At some point while I was growing up, my Mom started watching the weather channel religiously. Her weather obsession intensified when she started driving a school bus. It surprised many of our friends and family that she would choose this job because she is a notorious worrier. It turns out the job was practically made for her. Her no-nonsense nature kept the kids in line and they still loved her. Her attention-to-detail and careful disposition made her safe on the roads. She usually arrived at the bus lot before the sun to warm up the bus and make sure everything was working properly.
When my brother and I turned 16, she started leaving little notes behind with messages like, “Roads are slippery, be careful! Love, Mom” or “Very snowy, take it easy. xo Mom” We did live near lake Michigan and the lake effect snow was no joke, but being teenagers, we would roll our eyes at these notes. Looking back, I secretly loved that she brushed the snow off of my car most mornings and her notes did come in handy. They were kind of sweet.
She’s retired from her bus job and we no longer live in the same house together or the same city for that matter and the weather notes have stopped. These days I almost never check the weather. It’s a very small part of my day. My interest in the weather is now limited to puffy cloud watching and beautiful sky gazing. Today I’m remembering when it was a big part of my morning, written in a love note from my Mom.
I made this coconut pound cake for my Mom, the weather watcher and coconut lover. The cake is dense, lightly sweet and doesn’t skimp on the coconut. It’s the perfect thing to savor slowly with a cup of coffee or tea.
This looks so yummy!! Lucky Chris!!
Nancy – Thanks!
Shut the front door. This looks Amazing!
Billy – Aw, thanks! I owe it all to the drippy glaze 🙂
This looks so good! I am definitely a coconut lover. And that second photo, with the glaze dripping down the front and pooling at the base?! I’m literally drooling over my keyboard!
Katherine – Thanks! Pooling glaze gets me every time, too!
Another one for my Pinterest food board! Looks so yummy!
Laura – You know I love everything on your Pinterest food board 🙂 Thank you!
OK, I’m a total weather-obsessive and I love coconuts, so I really like your mom already! After a week of over-indulgence, I’m actually kind of mad that you posted this irresistible recipe. It’s siren song of spongy, creamy coconut perfection is really steering me away from my vows of salad eating.
Elizabeth – Oops! 🙂 I feel you on the vows of salad. Over-indulgence city over here, too.
Aw I love that story and this cake looks absolutely amazing!! Great idea and awesome photos!
Sues – Thank you, Sues 🙂 I was thinking of you when the big snow storm hit. Hope you stayed cozy and warm, no doubt baking it up in the kitchen!
That’s so sweet that she’d brush the snow off the car for you! That’s something my dad would do, too. The poor guy is a master shoveler. I think he’d like this cake.
Jacqui – Master shoveler, ha! If you live in the midwest (or further north) I guess you have to have at least one in the family!
I hope to be just like your mom, with my 20 weather widgets on my computer dashboard. I also can’t wait to make this cake for my mom.
Noelle – Your comments are my favorite. I am now imagining those Mac sticky notes all over a computer screen with weather warnings. If my Mom only knew, she’d be more interested in her laptop.
Making this today for church coffee hour, tomorrow!
Nice! Hope it’s a hit!
I think we must be sisters from another lifetime, this is two of my favorites in one, poundcake AND coconut? I’ll probably be my typical princess self and add some nuts to this as well, either finely chopped macadamia or slivered toasted almonds. I would also like to figure out how to incorporate some pineapple in here! Perhaps i’ll somehow mesh this with the pineapple crunch cake on Pillsbury site to make the most rich tropical desert ever! thanks for the awesome recipe and if she’s still around kiss and hug your mom. Tell her you appreciate her each chance you get and even more! p.s. if you’re old enough to notice you can see with a name like mine I make sure to have adequate fat/sugar in my diet LOL.
Hi Karon! Your changes sound like a tropical delight! My mom is retired now and still worries, but she has grand babies now to keep her thoughts on more fun things 🙂