The Storm that Didn't Happen

Erik and Mae and I were supposed to go to the farmer's market together yesterday. When I looked at the weather forecast the day before, it showed thunder and lightening beginning at 10:00 a.m. And, you know, I'm pretty intrepid, but I'm not up for electrocution by lightening. So, I texted Erik and Mae and asked them if they wanted to reschedule. They did. So it was kind of a surprise when it turned out to be a pretty nice morning yesterday. We probably could have gone, and the thunder and lightening was still supposed to start around 2:00 p.m. Only...that didn't happen either. What's a weather watcher to do?

Well, I'll tell you what I did: I baked bread. I mean, the power could go out or something and there I'd be with a house full of food and no freshly baked bread. Perish the thought.

I had to wait three hours to cut into it. Baking bread was a nice diversion while I dragged my feet getting started on the Gingerbread Village. Actually, I went back and re-read the posts from when I made the Happy Village two years ago. I wanted to remind myself of any trials or tribulations I'd written about. If you're interested in this process, the posts start right here. It was good to remind myself that this won't look anything like any kind of village until I start adding windows, roofs, and doors. You can see what I'm talking about at this post right here. So with all of these tips and reminders at hand, I started building the collage from the fabrics I'd cut the day before.

When I had taken it that far, it was time to cut the bread. After all that work on my quilt, I'd generated a powerful hunger for some plain white bread.

It was so soft and delicious...like the best Wonder Bread of your childhood. I could have eaten the whole loaf all by myself in one sitting, but I didn't. It's a very easy bread to make. Here's the recipe I used:

                     
American Sandwich Bread
from Bread Illustrated

2 1/2 cups  (13 1/4 oz.) bread flour
2 teaspoons  instant or rapid-rise yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons  salt
3/4  cup  (6 oz.) whole milk -- room temperature
1/3  cup  (2 2/3 oz.) water -- room temperature
2  tablespoons  unsalted butter -- melted
2  tablespoons  honey

Whisk flour, yeast, and salt together in bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk milk, water, melted butter, and honey in a 4-cup liquid measuring cup until honey has dissolved.

Using a dough hook on low speed, slowly add milk mixture to flour mixture and mix until cohesive dough starts to form and no dry flour remains, about 2 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed. Increase speed to medium-low and knead until dough is smooth and elastic and clears sides of bowl, about 8 minutes.

Transfer dough to a lightly floured counter and knead by hand to form a smooth, round ball, about 30 seconds. Place dough seam side down in lightly greased large bowl or container, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled in size, 1 1/2 - 2 hours.

Grease 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan. Press down on dough to deflate. Turn dough out onto lightly floured counter (side of dough that was against bowl should now be facing up). Press and stretch dough into 8 x 6-inch rectangle, with long side parallel to counter edge.

Roll dough away from you into firm cylinder, keeping roll taut by tucking it under itself as you go. Pinch seam closed and place loaf seam side down in prepared pan, pressing dough gently into corners.

Cover loosely with greased plastic and let rise until loaf reaches 1 inch above lip of pan and dough springs back minimally when poked gently with your knuckle, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350°F. Mist loaf with water and bake until deep golden brown and loaf registers 205-210°F, 35-40 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking.

Let loaf cool in pan for 15 minutes. Remove loaf from pan and let cool completely on wire rack, about 3 hours before serving.

NOTES : To make this a whole-wheat American Sandwich bread, reduce bread flour to 1 1/2 cups (8 1/4 oz.) and add 1 cup (5 1/2 oz.) whole-wheat flour and 3 tablespoons toasted wheat germ in step 1. Increase honey to 3 tablespoons.

* * * * * 

So, I continued awaiting the thunder and lightening, but there was still no rain...in fact, the skies were blue, and it was nice outside. I went out and took some pictures of the latest blooming things. I noticed the lilac is starting to bud out.

The plum tree is in full bloom now. We should get some plums this year if the sunshine and bee activity keep up.

Also, we're pretty excited about our dogwood tree. We planted this tree many moons ago...it was one of the first things we planted when we moved in nearly 16 years ago. It was a much smaller tree then, and we didn't realize that there is almost nothing deer love more than a tasty dogwood tree. On its first night, they ate the tree down to a poor little nubbin of a tree trunk. After that, we put a fence around it, but it took years for it to recover from that initial munching. Fast forward to now, and it's a fairly sizable tree. It has lots of flower buds on it this year, and in the past couple of days, it's taken on a pink tinge.

Closer up, you can see that the flowers are beginning to open. I think this might be the best year yet for the dogwood tree.

While I was looking at the dogwood, this downy woodpecker showed up at the feeder. He played a little game of hide and seek with me circling around that pole.

Eventually, hunger got the best of him and he went after the suet. Also, I could hear another woodpecker pecking in a tree nearby. Perhaps we have a nest? I looked, but I couldn't see a nest nor the other bird.

After that, I went back to reading old blog posts about the Happy Village. There was an intervening period where I was waiting for the arrival of some glue I needed to finish the project. Then I was able to get back at it. The finishing up posts start right here, and continue here until it's finished up right here. It was good to review because I noted in the old posts that I was dragging my feet about working on this, just as I was yesterday. With that in mind, I finished up the collage before calling it quits yesterday.

Today I'll start adding roofs, doors, and windows, and hopefully, it will start to look more like an actual village.

With all the weeding, sewing, and baking I've been doing, you might wonder if I'm not neglecting my housework. Or maybe not...I haven't been...wondering, that is. I know for sure and certain that I have been. It's always an interesting exercise in getting to know one's limits when one's spouse is gone for a while. Just how much filth can I tolerate before giving in and getting out a broom or a dust cloth? And while I can't give a specific answer, I can tell you that I've reached my limit. Today I must do something related to housekeeping or else move into a motel for the duration. Which would you do?

As for my absentee spouse, he's found a couple of items about the trailer he wants to take up with the dealer before leaving South Carolina. There is a wiring problem and a problem with the roof, both of which will need to be repaired at some point in time. It's all under warranty, and so it's really a matter of documentation for now. That means he'll stay in South Carolina at least until Monday, and then he'll start heading for home. Whether "heading for home" will involve returning to the Indiana manufacturer for repairs is an unresolved question. He's liking the trailer, however. I'm excited for him to get home so I can see it too.