Learning to sail

How hard can it be?

Starting something new as we get older is hard, I’m finding. But even though my head is beginning to spin a bit with the technical jargon and the editing process, I’m sticking in there.

For some reason I found the learning to sail analogy interesting, particularly because I’ve never sailed. After all this blog site is called The Bakery and I would probably do better using some baking terms! But I like a mixed metaphor so, as I wondered how I would get more proficient quickly (I do like quickly!) I found myself writing yet another short poem…

Learning to Sail

When things are new and I'm at sea
Lord Jesus, please encourage me
I don't know how to hoist the sails
And up ahead there may be gales 

Yet this I know, You are the Way
And I will learn to sail today
To catch the breeze and tack and lean
Into the winds of this new scene

I will keep calm and breathe and move
Under Your steady Hand of love
And as I move and watch and pray
I'll surely learn to sail this day

Thankfully, I appear to have caught some breeze and a little understanding. I do know that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, so I’m not heading straight into the open sea…yet!

Tacking off course

I’m quite interested in how to use images and audio but this might be a diversion for a novice. I also want to know how to change the layouts of a blog but I can’t navigate those features yet. I am weaving back and forth, but quite close to the shore!

So, here is my first diversion.

Cheese Scones!

A desire for cheese scones with a soup lunch, came about when I was a bit exhausted by mastering this blog as I set sail…

I know how to make cheese scones, so it was a happy fallback position. It also gives me an opportunity to try to share an image! Here’s the photo:

So here’s the finished product. Not from a master bakery but a bit rustic, sitting in their pan on the top of my stove. They are very quick to make and very tasty, so I thought I’d share the recipe.

Cheese scones

Using a food processor makes this recipe very quick. 
I made 6 small scones out of a small quantity.
To make larger scones, double the ingredients.

4 oz SR flour
Dashes of mustard powder and paprika 
Pinch of salt (to taste)
1 oz butter
2oz cheese grated
1/2 egg
2 tbspns milk 

Sorry about the old style measures in ounces, but 
that's the way I work!

Method

Rub butter into seasoned flour. Use a food processor 
if you don't like the mix up your fingernails! 
Stir in most of the cheese. Keep some to sprinkle on top.
Add egg and milk. Make into softish dough. You may need more milk..
Roll or pat out to at least 1/2 inch.
Handle lightly.
Cut with small cutter. (Keep gently re-rolling and cutting)
Brush top with milk and add saved cheese on top.
Place on lightly floured sheet, or tartlet tin.
Bake in 200 degree oven. 
About 15 minutes or so. 

Returning to shore

I think that’s my training session completed for this day. I just want to finish by saying that I’m incredibly thankful that the wind of God’s Spirit was blowing me along. All the glory goes to Him!

I pray that you, too, will find uplift in your life, particularly if you’re trying something new in 2022. I really enjoyed these words today from the Amplified version of The Bible:

Psalm 103 – A Psalm of David

Bless and affectionately praise the Lord, O my soul,
And all that is [deep] within me, bless His holy name.
² 
Bless and affectionately praise the Lord, O my soul,
And do not forget any of His benefits;
³ 
Who forgives all your sins,
Who heals all your diseases;
⁴ 
Who redeems your life from the pit,
Who crowns you [lavishly] with lovingkindness and tender mercy;
⁵ 
Who satisfies your years with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the [soaring] eagle.