Thanks so much for all the comments - I love getting them, and I''ll be replying to them soon and also going round all the blogs I've missed over the last week away.
Meanwhile, I'd like to share another insect cake. This one is a ladybird (I think they're called ladybugs in the US). I admired it in a garden produce, craft and dog show in deepest Gloucestershire a couple of weeks ago. The judge wrote an encouraging and nice comment on every entry to the show, and has awarded this ladybird second prize. But - do you detect a slight problem with this cake? The judge's comment card explains. It reads: "Very well iced. Sorry about the mess. A dog ate it!"
Here's another picture from the show. These two dogs were waiting for their owner to emerge from the village church, which dates back about 800 years or so and contained a lovely display of flowers from peoples' gardens. They looked so bored and fed up, I couldn't help thinking that a nice piece of cake might cheer them up...
