Ken left me sourdough starter. My bread baking days in the 70’s included yeast. So I asked around and Sylvia graciously got me started. I enjoy making bread. I enjoy sharing bread. People seemed to like my bread. One only gets better by practicing – and I had lined up eaters for the practicing! This week I decided to branch out from bread to pizza dough. One part of my goal to practice dough is …
Well, the old swimsuit died. And with the new one I have shifted to swimming twice a week instead of three times. But each trip includes more laps. I am opening my schedule as there are more activities in Spring and summer. But with a bum knee, swimming is the BEST!
Sunday marked one year since Ken’s memorial service. That service was my last commitment to all the people who were mourning Ken’s death – his family, friends, pottery and produce customers, acquaintances. It marked the end of what I thought of as a very public life. I had sold pots two weeks earlier, and now the pots were at two galleries. I no longer wanted people coming up my driveway at all hours (did I …
Wednesday morning I awoke to find red spots up the right side of my neck, on my right ear and up the back of my scalp. First fear was fleas, and pets were subjected to unspeakable indignities in their opinion. No fleas. Spider? Thursday no change, but by Friday no improvement. With an upcoming long weekend, I wanted to avoid a trip to the ER if it worsened. Got into the clinic late on Friday, …
Decades ago, when I was young, there was “womens’ work,” and any man doing such would be subject to ridicule. One Mothers’ Day my father dried the dishes and headed out the back door to our clothesline to hang the wet dish towel. While he was hanging the towel on the line, a reedy little voice piped up from across the street, “Happy Mothers’ Day, Mr. Gravel!” Every year each of us in my family …
After making bread for over a year, I had a thought. Why spend money on pizza as an occasional treat when I have the dough, jars of tomato sauce in the root cellar, and a friend makes excellent cheese. So, last night I tried it. After pulling out and ripping the dough I made a thicker – like deep dish – pizza. Pizza was easy to make, but it sill take some tweaking to make …
With a 16 x 20 foot sign at the end of our drive on a major highway, Ken and I led a very public life for decades. Even with posted hours people came up at odd times, and this led to some amusing anecdotes: the time I rounded the corner from the outdoor bath in a robe with a towel around my wet hair and there was the “chard guy!” We were also out in …
Since Ken’s death, I have been sorting. As I am ready to face something, I sort, and as I sort I think of who could use this, who would want this, do I need this, will I need this, and so on. Is it old and I should pitch it? From old spices that sounded good, but never got used, things I don’t eat like sardines, things I won’t cook for one like lasagna. Food, …
Earlier this week I had library books to return. After doing that and some other errands, I thought I would like a treat. I stopped at the grocery store. I went through the aisles. Nothing local that I could see. And as I read the ingredient list of each possibility I decided no, no., and no. So I got some tulips. And even then I heard Ken’s voice say, “Humph! Grown with chemicals and shipped …
With a forecast of lows in double digits below zero, I will be feeding hungry wood stoves for the next two days. It’s a good time to render another batch of lard This fat from Turnip Rock Farm was processed at a locker where they don’t grind the fat. I find it renders better if chopped or ground. So today I started chopping. Will finish chopping and start rendering tomorrow
