I went to a quilt retreat last weekend and the route I took went past the Elephant Rock. Living in the Driftless Area you will see a lot of rock formations that still remain after the glaciers came through.
The Driftless area is also called Ocooch Mountains where it's very hilly and rugged, this is the part where I live in, up on a ridge.
We had a late winter snowstorm; what we call a sugar snow, but we didn't go gather any sap that ran, we are done.
Last Wednesday we ventured out in the storm to visit with our Amish Friends. I think we were the only ones on the road, and we got to the area where the snow really drifts over the road. It wasn't too bad when we drove through it but at one point before I pulled out my phone to take a photo it was starting to clear up.
Walking through the yard the other day and passing the grape vines, I stopped to look at the grapes that were still on the vines all dried up and half eaten by the birds I was thinking about how nice it will be to see grapes growing on these vines again.
Years back I used to do a meme called Barn Charm and I so miss participating in that, so I'll just do my own.
I went to the post office to mail a letter. The post office I go to is very small, so small that it's only open from 8:30-12:30 M-F and 8:30-9:45 on Saturdays. But on my way home I took a different way. This road was very narrow, and I could see buggy tracks, a clear sign that Amish live on this road. I want to go back and take photos when the trees are leafed out and everything is green again.
Despite the brown, I still see the beauty in it.
The other day coming in from closing up the chicken coop the sky looked like a storm was coming. Nope, no rain, just wind, very high winds.
I am so loving the time change and it staying light longer in the evenings, it seems like I have much more energy.
Suuvi here was taking a siesta in the shade, though the temps were not even that high to require a siesta...LOL! But she's a good helper here on our farm.
My view from our walk the other day. Everything is still so brown here on the ridge.
Our temps today are supposed to be in the high 60's and tomorrow almost 80°...WHAT??? This spring has just been the craziest spring season especially for sugaring. Rumor is that there is snow in the forecast...hmmmm...Hopefully if that is true it will be our sugar snow. You can listen all about sugar snow HERE from the Little House books.
The syrup season has officially started and so far, the syrup is looking and tasting delicious. Not sure how much syrup we'll be getting as the weather is not your typical weather for sap to be running. It's getting too warm, and the temps are just not ideal for sap to be running. Hopefully we'll get a sugar snow, or even rain for a reset. Because we didn't have really any snow to speak of the frost went pretty deep. Most everyone around the area is saying the same thing, they are not getting the amount of sap they normally get.
But every year is always different, and we never know what it will bring, so we always try to keep some over from the previous year just in case of seasons like this. Though it's not over yet we shall see what we get.
Well, we had some snow mixed with rain weather last week and my sun-catcher had not seen any sun since I hung it up. This is a diamond dots project that I had made. I had purchased it at the last quilt retreat and really enjoyed making it. I have never done this, and I enjoyed this small project, but I don't think I will pick it up full-time, maybe another small one I would do, too much I have on my plate already but smaller ones like this didn’t take time at all.
I had meant to share these photos of a trip we took September of 2023 to see family down in Texas. This was the neatest place to have dinner. I wish I had taken a photo of the delicious plate of food and tea we both had. We arrived here just as it was opening up for business.
I am obsessed with making sourdough, so hopefully this is the last post I'll be doing...LOL.
I fed my sourdough one morning and before I knew it, it was overflowing.
My sourdough journey has changed totally with the book Everything Sourdough cookbook, if interested the link is at the beginning of this post.
Let me know if you decide to make your own or if you already have sourdough starter waiting to be used to make wonderful goodies.
This is a recipe that I have used often, and you can find it on Chloe' Avalon YouTube channel and it's at the bottom of this post. I have found that this storage container actually works wonderful in rising my dough. One of the recipes that I use which is in the Everything Sourdough cookbook has you rising the dough in the fridge and this works great, I actually find that my bread is not as heavy as it used to be. I also use the float test when I am checking to see if my sourdough starter has proofed enough. If I rise my dough overnight on the counter this container works wonderful. I also use this recipe from the Prairie Homestead Jill Winger.
Same Day Sourdough Bread
Chloe' Avalon YouTube Channel
• 4½ cups, all purpose, organic white flour • 3/4 cup active sourdough starter • 1 1/2 cups of warm water • 2 heaping teaspoons sea salt Instructions 1. First thing in the morning, add warm water, active starter, salt, and flour to a large bowl. Mix together and allow to rest for 15 minutes covered. 2. Grab the edge of the dough and pull up stretching it out as you pull upwards. Place dough that is in your hands back into the center. Turn the bowl about a quarter turn and complete another stretch and fold. Repeat two more times. This is considered one set of stretch and folds. 3. Cover with plastic wrap, damp towel, shower cap or a lid. Let the dough rest for 15 minutes and complete two more rounds 15 minutes apart. 4. Let the dough bulk ferment in a warm place until it has doubled in size. This could be anywhere from 3-5 hours (or longer) depending on the temperature of your kitchen, maturity of your starter, etc. 5. Place the bread dough on a lightly floured surface. 6. Fold the sides of the dough onto itself and roll up. Then shape into a tight smooth ball by gently spinning it toward you. 7. Then, place your dough upside down (smooth side down) on the counter and shape. I do this by folding the two sides over to meet in the middle, pinch together and then repeat on the other two sides. 8. Transfer to a floured banneton or bowl with a floured tea towel seam side up. You want the smooth side or pretty side facing down in the banneton. 9. Let the dough rise one more time at room temperature for 2-3hours (depending on how warm your kitchen is) covered with a plastic bag, plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel. Preheat the Dutch oven during the final proof to speed up the process. 10. Preheat a Dutch oven to 500°F for 1 hour. 11. Place dough on a piece of parchment paper. 12. Dust the top of the dough with flour, if desired, and score with lame or razor blade. 13. Carefully, transfer the piece of parchment paper with the dough into the hot Dutch oven. Careful not to burn your fingers. 14. Place the lid back on and place the Dutch oven into the hot oven. Bake for 20 minutes @ 485° 15. Carefully remove the lid with oven mitts, turn the oven temperature down to 475°F, and bake an additional 15-25 minutes or until golden brown.