Your guess is as good as mine

Ciabatta success! Finally, after months of bread machine struggles and flatness frustration, there came to be a loaf of such holey-ness and crustiness that it could not be denied. The trick turned out to be ditching the bread machine and doing some flour research. We are getting back to basics, y'all!

This month is shaping up to be water conservation month. Even Mike acquiesced to using a bucket to collect warming shower water; the garden and peach tree are eternally grateful for our lukewarm liquid bounty. With all of the droughts predicted this summer, we are doing our Californian duty here at the homestead. Another fun/gross idea we have embraced is putting a water-filled quart jar in the old toilet tank--save a quarter of a gallon of water per flush! Just keep an eye out for the mighty dumps, those do not go down so well at reduced water levels.