Gingerbread Cake, Chocolate Hat

Looks can be deceiving. Underneath this little sun hat and pastel frosting was a ginger cake full of spice. I like that. Like turning turning over a shell on a barrier island to discover some feisty creature underneath. Or sitting down outside Tavern on the Green and discovering the gentil lady seated next to you is Jonas Salk"s sister. And the guy in Kinko's next to me having allergy problems was an acoustical guitarist who goes by the name Keb Mo' who plays all over the world. I have been accused of" talking to anybody". My sister and I joke about it. Our grandparents taught to explore and look for wonderful things. My mother's parents had a farm. My father's mother taught English literature before her family came. She told us stories every visit. My sister and I grin about the ribbing, and think of all the wonderful adventures we have by just looking a little beyond, looking for a story maybe. We are southern. That's part of what we do. I think it's in the rule book.So on we go in our separate lives, lifting shells or listening to others' stories. There's sometimes a crab underneath, or a little unexpected spice as a reward for the effort. And isn't that a nice thing?