Yours truly at the Minn. State Fair with my award winning quilt!
Once more, it seems summer has slipped away and fall is quickly evolving into the inevitable coming winter season. Looking back at my last blog, I can see that I have a lot of catching up to do. It isn’t that I’ve been sitting around – especially since my DH was working part time at Lowes, leaving a few more things for me to deal with at home!
So here’s the run down on the last 5 months! Our little garden seems to be quite productive and I ferment, dry, and/or can the goods. Despite the work involved we prefer the taste of fresh food that has been grown without chemicals, etc. I often think about how my mom and dad grew, then froze or canned almost all our food. Of course mom was ‘stay at home’ – I will not say she didn’t work!!!! Every penny counted and processing your own food helped. I only wish I had been old enough to pay more attention to what ‘knowledge’ they had. This is the second year that I have fermented all my pickles, making dills as well as salsa. We are currently fermenting sauerkraut. And we were fermenting kombucha, but lost our ‘mother’ and so are trying to get it going again!
Our extra fridge of fermented pickles and salsa, etc
A day’s harvest! No needlework today!!
Purchased sour cherries ready to become jam!
Aside from all the produce, I love garden flowers of all kinds. I treasure the beauty they bring to my morning walk to the garden (our in-ground and strawbale garden is about 200 ft. from the house (that is where there is sunshine!!) – not just for the beauty of the flowers, but also for the miracle of the bees that they attract which in turn provides the pollination needed to produce vegetables! And if I don’t get enough of my own flowers, I can head over to the Minnesota Arboretum to take in the continually changing abundance of exquisite flowers and blooms!
Clematis blooms!
Soft pink prolific lilies in the landscaping by the house.
One ‘wayward’ amaryllis – wasn’t supposed to bloom!!
Just love seeing these ladyslippers – they are so incredible!
Tulips, tulips and more tulips – at the arboretum
Our Aussie, Reka, keeps watch from her spot in the hostas!
In between the garden and produce, I had the opportunity to take the birch bark basket class that I missed last year when I broke my shoulder. I wasn’t disappointed as we got to go out and learned to harvest bark without harming the tree; and the instructor was great. Northern Minnesota in summer is always great and I love being with other creative people. I took pictures and may do a blog down the road for anyone who might enjoy seeing the process. Meanwhile you might want to check out the North Folk School House in Grand Marais; their class offerings are wonderful. In July we took our two oldest grand daughters camping for 5 days. We took them to Savannah Portage State Park which is where we took their mother and her siblings when they were young. We thoroughly enjoyed teaching them to fish and spent time relaxing with swimming and sitting around the fire. We were amazed at how the park foliage had matured over 30+ years. Camping with young ones definitely takes more energy than 35 years ago but we love sharing our enthusiasm for the outdoors with them!
Our birch bark basket class with instructor on the right!
Inspired wool and wool felt projects by the birch bark class!
Grandma with her grand girls (and Reka) on the fishing dock
The end of July found us tackling a multitude of tasks(mostly my DH!). The house got a much needed paint job – and we finally added some of those nice gutters so there will be no climbing on the roof anymore (at least by us!) Since hubby’s knees are not too good, I am on dog walking full time – not always easy with the lymes/cfs! I prepared and entered items in both the Scott County and Dakota County Fairs. August found me starting to prepare for the Prior Lake Quilters Guild bi-annual quilt show in October: several projects to finish as well as being a vendor/display there. We took in the state fair as is our annual custom. I was quite excited to receive the Helen Kelley Memorial Award as well as the Minnesota’s Quilters Award for best Applique, along with a red ribbon for my quilt. Unfortunately – and it is a longgggg story- but ‘they’ would not allow me to compete with my wool needle work. Maybe sometime I will blog a bit more about the situation, but all I will say for now is 1) I am continually distressed at the fact that even within the realm of quilting and needlework there are occasionally persons who choose to be critical, destructive and less than supportive to others and 2) sometimes there is a need to look at rules and regulations that are many many years old, belonging to a different time and different conditions, with little revelancy for today.
Yours truly at the Minn. State Fair with my award winning quilt!
My winning quilt and awards!
back side view – ‘that’s a lot of hand quilting!!
preparing for this display at our Fall In Love With Quilts Show
playing with the Niemeyer quilt layout!
Memory pillow made from my Dad’s shirt!
Somehow in between the busy hours I did manage to work on a few projects. Some will be featured in upcoming posts. I sewed and presented my brother with a pillow made from my dad’s shirt – these are so easy to make and such a nice memory. This was a flannel shirt so it is extra cozy – It was a shirt that my brother bought for my dad, but gave to me when we were cleaning out my dad’s things – so that I might have it to wear as a memory of my dad. I never really wore it, but it just seemed right to make this for my brother who has been diagnosed with Parkinsons. Then there is the ‘quilt from *ell” as I call it – the Niemeyer log cabin quilt that was supposed to look like the cover photo – NOT!! Anyhow, my son enjoys it so we have worked to come up with a different take on the whole thing. Stay tuned. I’m down to putting on the borders. While all this was going on I was trying to prepare for vending and displaying at our quilt show. Sigh! It all takes time – and I’m not getting any faster as I age!
Gloriously red sumac bushes at the dog park
Maple bushes glowing with fall reds!
How can you not like the reds and greens of the fall oak leaves?!?
the more subtle colors of fall
even a dog can appreciate the colors of fall!
Did I say even Reka has a smile for crisp fall temps?
Did I say that I absolutely adore the fall season??? By September, the garden was generously abundant, but we were(are) ready for a break. Currently my dh is trying to keep up with the falling leaves and winter preparations while I try to deal with the onslaught of family birthdays, anniversaries, and various occasions the takes place from September through the holidays. So glad to have family, but couldn’t they consider utilizing the other months of the year?? 🙂
Anyhow, this should ‘catch us up’ on the summer. I will soon be posting on my current wool creations as well as I have planned a tutorial for various ways of marking wools. I have just finished almost 2 weeks of photographing, packaging and listing 25 new wool/wool felt kits (Sooooo glad that job is done!) so I am ready to talk about what we really love – wool, quilting, needlework, etc. I am looking forward to more creative time. Stay tuned.
Hi Mary! Do love to see u back blogging! U always have something good on the needles! I have been searching on line for unusual wool work lately. Finding cool stuff too! Will be around the first of the year to share as I am having a craft booth at Brewsters in Veseli Nov 14. Busy finishing up my treasures to sell. Plus..Artherites is visiting both hands and I am getting concerened. Keep on Stitchin is my motto!
Thanks for taking a look Kate! You will have to bring some of that wool to Daystitchers – would love to see what you’ve found. I hope that you have a good time doing the craft booth at Brewsters – will have to look at my schedule to see what I have going on on the 14th! I’m sure you will do well as you always have such cute things! I really admire you’re taking on a craft show; after all the years I did art shows/boutiques/fairs, I realized that Rick and I rarely go to any shows – except I DO go to quilt related ones occasionally. Must have ‘art-showed’ myself out! Ha! I’m sorry that you have to fight arthritis, especially in the hands. Lets hope it stays at a level where you can continue to do what you enjoy. Have you thought about using hot wax baths for some relief? I’ve seen several posts in that Wool Applique group about the same kind of issues. Guess after the first 60 years, it’s patch, patch, patch! I have been so lucky in that respect – for all the stuff that is ‘wrong’ with me, so far my hands have held out! If I don’t get to stop in your show you will have to take some pics of your display – would love to see them.And yes…..keep on stitchin’! 🙂
Good morning Mary!
Loved your blog and catching up on all of your busy summer! Oh how your garden grows! That is wonderful! I loved the pix of the fruits and veggies! I can only imagine how much more flavorful they are! You know I love the flowers – they always bring sunshine to my day.
On our driving vacation up the Pacific coast this summer I found a Julie Niemeyer pattern and purchased it. I have only made a small table runner right now and need to quilt it. I met her at a trunk show here at our local quilt shop. I’m excited (and scared) to start on it.
Though our driving plans to come across country have been temporarily postponed for next year, we are looking to 2017 and hoping to head out your way. It would be great to visit with you and Rick!
We are still having 85 degree weather here – so much for that crisp, fall weather! I am ever hopeful however.
Take care and hello to Rick! Happy sewing and remember to stop and smell the roses!
Barbara
Sorry for the slow reply – I do not now where the time goes! Poof! and it’s a week gone! I do not now how you fine time to get all your cookin’ and bakin’ and writing done. But I can say I love reading your blog, etc. You have had a very interesting life and are a talented storyteller! How lucky I feel that fate allowed us to know one another!
Thanks for taking a peek at my website and blog. We do have so much in common – love of flowers, quilting, traveling (esp Alaska!). Can’t say I am the cook or baker that you are – I drool looking at some of your ‘productions’!!
Those Judi Niemeyer patterns are something else – she definitely has a personal method that does work well if you follow along. I have found though my experience that basically her system promotes buying her kits with the patterns for best success. The pattern I bought – and the photo that was depicted, did not at all match up with the color recommendations listed in the pattern! Needless to say I was rather disappointed. Thankfully my son likes the pieces and we are putting it together in a way that he likes so I guess he gets a quilt! I can’t wait till after the new year so I can get back to some quilting – not just all the wool work/designing.
When we didn’t hear from you and I saw your trip to Alaska and the northwest coast, I kind of figured you had changed plans. No problem – you are always welcome here. Don’t know what we will be doing next year. We really did not take a vacation this year – had to paint the house and tackle some ‘domestic tasks’ – plus Rick had been working at Lowes. Rick wants to head to the mountains next year in May or June, but our youngest daughter is considering maybe getting married in early summer, so I guess I’ll have to ‘ride loose’! Rick isn’t sure of where he wants to go – maybe whale watching in Oregon/Washington or up into the Canadian Rockies?? Personally I’ll go anywhere. Rick’s right knee is bone on bone so don’t know how much hiking we will be able to do. He is currently trying a few treatments to see what might help before he would consider replacement. Getting old is not for sissies! Have to remind myself that he is 6+ years older than me!
Anyhow, thanks again for checking in here! Always love hearing from you. Take care – you and Jim have a wonderful Thanksgiving!