Oh happy, happy day, here comes Fall!

 Whether you're taking a trip around the world,

or making a Trip Around the World . . .

Dolly and I would like to wish you a very fun and frolicking end-of-summer weekend!

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

I'm searching for a really good crab cake recipe.

If you have one, would you send it my way . . . purty please.

Some interesting things are growing in my yard.

Some more interesting than others.

 Sesame weighs between 12-15 pounds now.  He's a Big'un, as they say in the South.

Newest project is finally coming together.

This purple was purchased around 1986.  I can remember how exciting it was to find this particular color, a very rare item back then.  I wonder how many more colorways of cotton fabric are being produced now, as opposed to then?

Have a safe weekend and restful Labor Day.

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

The first border is on.

You may recall I found this pattern idea over on Marci's Pinterest site.

Using 2" squares I assembled 2 - 4 patches, and a center section of 2 rows of 6 across.

Four muslin squares measuring 3-1/2" were assigned to each corner.  The block was then trimmed and turned on point.

Of note, I sew 2" squares together using a standard to slightly chubby 1/4" seam.  I then cut my muslin squares slightly larger than the 4 patch for trimming purposes.  Adjust the size of your muslin square to the size of your 4-patches and cut them 1/2" larger allowing for easier trimming of the finished block.

The setting (or side) triangles consist of 3 - 15-1/2" muslin squares which were cut diagonally, corner to corner on each side creating 4 triangles, i.e. you'll need 10 triangles total.  The corner units are made up of 2 - (I think it was 10" squares cut in half diagonally).  Please double check that for me if you make this.

The first border is all 2" squares.  The second border will be muslin, and the third border I'm still thinking about.  You could very easily do a piano key border on this as well.

This is Socks, she has one white foot.  And is now happily residing in Ellijay, Georgia with 4 of her litter mates.

Lawsy me, I'm down to 13 bunnies - AGAIN!  The new batch will be ready in 6 weeks if you're interested in adopting.  Their eyes are starting to open today.

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

Because it's Sunday,

 
And I need to work my second job, there'll be no quilt pictures today.  However,

I will share Cousin Linda's Applesauce Recipe.    It's very, very good.  She used to make it extra chunky, put it in zip-locks and freeze it flat.  Ready to carry out the door to the next dinner party.

Don't mind Dolly, she's just sad, as she believes it's time for another truck ride.

Cousin Linda's Applesauce Recipe

4 medium apples, peeled and quartered
1 cup water
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Boil apples and water, simmer 5 to 10 minutes.

Cook until tender.  Add sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. 

******** Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

To market, to market . . .

Not for a fat pig,

or even a 142-pound water melon,

But some plump yellow 'maters.  (They were out of romas.)

I even took some photos of upcoming crops.  It was very, very busy this morning.

The Doll-ster got to go along, as she hadn't had a long truck ride in some time.

They had a good variety of peppers, some lovely potatoes, a few cucumbers, and those delectable sugar cube cantaloupe, several of which found their way into my basket.

Remember if you're heading over to the Delano Market to stock up the freezer, try to go on a Tuesday when they are less busy.  It best to get there at 9 am sharp, and don't forget to take your  appetite, as their cinnamon rolls are scrumptious.

This evening's project.  I'm staying in the A/C room and sewing tonight.

Last, but not least, the pet picture of the day.  Jeremiah, my gray bunny who is almost full grown.

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

Labor Day is coming up, a time to reflect, remember, be thankful.

For many it's a three-day weekend.

 For many others, the end of summer.

In case you're having a barbecue at the lake, Dolly asked that I share mom's Barbecue Sauce Recipe.

It's super simple to make and much better than anything in a bottle. If you're feeding more than a Dolly-sized person, you may want to double the batch.

Phyl's Jiffy Barbecue Sauce

1/2 cup salad oil
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup ketchup
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup lemon juice
3 Tablespoons sugar
3 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 Tablespoons prepared mustard
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
(Note:  I like to add a dash or 3 of Liquid Smoke and a dash of Tabasco/hot sauce.)

Cook onion in oil until soft.  Add remaining ingredients.  Simmer 15 minutes.  Makes enough to baste and serve on 2 chickens.

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

If I were a petite, perky, blond-haired, green-eyed weather gal named Barbi-Sue,

I'd be out of a job.  There's only one weather forecast this summer and that is,

 you guessed it . . .

 rain . ..

with a chance of fall.  The leaves are starting to turn folks.

Mark your calendars for the second and third weekends of October.  That is peak leaf peeping season around here with plenty of apple cider and Fall festivals for all.

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

"When bunnies begin to burrow, winter must be on it's way."

Which is one of the reasons I cleaned the pantry tonight.  Yup, more inventory.

Not everyone was raised in an area where heavy snowfall was prevalent.  Not everyone grew up to the sound of clanking tire chains on ice locked roads.  And not everyone got to ski, sled, and ice skate on the weekend.

But I did, thank goodness.  And part of my winter genetics is preparedness.

I like to have enough stuff in the house so when ol' man winter comes roaring in, a pot of soup is just a few minutes away.  Veggies will be chopped and vacuum sealed in the freezer.  Summer tomatoes will be processed in jars.  And soon the wood pellets will be delivered so I'm ready for frosty mornings.

I'll welcome Fall with a merry heart and a pot of something warm and filling on the stove.

It's a good feeling, enjoying the comforts of home.

It's a better feeling, not having to drive on icy roads.

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

The good news is . . .

 I finally got the freezer cleaned out and took inventory.

The bad news is I went grocery shopping today and discovered a quart of milk had jumped 10 cents and is now $2.15.

The good news is, after the freezer was done I had time to move porch furniture to the front so I could then clean the porch.

The bad news is, that's when it began to rain.


So Dolly and I worked on cleaning my new sewing table, bought last winter at the thrift shop.  The mold came off with elbow grease, along with a combination of peroxide, dish soap, and hot water.

The good news is, this week 4 bunnies, Socks, Gracie, Jack, and Silver, are all leaving to live on a small farm down in Ellijay, Georgia.

The bad news is, Thimbell gifted me with 7 new babies on Friday.

The good news is, this time they were born in a bunny hutch, not in a burrow under the dog house.  I'm hoping I can find them all new homes by the time they are 8 weeks old.

The bad news is that my 3-year-old, high performance, energy efficient, top of the line BOSCH washer stopped working on Friday.

The good news is, I THINK it's still under warranty.

Need to sign off now, as I just saw Noah float by.  He's testing the boat you see, and I must ask him if he can fit in a few more bunnies!

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

It's almost the weekend!

Oh Happy Day!

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

It's a new day . . .

Let's celebrate not just by living, but by living it up!

Breathe in, breathe out, be thankful we're not on a respirator.

Walk out, step high, be thankful we're not bed bound.

Hug a friend, hug a furry friend, be thankful they're still with us.

Eat a peach, pick some wildflowers, be thankful for the bountiful providence of this great earth.

Sew, Laugh, Live!

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

Wordless Wednesday

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

Thoughtful Tuesday

A lovely example of mixing tan background fabric.  Picture taken during my travels.

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

What happens when it rains too much?

Besides weeds in your garden, you get mold on your wooden spoons.  I'm telling you, this is a serious situation.  I use all of my wooden spoons, at different times of course.  Green is not the color of choice here.  I like tan and brown and gold.  Definitely not green.

So instead of sewing on Sunday, you guessed it, I was cleaning.  The pink 9-patch will have to wait a few more days to be assembled.

The moral of this story . . . check your spoons, and your cutting boards, and your wood furniture. If you'd had excessive rain, the green monster is lurking where you'd least expect it no matter how many fans you've got turning.

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

Juxtaposition . . . .

I like pictures that tell a story.

On the one hand, this family is ready to celebrate Flag Day, Memorial Day, and the 4th of July.

As well as the first warming fire of winter.

There's a lesson here I'm thinkin'.

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

I weeded the pumpkin patch yesterday and discovered why nothing is growing.

Weeds!

Imagine that.

I guess the award for Master Gardner won't be coming my way this year.

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

Well it's raining, but that's to be expected.

I mean after all this is the summer of "rain."  Which I admit has kept things cooled off a bit better this year.  If you're out there in it, please drive carefully.

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

Well isn't this interesting, they're calling it a media blackout.

Hmmm, can you imagine why?

http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2013/06/genetically_engineered_sugar_b.html

Do you think some folks are unhappy with Monsanto, GMO plants, and heavens sugar beets!

Can you imagine how many products on grocery store shelves would use sugar beets as an ingredient.

Makes you think, doesn't it?  Do we really want this stuff in foods we use every day?

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

All's quiet along the perimeter . . .

I can tell, as this is one of Dolly's favorite resting spots.  

There's no sewing going on right now.  This is the week to clean the freezers and fridge.  It's time to take stock and prepare for winter soup making.  

Do you save your chicken bones?  I do.  They go in the freezer until I have a batch.  Then I get out the big soup pot and cook them all at once.  The broth then goes in the crock pot to cook down for soup base. 

Soon I'll take a trip to the local Mennonite Market and stock up on end of season veggies.  I like to chop/dice and vacuum seal them up in portions for the soup pot.  

We're looking forward to first frost Dolly and I.  She, because her long fur is coming in, and me because I get to make that first big pot of soup and share it with friends. 

Until then, keep stitchin' . . . 

Did anyone see where the weekend went?

It must have slipped through the gate sideways.

Some progress was made here, but not in my sewing room.  I helped a friend clean out hers.  We managed to get rid of a lot of cardboard boxes, one of the main culprits in holding in mold.   The local thrift shop, which supports rescuing abused pets, was the recipient of a lot of older fabric and blends.

If you've been keeping quantities of donated fabric in your sewing room, perhaps it's time to go through it.  Art teachers, Sunday school teachers, and scout groups are just a few of the organizations who need donations.

If, like many of us, you've had a very rainy summer and mold has become an issue, here is one site that offers suggestions on treating it.

Mold

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

Finally Friday!

Just sharing a bit of inspiration.  Here's hoping we all get to sew this weekend.

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .

Thoughtful Thursday

Until then, keep stitchin' . . .