Glen,
I dissolve the yeast (Active Dry from Walmart)in the water with a table spoon of flower and sugar. Yeast lokies sugar, that is what makes it grow.
Keep the mixture in a warmer place, the raise should take ~15 min.

For the dough rising I cover with plastic wrap and leave it in pre-warmed oven for 45 min, that is the first raise. When I make the loaves, I do the same procedure and then bake.

Obviously if you are making a more specialized bread then the procedure may vary.

Here is what I get when I make my bread. Those are about 14" long, by 7-8 wide. by 4-5" tall