guf5nktkqszlr

Hey, I finally got around to trying that sourdough starter recipe you sent me last month. It took about ten days to get bubbly and active, and the first loaf came out a little flat but the flavor was actually pretty decent with a nice tang. I fed it twice a day at first and then switched to once a day once it got going. The kitchen smelled like a bakery for a week. I think I overproofed the second batch because it was really sticky, but the third one had a good crumb and the crust was crackly. I used a mix of bread flour and whole wheat, about 80/20, and it gave it a slightly nutty taste. My starter is named Betty and she lives in a mason jar on the counter now. I have to remember to feed her every morning or she gets grumpy and separates. My kids think it is gross but I love the ritual of it. Next time I want to try adding some rosemary and sea salt on top right before baking. I read that you can also use the discard for pancakes and crackers so I am saving it in a separate jar in the fridge. Anyway, just wanted to share how it went since you were the one who got me hooked on this. Let me know if you want me to save you a slice of the next one.

I was telling my neighbor about that old wooden rocking chair I found at the estate sale last weekend. It was pretty beaten up with a cracked arm and some wobbly legs but the wood was solid oak and I could see the grain was beautiful underneath all that grime. I spent about three evenings stripping the old varnish off with a citrus-based stripper and sanding it down with progressively finer grit paper. The arm took some wood glue and clamps and I let it sit for a full day before I touched it again. I used a tung oil finish because I wanted it to look natural and not too shiny. It turned out really nice and comfortable actually. I put it on the front porch with a little cushion my wife found at the craft fair and now it is my favorite spot to drink coffee in the morning. The guy who sold it to me said it belonged to his grandmother and had been in the family since the 1950s. I paid forty dollars for it and I figure with the time I put into restoring it I probably should have just bought a new one but there is something satisfying about bringing old stuff back to life. BmRS3drPYWs My neighbor asked if I could look at a dresser he picked up from a flea market so I might have a new project lined up for next weekend. I told him I would help him sand it down and show him how to do the finish myself.