You're Gonna Rise Up Singing....

If I'd known you were coming, I'd have baked a cake!!




Oh wait a minute.....I DID bake you a cake! I call it Mandarin Dream.

I followed the box instructions, but instead of the cup of water it calls for, I substituted the fruit juice from the canned mandarin oranges and 1/2 the oranges [whipped into the mix as I combined all eggs, oil, and juice]. The other half or the orange slices were set aside [mashed coarsely] for topping with the cool whip 'icing'. Chilled, and served cold. Easy!!! And, delicious if you like these oranges. It makes a good, tasty summer treat at the end of your meal.

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And....While the cake was in the oven, baking, I got out my sketch pad and drew a simple outline of a palm tree...wishing I was on the beach at the moment! I then filled it in a bit and drew the fronds on the tree, scratched in the water lines a little and shaded the rocks on the horizon, and the small sail craft...finishing in no time. Speaking of art....last week I watched a program on Texas Country Reporter, and they had an artist show-cased.  His work was amazing.  I'm gonna try and copy his idea of painting sometime.  I need to find a framed work, so I can tear it out of the frame and do to it what he did. [of course his paintings were his original...I'm gonna be lazy and find one already painted by someone else.]  I will begin looking for something that would be an ideal piece of art soon.  And begin.  I may not like what I DO...so, I may not show it to anyone.  LOL

All the while I was sketching, Bud was in the garage at his work bench adding extensions to our puzzle table. We use our dining room chairs at the table, and when we go in to work on the puzzle[s] our legs hit the bottom of the table bottom....we need to "lift the table up" a bit. Giving us more leg room. It worked like a charm. We are working on a Thomas Kinkade "The Lion King" right now. We recently finished another of his art....I like his best of all...small in dimensions, challenging, and takes us a while to do one. [those that are too easy, with large pieces gives us no stimulation!]

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I'll end my post today with this "note"....

Summertime and the Livin' is Easy....





Fish are jumpin' and the cotton is high
Oh, your daddy's rich and your ma is good-lookin'
So hush, little baby, don't you cry
One of these mornings you're gonna rise up singing
And you'll spread your wings and you'll take to the sky
But till that morning, there ain't nothin' can harm you
With daddy and mammy standin' by


~George Gershwin
circa 1934