A Recovery

OK ... yesterday ... I made space in "my" kitchen for the "new" shaker set from Annie. Aren't they darling? And--hey, abundance in the kitchen is cool with me.

... I made room on the line for my fresh-n-clean vintage aprons. My sense is that all three came to my mother via her mother-in-law, my paternal grandmother, Ann Conway-Roast. Aren't they the coolest? I just love them!

I made a sweet raisin bread for invaders who never showed up, which was fine with me since it allowed me to relax, crochet and watch the Giants mop up the Chiefs.

The Boy has today off, so last night was our "friday night" and he and I and Ale had a party ... thus this catch-up recovery blog.

Oh ... and this morning ... when I lifted off the butter-dish cover ... I wondered, yet again ... in pure amazement ... just how is it that they have managed to get so much of the earthly power?

More later!

Bread from Mead

I have an electrical storm ... so all you get is the title and photo today! Even so, your comment gets you an entry in Win a Whimsy!

My Cool Hut Warm

I swear summer is hiding somewhere, slinking and stalking with a vicious playfulness, just waiting to pounce on my ass. My chilly ass I might add! Spring seems to be backsliding in its final days, with weather akin to the side of the season that hugs winter, not summer. It’s been cool and damp and that tea I made for the fridge got heated up, let me tell you.

I made goddess cookies just to turn the oven on. And to try out the new cookie cutter I got this week in a goddess trade. Needless to say, this warmed my heart and my hut!

I made bread too, to keep the hut warm and dry and to make up for the shortbread debacle from yesterday.

And to keep the oven comfort steady, I made a cheddar cheese pizza with italian peppers and bermuda onions for supper.

I completed more “figures of love” and plan to get those up in my ArtFire Studio this evening. I also got some other figures primed (including those freakin’ adorable “demons” The Boy made the other day). And I still working on my silly tribal dream.

Waste Not

That "chamomile start" I made yesterday continued today with the straining of the steeped plant matter, the addition of sugar, lemon juice and the yeast, all of which found a happy and loving home together in a one gallon jug.

It's bubbling nicely next to a melissa ale and sarsaparilla ale. The gallon of cardamom ale, formerly sharing this space, was primed, bottled and put away today, and will be ready to imbibe in a few weeks.

Amid the herbal brewing, I made time to enjoy a more "conventional" homebrew.

I strained and bottled the chive flower vinegar that I started several weeks back. It's a bottled springtime gem, it is.

I made dinner.

And I foraged in the garden for dessert again.

The evening winds down with two small loaves of bread I made with the brewers yeast from the bottom of the barrel of that cardamom ale I bottled. Waste not, want not!

That's what I made today.

Kitchen Love

I harvested, planted and transplanted ...

I enjoyed nettles, minus the sting - yummmm ...

I started beans for their pre-cook fermentation ...

I baked two more loaves of bread, this time whole wheat cranberry bread for my Forest Folk week ... 

I roasted a chicken with potatoes to serve with those cooked greens (above), simmered carrots and a nice escarole salad.

That's what I made today. 

More Too

Today I made two loaves of Curry Bread with garlic chives. All I have to show you is the kneaded dough. The loaves came out beautiful and I'll be tasting some in the morning as my breakfast toast. If I like it, I'll make two more. 

There was more too.

Love in the Kitchen

Today I bottled a gallon of cardamom ale.

I made two more loaves of bread to warm the hut, and heart, and freezer too.

I made simple egg noodles.

They went into the chicken soup I made.

That's what I made today.

Bread of Life

Today I made a little progress in the garden. I planted more peas and some beet and turnip seeds. Radishes too, but I plant those frequently to mark my rows. I took the dog for a walk. I went out to tend to a few local errands and came home to start more indoor seedlings: Sweet basil, parsley, cilantro and collards. I made two loaves of bread, one of which - as you can see - has been enjoyed, hot out of the oven, slathered with butter. Life is good.

This & That

The boy had made more frames from scrap stock and broken frames salvaged from the dump, so I continued the finishing. I'm finishing some up new-like and others I'm leaving distressed. I like distressed.

Then there's the bread dough ... rising.

And then the bread ... baked and waiting (and really yummy!).

The kitchen renovations take off ...

... and cabinet number one is fully prepped at day's end.

And now I sip some warming tea that's just perfect for this chill, damp day. You can see it here.

Tomorrow I should have some art journal fun to share. Emphasis on should.

Bread -n- Art

I made a fresh batch of copal and sage incense. I made my list for the Thanksgiving meal to discover, much to my extreme delight, that I only need one item that will be easy to pick up tomorrow at the local IGA. I made more bread which will be enjoyed as toast with breakfast and become stuffing for Thurday's dinner.

I made art, in the form of cards, and listed them in my shop.



That's what I made today.

Treasures

I made treasures today. The re-melting of the crumbly soap with a touch of added water worked out nicely ... I impatiently cut them today and I'm pleased with the outcome and the lessons learned.

I bottled 13 bottles of cranberry wine.

I made two loaves of cinnamon, cardamom, raisin bread. Yummilicious!

I finished three new ACEO pieces and listed them in my Etsy shop ...

Compassion

Mercy

Forgiveness

So many treasures! And speaking of treasures, I also snagged a Treasury for my Etsy PeaceNiKs Team. Check it out and leave us some love!

Ashe. Ashe.

Time in Garden & Kitchen

I made my way to the garden and picked the last nappa cabbage today. Tomorrow I suppose I'll make a big-ass batch of kimchi and a nice steam with garlic and ginger to have with supper. It's beautiful, isn't it?

I made two small loves of whole wheat bread. It was a nice way to heat up the little hut as the sun leaned to the west. 

And here's a bit of my imperfect, yet beautiful TLC (tangerine-lavender calendula) soap. 

I made time to do a little research and learned that crumbly soap most often indicates a too-high a lye ratio, and that feels right to me. I also learned that I can re-melt the crumbs in a crock-pot to remold, so I'll try that experiment tomorrow. The actual experience of cutting the soap taught me that a knife is not a fitting tool, despite any logic to the contrary. Even the slight wedge shape of the knife actually facilitated the crumbling. I found that my dough scraper (or whatever it's called) to be far more effective for a clean cut. I also learned, or rather was reminded of the value of friendship. I'm in debt to my dear friend Kim for turning me on this beautiful alchemy. I'm already looking forward to my next batch!

Ashe. Ashe.

Cookies & Bread & Ale, Oh My!

A double batch of cocoa chocolate chip cookies.

Two little loaves of whole-wheat, flax seed, oatmeal bread.

Ten bottles of Cardamom Ale, ready for the ale cellar.

And the day ain't over yet!