One of the many pleasures of being a retired teacher in the same small community where you taught is watching your former students grow and flourish.  Over the years, I’ve seen ‘my kids’ become teachers, nurses, software technicians, auto mechanics, school board members, moms, dads, and (gulp!) even grandparents! The other day I realized that one of my long-ago second graders has become the local Martha Stewart, though I’m not sure she’d take that comparison as a compliment.

Katee Ann Downer Woodby is now a wife and mother of two darling daughters – two-and-a-half year old Macy and almost-one year old Halle.  They live not very far from us but if it weren’t for FaceBook, I’d very seldom ‘see’ them.  Katee is a busy woman but, fortunately for her friends, she has time to share some of her wonderfully creative ideas through the magic of cyberspace.

A few days ago she posted a delicious looking picture of a ‘cake’ on her FaceBook site.  I’m not clear whether it is a concoction of Katee’s own invention or if she adapted it from somewhere else.  No matter.  In my book she gets full credit just for sharing it with the rest of us!  (Shades of her gram, Lucille Downer, who had a cooking column in the Chinook Observer for a number of years.)

The enticing picture was titled “Who Needs Cake” and was accompanied by these directions:

The “cake” is watermelon. Cut the ends off the watermelon to form the top & bottom of the cake; then cut away the rind from the sides of the cake.
Use cookie cutters to cut cantaloupe flowers and honeydew leaves/ Use toothpicks to attach to cake.
Decorate with additional strawberries, blueberries, apples, grapes, and oranges. Simple & yummy! —

I don’t know if I have the patience to make such a gorgeous presentation, but it sure does say “summer picnic” loud and clear.  If we have a repeat of those 98° days of last July, I think I’ll have to give it a try.  Thanks for the idea, Katee!