Happy Saturday To All Of You

It's raining.  And it's colder than yesterday.  But my turnip seedlings are coming up in the garden and G said a few of the peas have sprouted.  A good soaking rain--well, that's the best thing for my garden so I am going to be happy with the rain.

I have a status report of the LCL (aka Bird Seed Bread) from the last post.  Yes, it does fill you up.  If I have two slices (mine break into chunks) for breakfast with cheese (6:30) I am not hungry at all at work.  Until 3 pm at least.  No, it isn't easy to slice.  No, it doesn't taste fantastic toasted, but it is better warm.  And the reported "good poops"---not really.  As one of the major ingredients is Psyllium husks (metamucil) I was thinking the bread would be a "serious" problem.  Will I bake a second loaf? Yes.  Just to see if I can actually get the thing to bake properly.  Will I add sweetener?  No.  Will I add as many sunflower seeds?  No.  Will I sub pumpkin seeds? Yes.  Will I sub walnuts for some of the nuts? Yes.  The hazelnuts are okay but hard to slice through.  I may also sub some ground flaxseed for the whole flaxseeds.

This afternoon I am making Red Lentil Dal for the first time.  The recipe is a community pick from Food52.  I am making it because I had all the ingredients right here in the house even though I don't have a clue to what "dal" is.

I have owed the jar of red lentils for quite a long time.  I don't even know why I bought them.  And I just had to run to check the pot--- those babies have grown in size.  I think I should have put them into something larger as the lentils have soaked up the 7 cups of water already.  I have to cook it long enough to soften the carrot and potato I added to the recipe (from the comments on Food 52).

The spices are mostly Indian.  So, to my simple mind, it will be a lentil soup with Indian spices.  I still have to add the coconut milk and the "popped" mustard seeds.

What I like about Food 52 is the comments from people who have actually made the recipes.  And they are honest.  Liking or disliking.  Adding or subtracting.  This helps because some of us are still in our jammies when we start cooking.

The rain stopped pouring down for "just long enough" for Riley to get his walk.  When G gets home, he will be so cold, but Riley will be a very happy dog.

I worked on pasting dry leaves to the little wooden bird house I got at JoAnn's.  I was thinking a leaf collaged birdhouse would be a cute centerpiece to a "fairy garden" at work.  You know.  All leaf covered, mossy with a little stone path.  So far, I pasted more leaves on my fingers, the scissors and the table than have actually stuck to the bird house.  Which is why I stopped to make Red Lentil Dal and write this post.  I still have tiny pine cones to glue to the roof.  And little twigs.

The boys are back from their walk.  I must go help towel the dog off.

Turns out there were more people and dogs out on the paths than ever.  So Riley got to run and play with dogs and come home soaked to the bone--with a big dog smile on his face.  A very good thing.