Hello, Welcome to Marcia’s Cottage. ♡ I’m so happy to see you today my friend. ♡ Shall we have a little tea. ♡
Hey, Happy Wednesday! I hope you are having a terriffically, wonderful, beautiful week so far. I’m thinking this Lenten journey might just be working. Since I am into my fourth week of lent. (yes, I practice lent) And, while we’re on the subject. .. might as well confess that one of the things I have been working on is being more positive, oh…and not gossiping….and, alright... now that I’m confessing everything. ..
I gave up eating swedish fish. (and red licorice ) btw, even though it’s a little embarrassing to admit…was the ultimate sacrifice!
Okay! Okay! Okay! before I really begin this post…
Congratulations to the very, very, very lucky March random winner for Marcia’s Cottage! Donna Padezan Kelly, from Versailles, Pennsylvania. Thank you sooooo much Donna for liking, sharing, and commenting on my blog! It makes me very over-the-top-happy!
Okay, so speaking about lucky people. Recently, I read that in life there are people who are naturally unlucky. Hmmmm….what do ya think?
You know….those people whose bread always falls with the butter side down. Again, I say Hmmmmm…funny thing is, I always thought that is just how buttered bread was suppose to fall. Buttered side down. (ignorance is bliss) It doesn’t mean your unlucky, it’s just the way things go... life sometimes lands upside down. sometimes. I think it’s all about having a positive attitude when things get a little topsy turvy.
Well, anyway… speaking of down… something else comes to mind….
Waaaaaaaaaaaa! (oopsie I slip sometimes on being positive.) I do know that life is much better, when I try and look at the positive side of things. Perhaps, this is why I had continued watching DA for SIX years..it seemed to offer old, but seemingly fresh solutions to the patterns of behavior that leave so many feeling unhappy and alone…it was my Sunday night therapy session! (pout)
Case in point…let’s take a look back at sweet Anna, one of the most admirable characters in the series. Remember when we just learned what an extremely difficult childhood she had. And, yet she didn’t let it distort her. Nosireeeee. Yeah Anna! Not a thread of self entitlement with this gal. A tiny reminder how our lives are the result of our own choices.
And, how about Mrs. Hughes…remember the episode she revealed that she had spent e.v.er.y.s.i.n.g.l.e.p.e.n..n.y of her earnings on the care of a disabled sibling? sosadsosadsosad! Of course if we look on the bright side. ..Carson DID go on to propose marriage. Good old Carson had finally learned something about unconditional love during their many years together. Perhaps, we needed Julian to point out that if we hang in there long enough…those topsy turvy things in our lives often work themselves out. Who knew that we would even see a beautiful wedding the following season! However things turn out…when we look on the bright side of things, we often learn things in our waiting.
Hey, I’ve got an idea! I say we hang out together at my DA board on pinteresthttp:www.pinterest.com/marcialren/downton-abbey (grin)
Cheers to a great day..
xoxo…
Marcia
And just in case you need a little British, here’s a delightful yummy recipe.
Victoria Sponge Cake
makes 2 cake layers to yield one sandwich cake
Ingredients:
knob of butter, melted
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
4 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
For the filling:
strawberry jam
1 cup heavy whipping cream, lightly whipped
To serve:
powdered sugar, for dusting
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 . Gently heat the knob of butter in a pan and brush two 8 inch cake tins with the melted butter. Line the bottom of the two cake tins with a circle of parchment paper.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until pale and creamy, using an electric whisk or a wooden spoon. Beat well to ensure you get lots of air into the mixture.
Beat in the eggs one at a time. You want to avoid the mixture curdling so that it stays airy. If it does curdle, add a tbsp of flour.
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients using a large metal spoon (this will cut into the mixture better than a wooden spoon). Be careful not to over-mix it. Pour the mixture equally between the two cake tins and level.
Place in the oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until the cakes are well-risen, spring back when pressed gently with a finger and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven and set aside for 5 minutes, then remove from the tin and peel off the paper. Place onto a wire rack and let cool completely, about an hour.
Sandwich the cakes together with the jam and whipped cream. Dust with powdered sugar and serve while dancing the jig. Ha! Ha! just kidding….Enjoy!
