The Launch

‘Sheep, Goat and the Creaking Gate’ was launched on Sunday at Collingwood Children’s Farm. I was up early making final adjustments to the cake and making sure everything was ready.

We were at the Farm early but not as early as many of the families for family day. It was Family Day, and goats were the feature and there were goats everywhere. Kids and nannies and billies. As we were setting up, we were serenaded by some gorgeous long-legged kids, welcomed by curious chooks (the biggest chooks you could hope to see) and assisted by Farm staff.

Launch went well, and included Sally, the goat, and her pining amour, Tripod who called to her from the other side of the barn. My brother, David, stepped in at the last minute to MC the launch and did a great job. Bridget, weekend farm manager who launched ‘Sheep Goat and the Creaking Goat’ confessed to a small distraction as she saw that Sally was a bit too close to my foot and began to worry that she (Sally that is) might wee on my shoe!

After Bridget had launched ‘Sheep, Goat..’, I read the book and Jude showed the pictures. We gathered a few passersby who slowed and stayed to listen to the story.

The sun shone, the air was warm, and all was well with the world. The gate cake was a hit, the sheep fairy bread (thanks Kim, Natalie and Michael) disappeared as did the sheep and the goat biscuits (thanks Jude).

Thanks to everyone who came and to those who couldn’t make it but wished us well. It was a fun day.

‘Sheep, Goat and the Creaking Gate‘ is now well and truly launched!

A lovely review for Sheep, Goat and the Creaking Gate here

Still smiling

Some more photos from the launch…..

Getting ready to begin

Sally the goat, Jude, my brother David, and moi

Bridget is with Sally…and we’re all grateful to have got through without Sally weeing on my foot (Bridget had this vision…)

Making the Cake for the Creaking Gate Book Launch

I love preparing something special to eat at the launch of a new book. In this case it was a special cake for the launch of Sheep Goat and the Creaking Gate.It seemed sensible to try to make a Gate Cake rather than a Goat Cake. I thought it would be easier. It was a little tricky to work out, but it all worked in the end.

The Pans for a Big Cake

This are the pans that will bake the chocolate cakes for The Gate Cake. (To measure about 60 x 60 cm…)

Cakes cooling. Yes, the top ones overflowed into the oven, a lovely chocolate lava spill…
The bottom ones are a double cake mix each, and two of the bar ones = a single mixture

Undressed, but ready to go…

Now, you might assume this is the final cake, and it certainly was intended to be. But there was a slight incident with a puppy and one of the gate posts had to be remade. That meant another cake cooked before we went out to dinner and cut and fit and iced when we returned at 2.30am. Oh and a colour-adjustment extra layer of icing next morning.

It measured just under 60 cm x 60 cm.

Then it was finished!

The Gate Cake was revealed and devoured at the Sheep and Goat Launch