A Taste of Spring

Sharon Harris is a Minnesota poet and a writer. She has had over 200 poems published in various anthologies and magazines. Her hobbies include photography and reading. Sharon has published several poetry books that include: "Timeless Tracks," " Life Savors," "Unspoken" and "Twice Broken." She is the co-editor for the Talking Stick, a Minnesota literary journal published by the Jackpine Writers' Bloc. It is produced entirely by Minnesota writers for Minnesota writers since the beginning in 1995. Sharon proofs, edits and is on the Board of directors for the Jack Pine Writers' Bloc, an active writing group in north central Minnesota.

A link for ordering published books by Jack Pine Writers'Bloc http://www.jackpinewriters.com/published-books/

Sharon has participated every year in the Northwoods Art and Book Festival, Hackensack MN event. She is pictured on the left and on the right her good friend Niomi Phillips, one of the volunteers. Visit with Sharon August 14th at the Northwoods Art and Book Festival. She will be selling copies of "Talking Stick" and some of her own books.
Her poem encapsulates spring thoughts.

"Spring Madness"
by Sharon Harris

listen!
do you not hear that sweet musical sound?
it's snow melting, dripping from the eaves,
gurgling, bubbling in rushing streams
and rivulets, choked with leaves, mud and ice
but surging onward heedlessly
singing, singing.

spring is out there
waiting for me.
listen!
it sings to me
it calls me.
let me go!
I am gone from your arms.

I shall return
but not till spring's madness is gone from my veins
not till I am aching from dancing and running.
you cannot make me stay
no matter how I love you
when spring is outside
calling, calling.

Poem reprinted on Ever Ready with permission from the author.
Poem previously published in 1984 in book "Timeless Tracks."

Lemon Ricotta Cake
The perfect dessert to usher in spring and serve for a Sunday brunch. It's an Italian inspired cake made from scratch with an off the chart delicious lemony flavor and a moist texture. Lemon zest gives it an extra zing.
Cook's Notes: The cake can be iced with a lemon glaze or topped with macerated strawberries. Recipe inspiration cookingclassy.com
Cake Ingredients:

• 1-1/3 cups cake flour (scoop and level to measure)
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• Lemon zest from one large lemon
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1-1/2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese

Lemon Icing Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon softened butter
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• Optional added lemon zest

Cake Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 inch springform pan sides and bottom.
• In a bowl add flour, baking powder and salt, whisk and set aside.
• Cream sugar, lemon zest and butter until pale and fluffy.
• Mix in eggs one at a time, adding in almond extract and beat.
• Add in half of the flour mixture and mix just until combined. Add in ricotta and mix just until combined.
• Add in last half of flour and mix just until combined.
• Spread batter evenly in pan. Bake until cake is set and a toothpick comes clean from the center. Check at 25 minutes.
• Cool cake in pan and run knife around edges before removing ring. 

Icing Directions:

• Using a whisk mix all ingredients until smooth.
• Ice cooled cake. Optional toasting coconut and almonds together and sprinkling over icing.