Who Took August?

I'm pretty sure I didn't use all the days yet... so somebody must be hiding a few here and there!

OK - I won't complain... especially since my youngest favorite daughter and her fella are coming to visit the first weekend in September - so I guess we have to get August out the door first.

The past couple weeks have been busy... The Engineer and I have been getting all kinds of projects done around the house since we returned from our trip earlier in the month.

While doing some electrical work in the basement ceiling he found a skeleton... a mouse...

looks funny without it's arms but The Engineer wasn't interested in hunting those down... LOL

We've enjoyed the produce from the garden thus far - I've cooked up a variety of tomatoes several times into sauce that I used right away.  This past weekend I finally managed to freeze some sauce for future use.

I had two good size cantaloupes grow and they were tasty!  I'm in love with cucumbers... who knew they could be so good!  I pulled onions the other day and braided the tops together.  The few I've used so far have been very tasty.  I was hoping my beets would get a little bit bigger as they seem to be kinda scrawny.  But I'll pull those up soon as the leaves are dying off.  I've got two fairy tale pumpkins putting some color on too - I'm excited about them.  Oh and corn... yummy... I've pulled ears several times now for dinner that were decent size and nicely filled in - I pulled all the rest today and was actually surprised at how well they were filled out - pictures below show the biggest and the smallest ones.

I decided to cut the corn off all the cobs and make corn chowder!  Just threw it into some chicken broth, a bit of fresh rosemary - a little flour to thicken and then I added cream... this pic is before the cream.  The Engineer was hungry so there was no more time for pictures!

My herbs are doing nicely... basil, parsely, sage, rosemary and thyme... I've dried some and made pesto with the basil last week.  I'm also drying some stevia to grind up and use as a sweetener... it'll be interesting to see how that goes.

And I have been sewing too... check out this cute purse from Maple Island Quilts... the pattern is called "Wallet and Grommet".  This was Quick to make... I especially like that the handle can be short - or you can use just one side and sling it over your shoulder. 

I'll make the wallet tomorrow if I can find my fusible stuff... I know it's somewhere up there in one of those boxes.

Week 35 Stash Report - nothing for ME

I'm sure glad I don't have to report the fabric I helped to buy this week... LOL

I was working in the shop Thursday when the Moda Sales Rep came in for his appointment with the owner... I now understand why I never met any of the sales reps at the last shop I worked at.

I had already seen the brochure and voiced my interest... "you really could order this whole line... and Ohhh this is really pretty too..."  All easy to say if you aren't paying the bill.  And of course it's Moda... so it's hard to just pick and choose because it's all nice don't ya think.

Between me and the owners daughter (who was also there) well if it was up to us - we could be hard on the pocket book I'm sure.  The owner settled on several lines and assorted bolts from others... lots of pretty stuff coming in.

I've settled on the classes I'm teaching for the fall... more about those later.

So nothing in and nothing out... for me!

I forgot to show y'all this...

Last month when my sister in law came for a get away weekend...

This is what she worked on...

The pattern is Sidelines from Maple Island Quilts.

Oh and don't mind those bare spots in the yard... grass is highly over-rated as a ground cover - dirt works just fine.

Tomato Wishes...

Do you suppose that Tomatoes wish for something more than being a tomato?

I wonder if this little yellow tomato looked up at the stars on a hot humid night and wished for something different...

I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight...

...

...

...

...

I wish I were a Snowman!

10,000 faces - Week 33 Stash Report...

I know I'll never come close to using the amount of fabric Judy L does... but it's good to be back to doing some sewing.

I'm working on an applique Santa wall hanging as a sample for the shop and a possible fusible applique class this fall.

I picked out all the fabrics Friday at work with plans to work on it Saturday at home.  I drew off all my pattern pieces on the fusible and as I did I realized that I didn't have fabric for the Santa face.  I had a white print for the suit trim... and I had a white for the beard... but I didn't have any face color.  I didn't need to run back to the shop - I knew we didn't have the right fabric there... I certainly didn't have it in all those silly bins full of fabric at my house... so I ran up the road to Sauders.  I know they have a big selection of solids.

I looked and looked and looked through the bolts of solids.  Some were too pink... some were too tan... others were too peach.  I then noticed a pile of solids on the remnants table ($2.20 something a yard for what ever is there - no cuts).  Wouldn't you know it... I found the perfect color - not too light - not too dark - not too pink or too peach. 

Perfect! 

Except that it's a 3 1/8 yards piece.... three and one eights yards!  

I need a 3" square... but now I can make 10,000 Santa faces!! 

OK... ok... yes I'm overstating it a bit... I can make at least 481 Santa faces!  LOL  We were going to make up some kits at the shop so I'm whacking off the 1/8 yard (4.5") and using that for my Santa face and taking the rest in for the kits... and we will still have leftovers!

I'm not counting the other fabric in and out for the wall hanging because I didn't get any extra - so it's a complete wash.  I will however count the FACE fabric...

So I've added 3 1/8 yards...

and I used 1/8 yard...

No I haven't updated my spreadsheet...

But I hope to have a picture of Santa later...

That Storm...

I heard the rumble start way off in the distance.  In the dark of not quite morning it rolled and rumbled closer and louder.

Then the heavy rain fell... all at once like a waterfall making the roof roar in the early morning quiet.

I made my way downstairs knowing that the dog was going to be upset and would force her way through the gate that keeps her in the kitchen.  We didn't need that racket at 5:00 AM.

As I came through the gate - one dog was sound asleep on the kitchen floor... the other one - the one I was most concerned about also sound asleep on her bed in the laundry room.  ? Huh?

I looked out the kitchen door to the sidewalk and driveway beyond... nothing... dry as a bone...

?  Huh?

As real as that thunder and rain had sounded - it was in my dream...

Week 29 thru 32...

Yep... it's been that long.  Hey this girl has been busy!

Well I'm up and down 4 yards for that class project I mentioned in the week 28 report.  I had worked on the blocks several weeks back but I haven't had a chance to report yet.  Nor have I been working on that project for awhile... what with all the visitors and traveling I've been up to over the past several weeks.  I was good - no quilt shops visited while I was gone - although there were many options

Since getting back home I think I've caught up with the garden... some of the stuff I just pulled out because the powdery mildew was winning.  I've about got the smell from the freezer under control... see my previous post for the details... Home Sweet Home.  Yeah it's always great to come home!  LOL

I need to get my Stashbusting spreadsheet updated sometime soon.  I also plan to get back to posting on a more regular basis... oh and sewing, painting, picking blackberries & making jelly and syrup, oh and applesauce...

I think I need to get me some more hours in my day...

Home Sweet Home...

It's always good to get back home after a trip...

Unless you forgot to turn off one of the Air Conditioners and it ran non-stop while you were gone... and The Engineer found it first. 

It's a portable A/C unit - the kind that vents heat out a hose though the window... apparently I took the hose out of the window but didn't turn it off.  So for 10 days it was trying to cool a room that was heating up from the exhaust.

And if that wasn't bad enough - the next day I discovered that the small upright freezer in the laundry room had been off for 10 days 11 days.

It was only 10 11 days... stuff would have remained frozen for at least 24 hours... and cold/cool for several days more... so it wasn't as nasty as it could have been... but it was getting there.

After throwing away the contents we found and emptied the defrost bucket underneath that collected all the liquid that had drained off... it was just a little more than full. 

Everything has been cleaned with vinegar, bleach and an enzyme deodorizer...  several times each.  I'm not putting anything back in there until it doesn't smell anymore.  It's off, open, and airing out.  I've got a tray of coffee grounds and a tray of baking soda sitting inside. 

Other things I'll try if necessary:  crumpled up newspaper, activated charcoal, and green kitty litter.  From what I read the process of getting rid of the smell could take weeks.

Ahhh yes... Home Sweet Home!  LOL