"A Successful First Try and Sunday's Ride...."

When invited to Lonnie and Charlie's for dinner, I asked what we could bring and was told, without hesitation I might add, homemade bread. This was my first attempt at making an "artisan" loaf, which I had been wanting to do. I'd gone to Bed, Bath, and Beyond that afternoon, to buy my yarn storage drawers, and fortunately saw (and bought) parchment paper while there. I used our "stone" with the parchment paper in between it and the dough and this is how it turned out. I was happy with the results and I think it was approved by everyone else, too, as there were only 2 small pieces left after dinner, which the kids ate the next morning (finishing up the honey butter I made to go with the bread). :)


Don and I went for a bike ride on Sunday. It was a gorgeous day and we were, by far, not the only ones out. :) This was taken at the top of the hill in Olin Park....you can see downtown Madison across the lake (with the Capitol Dome on the far left).


We rode over to Tinney Park and went out on the pier next to the locks. There were not too many boats out on the water that afternoon (there was a chilly wind off the water), although a number of sailboats could be seen. In warmer weather, the locks are usually very busy, but not one boat went through or even came close to it, while we there. A duck has made her nest in one of the tree planters (seen in the background on the right). We're not quite sure how she will get her babies out when the time comes. Hopefully, she will allow human help, traumatic as it will be for her and the ducklings.


As we rode along near Union Terrace, the large sailboats (which are usually seen moored out in the water) were being hoisted from their trailers, and lowered into Lake Mendota. We'd seen them sitting on the pier last week when we'd ridden by, but it was a surprise to me how they reached the water. We'd just missed seeing this one in the air, which is too bad...it would have been a great photograph.


We thought we'd get to see this one picked up and lowered into the water, but the "crew" had been so busy watching the other one being moved, they sat and watched instead of lifting the mast and securing it. The "effort" seemed a little unorganized, so we gave up and left soon after this was taken.


I was a beautiful day for a ride. I hope we have similar weather this weekend. Sean (my youngest son) and his girlfriend, Becky, are stopping in Madison tomorrow, on their way to San Fransisco, where they both have "chef internships" for the summer. Sean will be working at Rubicon's, and Becky, The Greens. They'll stay with us and leave early Monday morning, arriving Wednesday, at another relatives home, cousin Kim, who lives in Boulder, and will spend some time with her, before pushing on the San Fransisco.