It's Saturday

 Sometimes it takes work to keep track of the days. I work on it with conscious effort. This is also the Belltower Festival in good ol' Jefferson Iowa. We have attended many of these. Enough so the thrill is gone. Don't get me wrong, it is very well done most years and I am sure this is one of them. It is just that I prefer to watch Mr. and Mrs. Wren tag-team feed their babies. Beer tents, food trucks, carnival rides and numerous vendors...hmmm Not so much.

I am happy hanging out in our cozy house and home doing exactly what I want to do.

Made this Rhubarb Dump Cake. A winner! Crispy on top and yes, I followed the directions. I will admit I do not always the second time.

Rhubarb Dump Cake

INGREDIENTS:

4 cups fresh rhubarb, diced (about 1 to 1¼ pounds)

1½ cups granulated sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup water, divided

15.25 ounces yellow cake mix, super moist (such as Betty Crocker)

1 cup unsalted butter, melted

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with baking spray and set it aside.

In a large bowl, combine the diced rhubarb, granulated sugar, cornstarch, vanilla extract, and ½ cup of water. Stir until the ingredients are evenly mixed. Pour this mixture into the prepared baking pan.

Evenly sprinkle the yellow cake mix over the rhubarb mixture in the pan. If necessary, gently spread the cake mix to ensure it covers all the fruit evenly.

Drizzle the remaining ½ cup of water evenly over the layer of cake mix.

Carefully drizzle the melted butter evenly over the water and cake mix layer.

Bake the dump cake in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes, or until it turns golden and bubbly.

Once baked, remove the rhubarb dump cake from the oven and allow it to cool on the counter for 15 minutes before serving.

Prep Time: 5 min

Cooking Time: 45 min

Total Time: 50 min

Very good. Nice and crispy on top.

Myrla-1960-2023

 My sister passed away a year ago, the one to pass that left me last standing in my immediate family. I have been working with old pictures for weeks now thus causing me to think of her and many of the rest often. Here is Myrla. Today is her birthday.

Today, Tomorrow and next Tuesday

 Today I am getting ready for tomorrow. I am getting a haircut at 4:30 today- Trivia at 6:30. Also getting ready for the guy to come wash windows tomorrow. In addition, Jason is coming over today, after golf, to work on the dirt disturbed by the folks getting water back in the pool hall. Bored yet? Just checking.

Tomorrow windows washed! Hurrah! Always a good day. Of course I have to get ready for him. Like getting the excess dirt vacuumed from the sills, curtains down and washed etc.

Butch's birthday is Sunday and son Rich is coming to see us Sunday afternoon. I plan to make a rhubarb desert, a favorite of both of them.

Tuesday we are traveling North to see Marlene and Bernard. We will be delivering the vanilla we purchased for her in Mexico. 

In between time and in the meantime, I am still working on photos, new and old.

Like these: Jason, the most artistic one, made these walking sticks after visiting us in Colorado while we were work camping at Snow Mountain Ranch YMCA of the Rockies. There is a plentiful supply of Aspen there that inspired him.

Still Chipping Away...

 I am making progress with all I wanted to get done this Spring. The Zimmerle Gathering is set up for July 6th with every one of the cousins I can think of notified. 

The picture ordeal is partially under control. At least it doesn't look like the mountain it has in the past. I will share some with you further down the line.

We dropped off a load of "excess" at the Goodwill in Boone yesterday. I like that facility because they make drop-off so easy.

The first of the season Trivia has begun. It was good to see all our trivia people again.

Keri and I have been walking most mornings. Rain seems to be a constant interference. It is in the forecast for later today. We haven't missed very many days without at least a sprinkle. 

My latest read is The Chimps of Fauna Sanctuary. Warning: If you have empathetic issues this may not be for you. It brings tears in places.