I finally got around to trying that bread recipe you sent me over the weekend. it turned out better than I expected the crust was nice and crispy but the inside stayed soft. I used a little less salt than called for because I was worried about it being too salty. next time I think I'll let it rise for another hour to see if the texture gets even lighter. your tip about using a spray bottle to mist the oven halfway through really helped with the crust by the way. let me know if you have any other recipes you'd recommend I've been enjoying the baking process more than I thought I would. the kitchen smelled amazing all afternoon. I also picked up a new loaf pan that seems to distribute heat more evenly so that might have helped too. I'm thinking about trying a sourdough starter next but that seems like a bigger commitment for now though I'm happy with how this one turned out.

we finally took the kayaks out to the lake last weekend and the water was perfect not too cold and barely any wind. we paddled around the northern shore for a couple of hours and spotted a heron near the marsh area. I forgot to bring sunscreen though so my arms got a little pink by the end of the day. the new paddles I got are much lighter than the old ones so my shoulders didn't get as tired. we're planning to go again next Saturday if the weather holds and maybe bring a picnic this time. there's a small island near the middle of the lake that looks like a good spot to stop and explore. let me know if you and your family want to join us sometime I think the kids would enjoy it. I also downloaded a nature identification app that seems pretty useful for identifying birds and plants along the shoreline. hoping to see a turtle next time.