Friday and Saturday, with blessings

Friday I baked little 

cardamon pound cakes. 

So I don't forget, I am going to tell you what I did 

differently with this recipe. 

First, while I did find recipes with the same proportions

for sour cream pound cakes, including this cookbook on the South,

I did not want 3 cups of sugar. 

For the first batch I went with 2 cups white sugar and halved the eggs (3 instead of 6). 

Based on a crumb taste, it is fine, a bit actually too sweet for what I wanted. 

Second batch (pictured here), I doubled sour cream to 1 cup, did all 6 eggs, 

did 1/3 cup brown sugar and 1 cup white sugar.

 Based on a quick batter test, it is less sweet for sure. 

However, I think with a nice glaze (I am thinking that doing sugar glaze with

 OJ or lemon juice and a dusting of cardamon could work really well) that it will

 be sweet enough! I am going to freeze them without glaze 

however and do the glaze, I hope, later! :)

***

Friday was a baking day, I made 8 mini bundt cakes, 1 mini loaf; 

one I gave away today to a quilt guild friend and one more I hope to 

give away soon and the rest freeze.

***

I chopped 3 cups candied ginger for DV future Christmas Chai tea.

I am also hoping to make some other kinds of tea

and was inspired to make a simple cardamon tea as well...

***

Today I went to quilt guild, first time this year!

We went out for lunch also and that was really nice!

And I got a few more Christmas gifts at a craft show afterwards...

***

I came home and Mr Husband had gotten the mail...

I got a lovely card and beautiful St Nicholas icon!

Thank you so much Pat, what a treasure!!!

it was wonderful to get such a reminder of St Nicholas care

for us, he is such a special Saint and I was actually

chrismated in a beautiful church named for him!

***

We went to vespers tonight and that was really nice!

The Cross on the top of the iconostasis got all new lights

and the chandelier got some too. 

So beautiful! 

***

Well, I am continuing to seek to pray that I

do what I need to do today and let God take care of the rest.

I am also reading a vintage book on St Herman that we got in Holland,

and I am really really enjoying this.  

St Herman is one of my special "Daddy but super Holy" Saints and the

first Saint I ever connected with... 

So this has been really encouraging reading.

***

Well, if I can, I am hoping to bake again this Tuesday.

We have a beautiful icon of St Nicholas at our local church,

I always go this icon with a thick candle and I do admit that 

I asked his blessing on my cookie baking for his day. 

I have asked for much bigger things in times of need before,

and St Nicholas has provided for me many times when I was in trouble.

And also he was the one I was told to ask for his prayers for a 

Husband and I sure do have a wonderful Husband now!

Anyway, years ago I also asked his help as a new wife

to find something for the first holiday party of my Husband's work

that I would go to and that was lovingly ansewred

so I know that I can ask for big and small things,

especially if they are in part for others too.

***

Well, I thank God for all of His blessings and pray

that no matter where you find yourself today,

that you will be blessed with 

health and salvation above all!