Actually, there’s been no sun but I needed a third “s” word for the alliteration.
However, there has been plenty of cynicism and I’m up to my ears in salt-dough.
The cynicism has been rising as arrangements for filming have advanced. Both the BBC and Notts TV want to come and do pieces on us and, rather like a 70’s sitcom, there has been a noticeable change in some people. I’m waiting for the first one to crack and say: “All right, Mr. De Mille, I’m ready for my close-up.” It can’t be long now…
Watch this space for more news on our flirtation with fame and the media.
I managed to fit in plywood between the cynicism and the salt-dough. We have a plan to build a loaf of bread six feet long and four feet high. We also have a pile of second-hand plywood four feet high. It’s mainly odd sizes and none of it is a convenient. I did start planning how we could use it but it became clear that the patchwork effect and the amount of framing needed was going to make it impractical. So it’s back to Plan A.
While I was in the barn counting plywood I noticed the House Martins are gathering mud for their nests. I’ve just been back with the camera but somebody is now working in the yard and has scared them all off. Will have to see what I can do later.
On the salt-dough front things are getting better. We have a group of around 20 Guides coming on Monday night so I need to produce around 40 shapes for decoration – one for them to keep and one for us to display on Open Farm Sunday.
After my stiff dough and thick tiles of last week, I have been doing some thinking. With my first attempt I converted the 2:1:1 ratio of flour, salt and water into weights. Today I used cups and produced a much more workable dough. It just goes to show it doesn’t always pay to get technical. I have four trays of animal shapes drying, and they are half the thickness of my original trial pieces so things are looking up. By 6 pm they should all be ready for use.
Rarely is there enough cynicism to go around. Hope the PR piece comes off well. Stories of worthwhile work such as yours need to be told. Of course 48 hours after a show airs it will be forgotten by most.
Thanks. Yes, PR is a strange beast. 🙂
I learned a long time ago to pay attention to where a recipe comes from, to know whether the writer thinks in weights or volumes. And then I use that, rather than trying to convert it. Yes, I know it would be possible to do a conversion, but it wouldn’t be straightforward, and I can’t be bothered! Hope your crowd enjoys the salt dough project. 🙂
People seem to be enjoying the salt dough. I’ve previously converted volume to weight using info off the internet and it has worked, but this time I didn’t bother with the proper conversions and got myself into trouble. 😉 I must learn to be more flexible about measuring.