September Focus: Kurt Vonnegut

I love Kurt Vonnegut. To be honest, though, it did take me until college to really appreciate him. I tried to read Breakfast of Champions in high school and was just not ready for it. Then I started reading him heavily during the summer of 2007 and really connected with him. I loved his writing style and I loved his ultimate message of people needing to be kinder to each other. Recently, I'd been thinking about him again so I dedicated September to be all about Vonnegut.

Here is what I read:

Slaughterhouse-Five  (reread)
Letters (first read)
God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater (reread)
Galapagos (first read)
Drawings (first read)

I also really wanted to reread Breakfast of Champions but the library was not cooperating with me!

A Road Trip Through Southeastern Oregon

A Spicy Little Apron

A couple Christmases ago, I made this apron for my mom!

This was one of those sewing projects where I learned so much more about sewing. I learned how to use binding, sew a button hole, make a ruffle, and use different stitches on my sewing machine. I was at my parents' house recently and noticed it had unraveled a bit after being washed. I took it back with me and mended it back up. I love giving new life again to an old project! 

Homemade Bread with Whey

I am somewhat obsessed with making bread these days. I blame the cheese kit that I bought a couple weeks ago. Ever since I started making cheese, I started having a lot of excess whey leftover. And what do you do with whey? Make bread, of course! Here is the original recipe that I used.

My first loaf of bread!

What you need:

2 cups warm whey (warm water can be substituted)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 packet dry active yeast

1 teaspoon salt
3 cups flour (white or wheat)

Here is what you do:

1. In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar into the warm whey. Then mix in the yeast and salt. Mix in the flour until just combined. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let sit for two hours.

2. Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Arrange the oven racks so that one is in the middle and one is directly below it.  Put your cookie sheet in the oven to heat it up. Pour one cup water into a baking pan and put on the bottom rack of the oven (this creates steam that keeps it moist but still gives it a crunchy outside).

3. When the dough has doubled, mix in any seasoning you may want. (I've tried oregano and basil so far but my favorite is cinnamon!) Knead the dough on a floured surface--only for a minute or so.

4. Put on your cookie sheet and cook for about 20 minutes or until the outside is brown.

Enjoy!

Steens Mountain

Stumbled Upon Favorites

Tourists from the 70s and 80s ...love this!

Love this dress. Thinking about trying to make one of my own!

Great pictures of women working during WWII.

I like this Only Note to Self.

Color coded photography!!!!

I love it when people do challenges like this one.