GREEK LENTIL - DALLAS 2X4 ART - 8TH GRADE SHOP PROJECT - MIX TO BREAD BAKE UNDER AN HOUR

Soup pic from Lady Fox Hat up north. 

"Greek Lentil.  Used red lentils, not those gross green ones." 

She is a great cook, colorful in her meal descriptions and I would request a second helping from this pot. 

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Dallas 2 x 4 art on October 29, 2019. Apparently all the framing on this new house had just been completed. 

Dallas 2 x 4 art on October 30, 2019 after the tornado passed through. 

Most likely 2 x 6 art. Can you imagine the lumber that must have been flying in this neighborhood when that tornado passed through. 

We were visiting brother-in-law in Dallas that day/night. 

My wife yanked me out of bed and drug me to the tornado shelter in her brother's garage. Underground it is. 

Half-asleep and a little pissed off at being pushed underground while everyone else is yelling at me to get a move on. I am not a nice man under these kinds of conditions right out of the blue. 

I complied until brother-in-law started to slide the top door of the shelter in place, locking us in; underground; under the car parked in the garage.

At that point I said "no!!". Quickly, loudly and without tact. 

Brothe-in-law left a space open above as the winds howled by. His hands at the ready to close the lid should we take a direct hit. With in a few minutes, cell phone info said that the tornado had passed and all was clear. That tornado did pass close to his home. 

I am thankful that others looked out for my wellbeing. I do appreciate. But locking me underground for any reason has never been nor ever will be the answer for me. Never. Non-negotiable!  Our storm sheleter is ABOVE ground...

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8th Grade Woodworking Project

I am amazed that this little box made all the way through my life and still be in my "stuff." I had gifted this to mom and she used it lovingly to hold spools of thread and needles. She used it. 

I shipped the box home along with a hundred other items upon her passing. When my wife opened up the box it arrived in, she adopted it.

This past week, this little box appeared from one of the very last boxes to be opened from our move to Texas. 

It still works as well as the day I finished building it.

I picked it up, ran my hands over the shape and worked the lid several times. I set it down and gazed upon its simplicity, beauty and function. 

I learned how to use a hand plane. The fine art of using hand crosscut and ripsaw. The basics of starting the saw cut, principle of a kerf and where to cut it.  To let the saws do the cutting. Not to force them and why easing up on the last strokes prevents the boards of tearing out. 

How to properly use and sharpen a wood chisel.

How to cut a and tongue-and-groove joint using basic hand tools. Drilling holes with a hand rotary drill. How to measure; use a square, sanding with vs. against the grain.

How to set up a coping saw and use it. Turning a saw while cutting provides a wonderful learning curve.  

The very first project I ever built using a drawing and measurements to work from. Each day, the teacher would add lessons on tool usage.

How I struggled to get those edges square using a hand plane and passing those perfections past the teacher's checks using a square. No cheating allowed. That bottom board had to be perfectly square as did all of the edges. 

I passed none of his inspections the first time. I learned patience and the importance of attention to detail. I am sure I also tried to pass by inferior work hoping he "would give it to me." To no avail.

Getting that hinge to work properly was another challenge. It is screwed on, not glued.

I learned how to apply stain and a varnish finish.   

I also learned the love of good working. The wanting to touch and feel the finished product. Perfect joinery where there is no feel of edges. Grain of wood without error.  A build that will last the test of time. 

I realize how the simplest of things and learnings can teach through a life time. Seeds to grow on if I was interested and willing to do the work, apply the effort.

If you are a woodworker, make one of these using hand tools only. Not electric hand tools either. Do not cheat. Please share photo with us here if you do this. 

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A new property line barbed wire fence built and installed this week. 

Lost the shifting handle (broke) on the side-by-side and was lucky to be headed into the carport when it failed. Could have failed on the earlier trip  2 miles down the road.

The Walk

Her and I are walking over a mile a day now and noticing the improvement. I still hate it all, but love the extra strength and well-being at the end of the days. Dieting better, but not perfect.

February 2022 in a couple days. Another roll of the dice. 

Love those Canadian truck drivers, ehhh?

I am guessing that the flow of goods coming and going across the northern border has all but stopped. If you are not sure how this will affect you, just wait a day or two. If you are not stocked to the hilt, then you are not!!. 

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Forty minutes all in from mixing to baking.

I followed the gal in the video. 

Butter Milk bread.

Heat oven to 425
2 cups AP flour
.75 tsp baking soda
.5 tsp salt.    

Mix all well.

1 cup buttermilk + 3 tbl spoons.
Knead a minute or two. Form a bread ball then flatten somewhat.
Cut deep X across top.

Bake @425. 20 - 25 min. I baked on heated pizza stone for 21 minutes, second rack up from the bottom. Baking in cast iron pan a good option.

PAUL HOLLYWOOD

Another video example that is fun to watch, listen to and learn a few difference's in building and baking  the same loaf of bread. 

Think of setting this loaf, as baked, on the table along with most any meal. Let the guests rip off a chunk. Arrrrrrrrrggg!!

Thank you for stopping by to visit this week..