Busy busy busy!!

What a busy time this is!  School is out for summer, and yet I seem to be busier than ever.  I chalk it up to the wonders of late spring/early summer.  I visited my friends Rachel and Mark in Kansas City, MO, over Memorial Day, and my little brother graduates from high school in just about a week, so I'm getting ready for that visit home, and I've had several people over to visit and see the new apartment.  Meanwhile, we are gearing up to move our office at work.  In addition, I have discovered baking and yogurt making.  The baking is still a work in progress, as I have yet to produce an actual loaf of risen bread (attempt #2 in progress at the moment!), however I have a very active sourdough starter that makes wonderful muffins and crescent rolls, and absolutely the best waffles I've EVER had, so things are coming along nicely.  The yogurt process isn't quite perfected just yet, but it is really too easy and inexpensive to not do on a regular basis.  I'm honestly not sure I'll ever buy yogurt again!  I'm also doing some planning for an office veggie garden, as well as planning ahead for all the delicious fruits about to hit the market that will take well to preservation in various forms.  Much to do!

I talked to my mom tonight about all these little "projects" I have going on, and we laughed a little at how silly I am for doing all this stuff.  As I was eating a tamale for dinner and had the brief thought of "maybe I could make tamales to use up all the cornmeal I have...," it dawned on my WHY I do these things.  The tamale moment was brief because I quickly acknowledged just how much work they take and how I just don't have that kind of time.  However, with most other "processed" whole foods (such as bread and yogurt), I find myself so removed from the process of how to produce them, and lacking the necessary appreciation of the time and work involved.  Even if this bread works out great, I highly doubt I'll never again buy a loaf of bread.  But it serves as a reminder of the work that goes into my food, and helps me to better gauge value.  For example, I've decided that even my beloved Straus yogurt is a bit expensive, as I can produce nearly the same product for just the cost of their milk (about a third less for the same quantity).  (Mind you, yogurt takes time, so I definitely think they are charging a fair price, just that I can do the same myself for less)  At the same time, I've decided that a good loaf of bread is a miraculous thing, and wonder at people who make real, fresh, whole bread on a daily basis.  This stuff takes patience and major planning!  

Go out and buy yourself a loaf of fresh artisan bread!  Trust me, it's worth it!