turkey feathers

Parting is such Sweet Sorrow

 
We had to say goodbye to another tree. A boxwood elder this time.  Not the most charming of trees, I know, but a tree that provided habitat for birds, shelter and shade for people, and through the years became a visual anchor within its surroundings.  For years now, we have been waffling about this tree (and another one exactly like it on the other side of the deck), always with mixed feelings.  Because we love our trees.  We really do. 

Unfortunately, this tree was planted too close to the house decades ago (by someone else), and no amount of trimming could tame it.  Plus there were other issues that created problems not easy to live with.  Even so, given all that, it's still hard when you have to make the decision to cut any tree down.  That part was done months ago.  Giving us time to get used to the idea.  Facing that decision yesterday was sobering.  

Lately we've been having lots of tree issues, and not just with this one.  Some appear to have bore-beetle infestations, and sap sucker damage; one gorgeous maple suddenly died without any sign of trouble.  The arborists come and go, like good doctors making house calls. But trees are a funny lot.  It's hard to decipher the signs and symptoms, and they are hard to treat.  Eventually, we have to do what's best. 

 
Looking on the bright side, and I am looking for the bright side...I just noticed that even on this gray November day, I have much more natural light in my sewing room.  That's certainly a nice benefit.  Would you look at that.  I really can't believe that great big tree was growing out of that small planter, can you?   From this angle, it's almost as if a tree was never there at all.  But I know something is missing.  And it is missed.

 
This photo taken last month, for the record.  R.I.P. dear/terrible tree. 

 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Moving on then...two brighter and happier things: 

 
The cute cake Grace made for her sister's 13th birthday.  No, I don't know why there are only ten candles. I guess that's all we had.  Sometimes details get lost in the enthusiasm of a moment!   No matter--it was still a party.  

 
This is making me happy today...more details tomorrow.  

 

And then there was PIE

 
Oh mY...this pie!  A lovely contribution to our Thanksgiving table compliments of our youngest daughter (who incidentally just happens to be turning 13 today).  Apparently we have another talent in the kitchen, as well as another teenager in the house.  Older sister is baking one of her fabulous "specialty" cakes today in honor of the occasion, per her request.  And that means more good aromas will fill the house today.  I'm telling ya, this kitchen has been a buzzing with activity all week--happily so, and with more gratitude than you know. 

In fact, our kitchen sink turned out to be one of the things we were most thankful for (besides our family and friends, health, blessings, etc. etc.)  Because...Wednesday morning, we woke up to find the sinks full of disgusting brown water!  The main line clogged (we think) due to a frozen pipe under the house.  A frantic emergency call went out immediately to the plumber, and we prayed that he would show.  Due to the below-freezing temperatures we've had here in the northwest, more problems with plumbing and heating naturally arise--so repairmen are always in high demand.  And being the day before Thanksgiving, I was more than a bit nervous.  But for once he showed up right away, and after sawing through pipes under my sink and crawling under the house for about an hour, he had the problem whipped and we were back in action.   So yes, thankful!

 

Making this possible.  More thankfullness.  Who wouldn't be grateful for PIE, right? But enough pie talk for now, because . . . 

         
 . . . for my readers here, we have a *PatternBee Special* starting NOW through Sunday:  I'll be including a FREE PDF Christmas Assortment #2006  pattern with any order.  Please do not add it to your cart.  ALL orders will automatically receive the free download. 

NOTE:  This is a PDF pattern that will be emailed to you, that you print out at home.  You need a PDF reader (like this) to open the document so it can be printed. 

Now, go tell a friend!                                                     

Time-Out for Turkey

 
 
 

Sweet Tooth

I've been making "Almond Butter Cups" for the man of the house.  He has a sweet tooth, but avoids eating anything that contains artificial ingredients.  As the saying goes...Necessity is the Mother of Invention, so here's my take on the traditional peanut butter cup, using all organic ingredients and almonds instead.  I start by s-l-o-w-l-y melting 3/4 cup chocolate chips + 2 T. vegetable shortening over a double-boiler.  While chocolate is melting, combine in a small bowl:  1/3 cup almond butter and 1/4 cup powdered sugar.  Set aside.

I like to use the foil paper-lined candy cups.  Mini muffin tins work great for this too and help these keep their shape while setting-up in the fridge.  To assemble, use the tip of a regular teaspoon, and put about a half a teaspoon or so of melted chocolate in each of the candy cups, filling about 1/3.  Add a tiny dollop of the sweetened almond butter, filling to 2/3.  Top off with more chocolate, and a nut.  (I use sprouted almonds.)  Makes about 2 dozen.  These little candy morsels are best when devoured at room temperature the next day after the flavors mingle.  The hardest part of all this, of course, is the waiting.

Pretty Maids All in a Row

 

Here's how the flower blocks are stacking up so far.  Thought it would be fun to see how they all looked on a virtual "design wall" via Photoshop.  Last evening, I finished two more; Iowa Prairie Rose and Hawaii Hibiscus (not shown, but will post them soon), bringing the count to 19 down---31 to go.  Woot!

oh dear, what can the matter be?

 
OK.  I think I am finally done fiddling with my blog.  If it still looks weird keep refreshing the page until it loads correctly.  What happened was, in an attempt to reduce the size of the text in the navigation bar (that was once across the top of the post), ALL my content got dumped into the center column. Oops.  Maybe you saw that and wondered what was up.  Some people actually mentioned it to me and I was surprised because nothing looked amiss on my screen.  It wasn't until I looked at a few other monitors that I realized there was a problem.  Fortunately, the blog and I have both recovered now...and as a result, I have some 'new and improved' links in the sidebar under each of my books for the flickr photo pools--which I think is a good place for them.  I hope to add the other lost links when I have more time to figure out where to put them.  Do you like my new look?  I'm basking in the warm background = sunshine in November.  And (finally), a new banner for turkey feathers.  She really needed a new "hat".  (Sorry about the title...I hope nobody gets stuck singing that song in their head all day!) 

UTAH - Sego Lily

 
Yep, fall is shaping up nicely 'round here, and the cooler weather makes me want to pick up my stitching again.  Here we have the 17th block for the State Flower Quilt project:  the Sego Lily (Calochortus nuttalli).  It's a delicate little flower and this block was a bit of a challenge because the main petals are primarily white, sometimes creamy yellow, pinkish, or can have a lilac tinge, which is where I decided to go with this. Not much choice really with having a white background.  Sunny yellow and bright green adds a swash of color to keep it from being too bland. I think it works.  I like it. 

 
Sego Lily is sometimes called the 'Mariposa Lily', and is an ornamental with three tulip-like petals that grow from a bulb in dry areas, in open pine forests and on hillsides between 5,000--8,000 feet in altitude, blooming from May - July.  It was approved as the official state flower of Utah by Gov. William Spry on March 18, 1911.  The story goes, that Kate C. Snow, President of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers, in a letter to George E. Shankle, written from Salt Lake City, April 17, 1930; told that sometime between 1840 - 1851 when food became scarce in Utah due to a crop-devouring plague of crickets, families were put on rations and during that time they learned to dig up and eat the soft, bulbous root of the Sego Lily which attributed to their survival.  (The three-sectioned seed pods can also be eaten and taste similar to spring peas.)  The memory of this, as much as the natural beauty of the native flower, were compelling reasons for it to be selected (years later) as the floral emblem to represent the state.  Sometimes you just never know where treasure may be found. 

 

DMC Colors:  outline lighter main petals #3743; satin stitch center petals #304; stem & leaf #907; lazy-daisy centers #727; back-stitch letters #645.  Use 4 strands for all; 3 strands for small lettering. 

NOTES:  Images should be 4 x 4 to fit a 6.5" quilt block.  This allows for a 1/4" seam allowance and a finished block measuring 6 x 6.  If anyone is having trouble getting the right size block due to changes on Flickr; click on the pattern image to open flickr--for size options select the ACTIONS tab; select VIEW ALL SIZES from the drop-down menu; select MEDIUM 640 (640 x 556) for the 6-inch block size; now print or save to a file.  If you are visiting my blog for the first time, and/or just starting this project--you can download the original stitch guide and color chart here as a PDF for a quick reference: 

 STATE FLOWER QUILT

    

Autumn's Alarming Allure

 

I really love this time of year and the weather was beyond glorious last week.  Everyone I talked to, friends and strangers alike, kept remarking how lovely the days were, how unlike our typical "gray" November it was. Some people were walking around in flip-flops.  From my office window (above) I gazed out and realized I hadn't taken any pictures of the fall color in the yard, and that this might be the last opportunity to capture some of the drama. 

The sunny side of existence truly feeds the soul.  We sit on the porch and literally sigh over opal sunsets at the end of the day, and rest in the peace of the silent hills. These are the quiet moments you wish could last beyond their time.  All the more precious because they are fleeting. 

For perspective though, there's always a counterpoint it seems.  About midweek, a baby squirrel took up residence somewhere under the mudroom floor, keeping us awake all night as it gnawed and scrambled up and down the inside of one wall.  Next morning, Grace found a likely entrance off the back porch, and put a stone over it when she thought the wayward critter had gone out to forage.  An hour later or so, the squirrel appeared at her bedroom window--for what seemed like a 'complaint to the management'.  So far, no more disturbances or sign of our dear little friend. 

But Hobo spiders.  Now there's a force to be reckoned with.  They seem to be harbingers of cold weather, suddenly appearing within my safe haven when I least expect it.  No one can stand to squash them because of their alarming size.  The fear is always, that they will spring back up and lunge at you.  Which they often do.  So we usually howl and scream for backup, and the man of the house, our "hero", comes to the rescue.  If he's not around, we usually just throw a shoe and huddle pitifully. 

 

(Oh 'spirea' I love you in the fall.) This little ditty seems meant for you:

 

"Come, little leaves, said the wind one day; Come over the meadows with me and play; Put on your dresses of red and gold; For summer is gone and the days grow cold." ~George Cooper 
 

 For me, November is a nostalgic month.  A time of reflection over the passing year. And a time for soup!  (Anything with heavy cream will do nicely thank you.) 

 
These were just a few of my wandering thoughts in the golden transparent haze of the afternoon sun last week. 

 

Before I knew it, the path lead back to my little window to the world.  Where I am at this very moment looking out again.  At rain this time. 

MARYLAND - Black-Eyed Susan

 
Wednesday sure rolled around fast...the days are growing shorter now.  I start my days early before the sunrise, but I still never seem to get to everything I want to.  Alas, so many projects...too little time. 

But as promised, here we have the next in the series for the STATE FLOWER QUILT project.  (I am still getting some stitching done in the evenings and this one was easy.)  History shows that many of the state flowers were chosen by women; somehow not really that surprising. A group of young women at the Maryland Agricultural College took the initiative to select an official state flower in 1896.  Their choice was the 'black-eyed Susan' because it was so commonly seen throughout the state in waves of gold from summer through autumn.  Coincidentally, the 'black and gold' also reflected the colors of the coat of arms for the first Lord Baltimore.  It seemed fitting.  

But many thought this flower was not fitting and were opposed, siting that it was not a native species.  An article in the Baltimore Sun criticized the choice as well, and referred to it as a common vagabond saying, "Susan came to Maryland--not on the Ark, or by Dove, but as a migrant from the Midwest mixed in with clover and hayseed." ( Ouch!  )  Some rallied behind the goldenrod instead. 

But farmers declared them both "noxious weeds". 

In spite of those early controversies, Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) was designated and made official by the General Assembly on April 18, 1918. Today it is a cherished state flower, and seems a natural choice as the colors blend nicely with the state flag and state bird (the Baltimore Oriole.)   See how gorgeous he is?

As a side note, in 1986 the Maryland State Hwy department planted over 300 acres of wild flowers to help reduce air pollution, provide wildlife habitat, and to generally enhance the highways.  A mix of both native and naturalized wildflower seeds were scattered.  Eventually, the black-eye Susan, with it's enduring staying power and tolerance for dry, poor soil, became the predominant species. 

Flowers are native to the U.S. east of the Rocky Mountains and are commonly found in gardens, along roadsides, fields, and open areas where they easily propogate and spread.  They are perennial daisies (annuals in cold climates), similar to the cone-flower (also in the sunflower family), and butterflies are attracted to them as they provide a sweet nectar for many months.  The root is used in traditional folk remedies to treat colds and support the immune system, similar to echinaeca. 

 DMC COLORS: I used light orange #728 for the petals; brown #902 for center; and #3349 family for the leaves and stems.  4 strands for all; 3 strands for small lettering.  Satin stitch flower center; outline stitches for flower; back stitching for lettering #645 (smoke gray).

NOTES:  Images should be 4 x 4 to fit a 6.5" quilt block.  This allows for a 1/4" seam allowance and a finished block measuring 6 x 6.  To get the image:  RIGHT CLICK to save it as a file, or for size options LEFT CLICK on image and choose the 'all sizes' link on Flickr.    If you are visiting my blog for the first time, and/or just starting this project--download the original stitch guide and color chart here as a PDF for a quick reference:  STATE FLOWER QUILT

Turkey Ties One On

 
As often happens this time of the month, I find myself scrambling to get the bonus transfers up on the website in time.  Inspiration (thankfully) came when I found this lone quilt block in my basket of odds and ends; waiting to be made into a pillow, to match this quilt.  When I saw it, I knew at once it was just right for the season!  So here we have for your stitching delight, one determined turkey...strutting home with her pumpkin tucked safely under her wing.  To be baked into a pie of course!  

Other stitching news...I just finished another State Flower Quilt block, will add Maryland soon...maybe Wednesday...still catching my breath after a busy weekend.