Boo To You Progress, Mama's Birthday and Pumpkin Bread

Happy Monday, Friends!

We had a beautiful Saturday with plenty of sunshine and cool temperatures. We took my mama to lunch at a local restaurant that we only enjoy during special occasions. 

Then we went to get her birthday gift. She loves to sit on her back deck and enjoy the views so we got her a new rocking chair. The furniture store carries the rocker in different finishes to we had her choose her favorite.
                                            
We spent quite a bit of time with her on Saturday so I started on the Boo To You quilt a bit later than I expected.  I only got Week 1 assignmnet completed.
                                
Sunday was rainy and cold so hubby made a nice chuck roast with carrots, potatoes and onions. He requested pumpkin bread with cream cheese frosting for dessert.  So I obliged.
                                            
My recipe is for two loaves of bread. We froze one and I frosted the other.  It was delicious!
                                          
Halloween was quiet here on the ridge. We never get trick or treaters up here. Our Main Street was closed so the merhants could hand out candy. We didn't go but I would love to one day. I imagine the kids are adorable.

I hope you have a great week ahead and I'll see you soon!

A Bit of Fall Decor and Baking

Hello, dear friends.

Our daughter, her boyfriend and their fur baby were visiting last week. We  enjoyed walks around the lake, a couple of trail hikes, lots of eating and relaxing. The week passed way too quickly and we were sad to see them go. But, we will see them in Florida next month and then they will be here for Christmas.

While I didn't get around to stitching or sewing, I did put out a few Fall decorations.

The Hoosier Cabinet
                                            

                                            

Mini Sunflower Stamp and Crows and Sunflowers Stamp
by Melisa at Pinker n Punkin' Quilting and Stitching

Harvest Jar from Hands on Design and Priscilla Blain

Tiered Tray Tidbit Gobble from
Stitching with the Housewives

The kitchen sideboard

Hello Autumn by Primrose Cottage Stiches

The dry sink

Give Thanks by The Proper Stitcher

The family room

                                 
                                 
                      Olga's Autumn Stocking by Plum Street Samplers
                                
                        Autumn on the Square by Scissor Tail Designs

The kids always request their favorite desserts when they are home, and I am happy to oblige.

First was my husband's Aunt Sarah's chocolate cake.
                                          
Next was Miss Lou's pound cake with caramel frosting.
                                             
                                            
Last, but not least, a cinnamon roll banana bread.
                                           

Everyone is back to normal routines this week and exercising a bit harder.

I hope you all have a great week and I'll see you soon.

Floss Friday - Cross Stitch Update, Turkeys, Basil, Peaches and A Fail

Hello, dear friends!

Here we are at the end of another week. This one was quick. I didn't cross stitch at all this week...which is unusual. The little bit of stitching I have to share is from last Thursday.  After we arrived in Ft. Walton Beach for my aunt's funeral, I needed to relax. I put 130 stitches in Wilding Hill Manor after checking in the hotel.

I finished one of the trees and started on the cat's tail.
                                            
We've had visitors almost every day.
                                              
The turkeys enjoy eating underneath the bird feeders.
                                                

                                                
I've encountered the swans a few times while on my walk around the lake as well. It is rare for me to see them out of the water. They stay to themselves.
                                                
I also had to harvest the basil as it was getting so big, even though we've been using it a few times a week.  I froze two ice trays worth.
                                              

                                              

                                                        
And still have this much left. There is already new growth forming.
                                                        
We are still able to get fresh South Carolina peaches so hubby made ice cream. I need to get a photo. And there is still enough for me to make a cobbler. 

We will be away again this weekend so I hope to get more peaches next week to freeze.

Some of you may remember Miss Lou's Pound Cake. Well, I attempted one this week and was shocked when it failed.
                                            
I've made this cake many times and this was the first time it came out like this. I know it was level in the oven. Hubby is going to check the calibration of the oven to see if the temperature is off. The only other thing I did different was I used a different brand flour. By the way, it still tastes delicious.

That has been my week. We are off to Philadelphia for a few days. It's been a few years since we've been and I want to see all those special places like Independence Hall, Liberty Bell, etc. during our country's 250th birthday. And since it's baseball season, we can't go to Philly without attending at least one game.

Before that though, I will be sewing the last block of the Sewcialites 3 quilt-along. From what I can tell, it is going to be another time consuming one.

Not sure when my next quilty update will post. It could be Saturday or next Wednesday. Either way, I hope to see you then.

Sewcialites 3 Blocks

A friend inquired about Sewcialites 3, block 16. She was concerned that I had skipped a block. While investigating further, I realized that my June 8^th update did not post as scheduled. And since I was on vacation, I wasn’t tracking it.  So today I am sharing block numbers 16 and 19.

Block #16 is Florabelle Block by Heather Briggs of My Sew Quilty Life.

I didn’t have pre-printed foundation paper to create the square-in-a-square segments, so I went online and found a free template offered by Meadow Mist Designs.  I pulled out a pack of Carol Doak’s Foundation Paper and printed off just what I needed.

Block #19 is Pinwheel Dash Block by Bev McCullough of Flamingo Toes.

I have the stripes going in the same direction…but some of them are waving!

We ran our errands and got all our food shopping done over the weekend. Mom came over for dinner Friday and Sunday nights. I did the cooking on Sunday and made stuffed yellow bell peppers and a dessert we only have during the summer...blackberry and blueberry cobbler.

Hubby made his usual homemade whipped cream to accompany vanilla bean ice cream on top of the cobbler. 

I will see you on Friday, July 3^rd when I'll be back with a cross-stitch update.

See you soon,

Floss Friday -- February Stats and Cross Stitch Progress

It dawned on me that I never posted my cross stitch counts for February. I more than doubled January’s stitch count with 5,180 stitches last month.

Valentine Alphabet was a start, finish and fully finish…

Parade Sam was a start and finish…

And I made progress on Salute to Abigail…

Progress as of Thursday, March 12th

Salute to Abigail was the only cross stitch project I worked on this past week.

Today is the day I am driving to Alabama to attend GaRon Stitchery’s Market Saturday. I baked Gary’s favorite cookies last night. His birthday was earlier this month, but we are celebrating this weekend.

I’ll be home Sunday afternoon and will keep my promise to make my hubby dinner. Part of it is already made and thawing in the refrigerator as of this morning.

The plan is to share my market haul in Monday’s post so stay tuned.

Enjoy your weekend and I’ll see you soon.

 

Sewcialites 3 – Block 3 and I Cooked!

Happy Monday, Friends!

Fat Quarter Shop released block number 3 in this year’s Sewcialites quilt along.

Cabin Life Block is designed by Robin Pickens.

Again, I am making the 6” blocks using Lyda Rose by Bunny Hill Designs for Moda.  And much to my surprise, the block actually measures 6-1/2” unfinished. Go figure!

I’ve mentioned in the past how my husband took early retirement in 2017. Since then, he has been the chief cook. He enjoys it and is much more adventurous than I. I am the baker and he enjoys that as well 😊

I told him the other day that I would commit to cooking at least one evening a weekend to give him a break. Sunday evening’s offering was grilled Cuban pork tenderloin with black beans and rice.

I also made a lemon butter cake for dessert.

I didn’t get to everything I had hoped to over the weekend, but it was still productive and enjoyable.

See you soon,

 

A Weekend Recap

Hello, Friends.

How was your weekend?

We had a very uneventful one…and I’m not complaining. I took Mom to Asheville for an appointment on Friday and we stopped by our favorite antique store on the way home. I found a vintage dry sink in very good condition and at a very good price. It came home with me.

I look forward to decorating it seasonally. And the cabinets will provide some badly needed storage.

It rained most of the day on Saturday, so it was a good day to stay inside and do some decorating. I’ve decided that I am going to celebrate the USA’s semiquincentennial by decorating with patriotic décor all year long.

I started with a pencil tree that holds my White House ornaments as well as some odds and ends from Hobby Lobby. This tree will change throughout the year as I add some stitched pieces, and I’ll likely replace the existing ribbon.

Then I started on the tiered floor stand…

And moved on to the Hoosier cabinet…

This is just the bottom shelf of the Hoosier and it has already changed since I took the photo above. I'll show you more soon.

I also did some baking on Saturday and made some orange ricotta cookies. They turned out great. A ‘cake like’ cookie with an orange glaze…yum.

Here is where I found the recipe if you are interested.

Sunday was cross stitching day with my friends on zoom. I had a start and finish which I’ll show you on Friday.

Thanks for stopping by for today’s post. I hope you have a wonderful week.

See you soon,