Cake

So, a couple of weeks ago, I decided that I was going to become a great cake baker. I ordered a comprehensive cake cook book and a couple of 6-inch round pans so that I could experiment without having to make enormous cakes. I started last week with a simple pound cake. It was all gone before I had a chance to take a photo, so I guess it was a success.

Yesterday, I decided to make a white velvet butter cake with maple buttercream frosting.

I assembled my mise en place (a fancy French term for "put all the stuff on the counter"), feeling very Food-Network-chef.



Apparently, though, it's not enough to just have your ingredients looking pretty on the counter. I was making the buttercream in a noisy stand mixer while the cake was baking, and did not hear the timer go off. By the time I realized what had happened, the cake was a tad overbaked. So when I tried to take the layers out, this is what happened:



The icing came out pretty, though.



And I used half of it to ice the layer that did not come apart. I guess it could have been worse.

My first adult sweater!

I finished this sweater earlier this summer, but didn't post photos, as it was originally intended to be a anniversary gift for Jeremy. While he was here, we decided to forego anniversary gifts this year, since we're taking a trip to Italy - not cheap - at the end of October. Now that Jeremy has seen his sweater, you can too!



Obviously, this is not Jeremy wearing the sweater. Truth be told, I could have made it a tad longer, and perhaps a tad looser, but I will try to stretch it out when I block it. [Note: For non-knitters, blocking is a process whereby you soak the finished item, pin it down, and let it dry. You can often stretch an item made from wool or alpaca while doing this.] But, it's only the first one. I'm sure there will be many more to come. And I'm still REALLY proud of myself!

Jeremy's vacation

Jeremy heads back to Afghanistan today after a whirlwind vacation back to the States, with stops in Waterloo, NE; Auburn, NE; Washington; and the Outer Banks. Here's the photo book version.

We caught a concert in Auburn with Jeremy's folks:



And then after a great weekend in NE, Jessica and Jeremy's mom dropped us off at the airport.



Back in D.C., we went to the Spy Museum, but first we ate some environmentally friendly tacos. (Jeremy was a little more thrilled than I by this prospect).



Then we drove to the Outer Banks to spend our first week in our new timeshare.



Breakfast with a view every morning:



Much to Jeremy's chagrin (and, let's be honest, much to my surprise), I schooled him in a game of miniature golf.



We spent much time on the beach; Jeremy in his Indiana Jones hat (at least it kept him from getting lobster-red like last year).



We also enjoyed a fancy dinner out (mmm, oysters!) with a great sunset view over the sound.





Tropical Storm Hanna kicked us out a day early, but we walked down to the beach in the morning to watch a renegade kite boarder brave the rough surf.



Back at the ranch in Virginia, we took one of my favorite pictures of us so far.



The end.

New Family Heirloom - I hope

So, I finally bought a carpet last weekend. While we were here last winter, Masha and I (more me than her) were eyeing this one carpet, but I never pulled the trigger. Ever since then, we've had a deal that I could buy another carpet of my choosing. I've been looking, but hadn't found anything I really, really liked until this past weekend. Hope you like it honey.
So, here it is ... drumroll, please...

TA DA!!!! It's 2x3 meters, silk and I love it. The design is a copy from a northern Afghan neighbor. So, while not a traditional Afghan design, I bought here. That's close enough for me. Thoughts? We can put it in front of the yarn wall my wife wants me to build her for her expanding collection.

Now, these next two designs are ones that I love, but right now they are out of our price range. They are both cashmere and demonstrate the four seasons. They tend be larger (these are 2.5x3.5 to 3x4 meters) and more difficult to find. But I showed the pictures to a local rug seller up here and he is going to go and see what the cost would be on the local market (rather than down in Kabul or at the embassy - hello, inflated prices and captive audience). Look honey, they have animals on them, so you have to say yes. :)

Paryan (northern district of Panjshir) Trip

So, I went on a trip up to the northern part of the province earlier and took some scenic pictures. This part of the country is so beautiful, with everyone harvesting, replanting, and making flour out of wheat. Reminds me a lot of Nebraska in some ways and of those pictures in the history books of farming 100 years ago (although there are no tractors in Panjshir; everything is done by hand as it has been done for 500 years).

A field of wheat harvested and waiting to be threshed

Another field, but that area is all the land that that farmer probably has to feed an estimated family of 7.

Don't know why I took this one, but it gives you a glimpse into the life and beauty of Afghanistan. Notice all of the terracing in the background to squeeze out a bit of farmland at 8000 feet. FYI, the gravel road the men are walking on was built specifically for the school (school is literally at the end of the road, which we extended).

We delivered a bunch of school books and toys to a new clinic we were building. This boy couldn't have been more than 8 or 9 and the bag was as tall as he was.

Here is the same boy. Yes, he is Afghan. There are several different races and mixes here. You end up seeing people that look very Mongol, Chinese, Iranian, Turkish, Russia, European, etc. Afghanistan has been walked over and invaded a lot in the last couple thousand years (Alexander the Great and Genghis Khan made it here). So, you have a lot of mixing and people with different features.