Berry Cream Cake

This is a recipe from our newly wed days in Dallas. You can use any fruit from peaches to pineapple. But I like berries best and this week we have a crop of boysenberries coming ripe, so I can plop them into this cake!

Ingredients:

*white cake mix

*3 eggs

*canola oil

*8 oz. cream cheese, softened

*2 cups milk

*1 small pack vanilla instant pudding

*berries (strawberries, blueberries, boysenberries, raspberries or a mixture of these)

*1 pint whipping cream

Make the white cake according to directions. Divide it between two 10" springform pans (I use one and put the other in the freezer for later) (or use a 3x13" pan, but use some of the batter to make 6 extra cupcakes so your cake is thinner than normal). When the cake cools, Mix the cream cheese, milk and pudding mix with a mixer until smooth. Let it sit a few minutes to set up and then spoon it over the cake. Top with berries and then cover it all with cream, whipped until firm. Set it all into the fridge to set up for 3 or 4 hours (will keep over night). Serve cold.

I like to garnish the top with extra berries or mint leaves. So creamy and cool on a summer evening.

Tip: It helps to add a tablespoon of vanilla instant pudding and a couple tablespoons of powdered sugar when whipping cream to make it hold firm until it's all served and for a bit of sweetening.

Flowers for the table

I had a sad moment today. Early this Saturday morning Larry asked, "Is is about time to cut down the sweet peas?" Well, yes. But I hate to see them go. So I went out and picked one last little fistful of the fragrant blooms to rest on the coffee table. That's all 'til next year...

I love a clutch flowers on the table, in the kitchen, by the front door... If I plan right and the weather is obliging, I can have flowers from the yard almost year round. Camelia's ("winter roses") begin in January, freesias and then masses of sweet peas in the spring, summer roses and hydrangeas on into the fall. I have to settle for a greenery and a pumpkin late November and holly in little bunches for Christmas. But it's a joy to bring the fresh, bit of life into the house. When I sit and study the curve of a petal on a double delight rose (my Grandma Roses's favorite) and the way the vivid deep pink fades gracefully down to a soft ivory along the slope of the petal. Who put God could design such beauty? I'm thankful.

Life

Just finished reading Anne Lamont's Imperfect Birds--sort of a sad tale that only gets worse and then ends too abruptly. But I did love one insightful character who lamented the twists and turns life can take. She said "Life on earth is a head-scratcher for anyone who's paying attention." ha! Last night at our Bible study, we prayed for a dear one facing cancer, a few in precarious financial situations, siblings with serious problems... It's enough to make you ask "Why Lord?" I've been doing plenty of "head-scrathing" and praying these days.