Cousin's Night... and some links...

 When a child grows up, there is such a bond with the "other kids" who share that same grandmother and grandfather...  We don't realize what that special bond is...  I didn't anyway...  And now that I'm all "grown up" (physically, let's not discuss mentally and emotionally today, thank you very much), it is a rare and beautiful treat for the soul to get together with cousins...  Four of us girls shared Ma and Grandad, two beautiful people who parented their moms and my dad...  Every so often we get together for "cousin's night," and it never disappoints.  Sometimes we venture to a great movie (and sometimes to a not-so-good one)---  but lately we have been enjoying a little dinner and just solid, bonded conversation.  We keep up with one another.  We laugh, and we remember Ma...  it's a little touch of Heaven on Earth...

 Sometimes we take each other a little goodie-- something small and heartfelt.  Last night we met at a new restaurant in Macon and had a lovely time.  Since it was Flag Day, and since I had bet my mom I could find homes for the nine flags we found hidden in her desk when we had a big clean-out day)---  I decorated these baking pans of Orange Blueberry Coffee Cake.   I just swapped the frozen blueberries for cranberries and barely folded or stirred them in very lightly so the batter wasn't gray... 

 If you ever want a treat for the Baker's Heart, check out King Arthur Flour online or their tempting catalog.  I purchase their bake and give "toys" often, and they really dress up and lighten the load of baking...  You can check out these baking loaf pans and other cute items at their store  HERE.  I love the star cake pans...  I plan to make something in them for the 4th of July to share with a friend who gives me so much!

 One of us brought a beautiful Americana wooden cutout that says, "America."  I'll try to get a picture of that before the holidays...  One brought a delicious dip mix for vegetables...  and another brought a cute set of watermelon salt and pepper shakers.  That was a little funny/dear nod to our Ma, who had a magnificent collection of salt and peppers that spanned her lifetime and two or three cabinets...

 We are making plans for another "date" in October...  That will be perfect because Autumn is our special remembrance time for Ma.  My one gramma loved the spring; the other one the fall...  Me?  I'm pretty much a lover of all seasons (except bitter 10 degrees below zero cold and uggy muggy over 100 degrees hot...) 

I am working on a recipe blog with recipes through the years of my blogging...  It is a slow process, and I'm only through the first 150 posts...  I have over 700!!!  But the name is "Sweet Tomato Days"

Have a great Wednesday...