Vintage Monday: Baking Bread

I love freshly bread but baking my own has always seemed a daunting task. Bread machines were out of the question--been there, done that, didn't care for it. In my world bread has to have a hard crust and a nice, chewy body. So of course, when I found a super-easy no-kneed recipe on Pinterest I had to try it out. I'm glad I did.

Isn't it beautiful? Oh, and that crunchy crust... The dough needs 12-18 hours to rise but it's not an issue. I can start it in the evening and it's ready to bake sometime in the next day. The other big thing is that you need a Dutch oven to bake it in, but I had one already. I'll be baking more bread in the future.

Vintage Monday: Too Much Snow

Since the white stuff is about to hit the northeast, I give you and image from the The Great Blizzard of 1888. In for days in March (!!) "The Great White Hurricane" buried parts of New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and connecticut under 20-60 inches of snow. The 45 miles an hour winds were icing on the cake.

So folks living up there, make sure you have plenty of food, toilet paper, and warm blankets. I hope nobody looses electricity, because that would suck. Oh, and charge and stock your ereaders, just in case.

Vintage Monday: Viennese Gents

So, last night after a long day of working plopped down in front of the telly, thinking it was Saturday. Then I saw my Sunday shows playing and was very confused for a minute. Where the frak did the weekend go? And it's bloody Monday again--pardon my British. So I give you these two gents and back to the grind stone. Ta!

Vintage Monday: One Fine Dandy

I considered posting something wintery or even holiday but in the end decided to keep up my resistance of the seasonal madness and picked this fine gentleman instead. Just look at him! He's the cat's meow and he knows it. I wonder how long it took him to get dressed and if he had help.

Vintage Monday: Three Gentlemen in Top Hats

I'm too groggy this morning to say anything witty, or even try. So, enjoy the gents and their top hats.

Vintage Monday: US Sailor and his girl

I love the expression on his face and the dreamy look in his eyes.

Vintage Monday: Summer Time

I wish I was that toddler in the washtub. He doesn't seem to have a care in the world.

Currently LA is experiencing a moderate heatwave with high humidity and weird wether. There were sudden downpours yesterday at some places and we don't normally get rain at this time of year. There was also lightning, and at least one person died from it at Venice Beach.

I pick the washtub in the backyard.

Vintage Monday: Lifeguards

Continuing with the beach theme, here are a couple of lovely lifeguards. This was a Pinterest find. On a side note: apparently, in 1949 lifeguard was two words. Just comes to show you that language is a living thing.

Vintage Monday: On the Beach

This old photo was a rare find--it's such a perfect representation of a bygone beach-going experience, it almost looks fake. But it is real. I feel sorry for those people for having to wear so much clothes on a warm summer day.

Vintage Monday: Top Dog

Last week we learned how how cool pipes are--or at least used to be. Men smoked them even on the beach. Today I present further evidence that pipe smoking is the mark of a sophisticated gentleman.

Vintage Monday: The Holiday Edition

Lovely photo, even if the photographer didn't know how/where to focus.

Monday Men: College Buddies

Here in L.A. the daytime temperatures still go up to 90º but the days are getting shorter and the school season has started. Other parts of the country/world must be experiencing proper Autumn right now, with cool weather--like these two.

The bigger guy is wearing a Notre Dame sweater under his jacket, and he's sure built like football player. Kinda handsome too. His friend is slimmer and that coat he's wearing seems much too big for him. Could it belong to the strapping lad next to him?