Back Door View

This is the view from my backyard. Still quite a bit of snow on the ground, but we're getting there. What's the view from your back door?

Spring Classes

Even though there's still snow on the ground, Spring has sprung. That means it's time to sign up for Spring classes at the Worcester Art Museum. There are lots to choose from.

There are still openings in:

Introduction to Heraldry, Mondays, 4/27 - 5/18, 6 - 9 PM, 4 sessions and

A Taste of Calligraphy, Wednesdays, 5/13 - 6/10, 1 - 4 PM, 5 sessions

Easter Egg Bread

I had commented to friends I was making Easter egg bread, and I was asked why it was called Easter egg bread.

There are always certain foods, made at certain times of the year or for certain holidays. The foods may have a special significance or just make the holiday special.

The bread, Pane di Pasqua,  is an Italian tradition. It wasn't one of the traditions I grew up with. My mother was a great cook, but didn't bake yeast breads. I'd seen the breads and may have seen a braided loaf at my grandma's or one of the aunties'. Since I enjoy baking yeast breads, I decided to try my hand at it three or so years ago. It has now become a tradition in my home.

The bread is a sweet bread, like a Brioche. The bread dough is braided into a large ring or a loaf and a few, colored eggs are placed inside the braids. You usually see these breads at Easter because having goodies and sweets signifies the end of the Lenten season of fasting, and the colored egg is a symbol of renewal. Besides, it looks pretty.

The recipe I use makes six individual bread rings or nests. I liked the idea of everyone having their own bread nest and serve them for breakfast (unless I don't get up early enough and then the breads are for lunch.) The cool part is you don't have to hard boil the eggs ahead of time. Dye the raw eggs and then they "hard-boil" as the bread bakes. A big time saver. This year, I made the breads the day before. Just so I could sleep in. Or that was my thinking. Ink had other ideas, and I was up before first light touched the sky.

Tiger Sneeze

I was visiting the karate studio where the painting of the tiger now lives. The owner told me how everyone loves the paintings. My head swelled to a two cowboy hat size. 

"Some of the kids think he's sneezing." (everyone's a critic  )

I looked at the painting and saw how the fur on Fluffy's chest might look like sneeze spew.

"Tell the kid's it's a new animal technique they have to master. Tiger Sneeze

The Friday Five Good Things

Five good things that happened this week.

1. Himself went hobnobbing with the other Wizards. They went for their every couple of months dinner out. Himself brought all the Little Princesses dinner though one of the Wizards ragged on him. Couldn't even go out to dinner without being on a short leash.  Don't blame me! Himself offered to bring dinner home.

2.  To stave off going off the deep end with yet more snow, I enjoyed some point and click retail therapy. Bought some Easter trinkets for the girlies and art supplies for me.

3. Bough an Ott standing lamp for the painting corner.

4. Easter trinket arrived for The Young One. Sadly, The Easter Bunny will have to include an I.O.U.  egg to The Eldest

5. It's black jelly bean season!

How was your week?

Throwback Thursday

Easter 1993, the Young One's first Easter. A visit with the Easter Bunny at the Hebert Candy Mansion.

Can you just hear The Young One? "What the hell?"

Wordless Wednesday