Making Bread

Today I thought I would try out some more bread making.

This first one was a sour dough flour with water and oil  It rose a LOT; what you see is the top halves of the loaf.  The loaf had to be divided from top to bottom because it got jammed in my glass tray when I tried to get it out.  Yes, I oiled it, but it grew so much that it went over the rim.  At any rate, next time I shall use some cooking paper to prevent that from happening again.  Oh, and this particular loaf was done by starting it in a plastic bag.  I just love how easy the plastic bag method is.  It truly is amazing.   I also noted that it became a lot more fluffier if left to sit and rise longer.   Perhaps the extra kneading also helped { the removal of all the gases }.  Either way, This is a sure winner.

While I was experimenting with the above loaf I made the following one as well.  It differed by adding milk instead of water; butter instead of oil, and I also added an egg.  It came out much smaller - still quite good for a bread though.  It was also sweeter to taste even though they both had the same amount of sugar / yeast in there.  This loaf was started in a pot on the stove with all the little ingredients being added and the yeast ignited - then left for 10 mins, after which I then added the flour before leaving to sit for an hour, in the pot no less.

I think my oven cooks at a high temperature and I will be sure to lower it just a tad for the next round.

Thanks for visiting.

Paper Fish

We found an awesome paper fish activity/project for the girls to do:

The back is quite flexible too.

If you're interesting in making some cool and colorful fish, 

you can find all the details by clicking

HERE

Thanks for visiting.

Bargain Book Hunting

I just love our Sunday Market walk throughs.  I can usually pick up a good deal in the book department, and do so frequently.  This weekend I managed to find these bargains.

These 7 books in great condition for $5.  I did actually need an upgrade of a couple of these, so that was nice.

But the REAL bargain of the day was this little beauty.  I have his biography on Vincent Van Gogh and it is awesome.  So much detail.  Naturally this lead me to put this next book on my wish list - so when I saw it, I snapped it up super quick - for the awesome price of $1.  Yep, one dollar.

What book bargains have you found lately?  Do tell.

Thanks for visiting.

House Cleaning

For real.

Earlier in the week I discovered Marie Kondo on one of my gallivants on youtube, so I got inspired to downsize and clean a little.  It seems that hoarders and minimized living posts also move me to clean house at a drop of a whim too.  

I started in the kitchen because that is the easiest place to tackle without having to check in with other persons.  At that time I didn't even think of doing a blog post about it, my apologies, so I don't have a lot of before photos of this weeks work.

Cupboard 1

I had a thorough clean through with this lot.  When I began it was very convoluted and filled with all sorts of things.  It was being used as a kitchen catch all.  I even managed to throw out a heap of things - like jars and lids.  Yes, lots of lids, lids I'd been keeping for I don't know what.  At any rate, now there is plenty of room in there, and it's all tidied.  It even has a bit of room to spare.

Cupboard 2

Bottom shelf

I made a little space in a corner for all my glassware with lids.  That way I can find them in a jiffy { and the lids } when I need them.

Cupboard 3

Yes, I even got into the pot cupboard.  I removed a tray of packet mixes and moved them to the food cupboard.  I managed to part with a few baking tins as well.  I also threw out some more lids and what nots.  It's all very streamlined, focused and particular about it now.

Back to Cupboard 2

Top shelf

Before

A quick tidy up.  I moved the boxed cake mixes to the food cupboard.  Moved the plastic lids at the back out and gave it a quick wipe and voila - clean and tidy again.

End result.  It didn't take long either.

Do you have any kitchen cupboards that need a walk through tidy up?  

Thanks for visiting.

Week 26

I'm back and refreshed from my holiday over to the other side of Australia.  I went to see my oldest boy for 8 days + 2 travel days.   We also weaned Noah, who stayed home with daddy - I think it was perfect timing.  

Today I tried out making sour dough bread in a bag and here is the result:

The most success I've had with bread making, so I'm super happy with that.  It was also the EASIEST to do as well - so I'll definitely be doing re-runs and experiments with different types now in the future.

This week we are still doing the Robinson Curriculum and rather than just give you a chart of what the girls are reading I thought I'd give you a visual instead.

Chloe { 11 }:

Saxon as usual - one lesson a day.

And I swapped the writing portion out for this textbook usage this week.  

Just laying the foundations for Shakespeare with Tales from Shakespeare { Lambs }.

This book is huge, and has the complete collection.

Another huge book.  I've slipped it in under my science tab.  Just two chapters a week at this point, but we can always change it up as we go.

Yes, even text books can be used as readers - just do all the reading without having to exhaust yourself with all the busy work.  :o)  

And then a couple of times a week do a country as well:

For fun we're also including this as well, this week.

And this gorgeous collectable old time book as well.

And I think that  is pretty much what Chloe will be reading / doing this week.

Ok, let's move onto Phebe { 9 }

Saxon Math as usual { sorry no photo today }

And the writing was swapped out for this:

I just love OLD books.

From the RC list.

Good social studies reading.

From the RC list { Henty }

For science reading:

Hannah { 7 }

Saxon

And like the other girls, I swapped Hannah's writing out for work from this book as well.

I have a heap of illustrated classics - not considered RC by any means, however I like them, so we use them.  :o)  

Another children's Bible - I can't even tell you how many different children's bibles we keep, it's probably criminal and very greedy, but it makes it super easy to keep re-visiting those stories with slight variations.

Another old time GEM I managed to score along the way - Great Events and Famous People.

Today she read about the Boston Tea Party.  Tomorrow it is Paul Revere's Ride by Longfellow, yes, Longfellow - at the precocious and tender age of 7.  That is what RC does for you.  It doesn't hold you up till your old and grey - oh no sir it does not, in fact, it does the opposite, it opens the world like a rare and beautiful flower and let's you taste the honey before the bees make off with it.

And boring science - for the time being.  ha!

This week I'll be linking up with:



I hope you will join us.

Thanks for visiting!!