Busy Times Means Handwork

Taking care of my best friend has been the focus of my days for a week or so now.  Bogie was due for a shot when I noticed a lump on his leg.  At first, I thought it was an infected dew claw.  My fabulous vet didn't buy that story.  He took one look and announced "malignant tumor, let's get it out right away."  The next day, we denied Bo his breakfast (he hates that part) so he could go in for surgery.  Doc did a great job removing the pre-malignant tumor, 2 fatty Lypomas, 2 skin tags and giving the needed shot.  At about 2, my husband got a call stating "Bo says he is ready to go home now."When my husband got there, Bo was howling (and had been since he woke up). 
The receptionist was on the phone when my husband arrived and began howling back to our baby.  Bogie endeared several of the vet assistants to him with his pitiful pleas.  One of them actually crawled into the cage with Bo to try to soothe him.  I was very touched when a mutual friend shared that bit of info with me.
He is recovering well and was back to jumping around in no time.
With my very busy babysitting, chauffeur and Bo's surgery recovery, I have not been able to focus on a large project.  Therefore, I have been doing handwork.  I've got to block of the months I've been working on for a client.  They got more attention this past week, one block done for each.  I bought a little carrying case that all the pieces and sharp stuff goes into and it makes it so easy to just sew for 15 minutes while at the vet's office.  I can sew longer periods of time while the child naps but as soon as I hear him wake up, everything gets thrown in box and clasped shut real quick before I go get him from the crib.  I really like this new little system I've worked out.  It is hard to keep track of hourly time though when doing 10-15 minute stints.
Time to go make blueberry coffee cake for the blacksmiths.  Have a great week!

Mid-Evil Mountainjoy

We had a weekend straight out of the Renaissance days. My husband set up his forge and started to blacksmith. He had a friend over and the two of them were so happy, I couldn't believe it. There is nothing like seeing 2 angry, bitter men have a good time pounding at heated metal to force into new shapes/tools. They were off to a slow start until I told them to break up the coal a bit more to start the fire. You are given special inborn knowledge if you are a blacksmith's daughter, you know. I don't know how to smith, but I do know more than your average bear on the subject.
While the boys were smithing, I was working on a coat-of-arms for a friend of ours. He does a form of combat that starts with swords and ends up using some ju-jitsu forms. Anyway, I am currently decorating his quilted and padded jacket to resemble his chosen family coat-of-arms. It felt like all we needed yesterday was some horses, dragons, and a few more serving women here to complete the picturesque mid-evil Mountainjoy.
As for summer, it may come to a quick close for us. We saw a lone aspen yesterday that had taken on that beautiful orange/yellow. The hummingbirds are still around and the wild flowers are still in bloom. Yet, I do expect our first snow storm any day now. Traditionally, it likes to snow the first weekend of September most years. Let's see what this one brings.

How to Bake Bread and Quilt

It is days like today that I feel my cabin is actually inside a snow-globe. It is not snowing. The wind is whirling the light, glittery snow in such a crazy fashion that if you imagine being in a snow-globe, you can sense what it would be like. Snow-globes remind me of the holidays, which are upon us. This time of year is filled with tradition. Most of my traditions and memories are of the fabulous foods. My mother always had cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning. I made some cinnamon bread the other morning. Isn't it wonderful how certain foods can conjure memories. The bread was great and it is so easy to make bread. I read in a quilting book that one should take a break and move around every hour to keep from stiffening up. Well, I discovered making bread and quilting are good partners. So, without further ado, here is what I do.

First, choose which quilting project you will be working on for the day. Piecing is good.
Then, it is time to start the bread. I will give you my plain white bread recipe but it is very versatile. You can use whatever flour combinations and sweeteners you wish.
Oh yeah, a word about my precise measuring technique. The palm of my hand is calibrated to Tablespoon and teaspoon measurements. Yours is too, but you might not know it yet.

Okay, Ready, Set, SPONGE:
1) In large bowl, mix 3 cups warm water (not too hot or yeast will die) with 3 Tablespoons sugar or honey and sprinkle on 1 1/2 Tablespoons dry yeast. Stir a bit then add 1-3 cups flour, enough to make something very wet but holding together. Scrape down sides and beat well for a minute or two. This is your sponge. Cover and let rest for about 50 minutes.
2) Go see how much piecing you can get down in 50 minutes. Stand and stretch.
3) Back to the bread. It should look like lunar scape by now. Add 2 Tablespoons oil and stir. Add 2 Tablespoons salt and stir. Start adding flour slowly and mixing in. This is where the muscles start to matter. Keep adding flour until you have a stiff dough. Turn onto floured board. Knead for 5 -7 minutes. Place in greased bowl and cover again.
4) Now you can get back to sewing again. You'd be surprised how much you can get done now that you are warmed up. After the bread has risen for an hour, you need to go check on it.
5) Grease 2 loaf pans. Press down the dough. Form 2 loaves. I usually leave one round and braid the other. Place in pans, cover, and let rise again.
6) You should know by now that you have another hour to sew again. What are you waiting for? Just wash the oil off your hands really well.
7) Get up after 1/2 hour and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
8) When the bread has risen to twice it's size, put in oven to bake. Set timer for 45 minutes and check. The timer is important if you are still quilting!
9) Bread is done when all golden and looking yummy. Let cool for a few minutes before taking a break. I recommend eating hot bread with butter and admiring your quilt work from across the room.
If you want cinnamon bread, when it is time to form, roll out the dough, brush with melted butter, sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll up tight and make sure ends are tucked under. If there are leftovers, it makes great french toast.
It is really a lot of fun when you get into it and "race the bread". It has become one of my favorite traditions which I do at least once a week. Traditions bring us back to our childhoods, back to easy times when life was mostly about food and fun. Take your loved ones back in time with some great recipes in the book A Homemade Christmas. This is a great ebook I found with so many of the our favorite holiday recipes. You can find it on the sidebar link. It is quite well priced and comes with the bonus ebook All Time Favorite Christmas Cookies. My brothers and I each had our own favorites. Do you remember yours? Of course, why don't you make a batch this year. Happy Quilting and Cooking