Category: Projects

The Fair and Food

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The fair is one of my favorite summer activities. Some are better than others for different reasons. The large county fairs in Califonia were bigger than many big State Fairs in some of the states I have lived in. I think how our communities are changing and the weather may have something to do with the lower turnout at all the fairs. Also, we have forgotten that the fair was not just the rides, but a great big party where you could catch up with neighbors or see a new trend for living, or a wholesome way for folks to cut loose and have some fun.

Fair Ferris Wheel
What some think the fair means- rides

Since moving to the midwest from California in 2002, I have tried to participate in the local fair. Not for the possibility of a ribbon, but to be a part of my community. To share with others some of what I love to do and if time permits go and see what others like to do too. Last year with COVID, the whole fair thing was canceled in Kentucky, (I’m sure it was pretty much the same everywhere, not just Kentucky). In 2019 we were in the throes of moving and remodeling; I just didn’t have the energy to find quilts or the fairgrounds in a new county!

Because the move took us to a new county, I was not able to participate in the county fair of the old address. However, I did help to set up that County Fair quilt exhibit. I still belong to the guild that sets it up. It is always fun to see the many quilts from quilters that do not belong to a ‘guild’. Since moving to Kentucky I say every year, I should exhibit a quilt at the State Fair too. This year I made that happen. The Kentucky State Fair is held in Louisville in the second half of August. I entered 3 small pieces and to my surprise, one was sporting a ribbon! It is a postcard and is 4″ x 6″! I think the ribbon has a larger surface area than the entry!

A fair ribbon
Entered a postcard at the State Fair. Won a red ribbon

This has nothing to do with the fair, but when I am not sewing I find myself in the kitchen. Recently I did a little dehydrating. The garden produced lots of tomatoes, onions, and garlic. I just peeled and chopped the garlic, and then dehydrated it. For the onions, I cooked them and then dehydrated them. I will grind them into a powder. Powdered food is super concentrated so a little bit goes a long way. When I process tomatoes I save the tomato skins to dehydrate and then powder. It adds a really big punch of tomato flavor by the tablespoon. We had a fair amount of cherry tomatoes so I also dehydrated many of those, which I also powdered. In addition, I also dried some basil. This summer I canned 2 kinds of pickles, bread and butter and dills too!

Kitchen Goodies canned
There are some unusual foods displayed here. 2 kinds of pickles. Dehydrated Garlic, tomato skins, and a jar with dehydrated cherry tomatoes, 2 tomato powers, basil, and caramelized onions

This summer the garden produced an abundance of different things. Cucumbers, onions, and garlic were the surprising leaders. However, butternut squash will come in at the top this year. We learned while living in South Africa, that the butternut squash is a pumpkin. They did not seem to have a variety of the gourd we call a pumpkin. I liked it every way I had it served! I plan to put some in the dehydrator this year too! Thinking ahead, maybe there is a dehydrated category in the Culinary Division at the fair.

All for now. More later. Beth

Summer Doings in Kentucky

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Summer doings in Kentucky have been more fun this year. Unlike last year, no one was able to visit us and see our little slice of ‘God Country’. So this year we have visitors, crafts, sewing, blocks, and winnings. I was working on another post but got stuck… So I thought I would show you some of the creating interruptions.

Winnings

Some days I have a chance to read and catch up with blogs that I follow and comment when I can. I rarely participate in blog giveaways because I really have enough stuff. But in this case… they are hand-dyed fabrics. And they are scraps! So I threw my name in the mix, (actually all the mixes because I love her products) and so far the ones I have purchased I am only able to pet!!! I can’t cut into them. I am thrilled to say, I won a scrap pack of hand-dyed fabrics from her summer vacation giveaway. Her scraps are almost yardage for me! These came from Vicki at Colorways by Vicki.

Colorways by Vicki prize
I won a package of scraps from a hand dyer!!!

Vicki also makes postcards. So I made one and sent it to her as a thank you. I used some of the scraps above with a few of my leftover bits from other projects, (the circles and the white). I slapped a stamp on it and sent it on its way, (naked, no protective envelope or plastic sleeve).

It has arrived and she posted it on her blog. See it here: https://www.colorwaysbyvicki.com/blog/a-new-record-for-mistakes#/

Visitors

We have had visitors this summer. There have been very few visitors to see our little bit of paradise since we moved here 1 year and 11 months ago. But we have been fortunate this year that family is finally able to visit. This past week we have had the pleasure of kids and the grandkids visiting. I made an apron for the ‘sous chef’ to wear while helping in the kitchen. They got a kick out of the apron. They forgot it when they left, so I will mail it along with a big packet of photos from their time on the farm. We fished, fed the animals, helped in the garden, hiked in the woods, and played some games, as well as a trip to the Louisville Slugger Baseball Bat museum and factory. Another visitor came and collected her share of Mr. March, and next week my nephew will stop by for the night and return a few weeks later for a longer stay with my great niece.

Cricut enhanced apron
Apron made for grandsons when they want to help in the kitchen

Naming Game

I have also been doing a little painting. We finally came up with a name for the ‘farm’. It kinda explains exactly what we’re doing out here in rural Kentucky. Anyway, we thought we needed a barn quilt, so I made a prototype and learned a lot! The block is the Corn ‘n Beans and I made it a 4 patch. We decided to put the name on this one which is mounted on the shop exterior next to the driveway. The one on the barn will just be just like this, but only the block.

We have a barn quilt
We came up with a name for the farm

Making blocks

In addition to the block above the ‘million pieces project’ is now a pile of blocks. Its a scrappy project and seems like it has taken forever. I wasn’t sure if I was actually going to like it… but I think so. Here is a little bit of the whole… It has grown on me as I made it. Sometimes I do wish I did a bit more planning… when making things instead of just winging it. If I had made one block in the blues and the other in the reds with the same background in all of them it might be more appealing. I may have to play with that, but maybe some bigger pieces, not 2 1/2 inch squares. 5″ are sounding just about perfect!!!

million pieces project
I don’t think there are 2000 pieces in the top, but it feels like a million!

Hothouse

The kitchen in this house faces south. The previous owner had a window seat built-in under a double window. I don’t have a use for a window seat, but several of the following owners have all used it for plants. Not only is it the best place, but it is also the only place that gets enough light. I have a small jungle growing and several plants in bloom. 4 orchids, 1 violet, and one Thanksgiving Cactus with one bloom. This is the 4th time it has bloomed since November. The orchids started blooming in late January and into February. The violet blooms about every 8 weeks. There is also a pink violet that also blooms about every 8 weeks, they take turns!

June blooming houseplants
Completely out of sync. Thanksgiving cactus blooming again in June

Now you know what’s been eating up my time. How are you spending your summer? Busy creating?

More Later… Beth

The World Widens and True Spring

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The world widens with the arrival of true spring. Not only has the weather become warmer, but the COVID vaccine is also making it easier to go out. Of course, we must still use precautions as advised, however now we can go out with less fear of becoming ill or spreading the germs of COVID. We marked the end of the 14 day waiting period, after getting both doses, about a week ago. We got the Moderna 2 dose vaccine and fortunately did not suffer any side effects. No worse than the flu vaccination that we got for the first time ever last fall. YaY!!! Now if everyone would get on the bandwagon, I can see quilt shows and guild meetings resuming around the world.

  • Some Quilt Show dates!!!
    • The Heartland of Kentucky Quilt Show in Elizabethtown, KY will have their show this year! September 10 & 11 at the new Extention Office on Opportunity Way!
    • The Houston Quilt Festival is also on for this year, October 28-31
    • Paducah has set the date for April 27-30, 2022.

Farm

Gardening

True spring has arrived on the farm too. Life on the farm is once again busy, as I mentioned in the last post. We, (by we I mean “HE”) is busy! He is clearing some brush in what used to be a field behind the pasture and preparing the garden for the veggie seedlings we have growing in the basement under grow lights. Prepping the garden actually took a bit more time than was planned. The tiller we purchased at a yard sale in 2015 died. So we spent a day getting a new one.

Rototilling the garden
It was easier with a new tiller

As you can see the new tiller worked very well. We already have garlic growing, (those green stalks) because we planted that in the fall and we put the potatoes last week. They are growing in potato bags, (not visible). As soon as the ground reaches 50° again, we will begin moving the plants to the garden. We had snow earlier this week so ground temperatures have been set back a bit! So far the seedlings have done well, but next year more lights!!!

True Spring at the Pond

Springtime at the pond is a noisy affair in late March, and off and on through May. The toads start calling in the pond, sometimes it is just a single toad and sometimes many more. They puff up their throat and vibrate to a really high pitch. A little 33-second video of them singing, below. It begins with several unseen toads singing, and ends with just the one toad singing.

The results of the singing are these pollywogs. Soon those pollywogs will be little toads just like the one on my hand from last year, hopping through the grass. They were so tiny!!!

Pollywogs in the pond
Soon to be American Toads
Baby toad
Isn’t this cute? A baby toad from spring 2020

New Critters Also Arrive in Spring

The world widens in the barn too. Right after Sir Loin settled in we added two pigs. Both of the pigs are barrows, (neutered males). We have decided on Little Piggie and Pinky Pig. When they arrived they were sunburned. Their ears are still peeling. We are keeping them confined to the barn until they are a little older. Here is a cute 20-second video of them eating and talking.

They are half the size of last year’s pigs, less than 20 pounds, but they have arrived almost 6 weeks earlier. We don’t want to grow them as large as we did last year. However, we have found homegrown pork and beef are tasting amazing and the cost per pound is fabulous! Of course, we are not eating all this meat ourselves. We offer the other 1/2’s or 1/4’s to others. We are eating homegrown pork for $3.50 a pound and beef at $4 a pound, (that includes processing and packaging), a much better price than what is available at the store and I know everything that went in!!!

The World Widens Locally too

The local quilt world widens as well. Tomorrow one of the local guilds will be getting together at a park. Socially distanced and masked still. I plan to go. The other guild has planned on a sew-in at the weekend. I am planning to go, however, I am afraid our guest/visitor season may be beginning too. So, I may not make it to the sew-in. I had planned to sew a scrap quilt, but have already started sewing. It is at that uncomfortable stage of “I don’t think I will really like it”. Since I have it started, I will keep going and see where it ends up. This is mixed scraps and totally uncontrolled… and not my style!!!

Under the needle
Scrappy half square triangles

In what ways has the world widened for you? What kinds of things are spring and the COVID vaccine bringing back to your life? Tell, me I am so ready for BLOOMING EVERYTHING!!!

More Later! Beth