Wednesday, June 17, 2020


A hard-working day. The bread is well advanced, and I will be able to tuck it up in the refrigerator for the night fairly soon. The extra hydration went well. I put in olives, which are breaking through the beautiful smooth sheets of gluten in a rather alarming way.

The work isn’t hard, but there are lots of little separate episodes. It starts with making a “levain” – some starter, flour and water. This time I put it near the Aga, and it was ready for the next stage in five hours or so. Last time, I had to wait until the end of the afternoon before I could start doing everything else.

Then in the midst of all this, some plants that I had ordered weeks – if not months – ago, turned up. I have dealt with some of them, and may be strong enough to do a bit more this evening.

And I knit some more sleeve.

Comments

Peggy, I think you could be right that the avocado would like a summer outdoors. We are now in the few Scottish weeks during which there is not likely to be a frost. (There was an ugly one in May.) I’ll see what I can do, about getting help carrying it out.

I am grateful for your 10-best-books lists. Gretchen, I don’t know Ursula LeGuin or Kim Stanley Robinson, and will have to investigate. Beverly, I’ll happily swap Age of Innocence for House of Mirth. It was just a make-place to indicate that I wanted Edith Wharton. But I will cling to Mansfield Park.

I love every syllable of Pride and Prejudice, but I love every syllable of Mansfield Park better. And I prefer its darkness. Mr Darcy is utterly wonderful, but real life does not offer many such. Henry Crawford, ¾’s villain, is much closer to young men I have actually known. And his sister!

9 comments:

  1. Be careful if you put the avocado outside that it doesn't get too much sun at first. It could get sunburn! Perhaps in Scotland this is not such a worry...

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  2. I would take House of Mirth over Age of Innocence, as well. I can't really narrow down to ten books. I'll have to really think on that. Gertrude Jekyll is the only one of our David Austin roses that is doing well, I picked a few to bring the scent indoors.

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  3. I find as I age that I am reading novels more than once very often. If I get to a care home with my marbles intact, and this is never a given, I expect I would be even more likely to re-read. But a Kindle and a healthy bank account sounds like a good option. books re-read recently: "Busman's Honeymoon", "North and South", "Eleanor Oliphant is completely Fine," but not "Normal People".

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    1. Anonymous4:09 PM

      I too would vote for North and South. I re-read it just last winter.
      -- Gretchen (aka stashdragon)

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  4. Anonymous1:06 AM

    I really like the sweater in progress!
    Your book list is very thought-provoking. I am not ready to come up with my own list yet.
    Thanks as usual for your posts! Much appreciated.
    Your idea of "nothing much happening" is a lot more than most can manage in a day ...
    keep well
    Lisa RR

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  5. Anonymous11:10 AM

    I agree with Lisa! You stay very busy and involved in the world around you, Jean. You are an inspiration. Chloe

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  6. =Tamar4:15 PM

    Lisa is right. I do far less than that. I'm currently working through a bag of books I was given, and will pass them on as soon as I can. I should probably reread some Austen.

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  7. This is wonderful knitting entertainment: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFmsg7wl9MgznQS6YymdOWw/featured

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  8. I suspect the fact that Mr. Darcy was so unusual was the reason Elizabeth married! Otherwise no way. Agree with you re: Mansfield Park!

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