Thesis Cakes

I have no idea where this will lead us, but I have a definite feeling it will be a place both wonderful and strange.

The last two and half months have been chock full of busy-work-life-stuff, a few family visitors, winter-to-spring events, some exciting life changes (TBA!), and a handful of baking opportunities.

I don’t believe in horoscopes or superstitions or religion. I don’t like to get woo-woo about stuff. But over the past few months, I have been reading into everything as a “sign” – like the universe has is presenting me with all kinds of cosmic tips that I need to be aware of and tap into.

Take this pie, for instance.

I made this pie back in March, on “Pi(e) Day.” It was a cherry pie in honor of Agent Dale Cooper of Twin Peaks.

In the show, he emotes about his love for the local cafe’s cherry pie over and over again. He talks about cherry pie (and hot coffee) so much that someone put together this video that includes every single cherry pie and coffee reference from the show. (Highly recommended).

Anyway, I meant to blog about this pie way back in March, but sincerely forgot about it until now. The day before the new Twin Peaks debut.

Coincidence and fate figure largely in our lives.

Okay, so there’s the timing of the pie blog post. As I write this seems like a really lame aligning of the stars. But for some reason, the Twin Peaks resurrection feels really monumentous to me. BTW, could someone give me their Showtime log in so I can watch it? Kthanx!

And then there’s this bundt.

I don’t know how many years I’ve been squirreling away this bundt pan, but I finally brought it back to life in late March to make a molasses ginger bundt cake for my man.

I mean, what’s sexier or more romantic than a homemade bundt?!

It had nearly half a pound of fresh ginger.

And a whole cup of molasses, which is Aaron’s favorite.

Around the time of this bundt, Aaron and I had been watching two mourning doves build a nest outside of our breakfast nook. We checked in on them daily, carefully peering in through the branches to look at their progress. We beemed when we saw them using some of Sadie’s fur in their nest.

We didn’t disturb them – I promise – but one day, they were just gone.

The owls are not what they seem.

But just yesterday, I was making chili, and I looked outside at our back deck, and there they were! They were just sitting on the railing of the deck, looking at me and then each other, before they flew off.

I know that they could have been different mourning doves, but for some reason it felt meaningful to see them. Like they were just staring at me as if to say something meaningful about change or leaving or going back to nests.

I dunno. They were probably staring at themselves in the reflection of the window.

The log does not judge.

In April, I made a John Adams cake for Lindsay’s, a historian friend, birthday.

Do you remember John Adams? The second president of the United States? I drew him on a cake! (I acknowledge that it looks like I drew him Howard Finster style – this was not intentional. I think Howard Finster and I just have the same drawing tendencies).

John Adams said neat things like this: “There is danger from all men. The only maxim of a free government ought to be to trust no man living with power to endanger the public liberty.”

Hmm… I wonder what he would think about our current political situation?

Our world is a magical smokescreen.

If you are a Twin Peaks fan, I wish you good viewing as the new (25 years later) season debuts. I’m nervous about it – I know I’ll probably be disappointed in some way, and I’m betting I’ll get confused in some way too.

Just one last thought on the mysticism that I’ve had circling my life lately.

I’ve been super nostalgic for summer time in the Pacific Northwest. I’ve been thinking about all of the summer hikes I took with my dad in the Olympic mountains.

I’ve been thinking of our favorite treats for hikes, like peanut M&Ms, summer sausage, and Big League Chew.

And I was just feeling sad that I haven’t seen any Big League Chew available anywhere for years. Where did it go?

And then, just like that, I saw it at our grocery store yesterday. BAM!

That gum you like is going to come back in style.