And now...the flip side. My camera is back...but my first batch of yeast is a goner.

Sorry it has been a week since my last post.  It has been a very busy week, indeed. 

In the good news department...I found my camera battery charger!  It was (and I hate this phrase) 'the last place I looked'.  "Of course, it was!" I always want to shout at people.  Once you find any missing item, you stop looking for it.

In this case, however, I truly believe that I had looked just about everywhere else that it could have conceivably (and even not conceivably) been.  I went on a beautiful and wonderful autumn camping and kayaking trip this past weekend and I was determined to take photos.  I am so glad that I was persistent in the search.  The photos speak for themselves, I think.  These are actually raw photos, for the most part.  The only thing that I really did to them was to crop them.  That was it. The colors were truly as vibrant as they are in the photos -- possibly even more so.

At any rate, I searched and searched and searched for that camera battery.  I had intended to meet my friends at the campground at around 7 p.m.  It was a 2+ hour drive from my house to the campground.  So much for good intentions.  I left the house a little after 11 p.m. and arrived at Occoneechee State Park at shortly after 1 a.m. with camera in hand and a fully charged battery ready to go. 

It was a beautiful weekend of camping.  The weather was crisp and cold.  The colors were splendid and the company and cameraderie of the group were both amazing.  Quite a contrast from the Columbus Day weekend trip.  This one was beyond pleasant -- it was truly therapeutic.  We had a great time.

My son watched my dogs and my turkeys for me and he did a fine job.  However, I forgot to tell him about the yeast and to instruct him what to do with it.  It didn't even dawn on me until I returned home.  After three days without TLC, I think that it is beyond resuscitation.  It is just an ooey, gooey mess that doesn't appear to have any real life to it. 

I am not about to give up, though.  I picked up some Concord Grapes today and I will start to try to grow yeast from them beginning tomorrow.  I am not going away overnight for a while again, so I will be home to take good care of my little yeasty project.  Now that I have the camera back up and working again, I will chronicle it for you. 

In the meantime...I hope that you enjoy these photos of my most recent weekend adventure!

My Camera is Dead...but Yeast is Alive!

Wow...it has been over a week since I have posted.  Mostly, because my camera battery died and I have no clue what I have done with my charger.  The last time I had it, I was using it plugged into an inverter on a kayak camping trip.  I'm sure that it is buried with my paddling gear, but for now, I am posting without a photo.  It seems kind of weird to do that.  But...if I don't get this posted tonight, it will be another day (or longer) before I post again and I don't want to do that.

The past week has been a busy one.  Last weekend we put together the cold frame. (Of course, I have no photos to show for it yet -- but they will be coming soon.  In fact, as I type this, I am starting to think of more places where that camera battery charger might be.  I will look tomorrow.  Too late tonight.)  I am pleased with the way that it has turned out -- but I don't have anything growing in there yet.  Just a space that is ready to go. 

Luckily, we didn't get any of the snow that those of you who live north and northwest of us did.  A little rain and a lot of damp, chilly weather, but nothing too wintry yet.  Today was a nice day. 

When we do get that cold weather, though, at least my plants will be protected and growing.  You'll see...there really will be photos.

Speaking of growing...(nice segue, eh?)

I am growing my own wild yeast...well, hopefully, anyway.  We will have to see how it turns out.  I found several recipes online, but the one I am starting with (because, after all, I do live in the South) is a super easy:

Civil War Yeast Starter
1 Cup Flour
1 Cup Water (distilled water or purified water without chlorine)
2 teaspoons Honey

Put all into a Mason Jar (I put it into a one quart jar -- hopefully that is the right size). 
DO NOT TIGHTEN LID!  After all...we are fermenting things here. 
Store in a cool, dark space.
Take out every day. 
Secure the lid (for obvious reasons)
Shake well (that's the obvious reason)
Once you're done shaking it...loosen the lid again (so that it can continue to ferment)
...and in 7 days I am supposed to have my own homegrown yeast. 
The suggestions are, if needed, to add a small sliced potato (which will turn black...it is supposed to do so) to feed the mother.
To keep it growing, just add 1 cup of flour for every cup of the starter that you use. 

I'm only on Day 1...but I'll keep you posted.  Hopefully, with photos, too...once I find that doggone charger!

This recipe was found in the comments section of the Off Grid News. 

I am going to try this one first because it seems pretty easy and because I have everything on hand that I need.  There are lots of other ways to grow your own yeast, too...

Raisin Yeast Starter
Grape Yeast Starter
Potato Water Yeast Starter

...and I'm sure that there are many more I've not come across yet.

Once I get it growing and know what I'm doing, I will post about my efforts and hopeful successes of drying my own yeast. 

Just so I don't feel like I am completely cheating here...I have pulled a photo out of my old albums.   Two totally unrelated photos from the album I have labeled "This is Why I Kayak". 

Kevin Bacon has nothing on me....from no photos of home grown yeast to beautiful night time and sunset kayaking photos in  just two degrees. 

No surprise there, though, really...was there? 

Then, again, I do pack sandwiches sometimes when I paddle...and those sandwiches are on yeast bread....so there you have it! 

Life is always connected...we just have to take the time to make the connections.