I really do have one! Or maybe more!

My son called this morning and in our conversation I was talking to him about a procedure that I had heard of that I thought would help his health.  I do worry about him.  Then I very proudly mentioned that his sister was giving me the best gift of all for my birthday (next week).  She has been setting up a support system and telling everyone that she will have her last cigarette the night before my birthday.  How awesome is that.  Of course I mentioned to my son (he is a smoker,,,, again,,,) about how I worry about their health and would like to see them all quit!   In a laughing voice (I think)  my son said," you must have a row of soap boxes to step from one to the other". 
I think that was a compliment.  Maybe?

Land Ho!

I just got this from my big brother and had to share it around.  Gotta love a good excuse.  This one about takes the cake.

Blue mug rug

I recycled granny's night gown for this little rug! 

Thinking to hard

http://www.raptitude.com/  This is an interesting blog that I follow.  The last post is quite interesting.  It is about how this younger generation is having their life "recorded" for them unlike any time before.  You will have to just read it to get his thoughts.  I found it interesting.

As for my own thoughts for the day.  As I was driving to the store I was thinking about how it is that you can't be born with the same "smarts" that you have when you are older.  Mainly I was thinking about what we eat.  I think of how I ate when I was in my 20's and 30's and I wish I had made better choices and knew about the better choices.  Maybe there are just stages in life that you have to go thru to get to that place where it all clicks.  I work hard to avoid sugars now and even use artificial sugar to a minimum. I am a big fiber nut.  I try to use whole grain products and read labels alot.  Not only to make sure that what's in it is stuff I can read and understand but that if at all possible it comes from USA.  Sorry but I just can't eat fish from Thialand or Shrimp from there or China.  Look at whats happened to our orange juice for crying out loud!  Thank God we have been drinking Florida Naturals all this time.  But what about our little ones that drink all this cheaper OJ that is being shipped in, diluted, and adulterated in all sorts of ways?  Then there is the issue of all the chemicals that kids are consuming now.  There is no end is there till WE ALL get smart.  $$$$$$  that is the big issue as it is in alot of things.  Don't get me started on the medical stuff.

I like the saying/prayer:  "Lord keep your arm around my shoulder and your hand over my mouth"

Friday the 13th.

Yup it is Friday the 13th, but by any other day it is still Friday!!!! 

Started a rug with my other batch of Pendleton Wool selvage.  I really like this one.  I have black, gray and tan for my warp.  Wish I had ordered more black now.  But next time.  It is working really nice.  This one is going to get finished tonite so I can take it to the Fiber Guild mgt Sunday.  Will be doing my show and tell.

Message to my big brother,  I love the blue grass radio station you sent me.     http://tunein.com/tuner/?StationId=55092  Great music. 

Thought for the day:  Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans... John Lennon
(do you really think he was the first one to say that??) 

A brief look at the past

In my walking about town last week I took a picture of this old barn.  I have added it to my folder of "old places"  I like old buildings, barns, windmills, and such.  Alot of character with the weathered boards and the attempt to paint this one sometime in the past to help hold it up longer.  I always wonder about how many years ago it might have been built and what it looked like then. I have thought it would be fun to drive around the country and take pictures of unusual buildings.  You know get off that freeway and actually see what America looks like. I know its been done already but still think it would be awesome

Thought for the day: It is as hard to see one's self as to look backwards without turning around... Thoreau

Cinnamon Bread: This is tough on my diet!

Last pm I baked up my last loaf of Artisan Bread from the batch I stirred up Tuesday.  A word of caution, if you try to hold your bread in the refrig for a few days, be sure to wrap the bowl tight with saran wrap.  The first time I did it I didn't have it sealed and it ran all over the refrig shelf.  It looked sort of like the Blob,  (remember that movie?)   Anyway I did this loaf with olive oil, then brown sugar and cinnamon.  The loaf comes out with very mild cinnamon to me, but it is so darn good toasted!

Wanted to add a comment for anyone reading this that if you want to try your regular bread using this method to get a nice crusty bread you can try it.  And in place of the clay cloche, you can use a dutch oven.  The secret is to raise the bread on a piece of parchment paper in a bowl, don't get to big a loaf,  then get the dutch oven hot in the oven at 425 degrees.  Slip the bread into the hot pan, put the lid on and bake for about 35 min.  Would love to hear if any of my readers try this. 

I know you are out there,  my counter tells me someone is reading this.  If so thanks for the interest. 

And I know my big brother reads this, as he says its the only way he knows what I am up to.

Sorry Ray, I can't bring you a nice warm loaf of this!!!

Thought for the day::  "Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy;  it's inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery."

- Winston Churchill -

My Artisan Bread Making

This is my story of my Artisan bread making.  While I was in Iowa in Sept. My good friend gave me a lesson along with a jar of sourdough starter to get me started.  The story about Artisan bread comes from the word artisan, meaning "use your artistic talents to do your own thing"  This bread is awesome and you can do all kinds of stuff to it and it comes out wonderful every time.  There is minimal kneading,  in fact Betty has a dough bucket that looks like a stainless steel milk bucket with a detachable stirring paddle.  She uses the dump method of adding the ingredients.  The only secret is getting the water and flour in proportion to create this soft dough and of course the sourdough starter.  It can be stored in the refrigerate for several days then baked later. You save back some starter and feed it with water and flour a couple times a week and it gets this great sourdough smell.   I mix a batch that will do 4 of these loaves and only bake one or 2 at a time.

Here is one loaf coming out of the oven.  This bread is baked on a clay stone with a clay cloche cover.  That is what gives it the nice crusty crust that is awesome.  Betty makes these in her pottery shop and also gives lessons in her turn of the century home as part of the county's "Folk School" classes.This is a very healthy bread as you can add what ever you want.  Betty likes to  pat out a loaf and add asiago cheese, hot peppers, diced sweet peppers, or cinnamon and sugar, or a combination of what ever she feels. For this batch I added the cooked wheat berries that I put in the blender for a few min. to break up, lightly ground flax, some dry 8 grain cereal, wheat flour (only a cup or so as bread flour is a must to be over half of the flour) and honey. I have made the cinnamon version, by patting out the dough, splashing on olive oil, then cinnamon and sugar, and maybe walnuts.  Awesome stuff!

Here is Betty's web site if you want to look,  she has an awesome shop in Bentonsport Iowa, (she grew up across the river) She is a potter, weaver, and so much more.  Her husband is a black smith.  Betty and I grew up together and when I need my "Iowa Fix"  I always go there and we have a great time.  She taught me to weave and sold me my first baby loom.  Now I have one of her bread cloches and my sourdough starter.  What a friend. Here is her web site.        http://ironandlace.com/index.htm