Improving

 Today started clear and still..and was even at 7⁰ at lunchtime!

Still a trifle fresh..so I concentrated on reducing Stuff... starting with a boxful of all sorts.....that could just have been chucked out...good thing I didn't.

I found our original wedding certificate that I've been hunting for for years...a few addresses on bits of paper that will go in the address book at last... important souvenirs of my racing career... useful things that will go to the workshop...mostly sorted properly now, and a carrier bagful of bits in the bin.

I've gathered two more small boxes of things to sort ... mostly important, but that have been "put on one side for Ron"....meaning later on!! I'll look at them tomorrow.

My bedroom is looking better...one box of "should I mend this" and another of various sewing things are now with sewing and fabric in another room.

After a nice chat on messenger with a friend yesterday and half an hour on the turbo I had a reasonable night's sleep, only being awake at one point for a short while.  A tidy bedroom should help that too.

After yesterday's bread disaster...it looked as if I hadn't added yeast, but that is the first thing that is measured out...

I changed from 50/50 white and wholemeal to 75/25 white and rye...as that is what was in the cupboard! 

Getting somewhere now!!

Today's turbo ride was a lot better too..it helps to have the right music...a request programme with Gary Innes on Radio Scotland... traditional, country, pipe music. I loved the title of one piece"the dashing white eejit" !!

Tomorrow's weather looks hopeful, so I've done the washing already..well, the machine has!! 

It all sounds busy busy...but not really....the sorting has meant a lot of sitting down.  The bread machine did all the hard work making the bread.

It is only 9.20 pm....time for a short Duolingo lesson then bed and book!

Sunday off

A day out to the seaside at Ballantrae...no icecream, sand or chips...just homemade rolls.
Followed by a brief visit to friends before they had an evening out..and a promise to visit again.

Meanwhile the bread had been slowly rising...The sourdough starter overnight then the bread over the day as we went out...and baked with supper.

Pirate went for a walk after supper...and I forewent the pleasure of his company to use the vacuum cleaner...keeping the dust down for his eyes.

We have another beautiful sunset over the Clyde tonight....looking from left to right...

Pirate is looking distinguished...

gardening and woodwork

 The front garden is a trifle flowery...

 and a little meadowey where I can!

The washing pole was moved out of the way...

ice cream was well deserved...from the ice cream van that comes around from Paisley...

 Today's pallet construction...Pirate making my idea...

 bread tray rack for sowing and bringing on seedlings

and meanwhile my sourdough bread baking is improving...

Tomorrow, weather permitting we may construct a potting bench/flower pot storage/toolrack.....There are a few pallets just waiting to be used...

bread tasting

Tasty!! I'll aim for a bigger loaf next time..this is a bit small for sandwiches!!

bread!!

I'm in the process of reviving my sourdough mother.  The late Peter Goodridge and his wife Mel Brown (both potters) gave me a bit of their 12 year old mother, 8 years ago.

Despite being in a plastic takeaway box in a turned off fridge for 4 months while we were away, it seems to be ok!  I have a box of it in the freezer as well,just in case!!

The first mix was a bit sloppy...and very slow rising, but that isn't bad.

That's the bottom...the photo of the top crust is refusing to load!
Its still too hot to cut....

pause...

Plenty of inspiration....some pictures....a poorly Pirate..tooth abcess, and I don't think  the ABs have worked....plus he has developed a cough and sneezy runny nose cold....he WILL do too much when he can do,then has to recharge...

Plenty of things I ought to be doing...including getting out on the bike, more gardening, drawing, putting work online to sell, updating the blurb on my website........inertia/worry has won so far.....

 Not just a Dwarf Bread Discus...the latest edition is better, after buying an oven thermometer...the oven needs a new thermostat

 Ayr present

 and past

 garden growing

and Pirate Birthday Cards

washing!

Never mind what time you think it is, it is too late...or too early...for Cat Time!!

The day started with baking the sourdough bread I started yesterday evening. I think the ferment is happier with the warmer weather we have been getting as the bread was quicker than I expected.

It has been a beautiful day today, so I've caught up on the washing (four loads!!!) and dried most of it on the line outside.

I've had a visit from another potter, always something to look forward to, swapping notes and having another pair of eyes that sees the work from a potter's view.

Lunch with Mountain Man, a nice surprise, as I thought he'd be too busy getting ready for lambing.

Then the first proper digging and sorting of the year, moving the last two year's fruit cuttings and taking a few more at the last minute!

We have to remove all the tin sheeting from the Allotment Gardens by April. Up to now it has been too wet, or frozen solid! I need to find more wood to build a retaining wall in its place, this bed has a three inch edge on the right hand side and needs nearly a foot on the left!
The dreaded Cattail (Equisetum) growing strongly whatever the weather
Home to find that the people clearing land behind the garages over the back lane are burning rubbish...again. Mad dash to get the clothes off the line!!
Rain is forecast for tomorrow, I'll be back in the workshop!

baking and pots

I started the latest batch of bread yesterday-a half white flour, half granary sourdough- after lunch.

This morning it was nearly ready to go in the oven, so I had breakfast in a nice warm kitchen!

Bread was followed by gooseberry and apple crumbles , the gooseberrys (frozen) from my allotment and the apples, stored in my larder, from the orchard of the house where my Man was born. Then pumpkin to be roasted ready for supper tonight, and granola as the oven cooled.

The light was fairly good today, despite the rain. The high winds were rattling the garage doors on the workshop as I waxed pot bottoms. I'm using a wax emulsion for this- just open the bottle and go! No fumes!! I'd still prefer candlewax if I was decorating by wax resist, to get the flow of the brushwork.
I've waxed six boardsful of pots from two bisque firings, mugs and jugs and smaller bowls. Then a small fruit bowl, a couple of butter dishes and a pair of small platters.

There is still a mushroom trayful left, but the light has faded. Waxing pots under a striplight isn't my choice as it makes them look flat and mistakes are made. Real light is much better!

Now the curtains are drawn, the heating is on and it is blowing a gale out there. I can hear the passing cars splashing through the puddles.

Time to make a quick supper and do some paperwork. I wish for someone else to do the "admin" so that I could concentrate on the potting!

drying pots

pots on the top oven, good brown sourdough in the bottom oven!
I revived the starter that I had dried and got to making bread again.

Looks and smells fine...definitely not Dwarf Bread this time!

firing day

The kiln was packed a week ago, and fired on low to dry out for four hours last night.

This morning I rose at 5am, to start the bread for lunch, whilst in Abergavenny at nearly 6.30 am the kiln was re-lit for the firing in earnest.

As forecast the rain came back before lunchtime, and as forecast it eased in the afternoon ready for the salting of the kiln.
This happens every ten minutes for two hours, when a large serving spoonful of damp salt is put into the fireboxes through two spyholes each side. The salt vapourizes and reacts with the pots to form a glaze.

We tried different burners this time, using the gas at a lower pressure....and it fired better, quicker, more controlledly and also.....cheaper!!
This also meant that after a twelve hour firing we had supper and could relax, instead of firing into the late night or early morning.

Kiln opening next Wednesday...........

life, baking

Yesterday I made bread.

Life is better.

Stress is making me fray at the edges, so I got some ointment and a smile from the doctor, and a hug from Mountain Man.

My 'Mother' (dough starter) needs caring for and feeding every day, and so makes better bread.

I think that applies to me too!

The nights are the worst- I long for his company, and to wake beside him, wherever and whatever the time.
I look forward to when he can leave his past behind and step to the future with me.

Baking day

The bread is getting better. As the starter gets older, it is improving every bake, and I can use less white and more wholemeal flour-and not end up with a 'brick'. All I do is keep back about 250 to 350 grammes of dough put it in a floured plastic lidded tub. Each time I make a new batch of dough, this gets added in before the first kneading. It is nothing new, it is similar to sourdough baking and apparently there are starters out there over 200 years old- well mature!
So far today I have made a hazelnut savoury, a Victoria sponge with my blueberry jam, sultana, cranberry and almond tea cake and a nice solid parkin for mountain walks.

It has been a fine but breezy day. Mountain Man has been on the mountain, checking the ponies that are up there. One he found and she is fine. Others he saw and they saw him coming-and went!
So they look well enough. If they wanted him they would soon be at the mountain gate waiting for him.