Monday, July 14, 2008
TTFN!
We're off to Virginia tomorrow for sure. Thank goodness! Finally!! I won't have internet access until late-Thursday or Friday at the earliest, but not sure how much I'll be on except to try to post pictures. It will all depend on how fast the connection is...
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Can't wait! Can't wait!!
Hellboy 2 is released tomorrow! *does a dance of joy*
Moviefone's Hellboy 2 Unscripted Interview
Also, I'm feeling better and better all the time about Del Toro directing The Hobbit.
Moviefone's Hellboy 2 Unscripted Interview
Also, I'm feeling better and better all the time about Del Toro directing The Hobbit.
Sunday, July 06, 2008
Tendinitis, terrible thunder storms, road rage, ruined yarn and still mostly a nice day...
Can't remember if i wrote on here or not... I'm afflicted with tendinitis at the moment, due to too much knitting too fast. really, it was only one day of too much too fast, over a week ago, and still, can't tempt it apparently. It was feeling better, so I forgot to wear my brace when i went out today, drove all afternoon and so now it's back again. and the brace is making capitalizations and typing in general rather hit or miss. but it doesn't hurt to type, since typing wasn't what caused the injury, the muscles and tendons don't move in quite the same way. Driving didn't either, but it hurts after doing a lot of it because i guess i hold my wrist at an odd angle while driving.
it's been horribly stormy all day and into the night. the roads are wet and visibility is questionable sometimes. so i was driving home from the citrus park area, turning right onto a road where you can't turn right on red because visibility to the left is obscured by the odd angle of the intersection, even on a good and bright day, let alone a rainy, totally dark night and there are two signs that say so, plain as day, one hanging next to the traffic signal and one right next to where the cars stop in the turn lane. So I'm waiting... waiting... and waiting some more for the green light. A white truck pulls up behind me, starts honking his horn after i don't move (cuz... uh... waiting, like the sign says to), and then some more, and then he just leans on it. Then the cars behind him start up. i don't know, maybe they didn't care it was a no-right-turn-on-red stop either, or they couldn't see the sign from where they were or they were honking at the asshole to stop his whinging. *sighs* Well, i went because i could actually see well enough to tell that the road was clear, because the guy was being so damn insistent and as i was speeding up to the speed limit, the white truck guy sped around and past me, after getting up on my bumper, honking his horn and flipping me the bird, and i could see the profile of his face, he was yelling at me. i know he couldn't see me because of the dark and the angle of the street lights, but i flipped it right back at him and told him to go fuck himself. i was pissed. I don't get pissed often, but when i do, watch the fuck out. i tried to speed up and catch him, but maria, my friend who was in the passenger seat, told me not to and to let him go, so i did. i didn't want to, but i did. i was hoping for a red light ahead of us so i could pull up right behind him and lean on my horn, danger be damned. he needed to feel my wrath. but alas, no. he sped off into the night, at what had to be about 55 or 60 mph (in a 45 zone), judging by how fast he was accelerating compared to me, weaving in and out between other cars, at night, with rain coming down and the roads slick. Him = Not Too Smart! no one needs to go somewhere that much, i don't care what. so, I'm hoping and praying karma kitty catches up with him and he either gets a fat ticket or wraps his truck around a tree for his rude and reckless behavior. something tells me he needs to be told by the universe to slow the fuck down and maybe a nice little accident will knock his head loose from his ass. who knows? the rest of us might get that lucky...
*sighs* so I came home and, in my idle rage, I looked up some hoodoo curses. There's nothing i can possibly do that wouldn't possibly kill him, since I don't have anything personal of his to make him sick... Pretty my only curse option would be to bury an effigy meant to represent him in a graveyard, and if it worked, he'd die in a karmicly appropriate sort of way. and that, now that I've calmed down, seems a bit extreme. No joke...
... But! i did finally remember to link this HooDoo website I've found quite useful for answering questions about Supernatural in the right hand column. Fascinating stuff, that... I think it's very interesting that, unlike other similar belief systems where magic and spellwork is a major part of it, cursing with malicious intent seems to be a recognized and not-at-all-discouraged part of hoodoo... in fact, it seems to be a rather large component. And the negativity doesn't get reflected back onto the person who works such curses... The curses seem to be regarded as fully deserved by those who are cursed. Hoodoo seems rather unique in this respect. Perhaps the system works this way to give individuals that feel they've been wronged activities to perform in order to have their grievances redressed, to channel their rage constructively without resorting to actual violent action, but at the same time acknowedging that they have every right to be angry and want revenge... I don't know... random, spontaneous thoughts...
Also, at the moment I want to get some witch bottles for my windows, just because... I'm curious though if I'm supposed to put anything in them if i just put them in the windows. it only says what to put in them if they are to by buried under a threshold. i guess they're kinda like dream catchers, in that they capture non-corporeal things that might want to do harm, but they're glass and sparkly instead of made of string and pretty woven things...
So when i got home (and part of why by the time i got on the computer i was still pissed enough to look up curses), i found all my good yarn that had been in closed bags on what i thought was (and up til now had proven to be) an inaccessible shelf pulled down and ripped apart and wound all around the living room by the cats. I'm mean, really, this had all been up there for an entire year and none of the cats even attempted to get to the shelf before because it's at a very odd angle from all the places they could jump. But tonight, at least one of them got adventurous. Probably Amaya. :/ Not cool, man! So I had to clean all that up. The good news is that only two balls are now ruined to the point where i can't use them for what they had been intended. unfortunately they were two that i really needed and will be rather costly to replace (well, really any of them would be somewhat costly to replace). so I'm thinking of not replacing them and using/doing something else. i was lucky that the two balls of Kidsilk Haze survived, as well as the one Cotton Wool and one Felted Tweed were mostly undamaged. even so, the Calmer, which was intended for Susan's Christmas present, and the Summer Tweed, which had been intended to finish Zinzi's long over-due Dashing mitts, are broken up with huge sections shredded or the fibers are so weakened by cat teeth that they just can't be used. *sighs* so frustrating. so i don't know what I'll do about the calmer yet, but i came across an interesting pattern last week that i think i might be able to do for zinzi's mitts and they'll work out even better than the previous idea. Maybe with Andean Silk, Main Line, or Shine Worsted. I'm leaning more toward the Shine Worsted because it's a cotton-blend... because I'm afraid of triggering an allergic reactions for her with some of the animal-derived fibers (it's why i picked the summer tweed, which is cotton-silk, in the first place). Just in case. Obviously, I've been thinking about this... So perhaps the incident with the cats was a fortunate accident. So, Miss Zinzi, if you're reading this, what colors would you prefer? Purples still your cup o' tea? If so, then perhaps the Crocus, Wisteria or Bachelor Buttons of the Shine Worsted yarn? If not, then please, what colors are you feeling for your mitts?
Overall, however, today was a good day. Went out with Maria and Laura for pizza, then to the bookstore for studying for GRE/GKT/State Department tests respectively... got some of that done (*shifty eyes*), checked out magazines, and then got more pizza at Mellow Mushroom for dinner... Today was a pizza kind of day. Veggie pizza. *nods sagely*
it's been horribly stormy all day and into the night. the roads are wet and visibility is questionable sometimes. so i was driving home from the citrus park area, turning right onto a road where you can't turn right on red because visibility to the left is obscured by the odd angle of the intersection, even on a good and bright day, let alone a rainy, totally dark night and there are two signs that say so, plain as day, one hanging next to the traffic signal and one right next to where the cars stop in the turn lane. So I'm waiting... waiting... and waiting some more for the green light. A white truck pulls up behind me, starts honking his horn after i don't move (cuz... uh... waiting, like the sign says to), and then some more, and then he just leans on it. Then the cars behind him start up. i don't know, maybe they didn't care it was a no-right-turn-on-red stop either, or they couldn't see the sign from where they were or they were honking at the asshole to stop his whinging. *sighs* Well, i went because i could actually see well enough to tell that the road was clear, because the guy was being so damn insistent and as i was speeding up to the speed limit, the white truck guy sped around and past me, after getting up on my bumper, honking his horn and flipping me the bird, and i could see the profile of his face, he was yelling at me. i know he couldn't see me because of the dark and the angle of the street lights, but i flipped it right back at him and told him to go fuck himself. i was pissed. I don't get pissed often, but when i do, watch the fuck out. i tried to speed up and catch him, but maria, my friend who was in the passenger seat, told me not to and to let him go, so i did. i didn't want to, but i did. i was hoping for a red light ahead of us so i could pull up right behind him and lean on my horn, danger be damned. he needed to feel my wrath. but alas, no. he sped off into the night, at what had to be about 55 or 60 mph (in a 45 zone), judging by how fast he was accelerating compared to me, weaving in and out between other cars, at night, with rain coming down and the roads slick. Him = Not Too Smart! no one needs to go somewhere that much, i don't care what. so, I'm hoping and praying karma kitty catches up with him and he either gets a fat ticket or wraps his truck around a tree for his rude and reckless behavior. something tells me he needs to be told by the universe to slow the fuck down and maybe a nice little accident will knock his head loose from his ass. who knows? the rest of us might get that lucky...
*sighs* so I came home and, in my idle rage, I looked up some hoodoo curses. There's nothing i can possibly do that wouldn't possibly kill him, since I don't have anything personal of his to make him sick... Pretty my only curse option would be to bury an effigy meant to represent him in a graveyard, and if it worked, he'd die in a karmicly appropriate sort of way. and that, now that I've calmed down, seems a bit extreme. No joke...
... But! i did finally remember to link this HooDoo website I've found quite useful for answering questions about Supernatural in the right hand column. Fascinating stuff, that... I think it's very interesting that, unlike other similar belief systems where magic and spellwork is a major part of it, cursing with malicious intent seems to be a recognized and not-at-all-discouraged part of hoodoo... in fact, it seems to be a rather large component. And the negativity doesn't get reflected back onto the person who works such curses... The curses seem to be regarded as fully deserved by those who are cursed. Hoodoo seems rather unique in this respect. Perhaps the system works this way to give individuals that feel they've been wronged activities to perform in order to have their grievances redressed, to channel their rage constructively without resorting to actual violent action, but at the same time acknowedging that they have every right to be angry and want revenge... I don't know... random, spontaneous thoughts...
Also, at the moment I want to get some witch bottles for my windows, just because... I'm curious though if I'm supposed to put anything in them if i just put them in the windows. it only says what to put in them if they are to by buried under a threshold. i guess they're kinda like dream catchers, in that they capture non-corporeal things that might want to do harm, but they're glass and sparkly instead of made of string and pretty woven things...
So when i got home (and part of why by the time i got on the computer i was still pissed enough to look up curses), i found all my good yarn that had been in closed bags on what i thought was (and up til now had proven to be) an inaccessible shelf pulled down and ripped apart and wound all around the living room by the cats. I'm mean, really, this had all been up there for an entire year and none of the cats even attempted to get to the shelf before because it's at a very odd angle from all the places they could jump. But tonight, at least one of them got adventurous. Probably Amaya. :/ Not cool, man! So I had to clean all that up. The good news is that only two balls are now ruined to the point where i can't use them for what they had been intended. unfortunately they were two that i really needed and will be rather costly to replace (well, really any of them would be somewhat costly to replace). so I'm thinking of not replacing them and using/doing something else. i was lucky that the two balls of Kidsilk Haze survived, as well as the one Cotton Wool and one Felted Tweed were mostly undamaged. even so, the Calmer, which was intended for Susan's Christmas present, and the Summer Tweed, which had been intended to finish Zinzi's long over-due Dashing mitts, are broken up with huge sections shredded or the fibers are so weakened by cat teeth that they just can't be used. *sighs* so frustrating. so i don't know what I'll do about the calmer yet, but i came across an interesting pattern last week that i think i might be able to do for zinzi's mitts and they'll work out even better than the previous idea. Maybe with Andean Silk, Main Line, or Shine Worsted. I'm leaning more toward the Shine Worsted because it's a cotton-blend... because I'm afraid of triggering an allergic reactions for her with some of the animal-derived fibers (it's why i picked the summer tweed, which is cotton-silk, in the first place). Just in case. Obviously, I've been thinking about this... So perhaps the incident with the cats was a fortunate accident. So, Miss Zinzi, if you're reading this, what colors would you prefer? Purples still your cup o' tea? If so, then perhaps the Crocus, Wisteria or Bachelor Buttons of the Shine Worsted yarn? If not, then please, what colors are you feeling for your mitts?
Overall, however, today was a good day. Went out with Maria and Laura for pizza, then to the bookstore for studying for GRE/GKT/State Department tests respectively... got some of that done (*shifty eyes*), checked out magazines, and then got more pizza at Mellow Mushroom for dinner... Today was a pizza kind of day. Veggie pizza. *nods sagely*
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Got to share this...
Christian the Lion...
His story can be found here at wikipedia. The video of the reunion is here:
Awwwwww!!!!!
His story can be found here at wikipedia. The video of the reunion is here:
Awwwwww!!!!!
Joss Whedon's new little project...
Yes, oh, yes, this will be awesome. I believe it will be anyway...
What is it? Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog.
What Joss has to say about its creation in his own words from whedonesque.com:
The program of events may be found here.
And be sure to pass this news along and get yourself a banner for your own site... It will be epic! LOL!
What is it? Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog.
What Joss has to say about its creation in his own words from whedonesque.com:
Once upon a time, all the writers in the forest got very mad with the Forest Kings and declared a work-stoppage. The forest creatures were all sad; the mushrooms did not dance, the elderberries gave no juice for the festival wines, and the Teamsters were kinda pissed. (They were very polite about it, though.) During this work-stoppage, many writers tried to form partnerships for outside funding to create new work that circumvented the Forest King system.
Frustrated with the lack of movement on that front, I finally decided to do something very ambitious, very exciting, very mid-life-crisisy. Aided only by everyone I had worked with, was related to or had ever met, I single-handedly created this unique little epic. A supervillain musical, of which, as we all know, there are far too few.
The idea was to make it on the fly, on the cheap – but to make it. To turn out a really thrilling, professionalish piece of entertainment specifically for the internet. To show how much could be done with very little. To show the world there is another way. To give the public (and in particular you guys) something for all your support and patience. And to make a lot of silly jokes. Actually, that sentence probably should have come first.
The program of events may be found here.
And be sure to pass this news along and get yourself a banner for your own site... It will be epic! LOL!
Friday, June 20, 2008
Been bit by the sewing bug...
I'm sewing non-stop right now. Fabric, fabric, fabric... I've been buying bits here and there. I made 15 linen napkins this week and there will be several more still because I've got fabric I found in my stash yesterday being washed as I type.
My prizes this week have been two remnants of 1/2 yd linen and nearly 1/2 yd cotton velvet (which is something I like never see in stores! And at a JoAnn Fabrics, no less!) in the same color. How lucky is that?! I want to make an 18th century bodice with them as the outer fabrics... but of course, I have no pattern.
But what I really want to make are some tea towels... Old fashioned tea towels out of flour sack cotton... But I can't find any flour sack cotton that's not already cut up and/or cut up and hemmed into towels. I want to make them myself! (LOL! at me wanting more things to do.) And I don't want vintage fabric because... well... I'm silly, but I'm just not comfortable cutting up 50+ year old fabric. I'm just not. But there are people making flour sack towels to sell via ebay and etsy and Williams Sonoma carries/carried them at some point recently, so someone's got to be making and selling this fabric somewhere... I just can't seem to find it. Maybe it's called something else in the fabric trade nowadays, since not many/any companies put their flour in fabric sacks anymore?
My prizes this week have been two remnants of 1/2 yd linen and nearly 1/2 yd cotton velvet (which is something I like never see in stores! And at a JoAnn Fabrics, no less!) in the same color. How lucky is that?! I want to make an 18th century bodice with them as the outer fabrics... but of course, I have no pattern.
But what I really want to make are some tea towels... Old fashioned tea towels out of flour sack cotton... But I can't find any flour sack cotton that's not already cut up and/or cut up and hemmed into towels. I want to make them myself! (LOL! at me wanting more things to do.) And I don't want vintage fabric because... well... I'm silly, but I'm just not comfortable cutting up 50+ year old fabric. I'm just not. But there are people making flour sack towels to sell via ebay and etsy and Williams Sonoma carries/carried them at some point recently, so someone's got to be making and selling this fabric somewhere... I just can't seem to find it. Maybe it's called something else in the fabric trade nowadays, since not many/any companies put their flour in fabric sacks anymore?
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Crafty things... :D
Since the cabin being finished keeps being delayed, and now we can't leave Tampa until June 30th at the earliest (ARGHH!!!), I've had to keep myself distracted and busy so as not to loose my mind with frustration and idle waiting... So... I've been crafty...
I finished the hat that I'm making for Jared Padalecki...
It's done with the same pattern I used for the hat I made for Jensen, but I changed colors, as you can see... The black is 100% fine natural black merino wool, and the green is Colonial wool that I got from coppermoose on ebay. I had to keep the green off areas that would touch skin because it's kinda itchy, though the color is lovely... so that informed how I arranged the colors. The black is also double-knit above where the brim folds over, so the hat should be pretty warm, in a good way. Overall, it weighs in at a hefty 6 ounces, due to the heavier merino that is double-knit.
I also made pillows...
They are done with cut-out pre-printed pillow shapes. All I had to do was take batting, quilt each side by machine and then put the sides together and stuff them. I used Nature-fil Bamboo fiber... and I wonder if the left over is spinable... *is plotting* It's about $12 - $14 for 12 ounces of the stuff, so if it is spinable, that is really good. :D
Finally, I made onesies for my niece, Sophie. (And by "made," I mean I ironed on t-shirt transfers.) Her birthday is coming up in August, and like the good aunt I am, I plan to spoil her with presents...
These first two don't have designs on the back.
But the rest do have backs...
YAY! :D
I finished the hat that I'm making for Jared Padalecki...
It's done with the same pattern I used for the hat I made for Jensen, but I changed colors, as you can see... The black is 100% fine natural black merino wool, and the green is Colonial wool that I got from coppermoose on ebay. I had to keep the green off areas that would touch skin because it's kinda itchy, though the color is lovely... so that informed how I arranged the colors. The black is also double-knit above where the brim folds over, so the hat should be pretty warm, in a good way. Overall, it weighs in at a hefty 6 ounces, due to the heavier merino that is double-knit.
I also made pillows...
They are done with cut-out pre-printed pillow shapes. All I had to do was take batting, quilt each side by machine and then put the sides together and stuff them. I used Nature-fil Bamboo fiber... and I wonder if the left over is spinable... *is plotting* It's about $12 - $14 for 12 ounces of the stuff, so if it is spinable, that is really good. :D
Finally, I made onesies for my niece, Sophie. (And by "made," I mean I ironed on t-shirt transfers.) Her birthday is coming up in August, and like the good aunt I am, I plan to spoil her with presents...
These first two don't have designs on the back.
But the rest do have backs...
YAY! :D
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Random stuff...
Got nothing particularly interesting to report... We lost power the other day and since then my computer won't turn on. I'm taking it to get looked at by professionals today. Hopefully, they'll figure out what's wrong quickly. I'm sorta getting used to this laptop my parents are letting me use, but I miss my computer and all my files.
We all know that Jared Padalecki's having a hard time right now, so if you haven't already, go give him your love and support over here. He will read it. *nods, nods* We think...
Also, I cannot find the yarn for making Jared's hat! This is not good. I need to find it. I wanted to have it all finished by the time they go back to set so I can send the hats to both of them at the same time. I also need to get my computer back because the patterns are all on there. I might have printed out the one that I was going to use for Jared's hat, and if I did, it's with the yarn. But I've been looking for it all night and I can't find it anywhere. Will continue searching...
When I haven't been searching for the yarn, cleaning or doing dishes, I've been watching videos from the Dallas Convention on YouTube. LOL! Looks like everyone had a real good time, as usual. And I hope being with the fans helped Jared at least a little bit.
I wish I could go to EyeCon in September. We'll see if that works out...
In other news, I think I'm addicted to this yummy organic chai Ilana sent me. And I usually hate chai, but this stuff is really good. It's called Numi "Golden Chai". Really good stuff... and I've used it all up... *sad face* On a happier note, I've been using the soap Ilana also sent, and it is yummy. I love how much it lathers, and it really does work very well as shampoo! I'm ashamed to say it, but I was really surprised at how well, never having used a solid shampoo before... Very cool, Ilana!
We all know that Jared Padalecki's having a hard time right now, so if you haven't already, go give him your love and support over here. He will read it. *nods, nods* We think...
Also, I cannot find the yarn for making Jared's hat! This is not good. I need to find it. I wanted to have it all finished by the time they go back to set so I can send the hats to both of them at the same time. I also need to get my computer back because the patterns are all on there. I might have printed out the one that I was going to use for Jared's hat, and if I did, it's with the yarn. But I've been looking for it all night and I can't find it anywhere. Will continue searching...
When I haven't been searching for the yarn, cleaning or doing dishes, I've been watching videos from the Dallas Convention on YouTube. LOL! Looks like everyone had a real good time, as usual. And I hope being with the fans helped Jared at least a little bit.
I wish I could go to EyeCon in September. We'll see if that works out...
In other news, I think I'm addicted to this yummy organic chai Ilana sent me. And I usually hate chai, but this stuff is really good. It's called Numi "Golden Chai". Really good stuff... and I've used it all up... *sad face* On a happier note, I've been using the soap Ilana also sent, and it is yummy. I love how much it lathers, and it really does work very well as shampoo! I'm ashamed to say it, but I was really surprised at how well, never having used a solid shampoo before... Very cool, Ilana!
Monday, June 09, 2008
EyeCon videos...
I know since the Dallas Convention was this last weekend, pretty much everyone is going to be watching those videos and reading those reports, but I just got my camera functional again so I finally got my videos and pictures uploaded to my computer so I can share them with the world now (Yay!!). So these are videos from the Q&A's at EyeCon in Orlando last April, which I was lucky enough to attend.
(A note for Ilana - there are technically some spoilers in Jared's and Jim's videos, but they are so out of context and so far away from what you're watching right now and they have so little explaination that they aren't *really* spoilers... LOL! I think I just want you to be able to watch them anyway.)
This one is Jim Beaver answering the question he was asked about pranks that have been played on him on set. He's so cool... I <3 Bobby...
And this last one is of Sandy, talking about when Jared asked her to marry him. :-( I'm very sad to report that Jared and Sandy both confirmed in the last several days that they have broken off their engagement and are no longer together. It was a mutual decision, they both said, and they came to the conclusion that they are at different places in their lives right now, and that this is what's best for them. (The "rumors" that have been posted on the internet at imdb.com, lj and elsewhere are absolutely NOT TRUE. They are lies that some psycho person has been posting. Do not believe them or spread them.) I'm very sad about the news and for them because... well, I just am. I have no right to be at all, since I don't know them, but I am anyway. But, happily, there aren't any spoilers in this video at all...
Also... pictures...
Jim Beaver ("Bobby Singer"):
Samantha Ferris ("Ellen"), Chad Lindberg ("Ash"), and Alona Tal ("Jo"):
Sandy McCoy ("Crossroads Demon" #3):
Gabriel Tigerman ("Andy"):
Steve Carlson (who is awesome! Check him out!):
Chad and Gabe, getting ready to play "Guitar Hero" at the Platinum Party (Gabe was warning us that he sucked at it... which is okay... after all, we don't love him for his ability to play video games... :D)...
Jared Padalecki (... "Sam Winchester"... tell me that you knew that...):
(A note for Ilana - there are technically some spoilers in Jared's and Jim's videos, but they are so out of context and so far away from what you're watching right now and they have so little explaination that they aren't *really* spoilers... LOL! I think I just want you to be able to watch them anyway.)
This one is Jim Beaver answering the question he was asked about pranks that have been played on him on set. He's so cool... I <3 Bobby...
And this last one is of Sandy, talking about when Jared asked her to marry him. :-( I'm very sad to report that Jared and Sandy both confirmed in the last several days that they have broken off their engagement and are no longer together. It was a mutual decision, they both said, and they came to the conclusion that they are at different places in their lives right now, and that this is what's best for them. (The "rumors" that have been posted on the internet at imdb.com, lj and elsewhere are absolutely NOT TRUE. They are lies that some psycho person has been posting. Do not believe them or spread them.) I'm very sad about the news and for them because... well, I just am. I have no right to be at all, since I don't know them, but I am anyway. But, happily, there aren't any spoilers in this video at all...
Also... pictures...
Jim Beaver ("Bobby Singer"):
Samantha Ferris ("Ellen"), Chad Lindberg ("Ash"), and Alona Tal ("Jo"):
Sandy McCoy ("Crossroads Demon" #3):
Gabriel Tigerman ("Andy"):
Steve Carlson (who is awesome! Check him out!):
Chad and Gabe, getting ready to play "Guitar Hero" at the Platinum Party (Gabe was warning us that he sucked at it... which is okay... after all, we don't love him for his ability to play video games... :D)...
Jared Padalecki (... "Sam Winchester"... tell me that you knew that...):
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Puppy!
We went and got the puppy last night/early this morning! She flew into Orlando with one of her brothers from Spokane, WA. Another person had ordered a puppy from the same litter as us, so we thought it would be better for the puppies if they were shipped together.
I took pictures before my parents went to bed (the puppy is sleeping in their room).
We're going to call her "Maxie" because her sire's name is "Max." She's a German Shepherd and about 8 weeks old.
I'll try to get better pictures when it's light out...
I took pictures before my parents went to bed (the puppy is sleeping in their room).
We're going to call her "Maxie" because her sire's name is "Max." She's a German Shepherd and about 8 weeks old.
I'll try to get better pictures when it's light out...
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Love me some pie...
These pics don't do it justice and OMG! It smells SO GOOD! If you bake, you've gotta make it! I got this recipe off an internet site a long time ago and don't remember where, and I've significantly altered it since then.
Blueberry Pie with Crumble Topping
This pie can be easily made with bought frozen pie dough (the kind without a top crust - obviously), but you should bake for 10 minutes before adding the filling. Or you may use your favorite pie dough recipe.
Filling:
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour (all purpose)
4 cups of blueberries
1/2 tsp lemon zest
3 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp unsalted butter, chilled
Topping:
1/2 brown sugar
1 cup of flour (all purpose)
1/2 tsp cinammon
6 tbsp unsalted butter, chilled
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Make the crumble topping. Mix brown sugar, flour and cinammon in a bowl. Cut the butter into pieces and work in with your fingers until a dough comes together. Place in the freezer so that crumbling will be easier.
- Make the filling. Sift the flour and sugar together, add the blueberries, lemon juice and zest. Fold together gently until mixed.
- Pour blueberry mixture into pie crust, cut up 2 tbsp of butter and place on top. Crumble topping and cover the top of the pie more or less evenly.
- Bake for 35 - 40 minutes.
- Place on a cooling rack to cool before serving.
- Enjoy!
Friday, May 23, 2008
Blueberry muffins!
Nom, nom, nom...
They are totally YUM! Small, because I couldn't double the recipe like I wanted to (I didn't have enough baking powder) and it's a small recipe, but GOOD! I will definitely make more of these in a few days. If you make them, unless you're just making them for yourself and no one else, I recommend at least doubling the recipe to get more/larger muffins.
Here's the recipe:
Blueberry Wheat Muffins
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup plain flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup blueberries
Heat oven to 400 °F. Grease muffin pan. Beat egg, stir in milk and oil. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl, and then add liquid ingredients. Stir just until moistened. Batter will be lumpy. Add blueberries. (Add frozen blueberries without thawing.) Fill cups 2/3 full. Bake 15 to 20 minutes. Makes 8 to 10 muffins.
Lower Fat Recipe: Replace oil with 2 1/2 tablespoons applesauce and reduce milk to 1/4 cup milk.
Lower Sugar Recipe: Replace sugar with 7 tablespoons Splenda® and 1 tablespoon honey. (Measure 1/2 cup of Splenda and remove 1 tablespoon to equal 7 tablespoons.) Add 1/4 teaspoon baking soda.
It's from the Clemson University Extension, of all places!
Also, apparently my cat, Blossom (that's this one --->
) likes blueberry muffins. She knocked one (just one, thankfully) onto the floor before I knew it and proceeded to munch on it. LOL! I chased her away and threw out the half-chewed one and put the rest away before she could get her paws on more. She was disappointed. *giggles*
Addendum: Blossom got into the trash, got the muffin out and ate the rest of it. All that's left is a little pile of crumbs on the carpet. *shakes head* Silly kitty! I hope she hasn't made herself sick on it. So far, she seems fine.
They are totally YUM! Small, because I couldn't double the recipe like I wanted to (I didn't have enough baking powder) and it's a small recipe, but GOOD! I will definitely make more of these in a few days. If you make them, unless you're just making them for yourself and no one else, I recommend at least doubling the recipe to get more/larger muffins.
Here's the recipe:
Blueberry Wheat Muffins
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup plain flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup blueberries
Heat oven to 400 °F. Grease muffin pan. Beat egg, stir in milk and oil. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl, and then add liquid ingredients. Stir just until moistened. Batter will be lumpy. Add blueberries. (Add frozen blueberries without thawing.) Fill cups 2/3 full. Bake 15 to 20 minutes. Makes 8 to 10 muffins.
Lower Fat Recipe: Replace oil with 2 1/2 tablespoons applesauce and reduce milk to 1/4 cup milk.
Lower Sugar Recipe: Replace sugar with 7 tablespoons Splenda® and 1 tablespoon honey. (Measure 1/2 cup of Splenda and remove 1 tablespoon to equal 7 tablespoons.) Add 1/4 teaspoon baking soda.
It's from the Clemson University Extension, of all places!
Also, apparently my cat, Blossom (that's this one --->
) likes blueberry muffins. She knocked one (just one, thankfully) onto the floor before I knew it and proceeded to munch on it. LOL! I chased her away and threw out the half-chewed one and put the rest away before she could get her paws on more. She was disappointed. *giggles*Addendum: Blossom got into the trash, got the muffin out and ate the rest of it. All that's left is a little pile of crumbs on the carpet. *shakes head* Silly kitty! I hope she hasn't made herself sick on it. So far, she seems fine.
Blueberries!
My parents and I went blueberry picking this morning. We were out the door at 9am and didn't get back until almost 1pm because the "You Pick!" farm was on the other end of the county, south of Plant City. Only downside - pesticides in the fields 'cause it was conventional and not organic. So diligent showering and laundry doing was very necessary once I got home.
Everything else is wonderful! Altogether, we picked 14 pounds of blueberries in about two hours. Yum, yum, yum! I picked 5.9 pounds, beating my dad by a tenth of a pound (haha!), and my mom got the rest... maybe a third of a bucket, about 2.3 pounds.
It wasn't too hot either, thank goodness! And the bugs weren't bad (probably because of the aforementioned pesticides). One lady though who was picking too, she said, "Oh, I hate these Florida bugs!" flapping her hand around the bushes. I said, "They aren't that bad. They're worse in the middle of the summer." (Really, they weren't that bad. Mostly butterflies, stinkbugs, and some spiders, which were small and not aggressive types, and wasps that sat high on the bushes and didn't really fly around much.) And she said, "Well, back home, the bugs are only just waking up!" I said, "They never go away down here. You get used to it," and shrugged. She walked on, picking and making less than pleased noises. LOL! Yankee tourists!
One other weird bug-related thing occurred, which might be gross, so if you're squeemish, skip the rest of this paragraph. The lady taking money at the farm stand said to someone asking about the bugs that there were mostly stinkbugs in their fields. She added that their workers called them "jumils"(?) and they eat them live in the field by biting off and then spitting out the heads and then eating the rest, when they find them while picking berries. They say that they're spicy. o.O Uh... No, thanks, I'll pass...
My mom will make a cobbler tomorrow. I'm making muffins this evening, and very soon, there shall be PIE as well! *sparkly eyes* There will be pictures, I promise!
Everything else is wonderful! Altogether, we picked 14 pounds of blueberries in about two hours. Yum, yum, yum! I picked 5.9 pounds, beating my dad by a tenth of a pound (haha!), and my mom got the rest... maybe a third of a bucket, about 2.3 pounds.
It wasn't too hot either, thank goodness! And the bugs weren't bad (probably because of the aforementioned pesticides). One lady though who was picking too, she said, "Oh, I hate these Florida bugs!" flapping her hand around the bushes. I said, "They aren't that bad. They're worse in the middle of the summer." (Really, they weren't that bad. Mostly butterflies, stinkbugs, and some spiders, which were small and not aggressive types, and wasps that sat high on the bushes and didn't really fly around much.) And she said, "Well, back home, the bugs are only just waking up!" I said, "They never go away down here. You get used to it," and shrugged. She walked on, picking and making less than pleased noises. LOL! Yankee tourists!
One other weird bug-related thing occurred, which might be gross, so if you're squeemish, skip the rest of this paragraph. The lady taking money at the farm stand said to someone asking about the bugs that there were mostly stinkbugs in their fields. She added that their workers called them "jumils"(?) and they eat them live in the field by biting off and then spitting out the heads and then eating the rest, when they find them while picking berries. They say that they're spicy. o.O Uh... No, thanks, I'll pass...
My mom will make a cobbler tomorrow. I'm making muffins this evening, and very soon, there shall be PIE as well! *sparkly eyes* There will be pictures, I promise!
Monday, May 19, 2008
Bones - season finale
That was the most not cool thing I have ever seen. I think I hate this show now and will never watch it again. It fails more than LOST. At least LOST's decline was slow and steady and I eventually stopped caring after months of mediocrity and ridiculous plots. Bones just... failed instantly and in one episode. The last episode before a long hiatus, at the end of which I won't give a damn what happens to any of these characters ever again. There is one and only one way to save this and that is if that whole episode was a dream and didn't actually happen. Because there wasn't one thing that was right or good about it.
Press Release
Got this press release this morning from the Liberty Ark Coalition:
Legal Defense Fund Moves to Stop Animal ID Program;
Files Intent to Sue Letter with USDA and Michigan Department of Agriculture
Falls Church, Virginia, (May 15, 2008) -- Attorneys for the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund today sent a Notice of Intent to Sue letter to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) over implementation of the National Animal Identification System (NAIS), a plan to electronically track every livestock animal in the country.
The Notice asks the USDA and MDA to "immediately suspend the funding and implementation of NAIS," and "fully and fairly examine" whether there is even a need for such a program.
Taaron Meikle, Fund president, said that contrary to USDA's claim, NAIS will do nothing to protect the health of livestock and poultry. "At a time when food safety and costs are a concern, the USDA has spent over $118 million to promote a program that will burden everyone from pleasure horse owners to ranchers and small farmers to individuals who raise a few chickens or steers on their own land for their own use."
Once fully implemented, the NAIS program would require every person who owns even one livestock or poultry animal (a single chicken or a pet pony) to register their property with the state and federal government, to tag each animal, and to report "events" to a database within 24 hours. Reportable events would include such things as a private sale, a state fair, or a horse show.
The Notice charges that USDA has never published rules regarding NAIS, in violation of the Federal Administrative Procedures Act; has never performed an Environmental Impact Statement or an Environmental Assessment as required by the National Environmental Policy Act; is in violation of the Regulatory Flexibility Act that requires them to analyze proposed rules for their impact on small entities and local governments; and violates religious freedoms guaranteed by the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
"We also think there are constitutional issues at stake here," Meikle noted. "The requirement to use electronic ear tags or RFID chips violates the religious beliefs of some farmers, such as the Amish, and provisions in a memorandum of understanding between the USDA and the MDA could violate the Fourth and Fifth Amendments to the Constitution by requiring the state to stop and inspect vehicles carrying livestock without a warrant or probable cause."
The MDA has implemented the first two stages of NAIS -property registration and animal identification - for all cattle and farmers across the state as part of its mandatory bovine tuberculosis disease control program, which is mandated by a grant from the USDA.
"While touted as a disease control program, the NAIS will drive many small farmers out of business" Meikle noted, "and burden every person who owns even one horse, chicken, cow, goat, sheep, pig, llama, alpaca, or other livestock animal with expensive and intrusive government regulations."
Joe Golimbieski, a farmer from Standish, Michigan and Fund member, explains: "The cost of the tags is just the start. We're at the mercy of whatever price the stockyards charge to do the tagging. And our farm doesn't have extra employees to deal with paperwork. NAIS is likely to put us out of business."
Gary Cox, General Counsel for the Fund, states that "USDA and MDA have exceeded their authority and they have completely failed to follow the proper procedures. We are calling on the agencies to immediately halt implementation of the program or face appropriate action."
About The Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund: The Fund's mission is to defend the freedoms and to broaden the rights of sustainable farmers and their consumers to produce and consume local, nutrient-dense foods. Concerned citizens can support the Fund by joining at www.farmtoconsumer.org or by contacting the Fund at 703-208-FARM. The Fund's sister organization, the Farm-to-Consumer Foundation (www.farmtoconsumerfoundation.org), works to support farmers engaged in sustainable farm stewardship and promote consumer access to local, nutrient-dense food.
Editor's Note: The Notice of Intent to Sue the (USDA) and (MDA) is available at www.farmtoconsumer.org
###
Contacts:
Taaron G. Meikle
President, Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund and Farm-to-Consumer Foundation
703-537-8372
tgmeikle@aol.com
Brian Cummings
Cummings & Company LLC
214-295-7463
brian@cummingspr.com
Legal Defense Fund Moves to Stop Animal ID Program;
Files Intent to Sue Letter with USDA and Michigan Department of Agriculture
Falls Church, Virginia, (May 15, 2008) -- Attorneys for the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund today sent a Notice of Intent to Sue letter to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) over implementation of the National Animal Identification System (NAIS), a plan to electronically track every livestock animal in the country.
The Notice asks the USDA and MDA to "immediately suspend the funding and implementation of NAIS," and "fully and fairly examine" whether there is even a need for such a program.
Taaron Meikle, Fund president, said that contrary to USDA's claim, NAIS will do nothing to protect the health of livestock and poultry. "At a time when food safety and costs are a concern, the USDA has spent over $118 million to promote a program that will burden everyone from pleasure horse owners to ranchers and small farmers to individuals who raise a few chickens or steers on their own land for their own use."
Once fully implemented, the NAIS program would require every person who owns even one livestock or poultry animal (a single chicken or a pet pony) to register their property with the state and federal government, to tag each animal, and to report "events" to a database within 24 hours. Reportable events would include such things as a private sale, a state fair, or a horse show.
The Notice charges that USDA has never published rules regarding NAIS, in violation of the Federal Administrative Procedures Act; has never performed an Environmental Impact Statement or an Environmental Assessment as required by the National Environmental Policy Act; is in violation of the Regulatory Flexibility Act that requires them to analyze proposed rules for their impact on small entities and local governments; and violates religious freedoms guaranteed by the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
"We also think there are constitutional issues at stake here," Meikle noted. "The requirement to use electronic ear tags or RFID chips violates the religious beliefs of some farmers, such as the Amish, and provisions in a memorandum of understanding between the USDA and the MDA could violate the Fourth and Fifth Amendments to the Constitution by requiring the state to stop and inspect vehicles carrying livestock without a warrant or probable cause."
The MDA has implemented the first two stages of NAIS -property registration and animal identification - for all cattle and farmers across the state as part of its mandatory bovine tuberculosis disease control program, which is mandated by a grant from the USDA.
"While touted as a disease control program, the NAIS will drive many small farmers out of business" Meikle noted, "and burden every person who owns even one horse, chicken, cow, goat, sheep, pig, llama, alpaca, or other livestock animal with expensive and intrusive government regulations."
Joe Golimbieski, a farmer from Standish, Michigan and Fund member, explains: "The cost of the tags is just the start. We're at the mercy of whatever price the stockyards charge to do the tagging. And our farm doesn't have extra employees to deal with paperwork. NAIS is likely to put us out of business."
Gary Cox, General Counsel for the Fund, states that "USDA and MDA have exceeded their authority and they have completely failed to follow the proper procedures. We are calling on the agencies to immediately halt implementation of the program or face appropriate action."
About The Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund: The Fund's mission is to defend the freedoms and to broaden the rights of sustainable farmers and their consumers to produce and consume local, nutrient-dense foods. Concerned citizens can support the Fund by joining at www.farmtoconsumer.org or by contacting the Fund at 703-208-FARM. The Fund's sister organization, the Farm-to-Consumer Foundation (www.farmtoconsumerfoundation.org), works to support farmers engaged in sustainable farm stewardship and promote consumer access to local, nutrient-dense food.
Editor's Note: The Notice of Intent to Sue the (USDA) and (MDA) is available at www.farmtoconsumer.org
###
Contacts:
Taaron G. Meikle
President, Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund and Farm-to-Consumer Foundation
703-537-8372
tgmeikle@aol.com
Brian Cummings
Cummings & Company LLC
214-295-7463
brian@cummingspr.com
Friday, May 16, 2008
O.O
Due to Ilana not having seen it or anything leading up to it, I will not spoil the Season 3 Finale of Supernatural here. I will say that is one of the most amazing episodes EVER! And one of the most amazing hours of television EVER! (Despite the outrageous abundance of commercials, including the %%*&$%$!%#$%@#$#$!#@$ FIVE MINUTE commercial break with less than 10 minutes left in the hour! Those of you who watch on DVD, be glad you won't have to endure that...)
If you don't watch Supernatural, this summer is the perfect time to start and catch up because next season could be the most amazing yet. Kripke & Co. keep upping the ante and it is impressive!
If you don't watch Supernatural, this summer is the perfect time to start and catch up because next season could be the most amazing yet. Kripke & Co. keep upping the ante and it is impressive!
Sunday, May 11, 2008
What I've been up to...
I've been busy today.
Weeded, fertilized and watered the garden, picked cucumbers and green beans.
Went out to lunch at the mall and then to Dillards because they were having a sale on bedding and my parents had gotten some Dillards gift certificates for Christmas this last year and they wanted me to get linens for the spare beds at the cabin. Got Ralph Lauren sheets and pillowcases for next to nothing. Yay!
Then went to the Joann's by that mall because they often have really good remnants. I got two linen remnants to make napkins with. Yay!
Came home, decided to get paint chips from Lowes, which is around the corner from our house, so that I can match things for the cabin. We aren't painting anything, but I've already gotten my bedding, and the granite in the bathroom has colors in it that I want to pick out in the towels, so I needed a close match in color that was more portable than either bedding or a slab of granite - hence, paint chips. Did that.
Then went to the other Joann's which is next to another mall about equidistant as the other one in another direction from my house. That one is bigger and I wanted to see if I would luck out on fabric for curtains for my room. Alas, I did not. But I did luck out on stumbling upon a fabulous sale. They're remodeling that store and so half of it is on clearance right now and another quarter is seriously discounted. Yay! All magazines 10% off, a lot of yarn on clearance, fabric, beads, all sorts of things... I got more remnants (linen - again... I think I'm becoming obsessed with linen remnants for napkins and placemats), DMC's Encyclopedia of Needlework (every kind of needlework - if you use a needle of any sort to do it, it's in there, in detail with pictures), linen embroidery thread and magazines.
I got the new Victoria magazine because it's full of inspiration for the cabin interior design, and the Spring 2008 Spin-off Magazine. This in particular is a must have! They have a bunch of knit lace shawls (!!! - not patterns but extremely inspiring nonetheless), as well as a couple of knit hat patterns for any gauge handspun.
But the piece-de-resistance are the Danish Tied-Shawls (if you click the hotlink of "Spin-off Magazine" above and scroll down you can see a pictures of a small part of one of these shawls). There are patterns and they are made with handspun, hand-dyed yarn. And they're folksy and beautiful. And useful! They tie in the back so they won't fall off and will stay put while you're doing important things. Did I mention they're handspun, hand-dyed (with natural dyes too!), and hand-knit. I'm bouncing with joy every time I even look at the pretty pictures! The magazine is $7.99, but for this alone it's so worth it. Go. Run. Buy a copy. There are a lot of other useful looking things in there too, but I'm far too distracted by the shawl pattern to look at anything else seriously yet. I am so making myself one this summer! I'm tired of not having my own shawl... I've made bunches for others, but never kept any myself. There are more patterns for these types of shawls available at the author's website.
Oh, and Happy Mother's Day! :D
*off to obsess over the Danish Shawl some more*
Weeded, fertilized and watered the garden, picked cucumbers and green beans.
Went out to lunch at the mall and then to Dillards because they were having a sale on bedding and my parents had gotten some Dillards gift certificates for Christmas this last year and they wanted me to get linens for the spare beds at the cabin. Got Ralph Lauren sheets and pillowcases for next to nothing. Yay!
Then went to the Joann's by that mall because they often have really good remnants. I got two linen remnants to make napkins with. Yay!
Came home, decided to get paint chips from Lowes, which is around the corner from our house, so that I can match things for the cabin. We aren't painting anything, but I've already gotten my bedding, and the granite in the bathroom has colors in it that I want to pick out in the towels, so I needed a close match in color that was more portable than either bedding or a slab of granite - hence, paint chips. Did that.
Then went to the other Joann's which is next to another mall about equidistant as the other one in another direction from my house. That one is bigger and I wanted to see if I would luck out on fabric for curtains for my room. Alas, I did not. But I did luck out on stumbling upon a fabulous sale. They're remodeling that store and so half of it is on clearance right now and another quarter is seriously discounted. Yay! All magazines 10% off, a lot of yarn on clearance, fabric, beads, all sorts of things... I got more remnants (linen - again... I think I'm becoming obsessed with linen remnants for napkins and placemats), DMC's Encyclopedia of Needlework (every kind of needlework - if you use a needle of any sort to do it, it's in there, in detail with pictures), linen embroidery thread and magazines.
I got the new Victoria magazine because it's full of inspiration for the cabin interior design, and the Spring 2008 Spin-off Magazine. This in particular is a must have! They have a bunch of knit lace shawls (!!! - not patterns but extremely inspiring nonetheless), as well as a couple of knit hat patterns for any gauge handspun.
But the piece-de-resistance are the Danish Tied-Shawls (if you click the hotlink of "Spin-off Magazine" above and scroll down you can see a pictures of a small part of one of these shawls). There are patterns and they are made with handspun, hand-dyed yarn. And they're folksy and beautiful. And useful! They tie in the back so they won't fall off and will stay put while you're doing important things. Did I mention they're handspun, hand-dyed (with natural dyes too!), and hand-knit. I'm bouncing with joy every time I even look at the pretty pictures! The magazine is $7.99, but for this alone it's so worth it. Go. Run. Buy a copy. There are a lot of other useful looking things in there too, but I'm far too distracted by the shawl pattern to look at anything else seriously yet. I am so making myself one this summer! I'm tired of not having my own shawl... I've made bunches for others, but never kept any myself. There are more patterns for these types of shawls available at the author's website.
Oh, and Happy Mother's Day! :D
*off to obsess over the Danish Shawl some more*
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Challah!
Like I said yesterday, baking was necessary and challah was the bread of choice. I made three loaves because that's how much the recipe was for... one of these loaves, the smallest only just slightly, is gone already. LOL!
Pictures!
Before baking (I don't have bread pans... I should probably fix that sometime soon):
After baking:
I did one of them round because I didn't have a third rectangular casserole dish. It actually turned out pretty good considering that I didn't have instructions handy on how to braid it for that kind of shape...
Now, this was the first time I'd used this particular challah recipe. The Cuisinart Bread Machine recipe, baked in the oven instead of the bread machine, had a more Publix bakery kind of texture. (Publix is the best source of bakery challah around here, grocery store or not. No one that I know buys it anywhere else.) That is to say, an almost nonexistent crust and soft inside. This recipe, however, produces loaves with a thicker crust and which are a little on the dry side. I think this could be remedied either by baking at 350, instead of 375, or reducing bake time. As it is, I think they could be improved by adding raisins, currents, and/or cinnamon. If I added cinnamon... or even cinnamon-sugar, I would do so after the "snakes" were rolled for braiding, either by rolling the snakes unevenly in the spice or sprinkling it onto them and then braiding as usual. Because the dough rises a final time after that, it should probably make it look like the cinnamon was swirled through the dough... or something.
The modified the challah recipe I used from "Like Mama Used to Make... and More" published by the Ann Arbor (Michigan) Hadassah in 1986:
1/2 cup warm water
2 packages dry yeast
1/2 cup oil (I use extra virgin olive oil)
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp salt
1 1/2 cups very hot water
3 eggs + 1 egg to brush on the dough before baking
7 cups of flour (approximately - and I used bread flour, but all-purpose could also work)
Dissolve the yeast in warm water. Mix oil, salt, and sugar with the very hot water until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Let cool. Beat the 3 eggs into the yeast, then add it to the oil and water mixture. Add 4 cups of flour and mix well. The dough will be very sticky at this point, probably best not to use your hands yet. Add additional flour a half cup at a time to make a firm dough. Knead until the dough is smooth. Place the dough in an oiled bowl (like a large mixing bowl or a proper dough bowl*) and turn so that all sides are coated with oil. Cover loosely with a clean slightly damp tea towel or plastic wrap and let rise 1 hour, until doubled.
Punch down and divide into 3 parts. Each of these will make one loaf. Each loaf with be comprised of two braided sections, one atop the other. Divide each part into 4 parts. Of those 4 parts, divide one again into 3 parts for the smaller top braid. Take the three larger pieces and roll them into snakes of the same length (whatever seems a reasonable length to you). Lay them out next to each other and pinch together at one end. Braid them as if braiding hair, and pinch together at the end to secure. Take the smaller pieces made from the 4th part, and repeat this process. Lay the smaller braid a top the larger and pinch where needed to adhere them together.
Place loaves in greased bread pan, brush with egg, cover and let rise again for at least 35 minutes, to double. Repeat this for the second and third loaves. You may choose to sprinkle poppy or sesame seeds on top at this time.
Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes, then 15 minutes at 350.
Let cool a few minutes in pan, remove and let cool completely on a cooling rack before slicing.
Enjoy! :D
* This dough bowl is the best baking purchase I've made EVER! It really does help dough rise quickly and evenly. It retains heat from the dough and insulates it to keep it warm and help the yeast do its work. I love mine ever so much.
Pictures!
Before baking (I don't have bread pans... I should probably fix that sometime soon):
After baking:
I did one of them round because I didn't have a third rectangular casserole dish. It actually turned out pretty good considering that I didn't have instructions handy on how to braid it for that kind of shape...
Now, this was the first time I'd used this particular challah recipe. The Cuisinart Bread Machine recipe, baked in the oven instead of the bread machine, had a more Publix bakery kind of texture. (Publix is the best source of bakery challah around here, grocery store or not. No one that I know buys it anywhere else.) That is to say, an almost nonexistent crust and soft inside. This recipe, however, produces loaves with a thicker crust and which are a little on the dry side. I think this could be remedied either by baking at 350, instead of 375, or reducing bake time. As it is, I think they could be improved by adding raisins, currents, and/or cinnamon. If I added cinnamon... or even cinnamon-sugar, I would do so after the "snakes" were rolled for braiding, either by rolling the snakes unevenly in the spice or sprinkling it onto them and then braiding as usual. Because the dough rises a final time after that, it should probably make it look like the cinnamon was swirled through the dough... or something.
The modified the challah recipe I used from "Like Mama Used to Make... and More" published by the Ann Arbor (Michigan) Hadassah in 1986:
1/2 cup warm water
2 packages dry yeast
1/2 cup oil (I use extra virgin olive oil)
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp salt
1 1/2 cups very hot water
3 eggs + 1 egg to brush on the dough before baking
7 cups of flour (approximately - and I used bread flour, but all-purpose could also work)
Dissolve the yeast in warm water. Mix oil, salt, and sugar with the very hot water until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Let cool. Beat the 3 eggs into the yeast, then add it to the oil and water mixture. Add 4 cups of flour and mix well. The dough will be very sticky at this point, probably best not to use your hands yet. Add additional flour a half cup at a time to make a firm dough. Knead until the dough is smooth. Place the dough in an oiled bowl (like a large mixing bowl or a proper dough bowl*) and turn so that all sides are coated with oil. Cover loosely with a clean slightly damp tea towel or plastic wrap and let rise 1 hour, until doubled.
Punch down and divide into 3 parts. Each of these will make one loaf. Each loaf with be comprised of two braided sections, one atop the other. Divide each part into 4 parts. Of those 4 parts, divide one again into 3 parts for the smaller top braid. Take the three larger pieces and roll them into snakes of the same length (whatever seems a reasonable length to you). Lay them out next to each other and pinch together at one end. Braid them as if braiding hair, and pinch together at the end to secure. Take the smaller pieces made from the 4th part, and repeat this process. Lay the smaller braid a top the larger and pinch where needed to adhere them together.
Place loaves in greased bread pan, brush with egg, cover and let rise again for at least 35 minutes, to double. Repeat this for the second and third loaves. You may choose to sprinkle poppy or sesame seeds on top at this time.
Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes, then 15 minutes at 350.
Let cool a few minutes in pan, remove and let cool completely on a cooling rack before slicing.
Enjoy! :D
* This dough bowl is the best baking purchase I've made EVER! It really does help dough rise quickly and evenly. It retains heat from the dough and insulates it to keep it warm and help the yeast do its work. I love mine ever so much.
Friday, May 09, 2008
Gardens in May...
I went out in the garden yesterday and worked for several hours. I took pics to share. I did a lot of weeding. I pruned some stuff. I picked some stuff. I discovered that my cucumbers and possibly my squash has alternaria blight. I couldn't find anything to solve that problem at the store except for a very dangerous and toxic fungicide that I did not want to use because it had a longer list of precautions and warnings than directions and it's not approved for use on vegetables that are to be sold. Which tells me that the chemicals in it are really freaking bad. My veggies will live with the fungus, thanks. I got a spray bottle to apply a soap solution instead and hope that that has a beneficial effect of some sort. At least it will keep most bugs away. And we have very many ladybugs about. YAY! they are doing a very good job of keeping the bad insects away because I have yet to see any even moderate insect damage to anything, forget about actually seeing any bad bugs. *knocks wood*
But, yes, pictures...
Long-shots of the garden rows:
Pink Brandywine tomatoes:
Zucchini:
Cucumbers:
Okra:
Eggplant:
Sweet peppers:
Yellow squash:
The haul from yesterday...
Okra and cucmbers:
Green beans and a pepper:
I also picked a squash yesterday, but I didn't take a picture of it for some reason...
I found a part of a shedded black snake skin:
It's good to have these around. They aren't venomous or aggressive, and they keep the rattlesnakes away.
Also took pics of the herb garden:
There's dill, cilantro, oragano, basil, rosemary, tarragon, sage and chives.
The dill (the yellow) and cilantro (the white) are insisting upon flowering... I held them back as long as I could. I hope I'll be able to collect seeds, but we'll see. And there's my Basye's Purple rugosa rose blooming in this photo too...
And one more... gratuitous pond photo:
Today, I'm baking challah. Last night's episode of Supernatural was so OMG! O.O it induced baking. So challah. *nods* There will be pics later... and possibly a recipe...
But, yes, pictures...
Long-shots of the garden rows:
Pink Brandywine tomatoes:
Zucchini:
Cucumbers:
Okra:
Eggplant:
Sweet peppers:
Yellow squash:
The haul from yesterday...
Okra and cucmbers:
Green beans and a pepper:
I also picked a squash yesterday, but I didn't take a picture of it for some reason...
I found a part of a shedded black snake skin:
It's good to have these around. They aren't venomous or aggressive, and they keep the rattlesnakes away.
Also took pics of the herb garden:
There's dill, cilantro, oragano, basil, rosemary, tarragon, sage and chives.
The dill (the yellow) and cilantro (the white) are insisting upon flowering... I held them back as long as I could. I hope I'll be able to collect seeds, but we'll see. And there's my Basye's Purple rugosa rose blooming in this photo too...
And one more... gratuitous pond photo:
Today, I'm baking challah. Last night's episode of Supernatural was so OMG! O.O it induced baking. So challah. *nods* There will be pics later... and possibly a recipe...
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