Sock Drying, Fun for All Ages

I know.  Right now you're asking yourself, what kind of magic has been performed on these children.  LINING UP to help with chores.  Hanging socks, nonetheless.  Quite possibly the worst job in the "hanging-of-clothes" line of profession.

Enter Papa.  AKA, The Genius.  Yes folks, my dad is a genius.  After spotting one of these babies hanging from an Amish clothesline (we love our Amish around these parts) he took a snapshot in his brain and recreated it for my clothesline.  And my sister-in-law's clothesline.  And another for my sister-in-law's clothesline (those folks have A LOT of socks...possibly more than two feet per person, I don't know what's going on over there.)

And let me tell you, we kinda fight about who gets to hang the socks now because it's SO DARN FUN.   

The socks don't get folded over the clothesline, so they dry so nice and evenly and they flap around in the wind so they don't resemble cardboard when removed from the sock dryer.  It's revolutionized our feet. 

Kids, lining up to do chores.  Does life get better?

Then of course we need to take a break from the fun for some more fun.  Running through drying sheets has to be one of the all time best things about kid-dom.  If you never had the opportunity I strongly encourage giving it the college try now.  I grew up running through my grandmother's drying sheets and towels and there's nothing better.

Happy socks.  Happy Mama.

One last, kinda crummy photo, for those of you "recreators" who would like to see the top view for making your very own sock dryer.  Everyone needs more fun in their life...sock drying should be part of that. :-)

Be kind to each other,
jen

Lemon Blueberry Bread

It's officially Fall in Iowa.  It's official because I say it's official.  In a hundred year old house, when the weather turns cool, you freeze.  I'm frozen.  The glitch here is that I have a rule for myself (and all the innocent victims who live with me.)  No furnace until November (if humanely possibly).  So, like a little cave woman I'm  huddled over the only heat source in the house (besides the lap dog)....the oven.  It's time to bake, get warm and put on my winter "layer". tehehehe.  

This bread is insanely delicious.  Bring over a crowd while baking because A) your house will smell divine.  B)  your winter layer will become extra thick unless you share.

Enjoy friends!

Lemon Blueberry Bread

1 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup plain yogurt

1/2 cup sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

1/2  teaspoon vanilla

 1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)

Lemon Syrup

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup sugar

dissolve over medium heat, cook 3 minutes, stirring

Lemon Glaze

1/2 - 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted (or not, I forget sometimes when the wild beasts sweet children are begging for Lemon Bread NOW!!)

2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

mix together

(if you start with the juice then gradually add the sugar you'll get to JUST the right consistency)

----------------------------------------------------------

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9x5 loaf pan (or whatever size you have....I just wing it)

Sift the dry ingredients together, mix the wet ingredients together, combine.

Mix the blueberries with the tablespoon of flour.  Fold them into the batter. (GENTLY!  Don't beat the poor things to death or you'll have blue bread. Or on second thought...do whatever you want, blue bread is fun too.)

Bake 50 minutes (or 70...whatever it takes to get the toothpick to come out clean when you poke it), cool ten minutes then remove from pan.

Place bread on plate.  Poke with fork or toothpick about 13.5 times.  Brush with Lemon Syrup.  

Once, let dry a tad.  Twice, let dry a tad.

Pour Lemon Glaze over the bread.  As much or as little as you like. 

YUM!!!!