More snow, on the way!

Here in the middle of the US we are under a winter storm advisory, it is currently misting and freezing on surfaces.  So far the roads are not extremely slick but now that night has fallen that will likely change.  In the night it will begin to snow, lightly.  By morning we will be under a blizzard warning (and not the kind made of ice cream!)  The forecast is for 8-10 inches (or more) of snow tomorrow and then blowing snow and extreme cold. As Larry used to say, on Thursday there will be no temperature!  The hi is to be zero degrees F.  The Governor of Missouri has declared a state of emergency-all travel may come to a stop.  After I take Brayden home in a bit I'll be staying home as much as possible.  Unfortunately, Sears is unlikely to close so one of us will have to take Tanya to work and pick her up.  I love winter but even I have had enough of the gray skies!

Word of the week:  worthy, an adjective;  1) having great merit, deserving respect or support,  2) having sufficient worth or merit

Quote of the week:  "I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it."  Thomas Jefferson

Of Aunts and bread

Yesterday, I went to visit the youngest sister (and only living sibling) of my Grandmother.  At 92 she is still pretty active, uses a computer to email and chat with her grandchildren, play video slots and solitare, she follows the Kansas Jayhawks avidly, gets out to Walmart and the grocery store on her little cart.  I only hope that I am as able as she at 92.  We had a lovely visit.  I took out some photos that had been my Granna's, a few of which she had never seen.  I learned a bit about her parents, I knew the "facts" of their lives but not that her Father was a jokester for example.  That particular trait runs deep in my families! And continues on in my children.  Anyway, in honor of the visit and my Granna I made Ora Hickam's white bread today.  Granna taught me to make this and I have made it for years and years-I used to bake all the bread we ate.  Well, I'm nearly doing that again!

I put the hi-lighter in so you could see how high it rose.  This is what I expect bread to do, the other barely rose above the sides of the pan, best case.  This makes four loaves-so I have to give some away but that usually isn't a problem!  (Libby, you forgot yours!)

Working away at "disappearing" nine patches for Christmas gift bags, and a few other things. I've worked on photos-the 80's now, and some on the Town of Kansas research that ate my life.  My house is pretty clean so I can do other things guilt free!  All in all I'm pretty happy. Just to be able to say that is awesome!

Thoughts on John Adams

I have just finished John Adams by David McCullough.  A well researched, well written biography of our second president.  I certainly learned a great deal about John and Abigail as well as John Quincy and Thomas Jefferson.  One of the thing I'm taking away is this:  the old saw about "No matter how things change they still remain the same" is true.  Abigail said "Heaven help us."  when Thomas Jefferson was elected president, as did I when "W" was elected (both times) and John bemoaned the lack of civility of the Congress in their behavior towards John Quincy, who was then president.  I think you could bemoan that now as well. 

It was an interesting read, not light by any means, but I like a good biography more and more the older I get.

Here's hoping your day is great.

Monday

Well, I'll start off with bread.  I made Buttermilk Honey Bread today, so far it's the best tasting of any I've made.  I'm not happy with the way these breads are rising, or rather not rising.  It takes nearly twice as long to rise as the recipe says and then it never really gets as high as it should, today's bread is about 3 inches high at most.  I'm used to breads that get quite a bit higher.  No photo cause we already ate a loaf. Grin.

I had planned to go to Columbia and see Scott and Bri as well as my mother in law on Saturday and return on Sunday but. . . Friday we got another inch of snow and the forecast was for another 24 hour snow event beginning at noon on Saturday, another 3-6 inches.  Decided I should just stay home.  We got one-half inch.  I am still bummed.

So the word of the week is extraordinary.  Defined by the Oxford American Dictionary (still not new but newer)  Adjective.  1.  very unusual or remarkable.  2.  beyond what is usual or ordinary
Think I'll aim for being extraordinary (or Extra  Ordinary).

Quote of the week:  (one of my very favorites)  "Promise me you'll always remember you're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem and smarter than you think."  Christopher Robin to Pooh.
Words to live by.

Two in one day!

Wow, two posts in one day!  Unbelievable!
First:  Homestyle White Bread with Poppy seeds

I'm taking advantage of my sudden desire to bake, no one is complaining!  This one has a nice texture, is soft both inside and out, and tastes good.  So far, I haven't tried one that tastes a good as my Granna's Sponge bread.  Believe me these all will be eaten!

I have spent the past two days re-arranging and re-ordering my office/sewing room, again.  This is the third time, sigh.  Hoping it's the last.  The problem is I have a 10 foot square room with windows on two wall and doors on the other two and a ton of "Stuff."  I took out the 6 foot table and brought in two 4 foot tables so I would have a table to cut on and one to sew on, and I gained room for the little sewing table I got from Dad or my big ironing board.  I just got tired of running into another room to "square up" or press!  I'm down to only some little piles on my desk.  Scott says my desk has never been without piles, he's probably right!

Snow Day Round 2 or is it 3?

This is what I saw when I got up this morning !  I really wasn't surprised, it began snowing about 2 yesterday and quickly covered all the pavement.  I had to sweep the steps to the yard at 10 last night, poor Kelsey couldn't find the steps!  It's still poor Kelsey as she is belly deep in the snow- she likes snow but not this deep.  I can see blue sky off to the south but there is still snow flying!  I don't know if it's snowing or blowing, some of each maybe.  I am lucky in that I don't have to work so I didn't have a 30 minutes commute that lasted 2 1/2 hours and I don't have to go anywhere today!  The snowplow has already made three passes on my street, last snow it took two days to see the plow.
                          

The first photo is out my front window, poor little tree.  The second is out the kitchen window, that's some 6-8 inches of white stuff on the railing !

Check out the snow on the deck chair seats.

 

Tuscan Peasant Bread

So today I made Tuscan Peasant Bread. It was easy and came out looking great. It is supposed to be very crusty and it is! So crusty in fact I thought I might need a hack saw to cut it! Once cut though it was very soft and tasty inside. I made it into garlic bread to have with our spaghetti and it got 3 thumbs up out of 5-Tanya and I are wishy washy. It was definitely a good dipping bread, holds up to that very well and I think would be great in the olive oil and herb dipping sauces. I might make it again, or not.