Didn’t I say I would write a new post about the 4th of July weekend in the following week?

So, it’s been a little longer than expected, but here we go.

Let’s start with The 4th of July.

Historically, this has been one of my favorite holidays. When I was a kid, it meant going to the parade, seeing friends at the parade, a huge cookout with my family after the parade, and finishing up with the fireworks, typically also with friends. At this stage of my life, it’s wake up super early and wrangle the kids, park 74 blocks away from the parade route, walk forever in 300 degree heat, camp in a bar and watch the parade out the window, then head to my parents for a very quiet cookout, and go home and fall asleep on the couch by 4pm. If I’m really ambitious, stay up to watch the fireworks out my family room window from the comfort of my couch. It’s boring and kind of sad. And this year, we didn’t even get to go to the bar where we’ve hung out every 7/4 for nearly 20 years- they were closed for a “private party.” Bunch of jerks.

Anyway. July 5-8 I took vacation from work so I could take my little guys to our family’s cabin in the Northwoods. It was either hotter than hell or pissing rain the entire time, so we were holed up inside. There was a morning of reprieve from the rain on Saturday, though, when my dad and I taught my 7 year-old, Charlie, how to shoot my pellet gun. So that was fun. He can help me battle the squirrels in our yard that destroy my seedings every spring. Only kidding. Or am I?

I also did quite a bit of baking while we were at the cabin. I made a batch of cinnamon rolls with peach filling, which unfortunately didn’t quite bake long enough so they turned out really heavy- no matter, I repurposed those into a delightful bread pudding yesterday with a lovely bourbon vanilla creme anglaise sauce as an accompaniment. I also made a batch of loaves- also did not turn out because I think I may have actually skipped the shaping step? Tell you the truth, I don’t remember what I didn’t do, I just know they were flat. We still ate them, though. My brother took home the one we cut into, and the untouched loaf came home with us on Monday.

The work week passed in a blur- I had a lot of catching up to do, thanks to my extended weekend. By the time Friday rolled around, I had yet to plan my bakes for the weekend. Saturday, my husband had a day off so we took the boys down to “Thomas Land,” as Charlie lovingly refers to it- A Day Out With Thomas at the Union Railway Museum is what it actually is. We were all supposed to go last year, but Brennan woke up sick that morning so he and I missed out. Not this time. Oh, no.

We took the very slow and winding two hour drive down to bum-F nowhere, IL, rode in a 100 year-old passenger coach behind an (admittedly adorable) stylized Thomas model engine, then wandered around in the 90-degree heat for another hour and a half before heading back home. The boys each came home with a fun souvenir, and they seemed happy even while I dealt with Kevin’s raging temper on the drive back home because every little thing didn’t go as he expected (because, you know, traffic…). Men. I tell you.

Moving on to more productive pursuits. Over the weekend, I made my best batch of sourdough yet, as well as some discard goodies (maple bacon scones, anyone?).

I still can’t get over the perfection that is the cinnamon-sugar swirl in that loaf. Heart eyes for days- and those divine pockets where the sugar-cinnamon syrup pooled at the outside of the loaf? Oh. My. Goodness. The plain loaf, because it came out nice and had a decent rise, I decided to make it my first gifted loaf to a friend of mine, who will eventually be sharing some of her eggs with me, once her hens start laying.

I have a lot going on, so I’m trying to decide where to cut this post off. Here seems good. I’ll be back soon with updates on garden stuff, my shiny new kitchen pegboard, and I’m sure there will be some baking, too. Who knows what else.

I will see you when I see you, friends.

Peace and blessings, always-