Busy as a Bee & To-Do's!

Hello again!

Last week, spiders.  This week, bees.
As in:  busy as one.

Let's hear it for August!!
Usually this means the outdoor garden work is
 lessening and I'm doing more work in the kitchen. 
I think I might now be there.  Maybe.

Did I stay on top of things this past week?

1) Make log cabin blocks for West Point quilt

 The hardest part about these West Point quilts is
getting the gray and tan to work together so as
always, I made a trial.  The dotted gray fabric was not
my first choice but because it actually has some
gold-tan tones in it, I decided it was my best option.

Does it work?

I hope so because I got all my blocks made!

2) Play around with Sew-Can-She's hexi-hotpads

This just didn't happen.

 3) Finish kitty quilt top.

Last week, I didn't list the fabrics I was using so there it is.

I got the charm pack on a MSQC daily deal and then

not long after found the yardage on clearance elsewhere.

Score.

My picture is a little dark but there it is, top completed.

A simple but fun project.  I also have the backing

pieced (the green) and the batting ready.  The whole

thing is laying out on the long arm but I want to 

get the West Point quilt top finished before I quilt this.

I'll bind it with the coordinating black yardage I have.

4) Make a pincushion to keep at longarm.

Absolutely no time for this one.

5) Continue working with herbs, preserving etc

Everything I had drying last week is put away

and more has taken their place.

 With so many cucumbers, I made up some spicy pickles.

No canning, just a few minutes of work and

into the refrigerator they went.

Both the cayenne and jalapeño flavors are a hit.

I couldn't let all those cayennes go to waste so, just as

quickly, I had them strung up for hanging in the pantry.

There will be tons more to come.

The garden is wonderfully green still for this time of year.

On a beautiful morning like today, you can stand still and

hear the busy hum of those bees working on the fall crops.

Their work here is done.  A baby turk's turban gourd.

And here.  A jack-o-lantern pumpkin.

He has a LOT of growing to do.

Will this be the year to top my personal pumpkin

weight record of 44 pounds?  It has been 7 years

and only a few 30-plus pounders have come close.

With all the rain, it occurred to me that I hadn't pruned the

tomatoes in a few weeks and they were an absolute forest!

I wish I'd taken a before but if you see the overgrown area

in the left pathway there...

...that's how the WHOLE THING looked before I spent 8--yes,

EIGHT--backbreaking hours pruning and tying up branches.

I broke it up into 4 sessions over 2 days.

When I went to sleep at night, all I could see were

tomato branches.  True story.

After I had hacked away just that first side of the first row

I stepped back to survey my work.  Oops--a little too snippy

with the pruners but holy marinara, Batman, I haved one heck

of a tomato crop coming up.  And THERE will be the canning.

Blessed.

Perhaps one of the best things to come out of summers

around here is homemade marinara sauce.  I get so

spoiled with it that I cringe at tasting purchased.

After many years of searching for a good basic recipe,

I came across Emeril's from his deep-dish pizza recipe

and have used it ever since--but with fresh tomatoes and
herbs, double the wine and I like to add in a little Mür Glenn
organic tomato paste. This stuff is all I use, btw.
It really makes a difference.

A few nights later, that sauce joined some homemade pasta

and together, they made up a nice lasagne that we enjoyed

al fresco--oh my goodness it was a beautiful evening!

Barely a breeze, about 74° and the sun setting.

I don't think we're in Kansas [in August] anymore!

Blessed!

Oh wait.  There are chickens.

Yeah, we're still here.

This is the latest sign to go up inside the coop.
The girls just love it!
Just kidding.  They could care less.  In fact,

I give it a month and they'll have poo on it somehow.

About those older chickens...

Hubs and I avoided the issue for a couple weeks but the

deed is now done.  It's ugly, messy, unpleasant work.

And then came the broth-making.  

(At their age, that's all they were good for.)

For DAYS!  And nights!  ALL HOURS! 

All was seasoned with the basics:  carrots, onions, celery,

garlic, peppercorn and mushrooms but in the second half

I also added in fresh herbs; in just a few quarts, I also

added lemon grass (for lemon-chicken orzo soup).

With over 10 GALLONS of super-healthy broth,

we're now set for the Zombie Apocalypse.

Blessed.

Crazy, and blessed.

And I'm never, ever doing that again because

after it all, I feel like a zombie myself.

This morning the last batch is simmering on the stove.

So, what am I up to doing this week after all of that?

1) Finish West Point quilt top

I think I can handle this.

Put those blocks all together and add a couple borders.

Thinking something like the above.

2) Make a pin cushion

I really really need to get this one done this time!

3)  Step up the Christmas gift work.

I mentioned last week that I was starting to think about

thinking about (yes, I meant to write it that way) Christmas.

This morning I flipped over to August in my organizer and my

own Christmas note met me.  In January, when the holidays

are still fresh in my mind, I make helpful notes

and reminders for next year's holidays,

 whenever and wherever I think I'll be needing them.

For some possible Christmas gift ideas, I'd like to see

what all I can make out of these cute feed bags that

I've collected.  We go through plenty and though I use

them for any garden refuse that can't be composted,

I still have plenty saved up.  There are so many

fun ideas on Pinterest but at the very least I'll probably

make myself some shopping bags.

I think that had better be it for me this week.

Happy quilting!

Today I'm linking up to:

Patchwork & Quilts

Home Sewn By Us Tuesday To-Do #52