#165: June is Busting Out All Over

The Month Ahead at Pie Cottage

Hello to All My Dearest Readers,

June is here and summer is almost here! I hope this month is full of wonderful things for you because exciting things are happening here for me. Here’s a quick rundown.

The Eyes Have It

Next week I will have the first of two cataract surgeries. Rightly, I suppose this should go under the category of Oh Gawd Am I Really That Age? But, seriously, I am so excited about this. I had my pre-op appointment for my right eye with my doctor yesterday. I really like her and have great confidence in her skill. It’s so important to feel this way about the person who is going to be poking around in your eyeballs, which will happen Tuesday of next week. So, if you might not mind too much, I’ll be taking off next week from writing but I will pop in with a photo or two when I can. Surgery on the left eye will happen two weeks after that (mid-June). My doctor took a lot of time with me yesterday to explain the procedure and what to expect. What tickled me the most is that she said with the medications I will be given, I won’t really care what is going on at all! Anyway, I’m excited and looking forward to a new outlook on life.

It’s Time for Strawberry Shortcake
Get 15% Off on the Sunday June 11th: Best Strawberry Shortcake Virtual Workshop

I love strawberries. Love Love Love them and I wait for them all year long. To celebrate I’ll be making Strawberry Shortake at the June 11th Virtual Bake with Kate session and I’m offering a special 15% discount for Substack subscribers both Free and Paid. Use this special link to take advantage of the discount when you register for the session.

In this fun and delicious 90 minute class we’ll be fluffing, baking, whipping, and smooshing—you’ll see what I mean by that last one in the class! The bakers that come each month are simply wonderful. Registration will be open for a few more days and I would love to have you join us. Here’s the 15% discount link.

Photo by Olga Kudriavtseva on Unsplash

A Face Lift for the Old Girl

My home is moving on to her 102nd year so I’m giving her a little face lift to give her a new lease on life. “Little” may be not quite the right adjective as that little something is that she is being freshly painted right now. She’ll still be the same pretty blue with teal green accents and raspberry door that neighbors, visitors, and those who come for pie workshops tell me they find really sweet and just perfect for Pie Cottage. The shop building, guesthouse, tool shed, and wood burning sauna are all getting the special treatment, too. So yah, it’s kinda a big project. I’ll post pictures when everything is finished.

I shared in last week’s paid subscriber thread that I cook and bake for the crew each day when I can—lunch at noon and a mid-afternoon break for a sweet. I love to join them and hear a little of their personal stories, too. Today I made a tortilla casserole, green salad, and fudgy brownies topped vanilla ice cream. I’ll share all those recipes with paid subscribers as soon as my eyes adjust to their new configuration, which my doc says will happen quite quickly, so standby.

(photo by me)

Random Act of Kindness Calendar for June

The Random Act of Kindness Calendar for June is ready to download here. (Download PDF) I like to pin this up where I can see it easily each day while I’m making tea or brushing my teeth. Even though I may not do the random act listed for the day, I do try to give a smile and hello to others on my walks or when I’m in town. You never know what folks are going through and that small act might make a big difference in their day.

Smiles are free! (selfie by me)

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Tune for Today

June is Busting Out All Over

I remember watching Gordon MacCrae and Shirley Jones in the 1956 film version of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Broadway hit Carousel when I was young and how much I loved it so I couldn’t resist sharing this song with you.

The open water scenes were filmed in Boothbay Harbor which is just about an hour from where I was last fall when meeting my half-brother and family for the very first time. You can read about that Cross-Country Journey in issue #129.

So as soon as my eyes say I can read and write I’ll see you here, and don’t forget to take advantage of 15% Off on the Best Strawberry Shortcake Virtual Workshop on Sunday June 11th.

OK, that’s it from Pie Cottage!

Love,
Kate