Thanks Rose for this excellent care package! Rose noticed when I mentioned looking for Opal Petticoat a few weeks ago and made it her mission to find some for me. I’ve been admiring all the lacy scallop socks done in petticoat and now can make some of my own. The bookmark, notepads and magnet will all be very useful as well.

Daniel particularly likes to be cooked for and is always asking me to make something for him. He was after me to make pancakes or waffles but lacking buttermilk I made instead some coffeecake.

Brown Sugar Coffeecake

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups dark brown sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup skim milk

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Cream together the sugar and butter. Add 2 cups of the flour and mix until crumbly. Reserve 1/2 cup of this mixture for the topping in a small bowl. To the remainder, add the last 1/2 cup of the flour, the baking powder, the salt, and the cinnamon and mix until well combined. Beat together the milk and the egg and add to the flour mixture, beating until just combined. Pour into a greased baking pan (I used a fancy tube pan) and top with the reserved crumb mixture. Bake at 350 F for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (If you use a different pan you may need to adjust cooking time.) Cool ten minutes in the pan and then invert onto a serving dish.

I went out yesterday to Lily’s Beads in search of a clasp for my twisted bead bracelet. I found a clasp and a little charm that I wanted to try. I attached these with simple square knots and then secured those with superglue. If any of you are into beading and know a better way I’d love to hear it. The bead store is quite nice, very nearly as nice as Beadworks in Cambridge so I doubt I’ll need to drive all the way out there just for that anymore. I picked up some proper beading thread and a large-eye needle since it did take me quite awhile to get the needle threaded for this.

Now that I’m watering the side garden when Jason and I go walking the flowers are suddenly much happier. I guess I’ve neglected them with all the painting and house stuff this summer.