As Fall Marches On: November 12-18

And the Winner is...
Jenny from Academy of Thousand Oaks of my very first giveaway - My Memories Suite Digital Scrapbooking software. Congratulations! (Look for an e-mail soon with your prize information.)


In My Life This Week

Dirty, unorganized kid's bedrooms! Blue Spruce and I did a lot of purging and storing of clothing and toys, and have many bags of items to donate! ((wink)) Now, to tackle the utility room. I think I'm going to have to consume some A LOT of caffeine for that! LOL

But caffeine and purging will have to wait while poor Balsam Fir feels better. I thought the cold would pass him by, but nope! now it's his turn. And White Pine thinks he's next. This cold has made its rounds so hopefully it'll be gone soon.

Whatcha Makin' Wednesday
(Click on the sidebar button to share your fab kid-friendly recipes!)

Sourdough rolls! White Pine made some sourdough starter this past weekend and we enjoyed wonderful, tangy rolls. And making starter wasn't that difficult!

Sourdough Starter

2 1/4 t active dry yeast

16 oz warm water

2 cups all-purpose flour

In a GLASS BOWL, mix the yeast and water with a WOODEN SPOON. Let rest for 10 minutes. Add flour and mix. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let stand for 24 hours in a warm spot. Stir and recover and place back in warm spot. Stir for 2-3 more days until mixture bubbles and smells sour. Recover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Bubbly Sourdough Starter

To Replenish Starter: After using a portion of starter, replenish with equal amounts of flour and warm water. For example, if  you use 10 oz (1 1/4 c) of starter, add 1 1/4 c flour and 1 1/4 c warm water to remaining starter, stir well, cover, and let stand in warm place for 3-5 hours until bubbly. If not used at the end of one week, remove 1 cup of starter and replenish with 1 cup flour and 1 cup warm water, stir well, cover, and sit in warm place 3-5 hours until bubbly. Keep in refrigerator.

Sourdough Bread or Rolls

10 oz sourdough starter

5-6 oz warm water

1 3/4 t salt

4 c bread flour

3 T sugar

2 t active dry yeast

Place in bread machine pan in order listed. Select basic setting and crust color and start. OR follow your regular homemade bread kneading and double rising then bake as a loaf or 12 rolls.

Homeschooling Happenings

What excitement! THE CATALOG came in the mail this week. The Trees POURED over THE CATALOG excitedly, making lists, researching and making plans. Those plans went into effect immediately with White Pine sawing down a decrepit wooden trellis in the woods and repairing it for plant support. And there's discussion of digging up a large portion of the yard with a rototiller...What CATALOG? This one of course! LOL

Gurney's Seed and Plant Catalog

Did you see my entry on A Day in The Life: Fall edition? Check out what we did on Monday hour-by-hour here!

And don't miss our nature studies here! We studied the Eastern White Pine!

On Our Bookshelf

Out-and-About

• Grandpa and Nannie with cousin Noodle visited over the weekend, bringing their 9-month-old Collie puppy...who gnawed on White Pine's glasses. ((sigh))
• Sugar Maple, Balsam Fir and Noodle built "science labs" at Lowe's Build and Grow.
• The boys next door came over the "hang out".
• White Pine and Balsam Fir had scout meetings.
• ♫  Sugar Maple had a clarinet lesson. ♫
• Sugar Maple went to Kid's Book Club and Balsam Fir went to PJ Storytime at the library while White Pine volunteered.
• Sugar Maple had 2 basketball practices.

Our Favorite Thing This Week

Chee, our almost 27-week-old Americana-Barred Rock hen, laid her first egg! Our first egg from our flock of chickens that we incubated from eggs this past spring. Balsam Fir was SUPER excited and got to bring the egg inside. Now, who gets it for breakfast?!

Chee Laying in the Coop

Our First Egg!

Questions/Thoughts I Have

Do you have a favorite Christmas or holiday ORNAMENT-MAKING craft that you do with the kids?

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