May Day Give Away

New books!!!  I love looking at quilting books AND I have the books to prove it.  I'm glad to know there are other quilters with the same addictions.   lol  It's really hard to take pictures of shiny covers of "new quilting books".  I apologize for the poor photos. 

Scrap Basket Surprises by Kim Brackett has patterns for 18 quilts from 2 1/2" inch strips.  Lots of really neat patterns.  I wish I had time to take some poor pictures of the inside of the books for you.  Crazy reason:  I ordered the book because Kim is from Gulf Breeze FL and is a member of the Pensacola Quilters Guild.  DD2 lives in Pensacola FL.  Now is that not a reason to order a great book.

I have always liked 2 1/2 " inch strips.  I think that's why I was and am an Eleanor Burns fan.  When they first came out with Jelly Rolls, I just couldn't understand why anyone would buy them.  Now I've discovered why someone would buy them AND have too many of them.  The same with layer cakes and charm squares.  I have figured out how to feed my fabric addictions without taking up as much space in my small bedroom/sewing room.  By buying a jelly roll, layer cake or pack of charms, I can have the whole line of fabric and not have to decide which 2-3 yards to buy of the ones I like.  The storage is much easier too.  SO now I need more new books to help me figure out how to use the pre-cuts.  I am such a mess.  lol   I bought A Baker's Dozen because it has 13 quilts from jelly rolls, layer cakes and more.  Love all the patterns and uses of precuts.     There are also 13 designers.  This book is from the staff at That Patchwork Place.

I also ordered Gathered from the Garden by Cindy Lammon.  I liked the mix of patchwork and applique in this book.  I like quilts with both techniques mixed.  I love appliqued borders framing quilts.  It shows alot of different variations of quilts with the different blocks of the main quilt on the cover. 

GIVE AWAY:  I wanted to do a give away in honor of May Day.  Time has really flown by and Saturday is May 1st already.  I am giving away a copy of A Baker's Dozen for a May Day basket.  When we were children we took treats to school in little baskets made of cupcake  papers and pipe cleaners for our friends.   I went to a one room country school with all 8 grades in one room with one teacher.  Actually for May Day you were suppose to make treat baskets and put them on your friend's front stoop, ring the door bell and run, so they wouldn't know who left the surprise. 

Just leave a comment and I will choose someone to send A Baker's Dozen to.  I will choose on Monday, May 3rd, so it will give more people time to comment.

I want to thank all of my followers and commenters for this last month.  I've enjoyed blogging and making new friends online.  It has also been something to look forward to while we are busy with the calving season.  In about 2 weeks we will be about 90% done and the push will let up.  Then it will be time to "garden".  Yeah! 

The weather report is for rain all week-end, so I'm not sure when I'll be posting again.  The baby calf who was so cold the other morning is doing great.  I helped him figure out how to get milk from his mom yesterday morning.  He took to it like a natural after a half hour of Nursing 101. I'm still working with another baby, who hasn't figured it out yet. 

Tell your friends about the give away!  Talk to you later.  Hugs to all.............

The sun is nature's Prozac. ~Astrid Alauda

We got 1.8 inches of rain yesterday.  It was cold in the morning too.  I saw a few snowflakes even.  When I did early pasture check, one poor little boy was born in the night and was dangerously cold.  We loaded him up and took him to the shop.  I turned the furnace up to 75 and filled his tummy with warm milk.  (We use a special bottle for the warm milk part.  The hose goes right down to his stomach. )  Of course, I was praying for him too.  We left him in the shop all day and all last night.  This morning he was up and going.  We moved him to the barn with his mom.

We spent yesterday getting everyone comfortable in the wet and cold.  DH scattered straw for bedding.  We checked more often for new babies and moved them to pens in the barn as soon as we could.  We were both very tired last night.

The sun shone bright today and all was right with the world.   Today we played catch up with chores.  Then emptied the barns by tagging and medicating calves.  

Did you ever give a cat a bath?

Peanut loves to be outside.  Yesterday she cried by the patio door until I let her out.  This is how she came back.   She didn't enjoy her bath--poor baby.

When I can't sew, it's just like I'm obsessed with quilting.  I did a bad thing.......................I ordered a couple quilting books.  I have plenty of quilting books!!  I just can't resist new quilting books.  I'll show you later what I got.  AND I'm giving one away for May Day, so check back later.  Hugs to all.................

Got Milk?

This little guy looked so funny this morning when I interrupted his breakfast for a milk mustache picture.   There has been no sewing the last few days.  It rained!  Now I know we need rain for the crops and grass to grow, but for calving it's a pain.  It makes alot of extra work making sure everyone is dry and warm.  We also need to give out pills and shots to those who are looking under the weather due to being damp and cold.

This is how the road looks to the calving lot.  Thank goodness for 4-wheel drive!  The babies are wet and cold this morning, but the sun is suppose to shine later today.  My job is to check on everyone, while DH feeds.  The barn is full again with pairs with problems--more barn chores.  We also had another c-section yesterday morning early.  Every one is doing fine, but I didn't get to sew.  :(

Today was a sunnier day.

These little guys enjoyed the sunshine.

Rocco enjoyed the sunshine, but he also got really muddy. So he enjoyed a nice bath today too.

It is pouring rain again tonight as I post.  I'm off to bed for another day of fun and games in the mud. 

I re-read this and I think I sound crabby.  I am so thankful for all the nice weather we have had so far this month.  I am very thankful for the rain---just maybe not the mud.   Hugs to all.................

A Night on Bourbon Street

This is a picture of the  frozen chocolate souffle that was served by the high school's hospitality and tourism class last night.  (sorry, kind of a fuzzy photo, but delish). They had a "ladies night out" on Bourbon Street for their class project.  The class of 10 prepared a wonderful 6 course meal and provided musical entertainment.  I didn't make it to quilting group on Wednesday evening due to some cattle getting out and a fence fixing project.

 My good friend, Peg called and had an extra supper ticket, so I whined to DH.  It was so nice to get dressed up and spend an evening visiting with other females.  I really needed that!  Everything went fine at home without me.

I finished up block 4 of "Under the Sea".  This block shows Wilma and her baby Wayney.  I've had fun with these, because I've never colored with pencils and then stitched the design.  I like the way it looks.  These are such cute designs from Cheryl Goss.

I haven't had time to study my design wall since I put the pinwheel blocks up.  It is raining here today and we have been trying to make sure any newborns are warm and dry.  Hopefully, I'll have time to sew again this week-end.  Always hoping. :)  Hugs to all..........

Pink or No Pink

I did get one pinwheel block completed yesterday afternoon.  I decided I needed to put up the rest of them and see what scraps I should use in the last 3 blocks.  Actually they are bigger than scraps, but not big enough to use as a main fabric.  You will see my awesome design wall-not.  It is a $1.00 flannel back tablecloth.  It has been up too long and they don't stick very well.  I have been pinning alittle.  The design wall is stuck behind the door.  This is a small bedroom.  I would be mortified for you to see the mess I have in there at the moment.  Don't come and visit me for awhile! 

Anyway on to the question:  Pink or no pink?

I must have made this pink block, before I decided to use just purple and green.  Do I make one or two of the remaining 3 blocks with pink OR should I make 4 blocks and use the pink block for something else?   Let me know what you think.  I'm not concerned about my 2nd batch of blocks made with the layer cake.  One thing about using the layer cake, it will all match!

 Poor thing is about to fall off.  It is feeling alittle strange stuck in the corner like a sore thumb.  There is pink in some of the prints......   I'll have to try some moving around and then decide---after you give me some advice.

The wheat is planted and now we are working on oats.  I baked buns for sandwiches and 4 dozen chocolate chip cookies.  DH couldn't believe how the grain cleaners snarfed down the cookies.  They must not get homemade ones very often.  This morning when DH stopped in for coffee he was wishing he hadn't taken them all out to them. lol  I think that was a hint for me to bake some more.  Is there anything better than homemade bread?   It is my weakness.  I never eat bread, but I can't resist a warm bun.

I'm saying a little prayer that things go well today.  My quilting group gets together tonight.  It is a 30 miles drive in to town.  I hope I can sneak away and go have some fun.  Hugs to you.........

The Lone Ranger Rides Again

Doesn't this little guy look like a friend of the Lone Ranger, the masked man?  (The Lone Ranger was a TV western show popular when I was a child. ) My DH has a weakness for cattle with some white on their faces.  Years ago we had Hereford cattle, but changed with the trend to Angus beef.  The Hereford cross still shows up in some of our older cattle.  DH keeps a few heifers every year that have interesting faces.   

 

 This next sleepy baby just has a little white on his head. 

You can tell who this girl's mom is.  They have look alike faces, but the heifer is brown like her Hereford ancestors.

We had a busy farming day today.  They planted wheat in one field.  The grain cleaners came after dinner and cleaned our oats seed for planting.  I want to work on my pinwheels--maybe tomorrow. 

Hugs to you all...........

Beauty on the Prairie

It was such a beautiful day yesterday.  I didn't take a nap.  I didn't sew.  I decided what I needed to refresh myself was a walk.  Rocco and I headed west of our house on the prairie road.   It was a bright sun--blue sky afternoon.   It is so nice to see the grass finally starting to grow.  When I walk on the prairie I often think of the settlers who walked their way here with all their possessions in their wagons.  Rocco loves to run ahead smelling all the trails of the wild residents who live here too.  He flushes out pheasants and rabbits.

Sometimes he waits for me to catch up with him.

One of the first signs of spring on the prairie in South Dakota is the state flower--the pasque.  We also call them May flowers.  They grow wild all over the state, especially in the tall grass prairie areas.

Aren't they beautiful?  They are a lovely lilac color with bright yellow centers.  This area is loaded with them peeking out.  So nice to see their perky faces bring hope to the brown land.  When we were kids we loved to pick bouquets of them for my mom.  They don't make a good inside flower arrangement.  They are loaded with tiny little bugs!

This acreage is not fenced.  We don't pasture or farm it.  We let the grass grow and then in the late summer it is mowed and baled for hay.  We feed this hay to our cows through the winter. So much natural prairie is being broken up for farming in our area.   It is sad to see some of the wonderful native grasses being destroyed.  

The trees are finally starting to bud too.  It has been unseasonably warm this week.  I definitely have Spring Fever.  I'm so glad I decided to walk instead of nap.  I shared some prayer time with my Best Friend and appreciated all my blessings.  Have a great day!  Hugs to all...........................

Should I sew or take a nap?

  That is the question. I want to sew, but I am very tired. I'm thinking a nap might win out.

These guys look pretty comfy.  So maybe I could curl up with them.

Oh, Peanut looks like she is having sweet dreams--looks like she is smiling in her dreams.  Maybe she finally caught the birds she has been stalking this week.  There looks like there is plenty of room to lay down by her.   Hmmmmmmmmm ......................

2 down-2 to go

Two down and 2 to go--pinwheel blocks I mean.  I got the 2 Blush blocks done today and the purple and green ones cut out.  This was a fun and easy block.  There is only one more week of this quilt along.  It has been a lot of fun and I am looking forward to putting these blocks together.  I'm wondering how Rachel is going to put them together.

With the warmer temperatures the last 3 days, my green thumb is starting to itch.  I finished cleaning off the garden spot today.  There is still snow on one end of it that needs to melt. 

I did find a couple of surprises.

I love those little pansy faced purples that come up volunteer.  I'm not sure what the white ones are.  I didn't plant anything like them in that area last year.   I won't be planting for another month, but I'm looking forward to it.

It will soon be dry enough for the field work to begin.  We grow oats and corn to feed to our cattle.  We also plant wheat and sunflowers for cash crops.  The next few weeks will be even busier with farming added to the mix.  Hugs to all.................

God Wink

Last night we had put a heifer in the barn at 12:00 am  that was showing signs of calving.  It was lightly raining too.  After a 3 hour nap, we assisted her with a difficult birth about 3:30 am.  We were back in bed at 4:00 am.  I'm setting the stage for a somewhat tired and crabby DH.

I took the early morning check.  So while DH filled the feed wagon, I had time to check our e-mail, my facebook and downloaded the new Fruits of the Spirit BOM from JJ's Gifts and Crafts.  I really like this verse in Galations 5: 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.  I love doing these little stitcheries in the evening.  It's very relaxing to stitch and reflect on my progress at letting  the Holy Spirit work in me, so I can have these fruits.  I was pleased to see that "Joy" was the new block for April.  Thank you to JJ's for the freebies.   Love your site!!!  I made a note to self........share this site on my blog.

The rest of the morning did not go as well.  The crazy wind yesterday had blown down part of a wind break.  It didn't break the wind --the wind broke the boards.   This caused a hole in the wooden fencing that divides areas that hold our heifers for next year and an area with pairs of cows and calves.  This made for extra sorting and fixing this morning.  That didn't go over too well with DH, because the jack had fallen off the feed wagon--so that needed  fixing too.  AND one of the gates caught on the feed wagon and the gate needed fixing too.   It was a fixing morning.  I try to be the positive one in the family.  I do lots of praying at times like these.  We did alot of extra catch up work with tagging and sorting too.  The God wink came later in the day.  I love to read.  I am afraid there will be more books than I can read, so I listen to audio books while I do other things--sewing, check cattle, cleaning, driving to town, etc.   I am "reading" Nicholas Sparks book The Last Song.  As I drove back from 8:00 pm check the father character in the book shares a bible verse with his daughter.  The verses were Galatians 5:22 & 23.  "God wink"  Just a reminder to me that the Spirit was working overtime today, so I could use my fruits working with DH. 

I'm not sure this will make any sense to you, but it did to me.  Mainly, it encouraged me and reminded me--God is in everything in my life--the internet, what I read, how I work---"everything".  Something I need to remember all the time.  Side note:  I rent audio books from Free Books. 

Here was another little smile from God in my day today:

I'm praying for a less fix-it day tomorrow.  Hugs to all ...............

Crazy Wind

The weather was crazy today.  It was 80 degrees and the wind blew 60 miles an hour.  Our little garden shed that took 2 days and much marital discord to construct blew over.  It landed on the lawnmower that was parked behind it.

So it now has a hole ripped in the backside and is no longer water tight.  The roof is all crunched on the edge.  At least it didn't go tumbling any further than it did.  The shed was the only thing damaged and did not hurt anything else.  The dirt flew and the shingles flapped on our roof all day long.

The best part of the crappy weather---I got to sew.  It was too ugly out to tag and sort calves.   I did alot of BOM block prepping.  I even had time to sew Block #4 of the Jelly Roll Sampler quilt along.  

Hopefully the weather will be better tomorrow.    Hugs to all..........................

A Fast Week-end

It was a fast week-end, but beautiful weather to have a calf.   My SIL Sharon and her husband, Dennis came for the week-end.  Dennis put up some more lighting in the calving barn for our night emergencies.  It was nice to have extra help.  We enjoyed visiting and working together. 

Looks like the baby sitter is taking them on a field trip.

This is Harry waiting at the gate for breakfast.  He is the most vocal of "the boys"--growling because we were late due to an emergency.

I probably won't be sewing today.  There is lots of tagging and moving to do.   I hope to catch up on reading a few of the blogs.  I printed out the new pinwheel block last night--maybe there will be time to cut them out later.  Have a great day.  Hugs to you..........

Rocco and his family

Who could resist this little guy in a pet shop?  All ears and sad eyes.  Not DD #1.  This is our grand dog, Rocco, when he was just a little guy.   He is an "applehead" chihauhau.   He is 2 1/2 years old now and lives with us while DD goes to nursing school and works fulll-time.  I've never been too keen on dogs in the house, but I was soon won over.  Miss Puss isn't real thrilled with him, but is learning to tolerate his presence.  

Rocco is a sweet natured dog and loves to cuddle.  He really needed to live with someone who could just hold him all the time.  After a year of living with us, he has converted to a ranch dog.  He loves to ride in the pick-up, explore all the smells available and roll in stuff I'd rather he didn't.  

Last fall one of the barn cats had a batch of kittens.  Unfortunately, this mom was a victim of a semi-truck hauling our corn.  Rocco sniffed out the orphans and we moved them to the house.  He and I took over the raising of 5 tiny kittens.

Rocco didn't think they should be out walking around yet.  He was very protective of them.

We found good indoor homes for 4 of them when they were 8 weeks old.    It was crazy with 5 kittens in the house.    Rocco loved every minute of it.  We kept the smallest one and his favorite.  Her name is Peanut.

It is so funny to watch them play together.  One minute you will see a dog chasing a cat and the next pass through will be the cat chasing the dog.   Pets sure bring alot of love and laughter to our lives.  I don't know what I would have done without Rocco's help raising these five babies.

I made it to the shower meeting this morning.  I stopped at the Quilter's Corner for some fusible batting.  I want to make a purse.  I've made tote bags before, but never a real purse.  I resisted the temptation to buy anything else---it was tough.   I'm off to do some tagging and moving of calves.  Hugs to you.............

more pinwheels

I slipped in some sewing time today and finished my pinwheels for week 6.

Now I'm all ready for the next block pattern when Rachel posts it.  She has some lovely quick and easy table runner patterns on her blog today.   If you haven't visited, her blog before, you might want to check it out.

It is a beautiful Spring day in South Dakota.  My main duty in the morning is opening gates and checking on everyone's health.  I watch for new babies, sick babies and new mom's in labor.  DH drives the tractor and feeder wagon and provides the meal for the day.  We also have barn chores, which is kind of like the hospital area.  Today we moved everyone out of the barn into the sunshine.  The pairs were as glad as we were.  The barn is empty again.  I wrote this earlier today.  We just pulled a backwards calf late tonight, so the barn has residents again. 

My little partner, Rocco rides along and supervises.

He's always ready to go for a "ride". 

I found a new to me blog today.  Cyndi at Bee Tree Designs has a fun blog.  She has some free redwork patterns available.   I am always looking for those.  She is also starting a mini mystery project.  I  had a good time exploring her blog and will return again.

I hope things go well in the morning.  I'm suppose to meet with my SILs around 11 a.m. to plan a wedding shower.     Our nephew, who shares a birthday with DH is getting married the end of May. 

 Hugs to you.......

Just Imagine

Easter was a busy day--family, food and calving.  You will have to imagine the strawberry pie I was going to take a picture of.   This is a Spring favorite and disappears quickly.   A few years ago I came up with this recipe by combining some things we liked into a pie.  I usually make it for Easter.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie

Crust:  3/4 cup flour                     1/2 cup quick cooking oatmeal

1/2 cup chopped pecans               2 tablespoons sugar

dash of salt                                    1/2 cup melted butter

Mix dry ingredients and nuts together.  Pour the melted butter over them and mix.  Pat into a 9" pie plate.  Bake in the oven at 400 F for 15 minutes-until brown.  Cool.

Filling:  Beat 8 ounces of soft cream cheese, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1/4 cup powdered sugar until smooth and creamy.  Spread in the cooled pie crust.

Topping:   Slice a quart of washed and cleaned strawberries into a sauce pan.  Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and a scant 1/2 cup of sugar--depends on how sweet the berries are and how sweet you want them. 

Stir and mash strawberries slightly.  Let this sit for a little bit to get juicy.  You can do this before you make the filling and then when the filling is done you will have juice in your pan.  Then add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch.  Stir over medium heat until it starts to boil.  Boil 2 minutes to thicken.  Cool.  Pour over filling and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving with whipped topping and strawberry garnish. 

It really is so good and I wish you could see it.  A picture would have made a better blog post.  I made 2 and they both disappeared quickly. 

I did make it to my baby sister's to see the new baby and hold her.  So sweet and small.  I also visited with my uncles, who are 96 and 98.  

We enjoyed having DD #1 home for a day and 2 nights.  She is a big help outside and always fun to spend time with.  She had alot of laundry and homework to do too.   We moved all the cows to the calving pasture now, so things will be alittle easier.  Then we moved the bulls to their spring lot in the opposite direction.  "The boys" were glad to get out of the wintering pen.  They have been pretty crabby lately and fighting with each other. 

Yesterday was a busy day with 12 new calves.  DH and I spent the day tagging, vaccinating and moving them to the pairs pasture.  It rained in the morning.  This morning the sun is shining and another busy day coming. 

No sewing here.  My purple and green squares are waiting to be made into pinwheels.  I have printed off some of the new monthly free projects.  I have a feeling I may get behind this month.  Have a great day   Hugs for you..................