Raspberry Jam with Grandma T

Ingredients:
Certo Premium Liquid Fruit Pectin
4 cups berries
4 cups sugar
2 Tbsp. lemon juice

1. In small batches, lightly wash berries in a mesh strainer. Pick out hard seeds, etc.
2. Put washed berries in thin layers in a four cup measuring cup. Mash one cup worth of berries.
3. Using a juicer/de-seeder, juice berries until it makes one cup. Pour juice into measuring cup with other berries.
4. Continue until you have two cups worth of berries (one cup with seeds, one cup without).
5. Pour into bowl, add 4 cups of sugar. Stir well, then set timer for ten minutes, stirring "every now and then as you think about it."
6. Empty liquid pectin into a small bowl. In a separately bowl, get 2 Tbsp. worth of lemon juice. Add lemon juice to pectin and stir well.
7. After ten minutes, stir in pectin and lemon juice and continue stirring for three minutes.
8. Pour mixture into washed glass jars and, "Of course, lick the bowl."
9. Seal the jars, leave on the counter for 24 hours before freezing.

Makes six 6-oz jars of jam.

Hannah & Calvin's Wedding

In June I got to be in the wedding of one of my best friends. It was weird to be in the middle of wedding chaos again but not as the bride. Hannah's family handed over the role of florist to me and I had lots of fun designing the bouquets and floral arrangements.

Laura's Goodbye Party

A few weeks ago we said goodbye to our good friend Laura as she moved to NY to go to seminary. We miss her so much.

Sourdough Bread Adventures

A few months ago I made my first successful sourdough loaf. The starter was from a local bakery and I got the recipe from here. The bread was really dense and I'm not exactly sure what to change for next time, but it was super tasty and tangy. I am trying to gear myself up for making another batch. The process took about three days and more time than I would be able to afford during the school year. I'd love to find a way to streamline the process and integrate it into my life, but I'm not sure how to do that yet.

Russell's Visit

We always take our guests to Oswald West State Park on the Oregon Coast. The cove is so peaceful and it never feels too crowded. The weather was perfect and I opted to relax on the beach while the guys took on a hike along the ridge line.

Cape Horn Hike with Ellie

 Baked Sole and Roasted Greek Potatoes

Waiting

"As one project followed another, I realized why I had not been drawn to bread baking in the first place. Stovetop cooking is, at a first approximation, peeling and chopping onions and then crying; baking is mixing yeast and water with flour and then waiting. The difference between being a baker and being a cook is whether you find waiting or crying more objectionable."

- Adam Gopnik, from "Bread and Women"  

Plants

I got this adorable little succulent pot from my friend Liz as a graduation present. It is just so cute sitting on our windowsill - I'm a little worried about keeping it alive! My succulent survival rate is pretty low, unfortunately.

Watercolor Card

I've been enjoying pulling out my watercolors to make thank-you cards recently. It is therapeutic for me and (I've been told) they are special to receive. I modeled this card off of one I found on Pinterest and I like how it turned out. The sides were taped down with washi tape to make a crisp edge - a tactic I'd like to experiment more with. My watercolors and brushes are decent for most things, but I would like to invest in a few more colors and some better brushes, especially for hand lettering.

Flowers from Barbara

Barbara (my cooperating teacher) has a yearly tradition where she buys a box full of bunches of tulips and passes them out to teachers in the building. I got first pick and had these lovelies (above) to look at all week on my desk! I was reminded of the beauty of fresh flowers and the power of simple gifts.

Our First Pascha

breaking the fast at 3:30 in the morning with mimosas, cookies, cheese, and beef jerky

Christ is Risen! Indeed, He is Risen!

Khristos voskrese! Voistinu voskrese!

al-Masīḥ qām! Ḥaqqan qām!

Becoming Catechumen

On Palm Sunday, Evan and I became catechumen in the Orthodox Church. We are so excited for this journey and are so grateful to have been led to this Church.

Monument Valley Spring Break Roadtrip

DAY ONE: Portland to Boise

Chris's aunt put us up in a room at her boutique hotel in downtown Boise. We were in a perfect location to walk to the TreeFort music festival.

DAY TWO: Boise to Salt Lake City

On the way we stopped in Twin Falls, Idaho (top picture). It was fun to see the rocks change into a deep orange color on the drive towards Utah.

DAY THREE: Salt Lake City to Arches to Monument Valley

We didn't have very long to spend in Arches, but we loved the Double Arches hike.

DAY FOUR: Monument Valley to Horseshoe Canyon

To avoid the gloomy rain and horrible wind in Monument Valley, we chased the sun two hours south into Arizona where we spent the day in Horseshoe Canyon and on the Hanging Garden Trail.

DAY FIVE: Monument Valley, Mexican Hat, & Valley of the Gods

Our last day in Monument Valley was sunny and clear, so we drove through the valley, went to Mexican Hat rock, got navajo tacos from a local restaurant, and then drive through Valley of the Gods (where a rock got stuck in our brake pad and made the most awful noise. Luckily, Chris was able to use a tent peg to remove the rock). The sky was so clear that evening, so we drove to a turn-off away from any lights and looked at the stars.