What I’ve been reading, watching, making, and otherwise doing for the past month!
In February, I spent most of my free time reading, naturally, and I also worked on a small set of paintings and continued doing some cross-stitch.
As a reminder, only monthly wrap-up posts are currently open to comments.
Books + Media
Finished
Books
- Audiobook – The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier, 1974
- Audiobook – The Owl Service by Alan Garner, 1967
- Audiobook – Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, 1883
- Audiobook – A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith, 1940
- Book – Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton, 1991
- Book – Ubik by Philip K. Dick, 1969
- Book series – Death subseries of Discworld by Terry Pratchett, 1987–2001
Mort, Reaper Man, Soul Music, Hogfather, Thief of Time
In progress
Books
- Audiobook – Doctors and Distillers by Camper English, 2022
- Book – The Story of My Experiments with Truth by Gandhi, 1927
Media
- TV series – Resident Alien starring Alan Tudyk, 2021–TBD
- TV series – Zorro starring Guy Williams, 1957–1959
Reviewed
- Rising by Elizabeth Rush (Nonfiction)
- Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy (Fiction)
- The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien (Fiction)
- The Big Texas Cookbook by the ed. of Texas Monthly (Cookbook)
Arts + Crafts
Finished
Nothing this month!
In progress
Cross-stitch
- “Hogwarts” kit from online shop Stitchering [defunct]
- Multiple projects from the book Feminist Cross-Stitch by Stephanie Rohr
Knitting
- Beginner swatches from the book Stitch ’n Bitch by Debbie Stoller
Watercolor
- “Malacology” set by self
Food + Health
Finished
Cooking
- Cookbook cook-thru project – Tasting History by Max Miller, 2023
Farts of Portingale - Cookbook cook-thru project – The Food Lab by J. Kenji López-Alt, 2015
French onion soup - Cookbook cook-thru project – Methodist Morsels by the FUMC of Lamesa, Texas, 1983
Chilighetti by Pat Newberry - Cookbook cook-thru project – Essential Breads magazine special ed., 2018
Anadama bread by Alison Roman - Magazine clippings cook-thru project
London broil from Food and Wine magazine, recipe by Mary-Frances Heck
Of the new recipes I tried this month, I especially enjoyed the farts from Tasting History. It was a fairly straightforward recipe with interesting results (in a good way). And, of course, it has such a silly name. I don’t know if this will go in my regular recipe rotation, but it was certainly worth trying.
Unfortunately, I was disappointed by the anadama bread from Bon Appetit Essential Breads. It turned out dense and flat — over-proofed, I think; the recipe calls for three rising periods, which is probably not necessary. I might attempt this bread again, but with modifications.
Dining + Drinks
- Dined out — The Sunflower Bakery & Café in Galveston, Texas
I did not try any new wine this month, so no Wine Folly Challenge yet for 2024.
Fitness
- Walking, 4.25 hours (12 miles)
- Stationary bike, 3.5 hours
iFit “Dream Chaser” series with trainer Nicole Meline - The Challenger “The Lord of the Rings” series — 518.5 total miles
No hiking this month. Bad weather has made many nearby trails unpleasant or unusable.
In better news, I was able to fix the stationary bike!
I completed a series of spinning workouts which began last year, on iFit; “Dream Chaser” with trainer Nicole Meline.
In progress
Cooking
- Cookbook cook-thru project – Tasting History: Explore the Past through 4,000 Years of Recipes by Max Miller, 2023
- Cookbook cook-thru project – The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science by J. Kenji López-Alt, 2015
- Cookbook cook-thru project – Methodist Morsels by the Cookbook Committee of the First United Methodist Church of Lamesa, Texas, 1983
- Cookbook cook-thru project – Bon Appétit + Gourmet Essential Breads from Condé Nast Special Editions, 2018
- Magazine clippings cook-thru project
Dining + Drinks
- Wine tasting project – Wine Folly by Madeline Puckette, 2015
Fitness
- The Challenger “The Lord of the Rings” series, “Mordor” section
Have something to say? Monthly wrap-up posts are open to comments!
Leave a Reply