Cherry cheese coffee cake

I walked over to Irving Monday morning to pick some cherries for my annual cherry cheese coffee cake.

I had lots of dishes to clean up!

I'm not sure the center is baked enough, but I'll take my chances.

Irving’s cicada

Who said the cicadas are gone? I went on a walk the other day and was surprised this big cicada sculpture, in Irving's colors, attached on the side of a tree at the school. Kind of cool.

Free moving boxes

Not sure how I was lucky enough to see these moving boxes posted on the local school's free FB page five minutes after they were posted. Andy and I drove to the estate section of town (Andy joked that they must be movin' on up) and there were a lot of boxes, many never used. Guess we were first to arrive.

We took a lot of medium and small boxes. The large ones were too big for his car. We put a few in L's car for her to use packing up at school, put some in the garage and B carried some up to L's room. We're getting ready for her big move!

My annual cherry coffee cake

Walked by Irving the other day and noticed the cherries are ripe. Had to get a half cup of them before the birds get them all!

I still need to work on getting the glaze to drizzle but I added more milk than the recipe called for and it still wouldn't drizzle. I covered the cake and there was even some left over.

Tastes delicious, as usual.

Interesting Tuesday

Woke up yesterday to see Mango and "loud cat" sort of co-existing on the back porch while they waited for their breakfast.

Took a walk through the neighborhood and saw this awesome sign in front of Irving for the last day of school. I espeically like the eagle.

Came home and did some weeding when I found this big Monarch caterpillar on one of my milkweed plants.

And look who's feeling so good he's been jumping to sit on the highest level of the cat tree.

It’s cherry season

The cherry tree in Irving's community garden was brimming with cherries so it was time to make my annual cherry cheese coffee cake. It's so good.

Cookie time

So excited to find a local Girl Scout on the neighborhood Facebook page AND to find out she's an Irving student. (Might as well support the local troop). She was wearing a Brownie uniform when she delivered the cookies so I should be hooked up for at least the next two years.

Neighborhood ofrendas

This Day of the Dead celebration has been growing every year here with families setting up ofrendas and submitting their addresses to a community map so residents can walk by and view them. This one, which is several tables long, is at Irving School.

Found this online: Day of the Dead, or Día de los Muertos, is a traditional Mexican holiday celebrated November 2. On this day, it is believed that the souls of the dead return to visit their living family members. Many people celebrate this day by visiting the graves of deceased loved ones and setting up altars with their favorite foods, drink, and photos.

Irving also decorated its community garden.

My attempt at an artsy shot.

This one I saw on a walk.

On my walk

I stopped by Irving's community garden on my walk the other day. This monarch loved these flowers.

First day of school

Yeaterday was the first day of school for the elementary school students. Parents did some sidewalk chalk drawings along the school route with a few right by our house.

This was by our garage.

In the nearby crosswalk. A few more:

Cherry season

I walked by Irving the other day and noticed some of the cherries in their community garden are ripening.

I picked about a cup so I can make a coffee cake.

My drizzling technique needs serious work.

Tastes good.

Saturday celebration

Irving was rockin' yesterday afternoon. Seems the whole community turned out to celebrate the principal's retirement at the end of this school year. He started at Irving as the probationary principal when B was in kindergarten and given the position for keeps at the end of that year. They planted an oak tree on the school's front lawn in his honor and dedicated it yesterday.

I picked up some stickers amd we had a chance to talk to Mr. Hodge. He addressed us by name and asked about each of the kids by name. He has an uncanny abilility to remember names. And we haven't had kids in school for quite a while. We caught him up on what theyre doing and said it all started at Irving. He said he tells his staff never to underestimate the impact they have on students because people remember elementary school forever.

Saturday morning I was at church to help my friend Maureen with a "power hour" about octopuses. We had a pretty good turnout.

Lots of cherries

The cherry tree at the local school is full of fruit and neighbors were encouraged to pick some cherries before the birds eat them all. L and I went over the other night and picked about a cup.

I made a cherry cheese coffee cake. I always look for them in the grocery store but they never seem to have cherry and cheese. My drizzling technique needs some work. Andy limits his sweets but said it was tasty.

It turned out great for my first time using fresh cherries and my first time making a coffee cake. Kind of labor-intensive though.

At Irving

I like to take pictures as I walk around. Irving School is looking good.

The kids were sad to hear the school's principal, who started as an interim principal when B was in kindergarten, is retiring at the end of the 2021-22 school year.

This is the new outdoor classroom, assembled with help of the high school football team.

This cardinal was sitting in one of the pretty blooming trees at Irving, but flew to the ground before I could get his picture.

Spring has sprung

Everything is blooming,

My artsy shot of Irving School.