Making, Baking, Tasting Scones Class

 I take classes through OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute). The classes are offered during the spring and fall semesters through the University of South Dakota. Classes are offered in Vermillion, Brookings, and Sioux Falls on the eastern side of the state. This is the fifth year I have enrolled in the program. Classes range from field trips to college professor speakers to travel adventures by OLLI members, to music, crafts, book discussions, and almost anything in between.

Earlier this month I drove to Brookings to take a class on Making, Baking, Tasting Scones presented by a trained pastry chef. I have made scones from scratch a couple of times, peach to be exact, but I thought there must be some tricks to making the task less messy. 

her display of ingredients

the history of scones

There were 16 of us in the class. We were given the choice of Pumpkin Ginger, Cranberry Orange or Apple Cheddar for our scone lesson. She provided recipes, step-by-step instructions and guidance, all the ingredients and tools necessary.

I chose Apple Cheddar

L-R: flour, milk, apples. eggs, butter, and white cheddar cheese

My creation coated in egg wash prior to baking.

My hands were too busy and doughy to take photos of Steps 1-4.

My two table mates made Pumpkin Ginger Scones

I think they used more flour in the shaping step than I used.

We tasted Cranberry Orange Scones with different butters and 

marmalade options while waiting for our scones to bake.

Only five of the scones made it back to Sioux Falls.

I ate one on the way home because they smelled so good.

And it was!

LHS Chorus Fall Concert

 Yes, it has been a while, but as October is drawing to a close, it feels like the right time to get back to blogging.

Monday evening was the Fall Chorus Concert of Lincoln High School. Both grandkids participated. Miss W as a Junior and McBe as a Freshman. Here are some photos from the evening of music.

The Lincoln High School Chorus Fall Concert includes 8th graders from the Sioux Falls Middle Schools who will be attending LHS in 2027. The 8th graders performed two numbers with the LHS chorus members.

This is the Cadet group. They performed three songs (plus the two with the whole group).

The Cadet Choir group consists of freshman boys, sophomore boys and girls, and Junior/Senior boys and girls who did not make Concert Choir.

McBe

The Concert Choir comprised of Juniors and Seniors who auditioned for the group.

Miss W

There is also a women's chorus (freshman and sophomore girls).

They are to the right in the large group photo.

Miss W was a member of that chorus group for two years.

Somebody has grown over the summer!

So proud of these two and their talent

Bass on the left, Soprano on the right

The Perennial Flower Bed Awakens

It seems like the temperatures this spring have been more erratic than usual. We have had a couple of days of near 90º followed by days in the 40ºs. Most days are somewhere between those two numbers, closer to the 50ºs and 60º. There was very little snow this winter, and very little moisture in our area this spring. 

The first grouping of photos from my perennial flower bed were taken on April 22nd.

The pasque flowers (2 of the 4) I planted last spring survived the winter. My big, older pasque did not survive the summer/winter. 

When I looked at the flower bed the week before, I did not see any peony shoots and was thinking that gifted plant did not survive the lack of snow/moisture this winter. But 3-inch shoots were appearing on April 22nd. The Columbines were making an appearance, also.

I went back to check the progress on May 2nd.

one of the Columbines

the peony shoots have doubled in height

the pasque keeps blooming

This is why I was concerned about my peony plant! These are a neighbor's peony bushes. Her bushes have been growing for at least six years longer than mine.

I don't have any tulips as the rabbits get them before I get out to spray. Because of my broken elbow and 'useless' left hand, I have not weeded or transplanted or planted anything new this spring. It is early as most of the flowers arrived in the greenhouses late last week. As I write this, we had frost/freeze warning two nights last week.

I took a picture of the hyacinth blooming at City Hall earlier in April. A colorful reminder that spring is coming!

Update on the Broken/Healing Elbow

 It has been two months since I broke my elbow (February 27th) and five weeks since the 'brace' and stitches were removed (March 26th).

March 26th

May 1st

With physical therapy, I have made good progress. I can touch my face, wash my hair with two hands, etc. I still cannot reach behind my back higher than my waist. 

wrist brace

But another issue has surfaced: carpal tunnel. I was/am experiencing tingling, numbness, throbbing, burning in my left fingers. Sometimes, it is shooting pains. There were nights I was awake longer than I slept. X-rays showed severe arthritis in my thumb, but no physical damage anywhere in the hand.

I had a nerve study on Thursday. I will meet with the orthopedic surgeon on Tuesday to discuss the next steps for the carpal tunnel. It is impeding further progress in regaining full elbow function. Sometimes the pain in my hand and fingers has been more intense than it ever was in the elbow. 

And There Was Music...

 The grandkids are nearing the end of another school year, and that means music concerts.

First, Miss W's Ensemble Dessert Show:

announcing the Ensemble and their first song

arrow to show where she was standing

her solo

the six Ensemble groups for the last song

Next, McBe's Inventions Friends and Family Performance:

arrow to show where he is standing

Inventions is the Edison Middle School Show Choir

comprised of 7th & 8th graders

signing "Leave a Light on"

Miss W behind McBe for the final number, "I'll Remember You"

this song often brings on tears for the 8th graders

it is a tradition for Invention alumni to join the

current group on stage for the final song

(that includes grade 9 students through parents of Edison students)

they present carnations to their parents

The last song on the program just so happened to be the last one performed 

by the Lincoln High School Ensemble groups earlier in the week.

Both groups had a good time singing "Get Up, Get Down, Get Funky, Get Loose"

McBe's final Middle School Band Concert:

he played Marimba or Xylophone for the first song

snare drum for the second song

he is one of ten 8th-grade percussionists

chimes for the third song

and bass drum (no photo) for the final song

the 8th grade band members

There are two more chorus concerts in May to round out this school year.