What a fun and hectic week! The vegetable harvest is in full swing, which means too much time in the kitchen for me getting things processed. The weather has been hot, hot, hot. As usual, lots of errands this week. But Bruce passed his physical driving test to have his full drivers license issued with all the new adaptive equipment in the car as well as the requirement that he (naturally) wear his prosthetic arm. That’s been a huge relief for both of us. He is independent once again, and I’m not needed to be his chauffeur. Win-win.
Bruce took this picture of the large basket of beans (wish there was something there to indicate scale) that he picked yesterday. This is the second basketful this week. He thinks we’re probably over half done.
So, I’ve been sharing them with neighbors and my Weight Watcher friends. And I’ve been blanching, vacuum sealing and freezing them by the bagful for us. We’ve been getting peppers, too, but they’re easy to use and save. The Next Big Crop will be the blackberries, and I’m hoping they’ll wait their turn until after the beans are done!
There was a lot of red scrap sewing in the studio this week. First there were 6 Four in Nine blocks, all made this month with a navy constant and Kona White.
And then six red Chaser blocks.
As well, I finished up the last of the 19 large (12” finished) stars for the Christmas Stars quilt that will be sewed steadily over the next three months.
That star center on the block second-from-left on the bottom row will be replaced. I lost a major point there. But I’ll wait until the end when I see what kind of scraps I have left over before I worry about it. Next up are the 40 stars in the 8” finished size. Those will be sewn using the 4-at-a-time method for making the flying geese star points. I’ll get all those cut out - and hopefully begin sewing them this week. Green beans willing….
All of these blocks fit neatly into the Rainbow Scrap Challenge’s color of the month. I’m linking up at our usual fun Scrappy Saturday party.
Also on my sewing schedule this week is to finish the Red Ribbons top. I started this in August of 2021, and here is a reference photo from the blog from January 2022 when I finished the interior portion of the top.
This past week I sewed the Seminole-pieced borders. Unfortunately I made the side borders all the same size, when the two sides should contain 9 red squares instead of the 7 that the top and bottom have. I don’t know how or if that will affect the assembly, but I’ve got plenty of fabric to use if I need to fix it. And a seam ripper. Blessed be Jack the Ripper, right?
The inner 2” border is shown in the picture, and after the Seminole border will be a final red outer border. I’m thinking this will be a good project for my Sunday Sewing.
This morning - Saturday - is a Quilts for Kids workshop from 10-1:00. I’ll be sewing 6.5” red string blocks.
Oh! I finished the International Sisters Quilt, but I’ll have to wait until next week for the unveiling. I haven’t been able to find a quilt holder or a good time or place to take some decent photos. I’m crossing my fingers that Ruby can help me with it on Sunday.
And I’ll leave you with some garden pictures. In high summer, it’s difficult to get outdoor pictures that aren’t glaring, even in the early morning or the evening.
Backyard corner: pink hollyhocks. They are biennial, and this is their “off” year. Last year there were three times the blooms and many more colors. But as long as they continue reseeding, we’ll enjoy what comes up.
The echinacea on the side yard is blooming.
And new flushes of blooming perennials have stepped up to take their turns as stars.
The only sad note of the week was when I accidentally knocked and broke my grandparents‘ old Delft vase. 😢😢 It happened in slow motion, as these things often seem to, accompanied by my cry of “Noooooooooo!” But the universe isn’t giving me a do-over.
I think that wraps it up for now. See you back here next week, OK? Have a good one!
13 comments:
Both your gardens--veggie and flowers are so prolific!! That is great--you obviously don't have the deer problem I have here. They eat everything flowers, leaves, stalks even--this morning I ran out and grabbed a quick snap of the few blooming daylilies before the havoc begins!!
I just love your Christmas Stars--that is so pretty in all those shades of red...you are getting a lot done...hugs, Julierose
your flowers are looking wonderful - and the green beans - I love green beans but just do not have the space to plant them right now. Great news your husband can now drive again everyone needs that independence.
I love all your blocks, and the ribbons top, but those beans are mouth watering! What a great yield. Our weather has been hot and wet, which means I have a ton of tomatoes already and the peppers are not far behind. That;s all I grow because I can keep them on the balcony where they are safe from the voracious deer!
Look at those green beans - wow! Mine are still in baby bean form, but I bet there are a few to eat in a couple days. Love all your pretty red blocks, Cathy. The Red Ribbons quilt is going to be gorgeous!
Those green beans look so delicious. You planted such a nice variety of blooming plants in your gardens. The fun part is seeing which ones will bloom all summer and which are one and done.
If you have a friend who does mosaics maybe you could have a beautiful steeping stone made from the pieces of the broken vase.
Fabulous photos of your garden.The coleus in the Talavera pot is gorgeous! Oh to have fresh green beans! I don’t have the place or the inclination to garden like that anymore. I think we’ve had that discussion previously! 😉 More and more household and homeowner type jobs are having to be hired out! Thank goodness our house is little.
Congratulations to Bruce on having his driver's license reinstated. A big relief for both of you. I miss fresh green beans and even zucchini. Like others here, the deer have made a vegetable garden impossible. And it's so nice to see all your blooms as said deer have eaten all the buds and flowers except the daisies and zinnias (the Japanese Beetles are working on those). Lots of fun red blocks piling up for RSC. The Red Ribbon quilt is gorgeous.
Pat
Sorry your broke your Grandma's vase...that's so sad. But on a happier note: your gardens look great and you got a lot of red sewing accomplished!
Big congratulations to Bruce! That man can do anything he puts his mind to and that's a good thing. I will NOT be in line to help you with those beans...yuck. I'm not a fan of green or yellow beans, unless they come from a can and go into a bean salad. I might be convinced to eat two or three raw but that would be the end of it.
Could you make something out of the vase pieces? Perhaps embed them into a cement stepping stone for your garden?
That is great news for Bruce getting his license back. Looks like he has been busy picking from the garden as well. So sorry about the vase. Beautiful flowers growing and some lovely reds growing in the sewing room as well. Have a wonderful week.
"This blog has become my go-to source for valuable insights and thought-provoking content. The author's ability to tackle complex subjects and break them down into digestible pieces is truly commendable. It's like having a knowledgeable friend guiding me through fascinating topics."
https://www.aintpayingfull.com/
"The depth of research evident in this blog is astounding. The author goes above and beyond to provide well-sourced information and supports their claims with credible references. It's a reliable source that I can trust."
fix your bike voucher scheme
Glorious garden. Riotous reds. Perfection!
Post a Comment