Bread

I spent part of yesterday afternoon in the veranda, hand quilting and listening to a book tape. The very best part was when it started to rain. Rain on a metal roof, thunder, the smell of rain through open windows and a latte with a little chocolate.  Could it get any better?  You will note I started the sentence with I.  Where was Pat?  He was sanding the pantry. An unpleasant job, I didn't get a picture but he went straight from the pantry to the shower when he was finished.  He did make it into the veranda for the rain.  Today we will prime.  Tomorrow, install the red marmoleum floor?

 The rain we had yesterday afternoon and evening will be great for the garden.  A shadow of green in the lettuce bathtub.  The tomatoes, parsley and basil all seemed to have survived being whipped around in the wind.  A different gardening environment here.  We have never seen deer in the yard, rarely in our quarter so we are hopeful they won't be a problem.  I am a little concerned about the egg eating squirrel that we frequently see.  We are hoping row cover material will keep him out. 

I love Robins.  This fellow sat high in this oak tree one evening and sang his heart out for the longest time.  Long enough for me to enjoy him, figure out where he was, (he was at  the very top of a forty foot oak swinging in the breeze.) Then I went to get the camera and took many pictures. Necessary because he was at the end of the telephoto range and swinging.  I was pleased to get a picture that was not blurry and his beak open for singing.  He was still singing when I left.

I have gotten used to bread from Earthbound or Il Secundo for my breakfast toast.  My frozen supply is about gone.  We have purchased and tried bread from local sources and Superstore.  They are not what I am used to for a number of reasons.  On a Yorkton Superstore stop we bought some rye and sourdough from their bakery. The rye tasted tangy/salty. But my great thirst after eating their products had me checking the sodium content. Wow! A 50 gram serving had three times more sodium than the equivalent size serving of nachos. And honestly if I am looking for salt I would rather eat nachos.  Interestingly enough I came across an article about 10 foods with the highest salt content.  Bread and rolls were there.  I don't know the sodium content in the breads from the local bakeries but the taste is certainly different, the tang in the Superstore rye was from salt. It would be interesting for everyone to check the sodium in their bread.
The great long paragraph is leading up to this.

   
In the past I have ventured down the bread making path with varying degrees of success. Generally falling back on the expertise of the local bakeries.  With that option gone it was time to try again.  I found this no knead recipe that is very simple and I must say successful.  I forgot to slash the top before baking,and did it after consequently the odd looking slash. I am quite excited to try different flours and additives.  If anyone is interested I searched no knead bread and found a few options. I also found a site called The Fresh Loaf.  They describe themselves as a news and information site for amateur bakers and artisan bread enthusiasts. They have a lot of interesting sounding recipes and an online handbook which looks very useful.  I will keep you posted.

Friday was another important day!  I was invited to the first meeting of a quilt group.  Similar to my Saskatoon groups.  Seven women who will get together for sharing, visiting and a little nibble.  I didn't get a chance to find out if any of them knit.  A group of quilters with some who also knit, perfect.

We have taken walks in the ravine it hasn't been all work.

I still haven't had a latte at the beaver dam.  We now have very small black flies that are present in swarms. They don't bite they just hover around your head and crawl on your face. I was in the veranda yesterday for more than one reason. The locals tell me they only last a few days. 
The ravine is lush and green and the oaks finally have their leaves.