West End Country Club

This morning, as guests of member Bettye Skeoch, we enjoyed painting at the West End Country Club located at the northern end of Frederiksted. It was the first time many of us had painted there and the morning really was a treat for the senses. Everything captivated our imaginations: the gorgeous sea vista out to the horizon and beyond, the cute little palm-frond covered "tiki" huts scattered on the beach, the expanse of the empty pier, the rocks meeting the gentle surf on the beach, the clubhouse itself... there was much to choose from to paint but only a few hours to do it in. Areas of shade were pretty abundant, though some of us still ended up chasing it during the morning's paint out. The sun shone brightly and the sea breezes helped keep us cool. What a good time we all had! After "our show and tell" we went next door to Coconuts for lunch and camaraderie.



























Ginger

Painting at Barbara's

Friday morning we headed east to paint at the home of Barbara Osborne. We were fortunate to have another of those great summer days we have here on St. Croix: sunny, clear, and bright, with a touch of cooling sea breezes incoming from the Caribbean. We were transported not only by the great music Barb had playing for us in the background but also by her home's vibrancy. It seems that the biggest challenge of the morning was finding the right mix to get that blue in the house's shutters!

















We were treated to a yummy lunch by our hostess, Barb. Many of us went back for seconds! Pat Holloway brought a cake she'd made and it was so good I wanted to lick the plate!
I asked Pat for her cake recipe which has been in her family since the 70's.
Cake: 1 box yellow cake mix, with pudding in the mix (Pillsbury)
Follow directions on box and bake at 350*. Cool completely and split layers in half.

Icing: 12oz carton of sour cream
1 cup sugar
1 whole grated fresh coconut or 12 oz pkg of coconut
1 large can crushed pineapple, drained well

Mix the sour cream, sugar, and coconut together well and place between layers and on top. Add the drained crushed pineapple in between the layers but not to the top. Do not frost the sides. If you used packaged coconut, add only about 1/2 cup sugar instead of the full cup.
Wrap well and place in refrigerator overnight. Serve (on lickable plates) and enjoy. It's best to keep refrigerated.
Ginger