Tag Archives: Virginia Lee Burton

EXCITING NEWS FOR THE CAPE ANN MUSEUM, CAPE ANN COMMUNITY AT LARGE, AND ESPECIALLY FOR VIRGINIA LEE BURTON FANS!

As part of the programming for the Cape Ann Museum’s current exhibit “The Little House: Her Story,” a special program was presented by curators Martha Oaks, Michiyo Okabe, and Atsuko Tanaka to discuss the cultural collaboration behind the exhibit. Towards the end of the fascinating and oftentimes, humorous and deeply moving presentation, one member of the captivated audience asked, “what will happen to the Little House model.” Everyone was delighted to learn that the curators are gifting the Little House to the Cape Ann Museum!

Unfortunately, I could only stay for the first hour of the program, but I am sure Catherine Ryan, who would have loved to have attended the presentation (but is still under the weather with the terrible cold that is going around), will provide us with more details.

Briar’s “Little House” Cookies

Briar Forsythe Willowdale Cookies -6 ©Ki Smith 2013 .Don’t these cookies remind you of the Virginia Lee Burton children’s story The Little House?

Briar Forsythe Willowdale Cookies ©Ki Smith 2013My friend Briar Forsythe, proprietor of Willowdale Estate, made this gorgeous gift of fabulously delicious baked treats for my family. The bursting-full-of-yumminess box contained gingerbread cookies, Willowdale signature cookies, pumpkin bread, apple cake (her Italian grandmother’s recipe), which Briar enhanced to include cranberries.

Imagine, despite the fact that she is the owner and operator of of Willowdale, where she employs over 100 local people, Briar continues to take the time to bake and hand decorate cookies and treats for her friends and family. Very fortunately for we, her friends and her employees, she bakes throughout the year, not just at Christmastime!Briar Forsythe Willowdale Cookies  -4©Ki Smith 2013 .

Briar Forsythe Willowdale Cookies -2 ©Ki Smith 2013 .Briar Forsythe Willowdale Cookies -3 ©Ki Smith 2013 .Briar has perfected her gingerbread cookie recipe. The “Little House” cookies not only look amazing, they are actually super delicious as well (which isn’t always the case with gingerbread house dough).

2325Several years ago, I took Briar to the Cape Ann Museum to show her the wonderful Virginia Lee Burton exhibit. I love Briar’s gingerbread house cookies and they remind me greatly of Burton’s extraordinarily beautiful children’s book The Little House. What do you think?

I imagine that if a local baker wanted to make the connection between Virginia Lee Burton, Gloucester, and Little House cookies, it would fill a terrific niche and they would have a ready made market!

IMG_3175What The Little House would look like on a day like today!

sun The Llittle HouseVirginia Lee Burton daisy sun detail.

The Little House images are courtesy of a google image search.