Skip to main content

Six Sentence Story: Bread

I find the process of writing a Six Sentence Story somewhat fascinating.  I read the prompt on Sunday.  Sometimes I know right away what I will write, but most often, the prompt just gets tucked away in my brain.  Thursday morning at 4 a.m., I wake up, turn over, and look at the clock.  Before I roll back over and go back to sleep, I usually have the thought of what direction to take with the prompt.  When I wake up for good on Thursday morning, I get my six sentences written.  This is probably why I won't be a novelist--I would have to wake up way too early!  :-)

Anyway, today's Six Sentence Story prompt is "bread." Instead of one specific incident, I tried to capture the memory of a recurring event:

As the last of the kernels fell into the wheat-grinder, the low hum of the machine changed pitch, and the basset hound howled along, creating a somewhat-harmonious canine/appliance duet.  That song, together with flour that was poofing out and dusting the kitchen counter, signaled the woman to turn the dial to the "off" position. 
She took the still-warm flour and added it to the water/honey/oil/yeast mixture.  Vital wheat gluten, dough enhancer, and salt rounded out the recipe, and the mixing of the dough began in earnest.  Within minutes, the stickiness subsided, the sheen mellowed, and it was time to shape the loaves, put them in pans, and let them rise.  The next hour, the house filled with the delicious smell of bread baking, and the husband and children started asking, "Is the bread done yet?"

 photo visiting2_zps6d4521f3.jpg

 photo ThankfulThought4_zps7d9599c2.jpg
Thanks for bread!  :-)

 photo signature3_zps16be6bca.jpg


Pin It

Comments

  1. I love the chemical changes of cooking and baking . It's like a million little miracles

    ReplyDelete
  2. "...somewhat-harmonious canine/appliance duet'
    totally had me smiling at the very real audio/visual imagery!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Everyone wants to know when the bread is ready, don't they?

    ReplyDelete
  4. There is nothing quite as enticing as the smell of baking bread.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I can just picture those pets pitching in with their harmonious tunes to liven up the kitchen.
    Well written story, Kristi.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oh! Now you've done it, you've made me remember how wonderful the feel of preparing bread dough is, and how the aroma fills the kitchen, and the bread longs to be eaten warm slathered in butter. I might just have to make Papa Bear some bread this coming week!

    ReplyDelete
  7. You created some serious imagery here! Really well written!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh, yes. I bet you use your Kitchen Aid to mix the dough. I have a bread machine which makes it so, so easy. Bread making is an art of the ages and I always think about our fore-mothers forming the dough and kneading and baking it in a reflector oven in front of a large hearth.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Conversations are so much nicer when more than one person does the talking. :-) Please leave a comment and let me know your thoughts; I'd love to hear from you!

Popular posts from this blog

Ten Things of Thankful: Oregon Edition, Part 3

  A western bluebird, sitting at the base of a house window, looks inside Thanks (1) to those who have sent well-wishes for my mom's recovery. Her wrist is healing up nicely. I met a friend from high school for lunch this past week. It was so nice to have a chance to visit with her for a couple of hours. She is one of those friends who it doesn't matter how much time has passed, we can pick right back up into meaningful conversations. Lunch ended all too soon, but I'm so thankful (2) for her, and I'm thankful (3) that she reminded me of the importance of reaching out to others.  Being in my parents' home this week, visiting with a long-time (I'm not saying old!) friend, and with Mother's Day tomorrow, my mind naturally reflects upon the women in my life. I'm thankful (4) for an incredible mom--a gentle woman who taught and loved and guided us (and still does.) I'm thankful (5) for grandmas who were different in their personalities but united in their...

Ten Things of Thankful: I Should Blog More Often

  Tall red poppies bloom against the brick remains of an old homestead A couple of weeks ago, John and I hiked in Alpine, Utah, to see the poppy gardens near the old Lambert homestead. We knew if we waited, we would miss the peak of the flowers. One minute, flowers are blooming, and the next minute, that particular floral show is over until next year.  The Ten Things of Thankful blog hop runs every week, but sometimes I miss the boat and don't get a post composed. I find, though, that those weeks that I do join in, I'm more apt to look for (and find!) the good in life--regardless of whether it was a "good" week or a "bad" week. Just as taking time to hike pays off with a beautiful view, taking the time to share ten things I'm thankful for pays off with a feeling of peace, satisfaction, and gratitude.  The past three weeks have been spent at home. It's been so nice to catch up on things here. The air conditioner cools the house again, we've taken ...

Monday Mentions: Equate Crutches

Have you ever needed crutches? I hadn't, until a week ago.  I'm pretty sure I strained a muscle while running a half-marathon.  (That sounds kind of cool, doesn't it? I'm not actually that cool; the last time I strained a muscle it was from carrying too many shopping bags at once.) In any case, I found myself in need of some crutches. I sent my husband to the store to get some. Photo: A pair of crutches leans against a wall  Not that crutches are all that complex, but because I hadn't used any before, I wondered if I could figure out how to adjust them to fit me properly. I shouldn't have worried. John came home from Walmart with their generic store brand of crutches, complete with instructions. First, I needed to take out a long bolt that went through the hand grip. Then I needed to find my height range, push down two metal pieces, and slide the crutches until the little metal pieces came up in the hole near my height range. (Having two people for this...