What Are the Neighbors Up To?????

Every-so-often intrigue and mystery slink into a neighborhood.  It's like a train wreck, you don't want to look but you can't help yourself.  It's an ugly, voyeuristic tendency us humans have.   It happened in our neighborhood this week.  And not just the neighborhood in general but our next door neighbors. Aaaaaaaahhhhh!!!!!

The workman and their trucks were quiet, indeed, showing up just before light-of-day.  But there were tell-tale signs workmen were there,  like the sound of trucks being unloaded of their equipment, coughing, cigarette smoke lingering in the air -- all the mostly regular stuff a workman does.  I am delighted to tell you there was no b*** cleavage that I could see! *huge sigh of relieve*

As the morning wore on, the workman brought pieces of the home outside - most I could not recognize as they were in such a state of chaos.  Then there was hammering, lots of hard hammering.  I swear part of what I saw them bring out was their fireplace.  Our fireplaces are a really nice focal feature of the living room and they are set in one corner of the living room. Are they removing their fireplace?  I didn't know you could remove a fireplace!

I wanted so badly to open my sliding door and shout "Hey! What are you doing over there?"  But I couldn't.  It's disrespectful and it's also none of my business.  Seeing as I don't even know these neighbors. They really keep to themselves, really.  We've tried to say hello and they won't even respond....well, sometimes we get a grunt.  So it's really tough finding a way of approaching them and then asking what they are doing inside their home.

The first day was quite dramatic.  About 3:30pm came the sheet rock -- six pieces because I counted them.  Six pieces of sheet rock for a little living room??  Did they remodel?  Was there a terrible fight one night and someone was pushed through the wall?  What?  What!?  My curiosity was getting the best of me.  But to no avail.  I decided to close my sliding glass door and the levelors and just forget it.  What was done, was done.

The next day new looking trucks arrived and I saw more knee pads, and what I believe was a professional painter.  How much was this job costing, after all?  We just had a quote on our meek little 1,300 sq. foot condo and they wanted $3,000 to paint it.  So what in God's Name were they forking out over there?  This sort of thing just drives me nuts until I get some closure.

Yesterday, we were driving up and another neighbor, who is very sweet, was walking by so we stopped her and I said "Say, so-and-so just had a remodel or something done to their place....do you know anything about it?"  She, being just as inquisitive as I, said "NO!  I didn't know....but I'm going to find out.  And I will let you know as soon as I get some information about this.  They never mentioned a thing to me."

I'll keep you posted.

And, don't forget...Pay It Forward.
Jill

He Says it So Well

This song is one of my favorites.  Randy and I got the chance to see James Taylor a number of years ago.  He performed this song.  This is an identical version.    Incredible.  And he says it so well.




Tell me, what's wrong with talking about clean water?

Don't forget to Pay it Forward.
Jill

Creating Whole Wheat Bread, One Loaf at a Time

According to Wikipedia, whole wheat flour is summed in these few simple words:  Whole wheat flour is a powdery substance derived by grinding or mashing the wheat's whole grain. It is used in baking.

Pretty straight-forward, and very very sanitized!  Whole wheat bread baking is an art.  It is a slow and romantic experience.  I love to bake bread and mine is about as wholesome as it gets.  It's not just a powdery substance derived by grinding or mashing the wheat's whole grain.

I start out with the whole grain -- organically grown, hard winter wheat.  I put it through my grinder.  It's a trusty electric model. But I do have a hand grinder when I feel the urge to get really earthy. It's terribly hard work so I don't get urges that often.

Next come the wheat berries that I sprouted myself, the poppy seeds (no UA's for you today!), sesame seeds, and flax seed.  Add some delicious local honey, water, yeast and a tad of salt and oil.  That's it.

Now begins the dance.  The bread dough and you become one.  This is the time that is so precious.  Getting into a rhythm with the kneading, you can let yourself go and begin a meditation of sorts.  Pray, ponder, dream, actually feel the dough change under your hands.  Awesome.  But where is that "powdery substance derived by grinding....."   It is gone forever.  What I have created is a deliciously perfect dough ready for rising.

Once the rise is done, I pop the loaf into the oven. Yes,  I make one loaf at a time because it just tastes better.  Out it comes 40 minutes later.  It's a labor of love and a work of art.  Grab the butter and a knife and enjoy.

So when some scientist tells us that whole wheat flour is just a "powdery substance derived by grinding...yada yada"  remember my bread.  Baked One Loaf at a Time.

Remember to Pay it Forward,
Jill

Me Invited to a Pittock Mansion "Doo"??? Really???

Sometimes fun and exciting do happen to me!  Life generally is quiet and reserved -- which is the way I really do prefer it.  But to have a bit of happy stuff come up once in a while keeps life interesting.

I got a call earlier this week from the buyer of the Museum Store at the Pittock Mansion.  Such a wonderful woman.  The Pittock is an incredible historic mansion.  It was home to Portland pioneers Henry and Georgiana Pittock from 1914 to 1919. During the late 1800s and the early 1900s, their lives and work paralleled the growth of Portland from a small Northwest town site to a thriving city with a quarter million population. (this is what the introduction on the website said.  If you'd like to read more about the home, here's the link:  Pittock Mansion.

 Anyway....this month on the 15th, they are having a fund raiser up at the home and are having eight artists appear with their "stuff".  The supporting members of the home are invited for an evening of drinks, nibbles and buying.  I have been chosen as one of the eight who will be a part of the festivities.  I'm really excited as this type of honor doesn't come around every day.

A wonderful opportunity to meet and greet some of Portland's Mansion lovers, maybe bring home a little money.  But...I hate to mention that I don't have a thing made up yet.  My jewelry bench sits quiet and dark. Not one earring, not a bauble nor necklace.   But my concerns are greater than that -- I don't have a thing to wear!