Blue Skies...

shinin' on me. Nothing but blue skies can I see... Well, that and a great big garden. Been up to our elbows in produce from the garden and apple trees(it's too humble to be called an orchard.) But my, the apples it has produced! We have canned 100 quarts of apple pie filling! And there are still plenty of apples on the tree. But reason says that there will be no more room for all the jars I am accumulating! Still I march on, canning like there will be 7 years of famine. Feel like Joseph and his time in Egypt! Aunt isobel asked where I put all the jars- good question. When I figure it out, I'll let you know. I have shelves in my laundry room. Shelves in the kitchen. Maybe I'll put a few dozen jars under my bed. The master bath closet has some extra shelves...The cellar might be an option... but it is damp down there... It's a challenge, to be sure.

Monday we canned 98 quarts of apple pie filling and green beans. I have officially called an end to the apple pie filling- now I am giving apples away. Wished you lived closer. These are great apples- no worms and beautifully large. My posse joined me for the day- Teresa, Rose, and SarahFran. They were so much fun to can with- to do anything with, actually. We cranked up Patsy Cline and were all swaying to the music...I go out walking, after midnight.... We had an absolute blast. But wow! I was completely whipped by 10pm when I took the last canner out!

That is the back of sweet Bekah's head. She flies through her rows of green beans- she loves canning. Yesterday she picked a bushel and almost singlehandedly snapped them all- with some help from Eva. She just scoots along the row and all I see is the back of her head as she moves faster than me! There will be a lot more green beans to can and tomatoes too. Julia, I'll try to post about canning tomatoes in the next few days, K? back to the kitchen...

Finished and feelin' fine...

About the spider- he's too cute to weird me out. Sweet Bill wants him for his store, so I guess the quilt is going on tour! I had a good time making this little quilt- it was just a lot of silly fun. I used up almost all of my scraps for the "border" and backing and that's the last of a green(binding)- that I've had for three years and has found it's way into many a project.

Now, it's back to earth. More apples and corn and green beans to can. Maybe a canner or two of tomatoes. And I have company coming so the house needs a brush up. The sewing will have to take a back seat. All for a good cause- food for the winter and great company.

So far...

so good. This is the center of my fall-o-ween quilt. I love quilts with words on them. I have been working on some pumpkins and such for a wide border- growing it to a bigger size. Who knows, I might even throw in a spider- feeling brave, huh? I am determined to use up all the feature fabric as it isn't really anything I'll use much in the future. Guess I'll be piecing the back.

We've been busy trying to get some canning in, this week. Still so much to do. My back aches just thinking about it. But I'll be very happy this winter when we need a summer-day treat. I tend to only plant what we will freeze or can- like tomatoes, green beans, and corn. The apples are plentiful. It's been a good growing season, this year- if a bit late, in harvesting. I've been caught sewing when I should be canning...

My oldest boys have been gone for about a month now- vacationing on their own. One in Alabama and one in West Virginia. We are missing them, especially with so much work to do... but also, just their lovely company. Bekah(7yr) talked on the phone to her big brother Joe(18yr) for about 45 minutes, today. I figured that if he wanted to cut it short, he could have, but he seemed to enjoy the chat as much as she did. He'll be headed home next weekend. Dan(17yr) will probably be gone another month. sigh. We sure do miss him, but I hear he is having a blast fishing, swimming, cake tasting, and studying.

My Fall-o-ween quilt colors- plus one block. I am trying to become more proficient at applique, and I'm learning as I go. I checked my perfectionism at the door and just forged through. Being a perfectionist can really squelch creativity. And who needs that? I am still trying to figure out how to get around curves. I'll get plenty of practice with the words, creepy and spooky! The pattern I'm using is from the American Patchwork and Quilting magazine(Linda Lum Debono,Oct 2008.) I couldn't resist the candy corn applique on it! It's a little on the small side- just a wallhanging, but I'm thinking I can add a few pumpkins and some more checkerboard and grow it to a throw size. There was a pattern in the mag that was more to my liking- plaid flying geese and big fat pumpkins in yummy earthy tones, but the kids won the vote and they are getting bright and bold. It'll be cheerful, for sure!

good to be green...

I had a pretty good Monday. Got up bright and early for a Dr. appointment in Indy. Made time to sew a little bit before we left. Big Grin- yes, I will get up an hour earlier than I have to, if it provides me with an extra hour of sewing machine time. Bill always goes with me- I can't decide if he is just afraid I might bolt and spend the morning at the lqs (and for the record, its a reasonable suspicion on his part), or if he just enjoys my company. I know for a fact that it's a lot more pleasant with him along. I slept the entire trip. What's not to love about that? Admittedly, not very entertaining for sweet Bill, but he said that my sleeping allowed him the opportunity to listen to sports radio and take a gander at the newspaper- a practice I freak out over. My Dr's name is Dolly. She is a sweet lady and always very good to me- and still I dread seeing her. My need to please is a lot of the pressure, I'm sure. Had great results of a couple tests. My cholesterol was down 200 points. Booyah! Blood glucose was down. Just had a good visit- which is always a pleasant, if seldom, experience. Plus she gives me lots of med samples. Makes me feel like I've been to the diabetic candy store when I'm all loaded down with free insulin!

Bill...ya know, there's just no nice way of saying it...killed, slaughtered, butchered, put to rest... a few of our broilers. Bekah about had a melt down when one of them came running at her sans head- she thought it was going to follow her all the way to the house, like it could find the house without it's head!! She made it safely indoors and stayed put until she was sure the coast was clear.

The mantis was Jacob's beloved pet. He was a sweet critter, but he ran away. One of his little brothers forgot to put the lid back on the terrainium. They are very smart and you can even teach them to recognize your voice and do tricks. So Jacob is feeling blue and missing him. Looking for a new one- at least it doesn't have eight legs- I don't "do" spiders.

The green doily is just a sweet one that I made and gave my niece, Rosemary. She is such a dear. She and my other niece, Sarah, have been a huge help to me as I am trying to get the bounty of the garden and apple trees into storage. I'll have to dig the felted wool out for a project for Sarah- she is the queen of crafty! Maybe I'll make her a cute little drawstring bag for her knitting projects.

Getting ready to start a Halloween quilt- a first. I am going to have fun stuff on it- no witches or devils- just pumpkins and maybe a bat or two. Going batty! I'll be talking to ya soon!

Something quilty...

Yeah, I know you're shocked. But I woke up at 3am a few days ago and thought I'd put to good use the time. I quilted and bound this little sweetie and now it sits by my sewing machine- making me smile.

We have been canning garden bounty. 14 quarts of apple pie filling and 6 quarts of tomatoes- just the tip of the iceberg. I have a 5 gallon bucket full of gorgeous striped apples- an antique Braeburn variety. Haven't found a worm yet. Amazing. And 3 gallons of tomatoes. My sweet neices have stopped by and given their hands to work and we made very light of it. So nice having good help with the canning- though it is still always tiring. But very satisfying.

I've been working on new pocket papers- trying to see how many I can squeeze in thoughout the day. So I am getting some sit down time in between canners. See? I know how to make the most of a 24 hour day! Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend- don't work too hard!

Kids at work...

really, they were working. Ok, I get home from shopping and notice my bed is "made." The quilt was on sideways. It was all nicely folded down with the sheets. Bekah pipes up that she made my bed and organized my "diabetes stuff." I thought it was just adorable the way she lined up all the meds and the sryinges...even if the syringes are a bit morose- better than the alternative. Just part of my life. She was so proud, grinning from ear to ear as only she can. Thank you sweet girl. So nice to come home to a clean room.

And I bet you're dying to hear the story behind that towel. Wouldn't want you to think that all my children are perfect...Abe was riding the bleach bottle like a car all around the kitchen table. I was sterilizing the sinks- canning tomatoes- and I set the bleach down by my feet... Abe commandeered it. I guess the bottle couldn't stand the pressure of a 4 year old. It leaked. He "wiped" up the mess with one of my best blue towels(sorry Sarah.) And left the towel covering the puddle. Bleach is some seriously caustic stuff. Just in case you were doubting. Literally ate a big ole hole in that towel. But he was being such a big boy by "cleaning" up his mess- not a drop of bleach on him or his clothes. weird.

I just love kids. good thing, huh?