A Different Life II

[Lily&Me]

I did look into it, and sweet son helped me set up Emergency ID info on my IPhone.

Without unlocking the phone, tapping Emergency on the lock screen brings you to the screen with *Medical ID on it.

Tapping that opens the Medical ID portion of the Health app, that comes with the phone, allowing first responders to access critical health information and emergency contacts...all without your phone being unlocked.

[Air Cruiser]

Maggie, that is interesting, I had no idea. My phone is a “6”, and does not have that capability. I’m wondering which one i would have to purchase to have that function.

Thanks.

Deb

[Lily&Me]

Hi Deb, and I have no idea.

My phone isn’t much beyond the 6, being almost 2 years old, and the newer ones also allow you to call 911 from the lock screen.

Mine requires 5 taps on that button on the side for 911...still better than entering 6 numbers.

How is your hubby doing?

Maggie

[Lily&Me]

Making this Dutch Oven Bread, or any homemade bread, always makes me feel a bit like “earth mother” ...

My new favorite add-in is 2 tbsp coarse yellow grits (sold as polenta in the Nawth ), covered with about 1/2 cup boiling water.

Cover, let stand about 30 minutes, mix into your bread as usual, adjusting the water down perhaps 1/4 cup.

Yummy, chewy, nutritious, good-for-you bread.

[Lily&Me]

I haven’t posted this recipe in a couple of years, so thought I would...anyone can make this, and it will make you feel good to eat it, and to serve it to your friends and family.

Maggie's Dutch Oven Artisan Bread
(an adaptation of Jim Leahy's "No Knead Artisan Bread")

Basic Loaf Ingredients.....for a 12", 5 quart or larger DO:

3 cups unbleached white flour
3 teaspoons vital wheat gluten (Red Mill, top shelf of baking section in your grocery store)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups lukewarm tap water
Extra flour for shaping
Coarse cornmeal

Variations

Substitute 1 cup unbleached white flour for 1 cup whole wheat flour
Substitute 1 cup unbleached white flour for 1 cup rye flour, add 2 tablespoons caraway seed
Add 1/2 cup uncooked steel cut oats, cracked wheat, 7 grain cereal, etc., to flour mixture
Substitute 1 cup unbleached white flour for 1 cup 7 grain bread flour mix, reduce salt to 1 teaspoon
Add 1 cup dried cranberries, 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans and grated rind of 2 oranges to flour mixture
Add 1 cup raisins or chopped dried apple, 1 cup chopped nuts and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon to flour mixture
Whisk 1/2 cup cooked, cooled oatmeal into warm water before adding to flour mixture, reduce water by 1/4 cup

Optional add-ins:

2 tablespoons one of the following:

ground flax meal
coarse cornmeal
wheat germ
wheat bran
sesame seeds
(whatever you might like...dried herbs?....use your imagination)

Tools needed:

Large, 3-4 quart, bowl

Heavy whisk, beater or wooden spoon, rubber spatula
Elastic bowl cover or similar item
Waxed paper
Parchment paper

Step 1--mix: The day before baking, mix all dry ingredients together in bowl. Add warm water and stir/turn by hand until all flour is incorporated. Dough will be wet and sticky, rather the consistency of a biscuit dough. Scrape bowl down with spatula, cover with elastic bowl cover and set aside at room temperature 18-24 hours. Exact amount of time is not important. When ready, dough will have at least doubled in size and appear spongey.

Step 2--shape/rest: Prepare a sheet of parchment paper, cut generally to fit the inside bottom of your DO, sprinkling generously with coarse cornmeal, oats, wheat bran, etc. Set aside.

Sprinkle a few tablespoons of flour onto a sheet of waxed paper or other work surface. Scrape dough from bowl onto floured surface. Using the floured wax paper to begin, gently fold and press edges of dough toward center, about 6 times, shaping into a rough rectangle or square. Pinch edges together, brush any seriously excess flour from dough and place seam-side down onto prepared parchment paper.

Place parchment paper bundle back into your bowl. Cover with bowl cover or saran wrap and let rest about one hour.

Step 3--bake:

At home...about 45 minutes into resting period, put Dutch oven in your oven and set to 450 degrees.

15 minutes later, remove bowl cover, snip dough across top, 2-3 times, lift dough by parchment paper and set quickly into preheated DO.

Replace lid and bake covered for 30 minutes. Remove lid, slide parchment paper out from under dough, and bake 10-22 more minutes, til brown and crusty.

Cool thoroughly on wire rack before slicing


With charcoal...

About 30 minutes into resting period, start 45 charcoal briquettes. When nearly ready, put lid on DO and arrange briquettes, 33 on top and 12 beneath.

Let preheat/finish a few minutes, while you prepare your dough.

Remove bowl cover from dough. Snip top of dough 2-3 times with sharp scissors. Sprinkle with wheat bran, seeds of your choice, cornmeal, oats, etc., if desired. Lift dough by parchment paper, place all quickly into oven and replace lid.

Bake 30 minutes, rotating top and bottom..... opposite directions, 45 degrees each...... at the end of 15 and then 30 minutes.

***After the 15 minutes rotations, arrange charcoals on lid around outer edge for remainder of baking time.

***After the 30 minutes rotations, take a quick peek inside to check browning, and replace lid about 1/4" ajar, to allow steam to escape and crust to dry and crisp. Wind will affect how hot your top coals become, so watch carefully. If a very windy day, remove about 9 coals around at this point, if bread is becoming too dark.

Bake about 10 minutes more, lid ajar, about 40 minutes total. Bread will be browned and feel light and hollow when done.

Remove loaf carefully to wire rack and let cool before slicing. If you cut too soon, interior will be damp and sticky. Bread should be airy and porous, crust crisp and chewy.

Store when completely cool in plastic bag or other airtight container.

This is a very easy and very forgiving dough. If it seems too soft, too firm, or otherwise not just right....bake it anyway and try again next time. It will still be delicious.

https://files.acrobat.com/a/preview/...8-9d6475e73140

[Lily&Me]

When I last looked at the weather last evening, we were on the lower periphery of a storm that was going to do most of its damage well north of me...we were expected to get a mere 1-2”.

Got up this morning to about 4” covering the car, which I had not put in the garage, and this forecast, predicting 8-12”.

This is heavy, wet, snowman snow....on a Saturday.

The kids will be out in droves, having a blast.

[Air Cruiser]

Hi Maggie! Thanks for asking — he’s doing great as in how he’s doing after his massive heart attack last Dec., also still doing fantastic in the prostate area after the prostate cancer two years ago. However, we were at the eye surgeon yesterday and they at first thought he had a torn retina, after further examination, that area has scare tissue and they’re going to do a watch and see with him. At first he was told it would either be laser surgery or regular surgery and removing the vitreous gel and replacing with saline. Good to hear surgery may not be needed!

I wasn’t even aware of the six taps on the side of my phone for 911 — there are probably many more things I could do with mine if I only knew.

That snow doesn’t sound like fun, I’m so ready for Spring and warm weather!

Take care. Deb

[Lily&Me]

Good to hear, Deb.

As the winds shift, they keep changing our projected amounts of snow here, but we have had sleet and heavy snow off and on all day....and predicted to continue til 9-10 pm tonight.

Tomorrow will be a shovel day, tho I did get out early and move the car into the garage, so it will not be a frozen, crusted mess.

[Airtandem]

Maggie, STAY IN,HIRE IT DONE!
MIKE

[Lily&Me]

At the height of the storm here on Saturday, we were having a full-fledged, Midwest blizzard....heavy, heavy snow, and equally heavy winds.

Sunday morning, 9-10” in my driveway, which I did shovel out, in two parts...no problem, and an early Dr’s appt Monday morning required that I be able to get out of my driveway.

Not only did snow from the storm need to be removed, but the bottom of my drive had about twice as much there from the city plows clearing the street.

Since, daytime temps have been well above freezing, plus it has been raining, so most of the snow is gone and the yard is a slushy mess of standing water.

Good for the farmers, I remind myself...the fields need the moisture. When you live in farm country, you pay attention to these things.


Have been working on some small things around the house the past few days...spring spruce up time is upon me, and everything catches my eye.

I figured out how to rotate the blade in my box cutter...so as to have a razor sharp blade for the task at hand, you know...and got that done, the cutter reassembled, and the task successfully completed without cutting myself.

Not a big deal, some might say, but another something I haven’t done before, and would have in the before deferred to the more nimble Doug.


There is so much distressing news these days...just a few which make me shake my head being the repeated instances of shoot, and shoot to kill, first, by police...for which it seems there is no accountability... and the latest revelation in the Larry Nassar sexual assault scandal.

Nassar’s boss not only protected him, but was perpetrating abuses of his own. That’s not surprising, of course, as there are always those who know and protect, but the scale is still dumbfounding.

What is happening, how in particular has the latter victimization been able to occur on such a massive, systemic scale in different venues over decades?

I have theories, but cannot speak to them here. Pray for this country, and for the world.


On a more positive note, I had a jumbo skein of this soft, pink baby yarn in my stash, and am turning it into my latest prayer shawl.

Such a gorgeous, spring-like color.

Maggie

[Lily&Me]

It started snowing here mid day yesterday, continued into the night and there was 4 inches or so when I got up this morning...and 12 degreees at 6:30 am.

It’s one of those springs.


I got to thinking the other evening that I should see if I could get a few days in the beach campground at Edisto in May...got online and there was one site with consecutive days free...5, to be exact, and I suspect I stumbled upon someone’s recent cancellation.

Snapped it up, and will make about a 3 week trip out of it, as it will be a beautiful time to be in that part of the country.

Looking forward to some Edisto time sooooo much.

I spent a night in the Live Oak campground last year, the beach campground not yet reopened after the hurricane.

Am interested in seeing what changes the storm brought...I have heard the dunes were essentially destroyed, and suspect all or most of the palmettos are gone.

I careth not, it’s the beach I go for.


Have gotten a little yard work done, on our few recent days hospitable to such tasks...trimming grasses and cleaning out beds. New plantings from last year all seem to have survived the winter, sending up green shoots and looking reasonably happy...now, if they can survive the spring.


Resuming my volunteer work this afternoon, after the winter hiatus that started with planned travel.

Between appointments and tests and follow up for this and that, in addition to weather , I’ve just let it lay til now.

Just seemed for the best, but time to get back in the saddle and do my small bit.


I heard from a friend here, after my last post, calling out my comment on what I view as instances of police excessive use of force.

No offense was meant by me, and if anyone else rolled their eyes a bit, let me tell you what I told this person...I know full well that news reports reflect the aberrancy of only a few of the many, many dedicated and focused law enforcement officers out there, one of whom is a family member.

It’s the videos that are so shocking and distressing, and, like dna, they paint a picture and document facts that verbal narrative does not.

I believe, personally, that the perceived threat definition needs some fine tuning.

We determined, after some sharing of thoughts, that we were actually both on the same page.

I always appreciate direct and straightforward to those who prefer to talk behind ones back.

Thanks, but no thanks, to those people in my life.


Not much else going on here, but I’ve been told the thread has been very quiet and didn’t want anyone to worry.

Maggie

[Hittenstiehl]

Oh my, snow for Easter.

I remember as a child living in colder climates Easters that were way too cold for my little white socks and bare legs. Those were the Easters that required a coat over a pretty dress and white tights.

Having lived in Southern Arizona now for many years we often find ourselves out of touch with the weather the rest of the country experiences.

We have a very nice collection of jackets that we have had to purchase on many a trip where we were woefully underdressed and needed a slightly heavier jacket than the ones we brought.

We had our breakfast and backyard egg hunt at 9 yesterday morning just to avoid the 90 degree heat we were forcasted.

Edisto sounds a lovely respite from a lingering cold trend. Maybe when you get back winter will have finally made way for spring.

Wonder what the storms did for your big beautiful shells on the beaches.

[mimiandrews]

Sorry to hear you're still dealing with snow. I'm starting to mow grass, and I still have 'way too much of it to mow. I'll be glad to get to the new place with a much smaller yard.

Wildflowers around here are blooming. The mesquite trees have put out leaves, and that's supposed to be the definite, positive, absolute sign it's Spring in Texas.

[Lily&Me]

Wow, mowing grass, Mimi.

I have lilies, hyacinth and tulips coming up, so if the weather settles down here pretty soon, there will be flowers.


As I readied to leave my volunteer spot this afternoon, two of the nurses there thanked me for all I do for them.

I don’t do that much, but am reliable and consistent and conscientious...very much appreciated that they took a moment to speak the words.

Maggie

[bugsbunny]

I saw my first crocus here in NH a couple of days ago.... Come on Spring!

[mimiandrews]

Anyone who volunteers as you do deserves much appreciation. Glad someone spoke up and thanked you.

[Lily&Me]

I was pleasantly surprised.

We all like to know our efforts are appreciated...taking a moment to acknowledge someone’s smile, helpful manner, kindness, etc., is not only good for the other but good for us.

Do it... speak the words.


Snow flurries in the night, currently 25 degrees with a wind chill of 12.

This is why we don’t dewinterize around here til mid-to-late-April.

I’m out of firewood this past week or so, but for the last small pile in my box on the hearth...which will remain unburned so as to decorate my hearth til fall.

I miss my fires, but by this time in the season not the steady choring of it all.

Maggie

[Lily&Me]

You know, I hadn’t thought about going to Edisto this spring until the other evening, when the thought literally just popped into my head.

Got online early the next morning and found one site in the beach campground with multiple nights (5) free in the first half of May....likely someone’s recent cancellation, at a time when I could be there, which I was able to snap up for my own.

Mine...5 nights, last minute, at a beloved place I wasn’t able to make my usual journey to this past winter.

Coincidence, or just pure luck? Maybe.

A nudge from Doug on the other side, to go to a place that comforts me, evokes wonderful memories and happy times? I think more likely.


Cardinals were always “his” bird, and I have taught the grandkids to also believe that his spirit may be near, watching over, letting them know, when they see one. I want them to think of him, and to feel that he loved them.

My son comes for lunch most Wednesday’s, and frequently comments on the presence of a male cardinal in the shrub just outside my front door.

That cardinal has been ever-present these past few months, sometimes with his bride...did you know cardinals can live to be 15 years old, and that they mate for life?...but most often, just his brilliant red self.

He was singing loudly and with seemingly great intent from a nearby tree, when we returned from the very emotional trip to New Orleans. Coincidence? I think not.

One recent afternoon, he perched for a moment on the window sill outside one of my front windows, looking in thru the glass.

Lily rapidly deployed and scared him off, of course, but still...

I feel especially encouraged and watched over these past few months...which have been difficult for several reasons, not all of which I’ve shared here. Life, ya know.

Coming out the other side, that cardinal has seemed to have been an insistent presence....reminding me to keep my mind and heart open to signs our loved ones don’t leave us, just because their physical body has died.

If you believe it, you will see it, and you will feel it.

A good thing.

Maggie

[Lily&Me]

Woke this morning to about 3” of fresh, heavy snow coating everything....the prerequisite, preceding, rain-turning-to-snow leaving a coating of ice beneath.

Almost entirely melted by this hour, with temps rising this week and to be in the low 70’s in a few days...hurrah, please, let this be the winter’s end.


Lily and I made a run to the cemetery over the weekend. With a temporary break in the weather, it seemed the thing to do...so there are fresh, tho silk, red roses placed into the rock-filled planter I put at Doug’s grave last year, and the grave now tidied and readied for spring.

Widow tasks.

There is a large plot at the west end of tiny Grace Hill Cemetery that is reputed to be natural, original prairie....unmowed, uncultivated, just let be, as a reminder to visitors of times and people past.

I like it...part of the old pioneer ways reflected in this beautiful place.

It had been carefully burned down when we arrived, and another controlled burn was happening by the road on the north side. The burns have something to do with regeneration....

Descendants of one of the first families here mows and cares for this cemetery, and do an excellent job. It has to be a bit labor-intensive, given the hilly location at the top of a winding, dirt road, but they do it, and with love and devotion.

No roads in Grace Hill, just wagon ruts dating back to the early burials, that run thru the center and effectively guide the modern vehicles of today without marring the history underfoot. I like it.


Yard work beckons, and I am ready for a bit warmer weather and the ground to dry up a bit.

But first, we are on jury duty all week...when I must be prepared with just over 12 hours notice to appear at the courthouse by 8:30am each day, Lily first dropped off with my son.

Like I did this morning. Alarm set for 5 am, full makeup on, hair as “done” as I do it , nice clothing, parked and thru security in a timely manner so as not to be late.

Repeat each day thru Friday, if my number comes up.


Maggie

[Lily&Me]

I’ve been hauling and laying rock today....for the new bed of mulch beneath my red leaf maple (aka Caleb’s tree) in the front yard.

Roots to this tree have appeared at the surface, and are snaking their way underneath the driveway and foundation of my house....oh no, no, no, no, noooooo.

Googling how to remedy this problem, mulching is recommended to help the tree better hold moisture, so three bags of mulch and 210lbs of the same Wisconsin boulder that went ‘round the house last year....and I now have a lovely bed beneath that 13 year old tree.

I hope that does the trick, as I would hate to have to take it down.


Also picked the Interstate up this afternoon and brought it home to the driveway....after getting a jump start from AAA. I had neglected to think about running the engine this past 6 months’ hiatus, until 10 days or so ago...when the engine would not start.

Engine light was also on by the time I got home. so if that persists we will need to make a visit to the Dodge dealer here.

It has been sitting for 6 months, un-driven and un-tended to.


I feel...surprisingly...slightly hesitant about eventually setting out on a trip.

Post stroke.

A small one, but it was still a bit of a jolt to the physical equilibrium of my life.

I’m healthy and doing well, am going to be as prepared as I can be, and just go, but am more cognizant of my own mortality....and noticing.


Maggie