How Long are you Really going to “Do That Thing?”

“How long are you really going to do THAT thing,” my mom asked me one day.

She was referring to something that I started 20 years ago, that I had no idea would lead me to where it has today. It was not a traditional job, it was not what I went to college for. It was difficult and made me grow in ways I didn’t know I could, and it was rewarding.

I was 38 years old. My youngest of 3 boys was 16 months old and I was still carrying around some of the 70+ pounds that I gained during my pregnancy. I never experienced morning sickness, (don’t hate me,) and I gained 80 pounds or so with each pregnancy. Last time around, I didn’t lose the weight. Oh well, right? I was told by others that that’s just what happens after you have babies, along with less energy, the aching joints, the tiredness.

We had friends who ordered an exercise VHS (google it if you don’t know.) They loved it and my husband Dave wanted to order it too.

Friends! First of all, we hadn’t ever ordered anything from a website! “You mean to tell me, you would order and pay shipping?” I agreed to look, though, because while I had resigned myself to my post-pregnant mom bod, Dave certainly could use some exercise and I was glad he was considering it! :) Secondly, we didn’t have $50 to spend on something like that. In my very supportive wife way, I told him…(sad but true..story) “There’s a street right outside the house, and it’s free to walk on it.” Did I mention this was at Christmas time, when money was tighter than usual anyway?

{Audience understands that from now on, when wife is mentioned it is underscored as “supportive.”}

My husband convinced me to look at the website and showed me that a couple we knew really well, were on the website with their before and after photos. I told him, “Well, you know, they have to have at least one real person on these sites….” But, I eventually gave in and ordered the exercise VHS and it would be “our Christmas present.” Oh boy…yay. What every mom carrying around excess baby weight wants from her husband for Christmas. Why not a box of paper plates or a toilet lid cover. But, I digress.

The box came in the mail, and even though I had planned to just wrap it up, I opened it first and took a look. It seemed legit. And, because I figured some exercise was better than none, I tried out the first VHS tape. Then, I wrapped it, put it under the tree.

After Christmas, we decided to take before pictures. There might have been an eye roll or two from one of us. The instructions said to do it. “Whatever,” I commented. I didn’t have any exercise clothes, so I put on a pair of Dave’s shorts and a tank top. I still have that picture somewhere. In a non-committal way, I started doing the workouts. I had never lifted any sort of weights, and during the first couple of months, I didn’t have to, because just lifting my arms was weight enough. I didn’t have a goal, I didn’t think it would change anything, but, (supportive wife) I didn’t want to waste the money that we had spent.

Let me tell you friends, that one decision 20 years ago, just a tiny step in a new direction, changed the trajectory of my life. I know it sounds cliche. But, in the 3-9 months that followed the start of that VHS exercise program, I changed my body composition, posture, mental health, creativity, confidence, bone density, energy and general outlook on life.

I felt so good, almost unstoppable. I got on the same website that I had been brave enough to order from, and started encouraging others in the company message boards, to stick with it…it would be worth it…don’t quit today.

I did that for years, during the boys’ nap times, on dial-up internet. I was not a trainer or nutritionist, I was just an active example and an encourager for that company’s customers for about 8 years, for free. It encouraged me to keep exercising because I’d get so excited when someone else would have a transformation because they didn’t give up on themselves.

I wore that VHS out and would have to rewind it by hand when it got stuck. Good times.

Years passed, and a harder exercise program came out. Same company, same trainer. Again, we couldn’t afford it. But, I kept wondering, “what if?” and then I’d talk myself out of it. Right before my birthday, one year, I finally said to a friend, “But why would a mom want to be in THAT kind of shape?” All she said was, “Why not?”

Yea. Why not me? It hurt my stomach a little to spend that much money on me. But, I knew for sure, I wasn’t going to waste a cent of it.

And that story is for another day.

But, how long ARE you going to do that thing? My answer was and still is, “I’m taking it across the goal line. And that line is still out in front of me.”

Thanks for joining me on this blog journey, friends. I’ll be back tomorrow with the next part of this story.

Anne Dovel

“Rightsizing” after Caregiving

For the last 3.5 years of caregiving, I knew when early onset Alzheimer’s finally took Dave, it was likely that I would end up “right-sizing.” Downsizing is probably the term you are more familiar with, but I prefer to think of it now as “right-sizing.” It’s not that I have too much, it’s that what I have doesn’t serve me in the next chapter and season. And, that’s really okay…I keep reminding myself, so it much be true! 🙂

It was a bold move for our family in 2014, to leave our house in town for 52 acres of native prairie and mature timber. The barnhouse and attached barn, were a pretty big chunk for even the most adventurous of DIYers.

But, bite it off and chew, we did.

As I established a walking path around the 52 acres, we dreamed that this would be our last big move. I got very attached, especially as we put the final touches on the renovation inside the house.

We talked and dreamed about our upcoming empty nest years, and all the things we wanted to do with the house and land.

I’m really glad we were bold enough to hope and dream, even if early onset dementia took us down a path we didn’t expect.

Every day gets closer to listing day and ‘what comes next?’ day.

I’ll be doing all the things one does when getting ready to sell a house as well as continue my online work and schedule in some playtime in my studio.

Will I miss my 52 acres? I will, without a doubt. But, I trust that the strong urge to buy this place in 2014, along with all the blood, sweat and tears we put into it, will bless just the right family in 2024. That is my new hope, dream and prayer for my acreage.

What’s next? I trust God has that too.

#acreagenebraska#nebraskalife#nebraskaforever#nebraskafarm

Give Yourself This Gift

Presence

Give yourself the gift of presence.

Despite best intentions, master lists, spreadsheets, and plans…hustle and bustle might be at full throttle. Pause. Take a breath. Notice. Be interested. Be present where you are right now.

Even if right this minute, you are doing another batch of dishes or trying to fit one more casserole in the overloaded oven. Take a pause. Sounds simple but to be present in a flurry could mean, even over a sink of dishes, slowing down just long enough to feel the temperature of the water on your hands, notice the way the bubbles reflect, did you wash the pan clockwise or counterclockwise. Pause. Breathe.

This Christmas isn’t the one before. Or the one 5 years ago. It isn’t that one where the beta fish died prompting a tearful pet funeral between batches of cookie baking.

This Christmas isn’t the one in your memory that was the most perfect one ever, where all the gifts, food, people, came together like a gold medal worthy synchronized swimming routine.

This Christmas isn’t the one where the shower broke and flooded the hallway while guests were arriving.

It’s not the one where you looked at a family member and knew it was their last Christmas.

It’s a new day, friends. It’s a new Christmas time, open to fresh experiences and new beginnings. It’s a Christmas you haven’t lived or loved through before.

If you don’t feel the Merry…that’s okay.

Just be present. Give yourself that gift.

Your blogging friend,

Anne Dovel

How to Use A Cotton Rope Sourdough Proofing Bowl

Sourdough proofing basket

Prepare the cotton rope sourdough proofing basket for first use.

1. Mist with water, add rice or other coarse flour to inside of basket, and tap out excess flour. Alternatively, use a cotton or linen towel inside the bowl.

2. After use, tap out excess flour, store at room temp in the open so the cotton rope dries. It’s okay if the flour dries on. That’s what makes your basket more “nonstick” over time. If you need to wash the cotton rope basket at some point…say the dog got ahold of it, for example, just hand wash in the sink and let it air dry.

3. If you have pests in your kitchen, and need to store it in the freezer, let it dry first before sealing in a gallon freezer bag.

For more information: www.prairiewomanarts.com/blog/basket

Why I didn’t use a sourdough basket or banneton for many years.

I didn’t use a sourdough banneton for many years, because it was just one more thing to store in my kitchen, and I almost always made same-day sourdough. I made a cotton rope bowl one day because I had more dough than I could bake in the time I had, and needed to let it proof in the fridge. That led me to finally ask the question, what is a sourdough proofing basket, also called a banneton, really for? Is it just to get the lines on the outside of the dough? Was there another purpose? I found out and I still make same-day sourdough, most of the time, but when I branch out and try to master another method, I often need this simple tool, a sourdough proofing basket.

There are a couple reasons for using a banneton proofing basket for your sourdough, and contrary to popular belief, it’s more than just creating a texture on the crust. The primary purpose is to give some support to the dough as it rises, so it doesn’t just relax into a flat blob of dough, because as gluten relaxes, so does the shape of the dough ball. Since real sourdough (without the aid of commercial yeast) takes time to develop. If you give it a longer, slower proof, you can enhance the digestibility and flavor of the finished loaf. When I wanted a slower proof in the fridge, I would use a towel in a bowl, which absolutely provides the structure, but doesn’t allow air flow. Read on!

The banneton, or proofing basket, also provides air flow, which allows a skin to dry on the dough, providing structure to contain the wetter inside dough, once you bake it. It also helps provide a better “canvas” if you get into fancy scoring. You’ll be more likely to get that bubbly, crackly exterior on your baked loaves and better air pockets overall, if you have a longer proof in the fridge, and allow the skin of the dough to dry. None of these things were ever my goals for years with sourdough. I just wanted a bread that had few ingredients and was easier to digest. But, I will admit, it is fun to experiment and try to duplicate Pinterest worthy loaves.

I didn’t use a banneton or even pretend to, for many years. I bought a standard cane banneton from Amazon and it sat on my shelf.  Almost all of my sourdough loaves for years, were same-day sourdough. I’d start it in the morning, use 1 to 1 1/2 cups starter, so I could be baking the bread by supper time. It worked for years and, surprise, it still works! I would shape the dough 45 minutes before baking, as the dutch oven heated up. And while it did relax on the parchment, if the gluten was developed well, the oven spring would always surprise me. The relaxed boule would rise to the occasion with a little steam in the dutch oven. I know sourdough isn’t magic, but it just always feels magical to me.

When I read that the banneton was to allow air flow, make a dried skin on the dough, I was so confused, because I did just the opposite. I kept the dough covered with plastic, so it wouldn’t dry out, just like I would have done with a regular yeasted loaf of bread.

Which just goes to show you, there are lots of ways to handle sourdough. You can make rustic sourdough or master the art of scoring. What do you want to do with sourdough? It’s a fun adventure that doesn’t cost much even if you have a failed loaf. Enjoy the journey of sourdough!

Until next time,

Anne @ Prairie Woman Arts

Impossible Coconut Custard Pie