Photography Lesson # 7 – The photo shoot

   Location- In your notebook, start keeping a list of locations that you know of or see just driving around. You’ll be surprised at how many there are right around you. Make it a point to take your kids to new places and bring along your camera. For my birthday I like to do a photo shoot somewhere new since that is the time that all the blossoms are out. It just makes me happy.

2-      Portraits- When taking portraits of people, the idea is to capture emotion and personality. Think of all the emotions that people go through (happy, sad, serious, pouty, laughing, etc) and use them to make a connection with your subject.  For just one person take close up’s or face shots and also get full body shots. Try to capture at least one where you concentrate on the eyes and getting some great catch lights. Make sure you focus correctly. I also like to use smile, smile just a little, and don’t smile etc.

3-      Candids- Candid’s can be some of the best shots you will ever get. They tell stories about real life. To get great candid’s, you might need to be patient and use longer lenses so that they don’t realize you are even taking pictures. You can just wait for interactions or you can tell a joke or just ask them to laugh. You can also stage candids. If you are doing more than one person, have them interact with each other. Smile, talk, laugh etc. You can have subjects hold hands, kiss, touch noses, cover their face with their hands, and throw hands in the air. You can have them move around, jump, look away from you, talk to you etc.  You’ll be amazed at what great pictures you can get this way.

4-      Props- These can be so much fun. The possibilities are endless. Let me just throw a few out there: food, fruit, candy, giant suckers, colorful soda’s, bubbles, dolls, toys, bright hair flowers, umbrella’s, hats, boots, scarves, blankets, suitcases, baskets, chairs, ladders and so much more!

5-      Group shots- These can be difficult but very rewarding. The trend in photography right now is not too posed. The look is that everyone is standing or sitting a little differently from everyone else. Maybe leaning against a wall, some holding hands and not dressed alike. That doesn’t mean that the traditional posed and all dressed alike is wrong. It’s just not the trend in photography right now.

                                                                               Candid

                                         Location, Props  

 If you take Alpine Highway to American Fork and make a right onto State St. Look over to your right and you will soon see this little alley way between the stores. This is one of my favorite pictures ever and it was all about location and props. This other picture is my favorite because it has a special story behind it. This was Rick’s day to go into the MTC and he took Joseph out to the bus for the last time. Of course, Joseph didn’t know that he wouldn’t be seeing Rick again for two years, but I did. I captured Joseph’s happy face looking back at Rick and Rick’s reflection in the bus window saying goodbye.

             This photo illustrates the relaxed, more natural looking trend in family photos

Assignment:

Do a photo shoot in a new location . Take a single portrait, face only and a whole body portrait using some kind of prop. Take a group shot and then take some candid shots. Post your favorites to the blog.

User friendly

I wanted to give a little tutorial about the blog. Since Monica brought it up, having a place for book reviews and such, I wanted to tell a few tips to make this blog more user friendly.
First:
When you create a new post you will see three tabs saying NEW POST, EDIT POST, EDIT PAGES. If you want something to have it's own PAGE like books you could just add your two cents to that page. I created a book review for example. You can add up to 10 pages. The only problem with pages is that it is like one big post.

Second:
We should all try to label our posts. Sondra does this and it would be so useful because  when looking at the labels we can see children, recipes, books, etc and click on the labels which would show all posts that have to do with that. I especially want this so I can just click on recipes and see all the posts available. How you do this is when posting you will  see a section for labels in the lower write hand corner. Either write in a new label or click show all and select a label that has been made by someone else so that the posts will be in the same categories. You can find the labels on posts at the end of the post under the name of the person posting. For example look and see the blue link that should appear at the end of this post called "tutorials" that is the label I created for this particular post. I also added the labels to our side roll so you can just click on them. Let it be noted that only Sondra's are showing up because she is the only one who created labels. You can go edit old posts and add labels. Anyone can edit other posts so if you know how to add labels and have some time maybe go through and add them so our blog is organized.

3rd:
I added a search bar at the bottom of the blog. This searches our blog and blogs that we are linked too. If you type in Wheat it will come up with a recipe and how to soak, and info on a cheap way to grind it. This is an easy way to find older posts also and for visitors to navigate the site.
Hopefully I didn't just confuse everyone! If there are any other things people want to learn just let me know!

Books I wish I would have read sooner...

After nearly 18 years of marriage and 8 kids I like to think I have learned a few important things. Many of them came through experience but many have come from books--books I wish I would have read earlier--a lot earlier! Here is the list of my favorites--the ones that I think were the cream of the crop:

Favorite Parenting and Relationship Books:

Raising Up a Family to the Lord by Gene R. Cook. This is a fabulous gospel-based book. Elder Cook also has a CD of the same title that is also highly recommended.

The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman

The Power of Positive Parenting by Glenn Latham. I think this is still available at Deseret Book but it may be out of print.

The Peacegiver by James Ferrell. This is one of the most profound books I have read on relationships and our personal responsibility in them.

The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands by Dr. Laura. Thanks, Lolly, for sending me a signed copy!

Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey

Wild at Heart by John Eldredge. This is a great book to read if you have a husband or sons.

25 Mistake Parents Make by Randall Wright. An excellent book.

Favorite Home and Gardening Books:

The Vegetable Gardener's Bible by Edward Smith. This is one of Dallin's favorite books. He put the author as one of his favorites who is right up there with Tolkien and Lewis (his words not mine!) Smith has a delightful writing style and sense of humor and the book is chalk full of good information. Thanks, Mom, for introducing me to this one!

Is There Life After Housework? and Clutter's Last Stand by Don Aslett. Both are hilarious books that teach basic and economical cleaning skills and habits. Clutter's Last Stand is a great book about junk and the stuff we collect and hold on to unnecessarily. Pack Rats will find help here!

Chickens in Your Backyard by Rick and Gail Luttman is another fun book Dallin loved. He read it a couple of times around the age of 12 and it started a passion for chickens that I think will last a lifetime. It was fun to see him sitting out by the chickens day after day just watching them and he quoted the Luttmans when he told me that chickens were more fun to watch than TV!

Favorite Financial Books:

The Richest Man in Babylon by George Clason. This book has a profound effect on all who read it. Dallin read it around the age of 12 and several times since then. He told me he "wanted a lot of copies so he could read it a lot" as he got older. It is written in short story form so it is easy to read and will hold your interest.

Five Secrets I Learned From a Millionare is by Richard Paul Evans and had an important effect on Douglas. I read it aloud to him in the car on one of our trips to Hurricane several years ago. It gave him insights that he applied to his business and helped him make it more successful.

Financial Peace University and any other books and seminars by Dave Ramsey. This one I wish would have been around sooner. But better late than never!

The Millionare Next Door by Stanley and Danko

Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki

Favorite Gospel Resources:

Along with the Standard Works, of course, these books have been very helpful in teaching my children the gospel--and in understanding it better myself!

Gospel Principles. This is the same book we are studying in Relief Society. I am reading it with my kids and it is an incredible resource to teaching them the gospel. I think we will go through this one again and again.

Our Heritage and For the Strength of Youth

Doctrinal New Testament Commentary by Bruce R. McConkie. This is a three volume series that is out of print, difficult to find, and worth owning. Douglas, who is currently teaching Gospel Doctrine, has this to say about it: "It is phenomenal. You will read this and you will learn things that you never knew. There are things here that will astound you...As a starting point read about the Parable of the Leven and the Parable of the Mustard Seed and see if you want to read the rest." It is also one of three books specifically named by Elder Oaks that we all should read. The other two were Believing Christ by Stephen Robinson and Life in Christ by Robert Millett. Believing Christ is a profound book but I have not read Life in Christ yet.

An interesting note: President Monson told us in a regional conference a few years ago that there are two books he reads every December: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens and The Mansion by Henry van Dyke. Both are great books.

Favorite Homeschool Books:

These books I would recommend to anyone who are parents of small children and/or are thinking of homeschooling. These are great to read before your kids get very old but they are helpful at any age. There are many different homeschooling philosophies out there and I have read a lot of books about them. These are the most helpful to me.

The Thomas Jefferson Education and other books by Oliver DeMille. This has influenced me more than any of the others. He explains the basic principles of education that have been used over the centuries to teach and train men who became the leaders of the world. It is a far more natural and fluid approach to education than our modern method of taking all the 5-18 year olds and cramming them into classrooms to be force fed what and when the administration thinks they should learn with a one-size-fits-all attitude.

The Well Trained Mind by Susan Wise Bauer is an excellent resource for all parents who wish to improve their child's education whether they attend public school or not. It is actually a very different approach to education than Oliver's works, but I think they go well together. Don't get this confused with the author's other book called The Well Educated Mind. This book is a guide to help you improve your own education. I have not read this but I hear good things about it.

The Charlotte Mason Companion by Karen Andreola is another excellent book that I would highly recommend to all parents of small children whether they homeschool or not.

The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease. I have Angelyn to thank for introducing me to this one. It is great for parents of all ages and is entertaining and informative. Highly recommended!

How Children Learn by John Holt was one of the first books I read after deciding to homeschool when my oldest was in kindergarten--and I am so glad I did! It had a profound and welcome influence on how I view my children's activities. Thanks, Monterey, for showing me this one!

Favorite Health and Nutrition Books and Resources:

Nutrition and Physical Degeneration by Weston Price is a must read for anyone who wants to be healthy and have healthy children and grandchildren. It is a thick book but the many pictures are profound in and of themselves. I found it fascinating and I cannot say enough about this book and its importance to the human race.

Nourishing Traditions and Eat Fat, Lose Fat are nutrition/recipe books that will help you apply the principles you learn from Dr. Price. Both books are by Sally Fallon and Mary Enig. Highly recommended!

www.westonaprice.org is a fabulous resource for anyone who is seeking solid information about any health or nutritional topic.

The Detox Book by Bruce Fife is a very helful and informative resource. Thanks, Aunt Helen, for telling me about this book!

The Maker's Diet by Jordan Rubin is another helpful book.

How to Raise a Healthy Child in Spite of Your Docter is written by Dr. John Mendelsohn. It is a great book that was written before it's time.

Perscription for Nutritional Healing by Phyllis Balch is a great resource to have on hand.

Spontaneous Healing by Andrew Weil is another informative book.

Favorite Political and Philosophical Books:

The Law by Frederic Bastiat. Yes, he was French. If only his fellow citizens--and the rest of us--paid more attention to what he had to say!

"What is Seen and Not Seen" is an essay by Frederic Bastiat and worth finding. It is in his book called Selected Essays on Political Economy but may be available on the internet.

The 5000 Year Leap by Cleon Skousen is an excellent discussion of the history and principles of freedom.

The Proper Role of Government by Ezra Taft Benson is in booklet form. Another excellent resource.

I would love to hear about other people's favorite books. Perhaps we should dedicate a special section of the blog to book reviews.

Monica

Photography Lesson #6 - Composition

First of all, let me just say that rules can easily be broken in photography and look great. These are just some rules that can help make some of your pictures look even better and more creative.

1-      The rule of thirds- This rule says that you don’t put your subject right in the middle of your picture. You would put it in the top right, one third corner, the top left, one third corner, bottom right or bottom left, one third corner. And, yes Abby is singing “Oh what a Beautiful Morning”. Also the sky and the clouds are fake. I will show you how to do this later.

2-      Patterns and Shapes- It’s fun to look for patterns and shapes that make pictures more interesting. You can find patterns everywhere, interesting doors or windows with patterns, wood working, looking straight up from the bottom of a tower or building, fallen leaves, flowers, etc. and you can create your own. I have some fun fabric backgrounds that anyone is welcome to borrow! You can see shapes that make your photograph more interesting. Squares, rectangles (buildings), triangles (mountains or sets of three) and circles (flowers and a setting sun) are everywhere in our world. Start to pay attention to them.

3-      Texture and Contrast- these are also everywhere in our world and make great photographs. Look for peeling paint, old wood, old stone, dirt, rocks etc. Notice contrast. If your subject is light look for a dark background. If your subject is dark, look for a light background in order to make them stand out.

4-      Lines- Lines are fun and they can be straight or curved. Lines can be horizontal, vertical, diagonal or converging. Look for lines that lead the eye through your photograph such as a curving road or path. Straight lines that go diagonally through your photograph also lead the eye and can be very interesting.

5-      Framing- Look for ways to frame your subject such as a doorway, a window, foliage, an arch, a tunnel or even other people.

6-      Perspective- You can get a completely different picture lying down on the ground, looking straight at or standing up high looking down at the same subject. None of them are wrong. They are just different.

                          Texture, Color and Rule of Thirds

                                                         

                          Shapes, Texture, Perspective

                                             

                                                      

7-      Balance and Symmetry- I tend to like symmetry in my horizontal pictures and most of my vertical ones, but once in a while I like to throw something off balance with a vertical picture. It can make things a little more interesting.

                       Framing, Color, Texture, and Lines

   

                            Lines, Asymmetry, and Contrast

                                                            

                                                       

8-      Color- We all love color in our photographs.  The best photo shoots are the ones with lots of great colors, whether it is in the clothing, painted structures, flowers or whatever. Look for color and use it in your photographs.

Assignment:

List all the compositional elements in your notebook and practice taking pictures that incorporate one or more of each of them.  There is the rule of thirds, patterns and shapes, textures and contrast, lines, framing, color and perspective. Then try a little asymmetry. Take pictures of each of the elements of composition and post you favorites on the blog.

Filling the frame is another way to improve your compositions. After taking a picture of a scene, take a step closer and fill the frame with something interesting in your picture. You will be surprised at how much fun that can be! Another trick is to fill the bottom of the picture with something. This works especially well with vertical pictures. I got this one of the White House by lying down on my stomach.

A few things I've come across...

After two babies and three miscarriages, heart arrythmias and chronic lower abdominal pain, I decided I'm not as healthy as I always thought I was, or at least used to be. In my quest to be a little healthier and prepare my body for another pregnancy, I have come to learn about a few things that have seemed to help in my various ailments. For overall health, Monica introduced me to Fermented Cod Liver Oil (sounds delicious, doesn't it?) mixed with High Vitamin Butter oil. When taken together, they help enhance the other's nutrients and absorbtion into the body. (Monica, you can go into more detail, as you can explain it better than I can.) Many nutritionists say that if they could only take one nutrient supplement, this would be it because of it's ride range of benefits, including immunity boosting, EPA/DHA's, high vitamin A and D content, Quinones, and Omegas 3, 6, 7, and9. Red Raspberry Leaves is an herb that is supposed to be great for all the female things from hormones to organs to birth and delivery. Kara says she thinks it had a lot to do with her super easy labor and delivery (Input, Kara?). Catalyn is a simple multivitamin, but that has a proprietary blend of nutrients taken from cow organs (yummy!) like adrenal glands, spleen, kidney and liver. I know that sounds very unappetizing, but if you look at the cultures around the world who eat organ meats (no parts of the animal goes to waste), they are the same cultures that have perfect teeth, robust women, and zero diseases like diabetes, cancer and heart disease. (Termites, anyone?) There is another supplement, also made by Standard Process that bumped up my energy level about tenfold using the bovine thyroid, which name escapes me right now (Monica?), but was also great. Between and after my miscarriages this last year, I started having what felt like ovulation pain, so I did a little research on the internet and found that it was probably due to a lack of vitamin K. Green Leafy's are high in vitamin K, especially things like Kale and spinach. So after making some delicious Tuscan soup http://www.tuscanrecipes.com/recipes/olive-garden-zuppa-toscana.html and doubling up on the kale, I also found chllorophyll and kelp to be particularly helpful as I figured they'd be loaded with vitamin K. Just being on those two supplements has made the pain go away significantly. Acidophilus are the probiotics, or good bacteria that are found in yogurt, minus all the sugar that would also be found there, and cancel out any good yogurt might do you. Acidophlius is good for any colon/stomach/bowel/digestion issues you might encounter. My girls eat it by the spoonful, especially the apple strawberry kind. Win Win! This can be found in the refrigerated section of the health food store. For much of my adult life, and especially when I was nursing, I left evidence of my presence everywhere I went by shedding hair like a fluffy dog in the summertime. Cleaning out the hair from my hairbrush and shower drain was a daily routine. Trace minerals have pretty much cured that problem. Now the only evidence of my presence are my creaky knees and ankles when I walk. I did a little research on chia seeds, and found only good things to say about them. They are supposed to be high in soluble fiber, omega 6's, and a host of other things. They are highly hydroliphic, which means they absorb water (up to 12 thier weight), which make them keep you hydrated longer, and they help regulate the glucose (sugar) in your blood (yeah for me!). The only bad news I could find on them, was things like, people with really low blood pressure (no one that I know) should be careful, because they help lower your blood pressure. Other than that, they seem to be pretty good for you. Chef Brad has good things to say about chia in his website, too. http://www.chefbrad.com/grain/details.php?grain=Chia In front of the bag of chia seed in the picture is the actual "gel" that you get when you let the seeds soak up water for a time. Because chia seed is pretty much tasteless, you can put it in whatever you want to eat it. I like to put it in my freshly squeezed orange juice and just drink it down. It does change the texture a bit, but pretty much all I can taste is the orange juice. All of these things can be found at health food stores.

Photography assignment: Lighting

Soft Light

Back Lighting with Flare

Back Lighting
Side Lighting





Front Light


Natural Light

Soft Light

Soft light

HELP!!!

First off I changed the blog layout a bit.... just because of some picture issues. If anyone doesn't like it I can change it back... or they can change it. But this allows for bigger photos.

Now on to my problem. I am hitting my breaking point with Adelaide and I would like some input. Addy started asking for panties awhile ago so I thought great lets do it. She's been pretty great at it. She doesn't wet herself anymore... even at night. The problem is she has never and refuses to go #2 in the potty. She knows it's suppose to go in there, she doesn't like going in her panties so much so that she will hold it for up to 3 days before going #2 in her panties of course. I feel like I've tried everything. What should I do now? Any tips would be welcome because though I am trying very hard to stay calm and upbeat it is frustrating to know that if she just would go once in the potty she'd realize it's not something to be afraid of and we'd be completely potty trained. Daniel is not so upbeat about it and is getting pretty frustrated. Please help!

photography lighting assignment

open shade

natural light open shade

front lighting

back lighting indoors

back lighting flare

Angelyn, all of Addy's pictures the other night were coming out with such a bluish tint even though it was warm, prime lighting. I finally figured out because she was so fair and the sun was setting that my camera was not overcorrecting on the White Balance. I played around a bit and now can get those warmer images without the bluish tint. Do you have to do that also? Or have you run into that problem before?

My Food Storage List

This is my Food Storage List that I keep with my in my purse. It tells me what I have and what I need. I just estimated for 10 people what we would need and then I adjusted it over the years to what we use. (G is gallon, C is case, B is box, Q is quart, L is Large etc) If I buy something I mark it down. Every now and then I go to my storage room and update what we have used and then reprint my paper. I put only items on my list that we use all the time and that I can store. I love it! Feel free to make it your own. I have done this for years and now my storage room looks like this:

homeschool

I stumbled on this blog today while looking for dessert recipes that call for lots of eggs ( and are easy to make) since we have almost 3 dozen eggs in our fridge right now.  the blog is : antiquityoaks.blogspot.com  I am actually really intrigued with the whole blog, but as for homeschool, I thought this story was very enlightening and encouraging:  http://www.antiquityoaks.com/homeschooling.html  ( this doesn't mean I'm ready to homeschool right now, but I'd like to in the future)

Photography Lesson #5 - Lighting

OK, anyone can do this one. I want to see some posts this time. I know some of you are doing this and not posting. Don't be shy, we will love it.

There are different kinds of light:

-Hard Light - That directly overhead sunlight that creates harsh shadows- avoid this light

-Soft Light – Indirect light such as an overcast day, in the shade, inside by a light window,  and early morning or late afternoon light

-Natural Light – Soft light but comes from the sun

-Front Light – Light shining directly into the face or subject (I like to face my subjects directly toward a bright window or toward the sun on an overcast day).

-Side Light – Light shining onto the side of the subject

-Back Light – Light shining from behind the subject

                                                           Side lighting

                                 Front lighting (notice the catch lights)

The best light is soft, natural light of course and it can come from the front, side or back. But even soft, natural light can be different. For example early morning light tends to be cooler and blue and late evening light tends to be warmer and more yellow.

                                       Back lighting with flare                                  

                 Soft, natural light – open shade

Back Lighting is hard to achieve but can be very rewarding. It gives you a softer look about the subject and colors are a little more washed out but they are very popular and can be quite artistic. Try catching to sun peeking through some tree branch or most of the sun hidden behind the subject. Flare can make a picture more interesting. Just make sure that the flare is not on the subject’s face. I will typically take a shot or two and see where the flare is and then change it by moving a bit if I need to.

From here on out it would be a good idea to explore your house and discover where the best light is and at what time of day. Also start noticing light and where it is coming from and what it does to a subject. This will help you when you are taking pictures. You need to just notice where the light is coming from and how to best place your subject.

Catch lights are those lights that you see in a subject’s eyes that just lights them up. If you place them just right toward the light source you will see those lights. You will often see yourself taking their picture in their eyes. It would have to be a close up portrait or they wouldn’t be close enough for you to see the catch lights.

                                                 Catch lights

Indoor lighting tips:

1-      Turn on all the lights and open all the blinds all the way to allow as much light in as possible. You can even open up a door.

2-      Bring your subject to the light such as facing a window but be careful not to put your own shadow in the way.

3-      You can raise your ISO, open your aperture or f/stop and lower your shutter speed. All of which will let more light in.

Outdoor lighting tips:

1-      Shoot at the best time of day, early morning or late evening.

2-      Watch for overcast days. You can shoot all day long.

3-      Find open shade to take your photo’s in which means lots of light. Too much shade can cause problems.

4-      Notice how the light is hitting your subject and whether or not you have harsh shadows.

5-      Use fill flash for bright, sunny days.

Assignment:

Practice front, back and side lighting both inside and outside. Practice getting some catch lights. Post one of each on the blog.

YOUR laundry soap

First off, my aunt is an amazing, inspiring woman! She does photography, scrap booking, and tons of other stuff!

She posted about making her own laundry soap to help with her child's eczema and I know I struggled with eczema when I was little so it's good to know that if my children have eczema then maybe this can help them. I also know several of my cute little nieces and nephews have eczema as well and I just want to help.

(also, this is really cheap to make: about 450 loads of laundry for $12 that the raw material costs)

Click here to go to the post about making it.

modest swim suits

a few years ago I spent WAY too much money on a cute modest swim suit, that I couldn't swim in ( because the water would scoop the neckline and take my suit off) and seemed to be made of cheap materials. cheap indeed, because after hardly wearing the thing, due to pregnancies and just not getting to the pool much, I put the suit on last month to find the bottoms were completely worn to see-through! well, Friday I found LimeRicki.com and bought a suit, it came Tuesday, it is made of good strong double lined materials, fits modestly, and cost about 1/3 the price.  Right now they are all on sale as they are gearing up for their new summer line coming in April, I also used this promo code to save 10%:  "jenswim"

The Joy of Repetition

The Joy of Repetition
by Craig Israelsen


“Chesterton notes our low capacity for being able to deal with monotony and says in a moving passage: "It is possible that God says every morning, `Do it again' to the sun; and every evening, `Do it again' to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes all daisies separately, but has never got tired of making them."

The divine delight in what seems to us to be mere repetition is one clue to the sublime character of God. Since we must, at times, accept what appears to us to be routine, repeated experiences, we too, if we try, can find fresh meaning and fresh joy in the repeated experiences. God's course is one eternal round but it is not one monotonous round. God is never bored, for one who has perfect love is never bored. There is always so much to notice, so much to do, so many ways to help, so many possibilities to pursue.”

Neal A. Maxwell, A More Excellent Way, pp. 84-85


Consider what a blessed condition it is if we choose to find meaning in repetitive tasks. Our lives will be immersed in meaning. Doing the dishes, working on the budget, driving a child to soccer practice, or preparing a meal can become something other than a dreaded task. It represents a daily opportunity to serve someone else. Better yet, it might be a way to work together with someone else – maybe a child, a sibling, or spouse. And in the process of “doing together” there is a natural – but too often missed – opportunity to talk, to explore thoughts and concerns, to express feelings.

Conversely, consider what a tragedy it is to believe that life meaning occurs in the “spotlight” moments. You see, that’s all they are: moments. If that is where meaning occurs, we won’t experience very much of it because spotlight moments are fleeting for most of us. Rather, meaning can and does occur in the mundane, the repetitive, the commonplace events of life. The epicenter of meaningful day to day tasks is the home: a laboratory of learning wherein we can become more like our heavenly parents by doing what they are doing, though on a smaller scale. This is the ultimate reality of what we are about, or in Jacob’s words, “…things as they really are…” (Jacob 4:13)

No More Raw Milk :(

Last week Meadowayne closed. Finney is closing at the end of this week. I don't know what to do.

We don't know for sure why Meadowayne closed. It seems to be a combination of things. They don't answer the phone so I can't get any more information.
Finney is closing because their hay prices have soared and they can't sell enough milk, even at higher prices, to keep up.

... And just when I got the Excursion to make trips easier...

Instructions for soaking grains

Monterey asked for a recipe for soaking grains. This is something I have been reading about for awhile and had found this.

Instructions for soaking grains: The first stage of preparation is to soak the whole grain flour in an acid medium and liquid. The basic idea is to soak all the flour with the liquid ingredients and 1 Tbsp of an acid medium per cup of water called for in the recipe.

- If the substance is too dry to mix well (i.e. more flour than can mix evenly with the liquids), you can also add the liquid oil and sweetener (honey, maple syrup or agave) called for in the recipe to the mixture. This will help maintain a moist consistency that is easy to combine with the other ingredients after soaking.

- Acid mediums options include: cultured buttermilk, milk kefir, coconut kefir, water kefir, cultured yogurt, whey, lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. Dairy product acid mediums must be cultured!
Warm water is necessary for the soaking process to be effective. Warm the water/liquids until they are bath water temperature before adding to the grain/flour.

Brown rice, buckwheat, and millet do not have as high of phytate content and thus need only be soaked for 7 hours (these are great last minute grains if you forget to soak, won’t be a big problem – also recommend purchasing brown rice pasta for this reason as well)

-All other grains (whole wheat, spelt, kamut, oats, etc) should be soaked from 12-24 hours, with oats have the highest level and best soaked for 24 hours.

Leave your grains soaking at room temperature on your counter. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, or with a plate to prevent it from drying out (especially in the case of a dough). After soaking, you add the remaining ingredients, if required, and proceed with recipe!

You can do this with Oatmeal, bread, whatever grain or flour you want to soak.