Kolache

Kolache is a wonderful pastry confection which was popular in Central Europe and the recipe was brought over with the immigrants at the turn of the century. My Mother's mother was Slovak.....home of Kolache!  My Grandmother and my Mom were both great bakers and in fact, if time and circumstances were different, my Grandmother could have been a professional pastry chef.
A few weeks before Christmas and Easter the women began their holiday baking and Kolache was on top of the list. It is made with a sweet yeast dough, rolled out and spread with a filling. Than the whole thing is rolled into a log shape and baked. The filling could be nut, poppy seed,  apricot or prune. OMG...what a delicious treat.
I never inherited the baking talent but after by Grandmother passed and my Mom became unable to bake, I thought that I would give it a try. So, for a few years, at Christmas, I did make Kocache and it turned out pretty good. I had to give it up when I got diabetes  (no wonder, eating all this stuff)!
Now, I don't know anyone who makes these delicious rolls. It is a lost art. Modern medical advice has taken all the fun out of eating. :-(
The picture above tells the story of gathering everything to start a day of baking. I inherited my mothers pastry board ( shown in above picture). It is so smooth and still seems ready for a toss of flour and a ball of dough. Also in the photo are her Kolache pans...a real collectors item. They were well used and still seemed to have the scent of warm dough. Also in the photo is my Mom's wooden spoon (on board) and my fraternal Grandmother spoon (in the bowl). The vintage Pyrex bowls I have collected over the years.
I surely understand the fact of live your life then die but I don't understand why cultures and traditions have to die as well.
Any idea where I could buy some homemade Kolache?

Stock photo

Winter at the Park

Fence

From the hike/bike path

From the fishing pier at Lower Huron

Still coming across winter scenes in my picture files that are too pretty not to post.
Going to Belle Isle with Ulanuwa on Thursday. Will shoot around that island as well as the conservatory. Took some great photos there last year.
Photography class starts in two weeks....looking forward to that. Our first class is held in the classroom where we decide where to go for our outings, otherwise we don't go back to the school unless we have a tabletop. Looking forward to seeing everyone again and for the next, great photo opportunity.

B Ball

 Down the court

You only use special effects like this when the picture is of poor quality!

Tie those $100 shoes boy.

 I'm open!

 I wish this kid would stop doggin' me.

I got the ball and I ain't given' it up!

My grandson, Liam, playing on the Troy rec league. Had fun watching ... it was a good game.

Girl Scouts of America

My Girl Scout Troop! I remember every one of these girls because we all went to school together and graduated in 1960. Don't we look adorable? I was the only one in full uniform with hat and all. Look at the aprons! We must have been working on a cooking or baking badge that day. My Mom was our troop leader and I wish she was in the photo as well.
One thing I don't remember from those days is selling  Girl Scout cookies.I know that there were only chocolate and vanilla sandwich cookies but the selling of them has totally gone from my memory. ......jeez, what kind of scout was I?
I do remember the meetings in the basement of the Baptist church across from our school and especially remember "day camp" at Harding Park. My Mon sewed me a new oil clothe bag every year which held all the necessities for the day..for lunch and crafts.Time was spent earning merit badges.  It went for a week each summer. Harding Park is still there although the lake is gone and a lot of the picnic shelters are still the same from way back then.
Anyway, I am right in the middle of the last row.

Good News

I got my camera back today. It took 5 weeks and two days to get it repaired. They offered no apologies or excuses or discount. It seems to be in fine working order though and I am ever so happy to have it back and just in time for my grandson's basketball game tomorrow.....yea!

Red-tails

 I went to Lake Erie Metropark with the idea that I might see the Great-horned Owl and the Eagles again. As soon as I got past the park's toll station and was curving the bend to head for the nature center I saw these two Red-tailed Hawks. I saw these two about a month ago in the same tree and could clearly see the red tails but this time I was unsure. I sent the pictures to Paul, the park's interpreter and he verified that they were red-tails.

I also saw two Bald Eagles on the island but did not see the owl. :-(  Too far a distance to  get a good shot with my lens. (see below).

 It was a lovely walk none the less as the sun was shining bright and there were some song birds out as well.

 On the way home I saw this Red-tailed Hawk in a tree on the side of Gibraltar Rd. and was able to get a good photo from my car....a drive by shooting ;-). This is the same area where I saw the Bald Eagle about a year ago. I always keep a look-out when I go by there.