Faux Birthdays

Am I the only mom out there who is throwing party after party for . . . stuffed animals? Don't get me wrong, it's awfully fun and the girls do most the work {wrapping presents, coming up with games, mini-picnics}. But when a particular lovey {Golden Girl} celebrates her third birthday a week, I'm a little partied out!

A Country Western Halloween

A wish come true: Our family matches on Halloween!



I forgot to wear my own sassy cowgirl hat . . .
Clogging + Ballroom?


Ready to ride!
Ghost town at sundown

First Field Trip

{Thanks Amy V for the darling pictures!}

The Parties, The Pumpkins

The Witching Hour

An evening out with best girlfriends, all dressed up as witches? To die for!

north and south

The verdict is in: I read Elizabeth Gaskell's 1948 novel North and South and loved it. Loved, loved, loved it!

Not only that, it is even better than the movie, that gorgeous dramatic masterpiece. It will go down as one of my favorite books of all time. I loved Gaskell's exploration of human nature, our inherent distrust of the "other" and yet, our innate goodness. I love how she profiled the little idiosyncrasies in human nature {much in Austen fashion}. And, as should be a true marker of good literature, the story is incredibly relevant today. I couldn't help but see a mirror of the economic hardships of our time and the heated push and pull between "classes" that often results in hardship for everyone {think GM and Chrysler, bankruptcy and unions}. The love story at the heart of the book is but a metaphor for the broader themes Gaskell explores. And, N&S is refreshingly redemptive, as is the case with much Victorian literature. I won't spoil the ending, but the writing is immensely gripping and satisfying.

I can't wrap this up without mentioning John Thornton and my love for him that is slightly bordering on obsession. Thornton in the book? Even more intelligent and passionate than the movie version. Believe it! I love how Gaskell layered his personality and, alongside Margaret, we get to discover the heart behind the broody exterior. I hate always to bring up the Austen comparisons {only because I know every self-respecting, red-blooded woman has read her} but John Thornton is like Mr. Darcy unchecked. Mr. Darcy with raw emotion. Move over, indeed.

Not to leave the book's heroine out in the cold, Margaret Hale is refreshingly modern! She's strong and outspoken and unafraid. I love that she is portrayed as incredibly moral and able to engage when her opinions are challenged.

And while we're on the topic: Why in Victorian British literature has no one heard of Gaskell, yet everyone's read the Bronte sisters {Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights} and Charles Dickens. You've probably even heard about George Eliot {pen name for Marian Evans} and most definitely Robert Louis Stevenson. And William Thackeray {Vanity Fair, anyone?}. And Lewis Carroll. But Gaskell has somehow fallen off the map for the general public, and it is my mission to galavanize you intelligent book readers out there to go and read her books. At the very least, watch the BBC Masterpiece Theatre adaptations.

Post-Edit: It's worth mentioning that I racked up some overdue charges since I couldn't bear to part with my copy. I apologize to all those on the wait list! I finally bought this book for my library.

my mother's bread, part III

One of these days I'll write an Ode to the Bosch . . .

. . . but for now can I say how much I love my three baking experts?

And now, here's a bread recipe that I've been loving lately. It's one of my favorites because it's super easy and super yummy.

Easy Whole Wheat Bread
2 1/2 tsp instant yeast, or 1 packet active dry yeast dissolved in 2 TBSP water
1 1/3 cups lukewarm water
1/4 cup vegetable oil (i use olive or canola)
1/4 cup honey, molasses, or maple syrup
3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup nonfat dried milk
1 1/4 tsp salt

In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients and stir till the dough starts to leave the sides of the bowl. Transfer the dough to a lightly-greased surface, oil your hands, and knead it for 6-8 minutes, or until it becomes smooth and supple. {I do all the above in my Bosch mixer, which you can do if you have a mixer, food processor, or bread machine.} Transfer the dough to a lightly-oiled bowl, cover the bowl, and allow the dough to rise until puffy, though not necessarily doubled in bulk.

Transfer the dough to a lightly-oiled work surface and shape it into an 8-inch loaf. Place the loaf in a lightly-oiled 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan, cover the pan loosely with lightly-oiled plastic wrap {sometimes i use a warm, damp dish towel} and allow the bread to rise for about 1 hour, or until it's crowned about 1 inch above the edge of the pan. A finger pressed into the dough should leave a mark that rebounds slowly.

Bake the bread in a preheated 350 F-degree oven for about 40 minutes, tenting it lightly with aluminium foil after 20 minutes. Test it for doneness by removing it from the pan and thumping it on the bottom {it should sound hollow}. Remove the bread from the oven, and cool it on a wire rack before slicing. Enjoy!