I'm baaack! And going just a wee bit crazy!
Things have stepped up into high gear around here
so I need to try to keep this short and sweet.
Well, with me that's probably never gonna happen
but I'll try. And I'm likely not going to do much
editing so just bear with any typos, etc.
First, we both turned 50 and took off on what I've
dubbed The Great Wisconsin Foodie Road Trip of '21!
These days, big trips are not really available so,
long story short, I took the idea of running all around
say, southern France (or even just Napa) to sample
all the local fare and adjusted it to our times.
We headed up to drive all over Wisconsin where we took
in cranberry farms, cheese (cow and goat) farms and
factories, the Dane County Farmer's Market on the
capital grounds and the Public Market in Milwaukee.
We stayed at B&B's and saw many lighthouses along
the coast of Lake Michigan. On my actual birthday, we
toured Lambeau Field in Green Bay and stopped by an
orchard where I found the best apples ever! and bought
gourds and pumpkins for the first time in I can't remember
because, as you know, due to pests my fall garden is bust.
We got a little tipsy tasting wines at Von Stiehl Winery and
then chowed on some wonderfully squeaky cheese curds
(when in Wisconsin....!!!) while walking along the beach.
I believe we saw 3 (4?) lighthouses that day, too.
I suppose others might choose differently but I felt
it was a lovely way to spend one's 50th birthday.
We drove over 2,000 miles and came with a trunk
full of produce, wine and cheese. How fun is that?
(More pics here on Instagram.)
We're planning on a small party to share the goods
with our friends very soon but right now we're running
around like mad getting ready for a huge BBQ...and that
takes us to the slightly-freaking-out part of this post.
So often we see the lucky parents who live near West Point
being able to attend all the events on post and sometimes
even having a few cadets to their home for a weekend.
Here in Kansas those would just never be options for us..
...or would they?
When I found out the West Point Choir (including our cadet)
would be in town for the Funeral Mass of Father Emil Kapaun,
a Korean War Hero who gave his life to save another soldier,
you better believe I jumped at the chance to finally be
able to offer my services! And take this, you parents who
get to do so much! We're hosting 28 cadets plus a few
adults and one VIP for an evening of BBQ and games!
We're so super-excited!
But oh the work! Remember that front flower garden re-do?
The one that we were slow-rolling and mostly just planning
on doing when it cooled off in the fall? Not to mention ALL
the other yardwork! Gah! Well, we have stepped it up
big-time and made a huge dent already this past weekend.
The front flower gardens are completely re-done (except for a
section in front of our sunroom to the left beyond the pic;
I'm just hoping no one looks over there!), now all in
much-more-manageable rock. All old plants and weeds
removed and new shrubs and roses planted. Whew!
I have also been tackling the herb gardens, flower gardens and
berms, and my vegetable garden. I've also been trimming all
the shrubs and trees....oh the list goes on and on! Basically,
we're cramming 95% of a 3-acre fall clean-up into TWO WEEKS!
So far, we've killed it. And it might kill me but it's going to be
worth it! I can't wait to share pics. And please, everyone,
pray for good weather! (If it rains, I'm gonna cry!)
And in the middle of everything, I sold another quilt!
Oh this one was a beauty! I really think I have found my
niche with my fall quilts. And I had two customers after it
at once--the second customer was so sad to have just
missed purchasing it but I have promised to get more
fall quilts out just as soon as I can. I can't tell you how
excited this makes me and yet how frustrating it is to be
so busy with other things that I can't get more made!
This is what I've been working toward for 2 years and just
as it seems to be really taking off, I have to set it aside.
But, of course, these are crazy and, thankfully, fun times!
There will be time for quilting in the future, right?
(Please let there be time in the near future!)
All right, about those the to-do's:
The West Point quilt is finally quilted!
These are just quick snapshots of it coming off
the frame. Once it's finished, I'll share better pics.
But for now, I've already folded it up and placed
it in my sewing room closet till after the BBQ.
A couple of weeks ago, I committed to joining the
I'm Falling For You Blog Hop. The next day I got the
"it's a go" on the picnic and we were, of course, getting
ready to go on vacay so I was in a bit of a panic about
how I was going to come up with a project--and not
only make it but also post a tutorial for the hop!
But, I decided that since it is highly likely that I am not
the only person with tons going on, simple and quick
could be a good idea for the hoppers, too. I would love
for you to check out my post this morning with the
tutorial on these two cute mini-quilts that I came up
with and let me know what you think!
I'm not even going to attempt a to-do list for next week,
other than "Throw a large party!"
I skipped posting last week due to being on the road;
I'm likely to skip next week, too, but I will be back
in early October [October!?!?!] with BBQ pics and,
OH. MY. GOSH!GUESS.WHAT.ELSE.IS.GOING.ON!?
[Breathe, Cheree!]
It's Shop Hop time! Right after the BBQ!
(Not even taking time to make a shopping list!)
Then there will be a trip up to Omaha. And after
that, a trip up to West Point for Parent's Weekend!
I'm telling you, I don't think things have EVER been
this crazy around here and I can't wait to share it all!
Just bear with me over these next weeks!
Just bear with me over these next weeks!
Happy quilting!
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