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You know, there’s something comforting about the fact that in a moment of braveness you can dispose of a previous starter, mix together flour and water and the same little yeasty boyz who have served you for a year will start right up where they left off. Day two of feeding the “new” starter and it’s already blowing off the containers’ covers. When I measured out each starter to do the feed each one had a well-developed structure. The stiff levain was already full of gluten and air. The rye was full of bubbles throughout. Amazing.

It was actually in December 2004 I guess that I started this bread making adventure and my oven has seen quite a few loaves in that time. I’ve learned that both the yeasties and me are pretty resilient and have more stick-to-it-ness than some would have guessed. I would like still to have a little more focus, but I’ll take what I can get.

Last year about this time I wondered if I would ever really get back to quilting. Well that’s chugging along too. I’m a few long seams away from having a new top done. Yeah yeah yeah, more of the same – those darn little squares.

I’ve re-learned about exposures and film and all – not more than I need to know to take the slides I need. I have the basic equipment and the knowhow and get the job done. I learned I could mow the lawn (easily) and take out the trash (no problem) and look forward to a life that has room to enjoy each moment (worth taking the time). I can sit back and enjoy the scalloped edges of the oak trees along the echoing edge of pines along route 20. I can relish the morning light hitting the kinderhook and the reeds along the highway.

Lately I’ve learned that sometimes you need to draw a circle both to keep those dear at hand and to keep out the clawing roar of the world. Whew – doesn’t that sound dramatic? There’s a lot more drama sometimes in the small steps we take to direct our lives than in the big ones.

What will tomorrow bring? Demand for more food from the yeasty boyz and the cats. A need for a heavy sweater against the frost that’s due. A gladness that there’s bread to bake and folks to eat it. And sure knowledge that the basics carry on every day.