End of summer

Profile picture for user Floydm
Floydm on 1 Sep 2008 at 19:54
The kids are in bed, reading some stories before going to sleep so that they are ready for school tomorrow. For us summer is over. We had a great summer. The kids are old enough now that I can do a lot with them, so I did. We went camping when the lupin were in bloom... ...rafting down the river while our Chinese exchange student was with us... ...hiking to hidden waterfallls... ...and just returned from the coast. As you may have noticed, all of this activity greatly reduced my baking. Gone are the long quiet afternoons around the house while the babies nap, the perfect time for baking. Instead the time was filled with bike rides, hikes, trips to the playground, and dips in the lake. I'm not complaining, but obviously I've not been doing a great job contributing to the site. Thank goodness other folks have. David and Eric, the two bakers I just featured on the front page, have been two of the most prodigious posters around here. Many others have extremely helpful as well. My heartfelt thanks to all of you who've continued to make this site a pleasure to read and participate in. I hope now that the cool weather is returning and the kids are back in school I'll be able to get back on a better baking and posting schedule. I also hope to get back on top of the technical updates to the site. Thank you again for your patience and understanding when I fall behind here. Time to go turn the kids' lights out and tuck them in. Good night.
It sounds like you had a great summer and are happily adapting to the changing needs of your family. Enjoy them! You will have plenty time to bake when the nest is empty. In the meantime, the baking you can squeeze in is presenting your children with a positive role model in so many ways. Growing up with a father who cooked, both my adult sons are the cooks in their families. And fantastically good ones, too! More importantly, both are wonderful, involved, nurturing fathers. Whew! We must have done something right. The TFL web site is another "child" of which you can be proud. I'm recalling the discussions - about 9 months ago, I think -regarding your vision for the site as a place to which home bakers would contribute in a way that made noobies feel welcome and safe and wanting to join in. It's happening. Good job, Floyd! Errrr .... That's not so say we haven't missed you. :-)
David
Indeed, you and Eric and Susan and MiniOven and Paddyscake and Mark and many others have totally run with things here. It has been great to watch. And your baking this summer has been spectacular. I've had bread envy! Cooking with the kids is great fun. We haven't baked bread together lately, but we've been cooking a lot with things we harvest from the garden they helped me plant. Blueberry pancakes and zucchini muffins and such. Oh, the zucchini... when will it stop?!?
Zucchini falls somewhere between death and taxes, from which there is no escape, and rust, which never sleeps. It's been a good bread baking summer. I think I've learned a lot. But the list of improvements to strive for and new breads to try for the first time has not diminished. You know, I haven't made a challah since my senior year at that hard-assed college in Portland? Now I've got Maggie Glezer's "Blessings of Bread," and I don't which of her 47 dozen recipes for challah to try first! It's one of life's more pleasant dilemmas. A blessing, indeed.
David

Floyd,

Sounds like you had a wonderful summer. Very lovely pictures! Do you have the "Time flies to fast" syndrome? I can't help but wonder where it goes, where I'll find more of it and then be grateful for all that I manage to do even with the little I have.

I just brought two little ones to school this morning, one of them just starting preschool. Then I helped the bigger ones get their supplies ready for Junior High. That will leave me with my last little girl at home.

I have really enjoyed the discussions and sharing on this site in the last few months. It has been very nice to participate with a group of interesting and talented people. Thanks very much for creating it.

And I'm looking forward to seeing more of what you do.

Jane 

Paddyscake on 2 Sep 2008 at 11:46

beautiful summer you had! Thanks for sharing the pictures. Where is that waterfall..here in Oregon? and I love the otters. Will you be going to the Zoo to see our new baby elephant? Glad you enjoyed the summer...plenty of time to bake bread!
The waterfall was Oneonta Gorge. I'm sure we'll get to the zoo to see the baby elephant soon, but with school starting and a last minute trip to the coast it hasn't really registered on our radar yet. Would be neat though... it looks awfully cute!

I want to see the elephant SOO BAD but reading the headlines about the thousands of people standing in line at the zoo this weekend tempered that a little bit! ;)

 

Do check out the falls when you get a chance - but be sure to expect water up to your waist!

Oneonta gorge 

It's an amazing sight though!

to see Rose Tu's baby boy..the crowds must have thinned out abit! Yes..next year for sure, we will check out the falls..thanks for the direction. OK..so where did you camp with all the lupines?

CUTE!!! 350 already!! growing by leaps and bounds! Besides you...did the kids just LOVE him??!! Thanks for sharing!! I think in honor of Oregon's new baby Floyd should try his hand on Elephant Bread...  :  ) He did such a great job with frogs!!

Betty

Baking bread is fun, but the treasures of dancing through the lupin with your family, listening to water music as it carries you forward, and hiking into the musical crescendo of a waterfall are the memories that will feed you much longer than any bread.

Welcome back...

Toast

Marni on 3 Sep 2008 at 10:01

What beautiful pictures. 

I just sent my two youngest (twin girls) off for their first full day of school and they said they had a great summer.  I'm always hoping I'm giving them treasured childhood memories.  It sure looks like your kids are getting them too!

Marni