Moving along

We are finally getting things done around here...things that have been on the "to do" list for oh....8 or 9 years.

Saturday I had to work - board meeting and all - which took ALL DAY LONG. I left the house at 8:45, and got back about 4:15. In the meantime, Todd worked til noon and then did this:

He moved all this hay (172 bales) up into the newly finished loft by hand.

Then Sunday we started right in building this hayloft. All that is left is the floor to put in.

Last night Jessie had soccer practice - and it was COLD out there. So I thought that for dinner I would make hamburgers and cauliflower on the grill. Only problem - I don't know where the propane tank is for the grill. We last used it at Thanskgiving to deep fry the turkeys. So cook on the stove had to do for last night.

And this is as far as I got on my Bears in the Farmhouse quilt along! It would have gone better if I hadn't sewn the 1/2 square triangles on most of the rest of the blocks on backwards. So I've become friends with my seam ripper. Again.

Todd said just to leave them and finish it, no one will notice, but I would. At least all the little triangles are all sewn together, I just have to sew them to the RIGHT sides of each striped block.

Tonight we are finishing the hayloft, and working with Jessie's steer and heifer. And Tyler's heifer as he has said he'd like to show her too here in a month.......

Kris

Bears in the Farmhouse - Step 3

I'm plugging right along on this one. Managing by the skin of my teeth to keep up. If we hadn't had a sunny, 70+ degree day with a steer calf that needed washing, I'd have had this step done a day earlier! Fortunately the kids were gone yesterday and we had a monsoon - so I had hours to get this step done!

But I'm loving my color choices. And once again, Todd has asked that I make it king size so as to fit our bed.

Not a chance of that happening!

Kris

I cannot believe

I drove to work in this (this was taken headed down 1-71 at 45 mph from West Salem to Ashland):

Really, I cannot believe we had school today. Although it appears to have let up a little, we are supposed to be hit with another 4-6" of the white stuff. We are headed for some frigid temperatures later on this week. High of 5 degrees farenheit for Friday. The chickens are being wuss's and will not go out of the chicken coop. But, who can blame them? I don't want to go out either!

I'm plugging away on my Seeing Stars Quilt A Long Quilt. I've decided to use the brown I have - as Todd pointed out - the intention for this is to be a king sized quilt to fit our bed. No one will notice if the border is a shade or 2 off, especially if I toss a pieced border (or 2) of some sort in there. I have just a little bit more to go, and I just may make it for the top (minus the large border) on the first round of brown that I found in the back of my closet. It will be close.

And, if you want to play Pay It Forward - head on over to my Mom's blog - she signed up when Angie did her round, and got the most beautiful cross stitch pattern. She's doing something knitted for her 3 participants...

Today I go talk to the principal at Jessie's school about tutoring in the dreaded subject....math. Although thanks to a comment left on 1 of the math posts, I found out about a possiblity of online tutoring for her. We'll see what the school says. I got the paper from her teacher about what they are working on this week, she says they are working on more of the same type of problems....Jessie brings home a paper with multiplication on it. Grrr.......

And our dinner out - it was good. Especially since we had a gift card to use that covered our meal but for $2.00 of it and the tip. Not as good as my cooking, but seeing as how we haven't gone out to eat in over a year.....I was glad to not have to cook for once....

Later,

Kris

Jumping Round

I finally got some uniterrupted sewing time.....could it be because Jessie is at church camp until tonight....and Tyler is great on his own (he would be an awesome only child - hehe).


So I did this:




Yes, I have 3 more star blocks to do, but I tend to get bored very easy, and if I had to do 13 setting blocks all at once - it would never get done. So I'm doing them row by row, and it's motivating me. Todd came home to it laying all over the floor - he likes it, but wondered where I was going to put it. This will go on our bed once it is done. His response - with a king sized bed - I bet you don't get it done until Tyler graduates from high school. Does that sound like a dare to you too?

Kris

I don't know how to count

Last week, I was congratulating myself that I was all caught up on my Quilt A Long blocks - but I only did to #8, and this week she posted #11 yesterday.

So apparently, I really don't know how to count. DUH!!!

That's okay though, because I did blocks 9 and 10 last night, as well as 2 of the setting blocks. And all the pieces are cut out for the rest of the setting blocks, the 4 patches are sewn together, so I only have to sew the blocks together. So technically, now I am all caught up, except for block #11.

Not much else is happening here - it is the usual farming lull, but I'm expecting that to change as straw will be ready to be baled here directly, and probably our 2nd cutting of hay will be ready at the same time.

Jessie had a wonderful time at camp - but boy, was she tired!!!

See ya,

Kris

I'm in TROUBLE - but the good kind.

While on my way home from work today, I took the scenic route due to an accident on the Interstate I normally drive - and found a FABRIC STORE!!!! You know the kind - where the owner is the one cutting your fabric, and a yard of fabric is well cut, well priced ($6 a yard average) and she is so helpful with your fabric selections:)

All this, for $23.00:

So I was able to make blocks 5 and 6 of the Quilt A Long tonight.

And for some reason, the one with all the triangles was easier for me to do - go figure.

There really aren't any good fabric stores within a reasonable distance of us, and the closest one in Wooster they were asking $16 a yard for their fabric - needless to say, I won't go there, and they went out of business earlier this year.

We had some fierce storms last night - but for now, I think they are done. Todd's at fire practice tonight, I'm debating if I sew some more or fold the 11 loads of laundry I did over the weekend. Somehow, I think laundry may have to win the war for now. Todd's mowing hay tomorrow night, so hopefully he won't need me and I can continue with sewing stuff:)

Kris

YIKES!!!

The weather finally turns decent.....

Todd's out as we speak discing the 2 acre corn field we plant. Just enough to feed our animals for the year, but tomorrow night might be his only night to get it planted before he gets busy at work. There is talk they are going to have to work Monday (sigh)....

Here's my block 4 for the Quilt A Long:

And 1 preschool teacher bag:

I'm frantically sewing on the other 2. I realized I need something for Tyler's speech teacher. I would just go buy her something, but she loved my chicken bag. And we are so thankful for her for working so hard with Tyler to teach him how to say "truck" (he substituted "f" for the "tr" - use your imaginations!!!). He's getting better . . .still slips sometimes especially when he is in a hurry. Dump truck was another thing she is working with him on (he drops the "p" so it sounds like dum *uck - you get the idea).

So it will be a late night for all of us (Todd and I). Jessie's in bed, Tyler is on his way there. . . .

Gotta LOVE Spring.

Kris

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

A Pretty Nice Star - And a BUSY Weekend

Here is my 2nd block for AmandaJean's Quilt A Long:

I'm really happy with my color choices (so far). Of course, now I have to anxiously await next weeks block - hehe.



Tyler's soccer game got rained out on Saturday (after 15 minutes of play) so I came home and finished quilting this quilt:

A few of my favorite blocks

Now I just have to get the binding sewn on, and send it off to my Mom for her to handsew it down. It's not done yet, as the pattern calls for a bunch of wool appliques to be sewn on (a bird, some flowers, a basket of eggs, pine trees). But, I am simply thrilled that after 10 years, the first top is completed, quilted and I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel (I still have to finish one for my Mom - it's getting there, slowly but surely - and it won't take 10 more years to finish!!)



Tyler's game was rescheduled to yesterday afternoon, so we went there - what a gorgeous afternoon - and Tyler scored his first goal of the year. He was so excited. But he was such a tired little boy. Then it was off to Todd's parents for dinner and to celebrate his father's birthday.



This week I want to get my flowerbeds mulched and transplant/move some more flowers around - hopefully the weather will cooperate:)



Oh - And I joined the One Local Summer challenge as well. The idea is to eat one meal each week totally local - with a few exclusions like spices, salt and pepper, and then to post on it on your blogs. I am excited to be doing this - wonder what I'll be able to come up with. I'm thinking butter and milk are going to be the hardest (although Smith's Dairy is a Wayne County dairy, so I wonder if that will classify as local milk as the plant is within 50 miles of us?).

Have a sunny day!!
Kris

More Gardening (and some sewing)

Despite the chilly, icky, rainy weather of the last 2 days - I've accomplished many things.

I mulched all around the blackberry plants with straw. I still have the straw covering the strawberry plants that I moved - we had frost warnings last night and I didn't want to kill them after I had moved them. Everything is looking like it survived being moved so far.

Yesterday I transplanted all 45 of my sauce tomatoes (and yes they did all come up from seed so I will be swimming in sauce tomatoes this summer) into peat pots, and then ran out when it was time to transplant my eating tomatoes and cherry tomatoes. A trip to the local feed store solved that problem, and I will finish up this afternoon.

Then, AmandaJean is doing another quilt along, which I wanted to do. I didn't want to go buying a lot of fabric for it, so was debating on what I was going to do. Last night I was cleaning out our closet in our bedroom - and came across a small rubbermaid tote full of fabric that I had brought years and years ago (sometime between when we got married in 1995 and when we moved in 1998) for who knows what project. The receipt was still in the bag (this was all before kids that I brought it). The background will be a medium brown, the stars will be all different blues, and the sashings will be a brick red fabric. Problem solved - I will do my quilt-along quilt with this fabric. And it should end up being big enough that when I am done, it will fit our king sized bed (with a couple creative borders added)

Block 1

I've had so many interviews, I'm just keeping my fingers crossed for now - and starting to feel the crunch of getting everything I wanted to get done while I've been off work (I could be starting one job as early as week after next). The good thing is, I went back to my eye doctor who did my Lasix surgery (if I go once a year for an exam, they will do any touch ups for free for life). Last year when I went, there was talk that they would have to redo the surgery on one eye. Apparently, since I'm not staring at a computer screen all day, my vision has improved but I've developed age related macular degeneration in one eye. They are 99% sure it won't be an issue for another 30 or 40 years, but it's there - so I'm thankful that every job I've interviewed for hasn't involved a lot of staring at a computer screen. And no touch up surgery for me.

I'm going to spend the day cleaning closets and watching another cow who looks like she's trying to pop out a calf - hopefully that will happen before too long here.

Have a sunny day!!!
Kris