Posts from the ‘Montana’ category

Friday Fun: baking and sun

This is actually Thursday morning … far less smoke and much clearer air. Today is even better!

And it is Friday!!

An early morning baking project. I have been making Romel Bruno’s (youtube link at the end) recipe for Sweet Potato Buns, for the past couple of months. The original recipe is a yeast recipe, but I adapted for my sourdough (natural leaven) starter and it has become my favorite of all time bun recipe as well as a brioche loaf.

Yesterday, I mixed the dough, let it puff a bit and then refrigerated overnight. Actually I mixed a double batch as my plan was for hamburger buns, hot dog buns AND a pesto-feta babka.

This morning: shape and bake!

So, the dough gets rolled like a sweet roll, then sliced lengthwise and kind of braided to make the babka.

Yikes! I missed taking a photo of the braid bit … oops, but above in the pan is the result … and in the white bowl are the bits for buns.

While things were doing their final rise, we went for our morning walk…

Lovely, lovely morning!

Back to the kitchen.

The babka and the buns :)

I call this a snacking bread … it is not really practical for a sandwich, but sliced for a nibble or sliced with some yummy tomatoes, a sprinkle of parmesan and a bit under the broiler …

Ultimately, it is both fun and delicious and a bit different.

As promised: Romel Bruno on YouTube. I’ve not only made the sweet potato buns, but also the fried chicken and the tarragon aioli. The recipes are in the description area of the video. Romel uses some unique spices and the result is a wonderful mix of flavors.

Making adjustments

After writing yesterday’s post and reflecting on the video ( an interesting interview ), I thought: Huh. Maybe I need a better or different schedule to help me counter the COVID-19 distraction thing: why did I come here, difficulty getting started on work, a “would like to do list” that shows no progress, etc., etc.

In the video, Scott Kelly suggests setting a schedule. I do that, but I allow flexibility. I decided last night that possibly I allow too much flexibility given the current circumstances where I am likely to be distracted [in my head] and kind of gaga…

So.

Starting this morning, I am trying a RIGID schedule with timers and alarms and Good Grief … JUST do it!!

It is a whole … approximately 6 hours since I started this and so far it is working well. We’ll see how things progress, but my thought was that if I put pen to paper (metaphorically) with tasks and times and alarms, etc., I would have a better chance of staying on track.

And the crazy thing, well so far, in the infancy of this implementation … what has happened is that I HAVE accomplished things timely and I feel so good about that and I have been able to [mostly] put COVID-19 OUT.OF.MY.MIND. … HOO … I say HOO-RAH :)

Today …

Sauerkraut in the making
Cranberry Marmalade !
iPad and iPhone keeping me on track and displaying the recipe … or other task info

I think/hope that I am on the right track to get my routine back on track.

Because …. Buck up buttercup, we have a ways to go!

And, of course, we always put time in the schedule for getting outside, playing and walking and just enjoying the beauty around, breathing fresh air and being very grateful for all of the good things despite challenging circumstances.

Making adjustments and finding beauty in each day.

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Gorgeous Autumn and back to work

I was told last Monday that I would have a new contract with my “bread and butter” client. I don’t have it yet, but we are back to work tomorrow and hopefully all will be “signed, sealed and delivered” this week!

Crazy! July 1-October 21. Nothing played out as I was told. Process was beyond frustrating. A large part of the challenge was that I was not able to speak to 2 of my best friends: my work colleagues … to avoid collusion in the process. Outside of my work group, I do not have any “tech” buddies as in people with who I can discuss programming and tech gadgets/paradigms. So, in addition to the frustrating process, I felt somewhat isolated from the technical. Not completely, as I was doing some other work and learning in conjunction with another consultant … we just had to avoid discussion of the process details. But, the need to be careful in communication so as to avoid even the appearance of collusion … it was a bit of a strain.

Thankfully, hopefully, over.

And I will say that 95% of the time, I was in a good place of enjoying a different routine, enjoying a VERY relaxed schedule, enjoying exploring “what if” the contract did not happen and just enjoying what turned out to be a very pleasant summer and despite 2 “Winter storms”, a gorgeous start to Autumn.

The things that helped keep me in the good place: Auggie and Emmett and time outside with them!!!, the opportunity to learn some new things, a few RV visitors that got me talking about everything and Phillipians 4:6


Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will keep your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.

And then 4:8


Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

So.

And now, here we are.

The owl was right. Well, I knew all would be well. What I didn’t know was what shape “well” would take and that is the uncertainty that in those 5% of the time … the kind of panic time … was difficult.

And overall, really, the worst case was not life threatening to any of us (Auggie, Emmett and me). There were and are fall back options.

I learned an incredible amount of things that I thought I knew :)

But primarily: count my blessings, enjoy what I have and my dear cat and dog and the beauty of where I am: EVERY.SINGLE.DAY.

And be grateful, always.

Mid January 2019

Last Saturday, January 12, 2019, Emmett was 11 months old!

In 3 weeks and a couple of days he will be a year old. Time flies. AND it is SO.MUCH.FUN. !!!

This is a “go to place” shot. The morning play was getting a bit much so I did my sing-song attention noise: “hoody, hoody, hoody” and then in a happy voice: “Emmett, go to place” and he did. The little sofa is “place”.

Auggie settles near by and treats are dispensed all around!

Friday, after a week of gray … sunshine!

Mountain tops visible on the afternoon walk.

And then a mini-winter storm.

Home.

Sticks, always sticks!

Emmett: 11 months old!

Saturday doughnut: sour cream old fashioned with chocolate frosting … yes, homemade!

Mid January 2019

Early November: entering the dark times

We did Fall back Sunday last.

We are in the “dark times” of less than 10 hours of daylight with another nearly 2 months to go until Winter Solstice.

I confess that I would not like to be any further north, but I do love the increased dark for the amount of time that we have it: cozy nights and mornings with fire and low lights.

All of the seasons and all of the light and dark – I enjoy!

Emmett came home with me just after we did Spring forward. We had a bit of snow when he was tiny. It will be fun to see what he thinks when we have snow again! The forecast is for a “warm winter” – BLECH!! We’ll see.

Meanwhile…

Unbelievable !: Emmett is 8 mths and we are closing in on the end of 2018

We are one month into Autumn!

Emmett was 8 months old on October 12!

Emmett has been part of the family Summers for over 6 months!!

Life is good here at 785 La Brant Rd. Emmett is growing into an almost dog :) … 14 months for physical maturity … 2 years for the rest, but as we are firmly into adolescence … and not too many “teen” issues … I am grateful! We are following breeder and vet advice to wait as long as possible to neuter. This is a “medium-big dog” thing of allowing time for bones and joints to mature with the normal hormones. There are plusses and minuses for various issues, but I’m going with waiting until we “need” to.

Emmett continues to be a joy to be with, to play and teach and to learn from. Auggie continues to be a CHAMP at tolerating Emmett’s lapses into “puppy brain”. I love them both with all my heart and am so grateful that they are part of my life!

Time flies when you are having fun and we are HAVING FUN!

And in addition to Auggie and Emmett fun, we are having an absolutely spectacular Autumn to date! Some cool-cold weather and in the last 10 days some warm weather and the color … it is just great to be where we are and with the time to get outside and enjoy.

From the last weeks: