Work

Well, my hiatus from working will officially end next week - provided the background and final ok from the head honcho come in this week as planned (I don't think they will be able to find the bodies - haha)!!

So I'm looking into my sewing/computer room and - YIKES!!! It seriously looks like someone set a bomb off in here. Part of the problem (ok - all of the problem) is MEMEMEMEME - I tend to jump from project to project, get 1 project as far as I can with what I have, and then jump to something else and take that one as far as I can. I must say, I have done very well not buying any fabric while I haven't been working. . . .

So this week is get my butt organized to go back to work week (I am the first to admit - I have gotten lazy being off work). I have quite the list of things to do:

• Sew binding on 2 quilts and deliver 4 quilts to my Mom to finish
• Finish up the last 2 paper pieced chickens for my table runner
• Finish up my Pay It Forward gifts - I am working on them ladies!!!
• sew the last 2 borders on my 30's pinwheel quilt (I'll get it quilted sometime in the next 10 years)
• Finish piecing the blocks for my Rooster quilt - this may/probably should be a summer/fall project
• Finish basting and quilt my picnic quilt
• Decide how to finish my other 2 picnic quilts

Then, there is the Farm related list:

• haul cow poo back to the garden for the rhubarb - once it quits raining
• move garden tea from the "old" garden to the "new" garden
• weed the strawberries and blackberries which were recently transplanted
• mulch my flower beds (must be an ongoing process)
• keep up on my seedlings
• plant lettuce, sweet corn, peas and other cold weather crops out to the garden this weekend
• take pictures of all the steer calves (5) for fair sign up (we have good friends who have 2 girls who want to show feeder calves at the fair - we want calves that are halter broke for Jessie to show next year as steers - win win for everyone) which is due May 25th.

And this does not include the normal mowing, weeding, housekeeping and chores that need done on a daily basis.

So what did I do today (in addition to grocery shopping, which I haven't had to really do for 3 weeks now)?

Block 3 for the Quilt-A-Long quilt

A label for Tyler's Firetruck quilt

And spent some time talking to our local chick hatchery about getting chickens. We were looking at getting 17 week old pullets from a place not more than 15 minutes from us (Meyer Hatchery) sometime the end of July/beginning of August. Then we started looking - and I think we are going to go the day old baby chick route. These will be Tyler's chickens - and he is going to want them tame as he can make them. So we think we are going to do the day old chick route so he can play with them and generally make them into pets. The first availability is June 30th for the breeds we think we want (Barred Rock, Jersey Giants, Black Star and Rhode Island Red - maybe a Golden Comet too). I think it's cute - Todd first says no, but Tyler pleads with puppy dog eyes and it's we'll get 3 or 4 chickens and a rooster, then it's if we are doing the day old chick route - we'll get 3 or 4 hens of each breed plus a rooster from 2 of the breeds. Tyler wants a rooster only so it can flog his sister when she is mean to him (I wonder if he is going to train it to "flog on command"?). I think I'm going to try and take Tyler down there this week yet before I go back to work so he can SEE what they will look like and where they will be coming from. Todd's only requirement (I guess) - no white eggs.

And yesterday, I made Rhubarb Pudding. Todd absolutely loves this, but our rhubarb never grows very well (do ya think it could have something to do with the fact we've moved it every year from place to place around the farm for the last 3 years? - hehe). So I brought some from our Amish neighbors on Saturday (2 lbs. worth) and made this pan and had enough for 1 more batch, which I froze. Unfortunately, we ate most of it before I remembered to take a picture of the pan, but here is what is left:

1 3/4 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. shortening

1 egg

2 c. flour

3 c. diced rhubarb (I ran it through my food processor - it was a little fine, but worked for me)

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. milk

1 tsp vanilla

Cream brown sugar, shortening and egg until fluffy. Sift flour, baking soda and salt 3 times (I so did not do this - just dumped it in). Add milk and flour mixture alternating to creamed mixture (again, so did not do - just dumped it in). Add vanilla. Add rhubarb, fold into mixture, pour into well greased 9x13 pan. Add topping

Topping: 1/2 c. brown sugar, 1/2 c. coconut, 1 tsp. cinnamon - Mix together and sprinkle on top of cake.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 - 40 minutes.

NOTE: The chunkier you make the rhubarb - the more you can taste it.

Enjoy!!

Kris