Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Another row done ...

Hate to only write these few words but just finished another row on this runner rug. Putting the picture below and to the right. Eight rows to go!!! I'm getting excited. I think by this fall I will have this thing whipped out! Wouldn't it be great to have it down for the holidays!?

W. & I took a "day off" ... until we got home. Actually I read in the local paper online that we would be without power for 4 hours, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., so we got up, ready and were out of here a few minutes after they threw that big switch. Delivered Deb's rug along the way (see yesterday's post). Went to the Vincennes area and got a melon at one place and some peaches at another. Took a nice drive in the country along the Wabash River. On into Vincennes for lunch at the Old Time Cafe (I think ...). Had a great fried chicken salad! I know everyone goes to Peafections, in the same block, but we had read about this little cafe and it was worth the visit. Besides I've been to Peafections lots of times.

Home about 3 and Wendell says he "needs" to go out to the garage to do a little work ... (BIG SIGH). I just can't get him away from his little jobs for a whole day! So why am I griping ??? I just hooked on this rug! LOL! But it's not work to me ... obviously that's how he feels about his tractor!

Wish me luck tomorrow; going back to that *%$@*#$&* ENT and hope to be able to hear again very soon. Like about 3:30 tomorrow afternoon! This is awful! Please say a little prayer for me; this is starting to get serious.

Left-overs for dinner tonight. I like left-overs ... Have a good evening.

Monday, July 25, 2011

Ta da ...


Finished binding this rug today for my good friend, Debbie D. Wanted to show you what it looks like now that it's finished.

Deb says this is called "Sheep & Flower Cart" and the design is by Judy Cripps of Rustic Rugs.

Great job Deb!!!



Also hooked a little on my own and am almost done with another row of that runner rug! In the a.m. I trimmed the lapel pins down to size and hope to complete them sometime this week so I can get them in the mail. So it's been a "hookin'" day for sure! Wendell went to Indy to the Co-op retirees luncheon at Jonathan Byrd's. He had a good time and this evening is at a special Lodge meeting in Newberry. He is a busy, busy guy! Guess that's what keeps him young ...

Good news tonight from Mom ... she went to the dr. today and has the all-clear to put full weight on her leg. The PT people at River Terrace predict that she will be back in her apartment within a week! Let's hope so; she is ready to leave the nursing unit for sure! She's ready to sleep in her own bed. She will celebrate her 93rd birthday on August 13. Please remember Mom in your prayers, that her recovery continues. Thanks!

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Hot, hot, hot (and busy) ...

This weather is a killer! Luckily I do not have to spend any time out in this heat. I feel so sorry for people who do! I have been saying a prayer every day at lunch for construction workers, farmers, highway workers and/or any one who has to work out in this terrible heat. I am so blessed to live in a comfortable, cool little house!

Anyway ... I'm sure you have heard all of this sort of comments sometime this past week so on to what I've been up to ...

Last Saturday I was fortunate enough to work at the judging of the Owen County Open Class Fair in Spencer. The only way I got this plum position was because one of the three women who have done this "job" for years (30+ years in one case) has a husband who is very ill. So there I was, working in the foods division (cakes, pie, cookies, muffins, candy, breads) for some of the check-in and all of the judging. What a wonderful experience!! The judge was a woman from Clay County and is a retired extension educator. She is also a farm wife and while we were waiting for some last-minute preparations to be completed for her task, I was the one assigned to schmooze her (distract her from the fact that we weren't ready yet). Learned that she did more that morning as a farm wife than I did all of last week! Wow!

Anyway, on to the judging ... she actually tasted everything, just little tiny bites, but nevertheless, by the end of the afternoon she was on a sugar high! (LOL!) But I learned lots from her comments. And I learned a lot about how to enter a project in this category. For one thing, don't worry about the rules. The absolute grand champion winner was a pie. Now the rules say it was supposed to be one-quarter of a pie, cut, and on a paper plate. The winner thought that since her pie was so beautiful (and it was) that she would just bring the whole thing and let "us" decide how to cut it. The top had a lattice crust on one half and decorated with pieces of dough cut & painted like fruit and leaves on the other half. It was beautiful. But "we" also thought it was too beautiful to cut (and how to cut it so it would show the best way???) that "we" presented it to the judge as a whole. Wonder of wonders, it won everything. But I guess it did taste good ... the judge had it cut and tasted it and judged it to be superior. But bottom line; do it up big and let the chips (or pie crust) fall where they may!

Now let me get to the best part ... after everything was judged and she went back to Clay County to mow more hay, feed the cattle & fix the electric fence, the food was divided and put into clear plastic boxes (sort of like take home boxes but clear?). As an example, you had to bring six cookies, six pieces of candy, etc. for judging. Well, three were put in the small boxes and the rest were put on big plates and these left-overs were divided by lots of happy, hungry judges assistants from all over the building!!! I brought home a little of each category myself. To me the best thing there was a wonderful white cake, but it only won reserve grand champion. I wonder, how do you choose between the champion cookie, pie, bread, quick bread, cake, candy? to choose a GRAND champion? I wouldn't want her job!

This week I have canned 13 jars of lime pickles (hope that's not an unlucky number). Gave one away already to Jeff. I also did some pickled okra. You have to let that okra sit for about two weeks before you open a jar and try it so I don't know how it tastes yet. The okra is coming slowly ... it is hard to gather enough and keep it fresh enough to can one jar at a time, but that is what I've been doing! It's easy to do but wish I could do, like, four jars at once?! As it is I have a 30' row of okra -- how many okra plants would you need to produce enough okra in one day to do four jars????!!!! Also prodded 12 new lapel pins this week. Promised some at the fiber fair so I have to finish them and mail them off. I made enough pins to have a few left over to sell at Elnora (maybe). I am back to work on the runner rug, too, getting one "square" hooked Friday. And in the middle of binding a cute little rug for Deb D. I'll post a picture of it here if she will give permission. I want to get that scrappy squares rug steamed and bound, too, so it will really be done. I HATE unfinished projects ... they give me a nagging guilty feeling, like there's something I'm forgetting.

Well, today I'm home from church because I couldn't hear the sermon even if I went. Went to the ENT Wednesday and the drops he prescribed (in a lotion form) have stopped up my ears! And OMG, they cost $138 !!!!!! I go back again this week for them to clear my ears of this MESS and maybe then I'll be able to hear again. But I "think" the infection is going away; my fear was that my HEARING would go away if they didn't get this problem solved soon! This stoppage though makes me feel off kilter (not to mention having to say "huh?" about once a minute).

Have a blessed week ...

Friday, July 15, 2011

Done (sort of ...)

Well, it is HOOKED but of course not bound ... so I won't be entering it in the fair tomorrow after all. But here is what it looks like. If you squint your eyes it will look steamed, trimmed, turned under, and bound. What do you think? LOL!!!

Too much "life" got in the way this week for me to get this rug bound. It seems like I am always saying 'what an unbelievably busy week I've had'. I just told a friend in an email last night that this just has to stop and I even named some activities I think I can drop out of without causing any inconvenience for anyone else. So now all I have to do is follow through with my promises to myself.

As Wendell and I were leaving for Bloomington this a.m., with a LONG list of errands to do there and along the way, he said that we are just way too busy. What an understatement. I think we need to take another 'vacation'. Our kids think that retirement is just one long vacation but they will find out someday .....

I got my hair cut short again today and it's back to the spiky look, so that will be cooler in these upcoming mid-90 degree days. I think she actually cut it shorter than the first time! Wow! It should look good and weird tomorrow morning ... seems like when I sleep I look like I have a Mohawk when I get up! Takes lots of product to make it look "right" (whatever that is) and I am notoriously bad at the girly girl stuff.

Spent Monday and Tuesday going to see Mom in Bluffton. She is progressing well and everyone there thinks she should be back in her apartment within the next few weeks. I know she will be glad to get out of the nursing care unit and back to the peace and quiet of her own place. She has had lots of company, family and friends, and this has helped because Mom is a very social person. One of my former high school classmates has even visited her and I know Mom has enjoyed that. (Thanks, Judy!) Yes, in our small class of 16 there were TWO Judy's!

Tomorrow I go to work at the Owen County Fair assisting the judges of the foods categories. (I understand there may be sampling going on later in the day!!!!) This will be a new experience and I look forward to it. The home extension club I belong to met this week and the fair was one of our main topics of discussion. Big event for us right now!

I think next week will be a big week in the garden. I'm thinking I will do a big batch of lime pickles and also try some pickled okra. My green beans are looking good and so is the sweet corn. I hope to have enough of both to eat some and freeze some for the winter. The tomatoes are just starting to ripen and I need to cut the basil before it gets any bigger and make some pesto. (Sigh ...) Those Roma tomatoes and the basil go great on a homemade pizza with some mozzarella cheese ... YUM! Yes, it just gets better and better!

Friday, July 8, 2011

Clarification !!!!


FYI !!! The rug I hope to take to the fair is the scrappy squares rug, pictured at left ... I WISH the runner rug would be done but NO WAY. Maybe next year? [Actually, that might be do-able.] But when I saw Melissa's comment I had to clear that one up ...


I'm working hard on the scrappy squares rug and here it is ... Considering I am looking at a very busy week I don't know if it will happen ... I can see the hooking getting done but not the binding.

Thanks everyone for the encouragement! Nodie! It was good to see you here!

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Holy Hookers last night ...

Here's a picnic basket project I just finished this past week. I found this old picnic basket at a yard sale for $2 and hooked a top for it. I'll probably end up selling it next year at the fiber fair but I hope to put it in the Holy Hookers rug show at the fire station this fall before then.

The HH met last night at the library in Worthington. Although it was a small group, we had a really good time. We just sat and hooked and got caught up on what is going on in our lives. Talking about our parents was one big part of the evening. For some of us it is a major part of our lives just now. It is always interesting to see what everyone is working on at the moment. I think at the next meeting I'll take along my camera (IF I can remember it ...) and take some project pictures to share here.

Margo was binding a pretty little round mat with a bird and nest/eggs. Teresa was working on the border of a crescent shaped mat that has real stain-glass-window colors & look to it. She is a meticulous hooker with great technique and color sense. Becky was down to the background on her current piece. She has been busy caring for her parents and was glad for an evening away. I worked on my scrappy squares rug and got a good suggestion on how to complete it in time for the fair -- take it with me to see Mom next week and work on it while she's in PT and in the evening after she goes to bed! Excellent suggestion and I will be doing that! Jane was there and I failed to take notice of what she was working on! She also has excellent technique and finishes to perfection. I am just proud to say I got her started hooking. I hope she puts one of her recent projects in the county fair!

Today is sort of busy ... baked a dessert for Wendell to take to a special Lodge meeting tonight and after the dryer buzzes and I finish with that, I must go over to the garage and can the last of the beets. Hard, hot work but they will taste good this winter.

I have put the runner rug aside but will be back to it ... I hope ... but for right now I'm focused on completing that scrappy squares rug in time for the fair check-in July 16. I don't know; that is less than two weeks. We'll see ...