For some reason known only to my computer, it wants to flip this picture on its end even though it shows it with the quilts side by side. The Mariner's Compass is the first paper piecing project I did while taking a class from Merle Stensrud at Calico Hutch. She is an excellent teacher and has inspired me to try more. The top picture is called Island Sunrise. I've made 3 or 4 of these and love making it. The actual pattern shows blocks 6x6, but I needed a number of smaller gifts. Tracy Peterson has done the quilting on these. Wish the quilting showed up better as she does such a beautiful job.
With harvest in full swing, my sewing gets done in bits and pieces. Yesterday was a beautiful harvest day, but the combine was broke down all afternoon and evening. Hopefully it goes better today. Need to go dig some potatoes to make a hot dish to take to the field at noon. I'm sure Wayne is already tired of sandwiches. Jolyn
This morning, this quilt was pieced in rows. My goal for today was to get the top done. Mission accomplished! It's ok - not real thrilled with the finished project. Think I like piecing the blocks better than sewing them together. Maybe that is why I have so many blocks waiting for completion! These blocks were all paper-pieced. I love doing that, but it is putsy! As I stand back and critique this quilt, I wish I would have used more contrast in my lights. This is one quilt I don't think I want to repeat. Used my stash for the fabrics and was down to slivers for leftovers.
I love the fall colors. God seems to outdo himself every year! I only have one mum plant, but it is a beautiful one! Jolyn
Sunday was another beautiful day! We spent the morning at church and the afternoon relaxing and enjoying the sunny weather. In spite of giving kittens away and transplanting some to the barns, we still have an ample supply. These three were born between the north and south nurseries and like sleeping on paper bags - Wayne's tried other things, but they prefer this. Trooper, our dog, is waiting for Wayne to get Sammy saddled up for a ride. I wish you could see him in action. He goes nutty - whining and howling and talking and jumping and rolling. For the first few minutes he has to jump up at the horse - don't understand dog language at all - what he is trying to get across, but the horse just ignores him. He always comes back from the ride with his tongue hanging half way to the ground. Jolyn
These mystery berries were taken in our grove. Beautiful red fruit, but I have no idea what they are. The other picture I recognize--apple with an unwelcome guest. This year the beetles are in competition with the box elder bugs. Neither of which do I like. These are not lady bugs, they call them Japanese beetles and they smell and leave tracks. They were imported to take care of the aphids that eat soybeans but instead multiplied and bug housewives. They enter the house in any little opening and come out in the open to die. Any non-messy suggestions on how to get rid of them? Jolyn
Yesterday our security system wouldn't let me enter my own blog! How inconsiderate!
Fall is probably my favorite time of year. It signals the start of harvest and a very busy season here on the farm. Last year was not my favorite fall. October gave us a couple of days of harvest weather and then day after day of rain. Soybeans need the right kind of conditions to be able to combine them and we couldn't get more than a day or two a week. The latest we had ever finished in the beans was October 21. Last year they were still working on them in November when the weather finally turned. Usually November is cold and unpredictable, but thankfully this one turned out to be the nicest in years. Because of the lateness, the guys put in long, long hours and instead of hauling one meal a day to the fields, I hauled every meal so they could keep at it.
This picture is of my 3 guys last fall. Our oldest son (on the right) had come down from the Moorhead area to help out for a week and we took this picture out in the field one day. It has become one of my favorites! Love these guys!!! Jolyn
- You probably wonder why I've titled this post football and I'm showing a quilt. One of our three football playing grandsons made this. It's probably his 3rd or 4th quilt. The rail fence blocks were a big step up from what he's done before, but he tackled it. (sorry for the pun) Each year that he has made a quilt for 4-H for our county fair, we make a special trip to a quilt shop about 40 minutes east of us. We always take along a pattern, a fairly simple star, and plan to look for fabric. Plan (that's my idea - evidently not his). Each time we've done this, he's spotted another quilt - in this case - this one, that he wants to make. As you know, it's much more fun to make a quilt that you like rather than one that you don't. (even if Grandma does like it) So we buy the fabric and go out for lunch at some gourmet restaurant like Arbys. He's good at football (7th grade) but he also a good quilter as he got a Grand Champion at the fair!
- He's already plotting his quilt for next year and I have a feeling it won't be a simple star pattern.
This is a strange picture, but one of the things I like to do to make mealtime easier is cook my brown rice ahead of time and freeze it in meal size portions. After putting the rice in these sandwich bags, I then put 3-4 of them in a larger zip lock bag. So easy to grab, thaw in the microwave and add to stir fry, hot dish or soup. In the background is a jar of homemade noodles that I bought at an Amish auction in September. Yesterday I finally tried some in homemade chicken noodle soup. Yummy! I also like to precook a bunch of chicken breasts and freeze in one cup containers. So easy then to add them to my cooking. With the fall work starting (hopefully they can start harvesting the beans today) I'll use some to make some chicken salad filling for buns. Cooking is so much easier if I have things prepared in my freezer!
Jolyn
