Days With the Duerksens

This summer, I started a new venture: learning how to bake with sourdough starter. Once we got our oven fixed, bought a Dutch oven, and my starter arrived in the mail from King Arthur Flour (with instructions), I was finally able to work with it. After about 6 weeks in, I have an active starter and I feel pretty good about things! My loaves of bread have varied, but all have been edible. Along with the traditional rustic-type loaves, I've also tried some sourdough Italian bread and sourdough sandwich bread. And I've learned that I can use the discard (from the feedings) in other baked goods, too. Our favorite is the chocolate chip cookie recipe I found. Learning new things at 46 feels good!

While Delaney was busy not having a job this summer and busy with volleyball, she also found time for summer camp at Camp Mennoscah and a service trip with her youth group at Rocky Mountain Mennonite Camp. We continue to be thankful for these places and the people who make these experiences possible. She had a blast at both! Camp Mennoscah:

While Delaney had volleyball camp in Lincoln for 2 days, my mom and I did some exploring. We stopped at the International Quilt Museum (how cool is that?!), the sunken gardens of Lincoln, and a delightful little bookstore. There were also a few neat little restaurants and shops near our hotel since we stayed in the Haymarket District. And every day, we passed Memorial Stadium since our hotel wasn't far from the campus. In fact, Mom's view from her window included the stadium. It was a very nice low-key couple of days!

While Caiden and Cambry had to do real world grown-up things this summer, Delaney enjoyed a June full of volleyball opportunities: summer league with her team, KSU positional camp, and for the first time, the Husker volleyball camp in Lincoln, NE! She loved all of it and enjoyed the teams she was able to play with. At both camps, she was on teams with assistant coaches for the Wildcats and the Huskers - what neat opportunities to show her stuff! Then, in July, she participated in the Kansas Volleyball Showcase in Wichita where a number of area coaches were attending. She really liked her team there, too, and had a lot of playing 3 matches with them. The Neosho County coach (her coach for the day) told her to come visit - kind of cool to be recognized that way!

We were fortunate that our neighbors (Chelan's aunt and uncle) planted sunflowers across the road from us. What a joy to walk the nearly mile-long stretch and capture these beauties. Kenya approved!

California Trip: June 1-7, 2025 1. Mallory's first airplane flight! 2. Coldplay Concert at Stanford Stadium - MAGICAL! 3. Staying on the beach near Watsonville in Monterey Bay and looking for sand dollars - EPIC! 4. Family Time for Chayce's High School Graduation - NEEDED! 5. Yosemite National Park - BEAUTIFUL and BRUTAL (Vernal Falls Hike) 6. Staying at Table Mountain Casino - NEW! 7. More from the Beach 8. Monterey Bay Sea Lions - HUNDREDS!