No more bright lime-green spring leaves for this elm. It was once a majestic and stately tree, dominating the area in the upper barnyard where it sits. It’s been dead as long as I can remember but I absolutely love it.
Juicy, full of life, springing forth with exuberance. Called Japanese Knotweed, it shot out of the ground a couple years ago, and grows about 3 feet a year. It’s nuisance and I will probably take the pruners to it before long. 
Disparity. Contrast. Antipodean. Oppugnant. Contrariety. Incongruous.
I like to break out the Thesaurus on a Friday morning.
I convinced him to turn around, so we could see his good side. He made sure to keep his eye on me though. This looks like a candidate for the 
Pine Siskins are finches, and in the winter they can be difficult to differentiate from Goldfinches, who lose most of their yellow. Pine Siskins keep their little yellow wing and tail spots though. They are not quite as bold as Chickadees, who will eat from my hand without much encouragement, but they aren’t very shy either. I had the 
I suppose I was actually the close one, since this is a finch feeder, and he is a finch. Pine Siskins supposedly spend the summers north of here, which is their breeding area, but we have them all year.
?
Because in reading over reviews, I found that newer Kitchenaids just don’t seem to have the same quality that they once did, even just a few years ago. And every person who recommended the Kitchenaid had an older one.
Add
Turn mixer back on and gradually add up to another cup of all purpose flour. I add it in 1/4 cup increments and for this batch used about 3/4 of a cup. You know you have a enough when the dough is only the slightest bit sticky to the touch. A little more or less isn’t going to make huge difference, so don’t worry about getting it exactly right. If you want to be just like me, you can forget to take a photo of this step.
I then removed the bowl from the mixer, oiled it with about a tablespoon of olive oil, and returned the dough to the bowl, turning it to coat all sides, and covering it with a piece of plastic wrap to prevent the top from drying out. It rose for about an hour, until it had doubled in size.
I turned it back out on my counter and after kneading just a few turns to ensure it was evenly punched down, I shaped the loaf.
Flatten into a large rectangle and turn each edge to the middle, pressing all along each seam to help it adhere. Turn the two ends to the middle until they meet and pinch together all of the seams. Roll gently to get it all smooth and shape gently into a slightly flattened rectangle with rounded ends. It’s hard to explain – I hope the pictures help. Line a large heavy baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle with corn meal, and lay shaped loaf on top of that.
It took only about 40 minutes to double again. Preheat the oven to 400º, and place a shallow dish half full of boiling water on the bottom rack. Brush all surfaces of the loaf with water again, and using a sharp knife, cut four diagonal slashes on the top surface – about 1/4 inch deep or so.
After 10 minutes, brush with water again, and then a final time 10 minutes after that. Total baking time is right around 30 minutes – it should sound hollow when you tap it and be very browned and crisp looking. Remove to a wire rack to cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing.
I was quite pleased with the result. A nice soft inside, surrounded by a crispy chewy crust and with the same simple but delicious taste I am used to getting from this recipe.
Pretty awesome actually.
Or all of this either
These have all been sitting on the front porch, hardening off, in anticipation of being planted in the pots I scatter through my flower beds. But, after weeks of above average temperatures, last night, tonight, and tomorrow night we are getting pretty heavy frosts. So into the tub go the non-stop begonias, the nasturtiums, the herbs, the coleus and the marigolds. [and lettuce – if you are buying a whole big bunch of plants, it’s a good idea to bring home a few things for the veggie garden too. it’s not for nothing that I’ve been married for for 32 years.] It gives us the feeling of showering in a tropical rainforest for a few days.
