6-12-2020 Dandelions

Attempt #1...epic fail...

Attempt #2...better...more control...

Attempt #3...my favorite!...

6-11-2020 Ventured Out For Lunch

DH and I ventured out for lunch today,

the first time in 90 days since self-isolating for Covid 19,

we wore masks and did social distancing.

We needed some fresh air...

Enjoyed a glass of wine from this local winery (Tycoga)

http://www.tycoga.com

with our lunch...

I got "Serenity" (sweet)

DH got "St. Croix" (dry)...

6-10-2020 Thunder Bay Falls

Daytrip

to get out into nature for a bit...

feeling a bit cooped up after 88 days of self-isolating!

That's my DH in the red shirt on the left

to give some reference for scale!

Hardly anyone at the falls...only two fishermen...

so perfect for 'social distancing!'

Sat and enjoyed the water music and fresh air for an hour!

This little snapper 

(9 inch long shell...12-13" long with head to tail tip)

joined us...

One of the fishermen caught Walleye, using bluegill as bait...

he fed the turtle (above) a snack of some bluegill too...

The other fisherman was trying unsuccessfully to catch some Muskie.

Both Walleye and Muskie are large fish with razor sharp teeth.

Best NOT to go wading in this water.

You may come out missing a few toes!

Some weather moving in...

time for us to move on outta here!

Heading home...

glad we go a bit of fresh air and water music this morning!

6-9-2020 Porch Lights

Our overnight porch lights are attracting some beautiful creatures!

In Asian folklore, a white moth or butterfly

represents the soul of a deceased person.

It's either a 'white satin moths' (leucoma salicis)

which can destroy entire groves 

of cottonwood, aspen and willow trees....

or

it's a Virginia Tiger Moth (spilosoma virginica).

I didn't get to see the color of its face or belly.

6-8-2020 Skateboards

I have such fond memories

of riding my skateboard down 'stadium hill' in Pueblo, CO

as a child!

Now my grandsons are learning to ride

What a thrill!

Thanks for sharing this video with us!

We are so proud of you boys!

6-7-2020 Popsicles!

Summer fun...

fruit popsicles!!!

6-6-2020 Nice Start to the Day!

Out for my 5:30 a.m. walk...

a nice way to start the day...

a beautiful double rainbow!

6-5-2020 June's Strawberry Full Moon

So bright and beautiful and powerful...

My June paintings to my Grandsons...

I also called a Chicago grocery store

(Pete's Natural Market on Harlem Ave. in Bridgeview IL)

to deliver some chocolate dipped strawberries

to help the GS's celebrate

June's Strawberry Full Moon

but the store said "No, we don't deliver those."

Boo.

6-4-2020 Roses

Experimented painting

top-down vs. bottom up roses...

the month of June's birth flower...

6-3-2020 Sneak Peek

 Sneak peak from the

Mother's Day photo shoot...

6-2-2020 First Attempt at Painting Water

6-1-2020 Violence

2 dead and an officer wounded

in a night of violence in Davenport...

Quad-City TIMES

Looting continues in Chicago as well...

WGN9

And nation-wide...

CNN

Violence begets violence.

5-31-2020 Amish Friendship Bread

I did more sourdough baking today!

5-30-2020 New Blinds

After 14 years in this house

(which is longer than we've lived in ANY house!)

our cellular Levolor shades are shot...kaput...broken.

So, we replaced them with cellular shades from a local business

Great Plains Blind Factory

to purchase blinds made right here in Iowa.

Their product looks so much more sturdy that the 

flimsy Levolor blinds we had previously,

and we can lower them from the top 

(to let light and breeze in while maintaining privacy)

-or-

raise them from the bottom.

I love our new blinds!

Hopefully they will be the last blinds we need for this house.

5-29-2020 Sourdough Rye Bread

Mmmmm....

I made my starter with 1 c. Flour, 1c. Water, a pinch of yeast, a pinch of sugar, 1 TBS. Greek yogurt, stir it to mix, cover with a damp towel and let sit on countertop for two days to acquire and allow local QC yeast in the air to join the mix. It will bubble up eventually (almost up to the lid!)and then it settles back down and the yeast go to work creating the best part... the SOUR liquid on top!!! Mmmmmm. After that forms, you stir it back in and then the starter is ready to use! I always keep 1/2 c. of the starter back on reserve and add more (1 c. Flour+1 c. Water) to keep it going for another week. After mixing in the new flour and water, I let it sit on the counter at room temperature for two hours before returning it to the refrigerator. Then I just let it sit in the refrigerator for another week (no stirring or feeding...just ignore it!) until it is time to bake again. When it is time to bake again, I set it out on the countertop for at least 2 hours to let it to come to room temperature before stirring in the sour liquid on top, then measuring out what I need for baking, always making sure I have 1/2 c. started remaining in my 'crock'...which I then feed...sit at room temp for 2 hours, and return to the refrigerator for another week. It may sound complicated, but it's actually soooooo easy to do!

 

I started my sourdough started a couple of weeks ago

and so far, have made two batches of incredible pancakes,

one batch of biscuits,

and today, rye bread!

Sourdough Rye Bread Recipe

In a mixer, mix with the paddle on low speed for 4 minutes:

1 c. (8 oz.) active sourdough starter

1 c. bread flour

1 c. stone ground rye flour

1+1/2 c warm water

Then cover bowl and set aside for 30-60 minutes.

Next, continuing to use the paddle, mix into the dough

for about 1 minute on low speed:

1 TBS. malt syrup (I used 1 TBS. molasses) 

2 level tsp. of table salt

1 - 2 TBS. caraway seeds

Now, change from paddle to dough hook on mixer,

and add:

1+1/2 - !+3/4 c. bread flour

and knead with the dough hook until the dough

clears the sides and bottom of the bowl

to form a ball around the dough hook. 

If your dough is sticky, it is because your starter is more liquid.

No problem, just add more bread flour,

1 TBS. at a time

until it finally forms a ball around the dough hook. 

Place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, turn it once

to coat the dough. Cover the bowl and set it aside at room temp.

After 30 min...

uncover the bowl and lift one side and fold it into the center,

repeat with the other 3 sides, then flip the dough over.

You are basically turning the dough inside-out and redistributing the yeast. Cover the bowl and after 30 minutes, repeat the procedure.

Cover the bowl, and repeat again after 60 minutes.

Cover the bowl, and after another 60 minutes,

punch the dough down, knead it for about 1 minute, 

return it to the bowl, and cover tightly

and REFRIGERATE OVERNIGHT.

The next morning,

uncover the bowl, dump the cold dough onto a floured surface

and shape your bread loaves.

Cover them with a damp towel and let rise 1.5-2 hours

until doubled in size and it springs back slowly when poked.

Bake at 425*F

uncover for the first 15 minutes,

then lay a piece of aluminum foil (shiny side up) on top 

of the loaves and continue to bake another 15 minutes

to an internal bread temp of 190-200*F).

Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack

and cover with the damp towel while the loaves cool.

Enjoy!

Recipe is from this website:

https://www.baking-sense.com/2019/08/01/sourdough-rye-bread/

5-28-2020 Panda