Salal sourdough pancake recipe

An entry I wrote last week on my phone: "My hands are covered in blisters but I am finished digging up my waterline which for a variety of reasons had to be moved. Tonight I feel joy running in my veins. I will not think about the fact that I have yet to finish filling in the old trench, dig a new one and re-assemble the pipe. But the night is young so I switch activities and begin hauling firewood in my wheelbarrow and than stacking it in the woodshed. Time passes but how much of it is irrelevant. What is important is how much wood I get stacked. I stop when I am feeling dead tired and than I notice some ripe salal berries that my daughter and I neglected to pick earlier in the day so I head into the cabin to find something to pick them into. I pick bare armed and ignore the few mosquitoes buzzing around. Through the darkening forest I see the golden setting sun and I pop a few berries into my mouth. They are dry and earthy. I love them but it is an acquired taste. Late spring/ summer is the closest season to heaven on this side of paradise." I make this pancake recipe once a week: In bowl add: 1 cup white flour; 1/4 cup oatmeal; 1/4 cup flaxseed flour ( I make mine in my blender) 1 cup sourdough ( from a sourdough culture) and enough warm water to make a pancake consistency. Cover and allow to sit overnight. In the morning add: 1/2 tsp. baking soda; 2 tablespoons honey; 3 tablespoons flavourless oil; 3/4-1 cup salal or blue berries(optional); water as needed. Let stand 15-30 mins. before frying.

Sent from my iPhone

A Father's Day story

I had family come for a visit and they helped me with the annual task of cleaning out the stovepipe for my wood stove. Segments of pipe are removed from the back of the stove and a special brush specifically for the task is pushed up to the top of the stove cap. It's not complicated but it is a dirty job because of the falling black soot. It is much easier with another set of hands much stronger than my own. Hands that can turn the pipe and line up the screw holes with out me having to put in new screws while trying to hold onto the pipe. I know because I installed all of the pipe by myself. My guests left on Father's Day and insisted on stopping by my truck parked on the mainland. Than I got a text from them informing me that my gas cap lid was sitting on my tire and the lid covering up where the cap should have been was wide open. If you have been following my blog you will be aware of stollen gas posts- but this was something new. In the past thieves always put the cap on and closed the lid. (On two separate occasions I have tried locking gas cap lids and they have been pried off and than put back on.) The truck had been parked for two days and during those two days it rained a lot. There may or may not be water in my gas tank. I will order some stuff to help remove the water and it will be at the post office -located nearby to my truck the next time I go to town. I am thankful for my family's insistence on stopping by my truck as it will be a month before I return. I know that my care and that of my young daughter is completely in His hands for He is able to provide better than what I or any earthly man can. "Great is The Lord and most worthy of Praise." Psalm 48:1

Sent from my iPhone

Excitement

It's raining outside. After several weeks of sunshine it is a thrill. I just feel overjoyed to sit and listen. The other day a pair of swanson's thrushes showed up at the birdbath. While we hear these birds singing in the trees around us they are shy about making an appearance and their visit caused a stir of excitement. So did the truckload of firewood that I bought. This is the first time that I have ever bought firewood and while it may not be the best wood it is cut and split. I stacked it in the woodshed and it looks pretty to me. I have a bit of wood that needs splitting but the handle on the sledge hammer that I've been using finally wore out and it was unsafe to use. It was a tool I found too heavy and feeling free from it I bought this 6lb beauty. It is a lot lighter making it much easier for me to swing. It means I can split more wood before tiring and I feel considerably less fatigued after using it. The longer handle gives me more leverage which allows me to swing harder if need be. Using a wedge I broke open some knotty blocks. In order to fit one into my stove I split it right through the knot - something I would have avoided before. Parting with the old tool has brought me as much joy as the peach Iris's that have finally bloomed.
Sent from my iPhone