I Love To Go A Gardening
Growing Our Life in Northern Michigan
Bread & Calendars
This morning I woke up shortly after 7 a.m.–which used to be when I always woke up, but lately it is early.
I made a pot of coffee and then started preparing the dough for Challah bread. Usually I braid three strands but today I braided four. I thought it would be more complicated to add another strand, but I followed the instructions I found on a website and it was super easy. Maybe next time I will try braiding six strands.
The challah bread has to rise for an hour, get punched down and rise another hour, get braided and rise another hour. While it was rising, I made chicken soup and set it simmering.
Next I cut up zucchini and made a mock apple pie. Since it is for our Shabbat meal, I carved the word “Shabbat” in Hebrew in the crust. I was very proud of myself.
I spent the whole morning in the kitchen. When everything was ready, I called my guys in and we enjoyed our Shabbat meal. Shabbat usually doesn’t begin until sunset, but we celebrate it early so EJ can participate before he goes to work. It wouldn’t be the same without him. The food was all very delicious. JJ said he thinks he lives zucchini pie even better than real apple pie.
While everything was baking and simmering, before we sat down to eat our meal, EJ and I took the time to dash to the post office. My friend Simone, who so faithfully comments on all my blog posts, had told me she was sending me a gift so I have eagerly gone to the post office each day this week, wondering what on earth she could be sending me. She lives in the Netherlands. Her gift arrived today. It was a beautiful calendar filled with beautiful Dutch art. Simone wrote at FB, “I remembered that you bought something in a thrift shop what was also Delft blue but it broke. So I was at first planning to send it from Holland but I got the amazing idea to see if I could buy it in the USA. I always have American calendars at home. And I found it so that made it a lot easier to send it over.”
We just love this calendar. It is a very bright spot in our week. EJ said that now he really looks forward to 2015 so he can use the calendar. I have the sweetest friends EVER.
EJ’s ankle has really been hurting him, so after we ate our meal, I wrapped it for him. Then he left for work. I took Danny for a walk, talked on the phone to a friend, and sat down to write this post. In a bit, I will do dishes.
Then I will welcome in Shabbat for real and enjoy a day of sweet rest.
I Love To Go A Gardening 
You are so sweet Teri and I hope we will share sometimes a Shabbat meal together. I’m glad that I was able to do something nice for you and I love you all very much. Hope EJ’s ankle will get better soon……. And give JJ a big hug too he is still my hero. ❤
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