Baking Day! Fresh Bread!

I have determined that today is a baking day and I am starting with some bread!  Would you like to come along?

First up: Dissolve a couple of packages of yeast in 1/4 cup of warm water (105-115 degrees)

I just put the yeast into my mixing bowl as that is where everything will be added anyway.  No sense in making more dirty dishes than we have to.  It will sit and dissolve, bubbling as it goes.

Next:  Have 2 2/3 cup warm water, 3 tablespoons shortening, and the dry ingredients (1/4 cup sugar, 1T salt, 5 cups of flour) ready to mix in.  (Pay no attention to the onions and garlic in the background, they are not going into the bread)

To the yeast add the water, shortening, and dry ingredients.  Mix well

Now, beat until smooth, adding additional flour until dough is easy to handle.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic -- about 10 minutes, adding flour as needed.

Have your sweetheart (or you can do it yourself) grease a bowl

Place dough in greased bowl and then turn greased side up.  Cover and let rise in a warm place until double -- about an hour or so.

Oh look --- isn't this fun?  Science at work.

Punch down the dough - yep, my sweetie is learning today too

Divide it in half

Take one half and roll it into a rectangle 18x9 inches.

Roll up, beginning at short side.  With side of hand, press each end to seal and fold ends under loaf.

Placed in greased loaf pan and brush lightly with butter.

Let rise until double - about an hour.  (Background shows what I did during the first rise -- scones, banana bread, and gingersnaps)

Heat oven to 425 degrees and place loaves on low rack to that tops of pans are in center of ovens.  Do not let the pans touch each other.  Bake 30-35 minutes or until deep golden brown and sound hollow when you tap on them.

Remove from pans and brush with soft butter.  Cool on wire rack.  Enjoy.  I know Mister will.

Peach Check Week 13

Well there are still a few left and they are still growing.  I don't have high hopes though as the numbers are very small.

A Walk in the Gardens

The sun is shining and it is time for a walk in the gardens.  I miss being here often and want to see what is blooming before it is gone for the year.  Spring has left and with it the many soft colors of that season.  We are now into bold summer colors and I love them  Check out these Cannas -- oh my!

Coleus

The vegetable gardens are fun as well.  Here is one that is new to me.  Okra -- purple!

I spot this squirrel and we stop to watch for awhile.  After eating for quite some time, he drops his treat (the same dang thing they do to my peaches --- finish it for goodness sake).  Mister and I go check it out.  He has picked a small eggplant for his morning snack.

Ah --- Serenity!  Pond AND Lake.  I LOVE the lily pads.

And what the lily pads produce:

Above and below the water -- koi are beautiful as well. One came up to say hello to us.  I think he thought we were going to feed him.  Sorry.

I love finding the little nooks and cranny's of  the garden and on each visit we find one new place.  Today brings us a couple -- one with an amazing flower and the second -- where I think of when I hear phrases like "secret garden."  Both oh so beautiful

The crepe myrtles are starting to bloom --- doesn't the grand lawn look pretty surrounded by them.  Ah, summer.  I can already hear the cicadas singing.  I love the south.

Alone Again, A Nice Drive, and Beautiful Sunflowers

After delivering Jon back to his mother, we are once again alone.  On the way to Hillsboro we passed fields and fields of bright yellow sunflowers.  I wanted to stop so much but we were running late as it was.

Mister, however, made a point of stopping on the way back.  He found a back road where we could get some great pictures and I honestly think he found the largest plants as well.  Just enjoy the pictures and I'll finish the story at the end.

Yep, I have a camera as well.

Also my picture - check out the bee -- they were everywhere!

Another one of mine --- this is a special sunflower -- a bit different than the rest but still standing tall.

Mister, they are watching you.

We decided to stop in Waxahachie for dinner and a beer.  It is one month short of  of the day Mister asked me to marry him 4 years ago at that very same place.  What a nice day together.

Texas Grandsons - Days 13&14

20th - We can no longer put off finishing the quilt.  Out to the studio to make binding and put it on.  Jon is really lacking confidence in this part so I help quite a bit.  It is also laundry day so while I am hand stitching the binding down, Jon and I sit and talk and do laundry.  The quilt is soon finished and he is one happy young man.  Outside for pictures!

The arts district is having a block party this afternoon/evening and we have decided that it sounds like a fun time so once we have all the chores done, that is where we are off to.  First stop is the DMA and Jon instantly wants to go to the hands on area to see what he can create.  One of the supplies for today is twist ties and as he grabs a handful, we leave him to do his thing and check out a few of the exhibits.

When we return I discover that he is creating a scorpion.  What a talented young man.  I am jealous.

When he finishes with it, we walk over to the Crow Collection of Asian Art to see what is going on there.  First up:  a dragon dance and drummers.

We stay and watch for awhile and also check out the project stalls here.  An ink blot painting gets made and left in the corner to dry (eternally as we forget to go back and retrieve it).

Jon finds a station where he can work on a pagoda project.

We walk around the Nasher Sculpture Garden and over to Klyde Warren Park before calling it done.  As we are driving home, the back seat is lit up with glow sticks that Jon has twisted and turned into various patterns.  Nice day.

21st - This is our last morning with Jon.  We are returning him to Jen today - meeting in Hillsboro.  Once we have everything packed, I ask if he wants to make a pillow to match his quilt and he is all excited at that idea.  Back to the studio.  I give him the strips he started sewing before we changed the pattern and he cuts it to size, cuts a back and sews them together.  After it is turned, he gets to play in the "fluff" to stuff it.  The last step is to hand-stitch the opening closed and I give him a needle and thread.  In no time he is busily stitching away.

We are out here a total of about 45 minutes and he is all smiles with his new pillow.  Of course he is a smartie pants and shows the back until I catch on

and make him take a second picture.  Now he is silly.  Ah, I love my grandson and have so enjoyed our time with him this last week and a half.  I hope we get to do this again soon.

It is now time to drive.