and on the seventh day...

 My sourdough rose!

Just look at all those lovely air bubbles and the bonnet I made her.

In 2022 before we left for Texas I dried some of my starter.This year I got it out and refreshed it.

Sourdough starter is amazing stuff. I just about gave up on it but I can now begin using it again.

I'm pretty excited about it. There is yeast in this that is over 100 years old.

With school letting out next month it is time to make a teacher's quilt gift again.

This teacher is a western girl so I dug out all my cowboy fabrics.

I don't know if a unicorn qualifies but the granddaughter gifting it loves unicorns and Disney's Stitch so I included a square of each in it.

And that is what I have been doing the last seven days.

~b

German Sauerkraut

 ...because there is a lot of German blood in this family.

It all began when I was researching a fermentation crock for the sourdough I am bringing out of hibernation. When I found the crock it was pictured with a vegetable fermentation tamper- cabbage sauerkraut pounder or as Mr. b calls it a husband persuader. The tamper looked like something he would enjoy making in his woodshop. When he brought it in I knew that we would be making sauerkraut for the first time.

2 lbs. cabbage, 1 tablespoon salt, massage for 10 minutes, not gently.

I would like a 10 minute massage, not gently.

Use that husband persuader to tamp down in quart jar.

In a few weeks after this ferments we will be enjoying American reuben sandwiches

 made with German ingredients.

Life is good.

~b

 I think spring may be here to stay finally.

There's signs of it everywhere at our house.

~b

secrets

 I am better at some things than others and when it comes to making chocolate chip cookies I am a pro.

I think making them for 50+ years helps. But I do have a couple of tricks up my sleeve too.

Can you keep a secret?  I can.

I've been machine quilting this farm quilt the last few days. It would make a cute wall hanging.

Tomorrow we  head to the city to stay with our oldest granddaughters. It's really more of a housesitting job. But we enjoy hanging with the grands and experiencing city life at it's finest...

grocery stores, restaurants and shopping.

~b

a hot decision

I cut into this vintage fruit basket inspired vintage tablecloth yesterday to make this hot mitt.  It features pears, apples, grapes, strawberries, cherries, raspberries and blackberries. I've been procrastinating cutting into it for abit.

This was after I looked up the prices of them on etsy. 

Had I known how expensive they are I would have procrastinated longer I'm sure.

But it makes a fun mitt that I will enjoy using in the kitchen. I have lots of the tablecloth left yet for other projects.

AND I have two more vintage tablecloths to procrastinate about.

~b

HOME SWEET HOME

 We are home again after an enjoyable winter in Texas.

It was three long days driving and I always question whether it's worth it or not to avoid South Dakota winters but I'm sure we will go back next year.

We always spend a month by Galveston near the beach. I like to think it's living healthy. I certainly sleep better... I'm sure it's all the fresh air we get.

My favorite coastal bird is the Roseate Spoonbill and I was determined to waterpaint it before we came home and I did...the very last day. I actually like the way it turned out.

We also enjoy the flyovers of the pelicans.

And now it's time to start unpacking the camper.

~b