Sofia's Basket

A basket of fruits for Sofia's birthday

Last September, a young Filipino family arrived and occupied the house (approximately) 70 meters south of my accommodation.  Yes, I finally have a neighbour in the chook farm compound.

Edwin- the head of the family, has been helping me with the poultry farm operation since then.  His wife Zuzette, coincidentally, was born and grew up in a town 36 kilometers southwest of my hometown.  The couple has two daughters named Sofia and Ezra.

Ezra is 4 years old, and Sophia turned 8 yesterday.  The family invited some friends to dine with them, and because it's a local tradition to bring a plate, I decided to make a cake for Sophia.  I heard from Edwin that Zuzette loves chocolate cake so I baked one... but frosting and designing it for an eight-year old girl was simply a mountain to climb.

I love to personalize my creations but this time I couldn't think of a cake that would fit the birthday girl.  Sofia loves telling a lot of detailed stories, she has a torrent of words!  Though she speaks and understands Filipino, she expresses her thoughts and feelings in English.  Her name reminds me of my Philosophy subject back in the uni- exactly the time when our professor said, "...Philos means love, and sophia means wisdom."

To make the story short, I ended up with a basketweave design.

The chocolate basket cake, left lateral view.

I am glad Sofia loved it, she and her parents were very happy and grateful!  The guests had literally dropped their jaw upon seeing it, and I am thankful they all said, "Hmmm... beautiful!"- the Australian way of saying delicious. 

Sofia realized she forgot to make a wish before blowing the candle.

After cutting the cake... (Photo taken using my mobile phone.)

I was happy with the outcome of this masterpiece, my plans were executed well and the cake turned out as what I had actually imagined.  To prove that the basket was really a cake, I made sure to take a photo after it was cut (Since I arrived in Australia, I have learned to use the word 'cut' in place of the preferred Filipino term- slice). 

A slice of the basket cake.

Unlike the photo above, weaving the creamy chocolate frosting was NOT a piece of cake; but it was fun!  I didn't post it last October, but I also made a chocolate doll cake for Ezra's birthday!  Somebody up there tells us to love our neighbour, I hope my gestures count.


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Australiana

Featuring the Union Jack, the Commonwealth Star, and the Southern Cross constellation. 

Last September 15, 2011, I posted this on my Twitter timeline: 

In Adelaide City... drove a friend- Marie to the Immigration; she'll take the citizenship test today. Good luck to her.  

Well, she passed.  This afternoon, Marie took her Australian citizenship pledge at Port Wakefield Council Office in Balaklava.  A dinner party immediately followed at our friend's place at Salter's Spring Road.  There were plenty of food, and the drinks were overflowing!  Everybody was happy.  

I baked a cake for the new Australian.  She was surprised and very happy when she saw it.  Marie loved it; she was very grateful!

 

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!  Oi, oi, oi! 

This was my first attempt to draw or paint (or whatever we call it) an Australian flag, and I'd say it was successful.  No doubt, this cake was the centrepiece of the celebration.



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Boomerang

The facade of the Freo Market, W.A., Australia

February 28, 2011.  I was exploring the Fremantle Market (Western Australia) and was expecting to see the local fresh produce of the region but was surprised to discover that there were also arts and crafts, silver jewelries and a few food stalls around.  And in one corner I noticed this boomerang shop.

Boomerang Shop.  Fremantle Market, Western Australia

Boomerang.  I heard this word when I was younger but couldn't understand when the older folks would relate boomerang with a person's deed.  My mom had tried to explain to me that boomerang is a flying tool that, when thrown, will surely come right back without hitting the ground; but she never showed me a photo nor did she draw the said tool, the reason why I couldn't understand the 'boomerang effect' that they were saying. 

...until I came to Australia and have seen the different designs of boomerang! According to Wikipedia, the oldest Australian Aboriginal Boomerangs are 10,000 years old.













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...bigger in Faith

The Patron, St. Vincent de Paul, is depicted in this glass-stained window of the Roman Catholic church in Port Wakefield, South Australia.  The parishioners had generously contributed to pay for the cost of this artwork.  There are only few devoted parishioners in this community, though (less than ten)... the reason why at the base of this lovely window there's an engraved brass plaque that reads:  Small in number yet bigger in faith. 


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