Thanks for the Kind Thoughts!

Thank you to the many of you who sent such nice get well wishes! There are so many nice folks out in blogland. I am playing catch-up and will be visiting everyone soon. I managed to pass the stone and in the doctor's efforts to push one out, they shook another loose! Fortunately, the second one doesn't hurt and is working its way out. I go in next week for the pulverising of the one that remains that is too big. Don't know much about the procedure and don't want to! I'll find out the gorey details when I get there! Meanwhile, I'm feeling great again. I've been reading, baking and quilting! So let me show you what I've been doing aside from staying out of the snow storms.

I realize that you are a busy bunch but please take some time and read these books. The first is a facinating look at the food we eat. The author follows several meals from the corn in the field and the cows in the feedlots to the table, the mushrooms in the forest, and the hunter's contribution to the table. It is excellent, sometimes painful but a must read.
The second book In defense of Food is about what kinds of food make sense to eat, the dangers of the Western diet and what we can do about it. Much shorter that the first but packed with excellent information and suggestions.


I found this book recommended on several other blogs- Gardens By The Lake and Breadbasket Case. I had to give it a try and love it! For busy people who want to bake and not be tied to babysitting dough this is the answer. Not only does the book contain excellent bread and sweet roll recipes but also had recipes for things to eat with particular breads and what to do with some of the leftovers! The secret is that you mix- without kneading- four or more loaves at a time and store the dough in the refrigerator. When you want you take some out, let it sit (usually 40 minutes) then bake it off. Here I deviated from their suggestion of the pan with hot water for the steam in the oven and I substituted the Cook's Illustraited technique of baking it in the cast iron Dutch oven- perfect! The dough can be stored for more than a week so you have plenty of time to use it up! The one recipe I have tried came out crusty and good!

So here's the update on the quilt.

It's together and I've started on the quilting part. I am really happy with the backing I used because the colors are perfect for the top and it's a little jazzy!



Looks like this one will take me through the winter.

I hope you're all keeping warm. I have been dreaming of Italian Cypress and Olive trees!