Pause and Remember – 9/30

On Friday, I pause and remember a single, wordless moment from the past week – inspired by The Warden’s Log.

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79th Birthday Countdown – Day 6

My oldest daughter, who lives with me, loves to celebrate birthdays.  This is what I found on my kitchen table on Friday morning.

One of her many talents is making jewelry.  And, of course, she knows I love horses.  There are tiny horse head and horse shoe charms on the bracelet.

Today is my 79th birthday and this is the last of the countdown gifts.  It’s been so much fun coming out to the kitchen at 6 AM and finding a new treasure.

Countdown Day #1

Countdown Day #2

Countdown Day #3

Countdown Day #4

Countdown Day #5

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79th Birthday Countdown – Day 5

My oldest daughter, who lives with me, loves to celebrate birthdays.  This is what I found on my kitchen table on Thursday morning.

This is one of her hand-crocheted doilies in the most delicious colors – the picture doesn’t do it justice.

A BONUS EARLY GIFT

Last evening, I was telling my daughter that I had been disappointed not to find a mini-quilt rack on our recent trip to Amish Country in Holmes County, Ohio.  I have been seeing them in displays at quilt shows and in quilt shops, but there were never any for sale.  She suddenly left the room and returned with exactly the rack I wanted – she had managed to sneak it out of a shop and into the car while we were in Amish Country.  It’s designed to hold up to a 12×15 inch piece, just the right size for a mini-quilt that I’m already planning in my mind.

Countdown Day #1

Countdown Day #2

Countdown Day #3

Countdown Day #4

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A Trip to Amish Country (Ohio)

Last week, my oldest daughter and I made a return trip to Holmes County (Ohio) Amish Country.  We have been visiting this area since 1998 and always stay at Mel and Mary’s Cottages in Charm.  They converted part of their Mennonite farm to cottages for visitors.

On either side of their property are vast stretches of fields and hills.  Sitting on the porch, this was my view to the right….. (click on pictures for a clear view of this beautiful countryside.)

…and this was my view to the left….

We had to get a close-up shot of these beautiful horses.

In my opinion, the area ranks right up there with Vermont and Switzerland for having the most beautiful scenery in the world.  Around every bend there is another stunning view.

In addition to the peaceful, quiet stay at Mel and Mary’s and the gorgeous scenery, there is a large shopping area with restaurants, quilt shops, gift shops, antique malls, wonderful Amish markets ….. the list goes on and on ….. and amidst all of this, the Amish go about their daily lives in their black buggies with the beautiful sleek trotters.

I got quite a bit of fabric, including yardage and fat quarters ….

And one of my favorite things to buy – a bag of scraps left over from making quilts.

I found one piece of fabric I especially liked – Windham Fabrics Floursack by Whistler Studios (Style #33073).  The vintage floursack labels have borders of floursack fabric.

A Google search pulled up several sources for this fabric including Amazon.com and Hancock’s in Paducah, KY.

At an Amish market, we enjoyed huge scoops of homemade ice cream and I found Concord grapes which are difficult to find in our area.  I made my favorite Streusel Concord Grape Pie as soon as we got home.

Another beautiful trip to Holmes County.

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79th Birthday Countdown – Day 4

My oldest daughter, who lives with me, loves to celebrate birthdays.  This is what I found on my kitchen table on Wednesday morning.

Another passion of mine – harness horses.  My father was a trainer/driver and I was co-owner of several horses back in the 1960s.  This is a lapel pin with a medallion from the Hall of Fame of the Trotter in Goshen, NY.

Countdown Day #1

Countdown Day #2

Countdown Day #3

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Fresh Peach Clafouti

I was looking for a supper dessert to use up some fresh peaches.  I wanted something that wasn’t too rich or too sweet and lighter than a pie or cobbler.  This recipe from Mennonite Girls Can Cook fit the bill perfectly.  It’s like peaches in a baked custard.  I had enough for supper, for the next day’s lunch and some to send to my youngest daughter.

PEACH CLAFOUTI

• 3-4 cups of sliced fresh peaches
• 1 cup whole milk (or light cream)
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Generously butter a deep-dish 9″ pie plate or a quiche pan.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

Place sliced peaches in the buttered pan.

Put milk, eggs, sugar, flour, vanilla and salt in a blender; blend until smooth and creamy.

Add melted butter and blend.  Pour this mixture over the peaches.

Bake in a 375°F degree oven for 45 minutes or until Clafouti is puffed up and golden.  Place on a wire rack to cool.

The Clafouti will collapse as it cools.  This is best when it is slightly warm but also good at room temperature.  Makes 6 servings.

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79th Birthday Countdown – Day 3

My oldest daughter, who lives with me, loves to celebrate birthdays.  This is what I found on my kitchen table on Tuesday morning.

I collect items from an old Cincinnati dairy, French-Bauer – I remember watching their horse-drawn milk wagons when I was a child.   At one time, they also had a restaurant in downtown Cincinnati.  This is a tiny 4-1/2 inch ice-cream spoon from that restaurant and the name engraved on the back, “French Bros.-Bauer Co.” dates it to the mid-1920s before the name change.  This is a nice addition to the china pieces I already have.  My daughter definitely knows what I like.

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79th Birthday Countown – Day 2

My oldest daughter, who lives with me, loves to celebrate birthdays.  This is what I found on my kitchen table on Monday morning.

I collect anything with a Scottie and this is one item I didn’t have yet.

Countdown – Day 1

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79th Birthday Countdown

My oldest daughter, who lives with me, loves to celebrate birthdays.  This is what I found on my kitchen table on Sunday morning.

Here is what was inside the package.  I have a large collection of Anchor Hocking EAPC glass but have never seen these two coasters.

Four more days until the big 79th celebration on Friday.  I wonder what will be on the kitchen table tomorrow morning.

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Civil War Quilt – Block 39 – Hovering Hawks

This is block #39 in the Civil War block-of-the-week series offered by Barbara Brackman.  It is called Hovering Hawks.  Go to Barbara’s blog to get the pattern and to see the story and pictures related to this block.

http://civilwarquilts.blogspot.com/2011/09/39-hovering-hawks.html

This is a fairly easy block with an interesting pattern.  For new quilters, this is how I assembled the block:

• Cut the A squares per Barbara’s directions.
• Cut the B pieces as directed but do not cut diagonally.  This is how I make my half-square triangles:
• Place 2 squares right-sides-together according to how you are going to use your fabric in the block.  For my block, I placed together 1 polka-dot blue and 1 gold flower; 2 polka-dot blue and 2 light blue; 2 pink stripe and 2 music pattern blue.  There should be 5 sets.
• On the lighter pieces of each set, draw a diagonal line.

• Sew ¼ inch from the drawn lines on each side.

• Cut on the diagonal line and press toward the darker fabric.  Trim tails – piece should measure 2-½ x 2-½ inches.   You should have 10 half-square triangles.

• Lay out the pieces on a mat in the proper order.

• Separate into four 4-patch blocks and stitch each of the four patches together.  Press seams so that they will interlock when joined later.

• 4-patch blocks should measure 4-½ x 4-½ inches.

• Join the top two sections, pressing seam to the right.
• Join the bottom two sections, pressing seam to the left.
• Join the two rows.
• Press and trim – piece should measure 8-½ x 8-½ inches.

See the previous blocks in this series in my category list on the right hand side of the page – Quilting – Civil War Quilt.

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