Darn you, Zippers.

I have all kinds of sewing projects that I'd like to do...clothes and dresses, purses and curtains...but I'm never gutsy enough to just dive in. It's in my nature to think carefully and methodically about things until I grow impatient and just decide to take a nap. I used to think that living a life with no regrets was freeing, but not if you take so long to think so carefully about something that you forget to move forward. I've become scared that I'll make a mistake about something that I knew I had to do something...anything, to break that stupid cycle. I bought a dress for $3.50 at Goodwill, hacked away, and didn't stop until I was satisfied. This unfortunately culminated in my spending an hour and a half hand sewing a dumb zipper back on because I couldn't get the dress over my head, but NOW I KNOW. Instead of being scared of zippers, I now have a strong contempt for them. I love how the dress turned out and it felt good to not let myself be daunted by a simple challenge. Yay me.

Before: a baggy peasant dress...not what I was looking for. 

After: Much better for summer. :)

It's actually black and white stripes but looks gray in the photo. 

The Legacy of a Rancher.

This last weekend, Sean and I drove to Western Montana for his Grandpa's funeral. I am so thankful that we had the opportunity to be with his family, it was a beautiful time of sadness mixed with laughter and memories. I'm far more comfortable with pictures than words, so hopefully these will express beauty of a home and family sculpted by an incredible man. My husband wouldn't be half the man that he is had he not spent summers working with his grandpa and grandma on their ranch in Ronan...the KDBAR is a living expression of hard work, integrity, family and dedication. 

My favorite bend in the river on the way to the ranch.

Loading hay.

One of my favorites...How many men does it take to put oil in a tractor?

I have no doubt that his Grandpa would have had something to say about this. ;)

(Photo by Sean)

Uncle Wade is flipping the camera off, oh-so-discreetly.

Spending time with family after the funeral.  

(Photo by Sean)

Sean's beautiful grandma and mom (my mother-in-law)

The ranch life is tough for kitties. 

Deer are a nuisance to the fields, but pretty to me. :) 

(Photo by Sean.)

The whole deal from the road.

Dan and Kathy's beautiful home. 

Sean and I went on a 4 mile ride around the neighboring ranches the night before we left.

These are my favorites from the weekend. Something about a now quiet shop in the evening light and the legacy of a hard-working man. 

I am blessed to be a part of this family and to have had the opportunity to get to know the man from whom my husband got the mischievous twinkle in his eye. :)

Flax Egg Substitue - "Flax Eggs"

I have been using "Flax Eggs" for about a year now and have (mostly) perfected them through much trial and error. :) I'm too cheap to buy the Ener-g egg replacer, though it probably works a lot better in pastry type yumminess. Flax has a distinctive nutty flavor, which tastes great in breads but tastes a little bit interesting in brownies. Normal eggs act as a binder to hold your baked goods together and this is exactly what flax eggs do as a replacement.

They need time to set so I usually make them at the beginning of my recipe and add them when they have gelled.

Flax eggs are:

1 Tbls ground flax : 3 Tbls hot water

Ground Flax

1. Boil hot water and pour 3 tbls into a mug or bowl.
2. Add in 1 tbls of ground flax and stir.
3. Let sit for 5-10 minutes and check for consistency.
      If you have the time, place them in the refrigerator to get an even better texture.
      I usually just let them rest until room temperature.
4. Stir to see if they mixture has gelled or is still watery. It will stick to your spoon bit when it's ready.
5. Use in place of eggs in whatever recipe you choose.

(Not ready yet...)

(Ready!)

(Not ready yet...)

An un-gelled flax egg will have the

water on top and the flax on the bottom.

Ready!

What gelled flax eggs look like: a slurry. 

My mistakes:

-Don't place the flax and cold water in the microwave together...it explodes into a gooey mess.
-Don't microwave 3 tbls of water...it will evaporate and you will end up with less than 3 tbls of water and a wonky egg.
-Don't place the flax egg into a blender to see what will happen...it changes the consistency and is a giant gooey mess.
-Don't use while the egg is still watery! You must be patient and wait for it to thicken. :)