Aahhhh Saturday afternoon relaxation

Today I actually got out of work at 1:30! My agreement was to leave after breakfast on Saturdays (when I gave my notice last July), but I have been staying til 4 or later since we've been busy - and Frank's been busy & putting in some Saturday hours anyway.  I don't like any weekend hours, but that's another story. Having a job where I can bake bread and desserts makes my day kinda fun. I'm happy as a clam when I'm baking & creating beautiful desserts.  It's nice to be able to practice & experiment in a big commecial kitchen with all the ingredients I need. Then again, when we're busy & I have stuff to do at the last minute & end up pulling a 12 hour day,,,,not so happy.  So goes my ongoing battle.  I think my therapy session is over,,so back to bread.
 I was able to double bake some bread this week so I left early today and it feels wonderful to be home - poolside - just chillin.  YAY!!


I remembered to take some pictures of my baking over the past few days.  These are the bran loaves I did. It's a great breakfast bread. 

French country loaf

I also baked a French bread.  The crust was beautifully browned and so crunchy! Inside had a nice holy texture.  No photo - I forgot. I was really happy with it. I have a new mixer now in the Main House - where I do breakfast - so I'm staying there for the afternoon to finish doing the bread & to make all my desserts.  I LOVE it! I'm much happier doing my bread start to finish.  Now I can do some creative shaping, scoring, spraying the oven for a crispy crust and I can't wait to practice my baguettes this week.  I used to just shape the bread and leave it proofing, & the guys would bake it off later.  After starting at 6am for breakfast I didn't really care to stick around and bake off bread at 530pm. It's much nicer staying in one place all day. Now I bring my finished products to the Clubhouse and HOME I go.  Maybe now I'll be able to get back into some kind of workout routine. (yeah, wishful thinking)
    I came across this crazy creature - it's an Alligator Snapping Turtle - driving on property one afternoon.  I got out & snapped a few pix while he hung out looking back at me when all of a sudden he flipped around and RAN back into the pond.  I mean RAN!!!! I couldn't have caught that sucker if I ran after him!! It was funny as hell and the last thing I expected him to do.  I guess I should add he was HUGE!!! His algea growing shell was as big as the loop I can make with my arms in front of me --- yeah, the boy was big - with those big webbed feet and claws!! His nose is a long snout with 2 nostrils...you just gotta click on the photo..... He ain't pretty. I half expected him to snap out at me when I was taking the picture! Next time I'm gonna have the video going! That would have been great!

On a sweeter note, this is one of the little baby goats that were born on the farm a month ago.  She was only about a week old when I took this picture.  Her twin went to a foster mom(human) since it was much smaller, but both are doing very well now and have a new home with their mom on a much bigger piece of property.       

Guess that's about it for now...I'm going for a swim.