The Heron's Nest

Summer is all about spontaneity and a little bit of chaos, but as the month comes to a close, I find myself wanting to fall back into the comfort of a routine again. I’m ready to be consistent with my healthy habits, establish some structure, and set myself up for success in this next season. One mindset shift that has helped me stay motivated and disciplined, even on the harder days, is to take actions that are aligned with the person I want to become. The best version of me wouldn’t leave dishes sitting in the sink or waste hours mindlessly scrolling. She wouldn’t let laundry pile up for days. She takes care of herself and her space, even when she doesn’t particularly feel like it. I’ve also been reflecting on the idea that the universe rarely allows us to move on to the next chapter until we’ve learned to truly appreciate the one we’re currently in. For example, I need to appreciate living at my parents’ house and having the time and space to get on my feet and save some money befor...

So, I never ended up making the sourdough bread. I only really have enough time to make it when I have a day off of work, and lately, my days off have either been too busy or I’ve been too lazy to spend the whole day in the kitchen. I did, however, decide to make homemade (not sourdough) bagels because I had some leftover chive and onion cream cheese that I was craving, and I thought it would be slightly diabolical to just eat the cream cheese by itself. I felt a little Nara Smith whipping up an entire batch of bagels solely so I could have something to put my cream cheese on, but they turned out great and were honestly super easy to make. See for yourself: I’m traveling this weekend, so once again, I won’t be home to make a loaf. But next Sunday, hopefully, is my day. Maybe I’ll venture into sourdough bagels next time to use up all the starter I revived. TBD but I’ll keep you posted.

 Today's Snack Plate:

 Today's Dinner Plate: Burger Bowl

 Welcome to The Heron’s Nest! However you found your way here, I’m glad you did. I hope you find something on this page that makes you think, makes you smile, or simply brings you a little bit of joy. The idea behind The Heron’s Nest is sort of a digital commonplace notebook, a place to collect and share the things I love, the things that occupy my daily life, and some thoughts that might resonate with someone else. A little about me: I’m a recent college graduate learning how to navigate the strange transition into this new chapter of life. I’m figuring out how to build healthy habits, make decisions with intention, and create a life that feels like my own. And, of course, there’s the heron. How the Heron Found Me The heron theme came about almost a year ago, during a period when I was really struggling with uncertainty. I was on a walk by the river, contemplating the many conflicting thoughts buzzing around in my head. I truly didn’t know what the right things to do were or who I...

 Today's Snack Plate: 

After feeding the starter for the first time, I wasn’t expecting much to have happened when I checked it the next morning. Which was good, because indeed, nothing happened lol. So I fed it again that morning and then once more about 12 hours later, in the evening. Each time, I discarded some of the starter and then fed it equal parts flour and warm water. For example, the first time I fed it, I used 15g of starter, 15g of warm water, and 15g of flour, bringing the total to 45g. The next time, I removed 25g, leaving 20g of starter in the jar, and then added 20g each of water and flour. This kept the starter at a manageable amount while giving it plenty of fresh food to get going again. To my surprise, the starter started bubbling and doubling in size after that second feeding. I continued that same process to slowly increase the amount of starter in the jar and to be sure that the starter was “healthy” before I planned to bake.  Now, I’ve fed it one final time before I hopefully hav...

  Starting about two years ago, my family decided to be more mindful about the ingredients in our food. Around the same time, my mom decided to start making bread for the family instead of buying it. Inspired by my sister-in-law, who had already mastered the craft and gave us our first bit of sourdough starter, it quickly became my mom’s Sunday ritual. One that the whole family (and plenty of friends) got to enjoy. Over the last few months, the loaves started coming a little less often as life got busier. Coincidentally, I have Sundays off from work and am usually looking for something to do, so I thought it might be a good time to finally learn how to make sourdough myself. Not only would it be nice to help keep the family tradition going, but it also feels like a fun new life skill to learn and carry with me. Today, my mom and I decided it was time to bring the starter back to life and get it ready for baking again. Since I’m hoping to make my first loaf soon, I thought I’d docum...

 Today's Snack Plate:

 Today's Snack Plate:

 Today's Snack Plate Included...