I love to collect dried plants for fall decorations. I’ve been keeping my eye on several plants that are growing along the edge of the road, or the bean fields. I need to wait a bit to go harvest them.
There’s a stand of milk weed at the edge of the field to the east of us. Once the pods split open, the plant can be cut and dried. They provide wonderful interest for a dried arrangement. My mother and I have spray painted milk weed pods gold to use in Christmas arrangements and package decorations, but they are beautiful in their natural colors.
Teasle is an invasive weed that gows in great clumps in our area. It has a wonderful, prickly head at the top of a tall stalk. You can make very dramatic arrangements with them. If you can harvest enough, you could bundle them together, rather the way you would make a bundle of corn stalks. (Check out the teasle in the basket at this site.) But, you have to be sure to use heavy leather gloves when you work with them, because sharp spines cover their stems.
There’s a plant that we used to call “Indian Tobacco,” when I was a child. It’s real name is “Curly Dock.” When it dries, it has a deep brown, seedy look, that contrasts the form of the other weeds, and adds more color to the arrangement.
I tend to suppliment what I find along the road with dried botannicals from places like Michael’s and Hobby Lobby. One of my favorites is the dried lily pod.
You can see a wreath that uses the dark brown pods at this site.
It’s almost time to harvest. I have several five gallon buckets in the garage, and as I harvest, I’ll stand the plants in the buckets to finish drying. Before Thanksgiving, I’ll create bouquets, tie them with twine, and then add raffia or a wide ribbon. Mother Nature sure gives us some lovely decorations.
Tis a Season of Change
I think it’s safe to say that Fall is upon us. We haven’t had the scent of burning leaves, or the crispness of an early morning yet, but you can see the changes just starting in the plants.
Our road has fields of soybeans on either side of it to the east. About a week ago, I noticed the very first signs of change of color in the field. It was subtle, but yesterday it had become more pronounced. Those particular fields must have had enough rain to make it through the summer. The plants were vigorous, so I think this is most likely not a response to drought, but rather, the end of the growing cycle. The field is mottled with dark green, and shades of lemon yellow to tan sprinkled throughout.
We have a tree that lines several of our streets. I don’t know what tree it is, but it looks like it could be related to aspens. These trees are beginning to drop their leaves. Last week the dead leaves were dancing across the road as the wind from the coming cool front moved in. Tomorrow, they’ll be glued to the ground from the rain.
We have black walnut trees that line the eastern edge of the property. The walnuts have begun to drop. I suppose you really need to wear a helmet to walk near them! *G* The leaves have been on the ground for several weeks. They are the first sign of impending weather changes, to me.
It’s raining today. Should I count that as another sign? We haven’t had the burning drought we had last year, but I suspect we are behind in precipitation. EVERYTHING says “AAAAhhhhhhhh” when we get the least bit of rain.
I’m ready for cooler weather, but I can’t help wondering where the entire year has gone. Elegante Mother is correct when she says that the older you get, the faster the time flies.
The Goats
My mother cracked me up yesterday. I was driving her as we ran errands and she told me a pun.
When Dear Husband is away, we seem to make it a point to stand in for him telling puns. He’s addicted to the simplest puns, and I prefer the long drawn out stories with the goofy punchlines. At any rate, when he is away, we feel obligated to fill in the missing puns.
EM was reading a mystery. The book wasn’t particularly humorous, but it had a paragraph that hit her funny bone. Apparently, one of the characters owned three goats. The goats were named Shirley, Goodness and Mercy.
Those of you who are Christians get the pun. For the rest of you, the names are taken from this phrase “Surely, goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord,” which comes from the 23rd Psalm.
Perhaps you had to be there, but I thought it was funny!
Labor Day
I know that many families spend part of the Labor Day weekend doing repairs to their home, and seeing to those things that need to be done before the house is closed up for the winter. Because Dear Husband is a sailor, we tend to put those activities off until later in October. That means that Labor Day is mine to do with as I please.
This year, it has pleased me to play with fabric. I have a wall hanging that had a design flaw. There are four baskets in the center, and stars in the corners. One of the stars was made from the same fabric pattern, but in a color that wasn’t used in the rest of the quilt. Duh…..a beginner’s error. I should have known better. It’s bugged me since I finished the top.
Last night, I got out my trusty seam ripper, took off the outer border, and removed the star that didn’t fit with the rest of the design. I was surprised at how little time it took me to take it apart.
What was even more surprising was how little time it took me to stitch the replacement in place. I’ve trimmed the lightest border back to one and a half inch, and I’m going to sew the original red border back in place.
Cop Car is one of four people who would understand all this babble. I could have said to you….”I played with fabric. I had a great time!” But, it seemed that it needed a little more explanation.
Tomorrow, I hope to add borders to two other wall hangings, cut out blocks for a quilt Elegante Mother is working on, and perhaps cut the borders for another of her quilts.
I’ve been pondering for about six years how to finish a quilt I started for one of my nieces. If I don’t get this quilt finished soon, she’ll be able to use it for her children! So, that’s rising to the top of my “Must Do!’ stack. And, I need a morning to finish a quilt I started for my granddaughter.
Maybe it’s a good thing that weeds don’t grow during the winter. I need all the time I can get to finish these projects!
There’s a Bug…
…a rather LARGE bug, lying on its back in my mudroom. I don’t think it’s doing the backstroke. I think it’s dead. What I wonder is, did it come in on my clothes this morning when I came in from weeding and pruning, or did it come into the house in the bag of sweet corn I bought yesterday? I suppose it could have come in on my son’s clothing when he returned from the Renaissance Faire yesterday. I really don’t know how it came to be in my house.
I think it’s a praying mantis, and it looks a lot like the one in the picture at the top of the page on the link. It’s about six inches long.
I’m leaving it for Dear Husband to see when he returns from sailing tomorrow.
Diversity?
I was listening to the radio this afternoon, and learned that to celebrate Mexican independence, more than twenty buildings in Chicago will be lighted with red, white and green lights.
I think I’m missing something. Did I miss a celebration for all the Germans to settled here? I know that we have nearly as many Polish people as the city of Warsaw, Poland, but I can’t remember ever seeing the City light the buildings for them.
We have a large population of Chinese in Chicago, and they have interesting celebrations in Chinatown, but I’ve never seen the entire City decorated for the Chinese.
So, why are we celebrating Mexican Independence in Chicago? We don’t celebrate for any other ethnic group. Yes, we dye the Chicago River green for St. Patrick’s Day, but that’s a bit different. Chicago’s St. Paddy’s celebration is really a Chicago political activity. If we were celebrating Irish Independence, I’d be asking the same question.
We used to talk about “diversity” in a way that indicated we were proud to be a melting pot. Most of us who live here are not Native Americans. Most of us are here because an ancestor thought there was a better life to be had here. They left their native country behind and emigrated to America, and most of them became American citizens.
Now there seems to be a trend toward diversity, with no intent to melt into one nationality. We’re seeing people come to the United States who want the freedom and benefits, and opportunity to change their economic status, but they have no allegiance to the country, and frequently choose to ignore our laws.
In the nineteenth century, and the first half of the twentieth century, people who emigrated to the US most often settled at first in a neighborhood where people spoke their native language. They followed relatives who would help them settle in and find a job. Wisconsin is famous for its German population, and the western side of the state was the home to Cornish miners. New York City is famous for it’s ethnic neighborhoods. Families encouraged their children to get an education, and to learn to speak English. Frequently, it was the children who drew the adults into life in America.
I don’t have the sense that our Mexican immigrants wish to blend themselves into the culture of the United States.
I’ve re-written this section of my entry half a dozen times, trying to find a less incendiary way to phrase my concerns, and it still sounds harsh. The truth is, I feel the same about anyone who emigrates to my country. I’m concerned that the “melting pot” aspect of our country is part of what makes it strong. I’m worried that if we become a group of people who more strongly identify with previous nationalities, that we will ultimately fragment, and loose the strength for which we are known.
If you come to the United States for the good life, then you have some obligations. First, learn to speak English! Secondly, learn our laws. Third, be prepared to vote when you don’t like those laws. Don’t assume that you can come to us illegally and then demand a driver’s license, or health care. Don’t be surprised when we ask you to leave, if you’ve come to us illegally.
Okay….I’m going to step down now. Am I a bigot? I don’t think so. Am I prejudiced? I hope not. I hope that I’m just a concerned American citizen who knows how much we have to offer those who want to be a part of our nation.
Exposed!!
I’ve been EXPOSED!! Cop Car has written about her visit, and told all. Well…maybe not ALL…but most.
Cop Car was the perfect guest. She was laid back, able to change direction at a moment’s notice, and she didn’t need to SHOP four out of the five days she was here. She drove in past the Outlet Mall, so I know that she is aware that it exists, but she was content to sew and weed and chat.
We had a lovely time, and I can’t say enough what a great guest she is. We’d welcome her back whenever she cares to visit.
Peach Crisp
While Cop Car was visiting, she and I made a trek through the Farmer’s Market. We purchased the usual vegetable suspects, but at the last stall I picked up two quarts of peaches from a vendor who grows all sorts of fruit in the southwest corner of Michigan. Man, do they taste WONDERFUL!
Unfortunately, peaches don’t have a long shelf life, so this afternoon I plan to make Peach Crisp. Usually when we make a crisp, it’s apple crisp, and it’s a harbinger of the season. I’m modifying the recipe and using about eight medium peaches, skinned and sliced. I’m going to use an 8×8 glass baking pan, fill it with sliced peaches and then mound the topping over it.
I browsed on-line for recipes, and discovered that everyone publishes the one they remember from their childhood. Well, in MY childhood, the topping was made from rolled oats, flour, brown sugar and butter. You use a pastry cutter to blend it together, and then you sprinkle it over the fruit and bake it.
Can you imagine it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream?? Heck….my mouth is watering just thinking of it. There goes my weight loss for the week.
Cop Car, we’re finally going to get to the Parmesan Crusted Tilapia tonight. I’ll have to send you the recipe. I’m so sorry that we didn’t get that meal on the table while you were here. We’ll roast the rest of the asparagus, and steam yellow wax beans. If that’s not enough, Dear Husband can have some green salad. That’s the meal for the day at Buffy’s Best Inn!
Naps Are Good
Is there anything better than having a guest who feels comfortable enough in your home to go take a nap? Cop Car and I have had a lovely visit. We both slept well until we got to Saturday night, and for some odd reason, in our respective rooms, we both tossed and turned.
Sunday was declared “Chili Sauce Day.” Elegante Mother’s recipe takes all day to cook, and you have to get an early start. I got up at 5:00 a.m. and started peeling and chopping the tomatoes. I had just about finished cutting 14 pounds of tomatoes, when Cop Car and Elegante Mother arrived on the scene. Collectively, we chopped three onions, three green peppers and two bags of celery. EM added the cloves, dry mustard, cinnamon, salt and brown sugar, and I finished it off with a quart of cider vinegar.
We learned a number of years ago that this recipe needs to be divided up into two stockpots, or you need to be prepared to babysit the pot well into the evening. We took turns stirring, and let this amazing scent waft through the house.
I was rather surprised that the sauce had cooked down by 4:00. Cop Car and I set up a production line. I filled the hot jars, she wiped the lip of the jar, and then set lids in place. Dear Husband, who had returned from the lake early, tightened the lids. CC gave me a tip that was a real winner. She suggested using a measuring cup with a handle to fill the jars. I’ve been doing this chili sauce for years and years, and it never occurred to me to do it this way. I ladled a cup of sauce into the measuring cup, and then used the measuring cup to fill the jar. If I had to set it down, I could hook the handle over the edge of the pot. We were done in no time! As a matter of fact, we were so speedy that I’ve been able to come to the computer and blog for half an hour before we need to think about dinner.
So, where did the naps come in? About 1:30, Cop Car said she needed to take a nap. She stopped on her way out of the kitchen to be sure that we would continue to stir the pot while she rested! *G* We did. Elegante Mother and I shared the duty. I sat in the recliner with the kitchen timer and a book. Every fifteen minutes, one of us stirred. Cop Car’s nap was short, and we put her right back to work. If you come to visit, be sure to get your nap. Otherwise, you can bet we’ll keep you busy!
It’s been a really long day…
I’ve been up since 5:00. I wasn’t sure how early Cop Car would wake, and there was plenty to do until she was ready to rise. I worked on odds and ends, made my bed, put away clothes, read e-mail and blogged. I had toast with jam, and began to worry that CC wasn’t up yet. Of course it crossed my mind…..what if she’s…..NO! I won’t think about that. I’d have to call her family and tell them, and I won’t let that happen!
It didn’t. She was up by 7:30. She deserved all the sack time she needed. After all, she had spent more than six hours in the car yesterday. By 8:45 we were both ready to face the day and joined my Mother in her sitting room to chat.
Mother has standing hair and nail appointments on Thursday at our salon. We dropped her off and made a bee line for Sur La Table, an upscale kitchen store. Cop Car scandalized one of the employees when she announced to me: “I don’t cook!” I know he was itching to convert her. I bought gifts, and am proud to say I bought my first CHRISTMAS GIFT!!!
We collected Elegante Mother and headed for our favorite quilt shop. I think I may have been the big buyer, but Elegante Mother forgot that she needed a quilt batting, so it might have been closer to a tie if she’d gotten everything she needed. I thought I was done, and saw a fabric that Cop Car had chosen. That caused me to buy another five yards of fabric, the one she liked, plus a yard each of four complimentary fabrics. I must be nesting, getting ready for winter, because I’ve been padding that nest with a LOT of fabric lately!
By that time it must have been close to 1:00 and we were starved. We drove to Houlihan’s for lunch. Thank you for treating us to lunch, Cop Car! I didn’t think we dawdled, but by the time we got home, it was well after 2:00, and CC and EM were muttering about NOT being able to eat dinner.
We all found comfy seats for a bit. I was talking to Cop Car, and yawning. And yawning, and yawning. And at one point, I realized I had fallen asleep while I was talking to her. My eyes sprang open, and I looked over to see Cop Car sitting quietly with her eyes closed. Jeeze…..nothing like not being able to keep up. How embarrassing. How RUDE! She laughed off, and was a good sport. I’m surprised I didn’t get teased about it every time the subject changed this evening. It’s a wonderful guest who takes your dozing off in stride.
After my little nap, we worked on a quilt pattern that Cop Car wants to make. She’s had the wallhanging designed for some time, so this afternoon, she began cutting enough fabric to make a trial block.
So far, so good. We talked about techniques for piecing that will save her time. We talked about rotary cutting techniques….the angle of the blade, and hand position on the Lucite rulers. We talked about stitching a true quarter-of-an-inch for the seam, versus a seam narrower by two or three threads. (The narrower one accommodates the fold or bend in the fabric when the seam is opened, giving the truer pieced measurement).
Dinner was supposed to be Parmesan crusted Tilapia, and assorted veggies. Instead, it was salad, cheese and crackers. Elegante Mother swiped Dear Husband’s cheese and crackers. Everyone was still too full from lunch, and DH was more than willing to eat light.
Cop Car cut and sewed through the evening, and then we chatted for a few minutes before it was time for bed. I’d have been in bed long ago, but the cat stepped between me and the keyboard, and ONE of us…..hit something that deleted everything I’d written.
The day might have seemed dull in the reading, but I enjoyed every minute of it, and I think Cop Car did, too. Tomorrow we may have rain. I think all three of us will stay in and sew, and save the outdoor activities for Saturday and Sunday. I need to go to bed. I’ll be falling asleep in my breakfast if I don’t get a little more sleep.
Carolyn, quilting bees are one of those “Ya had to be there,” activities, to be able to appreciate them. Most likely we will piece quilts tomorrow, so don’t be surprised if it seems like a slow day.
I gotta go. I’m going to have to sleep fast to catch up!