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Over the last month, Newt has been experimenting with radish seeds.
No, that is not like smoking banana peels.
She has been using Tops Learning Systems radish seed science booklet.
It was a wonderful study and I would highly recommend it. We both learned new things: geotropism, anyone?
And the things Newt learned definitely seemed to stick. We were doing review questions today and she amazed me with her grasp of the material.
Except… there was this one question going back to an experiment sprouting seeds both in dark and light conditions. At the end of a week, the seedlings in the dark were much taller than the seedlings in the light.
So the review question was:
An empty box has been laying in a grassy field for several weeks, open side down. If you lift it up and peek underneath, predict what you might see.
Newt hardly waited for me to answer when she shouted out “Rats!”
Remind me not to look under any boxes I see lying around.
If you want to read a great a review of this product, Heather from OMSH posted one here.
I have been making homemade yogurt for a few months now and I can’t even describe how lovely it is. It is mild and creamy and just plain wonderful. And when I mix in a spoonful of our strawberry freezer jam…well, you know those yoplait “that good” commercials? This is way better.
One of these days I’ll get around to posting my recipe, but today I thought I’d share something a bit easier. You see, all my yogurt success has inspired me to branch out and try making other dairy products at home.
This week’s experiment?
Sour cream.
I found an easy, albeit a bit confusing, recipe here.
The recipe lists the following for ingredients:
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup sour cream or buttermilk (or even white vinegar will work)
I decided to make two batches side by side, one made with sour cream, the other with vinegar to see how they would compare.
But I was confused by the “even white vinegar will work” part of the recipe. Should I use 1/4 white vinegar or just a few tablespoons? I went with the full 1/4 cup, just to see.
The recipe says to put your ingredients in a jar, cap it, and shake. Then you let it sit at room temperature “for about 24 hours or until it becomes very thick.”
I know, several of you are saying “ewww!” right now, but really, what did you think sour cream was? It is cream that has, um, soured a bit. But not in a make-you-sick sort of way. More of a wow-soured-cream-is-really-good-please-pass-the-enchiladas kind of way.
Anyway, I checked my jars at 24-ish hours. The one made with vinegar was a bit thicker than the one made with sour cream, but neither was anywhere near the right consistency.
I tasted them. The one made with sour cream tasted a bit like sour cream, but bland. The one made with vinegar tasted far too vinegary. I continued to let them sit.
After about 40 hours the vinegar one was set up nicely, but still too vinegary tasting. The sour cream one was still quite soupy and still pretty mild, so I mixed them together and shook the jar for a bit to thicken things up.
Eureka! It worked! Homemade sour cream!
Note to self: Next time just use a few tablespoons of vinegar.
The texture is far more creamy and thick than the store bought variety, more like a dense whipped cream. It still tasted a bit more vinegary that the stuff at the store, but it was subtle. We spooned some over cherry-filled crepes and it was really good.
Shoe shopping good.
I’d like to thank the academy good.
It was that good.
*****
Linked at Tasty Tuesday and Works for me Wednesday.
Newt’s three legged race tip #1: A tube sock may cut down on chaffing.
Newt’s three legged race tip #2: If tip #1 doesn’t work, just yell ‘ow!’ with every step.
Newt’s three legged race tip #3: Being paired with your best friend makes the pain quite bearable.
Newt’s three legged race tip #4: Giggling makes it hard to go fast.
Newt’s three legged race tip #5: Winning isn’t everything. Fourth place can be just as fun as first.
Tuesday
47° F | 38° F
8° C | 3° C
Rain: 80% chance of precipitation
Wednesday
52° F | 47° F
11° C | 8° C
Rain: 40% chance of precipitation
And…we’re going camping tonight. I hope we don’t drown.
Through all the rain in yesterday’s post were you still able to check out Newt’s outfit?
The girls in the choir were asked to wear a white blouse with a black skirt. I knew about this months ago. So of course, I waited until the week before Newt was set to perform to do anything about it.
First up, a white blouse. Easy enough to find, no?
Except…
My girl hates layers. She just won’t do them.
Luckily, I was able to find a white shirt thick enough to not need a tank under. And, it was only $5.00!
If only it came in my size!
Please ignore the giant weed growing up behind my girl. It’s, um, a…science experiment.
Now for the skirt. A black skirt. In May…
Time to whip out my sewing machine!
I used a black linen (on sale for $1.98 per yard) and loosely followed the directions for the peasant skirt posted here.
The linen is a bit sheer. I should have put a lining in it, but I didn’t have enough liner fabric on hand. However, in an uncharacteristic bit of clothing flexibility, my girl agreed to wear a slip.
But she didn’t agree to like it.
There was much adjusting going on in the front row.
Guess I’ll have to go back and add that lining after all.
*****
Don’t suffer for style: Frugal Fashionista Fashion Show at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam
Wanna know what’s so funny? Click here.
Want to know why Shasta is so clean?
She has had three baths this week.
Apparently she views the new compost bin as her own personal buffet and rolling zone.
Mmmmm, moldy leftovers.
Dog heaven.
On Monday I had to cancel everything on my calendar and stay home.
Why?
[whispering] I was sick.
It was not, I repeat, it was not the swine flu.
Please do not treat me like leper. I promise that my illness was not contagious.
I had actually put my back out, which resulted in a headache, which resulted in some nausea.
When my back adjusted all hysteria symptoms vanished.
And I was accepted into polite society once again.
*****
In honor of the possible Swine Flu PANdemIC, I now repost for your enjoyment one of my all-time favorite Adventures of Heidi stories.
Enjoy!
Heidi vs. the City Bus
Once upon a time Heidi was 15 years old. Or maybe 14. Heidi does not recall.
Heidi was aware that she was not cool. But she tried anyway.
Heidi was not aware that wearing your dad’s old sweater was not grunge. Just grungy.
Heidi was not old enough to drive, but that did not stop her. She had a ticket for freedom: The City Bus.
Spellcheck informs Heidi that “chariots” was correct.
Heidi rode the city bus to the home of Dustin Clock, a super-cute boy that she had a crush on.
Dustin lived on the south end of town and was therefore rich.
Heidi basked in his richness for awhile.
But Heidi did not enjoy it so much.
Heidi’s head was achy. Heidi’s tummy felt weird.
Heidi took her ticket to freedom and went home.
She sat in the back of the bus because she was trying to social climb. But not in the last seat because she was not that cool.
Heidi was glad that the bus was nearly deserted, because she did not feel well at all.
But then the bus-driver stopped and picked up three cool girls.
They sat in the last seat.
Reasons they were cool:
But Heidi stayed calm. She told herself:
But it was not true.
Heidi realized that she left handicapped off the diagram. She is sorry.
She did not leave handi-caped off. Anyone, handi or not, wearing a cape sat with the druggies and crazies.
Heidi tried to play it cool, but Heidi’s stomach did not care. Heidi’s stomach was acting like its parents came home early and found a party. Heidi’s stomach was yelling “Oh crap! My parents are home! Everyone get out!”
Heidi had no other option. She leaned over her seat and…
Shocked silence from the cool girls.
Embarrassed silence from Heidi.
Heidi’s stomach was busy getting grounded.
Heidi did not know what to do, so she just wiped her mouth on the sleeve of her dad’s sweater and stared straight ahead for the rest of the ride.
That’s right. She played it cool.
Because
Right?
