Just This, Just That

I have an eye doctor's appointment tomorrow morning and also a dentist appointment and because I am obsessed with daily blogging, I'm getting this in now.

I want to show a little bit of what my yard looks like, all abloom with color and so there you have a picture of the azaleas.

It rained today right after I planted a few cardinal plants which I have been rooting since last fall and for that I am grateful. Here's what the front yard looked like in the rain:

It did not rain long enough but it was beautiful while it lasted.

Do you remember the picture of the wisteria I took one week ago? Well, here's how it looks now and it is NOTHING like the way it will look in another week.



I mean really, you can practically hear them pop out, those purple flowers hanging like grapes, those fat little dangling darlings of perfume.

And since tomorrow is St. Patrick's day, I'll go ahead and give you the recipe for the Irish Soda Bread and forget the corned beef. Just make the bread. Smell it in all stages of preparation. Then eat it and be joyful and grateful to the Irish.


Irish Soda Bread

2 cups of flour
1/2 cup of raisins or currents or golden raisins or dried cranberries or whatever sort of fruit you want to use
2 teaspoons of caraway seeds (Do not skip these. Really.)
The zest of one lemon, grated (Don't skip this either. I'm serious.)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons (at least) honey
Sugar for sprinkling

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.

2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, fruit, caraway seeds, lemon zest, baking soda and salt. In a small bowl, combine the buttermilk and honey. Pour over the flour mixture; stir just until the flour disappears. Do not overmix.

3. Lightly sprinkle a work surface with flour; turn out the dough. Flour your hands and knead the dough lightly. Seven times or so. This dough will feel like a baby's butt, like fresh warm earth when you've planted your seeds and are patting the dirt over them with affection and hope. Form into a 7 inch round loaf; place on the baking sheet. With a sharp knife slash a cross (or peace sign- whatever) on top. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake in the upper third of the oven until browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40-45 minutes. Remove from the pan and allow to cool.
Or not.

Get out the butter.
Eat.