May 28, 2012

• Bread, harp, and walls

  The last time I'd posted I had planned on adding some pictures but I didn't get it done so I decided to start a new post.

  When I dust the shelves at the library sometimes a book will catch my eye.  This time it a "Better Homes and Gardens---The Complete Guide to Bread Machine Baking".  I pulled it off the shelf and browsed through it.  The pictures were mouthwatering.  Now I have had a bread machine for several years and I've never been able to turn out anything that pretty.  Usually I ended up with a sunken crater or an overgrown mushroom that melted down the outside of the pan.    This book was chock full of scrumptious recipes and a lot of pictures to go with them.  I decided to check the book out and pull out my bread machine.

  Here are some of the results: Basic White Bread (1-1/2 lb loaf)

    Garden Patch Bread (2 lb loaf)

    Pumpkin Pecan Bread (1-1/2 lb loaf)

   

  I did buy Bread flour instead of all-purpose and think that perhaps that is why they turned out so well.  Also, instead of dipping the measuring cup into the flour I spooned the flour into the cup as the book says to do.  I do want to try one recipe with our regular flour using the Basic white bread recipe and see what difference it makes.  But in the meantime, we have to eat what I made first.  Unfortunately, that's not hard to do.  I am embarrassed to even say how many slices of the Garden Patch I ate.    Not good for the waistline, at any rate but ah....so delicious!

  Lavina has been saving her money for a number of years to buy a harp.  Her daddy wasn't sure that she ought to, not sure it was good stewardship, but when the next door neighbor's daughter-in-law gave Lavina a gift toward her harp fund, he crumpled.    Btw---that daughter of ours seems to be a little gold-digger.  Everytime we go yardsaling, it seems like people automatically pick her out and "give" her something for free.  I think its those beautiful eyes and cute smile with the pug nose thrown in.  Anyway, when she opened up her envelope at home it had $120 in it!  Whoa!   The neighbor lady thinks the world of Lavina and she has her helping her a lot.  So, Vernon told her that she could buy her harp.  She was soooo excited.  Here are some photos when she first opened the box, etc.

         

  Of course it needed tuning so we did that. 

       Funny thing is that we all love to play around with the harp....even Vernon.  He said to me the other day, "I think that's the best instrument we've ever had!"  Unfortunately, she didn't get any instruction booklets with it so mainly we've been picking out songs by ear.  Tiana who is very musically gifted, sat down and with 2 hands played Scarbourough Fair, with no sheet music nor had she ever touched a harp in her life.  It caused a little bit of jealousy but before long she had Lavina down beside her and she was teaching her to play it too.  So, without any lessons or books, Lavina can play one song.  I am impressed and excited to think what she'll be able to accomplish before she's done.  No, I cannot play with both hands, but can pick out tunes.  Only trouble is that I get mixed up.  With a piano the notes go from low to high (left to right) where the harp the notes go from low to high (right to left) so I get confused which string to pluck.

  Now for the major project I have going:  Painting up the front central stairway to the 3rd floor.  It looked like it still had the original (1913) paint.  Well, maybe not quite but it was very old and ugly.    Vernon and I did count about 5 layers though.  Here is some "before" pictures:

  A place where the 5 original layers are visible    Going down into the basement.  Furnace room door on left.

    A corner where we hadn't washed yet.

    Its not an easy job.  There are some problems that I am not sure how to fix.  Remember neither Vernon nor I are carpenters or masons.  The lower level seems to have some type of leprosy, although I think its mainly from being damp.    There's a huge crack in the ceiling that I am not sure how to fix either.  I am afraid if I start to mess with it, it might come down in a big hunk.    Maybe I'll have to leave well enough alone, unless someone tells me how to do it.  In the meantime, I still plan to paint it.

  Since paint is so expensive I have been buying OOPs paint at Walmart for 1/2 off.  Every time I found a cream, white or light tan I'd buy it.  Different brands but mostly semi-gloss....then when I had enough to mix I did.  Added some bubblegum pink and now have a soft light fleshy color.  I bought some dusty rose and burgundy to go with it but its too bright.  More like bright pink and raspberry.  So I went and got a pint of black and did some experimenting.  I think I can manage now.  I am not interested in a girl's bedroom up the stairs! 

  Well, I think that's enough for now except one parting shot of Kaitlyn riding Liz's miniature horse yesterday. 

   

   

  • 2:45 pm
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