Finally, A Finish!

No, not a quilt finish but a finish nonetheless. I believe that I started this one the summer before last but it's done, in a frame and ready for its close up! I had to laugh when I read Mary's Country Threads blog the other day and she referred to quilters who've taken up cross stitch as "jumping ship"! I haven't gone all in, as in totally overboard, but I do stitch to unwind in the evenings and have an outing to a cross stitch shop planned for tomorrow! Maybe I'm in deeper than I thought. 😉  It's been hard to get into the sewing room the past few days what with getting the perennial garden weeded and cleaned up for new growth emerging, and tending to the sourdough! Seriously, keeping up with the starter and using it on a regular basis is like a adopting a baby! Last week I did a big batch of cinnamon rolls and this week I've baked rustic whole wheat loaves as well as bread bowls for soup.  

Whole Wheat

Bread "bowls"; these were yummy!

I did manage to get another (2024) BOM block together in an effort to stay ahead. I'm still working backwards (2023) too, as time allows. I'm also piecing blocks L-E style at the same time; stay tuned for those; they're cute. 

    What's on your "finished" list lately?

Life is Good!

What's New?

What's new, besides the year?! I've been busy with new things, breadmaking for one. Loaves abound! As I posted before, I am baking rustic, sourdough loaves from a wild starter on a weekly basis now. Mr. G. was eager to resurrect another sourdough starter, similar to one that I had used back when our children were small. It is fed with sugar and instant mashed potato flakes and produces sweeter, more conventional loaves for slicing. I was able to get that one going too. 

Since there are just the two of us here, and we can't possibly eat this much bread; we've been gifting loaves to family, friends and neighbors and will probably continue to do so as long as I keep up the process! Another new thing, to me, is making pancake batter from the discarded starter. 

It all begins with an overnight "sponge" (above); the sponge is made with the starter, flour, sugar and buttermilk and sits out on the countertop, covered, until morning. When it's time for breakfast eggs are added, along with oil, salt and baking soda; the result is an airy, foaming, fluffy batter.

The sourdough "sponge" batter produces the lightest pancakes that I've ever made, or tasted!

Saturday of last week was spent putting Christmas decorations away for another year. Mr. G and I were able to accomplish that task together in record time this year.  Inspired by Janet O., The Rogue Quilter, I snapped some pictures of our various nativities that I've had on display. They are all from different countries and, except for the carved wooden set with the stable which we bought when we lived in Switzerland, they have been treasured gifts received throughout the years. It's always sad for me to pack them up and store them away.

A few poinsettias remain (Augie says "hi"!) as a reminder of Christmas-all-too-soon-gone, but that's about it. I've never successfully had any luck in saving them for reblooming the following year but that doesn't mean that I don't try. 😉  We'll see if this year's any different. 

That's about all that's new, for now, from around here. 

How about with you, what's new?

Life is Good!