OWAV:)...05/27/11...5am...40°...Cloudy/Sunny

Last of daffodils to bloom 

Record breaking news...Eight check marks on my blog comments...Does that mean that eight different people read it OR did one person check eight different times?..I choose to believe that eight people read it and can only hope they enjoyed it...You keep reading, I'll keep writing.

Looks like a decent day to do the Mainstreet planter boxes...Phi Master Sorority has taken care of three boxes since the revamping of Joseph's main street in 2005 (?)...Every year at this time we do the weeding, planting and fertilizing for another summer... sometimes adding more perennials and always planting annuals, such as pansies, marigolds, petunias, geraniums...With the combination we have now, we weed and deadhead, during the summer months and the bed will bloom into October...Then we cut everything back and the beds are ready for winter...Our Joseph main street is a sight to behold, as during the summer flower boxes bloom all along the six blocks in the business area, and in fall the sugar maples turn brilliant shades of pinkish orange to flaming red... Be back later

Wallowa County Museum and the happy gardeners!

3pm...Four ladies from Phi Master sorority spent three hours this morning, weeding downtown planter boxes...two of us are pushing 70 (one has two artificial knees) and the other two pushing 80 (one with an artificial hip)...what a team  ...luckily we didn't have to call in a hoist to get any of us up off the paver sidewalk or an ambulance to haul anyone to the hospital... The planting will have to wait for another day, because three hours did us in...as we finished up, the weather started to turn nasty, now it is raining, trying to snow...OH JOY!

I came home caught up on scrabble games, uploaded photos from my camera to computer, so have shared a couple with you.  I made creamy tomato vegetable soup for our dinner and we had leftover rhubarb pie from last night...done cooking for the day.

I took a pan of "dinner rolls" to Becky's Birthday party and got rave reviews so will share the recipe...Basic Dough (rolls, cinnamon rolls, etc)

5-6 cups flour            1 tsp salt
2 cups hot water         1/4 cup sugar                
1 cube butter             3 eggs
2 pkg dry yeast          1 cube butter (softened to spread over dough)

Using a large bowl, I place 5 cups of flour in the bowl and make a well (place the following ingredients in the well)...Two cups hot water, cut the cube of butter into the hot water(stir a little)...the cold butter cools the water enough to then add the yeast, sprinkle sugar over top of the yeast...let sit until yeast dissolves and starts to bubble (about 15 minutes).. add the beaten eggs and salt..Start stirring in the flour, working it from the sides of the bowl... When it is too thick to stir start kneading with your hands adding the other cup of flour... This is the tricky part because it takes a few time of making any bread to get the feel of the dough...you want a soft dough but one that forms into a nice ball of dough...It might take more or less than 6 cups of flour...Cover and let stand for about an hour, dough will be about double in size...Roll our on to a floured surface and gently press and stretch until it is about 1/2 inch thick or use a rolling pin, just be gentle and don't try to make it all even, you will need a little flour on top of the dough as well, to keep it from sticking...spread softened butter over dough...then I use a pizza cutter and cut strips about 2 -2 1/2 inches wide, long ways and then 3-4 inches the other way...Fold these strips in half and place on a large parchment covered cookie sheet (with sides)...(My rolls come out all shapes and sizes, don't worry about that, they will all taste good, if I have two small ends I just put one on top of the other and don't worry about re-rolling the dough)...let rise for  60 to 90 minutes, bake at 350° for 20 minutes...Don't get discouraged it they don't turn out feather light the first time it does take practice with any yeast dough, but it is worth the effort...OWAV:)