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"I keep hearing that same damn song everywhere I go..."


 Lord, don't we have projects around here! Beanie and I got up early this morning so I could start my first loaf of sourdough bread with the starter I've been working on for the past couple of weeks. My first starter attempt was a bust, so I started fresh this week with much better results. Now, we have sourdough slowly rising in the kitchen as I type. 

I can hardly feel three of the fingertips on my left hand, because I'm also learning to play B's tenor guitar. I have small, very inflexible hands, so four strings should theoretically be easier for me to master than six. We shall see. Right now, I'm trying to learn my open chords so I can play some very simple songs (looking at you, "Sweet Jane"). Apparently, this will get easier as I get some calluses on my fingers. Let's hope this is true. 

Also, I'm trying to get better about taking pictures. We're considering a trip to Ireland in the fall, and looking through my photos from my last trip there, you'd think I was already completely blind. It's hard to tell what it is I was trying to capture in 3/4 of them. So, my current plan is to just work on capturing simple things that capture my interest on my phone, before transitioning to my camera for further practice. I need to get better at focusing and framing shots. The picture above was taken in our backyard this morning. The camellia bushes in our backyard are blooming, but I have a feeling that will be over after the cold weather that's coming this week. While I was lining this picture up, a bee landed on the bloom, so that was a happy accident. 

This afternoon, I plan to sit down with my new library book and see if it's actually worth all the hype. There may be a nap, as well. At the rate the bread is rising, I'll be baking until midnight. There never seems to be enough weekend for all the things I want to try!

What I read this week: The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix. I loved this book. I don't really like horror stories, but this was hilarious and a very fast read. I also loved that it was set in the early to mid-1990s. It brought back a lot of memories from when I was in junior high and high school. 

What I listened to this week: "Stop Making Sense" by Talking Heads. "On Avery Island" by Neutral Milk Hotel. "Little Plastic Castle" by Ani DiFranco.



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