Okay, I’m just going to stop talking about weather on the blog…

Last post I mentioned the freakishly mild December just past, which was of course the cue for the forecast (and weather) to abruptly change to seasonal…


…which, while not surprising, is also not an improvement and I should have just quietly enjoyed what I had without bringing it up.

Today had to be bread day, and I knew that the moment I started the sky would close right up. The view from the porch…


…was not what the forecast called for – in fact we were supposed to have an inch of snow by now. Just because the overcast didn’t show up on time didn’t mean it wasn’t coming and I need full sun to run my oven. Unless I cheat…


…by taking the generator out of the cabin and into the powershed to substitute for the solar panels in charging the batteries. Which I’m increasingly prone to do in case of any doubt: The batteries turned five years old last August and, though still working fine for the depth of winter, are on borrowed time and I’d rather spend an hour’s worth of gasoline than abuse them.


I feel like I really ought to do something more permanent-looking, less obviously improvised, than just parking the Honda in the doorway but hey, it works.

At first it seemed like the right call…


…but then later the sky mostly cleared again so I could have gotten away with not bothering with the generator. What I should have done was heat up the cabin before letting the dough rise, because…


…this is what happens whenever I don’t get a good rise before baking the bread. And the only reason I can think of for why it didn’t rise well is that I didn’t bother lighting the woodstove and heating up the cabin first. It’s not the yeast, which is new and proved good before I made the dough. I should remember that next time: Heat up the room, then make the dough.

About Joel

You shouldn't ask these questions of a paranoid recluse, you know.
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6 Responses to Okay, I’m just going to stop talking about weather on the blog…

  1. Anonymous says:

    How would a few windmills do in your area? I looked into this but the Twp. said they are too noisy, but they do allow solar panels as they silent. I’m in a formerly rural but steadily urbanizing area of Hillsdale Co. in MI.

  2. MIke says:

    “…in fact, we were supposed to have an inch of snow by now”

    Joel, this past Thursday/Friday we got around 30 inches of snow. Tonight, the weathertainers are calling for another 10 inches. Trade ya… 🤣

    BTW, that homemade bread sure looks good.

  3. The Neon Madman says:

    I’m still confused by the fact that a propane oven requires so much electrical power to function. Would it be worthwhile to find something different?

  4. Joel says:

    Would it be worthwhile to find something different?

    Nah, it’s worth it for the propane savings. Until I got this one I didn’t realize how much propane that pilot light was wasting. I have to haul that stuff in 10 gallons at a time. Plus this one bakes a much nicer loaf of bread than the old one.

  5. Phssthpok says:

    I used to have a favorite bowl for making bread that was lost in one of my many moves several years ago.
    Big. Thick. Ceramic.
    I would mix everything in the bowl and when I turned it out for kneading, I would
    put it in the sink and fill the bowl with hot water.
    Once the kneading was done I’d clean out the bowl (fresh hot water) and use it for the first rise. Resting on a hot pad to isolated the (now warmed) bowl from the cold counter top) and covering with a cloth large enough to cover the bowl completely right down to the counter never failed to give me a good rise (providing I did MY part correctly).
    I don’t know how dear hot water is in your situation, but if you are preheating your oven (as you SHOULD), perhaps a few minutes in the hot box might give the same effect.
    Just a thought.

  6. Anonymous says:

    Joel, I heat the oven on the warm setting, then shut it off and put the loaf in the oven to rise. Works pretty good for me!

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