while the wind howls low

So!

I've been living in Marshall for almost a month now! It's been a hard month, riddled with a lot of questions like "Is this really a good idea?" and thoughts like "I never should've left Mexico." Mostly, though, I have amazing moments full of the heart-exploding and mind-boggling idea that I'm doing exactly what I want to be doing, when I want to be doing it, and that there's really almost nowhere else I'd rather be. I can see how magical that is, and how lucky I am.

That said, this shit is pretty lonely. Even if it's getting better, it's a big change from being forced to be around people so much of the time, like in Mexico or Colombia. Hmmph.

Also, finding part-time work is hard. Also, today I got offered a full-time job working the night shift at a factory. Also, sigh!

Good things have happened, though! I've been learning a ton about farms and animals and mushrooms. I've been baking a lot, too! I think I just need to remember to breathe and that everything is going to be fine and all that.

Also, listen. You should bake challah. The smell of baking challah all up in your space is magical. I am operating with this recipe: http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/09/best-challah-egg-bread/ BUT! The braiding instructions were basically impossible for me to understand. So, I made one super-ugly challah loaf using those written instructions (which I messed up) and then I freaked out and curled up into a ball on my floor and maybe even whimpered a little. Then, I reminded myself that I am unreasonably tough and that tough people shouldn't really whimper for too long (it's unbecoming). So then, I looked up challah-braiding on YouTube and found this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22p3wIHLupc and DUH! I am totally one of those "can you draw me a picture?" people, so....

Last week, I baked this: http://smittenkitchen.com/2011/03/sally-lunn-bread-honeyed-brown-butter-spread/ and also these brownies: http://www.salon.com/food/francis_lam/2011/03/11/browned_butter_brownies/index.html Both were good, but neither was something that I would replace any other recipe with. Those brownies are super-interesting, though, and worth making once. I'm guessing that somewhere between the Sally Lunn recipe and the challah recipe, I will find my dream bread, which is somehow buttery and eggy and cakey all at once.

Sigh. That is all for now.