I recently uploaded this video to my YouTube channel. Recorded in 2017, our first install into the Top Bar hive. We dropped the queen, so that adds a layer of complexity!
It’s worth a watch again…
1 Second Video
When you make up your mind to do something, often it’s best to start as soon as possible. When I decided to make a 1 second highlight video in 2022, I determined that instead of waiting for New Years Eve, I would start right away — on December 11th, 2021.
In the calendar year that spanned Dec 11, 2021 to December 11, 2022, I caught Covid twice. Scott had appendicitis. We went to Israel, Dollywood, Disney and Florida. My grandmother turned 100 years old. Times changed. New milestones were met.
Some days are skipped altogether and some days have more than 1 clip. But I think it captures the gist of a wonderful year.
If you don’t see yourself in the video and wonder why, it’s probably because as I drove away from our time together I said, “Aww man! I forgot to get a video!” — so please remind me next time.
Don’t forget to enjoy the journey!
Dollywood Vlog, Nov 2022
If you enjoy this video, you can find other vlogs here: https://youtube.com/@BirdieandTheBear
Listening Lately
A morning prayer-
Haraynee Mekabel Alai
Mitzvat Asai
Shel Ve’ahavta
Lerayacha kamocha.
I hereby take upon myself
to fulfill the commandment of
loving your neighbor as yourself.
Grandma’s Centennial Birthday
Born in 1922, my Grandma Gertrude May turned 100 this year. She is so worth celebrating! 💗
Banana Bread
Bananas go brown too soon? I got you, boo.
INGREDIENTS
1 stick butter
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 cup milk
3 tsp vanilla extract
3 medium bananas
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
1 tsp molasses
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
Small sprinkle of nutmeg and cardamom
Tiny splash of whiskey (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Blend together sugar and softened butter in the mixer, and mix longer than you think! Add eggs, milk and vanilla. Mash the bananas in with a potato masher. Then add the rest of the dry ingredients. Put parchment paper in a loaf pan, let it hang over the sides so it can lift the bread out when done baking. Sprinkle the top with demarera sugar or plain white sugar. Bake for 55 minutes and double check it’s done using the ol’ toothpick trick.
Serve with butter (or if you’re feeling fancy, make salted maple butter by mixing together a stick of butter and a few tablespoons of maple syrup with a sprinkle of salt). OR, you can try this with cream cheese! The banana bread is best when slightly warmed.
Lately I’ve been grateful…
For developed rolls of film and photos I forgot were taken.
Camera: Minolta XG-1 (1978)
Gratitude Lately
Pumpkin Bread
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger
- 15oz can of Libby’s Pumpkin Purée
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 2 large eggs
Directions
- Preheat oven to 325°. Coat a 9×5″ loaf pan with canola oil. Line the pan with parchment, leaving a generous overhang in order to be able to lift out the bread easily.
- Stir together all the dry ingredients.
- Mix together the eggs, pumpkin purée, oils and grated ginger. Then combine the wet and dry ingredients together in one bowl.
- Transfer batter to the pan and then sprinkle the top with sugar.
- Bake bread for 80–90 minutes.
This recipe is inspired by (but not exactly like) the one demonstrated by Molly Baz, which you can find here.
Fair warning: this recipe will ruin Starbucks’ pumpkin loaf for you forever. There’s no going back when you realize how cheap and easy it is to make at home- and tastier too!
Cream Cheese Frosting
In honor of turning 34, I’m sharing my favorite frosting recipe. It’s excellent on cinnamon rolls, carrot cake, red velvet cupcakes, sliced fruit, hummingbird cake… or right off the spoon.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8oz Philadelphia Cream Cheese, never fat free (you might as well eat salad)
- 1 stick Salted Butter
- 1/3 cup Greek Yogurt
- Splash of Vanilla Extract (and/or Rum)
- 1 1/4 cup Powdered Sugar
- Sprinkle of Cardamom
- Use a mixer on high speed to combine the wet ingredients above and beat well, then add the powdered sugar last and beat again- just when you think you’re done, beat it for another 2 minutes, then chill well.
Pop Quiz— Do you know the difference between frosting and icing? Frosting is thick and spreadable and made with a fatty base, often butter. Icing is thinner and usually made of powdered sugar mixed with a liquid such as water or milk.
Unbidden Grace 