cathy
DeleteI am so not looking forward to cold winter weather. We did, as promised, get our first hard freeze last night. I always try to make it to November without turning on the heat, but that didn't happen this year. The forecast is calling for near 90 degrees this weekend, so I may be bringing back out the short pants! Your fruitcake looks out-of-this-world delicious. Dan would love this!
ReplyDeletewow 90 degrees-we have three days of 80's am hoping to get allot done outdoors before the next cold spell. These fruitcakes are so good-I will share a photo of the baked cakes next post. my gluten free one turns out pretty good too same recipe I just use gluten free flour
DeleteSorry to hear your husband's heart function has gone down, and you are right he needs to do more of what he enjoys. Your mornings have been colder than ours. We do have the ocean effect which keeps the temperatures more moderated for a bit, but it wouldn't be that crazy for us to get some hard frosts. It sounds like you are having fun doing some holiday baking. It's that time of year, isn't it? Hope you have a nice rest of the week. Hugs-Erika
ReplyDeletethank you so much Erika, I heard Larry talking with a friend to go fishing this friday early so am happy about that. when I grew up in northern Indiana the great lakes always effected our weather-especially the amount of snow we would get. yes this is the time for the fruitcakes so they have at least a month to age a bit.
DeleteYou have a good rest of your week too hugs
Kathy I know you will be taking good care of Larry and making sure he enjoys the things he loves to do. Your fruit cake looks excellent. My mom used to make homemade ones and she wrapped them in a towel soaked in brandy. They were delicious. Your post makes me homesick for those days when her kitchen would be filled with all those special aromas. Take care friend - I will be "looking up" for you and hubby. Hugs
ReplyDeletethank you so much Debbie I baked fruitcakes with my Mom too, and all those christmas cookies-good memories. I like to bake the cut out cookies especially the gingerbread cookies-big hugs back to you my friend
DeleteAll the best to Larry too bad on the test results. The fruitcake looks delicious
ReplyDeleteWe adore fruitcakes too. I love your beautiful vintage bowl.
ReplyDeletethank you this is hand made bowl made in the '70s a really nice size too
DeleteFrost already now?! Eww!
ReplyDeleteIn pain since childhood sounds... very, very sad.
Nice you made him that cake.
Oh, it´s not fun to be with someone who suffers, I sure do know. Ingo fell sick and is since 2008.
Hugs to you to the freezing lake, we will manage...
Yes this is about the time we get a frost here but not usually this cold. Hubs never complains and is always up early to start his day working on something I try not to complain if I am ill since he hardly ever does. Hugs back
DeleteYes, same here. I try not to complain having witnessed Ingo so often in pain....
DeleteLarry is in your good hands and how sweet of you to bake him some fruit breads. Our weather is very strange this year. The mornings are cool with heavy marine layer and then fog. By late afternoon the sun comes out for a few hours. Still not too cold though. Have a good day today.
ReplyDeletewe have had some very cool views of the lake with the heavy fog too-looks neat and perfect for october. we are warming up so hope to get lots done outdoors
DeleteYour right.. not a fan of fruit cake.. lol Although not sure if i've ever had homemade.. I'm doing the same with hubby.. Told him the other day.. He's spending so much time 'setting up' his shop that he's never going to 'play' in it.. So yesterday he did.. he 'played' and made something.. :) Hubs has had alot of pain in his life too.. his is from the military.. We've had 3 days of cooler weather and not we warm up into the 80's again.. golf weather..lol Hugs! deb
ReplyDeleteLarry did missions in viet nam good your husband spent time enjoying his shop. we will be in the 80s too for the next three days-hoping to get lots accomplished-if my my back holds up-having troubles with the my lower back again-yes perfect golf weather
DeleteLarry must enjoy today, it is the most important thing and you must use all the "pots" you have saved. My life experience taught me this (77)
ReplyDeleteI agree-hugs
DeleteGood idea to give Larry more time for fun. Hope his condition will improve! You had me at fruitcake, I will be baking several come December, for me and for friends- They are always so delicious. Have a great weekend, Kathy! Hugs, Valerie
ReplyDeleteI used to bake two or three batches of the fruitcakes, age them in spirits for a couple months and then give some as gifts homemade is sooo delicious. Happy weekend Valerie
DeleteI like fruitcake but I'm sure the homemade is really good! You must be such a good cook. Thank you so much for the letter and card! You are much colder there-we haven't had below around 35 or so yet.
ReplyDeleteI grew up with my Mom making fruitcakes for chrismas, and then when I married Larry I learned about the dark fruitcakes-all fruits with very little cake-those are the best. You are welcome, I sat down and wrote a few slow mail letters to my friends- the 20's were a surprise for sure at this time of year but we are warming up now
DeleteI'm sorry about the test results -- I hope you can find some alternatives that will be effective. I always like the slow-way (the pretty way) when there is time. A little more relaxing. Hang in there.
ReplyDeletethank you, this was an enjoyable ride so much less stressful
DeleteI am so saddened to read about Larry's worsened condition. He is definitely in my thoughts and prayers. Yes, it is time for him to take life easy and enjoy fishing and boating.
ReplyDeleteI have always hated fruitcakes because of the citron. I read your recipe and it doesn't seem to contain any. I made fruitcake once. Once was enough. I can buy the most expensive fruitcake for what I paid to make mine. Between the candied fruit and the brandy, I spent a fortune. It turned out OK, but was a very expensive fruitcake. I can't wait to see how it turned out.
thank you so much Elizabeth, Yes fruitcakes can be expensive-I had bought allot of ingredients from nuts.com a couple years ago, and always have nuts in the freezer so the money-much less back- was already spent. I am thinking the brandy is probably allot more expensive now too with what is happening here to our economy now but I think I have enough left to resoak the cheesecloth in another month. I will show photos in next post-it baked up really nice, might be a tad overbaked but the aging will take care of that
DeleteHi Kathy! Oh I'm sorry about the bad news...I think that insisting Larry do more fishing is a wonderful idea. Your fruitcake looks so delicious! I haven't tried to make one yet, but Alex does like them so I might try this season! ♥
ReplyDeletethank you-I use old English 1700-1800's recipes homemade are really good but they need at least a month to age before crhistmas and then get better over time-I still have 2 1/4's left of my gluten free-that one I keep in the back of the frig
DeleteAlso...forgot to add, I didn't get much accomplished outside today because of strong winds.
ReplyDeletevery strong winds here too so needed to stop working outdoors
DeleteWow, you've had some wide temperature swings there. So far we've only had mid 40s F for overnights, where I am. We had a frost warning once or twice, but I don't think we've had the first frost here yet. Your fruitcakes look good.
ReplyDeletethis was a crazy up and down weather pattern this month so far
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