Sorry I haven't posted this week yet! It has been getting pretty busy here. 4th of July weekend brought many people up here for a long weekend. This week has been good in all, but today was not my day.  It happened to be one of those days everyone has at least once a year when they least expect it.  Every single thing I attempted today became some sort of mistake.  Beginning with forgetting to add yeast to the first cinnamon roll batch of the day at 4:30 am to the paddle attachment of the Hobart mixer falling on my head six hours into my shift.
Tomorrow should definitely be better though! Going to attempt a full night's sleep tonight so I can be ready for tomorrow.  Then have the following two days off.  Planning a hike on Monday, and maybe working in the garden on Tuesday.
Hoping to get enough fruit this week to make jam! Ordered mason jars with my grocery order this week, so need to decide between cherry or aprium jam...and of course plum jam later on to send home.
Made our family favorite...raspberry chocolate truffle brownies this afternoon. Must be my favorite dessert ever. Substituted extra cocoa powder for some of the flour, which made them extra rich. Also, fresh raspberries instead of preserves!
Hiked up McGregor Mountain last Tuesday which was the longest hike I had ever attempted.  So happy to make it to the top! Also, my first experience hiking/climbing through snow with an ice axe.  Definitely a new thing.  Attempted to challenge my fear of heights, but nope, still as scared as ever.  Made it down the mountain though, god willing.
Still making lots and lots and oh a few more loaves of bread. Getting better at making the hoagie rolls, which was difficult to get the dimensions right at first due to the dough shrinkage while cutting and transporting it to the sheet pans.
Was able to begin the pie station at the bakery this week which was fun! Did a few the first two days. But yesterday made twelve pies which felt like a ton.  Frustrating currently because it feels like it takes me about ten times longer than it takes my manager, but I will improve my timing with practice.
Keep forgetting I still haven't been here even a month.
Working on a plan for when I leave here, any ideas?!

Chaos.

Today was utter chaos. Every thing I attempted seemed to be a bit off.  But tomorrow should be the polar opposite of today then shouldn't it? Well maybe. That's how it should work.
I forgot about half the sugar in the black bottom cupcakes yesterday and we sold them. DISASTER. ughh.
Is definitely getting busier here, and Monday, the 4th we expect to be packed with customers.
Tomorrow we are making chocolate and almond croissants....SO excited.
Made a lovely beet soup last night, aprium/oat energy bars, and candied ginger! Set for the weekend now.
Already planning for the Harry Potter weekend coming up.  Need to get an exceptional costume ready for the last movie showing. Dressed up as Harry the other night for an "alter-ego" birthday party here, but sadly it wasn't up to par.  Made glasses out of twigs and scotch tape, grabbed a stick for a wand, and drew an eyeliner scar on my forehead.  Thank goodness there are other Harry obsessed people up here, or else this would just be weird. That's it for this rant though.
Going river rafting in an hour.....!
Missing home, but can't believe i've already been here into July.

Resting my legs finally

Happy July 1st everyone!

Worked this morning and yesterday, full days.  It's amazing how many pointless circles around the bench table not getting enough sleep can make you run.  Going to make a point of getting extra zzzz's tonight by going to bed around 7 or 8 hopefully.

Been working on mixer speeds while adding flour to the Hobart, and have had some success in downsizing the amount of flour sticking to me. 

With July here and the sunshine out, the water level of the lake is finally rising along with the number of tourists coming up here daily on the ferry.  Let the business of summer commence! :D

After work, I hitched a ride up to the post office to send some packages full of pastries.  Only to find out it costs $15 to send one box. Eek!! So sent a couple of single treats instead. And now I have enough bread loaves in my freezer to last at least the next month or two. Hooray for carbohydrates!

Thought: Want to research why postage service prices are so expensive? Probably just fuel charges, services, and the fact that not very many people use snail mail much anymore.  Maybe I won't research it after all.

Beets I helped harvest this morning.

Giant cinnamon roll cake made in the bakery yesterday.

Beautiful field of daisies by the water I was going to lay down to read in, then noticed a million black spiders crawling around.

Home.

Pretty view from a hike.

Bakery crew.

This deer was on the trail just ahead of the rattlesnake I passed, and he kept walking towards me even after I took this picture.  And walked closer and closer until I ran away.

The epic most epic post ever.

Dundadadadundundunda! I've been wanting to set up a blog for a long time, and I seem to have finally gotten myself to sit down on the porch of my humble new abode to do it.
Ohshoot be right back my beet green chips are burning............................................................Whew they're okay.
So this blog is not going to be about anything super exciting to you I'm guessing; however, I'm looking forward to writing throughout the course of my travels, culinary journey, life....whatever I feel like expanding upon on any given day.  Beginning with this summer!
Current location: Stehekin, WA.  Front porch of the "flop house" where I connect to the internet with one bar.
Date: June 29, 2011.

I arrived in Stehekin two weeks ago tomorrow. And jumped right into work the day after I got here.  I am working as a baker's apprentice at the Stehekin Baking and Pastry Co.  So far, it has been going very well.  I finished my training period on Monday, have had the last two days off and will work again tomorrow morning.    My hours are 4-4:30 am to 11:30-3 five days a week.  I am enjoying the hours because first off, I'm a morning person which should explain itself.  Second, the first few hours pass by very quickly so that by the time other people are waking up and starting their jobs, I am getting off work and have the entire day to hike, read, bike around etc.  Sweet deal if you ask me.  Literally.
I make a lot of bread here, looooottttsss of bread.
And cakes. And coffee cakes. And keuchen (A German coffee cake which everyone says is the best thing since sliced bread, but I have yet to try)
And muffins.
And croissants. bacon/swiss, ham/swiss, pesto/swiss....mmm
Giant cinnamon rolls and sticky buns

.....And I leave work completely covered with flour.
In my hair, on my face, clothes, pants, apron, shoes. Everywhere.
Looking like a ghost actually. Or a really white person. More so than usual.
Excited to see if as the season progresses I become more adept at avoiding flour everywhere.

Helped out in the local garden this morning.  Harvested beets and butterleaf lettuce.  Going to try and assist there once a week on my day off to see if I can learn something about it.