Minnesota Daydreams

My stitching was seriously interrupted but I did complete a couple small things among them are these two. 


They both were gifts.


 I needed to finish this one by Sunday to give it to its intended recipient.  Our son, Dan designed it to go with the set of three that we have stitched and assembled during the past three years.  He designed a set of three. 

When we stitched the first one of this design, we made valuable discoveries about the effects of color.  It has been an extremely interesting and educational process for us. 

This past Saturday I put in an all day stitching marathon to stitch the back with the year and one of the motifs from the front and then to assemble the ornament.  There is a second one waiting to be finished.  I knew I did not have time to work on it Monday because I was in a food prep mode preparing for Christmas. 

Monday I prepared the dough to make scones.  Yesterday morning all I had to do was cut the disks of dough and pop them in the oven.  I had six dozen, more than enough for the brunch I took to the Maternity Care staff, for the extended family Christmas dinner, and for us.  We brought leftover scones home from Christmas dinner and now we have lots at home.  Monday I also prepared the egg bake to take to the staff.  All I had to do was pop it into the oven when we finished baking the scones. 

While the egg bake was in the oven, I began to make pies for the extended family Christmas dinner.  I only had to make three this year because some of the family did not come. 

Best wishes to everyone who celebrates Christmas. 

Tuesday mornings are my time to do volunteer work in the Maternity Care Center of our local hospital.  I was not in today but I did stop by to bring in brunch for the maternity staff members who were in working.  By the time I arrived, we had already had a Christmas baby. 


Speaking of birthdays on 25 December, today is Amahl's birthday;  she is second on the left.

Merry Christmas from all of us to you. 

Gosh, that looks like it could be a deep theological discussion.  Hey, wait, don't leave; it just looks that way is all that I am saying. 

About two hours ago the time the world was supposed to end according to the Mayan calendar.  All that happened two hours ago was that we passed the winter solstice.  The good news is that the days will begin to get longer.  I need that; I really need that. 

As I understand it, we do not have the whole Mayan calendar.  The missing parts might be important for us to be able to understand it.  Anyway, the speculation is that if the Mayans survived, they would have made a new calendar.  We make new calendars every year..  The most fascinating thing about this is that the Mayans could so closely determine the winter solstice for so many years ahead of the time they made the calendar.  For how long have we had the tendency to dismiss the natives of the Western Hemisphere as ignorant savages?  The native cultures were very rich and complex.  We should never forget that.  If we do, it is to our own detriment.

No pictures of the snowfall are forthcoming.  It was not a very attractive one.  During the day yesterday, the temperature dropped and the wind picked up.  While there were blizzard warnings elsewhere, our winter misery was not severe enough to call one here.  The temperatures may be low enough to enable us to make a couple ice luminaria for Christmas.  We shall have to see how that develops. 

Redemption:  Yesterday was a day of redemption for me.  

1.  Someone who will remain unnamed because I cannot remember who it was spilled water on the sleeve I use to cover my rolling pin.  Needless to say that completely did the sleeve in.  Horror of horrors, I could not find rolling pin sleeves anywhere.  When I got mine more than forty years ago you could find them everywhere.  Without the sleeve, it was extremely difficult to roll out pie pastry..  I was dreading Christmas because we (that should really be I) are committed by the extended family to bring pie because no one lese in the extended family makes pie. 

2.  I have been having a lot of difficulty producing satisfactory baked goods.  Last weekend I made date nut bread.  It tasted okay but it did not look good.  I also made gingerbread; it tasted okay but it looked awful.  I thought long and hard about it and decided that it might be the presifted flour I was using.  It's texture was a little strange and not soft and silky like what I am used to. 

Yesterday I baked.  First was the gingerbread with the flour I am accustomed to using.  The results were perfect. 

The lesson I learned is that presifted flour does not absorb liquids the same way regular flour does.  That can have a significant effect on the finished product. 

Next was the pie crust.  Because I could not easily find a sleeve or sock for the rolling pin, I made my own with some white cotton ribbing.  I did a little experimenting and determined how big to cut the ribbing and how to seam it so it would not impede the process of rolling out the crust.  It works.  I used my trial crust to make this chiffon pie. 

During the night we had a little snow; areas south of us had much more.  Snow pictures may follow depending upon how it looks once the sun is up.  I have been doing a little stitching and sewing during my absence. 

Do you remember this little fabric envelope with all the buttons? 
I did do it all over again with different colors and fabrics and a lot less buttons.  This one is not nearly as heavy and I think more likely to be used. 





For the pocket, I used two fabrics from the Chateau Rouge collection by French General for Moda Fabrics.  The outside of the pocket is Laurette, pearl on red.  The lining is behind the pocket on the dark print, Flatetta, red on pearl. 

Just Cross Stitch magazine has begun to publish the sampler I stitched.  The January/February 2013 issue has the first part.  It will be published in 6 parts.  Beginning in September, I put everything that I was stitching for myself aside to stitch it.  I think it turned out very well.  Here is a link to the magazine but unfortunately at the time I posted this, it did not feature the current issue. 

At last, I finished stitching the model for Hoffman Media.  It is in the post and on its journey back to the office.  I hope the next time I see it, it will be published and not because I have to rip something out to restitch. 

There is so much that has happened while I was in hiding that I hardly know where to begin and what to tell you about.  I guess that I will just make a beginning; maybe I will eventually tell you everything that is on my mind and maybe some of it will never be said. 

I did finish my Blackbird Designs Exchange gift and sent it out on time. 

I happened to be browsing in one of the local stores when I saw the memo portfolio with the old fashioned looking picture of the Eiffel Tower.  That made my choice for the stitching very easy.  Yes, this is the completely finished project I have been showing you as the work progressed. 

Everything is from my stash.  Almost all, if not all, of the white buttons are mother of pearl.  The others are not.  There are so many buttons, I guess that I will post a picture of it with Button Floozies. 

My gift arrived today all the way from Arizona. 

It is the perfect antidote to the post holiday letdown that usually visits our home.  After all, there is a finite amount of Thanksgiving Day leftovers one can consume. 

When I took the box out of its protective tissue wrapping, I was impressed by the fact that it goes so well with the previous Blackbird Designs Exchange gift I received. 

Yesterday when I woke up the temperature was above 40°F but we had been warned that a weather front would begin to pass through the area about noon.  The temperature, we were kindly informed, would drop like a lead sinker and be accompanied by some fairly heavy wind.  In the wake of that weather front, a second one would pass through bringing some precipitation, most likely snow considering the temperature. 

The predictions were 100% correct.  This morning we woke up to heavy winds that were still blowing a little snow around.  The temperature is such a shock from the lovely November temps we have had that it is hard to feel comfortable.  The weather forecasters have also kindly informed us that the ground will now freeze.  Fortunately we had been watering our yard and garden so as the ground freezes, it will be solid.  This is very good because it is hard on the soil if it is dry when it freezes.  I decided we needed to fire up the ceramic oven to take the chill out of the living room. 

Yesterday was productive with two completions. 





First is this little one.  I edged it with nun's stitch so I could cut it out and use it without a seam allowance.  It seemed like I had to stitch miles of nun's stitch. 

Next are my mittens.  I had set them aside because I was unhappy with the way I did the kitchner stitch closure at the top of the right mitten.  I did quite well with help on the left mitten but the right mitten looked sloppy no matter what I did. 

Yesterday afternoon, I knew what I wanted to do but the question was would I be successful. 

First I finished the thumb and then I picked out the kitchner stitch.  I was afraid that I would unintentionally rip out the knitting and not be able to knit it back in.  I did rip down one round.  When I picked up the stitches, I had the correct number and knitted back the round.  Fortunately there was no shaping in the last round. 

My first couple attempts were no more successful than what I had picked out.  I set the mitten aside and read through my written resource a couple times and then I viewed the DVD that came with the book.  As I sat in front of the computer monitor, I began joining the top.  Using some things that I learned from the DVD, it began to come together.  The right mitten top is not as well done as the left but I did it on my own and I am certain that I will be able to do better the next time I need to do the kitchner stitch. 

It was fortunate for me that I finished these little projects yesterday because I will have little time to work on them for the remainder of the month.  The model that I am stitching was delivered just as I finished the mitten. 

This afternoon we went to check out another estate sale just because it was relatively close.  We drove through the local countryside where the residents like their open space and keep horses.  When the fields have been plowed and the trees have lost their leaves, all the horses seem to be very highly visible.  We were wondering if the horses know winter is coming or do they just wake up one day and say, "Shoot, look what happened during the night." 

The sale was a total loss to us, nothing, nada. 

It brought to mind a sale that I checked on during the summer just because it was two minutes from home.  Really and truly, two minutes, well five minutes door to door.  It was hot, hot, hot that day so unlike today.  The sun was baking us.  But it was worth it, oh so worth it. 

With the exception of the solid blue piece in the middle, it is all wool, gorgeous, lovely wool.  The blue is lining. 

1.  Red Superfine Worsted Wool, anytime the fabric description is woven into the selvage, you know it is high quality.  It is roughly 3¾ yards of 60-inch wide fabric. 

2.  In the back is some lovely blue tweed, 5½ yards of it.  At first I thought it might be Harris Tweed but at 62 inches wide, I think not.  It is still to die for. 

3. On the blue tweed is the brown, cream, and gray tweed which is 2¼ yards long.  At 60 inches wide is probably not Harris Tweed either.   

4.  The plaid looks a lot like the MacKenzie tartan but I am not certain nor have I any idea of its origin.  It is 2 yards long and 61+ inches wide. 

For those of you who cross stitch, I happened to think that you might like the chart for this little design.  It is a freebie from Blackbird Designs. 

The chart itself is here.  

But do not skip the specific blog entry which is here. 

During the time I was working fast and furiously on the sampler for Hoffman Media, I took a little time to check out a couple estate sales.  Of course, I could hardly leave a sale without picking up one or two or even more things.  It is not that I do not have enough.  It is just that I could hardly bear to leave them behind. 

I feel compelled to tell you about this sale first.  It was very close to my home and was very scary because I could easily see myself in it.  The woman knitted and maybe did a little crochet but primarily knitting.  She also spun yarn.  All over the house was yarn and more yarn than anyone could use during two or three lifetimes.  She had a couple spinning wheels and lots of books about a variety of handwork crafts. 


 I selected two books1. 



 I think The Filet Crochet Book is much more useful to me.  There are a couple things in Compendium of Finishing Techniques that I want to learn to do but I am not certain the whole book is worth it. 

Now back to the yarn.  This woman was very much into the Red Hat Society.  She had very little besides red and purple yarns.  My pictures will not reflect that because the blue and green yarns that I pulled out were almost the only ones there. 


Here are the red yarns that I selected.  I should have had the presence of mind to not select the ones that were one or two of a kind and taken a total of twelve red Mohair Kid 80.  That would have been enough to make a sweater.  Perhaps I can knit a sweater vest with the six skeins.  I think I can make myself a pair of mittens with the two skeins of Misti Alpaca.  It remains to be seen what I can do with the rest. 



These are my colors and I grabbed every one I could find.  The silver metallic yarn simply jumped into the bag; I have no idea why.  There is not enough yarn to do very much with here with the exception of the stocking yarn.  As I said, they are my colors and I could not bear to leave them. 






She was a very talented and accomplished knitter.  I selected one sweater.  It is clean but I feel I want to wash it before I integrate it into my wardrobe.  I may change out the buttons too. 

As I told you earlier, my stitching schedule was interrupted with an assignment from Hoffman Media.  I am sorry that I cannot show you what I am doing until it is published.  Right now it is about two-thirds done and is currently in Birmingham for a photo shoot. 

During its absence, this is what I am working on. 
















I cannot remember what I last showed you on the Charity Auction Stocking.  It might have been this picture.  I am a little farther along than what is shown here but it simply is not going to be ready for the auction this year.  I will have it ready for next year.  As a bonus, next year it can be shown in an online catalogue of auction items.  I discovered the online catalogue in September and it was already a little late to get it into the catalogue.  I hope that might help it generate good bids. 

For now, the wedding sampler has come to a screeching halt.  I hope to have it finished and framed by the end of the year. 

So much happened during the time that I was not posting that I want to try to do a little catch-up for you. 
When we arrived home from the lake cottage on 20 September, I expected that the hummingbirds would have left. 
But - - - They were still hanging around the feeders for the next week.  It was an unexpected pleasure. 
When they finally left, the chickadees started to check out the hummingbird feeders.  I took that as an indication that they wanted their seed.  They sat in the apple tree and watched me hang their feeders.  I hardly had time to turn around before they swooped into the feeders.  They are such messy eaters; seed seemed to fly out of the tray.  The squirrels come in to eat the seed that falls on the ground. 

Speaking of squirrels, they are going to be a great source of entertainment this winter.  This year food was plentiful so there are lots and lots of squirrels. 

After telling you I had not seen Mr. Buck for quite a while, I saw a deer this morning.  It was trotting at quite a pace through the park behind the house.  I could not even see if it had antlers. 

Earlier this month we had confirmation at church.  The youth director thought it would be nice to give each one a fleece blanket with the United Methodist emblem.  The only thing about that was she could not find any such thing. 

She ordered some gorgeous navy blue fleece blankets from Amazon and some United Methodist patches.  A group of us agreed to stitch a patch on a blanket. 

As I stitched each one of these blankets, I thought about figuratively wrapping my arms around each of the confirmants.  The gift of the blanket was intended to remind each student that he/she was wrapped in the arms of the congregation. 

I have been gone so long.  We are closing out our Earthlink account which has five e-mail boxes.  It has been a monster job.  To top it off a couple weeks ago the issuer of our Mastercard called to verify a suspicious charge.  It appeared that someone or people randomly generated Mastercard account numbers one of which was ours.  He/She/It ran a test charge of £1 from some where in London.  As I said, the issuer of our card caught it; declared the account compromised and issued us new cards. 

While we were busy trying to close the Earthlink account, we had to change the automatic charges on the Mastercard account one of which is Earthlink.  We tried very hard to finish closing out Earthlink before having to change the credit account but decided it would be better to go ahead and do it even if it is only for a month. 

I have been spending so much time on the computer sorting through the e-mail boxes and transferring files to the new e-mail boxes that I have had little time to even read the blogs that I follow.  I just want to get away from the computer.  

Now back to those cute pumpkins.  A month ago, I picked them and the squash.  I left one pumpkin vine because it had several cute small pumpkins that were extremely green.  I had hoped to give them a chance to ripen.  Now a month later, the pumpkins are all gorgeous orange; we are still waiting on the small ones.  The vine that I left grew up the grape arbor, up the fence, and up the garden shed.  I later discovered that it grew into the neighbor's yard. 

She came to our house with the cutest little bright green pumpkin.  She was afraid that it might be the only pumpkin so she wanted us to have it.  I just said. "Oh, my goodness, come into the back yard and see what we have."  I told her that the little pumpkin was hers but that it probably would not ripen.  I gave her a couple of the small ones that have a reasonable chance of ripening for her daycare kids to watch. 

Shortly after that as I hung up sheets to dry, I heard the little daycare kids talking about a pumpkin. 

It was just one week ago at this time that we arrived at the lake cottage.  The extra key is kept on a not visible but not invisible nail camouflaged with cobwebs.  Although we knew the general location of it, it was still difficult to find and we were not certain that we would find it.  The prospect of immediately driving back home or spending the night in the car made our search all the more feverish.  In the past we have brought an extra key with us but this time decided to rely on the hidden one.  I do hope that we can remember its hiding place for the future because all in all, it is much easier to not have to pick up the key from Roger's sister and return it. 

A couple weeks ago, I discovered that I made a miscount in the lower heart,  Fortunately, I had stitched in only the bottom three rows and the miscount was on the right side of the heart.  Just the same, it was so discouraging that I set the sampler aside without removing the stitching.  I knew it would be a messy and difficult job to pick out the stitching. 

Two of the three rows were stitched in silk which does not respond very well to being removed and restitched and this type of silk thread is even less cooperative.  Actually I did not loose too very much thread and the new lengths stitched in very well.  The rest of the heart almost stitched itself it went so well.  Can you see the peacock feather in the colors? 

Although there was no hope that I could finish it and have it framed prior to the wedding, I did cut the threads and did the hardanger needleweaving on the upper heart.  It pains me, but I think I will remove the needleweaving and replace it with a solid color.  I have stitched this heart many times with variegated thread but it has not looked this busy or disorganized before.  I think it is because this color selection is very strong while past threads have had a more subtle color variation. 

Before I set to work on the wedding sampler, I finished a section of a sampler that I am stitching for Just Cross Stitch.  I wish that I could show it to you but I cannot share that with anyone until it has been published.  I think that I can tell you that it is an anniversary sampler celebrating the 30th anniversary of the magazine.  It meant that I had to set aside the charity auction stocking and the wedding sampler for a little while.  While we were gone, I did stitch part one of the anniversary sampler and was able to send it back so that they will receive it tomorrow.  I do not know how long they will keep it while they photograph it for the first issue of 2013.  When it comes back to me, I can stitch on it a little more leisurely. 

Until then, I should be stitching on the wedding sampler and the stocking.  Do you want to see my progress on the stocking? 

We spent most of this week at the extended family cottage on Mille Lacs.  It was a wonderful few days away from everything.  The weather conditions were not ideal but still it was good.  The lake was a little wild with as heavy waves as it generally can have.  The sound of the waves rolling in at night was extremely relaxing.  One of the mornings the sky was absolutely as clear as it could be.  The stars were brilliant and so much more visible than at home.  The phrase, "as countless as the stars in the sky" took on an immediate sense of the infinite - breathtaking, simply breathtaking.  As exciting as that was the morning I could stand in the pink light of dawn and know it was a deep pink.  It felt magical.

I am so sorry that I can no longer tell you we are leaving before we leave.  I fear that I have given enough personal information that I can be located.  When we leave, our sons stay in the house but they both work and are gone during the day leaving the house unoccupied except by the cats who have yet to learn how to call 9-1-1.  It is a sad commentary on our current society that I fear our home could be targeted during our absence. 

Do you remember back in  March when I posted this picture?

I told you that I could show you the front of the ornaments when the chart was published.

It was published in the Christmas Ornaments Issue of Just Cross Stitch magazine.  It has been out for a couple weeks now but I have been tardy about posting the picture for you.

Tricia Bage of Patricia Ann Designs made the design for Just Cross Stitch and I finished the ornaments for Tricia.  I think that I have finished all of Tricia's designs for the Christmas Ornaments Issue.

Last year her design appeared in the cover picture.  This year shortly after the issue came out, Tricia e-mailed me to say that once again we were cover girls.


I have not been very subtle about marking the scan so you can easily find the ornament in the picture. 
A little pride goes way too far. 

The garden has suffered this summer.  It has been unduly hot and dry making the garden suffer. 
We are getting tomatoes but they are small. 
The vines of the vine crops have been extremely vigorous. 
We have five squash, twelve pumpkins, and six cantaloupe plus a variety of cucumbers. 
The onions and carrots did not do well.  That may be more because our soil is heavy clay.  We have added a lot of organic material and sand; the texture has improved a lot but it is still like adobe when the weather is dry. 
The flowers have been a little pathetic. 




















And a single sorghum plant
We have no idea how it came to grow in the garden.  It probably was in bird droppings.  We also have four or five black walnut trees.  I know that squirrels buried the nuts and forgot them.  We will have to dig the little trees out. 

What do hummingbirds and bread have in common?  Generally speaking, not much but today they had a lot in common at my home.

Yesterday my new flour mill arrived.  Not being one to say much about organic foods or highly processed foods, it no doubt surprises people who know me that I like to make bread.  We, as a family, have always had a preference for the bread that I make.  I do it all by hand, no bread machine, no dough hook on the mixer.  Bread dough is a very organic and living substance.  I enjoy watching it with my eyes and feeling it with my hands as I knead it.  It changes from a sticky glob of flour and liquid to a smooth, elastic, silky living substance.  The process of kneading also is soothing to my psyche. 

Lately I have not made very much bread.  I have been wondering what bread would be like made with home milled flour.  Last week Amazon had home flour mills on sale.  It did not take much nudging for me to order one.  Amazon informed me that it would be delivered yesterday.  We had a bulk mailing to take to the Post Office for church so it was very easy to pick up some wheat berries.  I wanted white wheat because I want the light color for pastry.  It turns out that there is not as much demand for white wheat.  I have to special order it in a 25-pound sack.  It should be ready for me to pick up next Thursday or Friday.  In the meantime, we brought home about 2¾ pounds of red wheat.  We were home by noon but the deliveries are not until mid to late afternoon.  It was extremely difficult to wait.

This morning, I ran the wheat through the mill.  Two and three-quarters pounds of wheat berries translates into five to six cups of flour.  I tried all the levels from fine to coarse so my flour has an unique consistency.

I think that even the coarsest setting is finer than commercially milled whole wheat. 






Whole wheat produces a dough that is stickier and less elastic than white flour.  That is true for home milled whole wheat flour; it was a little messy to work with.  Resting time is mandatory for the dough to be able to fully absorb the liquid.  While the dough rested, I watched what was going on in the backyard.

The hummingbirds were up to their usual antics and were extremely entertaining.  The cardinal vine with its little trumpet flowers began to bloom this week.  Earlier in the week, the hummingbirds hovered in front of it and one actually flew in and out of it but they did not go in for the flower nectar.  Today they fed upon the nectar.

I was not able to get any pictures of the hummingbirds feeding.  There are so many buds that perhaps another day I will be able to catch a picture of them.  













Here are the loaves ready to go into the oven.  They have a little egg white glaze on their tops. 





It is impossible to wait long enough for the bread to cool before we cut it.  That was the case today.

The loaves have a very tender texture and are not at all dense.  That may be more because I raise the dough twice in the bowl before I shape it and raise it in the pan.  The flavor is wonderful.  I used half molasses and half honey because I only had dark molasses and I did not want the taste to be overwhelmed by molasses.

It is more flavorful than bread made with commercially milled flour.  The texture is more delicate than that made with commercially milled flour.  The scent of the warm bread had a slight graham cracker note. 

My hope is that if I could get this far with the charity auction stocking, I could finish the lower portion by the end of September and then assemble it during October.  In reality, I reached this point Sunday evening.  It was a little difficult for me to organize myself to take the picture until yesterday. 

Monday was a no stitching day.  I probably should have stitched and still had to force myself to stitch on Tuesday.  Tuesday afternoon I picked up my needle and began on the wedding sampler. 


Today I will continue stitching the wedding sampler.  Tomorrow I will resume stitching the stocking.  My current plan is to stitch the wedding sampler one day per week.  It depends upon how quickly the stocking stitches; potentially it could go much more quickly than the upper portion because what remains is not nearly as detailed.  If the stocking works up more quickly, I will have more time to give to the wedding sampler.  Because of the length of time it will take to have the mats cut and frame made, I think it will not be feasible to expect to have it ready by the wedding.  There is, though, a very high probability that the stitching will be done.  When I get to that point, we will see how the mom and bride want to handle it.  If they would like to display it, I can stretch it for them. 

As you look at the sampler, please keep in mind that the bridesmaids' dresses are a very deep teal.  The bride will be using peacock feathers in the floral arrangements.  

They look good don't they?  That is, if you like marshmallows.  Unfortunately they look a lot better than they really are.  They are Triple Layer Mint Brownie S'mores. 

The mint comes from mint patty candies placed on a layer of brownie batter and then covered with more batter.  You really have to be careful that the mint patties are not physically too close to the sides and bottom of the pan.  If they are too close, when they melt during the baking process, they reach a higher than intended temperature.  As the hotter than planned candies cool, they become very hard lumps. 

All in all, it seems a little too fussy to me, especially when I can have a wonderful, marvelous chocolate mint combination with Grasshopper Brownies.  Grasshoppers begin with a rather ordinary brownie.  After it cools, it gets a buttercream frosting flavored with mint and colored with a little pink or a little green food coloring.  After the buttercream sets a little, it is finished off with a dark chocolate glaze.  I can skip the melted marshmallows on the grasshoppers. 

But. . . if I need some marshmallow with my chocolate, I can always make a Mississippi Mud cake which has a layer of marshmallows on top of the chocolate cake and is then covered with a thin chocolate icing. 
Or. . .I can opt for a Texas sheet cake which omits the marshmallows and includes chopped nuts in the cake batter. 
One could always add chopped nuts to the Mississippi Mud cake or marshmallows to the Texas sheet cake and have the best of both in one cake. 

Last Friday we did go to the Minnesota State Fair.  It was sunny and hot but not as hot as it will be tomorrow, Friday, and maybe today.  It was crowded.

We are at the corner of Nelson and Judson Avenues.  I can only wish that the street is named for us but all the streets on the fair grounds are named for the people who helped make the fair a reality many, many years ago.

I can see the backs of our sons but I cannot see myself. 














Here are the turkeys. 










This is the Minnesota Mosaic. 







We did see the rabbits and I did find some ideas for things to make to enter in the fair.  Perhaps it will happen next year.  Just don't count on it because anything can happen.

I have lots to tell you and show you.  It is not going to be in any particular order, not even chronological. 

If I do not do this first, I think I will get everyone confused.
Nancy of Victorian Motto Sampler has a new drawing.
She is giving away this gift collection of treasures.

As you can see, she is being extremely generous with this Fall Collection.

Click here to go over to her blog, Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe to see for yourself and to register for the drawing.  All the requirements are clearly stated.

I recommend this to you because Nancy is very generous and true to her word.  You just might be the one selected to give this collection a good home.


Now on to the real reason I am writing this post.  Nancy selected my entry for one of her recent prize drawings on 14 August 2012.  She told me to select four thread colors from her shop.  When I saw the Peony Collection, I told Nancy I had fallen in love with it for two reasons.
1.  The color combination is beautiful.
2.  I love and grow peonies and the colors look like my peonies.
Nancy said that one of the collections would be mine and promptly posted it to me.  The following week, it arrived and I am delighted to give it a good home.

I want to show the threads to you together with the pattern that I think I will stitch with them.  They are wonderful together, aren't they? 

I am going to let Nancy know that I have let you in on her offer and encouraged you to register for her newest drawing.  I think it is a wonderful prize and I know that any one of you would love to have it and that Nancy would love to give it to you. 

First off, a little bragging to show you my progress on the Christmas stocking. 

There is a monumental amount of backstitching.  My timeline says that if I can finish the upper portion of the stocking by the end of August and the lower portion by the end of September, I can assemble the stocking in October.  Right now I am running painfully close to the timeline. 

Last weekend I did very little stitching.  We joined extended family at the lake cottage for Saturday.  That meant I devoted much time to food preparations. 

I did do a little knitting while we were at the lake.  I have begun the second mitten.  

S'more bars.  I got in a little too close for you to get a good idea.  Suffice it to say that is marshmallow cream oozing out because I cut it before it had time enough to cool.  Of course, you can see the chocolate on the bottom of the pan.  Marshmallow and chocolate have to be one of the basic food groups. 

Olive herb bread just because I had a craving for it.  Only half of our family eats olives so two loaves could be a bit much.  We liked the recipe and brought the second loaf to the cottage.  Other olive eaters liked the recipe too.  After I a couple adjustments in the recipe I know that it will become a favorite.  Because the recipe will not divide in half very well, I will be making the whole recipe and hope that the bread freezes well. 

A family favorite:  bundt pound cake.  What more can I say?  We all like it and always hope to bring home a couple pieces. 

I also made Oriental Chicken Slaw.  Of course, we had plenty of leftovers.  My formula is to determine how much I need, double it and then make a little more.  The worst possible thing would be to run out of food. 

Speaking of running out of food, the hummingbirds are at the feeders getting ready for their southern migration.  It seems that we have one regular who is very territorial.  It is even trying to chase the wasps away.