Sourdough starter

Sourdough starter in re-sealable bag on counter.

Making our own sourdough bread is something we decided to try again last week. Prior to commercial yeast becoming available all bread was sourdough. We found that making sourdough bread was very simple, but does require a couple of extra steps. First, a starter is needed. This is a bubbly batter that serves as the yeast to make the dough rise.
We got premade starter culture from the flour mill in Redding and followed the directions it came with. Currently our starter is in a re-sealable bag on the counter. When kept at room temperature, the starter should be fed half cup flour and half cup warm water daily. If stored in the refrigerator, it needs feeding only once a week.
If your child wants a pet they could practice feeding sourdough starter to see if they are ready for the responsibility.
Several hours before making dough, a sponge needs to be made. This is a bowl of warm, fermented batter. First, remove one cup starter from the starter container and put it into a large plastic or glass mixing bowl. For starter kept in the refrigerator, allow the removed portion to warm up to room temperature. Feed original starter and put it away. Add one and a half cups flour and one cup warm water to the bowl. Stir well and set in a warm place for several hours, or overnight. This is called proofing. The sponge is ready when it is bubbly and has a pungent or sour odor.
The proofing-time varies. Some can be ready in an hour or two. Others take six to eight hours, or even longer. If we want to bake in the morning, we make the sponge and proof overnight. One reason ours takes longer is we use spelt flour instead of white flour.
This is the basic recipe we use: two cups sponge, three cups flour, two tablespoons vegetable oil, four teaspoons sugar and two teaspoons salt. Combine the ingredients and knead by hand for 15 minutes or 10 minutes with dough hook.
Put dough in a warm place and allow to raise until double. Next, shape into loaves and let it raise again until doubled. Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Then place a small pan of water on the bottom shelf of oven. Reduce oven temperature to 425 degrees and bake the bread for 30 to 45 minutes.
The recipe says to allow the baked bread to cool before cutting, but we never do that. There is just something about fresh hot sourdough bread with butter that cannot wait.
We also like to make pancakes with the sourdough starter. Use one cup starter, one cup flour, one teaspoon baking soda, one-half teaspoon salt, two tablespoons oil, one egg, two tablespoons sugar and three-fourths cup milk. Mix everything together while heating the skillet; a few lumps are fine. Cook until bubbles appear then flip over for about 45 seconds. Remove from pan and serve with syrup, jam, or fruit. Enjoy!

Marriage Bible

The “Marriage Devotional Bible” for couples.

This is the beginning of a new year. One thing we are starting new this year is using the “Marriage Devotional Bible” published by Zondervan Publishing House. It is in the New International Version.
The authors of the devotionals include: Dave and Claudia Arp, Bob and Rosemary Barnes, and Les and Leslie Parrott. They are all involved in many ministries and have written many books on relationships.
The Arps are the founders and directors of Marriage Alive International and have written several books including “The Second Half of Marriage” and “10 Great Dates.” The Barnes are involved in many ministries that work with families and have written several books including: “Great Sexpectations,” “We Need to Talk” and “Rock-Solid Marriage.” The Parrotts are co-directors of the Center for Relationship Development at Seattle Pacific University and have written several books including “Becoming Soul Mates,” “Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts” and “Questions Couples Ask.”
Devotions are provided for everyday in the week and one for the weekend in the “Marriage Devotional Bible” each written by one of these couples. It can be started at any time during the year. We just happen to be starting at the beginning of January. Also each devotional takes less than 10 minutes to read including the suggested scripture it refers to.
In addition to the devotionals there are book introductions which give an overview of each book in the Bible. There are also quizzes called “Just Between You and Me” which allow for discussion between spouses.
Another feature is profiles of couples in the Bible. These offer readers points of discussion and application to improve their relationship with God and their spouse. They show both good and bad examples of married couples in the Bible.
Indexes are also included to help find certain topics from the devotions, such as communication, prayer, intimacy and finances. Other indexes included are for the “Couples in the Bible” and “Just Between You and Me” segments.
For those wishing to read through the Bible there are several plans in the back that give three different ways to do that. They include: reading the Bible for the first time, reading through the entire Bible in one year and then also in two years. Then it lists each book of the Bible and a place to check off each chapter that has been read.
Other things included in the back are weights and measures mentioned in the Bible and approximate American and metric equivalents for them. Then at the end are about 15 pages to write personal notes on.
There are many other good devotional books out there, many of which we have used in the past. This is the current one we are using beginning this week. We would love to hear from our readers about new things they are doing this year.

CA Academy of Sciences

Albino alligator in the swamp display at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco.

San Francisco’s newest attraction is the California Academy of Sciences in the Golden Gate Park. It opened September 27, 2008. We went for a visit last week not fully realizing the crowds we would be facing. The member’s entrance line was almost as long as the visitor’s line!
There are a lot of displays to see and things to do. If the trip is planned right everything can be seen. We arrived early and bought our tickets. Tickets can also be bought online if you are sure which day your visit will take place.
Next we found the end of the line and waited for the academy to open. After filing in we should have gotten passes for a planetarium showing. Then we should have headed for the line to walk through the rainforest. We did neither of these so we missed them entirely.
Our first stop was the swamp where there was an albino alligator, snapping turtles, snakes, frogs and salamanders. The swamp can be viewed from above and below.
Then we walked around the lower level which included: the Philippine coral reef, water planet, Northern California coast, discovery tide pool and Amazonian flooded rainforest displays can be seen. There was also a tank of alligator gars which are actually just large fish.
Level one has many interesting displays but the one we were most interested in was the Africa hall. There they have a colony of African penguins which were quite active and fun to watch. The hall also includes dioramas of other African animals. This level also includes the research lab where visitors can watch scientists at work through the windows of the laboratory.
Other displays on level one include: islands of evolution, science in action, early explorers cove, the planetarium, building green, rainforests of the world, climate change in California and the academy gardens.
The next level houses an auditorium and 3D theater. Level three is the naturalist center where reference librarians and educators are on hand to answer questions.
Last but not least is the roof. It is a living roof that has a 2.5-acre expanse of native California plants. This creates a habitat for native birds, butterflies and other local wildlife. Visitors view all this on an observation deck.
Inside there is also a couple of choices for dining: a café and a full-service restaurant. Tourists can find souvenirs to remind them of their trip in several stores throughout the complex.
For those considering a visit we suggest planning a full day for the experience. Arriving early is a must to getting a space in the parking garage and then a spot in line. They close the doors to visitors once they reach capacity and those left in line wait until sufficient numbers leave before more are let in.
More information is available at the academy’s website at www.calacademy.org.

Gift bag ideas

At left is an old gift bag re-covered with new wrapping paper. A covered cereal box with lace trim is on the right.

Christmas has come and gone. Now it is time to clean up the wrapping paper and gift bags. Gift bags can usually be reused but some may look a little worn. But before throwing them out consider re-covering them to give them a second life.
Bags that are torn, wrinkled or just plain look worn out can be covered with a new piece of wrapping paper. This makes the bag ready for the next gift that you give.
We have three birthdays in our family that come within a month of Christmas. So we used birthday paper to re-cover worn out Christmas bags.
For us craft glue worked best to attach the new paper to the old bag. To determine the amount of paper needed we laid the bag on the paper to measure the height of the bag then added about four inches. We folded about two inches to the bottom of the bag and two inches to the inside top of the bag. This gave it a nice finished look.
Also if you run short of gift bags just cover cereal boxes or other boxes with wrapping paper. We first cut the flaps off the top of the cereal box. After covering the box using the same method as with the bag, we used a paper hole punch to make two holes on each side, then threaded a cord or ribbon through for the handles. We used scrap macramé cord for the one pictured with this article.
If no wrapping paper is on hand consider spray painting the box. Then glue the front of an old greeting card in the center for decoration. Rubber stamps could also be used to decorate a painted box.
Fabric is another material that can be used to cover a bag or box. To dress up a plain gift bag glue lace or other fun craft trim to the top edge. Look for ways to personalize each bag.
Always look through what you might have on hand before going out to purchase new supplies. If you do not have exactly what you want, think of alternative items that can be used instead. Be creative and come up with ways to recycle used materials and scraps leftover from past projects.
Other gift wrapping ideas we have written about in the past include: making gift boxes from facial tissue boxes, Sept. 26; sewing gift bags from the legs of used denim jeans, June 20 and a fabric drawstring bag, June 15, 2007.
Don’t forget to give a personalized card with your gift also. We wrote on homemade card ideas June 22, 2007.

Card models/P&P games

Top and bottom view of paper model skateboards.

It is only one week to Christmas. If the gift shopping list is longer than the available finances we have some suggestions that may help. Free print and play games and free paper models can be found on the Internet. Both of these activities are great for children and adults. All that is required is a computer with Internet access, a printer, paper, scissors and glue.
One interesting site we visited recently is called Phil’s Creations at http://sitekreator.com/thewoodengraver61/freepapertoys.html. The skateboards in our photo today come from this website. Other models at this site include a locomotive, “blowrockets” and a “spybot.”
In the print and play game category a good resource for game reviews is the “Print & Play” podcast. It can be found on iTunes, or on the web at http://printandplay.blogspot.com/. It reviews a wide variety of mostly free games. They even include seasonal games to help with the Christmas spirit.
Another source for information is the Board Game Geek. They have a list of free print and play games at http://www.boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/7351/item/117550#item117550.
We tried several of these games and have a few favorites. One is called “Cthul-B-Q.” It is a tongue-in-cheek card game about fighting monsters, taking them to your kitchen and serving them up on a platter. Each player is a cook, and they have certain cooking skill points and sanity points. The one that can cook up the most monsters without going insane wins.
Also we liked a game called “It’s All Chinese to Me.” This is a card game that has the players, who probably don’t speak Chinese, order food in Chinese, like they were in a Chinese restaurant. The one that actually get the most of what they order wins.
Another clever game is called “Pirates and Plunder.” This is a tile laying game where each player on their turn places a tile that becomes part of the game board. The tiles include ocean and island areas and can be played in a number of ways. Depending on the play, the tiles are worth various points. The player with the most points at the end of the game wins.
Some of the games are based on historical events and some are just for fun. Any family is sure to find something they like. And don’t forget the assembling. Sometimes that is as much fun as the game itself.
Our past columns on this subject can be found at the blog site listed below. They were “Card models” on July 18 and “Making Dune game” June 13.
Just a thought: “And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? [Christmas] came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.” Dr. Seuss

Angel Ornament

Angel Christmas ornament made from cellophane twisted paper ribbon.

Custom made Christmas ornaments give a personal touch as apposed to those purchased at the store. Over the years we have made many ornaments. Some ornaments we made for a special occasion and some just because we wanted to try a new craft.
One quick and easy ornament is an angel made from twisted paper ribbon. It is simple and inexpensive to make. Most of the materials used can be scraps leftover from previous crafts.
Materials needed are:
19 inches of twisted paper
8 inches 1/4-inch satin ribbon
Small ribbon flower
Small piece of floral wire
1 Christmas ball about 1-inch diameter
3 inch piece gold cord
Hot glue
The twisted paper ribbon is cut into an 11-inch piece for the wings and an 8-inch piece for the body. Untwist the paper ribbon folding the piece for the wings into two loops with the ends in the middle. Use floral wire to hold the shape. Next fold the body piece in half and twist the floral wire around the ends attaching it to the wings.
Hot glue the gold cord into a circle and then glue onto the top back of the Christmas ball to make the halo. Next glue the Christmas ball head onto the top of the body where the wings are attached.
Make a bow out of the 1/4-inch satin ribbon and glue below head. Also glue the small ribbon flower in center of bow.
The twisted paper is also available in metallic and cellophane types. These can be fancier than the plain twisted paper. If going for a country look the plain paper is good. But for a glitzy look the other types might be the ones to use.
The Christmas balls we used are the ones covered with silky type thread. Glass balls or other types can also be used depending on the look you want to achieve. A piece of gold pipe cleaner can also be used in place of the gold cord for the halo.
Depending on the desired look, other ribbon and flowers can be used to put the finishing touches on the angel.
These ornaments can be used as gifts in an ornament exchange. Also a set of six would make a nice gift for a newlywed couple celebrating their first Christmas.
For children looking to make their teachers or club leaders a gift, this is an easy enough project for them. Grandmas and grandpas would appreciate receiving them also. Just one note of caution, make sure an adult supervises the use of the hot glue gun.
Handmade gifts are always more special because of the extra thought that goes into them. Be creative and make something special for the ones you hold dear. They will be reminded that you care about them.

The Happy Tree

“The Happy Tree.”

Helping others is a way to spread good cheer. This should be our focus all year long and not just during the holidays. Several years ago we came across a craft that helps remind us of this fact.

Going through an old Nov. 1981 “Tole World” magazine we came across a little tree created to teach a simple lesson to children and adults of all ages. It is called “The Happy Tree.” It also gave the story behind the tree.

We got the idea for our “Happy Tree” from this article and created many trees to give as gifts to others hoping to spread the idea that happiness can come from helping others. The tole painting magazine tree pattern is only about 10 inches tall, cut from a one-inch thick board and sanded.

We used walnut wood cut from trees that had died in our orchard. Our trees are about 24 inches tall including the star by about 16 inches wide and 2.5 inches thick. We cut them with a chain saw and left them with a rough finish. Our trees each turned out slightly different shapes as would real trees that grow naturally. Also none of them had a “perfect” shape to them just like the tree in the story.

As the story goes this tree grew up a bit crooked and windblown. But he is not focused on looking for perfection but instead to offer his warm, loving arms as shelter to all of his forest friends. It was said that his protective boughs and smiling heart give joy to the creatures through wind, rain, heat and cold all year long.

The story continues to say that each Christmas the creatures would return his love with gifts from nature: berries and nuts for garlands, glittering snow for shine and a star from the heavens to top him off in glory.

We illustrated the story by painting the tree with garland, snow and a happy face similar to the one in the magazine. To be able to display our tree outdoors we used paint that would stand up to the weather. Then we cut a star from tin and used a nail to punch holes along the edge to give it a decorative boarder. We used a nail to attach the star to the back of the tree so it is sticking up above the top.

To hold the tree upright we cut a six-inch base from another tree branch. It is secured with nails to the bottom of the tree.

We encourage everyone to help spread good cheer all year long. Share your happiness with others. Christians can even share the lasting happiness they have with others. Show love to others as Christ loves us.