You know the blogging bug has taken hold when there’s a constant buzz in your ear that reminds you just how long it’s been since the last post. This week that very bug has been winging around my brain, wondering why I haven’t come up with anything yet for goodness’ sake. Oh, I’ve been cooking, here and there, and baking, just a little, but some hyper-busyness followed by the great urge to nap has kept me from having very much to say. It’s also nigh impossible during the week to get a good picture of whatever it is I’ve made, since the sky is smoky when I leave for work in the morning and inky on the ride home. The recent acquisition of a high-wattage bulb, which was supposed to mark the end of my troubles with taking photos indoors, was not quite the magic lamp I’d anticipated. What it really comes down to is that I’ve got a lot to learn about strobes and lighting paraphernalia and all the myriad types of set-up, not to mention settings on the camera itself. The person who commented that new cameras are fun is right indeed, but I’m afraid there’s nothing at all wrong with the lovely camera I’ve been borrowing - it’s the photographer that needs an upgrade!
Meanwhile, the weekend seems to have gone by in a flash, no pun intended, and the only thing I have to show for it is a pear cranberry cake that I wasn’t too crazy about. I’m not sure if it was the cake itself or merely lack of enthusiasm on my part, as there’s nothing very specific wrong with it…apart from just being sort of greasy and boring. Update: it did get better the next day. As for the grease, well there is a cup of oil in it, and I really ought to know by now not to bother making cakes that call for that much oil. Anyway, I do still plan to take it in to work tomorrow…but don’t worry, I’m not trying to push a nasty cake on my wonderful co-workers. In fact, I’m pretty sure most people there will like it, at least the ones that aren’t as picky as me. :) At worst, I can always turn it loose on the grad students, who will eat anything if it’s free. In case you’re curious, the recipe was adapted from this one (found by trolling the internets for bundt cakes with lots of fruit), but again, it’d require a bit of manhandling to make it anything but average. On the plus side, this was a good opportunity to practice with camera settings a bit. You can’t even tell how wet and grey it was outside.
