yesterday was full of splendid little moments...the ones where you feel fully alive and quite satisfied.

the temperature outside was absolutely perfect...

cool enough for a light sweater, warm enough for a cotton dress.

the sun shone, the grass was green and the flowers bloomed.

i left the back door open to let in a spring breeze as

i stood by the big kitchen sink, peeling potatoes and listening to a lovely melody.

the chicks are growing up!

it's amazing how quickly they change...feathers appear out of nowhere and little bodies fatten up.

one of the buff orpingtons has quite the personality...she is an adventurer, the brave one of the crew.

i often find her perching on the bin or sitting on the floor outside of the bin.

we decided to name the girls after queens and princesses:

the light brahmas are diana and kate.

the dark brahmas are victoria and mary.

the orpingtons are elizabeth I and elizabeth II.

we have yet to distinguish which one gets which name...

although the adventurous orpington is definitely elizabeth II, reigning monarch of this chicken kingdom.

dressing table, vanity...

whatever you want to call it, i love the table a woman sets aside in her bedroom for all her pretty things.

this one is mine.

for we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which G-d prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

eph. 2:10

flour tortillas from the river cottage bread handbook.

yesterday i made the easiest flour tortillas.

i have made tortillas before and did not love the results.

this time i found a winner!

i could not believe how easy these were to make and how great they tasted!

i don't plan on ever buying tortillas from the store again.

*****

the recipe comes from the river cottage bread handbook:

2 cups AP flour, plus more for dusting (I used half AP/half whole wheat)

1 tsp fine salt

2/3 cup water (I had to add about a tbsp more)

mix together the ingredients to form a rough dough.

knead for a few minutes until the dough is smooth and no longer sticky.

cover and let rest for 30 minutes.

divide into 8 pieces and shape each piece into a round. 

flour the work surface and roll the rounds out thinly (1/16 to 1/8-inch thickness). 

heat a frying pan over medium heat (no need to add oil) and have a clean tea towel ready.

once the pan is hot, lay a tortilla in it and cook for 30 seconds (until the underside is patched with dark brown) and then flip to cook other side.

once cooked, place in the tea towel to hold in steam (this keeps the tortillas soft). 

enjoy!

trip to florida for a sweet wedding under the spanish moss.

unfortunately the only good photo i got of the entire wedding is the one above.

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i came home to baby chicks that are starting to look like chickens...more feathers, more body mass.

i also came home to little seedlings popping out from under the soil!