{PHFR} Spring Edition!

{pretty, happy, funny, real}

Linking up with Like Mother Like Daughter to capture some contentment in our day to day lives!

{Pretty}

One of my favorite things about spring, believe it or not, is actually a weed. As much as I can't stand what weeds do to my garden, I still have to admit that this little weed is just so charming and cheery that it fills me with nothing but joy.

And, I learned something new about this weed today: the flowers close in the evening! I went outside to snap a picture just a couple moments ago, and the flowers are all turning inwards for the night.

So, although this most definitely does not capture the minute perfection of each bloom, it at least gives an idea of it! 

{Happy}

Happiness is holding little precious newborns!

Most especially our newest little niece, Miss Olivia! 

And, not that we are counting the days, of course, but Mary is exactly one month away from her due date and we are exactly two months away from our due date (!!!!!!). Hard to believe (although when I look at how big I'm getting, it isn't!).

Kateri is also exceedingly happy to help with any chore that mama is doing. Today, she took an active part in laundry. As it was mostly her laundry anyway, it was appropriate!

I think she is going to be a lover of organization and order. She very carefully went through and collected all of her socks.

  

(After taking out her hair bow, mind you).

But only the white ones. According to Mutti, this is the exact opposite of what I would have done as a 13 month old, which was strew ALL the clothes all over the floor with wild abandon. 

I can just hear people saying, "Put a hair bow in that child's hair!". I hear you, I really do, but there are times when it just doesn't happen (especially after it's been taken out about seven times already!)

{Funny}

Pat has continued to work extra hard on our tank rabbit hutch. The giant thing weighs at least 1/8 of a ton, or 250 pounds, whichever sounds heavier. This has been a project of much larger proportions then initially thought! 

Last night, Mac and Nanny came over to help.

Even after the sun set, they were still hard at work.

You know it's a huge hutch when your husband can fit inside . . .

He thought about sleeping out there,

But eventually decided against it!

{Real}

So what is the story with using honey instead of sugar in bread-making? I'm gradually making the transition from store-bought bread to homemade white bread to honey white bread (no white sugar) to partial whole wheat bread and so on. 

Gradual being the operative word here. As in, I've been on the home-made white bread step for about 2 months now. 

Until today!

Today, I used a very similar recipe that called for honey instead of white sugar. 

And boy did this bread RISE like gang busters.

It is supposed to double in an hour. 

Instead, it tripled or more in about 40 minutes.

When I punched it down, it looked more like it quadrupled.

So does the mere fact that I used honey make the bread rise more quickly or is that a fluke?

Here is the bread after I punched it down and put it in the pans:

A

After ten minutes:

 

After ten more minutes:

And after about five more minutes (slightly less . . . whatever it took for the oven to hear up):

And, yes, they rose so much in that short time that they grew together! 

Also: that goofy braid: keeping it real round these here parts.

So we will see how this bread comes out~ it is currently baking and I am hoping that despite the fact that it really seems to have over-rose, it won't have that overly yeasty over-rose taste! 

We will see!!