Time Out for a Little Cooking

I'm almost embarrassed by that title, because for much of this week I've just not been in the mood to cook, but I did have one great success with a new recipe.  

We have friends who have a Christmas Tree farm and a few years ago they began planting blueberries for a summer crop.  Annette texted me last Friday to say the blueberries were finally ripe and I elected to let her pick and deliver vs. driving out and picking myself.  She delivered the berries Sunday and Monday I tried a new recipe I'd printed out recently for Homemade Blueberry Sauce.  It comes from My Baking Addiction's website and can be found here.  It was very simple to make and is very delicious!  

Tuesday morning I made a Dutch Baby and added the sauce to the top after taking it out of the oven.  I usually top it with canned apple pie filling which we love, but Dan was raving about how good this new sauce was.  

Today I added a good dollop to my homemade yogurt and it, too, was a winner.  Breakfast tomorrow?  Another Dutch Baby!  ♥

Stitching On

I got more done on the Christmas quilt.  The tree stars were added and I machine blanket stitched around all the applique pieces.

Next I cut the pieces for the row of sawtooth stars that will be added just below the house. Here they are, stacked in rows according to the alphabet letter for each piece.

I was able to make one star this afternoon.  I finally remembered to stitch just to the inside of the drawn diagonal line which makes for a much truer sized block. I was very pleased with the end result!

I think there are twenty-one pieces in that 6 1/2" block!  Only four more of them to make.  

I don't think I've talked about that gray mat the star block is shown on.  A year or so ago I noticed that many quilters were talking about a wool mat to be used for pressing that they were very happy with so I ordered one.  I really does help with the pressing process--the blocks don't seem to stretch on it and if you use steam, the wool holds the steam for a bit helping to hold the press.  I think mine is 14" square and it works for most of the blocks I make.  Once I join the blocks, of course, I take it off the ironing board and just use the top of the board for long seam pressing.  I do see some huge mats out there, but I have no place for one and this size works well for me.   ♥

And I'm Back!

Hey, I'm actually back with the scoop on my quilting project.  It's a kit I purchased sometime in the last year from Craftsy/Bluprint. A Christmas quilt, like I need another Christmas quilt; but somehow, I just can't stop myself.  

{Side note:  Craftsy has been around for a while and sometime in the last few years was bought out and the name was changed to Bluprint.  Everything stayed pretty much the same until this spring when it was announced that Bluprint was closing.  The thing that got so many people riled was that part of C/B, a BIG part, was video classes that once purchased were available to view by the purchaser forever.  There was much grumbling and dissatisfaction, especially by those who had just purchased new classes.  I recently received an email that Bluprint has been purchased (rescued?) and will continue.}

But I digress.  Back to my project.  As mentioned yesterday, it has a lot of pieces.  A LOT.  So I backed off from my cutting and began assembly with parts I had.  

The house is the center of the quilt.   Next up were applique trees.  I actually had some Heat and Bond in my stash so I drew out the shapes and ironed them on the fabrics, cut and ironed again.  Voila!  Trees!

Now I'm back to cutting, cutting, cutting.  Here's a picture of the pattern showing the whole quilt.  

See those stars?  The checkerboard?  The flying geese? The appliqued letters?  Yup, lots of cutting coming right up!  ♥

I'm Still Here

Goodness, this month seems to have gotten away from me!  It's been busy with the graduation, Dan's birthday this week, and just general everyday things that the older I get, the longer they seem to take.  

I am working on a new quilt that seems to have quite a few pieces of varying sizes to cut. I've been cutting away and decided yesterday to begin to put some of the pieces together before I burned out on the cutting. I'll try to post again tomorrow with some pictures of this new project.  

Meanwhile, I'm off to do a little light reading and then head for my bed.  Sure glad someone invented mattresses and pillows!  ♥ 

A Real Graduation!

Yes, people, Keaton did get to have a real graduation ceremony!  We kind of held our breaths, but it took place Saturday night with many concessions to the times, and all graduates got their moment and their diplomas.  

Only family members were allowed to attend and had to wear masks. Each family had a separate seating area that was marked out, included plenty of space to spread out, and was in the balcony, so we were well distanced from the students! The students, of course, wore their masks as well as their graduation gowns and caps.  One of the moms found masks featuring fabric that said Class of 2020 and bought masks for the entire class!

Keaton was valedictorian and did a great job giving his speech (he got to take his mask off as there was no one close by).  

All masked up and ready to graduate!

Diploma in hand!

Masked and socially distancing.  Such strange times. . .

The ceremony was video taped and shown live on Facebook and YouTube so friends and far away family could watch and the parents were able to arrange a wonderful outdoor party following that was really fun, complete with tiki torches!! 

And here is one last fun photo--a bunch of neighborhood moms got together and ordered these shirts for their grads to commemorate this crazy graduation year (note the mask on the O in Senior).

And that's the way it is in 2020!! ♥

Etcetera

The last two weeks have vanished in a blink.  What have I done, I ask myself.  Good question! Reading, of course.  Having that Kindle app and taking advantage of two free months of Kindle Unlimited has made me like a kid in a candy store!  One book was very different and also thought provoking given these times.  The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson is an historical novel based on real events.  

I've finally had to make a mask or two.  Most of Dan's consulting work involves workshops and field trips and most have been cancelled due to the virus, but one is taking place this week with all kinds of precautions.  He will need a mask as he teaches so I bit the bullet and made him two out of tan fabric with pine needles on it. Suitable, I thought!  

The weather has been all over the place,  Cold, wet and dreary, hot, sunny and necessitating turning on the AC, and now back to overcast and wet.  Lots of thunder and lightning, too.  As we tell each other, it's still June! Truthfully, given the current events politically and healthwise, I'm hoping for a cool summer to help keep people calm.  

The baby shower was fun and the mom-to-be loved the bibs.  I'm thinking of making some more this week before I forget how cute these turned out.  I also have a friend who became a grandma for the first time that I want to send some bibs to.  She can keep them at her house or send them on but either way, I thought she'd have fun opening the package.  

This cool weather has been wonderful for the flower pots and the garden.  Here's the view from my front entryway.

And here's a cute one of Daniel and his friend Crosby at their swimming lessons last winter.  Here's hoping they can soon hit the water once again.  

Happy summer!  ♥

Feathered Friends

Since we live on the edge of town, actually in the county rather than inside the city limits. we get our share of wildlife.  Skunks, elk, moose, and so on.  We also get a lot of birds.  The quail make me laugh as they run in groups, always with one far in the rear.  The pheasants are gorgeous.  And this year, we've spotted a new duo in our trees.  A pair of owls.  

They are huge!  (And we're ever so glad we don't have a cat anymore!)  They seem to like our poplar trees.  

Hoot, hoot!  Look at that wise old owl!!  ♥