Hello, Nesting Season.

In the bread machine, right now, is a loaf of oatmeal pecan bread slowly rising to the top of the metal pan. The smell of fresh bread hasn’t hit me yet – there are still 2 hours left to go before it’s ready to eat – but oh, I am drooling at the idea of eating some freshly baked bread.

The machine hasn’t been used in.. a long time. It was gathering dust in our storage unit when the old house went up for sale and then it was gathering dust in our garage here in Kitchener as we ate a lot of pizza and unpacked boxes.

Coffee cleaned it up for me on the weekend and the oatmeal loaf is the first test. If it turns out well, it means the machine is still working. And if it’s still working, my next loaf will be my favourite – strong, flavourful rye bread with so many caraway seeds it almost crunches. *drool*

Out in the solarium, door closed, away from the air conditioning, the crockpot is simmering. It’s filled with North African Beef Stew. Slices of sweet potatoes and lean beef and cinnamon and dried fruit. Can’t smell that, either, with the door closed. It’ll be finished in about 3.5 more hours and then I’ll put some into the fridge and the rest into the freezer for Coffee’s lunches in the future.

And I’ve picked up the ingredients for lasagna and gnocchi.

Hello, nesting season! Hello!