Fall and I Are Settling In

With the shop hop behind me, it's time to settle in and enjoy

the beautiful season of fall, and quilting!

The leaves are beginning to turn and our porch is once again

displaying a bountiful harvest from the garden.

I even put a little pumpkin display just outside my sewing room window.

As I sip on a hot salted caramel apple cider, I'm thinking some

some of those pumpkins may end up in the oven tomorrow.

Tomorrow.

When the high temp is predicted to be 50.

I didn't even know the forecast this morning when I made a batch of

English muffins and started getting out my sweaters.

Or this past weekend when I decided it was finally time

to turn our older chickens into soup meat and stock.

But I'm right on schedule.

Soup and something pumpkin will definitely be on tomorrow's menu.

Did you catch that?  I butchered chickens--something I do my best

to avoid; it's unpleasant work, especially if you rarely do it.

I'm sure later we'll all appreciate it but right now

I'm not sure I'm feeling it was worth it!

Making stock is something I do enjoy, though, and I was able to cook up

100 cups of great quality hormone-free stock.  I left some regular flavor,

but in the largest pot, I added sprigs of fresh thyme and a little sage.

Perfect for chicken noodle soup.

And it is now all packed away in the freezer to enjoy over the winter. 

I was able to spend just a little time practicing on the long-arm this afternoon.

I only made two rows of these and I know I need more practice but

I'm starting to feel like I might get the hang of it.  I try to look at everything

as a learning opportunity and today I learned that if I'm going to do this,

it's going to have to be when I'm well-rested and with minimal pain.

I also discovered that my frame must've settled into the carpet a little and

so needs leveled out again.  

(the machine was wanting to drift)

All of which is a recipe for:  start again tomorrow.