Susan Wiggs's Blog, page 24

gardening season

We built this garden yesterday out of things we found on our beach, and planted it with blueberries.

We made it in honor of Fisher, our beautiful yellow lab, who died on Friday. He was 13+ and lived a long and happy life. He was that dog you look back on with love and pride, knowing he was one of a kind–smart, loyal, perfectly behaved. He was a class act to the end, never sick a day in his life. He spent a beautiful day in the sunny garden, following me around and lazing in the grass. Around dinnertime, he went into respiratory distress and we rushed him to the vet. It was over in about a half hour.

We will never laugh the same again.

bee sting cake

My first attempt at a yeasted cake, testing the recipe for THE BEEKEEPER’S BALL. The recipe goes into the novel.

requested recipe

So over on Facebook, I had multiple requests for the Best Birthday Cupcakes in the World. No exaggeration. Happy to oblige, because these are super easy.

Cake

1 box spice cake mix

1/2 cup granulated sugar

4 eggs

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup water

1/3 cup plain yogurt or sour cream

2 cups fruit puree of your choice, such as canned pumpkin, apple sauce or apple pie filling, apricots, prunes or plums

Icing

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese or neufchatel, softened

2/3 cup plain yogurt

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 Tablespoon vanilla

about 4 cups powdered sugar

Mix together all the cake ingredients. Beat on high for 2 minutes. Pour into lined cupcake tins or into a cake pan. Bake at 350 for about 20-30 minutes, depending on the size of the tins. Insert a toothpick in the middle to test for doneness.

In the same bowl (no need to clean up), blend together the icing ingredients. Keep adding the powdered sugar until it’s the right consistency for spreading.

Allow the cake to cool and frost, then sprinkle with nonpareils.

by request

Janie requested a photo of the glorious Clara Louise, my first grandchild, born last Christmas Eve. There are no words, so enjoy a couple of pics:

the introverts’ ball

Wordcrafters in Eugene, Oregon had a unique event–unique for a writers’ conference, anyway. “The Introverts’ Ball” featured writers at their MOST introverted. Here is a shot of Elizabeth George, who has a hidden talent for photobombing, with Susan Wiggs and respective husbands, Tom & Jerry.

love love love

Some of my best shots from the beach.

Hooray for Little Sun!

I’ve bought lots of these in the past year. It just makes so much sense. Please enjoy the photos from Olaf. And get your own Little Sun at www.littlesun.com

Cheers,

Susan

From: olafur

Date: Tue, Feb 4, 2014 at 4:53 AM

Subject: From Olafur

To:

Hello friends,

2013 marked the first full year of Little Sun, and in this letter, I’ve put together some great pictures that give you a window into the ways Little Sun has touched the world.

Every week, I spend a little time pushing Little Sun, but the project’s success has most to do with the incredible efforts and spirit of the Little Sun team, shining together on the top floor of my studio in Berlin. And of course, because you have given so much to help Little Sun get its start, the pictures in this newsletter are as much a testimony of your success as it is of ours. Thank you for pushing this with me.

I hope that Little Sun will inspire your confidence in the way creative thinking can touch the world, and I ask you once again to please pass on this newsletter to anyone you think it will resonate with. I depend on you.

Little Sun’s success lies in our collective energy. The sun belongs to all of us.

Let’s Little Sun.

YOURS,

Olafur

Holding hands with the sun.pdf

ringing in the new

For those of you who don’t do Facebook, here’s my most blessed news of the season. Or maybe ever. My first grandchild was born on Christmas eve, as healthy and beautiful as her namesake, my mom.

Here there are–Clara Louise Sr. (my mom) and Clara Louise Jr. (my granddaughter) at one day old. They are destined to be BFFs. I love a sweet, old-fashioned name. What are some of your favorite family-tradition?

in the dead of winter…

…when it is dark and wet and freezing, I must remember this moment on Bingin Beach in Bali!

beating the winter doldrums

Bali, beeyotches. Surfing and Yoga. Staying at Mu.