[Primrose Bolger]

Ginger and Wren cleared the table, scraping what scraps there were into the bucket for the garden’s compost pile. The dishes and tableware were then piled neatly into the sink to be washed a little later.

‘Come help me ladle the cake batter into the pans, will you Wren?’ she said, handing the girl one of the aprons from the pegs by the door. ‘We’re making sheetcakes for after supper. Nice yellow cake. Four of them I think. We’ll serve them up with strawberries and whipped cream.’

Handing Wren a cup, Ginger showed her how to go from pan to pan, pouring a cupful of batter into each until all the batter was gone and the pans equally filled.

‘Now let’s just open the oven . . . make sure there’s enough wood in the fire box. Then we’ll pop the pans in.’ Ginger pulled on the thick quilted mittens and pulled out the racks, placing each carefully carried pan Wren brought her on them.’ ‘You know, once we’re done here,’ she said, turning the small half-hour glass on the stove shelf over. ‘I could brush and braid your hair if you’d like. I have some pretty ribbons to tie them off. Blue, yellow, or pink. What do you say?’