Saturday, October 26, 2019
Wild Yeast, and a new project.
Trying my hand at making a wild yeast sourdough. I started it last weekend but it didn't do well, probably because I didn't follow the directions like I should have. I now have a renewed drive to be successful, and have poured over the book, "Wild Bread," learning what I need to do. I've got the supplies, the recommended flour and water, and I'm ready....
I am also trying to get the hang of homemade crusts. I've made two now and I think I'm almost there. I started with lattice on my pie I made yesterday, but quickly gave that up. It has a 'rustic' look (read lattice failure- ha) but it tasted great! It was a peach/apple. I didn't have fresh peaches and used canned but it was still a great pie.
I used some of my half-way failed sourdough mixture in a regular yeast bread mix and it gave it a little punch. Tasted good. I have two little grandkids that love to bake too.
In the sewing world, I have some new projects. I received a sack full of shirts to make a sweet couple a remembrance quilt. Their son passed away a few weeks ago. Still need to get them cut into strips and hopefully I'll have enough to make them something pretty. I also decided to make a couple of new Christmas throws for the twin beds. I received the fabric earlier this week. I am excited about making those. I am using "Little Tree" by Lella Boutique, and using one of those postcard patterns called Cloud Nine.
Can't wait to get started.
Friday, October 18, 2019
Oklahoma Vacation
My sister and her husband live in Broken Arrow, OK. The hubby and I made a recent trip out there to visit. We had a few places in mind to check out. On our first day, we went to Pawhuska to visit the Pioneer Woman's Mercantile. Pawhuska is in the Osage county and named after an Indian chief, in Indian territory of 1872. I'm sure you know Ree Drummond of Pioneer Woman fame. I first found her blog about 10-12 years ago. I thought she was hilarious. Evidently she is also a very smart business woman. She has transformed the small town of Pawhuska. Check out her website.
A cowboy welcomed us to Pawhuska....
Her pizza parlor....
In front of the Merc....
In the upstairs bakery of the Merc...
View of the inside of the Merc, from the steps leading to the bakery....
It was a beautiful store....
Sister, brother-in-law and hubby waiting on our table at her restaurant....
She even has a high end hotel......
Our next stop was Woolaroc, the wildlife retreat and museum of Frank Phillips, of Phillips 66 oil fame. A very interesting place. So much history.
Lots of wildlife.
The entrance to the museum was beautifully decorated. It was filled with Phillips collections, famous art work, archeological finds, a large gun collection, and even the actual Woolaroc airplane that won the Dole competition for flying from San Francisco to Hawaii in 1927, just months after Charles Lindbergh had done his flight from New York to Paris. Frank Phillips helped fund the flight of aviator Art Goebel, Jr., with special aviation fuel and of course, the name "Woolaroc" panted on the side of the red and blue monoplane.
The grounds of Woolaroc covers 3700 acres. It was originally established as Frank Phillips ranch retreat where he entertained dignitaries, socialites, entertainers, and business men.
Frank Phillips was a very, very wealthy man.
Frank Phillips had a party each year.....I copied the following from the Woolaroc website.
Sounds like fun, huh?
Our last day in Oklahoma was spent driving around Tulsa. My husband had never visited and there are a few landmarks you must see when in Tulsa. The Golden Driller, at the fair founds is one. He is 75 feet tall and was built in 1952.....
Another is the praying hands at Oral Roberts University. I know a lot of controversy has occurred at this university, but you must admit the praying hands are impressive.
And of course, we did some riding on route 66....
A cowboy welcomed us to Pawhuska....
Cow Thieves & Outlaws Reunion
Frank Phillips was fascinated by the “Old West” and wanted to preserve the history of the Cowboy and the Outlaw. Frank devised his own special way to salute the old-time outlaws as well as the cowhands and the Indians of the Osage. Starting in 1927, he hosted an annual party for them at the Woolaroc Ranch. He organized the hard core regulars (genuine cowboys and tough guys from the area) into an association and summoned them to the Ranch each year. He called these annual blowouts the “Cow Thieves & Outlaws Reunion.” Nothing before or since ever quite compared!
Frank assembled a team of associates to help him plan his party.....Pawnee Bill who had helped stage Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, the Miller brothers from the 101 Ranch along with Frank’s own ranch manager, Grif Graham who was the former sheriff from the area. His party intended to salute the survivors from the territorial days “when men were men and women were respected.”
The party consisted of cowboys, Indians, outlaws, ranchers and area businessmen. The Reunion was a colorful affair attended by a variety of locals – old trail riders, horse traders, US Marshalls and a sprinkling of Frank’s personal guests, including Phillips Petroleum directors and other businessmen whom he was trying to impress.
Frank’s ground rules for the party were quite simple.....any wanted outlaws would be granted a day of grace for the reunion. If there was an outstanding warrant, the law officers in attendance would have to wait for another time and place to serve their papers. Second and last rule: all guns and grudges had to be left at the main gate.
Now, let’s fast forward to 2006.....the wonderful party that had such a rich history had grown tired and had lost its once famous “allure”. Rather than to let such a wonderful event simply fade away, eight people who loved Woolaroc formed a committee and were determined to put this party “back on the map again”......and to say they were successful would be anunderstatement. Today, the party is trumpeted as “the best in the State of Oklahoma” and anyone who has attended would be the first to agree with that statement! The party is held on the same grounds as Uncle Frank’s first one in 1927 and it very often is able to conjure up some of the spirit and characters of years long passed. A crowd of 750-900 people gather for an evening of great food, entertainment, art to buy and true Old West friendship. Uncle Frank would be pleased!
Because of the great success of this party since 2006, Woolaroc has been able to complete the following improvements:
Restoration of the historic Lodge home
Renovation of the Museum
Creation of the Children’s Playground
Renovation and improvements to the Heritage Theater
Improvements to the facilities at Clyde Lake
Creation of the very special “Walking Trails” at Woolaroc
Frank Phillips was fascinated by the “Old West” and wanted to preserve the history of the Cowboy and the Outlaw. Frank devised his own special way to salute the old-time outlaws as well as the cowhands and the Indians of the Osage. Starting in 1927, he hosted an annual party for them at the Woolaroc Ranch. He organized the hard core regulars (genuine cowboys and tough guys from the area) into an association and summoned them to the Ranch each year. He called these annual blowouts the “Cow Thieves & Outlaws Reunion.” Nothing before or since ever quite compared!
Frank assembled a team of associates to help him plan his party.....Pawnee Bill who had helped stage Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, the Miller brothers from the 101 Ranch along with Frank’s own ranch manager, Grif Graham who was the former sheriff from the area. His party intended to salute the survivors from the territorial days “when men were men and women were respected.”
The party consisted of cowboys, Indians, outlaws, ranchers and area businessmen. The Reunion was a colorful affair attended by a variety of locals – old trail riders, horse traders, US Marshalls and a sprinkling of Frank’s personal guests, including Phillips Petroleum directors and other businessmen whom he was trying to impress.
Frank’s ground rules for the party were quite simple.....any wanted outlaws would be granted a day of grace for the reunion. If there was an outstanding warrant, the law officers in attendance would have to wait for another time and place to serve their papers. Second and last rule: all guns and grudges had to be left at the main gate.
Now, let’s fast forward to 2006.....the wonderful party that had such a rich history had grown tired and had lost its once famous “allure”. Rather than to let such a wonderful event simply fade away, eight people who loved Woolaroc formed a committee and were determined to put this party “back on the map again”......and to say they were successful would be anunderstatement. Today, the party is trumpeted as “the best in the State of Oklahoma” and anyone who has attended would be the first to agree with that statement! The party is held on the same grounds as Uncle Frank’s first one in 1927 and it very often is able to conjure up some of the spirit and characters of years long passed. A crowd of 750-900 people gather for an evening of great food, entertainment, art to buy and true Old West friendship. Uncle Frank would be pleased!
Because of the great success of this party since 2006, Woolaroc has been able to complete the following improvements:
Restoration of the historic Lodge home
Renovation of the Museum
Creation of the Children’s Playground
Renovation and improvements to the Heritage Theater
Improvements to the facilities at Clyde Lake
Creation of the very special “Walking Trails” at Woolaroc
- Cow Thieves & Outlaws Reunion has a very rich history at Woolaroc.....a history that you can still be a part of each Fall.
We split the trip home into two days, driving to Jackson, TN on Thursday afternoon and then on home today. It was a great visit with family, but like always we are happy to be back at home. Hope you enjoyed this little tour of Oklahoma.