Soft Pretzel Recipe, 128 Hover Captions, ...and also a little Haiku treat for you at the bottom of this page...

 

Soft Pretzels            Makes about 8 pretzels.             Murrells Inlet - November 19-25, 2008 - THE BEST BEACH VACATION OF OUR LIVES

Mix to dissolve in large bowl: 1 package active dry yeast  (2¼ teaspoons)

                                                  ⅛ c very warm water (2 Tablespoons)

 

Add and mix well:                    ⅓ cups brown sugar

                                                  1⅓ cup warm water 

Blend in:                                   5 cups flour (all-purpose, buckwheat, rye, whole wheat, or whatever mixture you like)

 

Mix well, then knead with hands until smooth. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured board. Pull off a golf ball sized piece of dough. Use your hands and roll it into the shape of a snake fat in the middle. Form into a pretzel, pressing the ends firmly into the dough. Continue until all the dough is used. Preheat oven to 475º F.

 

In a large pan bring to a boil:  8 cups water

 

Add GRADUALLY:                   ½ cup baking soda (If baking soda is thrown in all at once, the pot will instantly overflow foam onto the stovetop.)

 

Boil each pretzel for a slow count of 30. Lift out and place on a cookie sheet sprinkled with:

                                                   COARSE cornmeal, or rye flour (so the baked pretzels won't adhere to the pan)

 

Make a cut in the fat part of the pretzel (so they bake evenly).

Sprinkle with:                           coarse sea salt

 

Bake about 10 minutes in a preheated 475º F oven or until golden brown. Best eaten right away.

 

Hover Captions:

We Love Trina's Place At The Beach                               Murrells Inlet - November 19-25, 2008 - THE BEST BEACH VACATION OF OUR LIVES

Trina's Place at the Beach:

1:1 - Looking up to Trina's balcony at the break of day.

1:2 - Shower cap saves Trina's place from beach shoe sand.

1:3 - Looking from Trina's kitchen across her Living Room.

1:4 - Looking from Trina's living room out to her balcony.

 

A Place at the Beach

1:1 - Palm tree and pampas grass below Trina's balcony.

1:2 - Vista from Trina's stairway out to the Atlantic Ocean.

1:3 - Sunrise view from Trina's stairs to the Atlantic Ocean.

1:4 - Early morning look down from the top of Trina's stairs.

 

Flora

1:1 - Berries next to the boardwalk leading out to the beach.

1:2 - Frozen berries on the palm tree below Trina's balcony.

1:3 - Wildflowers blooming beside path leading to ocean.

1:4 - Pennywort patterned with grass shadows at sunrise.

 

2:1 - Sea oat seed stalk in front of A Place At The Beach.

2:2 - Sea oats close up.

2:3 - Wind and sun patterns of grass growing on the shore.

2:4 - Grass shadows form a mirror image symmetry.

 

Fauna

1:1 - Washed up jellyfish at sunrise.

1:2 - A rescue from near drowning for a little green insect.

1:3 - Somebody's unattended friendly dog.

1:4 - Dolphin swimming close to shore at daybreak.

 

2:1 - Pelican flight silhouette from morning sunshine.

2:2 - Pelican takes off into flight after resting off shore.

2:3 - Pelican in flight.

2:4 - Foraging pelican skimming the ocean surface.

 

3:1 - Seagulls on the water's edge at 6:56 a.m.

3:2 - Seagulls letting their feet get wet at 26º F.

3:3 - Seagulls wade with temperature below freezing.

3:4 - Foraging seagulls walk in the water at sunrise.

 

4:1 - Sanderlings foraging forward as waves recede.

4:2 - Hungry sanderling finding food.

4:3 - 3 of these 4 sanderlings have only 1 leg to stand on.

4:4 - Two of four sanderlings have only one leg to stand on.

 

5:1 - Seashells and a wave-rounded rock on the seashore.

5:2 - Banded tulip shell fragment washed up on the shore.

5:3 - Whelk fragment & operculum (univalve "front door").

5:4 - A colorful cockle leans on a clam fossil fragment.

Looking North to Myrtle Beach                                                Murrells Inlet - November 19-25, 2008 - THE BEST BEACH VACATION OF OUR LIVES

1:1 - Trawler just off-shore at Myrtle Beach.

1:2 - Trawler, seen from Trina's stairway to the parking lot.

1:3 - Setting sun highlights Myrtle Beach beyond the dunes.

1:4 - The Grand Strand in front of A Place At The Beach.

Looking East to the Atlantic Ocean                                    Murrells Inlet - November 19-25, 2008 - THE BEST BEACH VACATION OF OUR LIVES

Oceanfront

1:1 - Boat cruises by just off shore.

1:2 - Mother & Daddy enjoying themselves at the seashore.

1:3 - Path from A Place At The Beach to the ocean's edge.

1:4 - Walking on the beach path toward the surf at dawn.

 

Sunrises

1:1 -  November 22, 2008 at Trina's stairway, 6:46:16 a.m.

1:2 - 6:53:02 a.m. November 22, 2008 on the walkway.

1:3 - 6:47:44 a.m. November 22, 2008 going to the ocean.

1:4 - 6:53:02 a.m. November 22, 2008 on the seashore.

 

2:1 - Joe's photo at 6:52:06 a.m. on November 21, 2008.

2:2 - 6:58:28 a.m. at the top of the stairs, 11/23/2008.

2:3 - Going to the boardwalk on 11/23/08 at 7:01:00 a.m.

2:4 - On the beach path at 7:03:44 a.m. on November 25.

 

Surf

1:1 - Mother laughs after coming out of the brisk water.

1:2 - Calm afternoon surf at low tide.

1:3 - Crashing surf at dawn.

1:4 - Luminescent surf at daybreak.

Looking South to Murrells Inlet                                               Murrells Inlet - November 19-25, 2008 - THE BEST BEACH VACATION OF OUR LIVES

1:1 - Looking across to the ocean from Trina's stairs.

1:2 - The house next door, from Trina's balcony.

1:3 - Foaming surf meets wet sand.

1:4 - Sea gulls on the sunny sea shore.

Looking West to Murrells Inlet                                                 Murrells Inlet - November 19-25, 2008 - THE BEST BEACH VACATION OF OUR LIVES

Oceanfront

1:1 - Sea oats in front of A Place At The Beach.

1:2 - A Place At The Beach sea oats at sunrise.

1:3 - Mother waves after her ocean swim.

1:4 - Sea oats in front of A Place At The Beach.

 

Waterfront

1:1 - Seaside yucca growing in front of the house next door.

1:2 - Leggy sunrise shadow points to A Place At The Beach.

1:3 - Marlin Quay marina, early morning on Trina's balcony.

1:4 - Murrells Inlet beachfront houses by the first rock wall.

 

Seashore sunsets

1:1 - 5:11:20 p.m. on November 21 from upstairs next door.

1:2 - 11/24/2008 sun sets over Murrells Inlet at 4:56:32 p.m.

1:3 - 5:15:02 glorious sunset on Trina's balcony 11/24/2008.

1:4 - November 24, 2008 from Trina's balcony at 5:11:04.

 

Murrells Inlet Landing                                                                            Murrells Inlet - November 19-25, 2008 - THE BEST BEACH VACATION OF OUR LIVES

Sunsets

1:1 - Looking from the Seawatch Inn across Murrells Inlet.

1:2 - Sunset glow reflected in the incoming tide.

1:3 - Murrells Inlet view from the bridge at sunset.

1:4 - Reflections of beautiful Murrells Inlet Sunday night.

 

At and On the Bridge

1:1 - A spit of land midday at low tide.

1:2 - Ruth on the bridge boardwalk after we went church.

1:3 - Joe on the bridge boardwalk after we all went church.

1:4 - View of Murrells Inlet at the boardwalk on the bridge.

Celebrating Thanksgiving in Conway with George, Diane, Alana, & Diane's parents

1:1 - Thanksgiving place setting Saturday night.

1:2 - Alana made Ruth's beautiful place card.

1:3 - Alana made Joe's beautiful place card.

1:4 - November 22, of our Thanksgiving place setting.

 

2:1 - Cranberry sauce, rice, and green bean casserole.

2:2 - Carol's delicious Waldorf Salad, and pumpkin soufflé.

2:3 - Ruth's dinner plate. I'm thankful!

2:4 - Homemade raisin bread in a turkey-weave basket.

 

3:1 - Ruth, Mother, Daddy, Alana, Diane, George, Carol, JP.

3:2 - Carol admires her granddaughter's refrigerator art.

3:3 - Diane, George, Daddy, Mother.

3:4 - Alana and Joe having lots of fun playing after dinner.

 

4:1 - Mother & Daddy; Alana's Thanksgiving turkey on the shelf.

4:2 - Daddy seated in front of some of his shell pictures.

4:3 - Diane shows Daddy her favorite shell on his picture.

4:4 - Diane & Daddy with one of the shell pictures he made.

 

5:1 - George shows Mother his new keyboard.

5:2 - George shows Daddy his new keyboard.

5:3 - Daddy tries out George's new keyboard.

5:4 - Daddy likes playing George's new keyboard.

We "Shore" Enjoy A Place At The Beach           Murrells Inlet - November 19-25, 2008 - THE BEST BEACH VACATION OF OUR LIVES

1:1 - Daddy and Mother get his fishing pole ready.

1:2 - Daddy and Mother making surf fishing preparations.

1:3 - Daddy and Mother "tying the knot".

1:4 - A fisherman with the catch of his life.

 

2:1 - Joe joins in the fun.

2:2 - Mother and Ruth with Daddy fishing.

2:3 - Joe helps hold Daddy's fishing pole.

2:4 - As close as Joe has ever come to fishing...

 

3:1 - Mother brought Daddy lunch & he could keep fishing.

3:2 - Daddy & Mother and Myrtle Beach in the background.

3:3 - Mother watches Daddy check the bait.

3:4 - Daddy examines seashells Mother found on the beach.

 

4:1 - Mother, at 80 years old, loves to swim in the ocean!

4:2 - Mother loved going swimming in 40-degree weather!

4:3 - In & out 6 times in 40-degree air & water temperature!

4:4 - Mother's U. of Maryland München (Munich) swimshirt

 

5:1 - Daddy "thumbing a ride" from a group on horseback.

5:2 - One veteran coming over to thank another for serving.

5:3 - A soldier back from the war in Iraq greeting Daddy.

5:4 - Ski poles & a fishing pole make for good conversation.

 

6:1 - Daddy casting.

6:2 - Daddy casting.

6:3 - Daddy casting.

6:4 - Daddy preparing to cast as a boat cruises by off shore.

 

7:1 - Daddy surf fishing.

7:2 - Daddy loves to fish. Myrtle Beach in the background.

7:3 - Daddy gets ready to show and tell.

7:4 - Kahl (German word for "bald"): show & tell.

Haiku

A Japanese-style poem, 5 syllables, 7 syllables, and then 5 syllables, such as:

 

Ruth's poetic wee

Surprise at the end of this

Very long webpage.

 

Ruth’s Haiku on The Best Beach Vacation of our Lives

 

A Place At The Beach:

We enjoyed each other as

We enjoyed ourselves.

Return to Murrells Inlet - November 19-25, 2008