Canning Day is Over

After almost 9 hours I have 28 quarts, and 5 pints of canned green beans.  I don't know how people can a garden full of veggies.  I suppose they can for days on end.  It really takes some time, but it is a rewarding effort.  I love seeing them all lined up in the cabinet.

Canning Day

The "veggie" man came by Jim's work yesterday, so Jim brought home a bushel of green beans.  We broke beans for about three hours last night.  After my walk this morning, I will start canning.  Last year it took so long, so this year I am going to do it a little different - make sure the water in the canner is already boiling, and pour boiling water over the beans as I jar them up.  Maybe it won't take so long for the pressure to  build up. It is a beautiful day today and I am so happy to be home doing my "domestic" things!

Plummage Pantograph

The quilting is finished.  Now to get the binding on, and the label made and sewn on.

Blue and White top done

 Kind of makes me want to do my whole house in blue and white.  It is so clean and fresh.

Ready to get back to some quilting....

I haven't done much quilting since before we went on our beach vacation.  I am back at work this week but itching to get back to some sewing.  My sweet daughter-in-law coaxed my son out of a box full of out grown shirts.  He is very sentimental and a pack rat, so that was a big feat.  She told him that I would make a quilt out of them, and then he could use it and remember all his favorite shirts! They are mostly stripes and plaids, which I think will make a great "manly" quilt.  I've got to start looking for a pattern because I am so anxious to get started cutting them up!  However, I'll make myself finish the blue and white one first.  I might get that one done this weekend.

Last night

This is the last night of our vacation. I think the kids have had fun. The ocean has been perfect. It was so clear today that you could get up to your neck in the water and still see your feet clearly. We'll head home in the morning.

Some one is commemorating our last night at the beach!  As I was typing this post, I heard something and looked up in time to see the lights of fireworks.  My little camera didn't capture it very well, but you get the picture......someone else is having a big send off for their beach vacation......

No tar balls here...

Nope, just beautiful emerald coastline......me and the kids are in Panama City for a little vacation.  It is absolutely beautiful!  We had a nice dinner at Olive Garden tonight after a few hours of playing in the ocean.

Blue and white progress

I got quite a bit done before we left on our vacation.

Next Project

I've wanted to make a blue and white quilt for some time now.  This is going to a very dear couple who were so kind and compassionate in the passing of my husband's mother.  She collects blue and white dishes, so we thought this would be appropriate.  I am falling in love with it.  I couldn't find the Delft line of fabrics, but I found some that I think will work out just as pretty. By the way, I decided to use velcro for the fasteners for my son's bow ties.  Worked out great!

A bit of fun......today was biker Sunday at the local church.  Elijah and Katie came in for the weekend, and participated.  Yes, those are bovine horns (cow? bull?)......my son......he's a mess.

 

Today's project

Today is the first time all weekend that I've done any sewing.  My son really likes Bow Ties.  A friend gave me a patten.  So far, so good.  VERY easy.  I couldn't find the appropriate fasteners to make it adjustable, so I will have to wait until he gives me the length of one that fits just right.  I made two in no time at all!

Garages

Garages get so nasty.  At least ours is.  I've spent the last 2 1/2 hours trying to clean up some of our garage.  I started with the windows.  It took me over an hour to clean one window.  They are 3' x 6' with those big 2 inch blinds.  Yukky.  One down, one more to go.  The sun is finally out, so I am going to quit for a while and go walk at the walking trail at the lake.

Batik Beauty BOM number 4

I love this one!  I didn't like it at first because most of the pieces are cut a little big and you have to trim them.  However, I can tell now it makes the finished block much more precise. Block four is the top one.

I am off to New Mexico tomorrow for a work trip.  Jim will hold the fort down here.  I am taking a couple of new books to read on my ipod and my cathedral window.  Hopefully I can get some work done on it in the evenings.

Civil War Month 5 BOM

Finished the blocks for month five of the Civil War quilt.  Whew.....I keep telling myself this will be worth it.  My machine messed up on the stitch width and I didn't realize it until the block was finished.  So one block is a bit smaller than the others.  I'll make it work when I put them together.  I am not a perfectionist, and I love to "make things work"....

Cathedral Progress

I spent several hours today putting some more white squares on my cathedral windows quilt.  I have a couple of trips coming up and wanted to take it with me to get some hand work accomplished while on travel and vacation.  Amazing how many hours it takes just to get the white squares on, and that part is done on the machine!

The kids are coming home tonight.  I can't wait to see them!  Katie's parents are also in town visiting her grandma.  Elijah is one of four "preacher boys" preaching tomorrow.  Monday is Elijah's 25th birthday.  He always likes my sweet tea, so I have a pitcher full in the frige and I made a Texas Hot Cocoa cake for him for his birthday.  That was a favorite of his when he was little. I listened to a message today from Ann Graham Lotts, and she talked about how Jesus said that he goes to prepare a place for us.  He knows us as his own and loves us dearly.  She related it to when her kids come home she always has something prepared that she knows they like -- I've prepared sweet tea and chocolate cake. Jesus is preparing a place with many mansions.....

Another Star quilt

Another quilt for a baby girl.  I loved these fabrics, so this time I added some brown to match the nursery for this baby.