We Are Neighbors

We do not live in a terribly transient neighborhood.  People tend to stick around here.  So it is unusual that in the past month, I have gotten two new neighbors on either side.  I thought I would welcome them with a loaf of my moist Pumpkin Orange Tea Bread wrapped carefully in white paper and topped with a handmade tag.   I had this brainstorm for a cool tag when saw my old first grade reader lying about.  I just love the graphics in this old book and thought the cover would make an excellent tag.  Here is the image for you to use in case you have new neighbors to welcome.

And here is the recipe for a wonderfully moist pumpkin orange tea bread.  I love that it make two loaves one for you and one to share..unless you have two neighbors moving in at once!

Incredibly Moist Pumpkin Orange Tea Bread       from Loribeth’s Kitchen

Makes 2 loaves

Beat these ingredients in the mixer:

3 eggs 1 15 oz can pumpkin

¾ cup canola oil ½ cup water

1-3/4 cups sugar

1 whole orange processed in the food processor (skin and all) until it is soft pulp

Sift these ingredients together and add to the above mixture:

2-1/2 cups flour 1-1/2 tsp baking soda

1-1/4 tsp salt ¾ tsp nutmeg

¾ tsp cinnamon ½ tsp ground cloves

½ tsp ground ginger

Pour into 2 well greased and floured loaf pans.  Bake about 55 minutes at 350 degrees or until toothpick comes clean in center.  Cool completely and wrap up in saran.  These always taste better after they have aged overnight if you can wait that long.   The secret is that ground up orange!

Dolly Hospital

When I make a doll it is not like anything else I make.  I really do feel an attachment to each and every one and have mixed feelings about seeing them fly the nest...just like a mother.  It is not often they come back to me.  But this poor little lady suffered a traumatic house flood caused by a broken pipe and had the ceiling come in on her as she sat minding her own business.

After a bit of time in dolly hospital she is practically as good as new with a tale to tell.  Even though she was only created in 2006, she's already had her first big adventure.  Every doll has a tale to tell if it lives long enough.  Just like Hitty, one of my all time favorite books.

Getting intensive stain removal

 The indignities of being in hospital!

All healed with a new paper tag and looking better with just a few minor blemishes but that merely adds to her patina.

Maggi, if you are reading this your little lady is ready to come home!