Daily doily...

I wish I could make a doily a day... probably could if I didn't, you know, have to tend to my tummy and that of 9 other people and such! I finished my first doily, ever, last night. I think that' it's pretty impressive, seeing as it is my first-ever project! I could never follow a pattern- all those numbers and symbols were just too overwhelming. This graph pattern system makes much more sense to the visually-inclined person that I tend to be! My Mom is coming in a week and a half- along with two of my favorite sisters, so this doily is for Mom, she has a beautiful oval, oak, coffee table. Crocheting has been the perfect mindless distraction that I've been needing during some stressful times here on the prairie. Oh, nothing major, at least it shouldn't be, but I am just... having a difficult time coping.

So imagine me out on my porch- I have an old tumble-down porch off of my bedroom- and there I sit, crocheting with two little cats- Genesis and Exodus- in the seat next to me. Chain six, single crochet. The wind is blowing at a fierce pace- bringing the rain our garden is needing. Chain six, single crochet. Two teen boys are walking into the wind, their brown shoulders braced, they wave to me- I send Jacob out with water bottles- you should have heard the glad "Dude! Thank you!" Chain six, single crochet. The wind blows through the trees and our black Lab, Shadow, joins in on the crochet time. The cats force her off the porch- she's too hyper for their taste. She is happy to lay in the tall grass, tongue lolling. Chain six, single crochet. A call to my Mom. Chain six, single crochet. The little ones bring me a freezie. Strawberry. Chain six, single crochet. My neice stops in for a short visit. We sit on the porch, together. Chain six, single crochet. Jacob is laying in the tall grass with Shadow and John has pulled some catnip- the cats are purring and rolling on the porch- wallering. Chain six, single crochet. Somehow I put one too many rows of that chain six, single crochet combination...imagine that. It was a very sanguine evening. Just the way it should be on the prairie.

There's more than ccCooORN!!!!

in Indiana! At Indiaaaaanna Beeeeach!!

We just had our annual day at Indiana Beach. No, it isn't a beach- well, it has a beach... it's complicated. Indiana Beach is what they call a "retro-park." It is an older park, with roller coasters and rides, but also arcades. Maybe like a Coney Island- it's from the same era. We have been going every year for the past 12 years and this is the first time it rained. But most of the day was dry, so I'll not complain. The kids wore themselves out... OK, they wore me out. Abe got to ride the carousel, and the flume ride with his Dad. This will be his last year to ride all the little rides- He'll be riding the coasters, next year- he can hardly wait! Just 4 more inches to grow. How do they do that? The picture in the van has most of the older kids(all cousins, but one blonde) that went with us- a couple are missing. We just make a day of it and come home late, tired, but happy.

Happy Memorial Day!!

It's something of a red, white, and blue day. I made this little block in between time on my soldier quilt. Lots of HST- which I kept getting twisted in the wrong direction! I even had to unsew some. But all's well that ends well. Not one batik. It happened. I'll be quilting it up for my friend Sandy- to thank her for helping me with the crochet. I am enjoying that so much! I'm on row 20 of a 29-row doily. And it's still looking like the picture. Amazing.

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Picnic planned for this afternoon. I made macaroni salad, last night. It doesn't taste like my Mom's, yet, but I am hoping that after sitting in the fridge overnight, it's had some time to reconsider and has shaped up its act. I also got a good start on potato salad. That one, I can do. Fixed some chili sauce and will fill the crockpot with hotdogs and chili for the kiddos. Then there's the sausages and sauerkraut- the older people like that. And then I'm going to make a few batches of cookies and a Texas sheet cake- chocolate. Or maybe a spice cake with applesauce. Then, I'm gonna sit outside- hope it doesn't rain- and watch my kids play.

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Have a blessed day and be thankful!

Done!

Yep, even the binding is on. I cheated on the label- just wrote on the backing- sweated I'd spell something wrong... but figured I could always just cover it up with a real label in just such an emergency. Turned out fine, though. I went ahead and washed it for him so it'll be ready to go! Hope everyone has a great weekend! See ya on Monday!

Ka-zickety-doo!!

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Got that soldier's quilt put together. I think it turned out pretty snazzy. Got the back sewn up. That's the cream colored fabric there. It's a Debbie Mumm- and is so soft! (I avoided using any true white- he has been sending pictures of dust storms- he says they are like sand storms only no wind- just like someone is dumping truckloads of dust. Says it does drop the temps 10-20 degrees- but it gets into everything! So it's red, tan, and blue, for him.)

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Even got it on the quilting frame, yesterday morning, with the help of my sis. Well, we chatted on the phone while I pinned- makes that particular chore go by so much faster! Any excuse to talk to her, dontcha know! I plan on getting that all quilted up, today. Hopefully. And put the binding on. I wanted to use that border fabric for the binding, but I just wasn't impressed with the quality- seemed a little thin, so I'll be binding with the red or the blue. Which do you think?

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I admit, I've been a distracted quilter, this week. First, I worked on a doily for a couple hours and then, well, I think I was missing HST because I saw this pattern in a magazine- you know how it is, you see a pattern you just have to try- just one block... But wow, this one block... I'm doing a red, tan, and blue version- just because that's where I am. Maybe I'll get that done, today. It's rainy out and that always seems to help when it comes to buckling down and getting some work done. Who am I kidding? Work? hardly. But don't tell anybody that I'm really just having fun.

Bread baking days...

Funny thing happened last week... yeah, I was tired of looking at the back of my head! Anyway. DS Jacob(15) loves white rolls- they all do, but I seldom make them because... well, I have a sneaking suspicion they aren't so good for you. But I finally caved and made him some. Alright, I made enough...for everyone in the county!! I don't know what I was thinking! Probably this sinus infection, rotting away my brain. I am getting better, by the way. This is what 12 pounds of flour will get ya- just in case you were stuck with only 12 pounds of flour and you were wondering how far it would go. Trust me, it goes and goes and goes... So I made two big trays of rolls. And then we made a big pan of cinnamon rolls and a couple smaller pans of cinnamon rolls and then I just gave the girls a couple handfuls of dough to play with! The cinnamon rolls aren't baked in this picture, because the kids couldn't wait to dive into the dinner rolls. They like a little bit of powdered sugar and cinnamon mixed into their butter- in for a penny, in for a pound, I guess. Darcie, this is the recipe that I got from your Mom- figured she'd get a kick out of my compulsive overdoing it!!

Rolls:

• 2 cups water, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup butter, 1 egg, 2 t. salt.
• stir together and add 2 t. yeast and slowly add enough flour to make a soft, slightly sticky dough.
• Knead for 8 minutes and round up in an oiled bowl.
• Rise and punch down.
• Rise again.
• Shape into rolls. (We roll ours in butter- I told you they weren't healthy!)
• Bake at 375* for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Our HUGE amount of rolls was made from 12 cups of water- so if you multiply this recipe by 6, you should have enough rolls for a very, very hungry family or a rural county.

Wednesday...

middle of the week. And I am already tired. Not a good sign. I made a deal with myself that I would spend at least a portion of the day in bed. I just have so many things to do... but getting over a sinus infection tops the list, so I rented me a big ole stack of movies and as soon as I tote the kids to and fro from violin and piano lessons, it's the bed for me! So why are you staring at the back of my head? Daniel took a picture of my new locks so my friend Donna could see what I had done. Yes, I have bedhead, but I promise I have not been spending too much time there!

I got the rows of my soldier quilt sewn and now I just need to join them together. And put the borders on. And quilt it, and bind it.... so many steps to get to the done stage! Hope everyone can sqeeze in some resting time.