Sourdough Vacation Club

 I'm thinking of starting a little sourdough vacation club. For those people who have sourdough starters and want to take a vacation they can drop off their starter and we can take care of it while they are away.

This probably would have been a great business after quarantine. People going back to work and, who is going to watch the sourdough starter?

Luckily my starter is pretty simple and very easy to care for, so I am able to get away without a babysitter. Just keep it in the refrigerator.

Have you tried making sourdough bread?

Do you make your own starter?

Do you treat your starter like a newborn baby?

Who takes care of your starter when you go on vacation?

What time is it?

 Took the child to the doctor the other day. I sat in the uncomfortable chairs in the waiting room. At one point I looked up and was unable to find a clock. Luckily I had my phone with me so I could see the time.  What's up with not putting a clock in the waiting room? Is it so a patient has no idea how long we have been sitting there waiting for the doctor? Are the doctors afraid we might charge for our time waiting for them? How would that work?

"I sat in your waiting room for my 2:00pm appointment. They didn't call me back until 2:25pm. I then had to wait another 20 minutes in the exam room before the doctor showed up. I will be deducting $37.50 from my bill."

I think even as patients we should be able to deduct our time spent waiting for the doctor from our bill. If you set an appointment time and you make the effort to show up on time, the doctor should, too. If there is a problem, you should be notified. Everyone's time is important. 

Sourdough Starter

 I'm a little late to the Sourdough bread making game. A lot of people were making bread during quarantine. Instead, I was outside doing yard work.

In December, on a cold, snowy day, I decided I would attempt breadmaking. I found a sourdough recipe in an old Farm Journal (I've had it since we got married, not sure how it came into my possession). They gave a recipe for a sourdough starter. Apparently, it's equivalent to what the pioneers used when traveling across the country in covered wagons. The recipe makes 5 1/2 cups (enough for an army) which is probably a good thing because who knows how many people you will be feeding at each stop? It's also a bad thing when there are only two of you to enjoy the bread(s). I put an "s" on the end of that because the recipes make two or three loaves of bread. Much more bread than what two people can eat. We might have to buy a wagon and some horses and travel across the country in order to use up all of that bread.

If you are looking for an easy sourdough starter, one where you just feed the starter, no discards, then this recipe is for you.

Here's the recipe:

Sourdough Starter

Farm Journal Homemade Breads 1985

2 pkg active dry yeast

2 TBSP sugar

4 cups warm water (105-115 degrees)

4 cups unsifted flour

directions:

In large glass bowl, sprinkle yeast and sugar over 1/2 cup warm water; stir until dissolved.* Do not use metal utensils, since prolonged contact with metal will drastically reduce the purity and change the taste of the starter.

Add remaining 3 1/2 cups warm water alternately with flour, stirring well after each addition. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let stand in warm place (85degrees F) for 6 to 24 hours.

The starter is ready to use in any of the sourdough recipes. It will look bubbly and a clear liquid will rise to the top. Stir the starter before measuring.

After removing the required amount of starter, pour remaining starter into glass jar. Cover loosely and refrigerate. Do not cover tightly. As the starter stands it ferments. The fermentation produces a harmless gas and if covered tightly the container might burst. The starter can be stored indefinitely in the refrigerator.

Replenish starter at least once a week by stirring in 1/2 cup warm water and 1/2 cup unsifted flour.** {Make sure starter sits on counter 45 minutes prior to this step). Cover with towel and let stand at room temperature overnight. The next morning, stir down starter. Cover loosely and refrigerate. Makes 5 1/3 cups.

Tips I have learned along the way:

*I always proof my yeast in a glass measuring cup.

** Make sure to let starter sit on counter for 45 minutes before you replenish (or feed it). 

Let me know if you have any sourdough breadmaking tips in the comments below.

Click it or ticket!

 I remember a time when seat belts were optional when driving or riding in a car. When I started driving, I always used a seat belt. I think our drivers ed instructor made us wear it while driving and riding.  If you were in the car with some of those beginner drivers, you were happy to wear that seat belt. I clearly remember when this one girl in our group had to drive. I think it was her first time driving...ever. She pulled out of school onto a major street.  All the cars are driving the speed limit, 40mph while our driver was going 10 mph. I sat in the back seat with another girl, and we could see cars flying by us and coming up fast behind our car. We had our seat belts on and all we could do was pray silently.

A few years later, Illinois police officers started pulling people over for not wearing a seat belt.  This was the start of the "Safe Driver" program. I remember being in the kitchen and having my dad tell me that I should make sure I'm always wearing a seat belt when driving. Before I was able to answer, my dad proceeds to tell me a story.

My Uncle George was driving his car and was pulled over for not wearing his seat belt. He was given a ticket for 80 dollars. My dad said if I get pulled over for not wearing a seat belt, then I would have to pay the ticket.

At the time, $80 was a lot of money, especially when you are making $3.35/hour at a part time job. I decided to wear the seat belt and save myself $80.

A little side note. My dad was never a big fan of the seat belt. I'm not 100% sure he used it all of the time when driving, but, hey, that was his $80 gamble.

Fall is here!

 "Fall is here!  Fall is here!

It's my favorite time of year

Football games and falling leaves
I'll take mine with turkey please"

It's that time of year set aside to think about falling leaves and all things pumpkin!  Pumpkin pie, pumpkin spice, pumpkin spiced latte, pumpkin potpourri, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies and just plain pumpkins.

Are you a pumpkin person?  A football person?  How about a Halloween person?

It's time to get your craft on and get into that Fall spirit!  Below are links to some of the Fall Halloween crafts and Costumes that I've blogged about in the past.  Some of these are great ideas to do with little kids and some are great to do with your Girl Scout Troop!


Halloween Crafts

Bat Pencil Cup  uses an empty can and construction paper

Extra Crafts - using construction paper, make owls, witch, ghosts and foam monsters

Mosaic Pumpkin - using paint chips

Mosaic Pumpkin - using construction paper

Owl - using construction paper

Pony Tail Craft - using ribbon (great for a Girl Scout Troop!)

Pumpkin and Ghost - using Popsicle sticks and paint

Pumpkin Magnet - using foam

Spider - using pipe cleaners and google eyes

SPIDER  using construction paper

Spider (under $1 craft)  using an egg carton, black paint and google eyes

Witche's Hat  uses foam and glitter glue

Pumpkin Soap


Have a party to go to and need a quick, easy Halloween costume?  Look no further! 

Costumes
Easy Halloween Costumes
Eye Candy Costume
Target Employee

It's also time to grab that apron and whip up some fall goodies!  Everybody loves pumpkin!  (well, at least I do!)

How about some Fall food ideas:

Vegetarian Chili
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Pumpkin Pie (from a Pumpkin)

Halloween Candy Dessert 

The Great Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins 

Hope this inspires you to get into the fall spirit!  I think I'll go make some pumpkin cookies.

Enjoy!

My Weird Dog - Farewell

 One look at your picture online and I fell in love. You were so happy to see us when we met you. There was no way we would leave there without you (you made sure of that). I was the lucky one who held you on our ride home.

You had some "issues." Double Dew claw and fleas.  Luckily those were easily handled.

It was brought up that you might be part pit bull terrier.  I didn't know much about the breed and decided to look it up.  The first and only sentence I read, "Pitbulls are fiercely loyal." I looked at you and said, "Yep, that's you."

You were quite the entertainer for our family. Squeezing through our fence, only to find yourself on the outside, standing by the gate waiting to be let back into the yard. I learned that when I pointed, you ran around to the front door and I let you back into the house (the first of your many attempts to escape).

My all-time favorite was chewing the lower board of the fence (about 5-6" high) and squeezing through. I don't think RT was a fan (he had to fix the fence). I would have loved to watch how you made it through. You were pretty smart when it came to escaping, thus the nickname, "Houdini." You knew how to get out but, you always wanted back in. I think you knew how good you had it here.

We lovingly refer to you as our weird dog. Well, lovingly from me.  RT just thinks you're weird and that it's normal behavior for you.

Things that contribute to your weirdness: 

Fear of: 

Loud lawnmowers

Thunderstorms

Fireworks

Purple Squeaky bone

The tea kettle

The nail clippers

A new dog bed

Water bowls left out for dogs (poison water)

A few more:

Need company when you are eating.

Eats birdseed

Opening doors (especially in the middle of the night)

So many fun memories with you. Like the time you got skunked (OK, that wasn't fun at the time). You getting high for our long car rides (fun for both of us), getting excited to play in the snow with me and singing along with us on your birthday.

There was the time you went on vacation at Nick's and we found out that you love camping. There was the time RT brought you up to Michigan and you ran away from him. He drove all around in a panic trying to find you. He didn't want to be the one to tell me that he lost you. Luckily he found you (a block away).

So many stories.

So much weirdness.

So much love.

Thank you for being a part of my life. You will truly be missed.

Until we meet again on the other side of the Rainbow Bridge.  Goodbye, my faithful friend.

*If you want to read more about Pippen, type in "My Weird Dog" on the search bar to the right. There are quite a few entertaining stories about him.

National Rescue Dog Day

 Over 3 million dogs enter shelters every year.  (THREE MILLION DOGS!)  Each dog is in search of a loving fur ever home.  

Most rescue dogs overcome extreme obstacles.  Some are abused or raised in poor conditions.  Most are abandoned and left to the streets.  With training, these dogs can provide comfort to people as emotional support pets, help people with disabilities and provide comfort to elderly.  People with autism enjoy the therapeutic benefits of comfort dogs while military personnel with PTSD get relief from anxiety and depression.

How to celebrate today:

Volunteer at a shelter.  

Shelters are always looking for donations.  Old towels and blankets.  Some even have an Amazon list of needs.

Consider adopting from a shelter for your next pet.

You can use #NationalRescueDogDay on social media.

I will be spending the day (like every other day) spoiling my weird dog rescue dog, Pippen.