Time is a’comin’!

 Just around the corner—one more month and it begins!  Tour de Fleece!!  TDF begins July 1 and runs through 23.  During June, I begin to prep my supplies and think of fiber to spin.  Do I need to wash, card, buy anything?  Nope—not me!  I have plenty of prepared fiber on hand for this gathering!  What must you consider during TDF?  Just what You want to achieve!  This is a personal challenge and goal!! Not a competition!  Spin when you can, what you want,  and decide how much time to apply to your goals and challenges! 

My first priority is to ply all this handspun brown cotton—then it will be ready for August for either the loom or knitting needles!

My handspun bin is overflowing with last year’s production. I love the variety of colors—some are dyed with indigo; most are natural colors cottons I’ve collected over the years. 

And here are some of the items I have knitted.  I do have weft on the shuttle ready to throw across the cotton warp; which has been sitting idle for weeks.

These will be lovely kitchen towels—when the warp is complete!  
The knitted cloth patterns are designed by Kitchen Sink Shop.  Garlene is on instagram—you can sign up for her free newsletter to receive free patterns. 

Sharing what you’ve produced during TDF is great satisfaction!  

Let's Eat! Leftovers!

 Usually, we'll have some 'leftovers' from a meal.  My Granny always called it "Mustgo"!  Since there is just two of us, always there are leftovers!  The story is always "what to have for dinner?'  An age old story for sure!  Sometimes, the leftover meal is good; other times, it's just so so!  One night last week, we had leftover salmon--and two fresh peaches!  What to make?  I always remember making salmon patties when the kids were home--but I'd used canned salmon (which wasn't too pricey)  and we were given a case of salmon from an Alaskan couple who fished for salmon every year and canned it.  That was a treat for us but......then there is only so much salmon one can eat!  Think that's why they gave us a case--just to get it out of their pantry into ours.

Step One:  prepare the peach salsa--yes, thought that would be a nice addition to top the salmon patties.  Look up recipe--wow!  recipes calls for 1.5 lb of peaches--I have only two!  We'll improvise--a little of this, a little of that--mix it up well and let set for several hours to marinade the flavors.

After all, it's peach season!  This is a perfect recipe!

Come close to dinner time--make the salmon patties:  

My recipe--mix flaked salmon with little chopped dill, lemon juics, chopped onion, add bread crumbs if you have them, mix in egg--shape into patties and air fry!  Got to use that air fryer that I received as a gift last Christmas!

And here is our complete meal!  Salad on bottom tossed with light vignette, add some steamed buttered asparagus--hubby even proclaimed it as a delicious!

Now, to use that leftover smoked pork tenderloin--quick and easy!  Yes, Pork tenderloin slices on sliders, topped with slaw--didn't have cabbage but did have broccoli so made a slaw with that. and there is still some tenderloin leftover (ha ha!!)  More recipes to use with that delicious little porkie!!  We buy the pork tenderloin when on sale--cut into two pieces; place on the smoker till it reaches temperature recommended.  

a few potato chips as a side dish--really nice meal as well as quick to prepare!

Nostalgia

My, how things have changed!  Look what Smart phones and Smart televisions have done to us—it is called progress!  I long for good ole days sometimes!  Years ago, I was gifted the most precious gift from brown headed daughter—an I-Pod!  It contained all my music from I-tunes—great to plug in my ear phones and listen away! No Wi-fi involved after downloading all the songs.

This little case included everything I needed as I traveled or walked or sewed or wove or slept.  I took it with me while in hospital couple of times.  It brought comfort!  I could scroll down to exactly what I needed to hear to soothe my soul. 

I even found an apparatus that can link the IPod to speakers—that was a bonus. 

The day came when my IPod rested for awhile.  Then I opened the case, turned it on and there was nothing!! Absolutely!! Nothing! It was dead as a door nail!  Charged it for hours—still nothing!  I was so sad—has my original IPod died—actually died??

What to do?  Charged for days! Nothing!  I checked to see if it could be repaired—hubby said cost too much—not to me—money was no object to get my little gem back in my ear!  Big sigh!  Searching--I could find one on websites for close to $300!! 

 The orange case laid on my desk for few more weeks—then I thought when all else fails—hit it!! I slammed it on the table and said “ why? Oh why?  I’ve had you for years”

Guess what??  

It came on!!! Yes!! My IPod was back from the dead!  

That goes to prove—hitting something that doesn’t work—does work!!

Now, I’m feeling happy again—I have all my music from ages gone by! 

Something Accomplished!

 I've got to stop sewing!!  Although the fabric bins are overflowing--I can't keep up with the quilting that needs to be done on those tops!  I love sewing!  It's easy to sit down at the machine, pick up couple pieces of fabric and sew a seam or join a block with another block.  It takes more power and time to get a top on the long arm!

Maybe, I would like to be cloned!  I'm looking at A I as there has been so much talk about it lately!  Do you think--an AI person could help me with my tasks??  Just jump in and do the same thing as I would?  Would AI know how to do it?  Or would it be much better to be cloned?? Actually, AI scares me a little!  I can't imagine another ME running around--I think it would confuse most people!  Or, in fact another clone of me--heaven help us!

Anyway, I have accomplished something with no help from AI but a good friend who likes to quilt on the long arm!  She hasn't finished sewing her latest top so she is willing to quilt for me--She does excellent work, much better than me on some designs!   We enjoy our time together in the back room at the local quilt shop--sometimes, people drop in to see what we are doing--the other day, someone popped in as we were talking (hadn't even begun with our tops) and asked if we were doing a class?  Yes, a class of gossip!!  Our favorite topic!

I loaded on two small quilts on the same background--both tops were scrappy--one is "I spy with my  little eye"   top for kids, most likely for our new great grandbaby.  The other a pattern from Lisa Bongean--wish I'd made it with patriotic colors.  I know so many vets that I would like to wrap in comfort.  Anyway, I made it scrappy--didn't reduce my stash bin by much though!  

My friend, CAM, worked on "let 'er Rip" from The Quilted Cow.  I couldn't resist!  Don't really need this top!  But, it will be nice as a gift to someone who loves Yellowstone!  Quilted Cow did several patterns from shows--I resisted those--thank goodness!  Anyway, CAM did lots of stars on Rip top--looks good.

Just need to bind these tops and they will become quilts!

The other day, I gifted a Navy Vet with his Quilt of Valor--he couldn't believe that he received a quilt to honor his service.  He had tears in his eyes when I handed it to him and thanked him for his service to our country!  This is why I like to make quilts to gift!

This was the pattern from Pat Sloan's 2022 quilt along.  I'm still working on this year's top but it's scrappy.  And, by the way, I'm still knitting on hubby's wool socks!!  And listening to Charles Martin's "The Water Keeper"  the first in a trio of keeper books--

Craftlit podcast is doing "Three Musketeers"--Wow!  never thought I would like to read/listen to this book--definitely, a classic that needs to be read!  A chapter a week is feasible.

Anniversary DAY

 Holy smokes today is the anniversary day of our wedding!  It's a big one too!  60--sixty years! 

 What gift to you give for sixty years of marriage???  I have no idea!  Looked it up and it's Diamonds--well, I declare  Diamonds—means, I won't get any because that is not my favorite stone.  Of course, we usually don't exchange gifts, except on rare occasions--On our 40th while living in Venezuela, we bought matching 18 carat gold wedding bands, .  His has already been repaired--but, it can be repaired not like some of our disagreements--all he needs to do is say "--you were right!"  How many times have I heard that?  

On our 25th, we bought a spa!  Used it quite often--now, it sits empty with no operational motor--oh well, we did get some good years from it.  Other years, we just said "happy anniversary" as we woke, give each other a kiss and went about our day. Just another ordinary day--

On our 50th, we took family to Vegas as we renewed our marriage vows with Elvis in his Chapel of Love--quite fun.  Maybe, we'll do it again when we reach 75 years!  Wouldn't that be a hoot??!!

You see, our 60 years have had some ups and alot of downs, but we are happy to be blessed with another good year to celebrate. 

We're getting up there in age; some days, my whole body aches; we have difficulty using our hands to tie the laces on our shoe , need help getting up out of a low chair; bones crack when we bend over--sense of each day moving forward in our old age!

Don't get me wrong--I like-love my old man!  He can stay around for a long time--he can continue to be bothersome but I'll take him; besides, I don't want to break in a new one!

Congratulations to us!  And here's to another 10 years!  

May I? Yes, You May!

 Do you remember that game?  It was a game of control--wasn't it?!  The game also taught social skills within different age groups.   Mother, May I?  Yes, you may!

Once I began this blog post for month of May quilting blocks, I couldn't resist looking up that game--wonder if it is still played today?

Working on May blocks is slow--here, it is May 16 and I've not done all the blocks I thought I would!  Trying to keep up to date on the tops I sewing on--BUT, I did get some tops quilted--not many though--it seems life gets in the way.  

Blocks for another patriotic top is in the works.  I sew until I’ve finished the pieces that have been cut—back 

To cutting again. 

Sixteen  piece lender ender block has finally found a setting!

Several blocks had already been linked—then I stumbled across the setting which gave the top more life—took old Jack to rip the blocks apart!  Still have several other leader--ender blocks to organize into a top--the right setting hasn't pop up yet.  

Here comes two YES two more free blocks to make!  The first one began today and these are always interesting and quick to make.  The first step includes the cutting instructions--and it's patriotic!  and it's a table runner!  It comes from Fort Worth Fabric Studio

First block instructions will be May 22!  Yay!! for the red, white and blue!

Another free topper comes from Fat Quarter Shoppe

Haunted Halloween Mystery begins June 6--shop for the kit or gather your spooky Halloween fabrics!

Mother, May I?

Yes, I may!!

See red

  Recently, a friend was dyeing with this fabulous bug--Cochineal!  That tiny little thing can give a variety of colors on your yarn.  I have a bin filled with those precious jewels

but haven't dyed with them in years!  Look like tiny raisins but these pin head size dried insects are hard as a rock!  When soaked in dye bath, they burst forth with color. 

 My friend pushed me to get back into the dyeing game--so I pulled out all my RED books and poured over them.  It was a good nudge back into color of the most importance to the world.

No color has fascinated the world through the ages than cochineal.  

Sorry I don't have her book--next purchase maybe!

So many books written about this one tiny little insect that brings so much life to color RED
 

Soon, very soon, I hope I can post photos of my recent cochineal dyeing

Let’s touch!

 The other day as I was driving into town, I spied a young couple, walking on the sidewalk—they looked to be teenagers.  They were holding hands; she on the outside nearest the street, he on the inside near the lawns.  I assumed they had walked from high school. 

 Right in the middle of the block, he stopped and moved her to the inside and he took the outside to the street!  I'm cheering!!  Yay!  That kid does have some manners--someone taught him well to show respect, love, concern for your love one. Touching is good!  That act 'touched' my heart and sense of love!

Touch is many things--but in the above instance, that touch was one of the sweetest things I'd seen in awhile.  I touch to feel texture of cloth, roughness of buildings, stiffness of fabric, sensation of cold or hot,   How do we teach a baby 'not to touch' a hot appliance of surface?  They can get close to touch and back away--and say "Hot"!

Today, I'm touching lots of fabric--I'm pressing the cloth for a long arm quilting day!  There will be lots of touching involved as the needles moves over the texture of the quilt top.  If there is a problem with the stitches, we can touch and feel the difference in a good stitch or a bad stitch.  

After the birth, a new born is placed skin to skin with the mother so they can bond.  Our grand daughter did not have that touch after her baby was born--he was whisked away immediately--he was taken to NICU for his CDH condition.  The mother was crushed!  She wanted that touch!  It was a week before she could place that baby to her chest.  

During the day, you use your fingertips to touch every object that you use.  In each fingertip, there are over 3,000 touch receptors!  Why is touch the most sensitive sense? The sense of touch originatees in the bottom layer of your skin called the dermis. The dermis is filled with many tiny nerve endings that give you information about the things your body is touching.

Touch! is all important!  touch someone today! and often!

Mojo? What is MoJo?

Who is this Mojo person?  My grandkids love COJO—Cody Johnson—#1 to them in country music.  But, I’m not sure they know what or who MOJO is!  Give them a few years, that old MJO will hit them! 

Well, I was hit with no MJO—for several weeks.  No knitting mojo at all! Now——I’m back!! 

I’ll pulled out the bag of blue wool yarn—ready to see/remember what was in it

And the bag even contained a pattern, Bonus! Oh dear, the pattern in the bag is for a hat, which will (maybe) use the rest of the yarn.  Guess I was being optimistic by adding the hat pattern.

Extra bonus—stitches already on needles! 

Yes, I said needles!  

The start for hubby’s socks!!  Yay!  I’m putting my MOJO to work.  Knitting these plain socks, no pattern is needed—until I reach the heel; here I need some guidance.  Never remember how many to the middle of heel.  Also, need pattern to finish toes—it’s the dreaded Kitchener stitch!!

So, off we go!!

Kentucky Derby Taste Day!

 Kentucky Derby!  We're hosting a Kentucky Derby Party!  Years ago, we attended the actual Kentucky Derby Party in Louisville, Ky--it was a dream come true!  Never thought we'd be there in person on that day!  Locally, one of the wineries host a party but this year we decided to have our own--after all, we have HATS! to wear and wonderful tasty food to eat!

In my research for Derby Day recipes--I remembered the foods we had while in Louisville for Derby Day--Kentucky Hot Brown--yum!  Every restaurant had Hot Brown on their menu

An open faced turkey sandwich topped with bacon, covered with Mornay sauce.  Simple ingredients that you might have on hand

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In the slow cooker, we will feature-Kentucky Burgoo--a stew like dish=

=Burgoo has a rich history--

Some history about Burgoo

first became associated with racing when the dish was served at livestock sales in the early 1800s. A horse-racing tradition began as a means to convince people to buy the animals, and these events became wildly popular gathering places for friends to catch up and for politicians to connect with supporters

Of course, there will be Mint Juleps to Taste.

We don't have the fancy cups but did find pewter solo cups!!

For dessert--it's a must to have Derby pie.

Oh, there will be other treats to sample--each guest is bringing along their favorite Kentucky product--maybe, just maybe, there will be many Kentucky Bourbons to taste!!

I have no idea which horses are running, but it looks to be a lovely day with friends along with delicious tasty foods!

Eyes And Ears

 Our senses are the greatest part of our body!  We have many opportunities to enhance those senses—for my eyes they are many great, interesting, teasing rewards—lately, these two books have taken center stage—

Jennifer Ryan has given us two different looks into the lives of WWII women.

“The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir”

The men are away fighting and the choir is void of men’s voices; the vicar has called a halt to the songs.  Women of  Chilbury Village decide to carry on the singing!

“The Kitchen Front” gives us an insight into cooking in a food rationed kitchen.  To offer some uplifting courage to housewives, BBC radio program, “The Home Front”, is holding a cooking contest.  What better way to earn some money to assist with their challenges?  A story that takes four women from different walks of life to a competition that might create conflict or togetherness. 

And boom!! I was back into WWII again.  There are way too many stories that we never heard about this war!  One night last week we watched “Greyhound”, a movie about a international convey of 37 ships on a mission across Atlantic Ocean to deliver soldiers and supplies to Allied forces.  Intense!  For me, an unknown story of remarkable bravery and lost souls fighting for freedom. 

My ears behold stories of mystery, intrigue, energy, stories of old, love and romance—

Two podcasts that will engage your hearing sense are:

Murder me on Monday—a mother/ son take of murder from days of old—this from UK. 

How about classic literature? 

Craftlit has recorded many classical books that are public domain—Jane Austin books, Charles Dickens, Robert Louis Stevenson, etc.  

maybe books I wouldn’t read on my own but Cratlit gives us a chance to hear these tales along with some crafty news.  Up now is “The Three Musketeers”—

Come along and tantalize these two senses and maybe, you will use your other senses—taste, touch, smell!