A quick house update...

...because everyone keeps asking.

Everyday, I drive by the construction site at least once.  It's so fun to see it happening (finally!) and I just can't resist.  Today there were probably 10 people working on various things around the site.  The job of the day (as it pertains to our particular home) was slinging rock into our foundation.  Early next week they should be pouring our slab.  I can't wait until they are framing! 

The best part?  THEY.  That's right...they are slinging rock, they are pouring our slab, they will be framing.  Not us.  Nope, not us.  We are busy too, however.  We are busy making decisions on things like flooring, wall finishes, door handles, cabinet layout, counter tops, lighting...the list goes on.  Those decisions, my friends, are certainly fun to be making!

foundation prior to the "rock slinging"

Ginger Biscuits

Okay, so they are actually scones but I can't stop calling them biscuits.  I think it has to do with the fact that I like biscuits better than scones (and I like scones).  The fact that I keep calling them biscuits is an indicator of how much I love these little treats.

A bit of history on the recipe...
About six years ago, I went on a search for the perfect scone recipe.  About a year and many many scones later, I found it.  As time has gone by and I have gotten more confident with my baking skills, I have modified the recipe to suit my needs & desires.  I almost always make cranberry orange or blueberry scones.  A good friend recently had a baby and I wanted to make some scones for her and her family.  I thought they would be perfect because they are not too sweet but sweet enough, a little bit healthy (at least compared to a cookie...we are talking snacks here), and can be eaten anytime of day (before breakfast, between meals, after dinner...after all, we need to keep those mama's fed!).  Her flavors are not cranberry and blueberry...her flavors are lemon and ginger.  No lemon was to be found so I went with the ginger.

At this point, I *think* I can claim this as my own recipe.  I have changed at least 3 ingredients and have modified amounts.  Anyone know the "official" rule on that?  Anyway...without further ado...

Ginger Scone Biscuits

3 cups flour
1 T baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 stick cold butter
1 cup chopped crystallized ginger
1/2 cup sugar (plus a bit more for the top)
2/3 cup plain yogurt or milk (I use yogurt)
1 egg

Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.  Cut in butter with a pastry knife or fingers until it's a fine meal.  Stir in ginger and sugar.  In a separate container, beat egg and mix in yogurt.  Add yogurt and egg mixture to dry ingredients.  Mix just until a dough begins to form (do not over mix).  Knead the dough a couple of times on a floured surface.  Pat into a rectangle about 1/2 inch (or perhaps 3/4 inch) thick and sprinkle the entire rectangle with sugar.  Cut into squares and place on a cookie sheet.  Bake at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes (until they are just turning brown).

Two important notes
1. Don't over mix (did I already say that?).  The less you handle the dough, the flakier the scone will be.
2.  I like them best when they stay soft after they cool.  To achieve this, you will want to really watch how long you cook them and try to catch them before they start browning.  It's harder than it sounds because they often brown on the bottom before the top so it takes a bit of guesswork.  This doesn't always work out for me and I'll tell you...they are still delicious if they are browned a bit.

simple laptop bag

A while back, Eric asked me if I could make him a small protective case for his work laptop.  Well, yes, of course!  Another project to add to the queue.  Finally, after months of putting it off and then forgetting about it completely, I managed to create this simple little padded bag.  It's a bit big but he wouldn't let me fix it and told me it was perfect (perhaps he was worried it would take another month or two even though I assured him that it would only take a minute or two).  At any rate, it should do the trick!

The best part is that I am finally getting good enough at sewing that I did this without any pattern at all (and it even has a zipper!), didn't make any mistakes, and finished it in under and hour.  Oh, and I didn't need to go to the fabric store either.  A complete success!

cheese please!

Homemade mozzarella cheese.  I've been wanting to make this since I read "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" by Barbara Kingsolver about 2 years ago.  She makes it sound so easy.  And, honestly, it is pretty easy - in the same way that making bread is easy.  It requires you to be home for a few hours and to be good at waiting.  The recipes say it takes 30 minutes but really, it takes more like 2 hours.  Or perhaps, it just takes me 2 hours. 

You start but curdling milk with citric acid and rennet (sure, those ingredients might sound exotic or perhaps frightening, but they are easy to find at any natural food store). You have to pay close attention to the temperature of the milk to make sure it curds at the right temperature.  Then you drain out the whey and put the curds in the microwave (you want to heat it so that it becomes stretchy - I think there are other ways to do this but the microwave is fast and easy). Then you start kneading it...this is when it starts to look and feel like cheese.  Add salt and you are done.  Mozzarella.  Better than the store bought stuff too!

All the requirements were met: it was delicious, I had fun making it, and it costs less then the store bought stuff.  But, for me, it's a special occasion thing...you won't find me making my own cheese every week.  It wasn't that I didn't like it or enjoy it but I'd rather spend my time doing other things.

done in time for fall

I love knitting because you can create something that will keep you warm out of a simple piece of string.  I love the juxtaposition of simple and meditative motions that can be challenging and complex.  I love it's portability. And, most of all, I love it when I finish something that I can wear!

This summer I knit my second sweater.  It's called the Shalom sweater (pattern on Ravelry for free).  I made some modifications which was brave considering I'm new to sweater making.  I added 3/4 sleeves and didn't do the waist shaping.  It took me a while to figure out the modifications and I had to get some online help from a couple ravelry folks.  Luckily for me, it turned out perfect.  Well, of course, there are a few mistakes here and there but overall, I love this sweater.  No, I really love this sweater.  I love it so much that I am considering making another one in a different color.

 photos by rowan

A memory of a summer day

Here I sit on this rainy night.  So rainy.  Not yet cold but wet, dark, and oh-so-reminiscent of fall.  I can smell it - the change of the season is lingering in the air.

WAIT!  STOP!

Before we go there...let's celebrate summer just a bit more shall we?

We were berry pickers and jam makers this summer.  Fingers were stained, bellies were filled, treats were baked, baskets of goodness were delivered to friends.  Then, after we could eat no more, jam was made.  We made strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, and peach.  Along the way, I learned some things.

• making jam is easy the second time
• using the right pectin is worth it (my favorite is Pomona's Universal Pectin - it works well low sugar or when you are using alternative sweeteners)
• it is better to make small batches of different types as the particular fruit or berry comes into season than to do the huge batch of one type (coming from the girl who is quite tired of last years blueberry jam)
• it's worth it to pay the extra money for organic berries
• kids can help (yes, truly help) and it makes it so much more fun to share the experience with someone 

all dug up

We went over to our property today to romp around in the dirt.  I've walked by everyday this week but I don't feel comfortable really looking around when they are working...especially when I have the kids in tow.  All the homes have been staked out (ummm, why does it seem so small?), two of the house sites have been excavated (ours will be next week), there are piles of dirt everywhere, and they have prepared the construction entrance.  It's a beautiful mess.

looking north

looking south

We spent some time digging with our "golden shovel" and checking out the equipment.

shhhh...don't tell them we let the kids in there

breaking ground

Lots of people have been asking me about this...and lots of people already know the news.  THE GOOD NEWS!  But, I will share it here because who doesn't love hearing good news (even if it is the second or third or fourth time)?

The second appraisal came in close enough for the bank to approve the construction loan for our cohousing project.  As soon as it became official we scurried around to sign the mounds of paperwork and went to City Hall to pick up all the permits. This past weekend the excavator rolled in and started grinding up trees and digging up dirt.

We are all giddy with excitement.  It is finally happening.  This isn't just building a house - it's way bigger than that.  This is building a community.  The massive amount of time and effort all of us have put into this is already worth it.  Watching this become a reality...i can't really explain it (my oh my!). After thinking for a while that it might not happen and completely "checking out," we are all of sudden going full steam ahead.  I'm still adjusting.  Each day that goes by, I get more excited about our new house, our new neighbors, this way of living that makes so much sense to me, to us.  Sure, it's different and some say it's rather risky but we are going for it...and boy, are we excited!

Eric watching the excavator break ground

As Eric says: Getting this project going was like pushing a giant boulder up a HUGE hill.  A few times it threatened to crush us.  We finally reached the top of the hill and now we are running like hell trying to keep up.

It's amazing watching it come to life after all the talking, dreaming, and planning.  Obviously, I'll keep y'all posted as we move forward and start building.

Finally

Well, yes, I am here.

I have been doing things, dreaming things, making things...things I have thought so often to share on this blog.  I can't exactly tell you why I haven't because I can't quite figure it out myself.  Maybe it's the fact that my sister took back the computer she was letting me borrow, maybe because it was summer and I was spending so much time outside & away from home, or maybe it was just because I was living...in the moment...something that I sometimes find challenging.  Regardless, I realized that a strange thing happened to me this summer.  I didn't take many photos (my camera is still "full" from our 4th of July trip to the east coast).  I wasn't checking email a gazillion times a day.  I missed friends posts on facebook.  I talked on the phone more (gasp!).  I went off-line for a bit.  And man, did it feel GOOD!

Now I am back. After all, it is *almost* fall and the rain is coming, as are the early dark evenings.  The kids are going to bed earlier.  Eric is back to work.  Routine has set in.  I'm feeling crafty!  So, get ready...perhaps now I will share all those things I have been doing, dreaming, and making.