Bread victory

Well! I've finally caught up with the 2020 homemade bread trend.

I've made yeast bread before, but only a few times, quite a long time ago, and with my mom.

With everyone taking up bread-baking this year, even my little sister (who never bakes) tested out a recipe that she proclaimed "idiot-proof" and encouraged me this week to try. I went for it on Wednesday. 

After all the Great British Bake Off that I've watched in recent months, bread seemed very intimidating and fiddly. But this turned out just fine - and was a pleasant process. And I remembered more than I thought I would from my few bread experiences with my mom. 

So that's a nice reminder for me to do homemade things, even if I think the result will be mediocre (though really, how bad can a loaf of gluten taste?). 

Non-aesthetic photo:

(My girlfriend just leaned over and asked, "What are you blogging about? Am I in it?" She suggests that I might include a bread testimonial from her.)

"I think it's grand!"
- my girlfriend

Books read in October 2020

1. Tortall: A Spy's Guide, by Tamora Pierce, Julie Holderman, Timothy Liebe & Megan Messinger (2017)

Odds and ends about this fictional universe - only for the serious Tortall fans, probably (and even then not all of it will necessarily be of interest).

2. Drinking: A Love Story, by Caroline Knapp (1996)

This memoir was a bit repetitive - which reflects the reality of alcoholism, I think- and I adored the chapters about recovery (happily, more than just a cursory epilogue!). I was sad to read that she died of lung cancer while still rather young.

3. Goddess Spirituality Book: Rituals, Holydays and Moon Magic, by Ffiona Morgan (1991)

I love the homemade community gift feeling of this, and it was denser than I anticipated (because of the highly specific ritual suggestions). From the creator of the outstanding Daughters of the Moon feminist tarot deck.

4. Sandry's Book, by Tamora Pierce (1997)

More magic-focused, and younger in feel than the Tortall books. A reread, of course.

5. A Maze Me: Poems for Girls, by Naomi Shihab Nye (2005)

I really love how many of these are musings about growing up, what to keep from childhood, what to hope for from adulthood, etc., and I always love this poet's work, since always. I didn't realize I had already read this. I think I will buy it for my oldest niece next year.

6. Womankind #5: Ireland, edited by Antonia Case (2015)

The best magazine for when you want thoughtful and interesting and eclectic but also want lots of lovely images and for nothing to be very long. Blessedly ad-free. This one was lightly Halloween-themed.