Baking a Pie

I made a pie today. It was probably the best pie I have ever made. I used butter in the crust instead of shortning on the advice of my friend and due to the fact that was what I had on hand. It was a caramel apple pie. I decided to use up the fresh apples before they rot. MMMMM, it was good.



I also worked out at the gym for the first time in a month, because of the illness, and I didn't feel to bad. I still coughed a bit but I think I will try to work out about 2-3 times a week. Daylight is getting shorter and I get lazier. The exercise helps me alot with feeling better, stronger and after eating the pie, less guilty.



I am seeing lots of geese flocking up and flying south for the winter. It reminds me of a poem and song I heard a few years ago. It really sums up the geese and the other birds that are starting to leave. This poem was set to music and it is really beautiful.


Something Told The Wild Geese

Something told the wild geese
It was time to go,
Though the fields lay golden
Something whispered, ‘Snow!’
Leaves were green and stirring,
Berries lustre-glossed,
But beneath warm feathers
Something cautioned, “Frost!’
All the sagging orchards
Steamed with amber spice,
But each wild beast stiffened
At remembered ice.
Something told the wild geese
It was time to fly -
Summer sun was on their wings,
Winter in their cry.
- Rachel Field (1894-1942).

Apple Picking

Yesterday was a fun day picking apples. We picked many varieties including the new Honey Crisp and they were delicious. DS was sure to read the signs and get the different varieties for different purposes. We decided we were going to mix them up when we make a pie together to see how it tastes. MMMM, this afternoon the experiments begin. We managed to get about 20 pounds worth, I am going to make some pies and other yummy desserts. We also purchased our future Halloween Jack O Lantern.

They had a little garden with the tallest sunflowers there. They were about 10 feet tall. I am underneath a sunflower looking up in the photo of the flower. They also had a petting zoo, maze, tractor rides and a gift shop. Lots of fun. My parents went with us and we had a nice day. The drive was wonderful, the orchard beautiful, a few antique shops to browse on the way home and time with family great.

On the creative horizon, I have several blocks cut out and the sewing will commence today. I am also slowly, very slowly knitting. The nice weather of this fall is keeping my busy. It has been so warm that I haven't been able to even stitch down the binding on my last bound bigger quilt or baste the other. Lots of time once the snow starts and we can't go anywhere.

Vicki

This is how I have been spending my days this fall

If you look closely, you will see that I have been spending alot of time at football fields around the area. I am overlooking the end zone and the pretty country around it. The past week has been in the 70's and nice. We go to the High school games on Friday, DS games on Wednesday and pick up at practice on the other weekdays. Well, it is all over by the end of Oct. for DS. Short and sweet season. By the way, we are 2-0 so far this year. I spend the weekends watching college football and NFL when I can. Fantasy football, I won't speak of my thrasing for the year.

I have not been doing much crafting. I have a tiny amount of knitting for the next felted tote done. I have not sewn a stitch since Sunday. I am going to try to cut out blocks for the block exchange tonight.

I saw my doc twice this week and I think after one month of sickness, 4 meds and 2 inhalers later, I want to, knock on wood, say I am getting BETTER!! Hip Hip Hooray!! I was really getting irritated at being sick for so long.

Maybe I will be well enough to pick apples this weekend... I have DVR for the games I will miss.

A Really Quiet Day

I took this photo a couple of years ago, a few miles from my house, but it conveys the feeling of the day. The sun is bright, our leaves are changing and I am home alone. Sick but peaceful.

I went to the doctor this am and wound up with labs and a chest xray. Several hours later, I was able to come home and rest. It seems there was a big computer conversion and none of the departments were running smoothly. Cough, cough, and feeling miserable. No new diagnosis (bronchitis) but new meds.

I rested. Watched a little TV. Did laundry. Drank hot apple cider. Sewed quilt blocks. Rested. Watched a little TV and did it all over again.

Vicki

Road to the Whitehouse

That is the name of the block exchange that my friends and I are doing. I need to sew about 30 of these blocks. I have made several over the past week, please refer to previous photo. I am also knitting another tote. I have a problem thought, everytime I sit and knit I tend to get sleepy and nod off. Geez, feel like a geezer. I guess, that I probably am.

I will post some colorful leaves when they peak in the next few days. The reds seem to be vibrant this year, so that is always exciting. I think I need to get my fall/Halloween things out today.

Ok, I am getting sick and tired of being sick. I started with symptoms of this stupid cold 4 days before LABOR DAY!! I am pushing week 4, second round of antibiotics, an inhaler, cough syrup..... I ugh, can't stop coughing! So I am going to start pushing more vitamins than I normally do, drink water until I float away, and stamp my feet because this is starting to be all consuming!

Now I feel better... cough, cough, wheeze, wheeze, I think I will get my scraps of fabric out an play.

Finishes so far for the year

Since I am having some problems with making a slide show, I decided to post a gallery of completed projects so far this year. Remember they were finished this year, I started many of the quilts a year, or two, ago. I really want to make head way in my unfinished department. My goals are to use up my stash of fabrics and yarn before buying new. I am getting to the bottom of the stash. I am buying only what I need to finish a project not what catches my eye.

My first post on this blog

I have been blogging for a few months on another site an feel that this may offer me more opportunities to connect with other creative people who share the same interests as me. I like to quilt, knit, tat, crochet and share some little bits of life in a small northern town where I live. I work full time by day and when my "real" job is over I do many creative things with needle crafts. I like to play violin and currently play at home only for myself. I have played in community orchestras, my church and community plays.

I am trying to follow all the projects that I start and stop. Blogging has helped me finish more than I start. I never had a problem with finishes before but find I need a way to focus myself since I started quilting with a circle of friends. This group of ladies has done block exchanges and now I have several orphan blocks to work into projects.

I have been working on an upcoming block exchange with my friends. The photo posted shows my progress so far. It is the Road to the Whitehouse in a scrappy color scheme. I have several items to work on as the weather cools as you can see in my Works in Progress list.

Vicki