Posts from the ‘Front Porch Musings’ category

Dog biscuits, Ciabatta and a movie

Not “dinner and a movie” :)

Even though the sun was shining, it was cold and snowy and we had bouts of freezing fog. I dislike going out and about when the roads are difficult and typically keep the pantry, frig, freezer and supply closet extra full so that I am not required to go out if conditions are bad.

But this week my inventory control failed me and a very full work schedule and “OH NO!” … the dog biscuit situation was dire!

These biscuits take me about 10 minutes to get in the oven … far less time than a round trip to the grocery. And Bear loves them!

On to Ciabatta.

Ciabatta is Italian for slipper and the bread is called Ciabatta because of its shape – kind of flat and square-ish. It has a reputation for being difficult because the dough is extra moist and cannot be kneaded by hand or easily shaped. It has more moisture than the “no knead”, high moisture artisanal doughs. Most recipes call for mixing with a stand mixer. I don’t have a stand mixer. The short story is that I adapted a sourdough recipe with a bit of mixing with my hand mixer and then used the long rise, stretch and fold method that I use for sourdough.

That is the dough before “shaping” … a blob. But folding it with a bench knife let me know that it was full of good gas for an airy bread.

Cutting and folding for rolls…

Success! As you can see, the “shapes” are not consistent. The extra large roll I “shaped” in a mini loaf pan to bake as a test. The others I folded and cut with a baker’s bench knife. They still spread haphazardly before springing up in the oven.

When I lifted the rolls off the baking stone, I was amazed at how light they were. And that is just right. Ciabatta should have a crispy crust and a very light and airy crumb.

Fresh off my success with Ciabatta, I received an email from the company that makes the movie software I purchased last week. The email noted the release of a movie app for iPhone and Android Phone. I got the app and played a bit…

***This has music. I think it is a bit loud so you might want to turn down your volume before you start the play.

So. Much. Fun.

Video: Morning snowshoe walk

A video! I took this – video at the end – earlier this week before we had a bit of a melt. As noted previously, video is not my favorite thing … I don’t do it well and struggle with editing … primarily because I haven’t spent time to learn. But also because I tend to like the subtle story telling of still photos.

However, some of the action stuff is fun – particularly Auggie, who is often like a “speeding bullet” and also very vocal … about everything!

The people I know, who do some video and might assist, all use iMovie on Apple operating systems. My only Apple device is my phone. I intended to use some of my Christmas holiday break to work through some tutorials and negotiate a bit of the video editing learning curve but kept putting it off and mission NOT accomplished

But, this morning, I did a search for “iMovie for Windows” and found a product that is supposed to be close-ish as in ease of use and powerful features.

Yea!

A promise of 30 minutes. A fun looking interface. I was all in.

I watched a quick tutorial and added my video. And then … AND THEN … it didn’t need editing! I was thinking that there were points where I turned or stumbled or talked baby talk that I wanted to edit out, but it turned out that I was ok with the entire thing. Maybe that is a good first try. The software does seem easy to use. I have some other videos that I KNOW need editing so I’ll take a whack at them.

But meanwhile…nearly 5 minutes of Bear, Auggie and I tromping through the snowy woods. I don’t want to oversell this – it is a simple walk :) !!

One of the stars after we “wrapped” filming…

… just hanging out!

And the other star … lying low.

Wrapping the holidays

I started Saturday with a mocha for motivation.

Putting the Christmas decorations away is never as much fun as getting them out…

Unless you are Auggie!

The boxes and paper are just as much fun in the putting away as they were in the taking out.

All is put away …

…until next year.

Moon and Memory

I have a long time love affair with the moon.

My mother tells of me asking “Did you see the moon last night ?” And this was when I was 3 or 4 and knew where the hands of the clock were, but could not “say” the time. She recounts that I said the little hand was on the 2 and the big hand on the 3, i.e. 2:15 a.m. – or in that neighborhood of middle of the night. I apparently got up and looked at the sky.

I still do.

Often, my dog gets up with me and so we do a walk down the driveway in the wee hours of the morning.

Last night.

It was early evening, not the wee hours.

Still.

I love the moon and the stars and the dark, dark sky of the rural area where I live.

I especially love the winter sky and the moonlight and moonshadows when there is moonlight and snow.

Last night, as Bear and I took a before bedtime walk down the driveway, with the moon and the snow … it reminded me of a time when Karl and I chased the moon in winter.

Before there were neighbors to my East.

When Karl and I walked the “loop”.

One night, late Winter, full Moon: Karl waited patiently while I captured the moon over the mountains at twilight.

It is one of those times when memory is so distinct. I was new to manual photography and was working with a “point and shoot” and trying so hard to capture the beauty of that moon and the mountains. All the while, I was conscious of where Karl was and that he was waiting for me to continue our evening walk.

It was nearly 10 years ago.

The moon and the memory of Karl with me.

Exquisite.

***the photo of Karl was taken on 3/2/2007, about three months before I started this blog.

It is cold

Between the time I took the capture and as I am writing … it has dropped to -8F.

It is cold here.

I have a knee length down coat.

And a scarf.

And Sorel boots.

I can walk outside, wrapped up, and actually comfortable!

The issue, though is on the unwrapping…

The issue is HAT HAIR!!!

As a local colleague noted: “Hat hair….got to be thankful for our first world problems! hah!”

Yes.

A first world problem.

Still…

It is cold.