sourdough! installment 1

dave and i both LOVE sourdough bread. the kids probably don’t think they do, but the do, and even if they don’t, who cares! so since i’ve been recently talking about and dabbling in making my own bread, sourdough has been something on the list of wanting to try. i’ve never done it before, and i think i was always a little intimidated by the ‘extra’ part of the process.

but after doing a little reading, i decided that it didn’t sound THAT complicated and this morning i bit the bullet. my very first sourdough starter is currently fermenting on the kitchen counter. see all those bubbles? that’s a good thing. it means it’s doing what it’s supposed to be doing. SO, in about 5 days, it should quit bubbling, and smell ‘sour’, at which point i can use some of it to make some bread… and hopefully follow up with a successful installment 2 post!

it all sounds kind of gross, since we generally think of avoiding things that have fermented or gone sour, especially when thinking of food… but really, this is all just a part of how FOOD gets from that which grows out of the ground to that which is on your plate or in your glass. beer anyone?

at any rate, i’m really looking forward to it and can’t wait to keep ‘feeding’ my starter and try out other sourdough recipes.

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for my not-so-american friends

i didn't have an actual roll w/ the green plaid on it, but i found a refill and an empty roll in my junk drawer (yeah, i know, that should tell me something). but even the empty one says 'scotch' on it. there you go! SCOTCH TAPE!

a blue period...

i'm feeling really lazy lately. well, some might think i'm lazy all the time, but it's worse right now. i always get really down on myself when i'm having trouble keeping things organized, when my house is a mess, when we eat mac and cheese for dinner, etc. usually that's appropriate motivation to get me off my butt and make me keep things in some sort of relative order. but night now it's really bad. i don't feel like doing anything. there are toys all over, and i purposely make myself not see them because i just don't want to pick them up. same with the dirt behind the door in the bathroom. the pile of clothes that need to be ironed, the mess in my bedroom, the crap falling out of the drawers in my bathroom, the garage. i don't want to go grocery shopping. i don't want to cook. the floor needs to be swept and mopped in the kitchen and dining room and the sink is dirty. the backyard is a total disaster and i just don't feel like ...

how to clean your room

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finally!

here are layla’s curtains! actually up on the window! i have to say i’m quite pleased with myself for actually getting this done. but i have to give credit where credit is due… so thanks to my MIL for going to the fabric store w/ me and helping me with measurements and all that. AND, thanks to debbie for letting me use her sewing machine and for ironing all the hems for me! YAY!!!!

rachel's continued ramblings

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