A Finished Quilt

Last spring when rains after rains came our way, I tackled my tote containing greens and purples. Out of that tote emerged five quilts. (A few more potentially remain.) These quilts are intended for giving away. When my brother-in-law and his family experienced a house fire a couple months ago, I knew I wanted to get a quilt quilted for them. So I chose this one, a double four patch.

 

 

It sounds like their house is coming along nicely now, and inside work is being done. However, my sister-in-law just had open heart surgery the day after Christmas. I think she is doing as well as can be expected. The stress from the house fire and all that goes with that contributed to her need to have the surgery. This family has had almost more than their share, we would think. They are an inspiration to us as they hold on to the One who has seen them through hard times in the past, and they know He will continue to be faithful to them.



 

So this quilt is for them, if they still need it. I know they received much from local people. We long to go and help them, but my men are currently busy with a huge building project. When they catch up with that, perhaps we can make the trip to Pennsylvania!



Celtic Solstice

The past couple years I have been fascinated by the mystery quilts hosted by Bonnie Hunter. Because I am responsible for my home based business which involves baking, I didn't feel I had time to add yet another project at Christmas time. However, this year I convinced myself that I could participate in the mystery; I would simply sew at my own pace.

Friday Bonnie posted the fourth clue, and SHOCKER! ~ I am caught up!

 

 

The above picture shows the four patches I made for the fourth clue. I am using only two different fabrics for the green. I hope that will work out okay!

 

 

Above are each of the completed clues. I decided to go with Bonnie's color scheme, even though I was uncertain about the orange. But it is growing on me. 

 

And now I wait for clue # five. Well, not actually waiting ~ pies to make and deliver in the morning and family to prepare for coming on Christmas day.

 

Merry Christmas to all!

Star Tricks

 

A couple weeks before Thanksgiving I had a few spare hours and decided to start a quilt I had been collecting fabric for. But when I realized I had forgotten background fabric, I nixed that idea. Still wanting to sew, I paged through the book to find another pattern I have been wanting to do. I went through my stash and found suitable fabric. Impulsively (which is unlike me) I started to cut, even though I knew I had no black. When I checked with a local Amish store, their fabrics were all poly/cotton blends. I decided to hold out for a Joanne's visit. I sewed what I could, and then laid it aside in lieu of Thanksgiving orders to fill. And then Bonnie Hunter's mystery started, and the star again got pushed aside. However, yesterday I decided I would finish the star before I did clue #4.

 

 

 

And this is the result of that decision. I still want to add borders around this, and then add to that to make a full size/queen size quilt. But that will wait until after Christmas. I have family to host and orders to fill for the next few days.

 

I have also been on a candy making blitz. A local bank asked me to make six kinds of candy for a total of 27 dozen. When I delivered that, they promptly ordered 18 dozen more. I never wanted to do candy, but I have enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Nicole helped me make the ten dozen peanut butter balls, which I really appreciated.

One Construction Project

 

 

 

Last summer Andrew was given a grain bin by an area land owner. The men poured the concrete pad for it, and Ryan helped Andrew take down the bin. Right after Andrew moved the bin parts to the location, he broke his foot and the bin was put on hold. Add to that a very dry summer with reduced yields, and the bin really wasn't needed. This summer Andrew decided the bin he had taken down was too small, so he ordered a new one. He coerced Noah and Ryan into helping him erect it. They didn't get started until towards mid to late August, just in time for the warmest part of the summer.

 

Putting the tin on the roof was a meticulous job, but they fitted each piece in place. Andrew did manage to cut his hand, but Dr. Noah to the rescue and back to work they went.

 

Someone on the inside had to maneuver the pieces into place while the two outside arranged them in proper order. The skid loader held the middle in place. It looked a little dangerous, but it worked.

 

Closing the gap.

 

Several rings in place here. Dave and Jana came to visit, and Dave offered his assistance. Dave and Andrew worked outside while Noah and Ryan worked inside.

 

One team placed bolts, while the other team tightened them.

 

This photo is proof that men do read directions. :)  They were trying to figure out just how the door was supposed to be put in place.

 

It is getting taller! This picture shows the jacks used to support the bin as each ring was added.

 

In typical Carol fashion, I don't have a picture of the completely finished project, but it is done, and it is full of corn!

 

Yesterday the men of this household officially finished Harvest 2013. That means one thing... it is time for our annual celebratory going-out-to-eat-at-the-end-of-harvest supper.

Corn Harvest 2013

 

While Andrew was off taking engagement pictures with Nicole, harvest continued. Ryan waits for the signal to catch up with Noah for a hopper load of shelled corn.

 

Ryan testing the corn for moisture content.

 

The combine appears in the distance.

 

The auger out means the hopper is full. (And you can see it is indeed full.)

 

Ryan to the rescue.

 

Unloading onto the grain cart.

 

I hopped into the combine and rode with Noah a few minutes. Here the corn header is separating the ears from the stalk and shelling them. We had some trouble with downed cornstalks this year, which means slower going for the combine. A farmer needs to avoid waste as much as possible if he is to make a profit.

 

The clouds that had moved in earlier in the day began to release their moisture, so Noah decided it would be best to get the equipment moved out of the weather as quickly as possible.

 

So even though the hopper wasn't full, he emptied it into the grain cart, and from there, Ryan emptied it into the semi.

 

Back at the farm, Noah opens the thing that lets down the grain into the elevator.

 

Making sure everything is lined up properly.

 

This is what the farmer waits for all year ~ the harvest.

 

The auger takes the corn into the grain bin for storage until we need it for feed for the hogs.

24 Hours in D.C.

After Jordan and Megan's wedding our family took a quick little side trip to D.C. We have been doing a family vacation every two years, but since it didn't seem like it would work out to do anything extensive this time, we opted for a quick adventure to our nation's capital.

 

 

We parked our vehicles at our motel, and then took the metro to the downtown area. Our first stop was at the Holocaust Museum.

 

No pictures could be taken inside. We spent about three hours inside, or should I say some of us did? Some of our family are history buffs, others are not.

 

After a lunch from those trucks that park along the streets, we headed for the Jefferson Memorial.

 

Our group ~ somehow we lost Dave and Jana, who are part of "that group" that are not history buffs. Jon, Ryan, Carla, Andrew, Nicole, Karen, (short attention span) and Noah.

 

 

 

This was taken at the Roosevelt Memorial.

 

Lincoln Memorial

 

 

We could not visit the Washington Monument because of renovations.

 

This was the first time we saw the World War 2 Memorial. I thought it was a very nice memorial.

 

 

Jon and Carla pose in front of the Ohio pillar.

 

Carla agreed to pose with me by Iowa.

 

This was the only pillar that had any memorandums, which included a bouquet of red roses, a notebook, and two glasses. The notebook was addressed to the brothers who gave the ultimate sacrifice in the war. I am not sure if it was for the Sullivan brothers specifically, or just brothers in general. But it seemed like such an (almost) reverent gesture.

 

 

 

 

The White House

 

Jon has his back turned here, while Noah and Carla pose.

 

Most of us.

 

Nicole and Andrew

 

Jana and Dave

 

The U.S. Capital

 

The Kennedy graves

 

Nicole was delighted to find a Patterson buried in Arlington Cemetery.

 

Changing of the Guard

 

Yes, it was raining.