Yeehaw!!! First Eggplant this year!

I was picking beans and weeding as I went - found a LOT of cucumbers (probably too big to pickle whole - so they are slicer pickles - hmm - quick lime?????  Yum!)  - and then came across (cucumber vine directly beneath!) my first eggplant this year!  And - of course when I went to remove it - got too excited and broke the eggplant below where I should have - but the plant was ok (thank goodness!) and I see I have another one growing - still in the very baby stages yet!

Picked some beans - couldn't remember whether the Coco Rubico was a dry bean or a green bean - but they got picked.  Then I found the Vermont Cranberry - and I KNEW that was a dry bean!  So - went to the other side of the row and picked over there.  Soybeans (I pick green) are blooming like fools - no beans there yet.  Which is as well.  Picked a nice bunch of Dragon's tongue - although I THOUGHT from last year those turned yellow with red stripes, or maybe those are the green ones with the red stripes - hmmm - have to think on this - either that or look it up!  NEXT year - I want to make sure the beds are the appropriate width (this is a VERY narrow 4foot wide bed) so I can have more bush beans!  Pole beans still go right down the middle of the bed - accessible to either side - and divide the dried beans (put a SIGN POST there!) from the green/yellow/striped whatever beans!  As to kinds of beans - well, I've whittled it down to those I like the best - and maybe should run the dried beans in after the peas are done.

Peas - Oh wow - the Asparagus pea is BLOOMING - 4 inches tall - and it has the CUTEST red bloom on the top!  Worth it just for the flower!  Although unless they taste wonderful - next year it gets PLANTED with the flowers!

Peanuts - hmmm - I suspect I keep thinking they are a particular kind of weed - and pull them.  At present - out of 2 plantings - and much more densely than otherwise - I have FOUR plants left - this is NOT a good average!

Herbs - I need to do some major harvesting - probably tomorrow!  By that time I will be ready to dehydrate  or freeze them!

Squash - I have at least one that is playing Pinky and the Brain - and thinks it may take over the world - right now it has headed for the corn patch!  Definitely using those sapling trees for rungs in squash ladders - will be making up 8 of those this winter - 1 for each 4' area of squash - except, of course, the summer squash I usually have is a bush type.

Oh - and one of the summer squash has BLOOMED!  Another is GROWING - FINALLY!  and of course the 3rd - is STILL 1.5 inches tall.  The 4th didn't even bother to come up!  And the seed is fresh seed!

Sweet corn is still tasseling - I need to start watching it CLOSELY now!  And my poor okra is STILL 1.5 inches tall!  Oh - this is the TALL Clemson Giant which I've raised before in IL.  Definitely taking a master garden course somewhere this fall because I'm doing SOMETHING wrong!  And out of 2 dense plantings - still less than a half dozen plants spread over 12' x 4' section - and only 1.5 inches tall!  After 2 months! Ugh!

It still amazes me how fast the weeds are growing - I weeded the pea bed just I am thinking last week - and when I picked on Monday - I gave it a quick going over.  There are weeds there already!  Of course - this is the first year THAT area is under cultivation!

As for the mini orchard - I still have the one peach.....

And maybe 4 pears.......

I FINALLY got the bulbs and the peonies in - am NOT expecting ANYTHING - although I did see a couple of buds on one peony.  And - SURPRISE - a lot of the bouncing bet or whatever that one plant was - are STILL alive!  Most (not all) the Iris is also alive as well!  And the transplants of the day lilies seems to have taken hold.  Unfortunately - that fence row garbage weeds/brush has decided to grow again - so I need to get going on that!

I left the transplants for the coles right where they were for today - I got out there LATE LATE LATE!  I was up at 4 AM - had breakfast and all - was running on too much strong tea yesterday and approximately 3 hours of sleep - and kitties that decided it was time for me to refresh their water bowl!  this would have been fine - BUT it was DARK outside!  and by the time it was light again - I had gone back to bed (545 AM) and instead of sleeping the 1 hour I expected (should have set the alarm, I know!) - slept until after 9!

Monday - 07-15-13 - What I Did (WID)

The closet in the second bedroom - uh... my sewing room!  Too narrow for clothes hanging or installing additional shelving and just right for rulers, my machine cover and my "machine go-bag"  And yes, there ARE some rulers I haven't used yet!

GARDEN

1. Harvesting - 
1. DONE Daily picking raspberries - they aren't as tangy this year - sort of "washy" - all the rains????  
2. DONE picking either peas (mostly pea pods at this point)

HOUSE - 

1. ZONE 3
1. Sewing Room
1. Declutter
1. Worked on this one - not done Make sure all fabrics are put away properly.

KITCHEN THINGS TO DO

1. Freeze
1. DONE Peapods
2. DONE Raspberries
2. Make
1. Soups - 
1. DONE chicken soup - skim.  Fat goes in one container for cooking.  Soup - freeze broth - 4 cup amounts - made 5 quarts - not counting what I ate!
2. DONE chicken veggie soup - make a THICK soup
2. DONE Salad - for tomorrow - chicken?????  
3. Menues for week
1. Had chicken veggie (green peas - yum!) soup for dinner, can't remember what I ate for lunch!

STUDIES - (SOME ON HOLD AT THIS TIME - AT LEAST FOR THIS WEEK!)

1. Religion - each day's readings/mini books
1. Read 40 Things, ch. 9(DONE) ; this is My God, p. 57-69; Jewish Holidays and Festivals, Ch 2 p. 17-35; Jewish Woman, p. 115-135
2. Song we sing - 44, 60 (DONE); 8, 19, 20(DONE)
2. Russian - 
1. DONE Finish up lesson 14 - going over rest of chapter's Russenglish!

QUILTING/SEWING

1. DONE Stash Report
2. DONE Design Wall

Design Wall for Week 28 - 07-15-13 (already???!!!!!)

This is part of a swap - the Fruit Basket Swap - Each of us sends a F8th to the next person on the list who adds a FQ and sends to the NEXT person on the list who adds.... and so on until it comes back to the original person.  This one is my F8.  Now to find out WHO is the next person on the list!

Top left - the 4.5 inch 4 patches I swapped last Sun at SH quilts.  Bottom - the blue ones (I forgot to take a picture of all 50!) are the ones I traded with Wendy - scrappy blues - 2.5 inch 4-patches.  And the one with the yellows - are those she traded back to me!  The reds are also in that group - and this is perfect since I'm making the Bodacious Quilt - and that is one of the blocks in there!  This is a LE quilt.

Another LE - or was this last week - I finished sewing a bunch of string blocks - then just HAD to sew them together into 4 patches!!!!!  This struck me as a fun thing!

This is a copy of the Charity block I want to finish up today (I send 2.  One goes to Charity and one gets added to the "lottery block" group.  Once a month a name is drawn!)  The block I chose is Aunt Sukey's! (Clown't choice is the next one below!)

No - you can't see my ants yet!  They are different sizes - and I'm embroidering them!  VERY unusual ants!

Part of an old old swap - and this was sent off eons ago.  I still have a few - didn't get them sent out last week - this I want to get DONE this week for sure!

Still designing WHAT kind of grid work and walking foot quilting I intend doing.  It isn't really as narrow as it seems - this is just the way I took the picture!

The Hurricane Sandy Quilt - would love to have this one done today.  Probably won't happen though!

Stash Report for Week 28 - 07-15-13

Yardage out - yardage in!  This was part of MY swap of 50 "blues" 2.5 4-patches for Wendy's 50 2.5 mixed scrappy 4 patches!  All traded around yesterday while we were eating entirely too much at Fire and Ice in Boston!

07-14-13 - Week 28 - I did use some yardage this week - and last Sunday - BUT - since they are swaps - block for block - it doesn't count!  Same amount coming in as going out!

Used This Week: 0 yard
Used This Month: 0 yard for July
Used Year to Date: 15.88  yds.

Added This Week: 0 yards
Added This Month: 0 yards for July
Added Year to Date: 35.59 yards

Net Used for 2013: - 19.71 yards

List of things to accomplish - hopefully this week....Week 28

This is Button!
One of two I adopted from a local shelter.
They were just minutes old when discovered beside Momma who had been killed by a passing car.

Especially if I'm superwoman!!!  I know that just posting this and hoping for me to pace myself won't work beyond the first day - still - it hopefully will help me to maintain focus.  Because I want to focus on what I DID get done - and NOT on what I DIDN'T get done - at the end of the day or week - whatever - after I copy paste to a new day and fix that - I delete all the DIDN'T and keep the DID!  Trust me on this - I need the positivities!

I DO think I will have to be superwoman - because this sure is an impossible list!!!!  So - maybe SOME of this list will be done THIS week - and then SOME probably over the next year! LOL

Besides - I could ALWAYS say - today I'm going to Garden (GH1d, GP2, etc.) - House - 2:K1 etc.   Think that will work???  NAH!

OR I could copy paste - which is what I could do if I'm going to do the WAIWO thing (what am I working on) - which is sort of redundant!  OR I COULD go with what I have on this page - and just write a list SEPARATELY on (gasp!) paper - and go from there - then post ONLY what I HAVE done.  Which offers more possibilities.

Or I could just forget the entire thing!  Which might not be a bad idea!

Unfortunately that would give me a really good excuse to just ..... drift! .... and not really get anything done!

I AM doing things - truly a lot of them - and have made quite a bit of progress (for me, at any rate)- just not the amount I had hoped for!  Which is why I am/need to shake things up a bit!  Hence this post!

When Nathan and Lynn move - all else stops - and I help out!

GARDEN

1. DONE Harvesting - 
1. Daily picking raspberries - they aren't as tangy this year - sort of "washy" - all the rains????  Also harvesting herbs - maybe 2 plotches a day
2. Odd even day picking either peas (mostly pea pods at this point), cucumbers
3. Or even odd day picking of green beans, possibly squash
2. DONE Transplanting - 
1. either cool of evening (preferable - and with major splash of water to cool them down overnight!) the coles for fall/winter harvest
3. DONE Planting - 
1. DONE STILL need to plant those flowers - or the money I spent will be GONE GONE GONE!
2. Definitely root crops - am at tail end of fall planting for these in this area I think - beets, carrots, turnips, kohlrabi, maybe even rutabaga.  Also supposedly (don't believe it!) parsnips - which is wierd because NO ONE advises planting salsify this late - yet the "days" for salsify is almost same as for parsnips - PLUS they both like the same temperature/climate/seasons!  So - IF I have any salsify seed left - will plant that - and woe betide any energetic birds - esp. pigeons!! (always did love squab pie!!)
3. Tail end for planting any of cole family as well - plant where short peas croaked!
4. Considering planting greens or salad stuff - esp in area where peas were - or at the back end of the squash area
1. Okra is GROWING and more has come up!  I suspect it won't make it this year!  And okra is ONE of several reasons I am having not only some limbs removed - but also considering having major loads of manure/topsoil brought in.  DEFINITELY need soil tests to be done - esp. pH levels - may be too acid for okra.
5. WORD for the wise - stay AWAY from the corn - it's pollinating - and I truly do NOT like wheezing!

HOUSE

KITCHEN THINGS TO DO

1. Freeze
1. DONE Peapods
2. DONE Raspberries
2. Dehydrate
3. Make
1. Bread -
1. DONE wwheat.  
2. DONE Challah on Friday
2. Soups - 
1. DONE chicken soup - skim.  Fat goes in one container for cooking.  Soup - freeze broth - 2 cup amounts
2. DONE chicken veggie soup - make a THICK soup
3. DONE Salad - for tomorrow - chicken?????  
4. DONE Grind wheat

STUDIES - (SOME ON HOLD AT THIS TIME - AT LEAST FOR THIS WEEK!)

1. Religion - each day's readings/mini books
1. Read 40 Things, ch. 9(DONE) ; this is My God, p. 57-69 DONE
2. Song we sing - 44, 60 DONE ; 8, 19, 20 DONE ; 45, 47, 61 DONE
2. Math - 1 lesson per day
3. Russian - 
1. DONE Finish up lesson 14 - going over rest of chapter's Russenglish!
4. Creative Writing - each day's lesson
1. DONE Lesson 10, Day 1
5. Social Studies - hold this week
6. Science - hold this week

QUILTING/SEWING

1. DONE Stash Report
2. DONE Design Wall
3. NEW quilt - Summer Breeze **
1. DONE Get fabrics together
2. DONE slice and dice
3. working on it Sew up flimsy

July things to do

Some thoughts on things I want to work on this week - MAYBE......

1. Scrappy Stars - this is for a swap - 2 per person - so far only 4 people (including myself - and the "counter" says 5 - but no 5th person is listed!!!!  A fun thing.
2. Mail out scrappy stars, the F8 (as soon as someone gets the list ready!!!) and the Charity Blocks (this one I have to finish - one anyway - had more 8-9 inch than I did 12.5 inch!!!  np tho!  Give Wendy her 50 4-patches!
3. UFO - for this week anyway - probably Baby quilt #1 - have hit "snag" on picnic quilt
4. Keep designing "ants"
5. New quilt (I earned it - 2 finished or at least flimsy finished UFOs = 1 new = and I'm behind several so far!) - hmmm - possibly Road to Round Rock - although I really need black - and am OUT (almost) of the black.  More probably - A Piece of Cake - which is truly scrappy and I love it!  OR Evelyn Sloppy's Honeyberries from 2.5 strips which I also love - although I suspect my eyes might not!

No pix yet - final decisions on Monday - and pix too!

Wednesday WAIWO 07--10-13

And there go the fireworks!
And yes, I invariably took the picture either right before the spectacular display - or missed it altogether!

• Finished weeding the rest of the peas.  Blast!  only maybe 3 peanut plants!  NEXT year - I plant ONLY Mammoth Sugar pod, the yellow Indian pea pod and the climbing snap pea.  For short peas - I'm not sure what!  Maybe dwarf sugar pod????  or maybe a dwarf snap pea?????  Do love the shell peas - but so do the birds!
• Harvested all the raspberries - which are starting in - ate more than I put in the bowl.  Gosh they're good!  Still and all - not that many - will need to buy in the raspberries ASAP (same for strawberries! And definitely the blackberries)
• Think I will get one of those bird net tents this fall - maybe several - one for the cherry tree (they were GOOD!) and one for the peas next year and one for all my salad stuff next year!  Right now my backyard looks like a bird wildlife preseve - I've been feeding them so well!  Grrrrr!
• Beans are coming in - will pick tomorrow I think - first picking - yum!  And the sweet corn is tasseling - which is why I'm all clogged up (I'm allergic to sweet corn when tasseling!)
• Still need to get those poor flowers in - I think tomorrow is planting day since I'm done with this round of weeding!
• Have moved pantry shelves into laundry room - setting up dehydrator there - not sure if that is a good idea or not - will try it.  It WILL give me back my dining room table though!  Now to figure out WHERE to stash that greenhouse thingy!  And what I plan to do with it for next year!  I may just go with grow lites inside instead - which only makes sense! And sell the greenhouse thingy which is in great shape - unless you check the guy wires - which are now a big mess!  OR I could pack it away for IF I ever move ------nah!  Sell the derned thing or give it away!

HOUSE

• DONE Morning Routine
• DONE Afternoon Routine
• Evening Routine
• Quick and Easy
• Detailed (the it's great cleaning!)
• Zone 2 - Kitchen - Under the sink clean and clear
• Declutter - 1 hour or 4 x 15 paperwork

GARDEN - weed, re-plant, etc. - not that hot out - but have been coughing most of night - I do NOT like allergens!!!!  Even with inhaler and claritin!

• weed
• DONE rest of Peas
• sweet corn and okra
• squash
• strawberries - probably final one for year - maybe 1 more weed session
• Plant
• Triangle (new)
• plant in carrots - I will interplant with lettuce
• Plant Chinese cabbage type seeds for transplant
• WAS onion bed - now roots - set up and plant 
• carrots
• beets (LOTS of beets)
• turnips
• kohlrabi
• Flower beds - 
• Flower bulbs
• Transplant 
• Summer plantings coles - water in

STUDIES 

• Religion
• DONE Mini books - 41 Things - p.50-55
• DONE Songs we Sing - p. 17, 78, 69
• Math +
• Lesson 56
• Russian
• DONE was a test - did well!!!! Lesson 14
• Creative Writing
• 10-1
• Social Studies - Earth, the Beginnning +
• Life on Earth (LOE) Ch. 1 - 10-16
• UPW 4-5
• Botany 
• WOP 
• Ch. 3 - graphics
• CB
• plate 5
• Readings - 
• Swiss Family Robinson

(will add picture of Wendy's blocks later today)
QUILT

• Dear Jane - A-1 - finish up
• Picnic Quilt (Embroidery stuff)
• H. Sandy (see if I can finish it!)
• Back to Square One - catch up.  Post pix
• Sampler blocks
• Get Charity/lotto block ready to go
• Scrappy Star - find out when, where and who.  Begin constructing
• Check out Wendy's blocks - get ready to trade

KITCHEN

• DONE set up dehydrator
• DONE Herbs - harvest some - begin dehydrating
• DONE Make bread
• DONE Gingerbread?
• DONE Pick pea pods - Freeze
• DONE Pick raspberries

MENU

DONE Yup - I cheated - was SUPPOSED to be French toast! B: toast and cream cheese

DONE  L: Grilled cheese sandwiches, refrig pickles, cole slaw, melon
D: Leftovers - may add cheese sauce to strata - was good - BUT too bready - needs more!  COULD add tuna/cheese sauce over top of warmed lo. with green peas on side for more dressy meal, melon

Tuesday WAIWO 07-09-13

listening to the music and getting ready for the fireworks

• Picked peas, cucumbers, volunteer green beans, and found raspberries were doing their fruiting thing!  Yum!  Gnat's like crazy and mosquitos found me - even with OFF
• About half of peas are now weeded (unfortunately some also pulled up!  : (
• Was sooooooooo sleepy - fell asleep about 2 - woke at 430 - drat - makes it harder to sleep at night! plus I needed the study time!
• worked on Dear Jane A-1 - hope not - but think I may have a problem!  Should be a cute block when done!  May make larger version of it for lottery blocks. goodness knows I need the practice!  Gave up though on hand piecing this - inept through lack of practice - but MOSTLY I like paper piecing it!

HOUSE

• DONE Morning Routine
• DONE Afternoon Routine
• DONE Evening Routine
• Quick and Easy
• Detailed (the it's great cleaning!)
• DONE Zone 2 - Kitchen - countertops - thoroughly
• DONE Zone 2 - Kitchen - Scrub stovetop
• Declutter - 1 hour or 4 x 15 paperwork

GARDEN - weed, re-plant, etc.

• weed
• Half done Peas
• sweet corn and okra
• squash
• Plant
• Flower beds - 
• Flower bulbs
• WAS onion bed - now roots - set up and plant 
• beets (LOTS of beets)
• turnips
• Rutabaga
• kohlrabi
• Triangle (new)
• plant in carrots - I will interplant with lettuce
• Plant Chinese cabbage type seeds for transplant
• Transplant 
• Summer plantings coles - water in

STUDIES (weekend off - catchup)

• Religion
• DONE books - 41 Things - p. 45-50
• Songs we Sing - p. 17, 78, 69
• DONE Songs we Sing - p. 43, 58
• Math +
• Lesson 56
• Russian
• DONE Lesson 13
• Creative Writing
• 10-1
• Social Studies - Earth, the Beginnning +
• Life on Earth (LOE) Ch. 1 - 10-16
• UPW 4-5
• Botany 
• CB
• plate 5
• WOP 
• Ch. 3 - graphics
• Readings - 
• Swiss Family Robinson

4 patch blocks - 4.5 inches - swap turned in on Sunday

QUILT

• DONE Report week's finishes
• DONE Stash Report
• DONE Design wall 
• Back to Square One - catch up.  Post pix
• H. Sandy (see if I can finish it!)
• Working on it! Dear Jane - A-1
• DONE Get F8th ready to go
• DONE Wendy's blocks 
• Picnic Quilt (Work on it! - the embroidery stuff)

KITCHEN

• set up dehydrator
• Herbs - harvest some - begin dehydrating
• Make bread
• Gingerbread?
• DONE Shell peas probably for supper
• Pick pea pods - Freeze
• DONE Cucumbers - make refrigerator ulcer gulch pickles  Yum!  LOTS of hot peppers and garlic this time! And don't forget the onions!

MENUES

DONE B: Omelet with onion, mushrooms, snap peas, parboiled new potatoes, cheese, toast  

DONE L: leftover zucchini and veggie soup, cole slaw, leftover potato salad with hardboiled egg, bread

DONE D:go to meal - Penne with gorgonzola sauce, cole slaw, melon

Design Wall for Week 27 - 07-08-13

Swaps!!!!

4 Patch for Southampton Quilts has been turned in for July (turned in Sunday) - all 53 of them - 4.5 inch 

4 Patch for Wendy -
am working on them now to get them ready for this weekend - 2.5 inch

Fruit Basket Swap - a No Sew swap -
going out this weekend - or maybe even tomorrow once I find out who to send to

Lottery Block - have plenty of "orphan" blocks - will send to Kim this weekend

Scrappy Stars - will be working on this tomorrow!  Don't know how many, nor to whom this swap goes - no central hostess AFAIK

Old swap - checking to make sure all have been done - and sent - hopefully this weekend (picture is ANCIENT - but symbolic of old swap)

Other items on the "board!"  For sewing in the car/in front of video or DVD/or just listening to tapes...

Hexie Flowers - am getting quite a few done - not enough though

Picnic Tablecloth - still designing "ants"  Am embroidering those that go "in the blocks!"  Those that serve also to "tie" the quilt will come later!

Dear Jane - MAYBE

Machine "ties"

Hurricane Sandy for AFTER I get bored - uh, tired of - uh, ready to work on this.

Stash Report for Week 27 - 07-07-13

Fireworks - 4th of July at Amherst, MA.
I went with my son and dil Lynn - had a great time!  Ate entirely too much!

07-07-13 - Week 27 - Used This Week: 0 yard
Used This Month: 0 yard for July
Used Year to Date: 15.88  yds.

Added This Week: 0 yards
Added This Month: 0 yards for July
Added Year to Date: 35.59 yards

Net Used for 2013: - 19.71 yards

Monday WAIWO - 07-08-13

Band playing.  When we arrived it was local bands (I think from the college) that played.
As the afternoon wore on, the community orchestra played.  Was nice!  

Did I ever tell you how much I don't like grass - in the garden??????  Egads!  Was wiping out any remaining salad stuff I had!  And hiding all pathways!  All of which (in the salad/cole section, mind you!) are now weeded.

And not only am I NOT fond of grass - I REALLY REALLY don't like mosquitos, gnats and other humming like mosquito little insects that head for my ears/eyes/nose like homing pigeons - even after I put OFF all over arms, legs, neck, face (yes - even my face!).  Ugh!

Did my stint of weeding.  Hold off on planting ANYTHING until tomorrow - then get all planted/transplanted!

Library - and get some new audio books - J. Ch. Giving quilt and put her Cross Country quilters on request.

Working on Wendy's 4 patches - hope to be done tonight. (50)


HOUSE

• DONE Morning Routine
• DONE Afternoon Routine
• Evening Routine
• Quick and Easy
• DONE  Menues for week
• Detailed (the it's great cleaning!)
• Zone 2 - Kitchen - Scrub stovetop
• Declutter - 1 hour or 4 x 15 paperwork

GARDEN - weed, re-plant, etc.

• weed
• DONE Finish weeding salad stuff
• Plant
• Flower beds - 
• Flower bulbs

STUDIES (weekend off - catchup)

• Religion
• DONE mini books - 41 Things - p. 38-45
• Songs we Sing - p. 69, 78
• Songs we Sing - p. 43, 58
• Math +
• Lesson 57
• Russian
• Lesson 13
• Creative Writing
• 10-2
• Social Studies - Earth, the Beginnning +
• Life on Earth (LOE) pp. 23-28
• UPW - 8-9
• Botany 
• WOP 
• Ch 3 - Res biome
• CB
• plate 6
• Readings - 
• Swiss Family Robinson

QUILT

• Report week's finishes
• Stash Report
• Back to Square One - catch up.  Post pix
• H. Sandy (see if I can finish it!)
• Almost DONE Wendy's blocks (LE for the moment)
• Post design wall 
• Picnic Quilt - continue designing blocks
• Road to Round Rock

KITCHEN

• set up dehydrator
• Herbs - harvest some - begin dehydrating
• Make bread

MENUES

DONE B: granola - may modify this since all I have are oats, brown sugar - no dried fruits!  

DONE L: Soup - hmm - chicken soup WITH broccoli (and use up the last of the FD "dust" that I have) and cheddar

DONE D: Homemade bread, chicken sausage (think like brats), baked beans (vegetarian with molasses and spices), potato salad (with dill, onion, celery and a bit of mayo and mustard), watermelon

Sunday WAIWO - 07-07-13

Lots of folks picnicked before the fireworks.
Many brought pets (including a pot-bellied pig!)

 HOUSE

• DONE Morning Routine
• DONE Afternoon Routine
• DONE Evening Routine
• Quick and Easy
• DONE WHB - Feather dust flat surfaces
• DONE WHB - dustmop traffic areas
• DONE WHB - scrubmop traffic areas
• Detailed (the it's great cleaning!)
• Zone 1 - Dining Area - declutter
• Zone 1 - Dining Area - zone clean
• Declutter - 1 hour or 4 x 15 paperwork - filing

GARDEN - weed, re-plant, etc. Heat advisory - and still am in pain - tho not as much

• weed
• Finish weeding salad stuff
• sweet corn and okra
• squash
• Plant
• Triangle (new)
• plant in carrots - I will interplant with lettuce
• Plant Chinese cabbage type seeds for transplant
• Flower beds - 
• Flower bulbs
• Potato section -
• see if I can find mulch for rest of 2 beds of potatoes
• WAS onion bed - now roots - set up and plant 
• carrots
• beets (LOTS of beets)
• turnips
• kohlrabi

STUDIES (weekend off - catchup)

• Religion
• DONE Finish mini books - 41 Things - p. 21-33
• DONE mini books - 41 Things - p. 33-38
• DONE Songs we Sing - p.17, 80
• Songs we Sing - p. 69, 78
• Songs we Sing - 43, 58 
• Math
• Lesson 56
• Russian
• Lesson 13 (I'm not comfortable yet with some of the letters)
• Creative writing
• 10-1
• Social Studies - Earth, the Beginnning +
• Life on Earth (LOE) Ch. 1 - 10-16
• Life on Earth (LOE) pp 17-22
• UPW 4-5
• UPW - 6-7
• Botany 
• WOP 
• Ch. 3 - graphics
• Ch. 3 - 3-2
• CB
• plate 5
• plate 6
• plate 7
• Readings - 
• Swiss Family Robinson

QUILT

• Report week's finishes
• Stash Report
• Back to Square One - catch up.  Post pix
• H. Sandy (see if I can finish it!)
• Wendy's blocks (LE for the moment)
• Get design wall ready for Monday post
• Picnic Quilt - continue designing blocks
• Road to Round Rock

KITCHEN

• set up dehydrator
• Herbs - harvest some - begin dehydrating
• Gingerbread?

MENU
DONE B: Omelet with cheese, peppers, onions, tomato, jalapenos, toast
L:  Hot chicken sandwich and mashed potatoes
D: Cheese strata I didn't fix Fri night, cole slaw, melon

Saturday WAIWO - 07-06-13

Once again - 4th July at Amherst with son and daughter in heart

Am in a LOT of pain - overdid the walking - especially with shoes I had on (as in walking barefoot on concrete would have been better!)  Spent most of night awake!  Heels feel pounded and lower back/hips/leg joints are so stiff I can hardly walk.  Ugh!  Mostly just rested - or screamed at machine (until I decided to change needle - then it worked like a dream!)  Evening - even got some mending done - 1 pillow, 1 comforter (will re-home), 1 nightgown, 3 pair jeans - and even got to try out both Zig-zag stitch as well as the darning stitch!!!  YAY!!!!  Garden weeds growing wonderfully!  Next year - classes in gardening!

HOUSE

• DONE Morning Routine
• DONE Afternoon Routine
• DONE Evening Routine
• Quick and Easy
• WHB - Feather dust flat surfaces
• WHB - dustmop traffic areas
• WHB - scrubmop traffic areas
• Detailed (the it's great cleaning!)
• Zone 1 - Dining Area - declutter
• Zone 1 - Dining Area - zone clean
• Declutter - 1 hour or 4 x 15 paperwork - filing

GARDEN - weed, re-plant, etc. Heat advisory - and still am in pain - tho not as much

• weed
• Finish weeding salad stuff
• Plant
• Flower beds - 
• Flower bulbs
• Potato section -
• see if I can find mulch for rest of 2 beds of potatoes
• WAS onion bed - now roots - set up and plant 
• carrots
• beets (LOTS of beets)
• turnips
• kohlrabi
• Triangle (new)
• plant in carrots - I will interplant with lettuce
• Plant Chinese cabbage type seeds for transplant

STUDIES (weekend off - catchup)

• Religion
• Finish mini books - 41 Things - p. 21-33
• Songs we Sing - p. 69, 17, 78
• mini books - 41 Things - p. 33-38
• mini books - 41 Things - p. 38-45
• Songs we Sing - p. 6, 36, 69
• Songs we Sing - p.80, 43, 58
• mini books - 41 Things - p. 45-50
• Songs we Sing - p. 80, 43, 58
• Songs we Sing - p. 17, 78
• Songs we Sing - p. 6, 36, 69
• Math +
• Lesson 56
• Lesson 57
• Lesson 58
• Russian
• Lesson 13 (I'm not comfortable yet with some of the letters)
• Creative writing
• 10-1
• 10- 2 
• 10- 3
• 10- 4
• Social Studies - Earth, the Beginnning +
• Life on Earth (LOE) Ch. 1 - 10-16
• UPW 4-5
• Life on Earth (LOE) pp 17-22
• UPW - 6-7
• Life on Earth (LOE) pp. 23-28
• UPW - 8-9
• Botany 
• WOP 
• Ch. 3 - graphics
• Ch. 3 - 3-2
• Ch 3 - Res biome
• CB 
• plate 5
• plate 6
• Readings - 
• Swiss Family Robinson

QUILT

• Back to Square One - catch up.  Post pix
• H. Sandy (see if I can finish it!)
• Picnic Quilt
• Road to Round Rock

KITCHEN

• set up dehydrator
• Herbs - harvest some - begin dehydrating
• Make sure all is B'seder at least as far as K-DR

MENU (SAT)

DONE B:Challah with creamed cheese, melon

DONE L:stewed chicken, potatoes, carrots, challah, fruit compote????

DONE D:tuna salad???? melon

There comes a time when.....

Last year's (2012) salad section - with coles, salads, onions and beans.
DEFINITELY not looking like this year's sad offering!

There comes a time when I seriously have to think about whether or not I want to continue gardening.....

I'm there!

Every YEAR I'm there! And it lasts - from about July (yup!  It's July!) to about a month after fall frosts!

And then I start thinking of garden catalogs and all those heirloom seeds I haven't tried yet (never mind that I PLANTED them this year - and the birds/bugs/neighborhood critters enjoyed them - or that the grass grows faster than the seeds - or that it really was too shady in that spot next to the fence (yup - DEFINITELY got caught on that one - wiped out the early root crops, salad crops and most of the coles!  At least I think that's what wiped them out!  Poor spindly looking things!!!!

And about this time I look at the plants - most of which are standing still and trying to decide whether they are actually going to produce or just keep blooming - or worse yet, are just trying to decide whether or not they will make it another day or not (geez!  Sounds like my aching back!!!!).  Anyway - I look at them - and I get DEPRESSED!!!!!  I think of all the work I HAVE/AM/WILL BE putting in on them - and I want to cry!  Which considering everything may not be such a bad idea!

THAT part lasts until the tomatoes and all the veggies decide they are going to start bearing fruit and the 5th planting of lettuce (other 4 didn't grow) actually grows - and - WOW - all of a sudden I'm up on top of the world - still not sure I want to do a garden again - but definitely appreciating - and gloating over all the wonderful veggies.  It is just the in between part when I wonder if ANY veggies/fruits will ever appear - and when I see my lovely peas (planted fine - and thickly - the pigeons thoroughly enjoyed their lunch!) waving their super thinned out spindly rows - full of peas mind you - but like only a handful at a time! (I am talking about planting a LOT of peas!)

I DO think though - that IF I plant a garden again - I DEFINITELY am going to take a Master Gardener course from somewhere and see what I can do about improving life - and conditions for my poor veggies and flowers, and DEFINITELY am going to make all contraptions I need to (ie squash ladders) during winter and DEFINITELY am going to make arrangements to raise greenhouse veggies for early planting (not sure I will keep the greenhouse I have or go to inside planting and cold frame for hardening off which is what I'm thinking about)as well as DEFINITELY making sure I have whatever nutrients I need IN PLACE or at least available for WHEN I need them, as well as making sure I have the proper pH levels (plants that are fed right and with correct pH are NOT bothered as much by insects as those that are spindly, weak, and lacking proper nutrients - sorta like people!)

It is just that it is soooooooooooo easy to bop over to the grocers and BUY in what I need - or order online.  Also expensive.  Also limiting.  VERY limiting!  Plus - if I DON'T garden - then I need to either go walking (not happening - at least during allergy season and until I build up back muscles!) or re-join the gym (planned for fall - LATE fall).

Hmmm - maybe I ought to go online and join one of those dating things - and find someone else who truly enjoys gardening - and who would take over all the mundane, itchy, mosquito and chigger infested chores and let me do the seed orders!  Think that will happen????

Friday WAIWO - 07-05-03

Fireworks - 4th July 2013 at Amherst, MA
It was truly lovely.  Went with son Nathan and dil Lynn

Earlier in the day we all ate out - picnic style (while enjoying comfortable folding chairs!!!!)
Handsome young man - with beard - is son Nathan and young lady who is laughing is Lynn - my dil
Had a lot of fun!

Lots of people came - many with children - and quite a few with their pets -
dogs and even pot bellied pigs (and yes, that IS a pot bellied pig!)

During the daylight there were games around the grassy area.
Local rock bands played throughout the day and  the community band played in the evening.

BILLS
SHOPPING

• DONE Walmart
• DONE Grocery - Price Rite I love  you!!!
• DONE Building permit place

HOUSE

• DONE Morning Routine
• DONE Afternoon Routine
• DONE Evening Routine
• Quick and Easy
• DONE WHB - sheets changed
• DONE WHB - Magazine toss
• DONE WHB - entrances and mirrors swiped
• DONE WHB - Trash
• WHB - Feather dust flat surfaces
• WHB - dustmop traffic areas
• WHB - scrubmop traffic areas
• Detailed (the it's great cleaning!)
• Zone 1 - Dining Area - declutter
• Zone 1 - Dining Area - zone clean
• Declutter - 1 hour or 4 x 15 paperwork - filing

GARDEN - weed, re-plant, etc. Heat advisory at 11

• weed
• Finish weeding salad stuff
• DONE Get onion bed torn up for root crops
• DONE Get triangle torn up for greens
• Plant
• Flower beds - 
• Flower bulbs

STUDIES (weekend off - catchup)

• Religion
• Finish mini books - 41 Things - p. 21-33
• Songs we Sing - p. 69, 17, 78
• mini books - 41 Things - p. 33-38
• mini books - 41 Things - p. 38-45
• Songs we Sing - p. 6, 36, 69
• Songs we Sing - p.80, 43, 58
• Math - 
• Lesson 56
• Lesson 57
• Russian
• Lesson 13 (I'm not comfortable yet with some of the letters)
• Creative Writing
• 10-1
• 10- 2 
• 10- 3
• Social Studies - Earth, the Beginnning +
• Life on Earth (LOE) Ch. 1 - 10-16
• UPW 4-5
• Life on Earth (LOE) pp 17-22
• Life on Earth (LOE) pp. 23-28
• UPW - 8-9
• UPW - 6-7
• Botany 
• WOP 
• Ch. 3 - graphics
• Ch. 3 - 3-2
• CB plate 5
• Readings - 
• Swiss Family Robinson

QUILT

• DONE 4 patch - and take to LQS
• Back to Square One - catch up.  Post pix
• H. Sandy (see if I can finish it!)
• Picnic quilt

KITCHEN

• DONE Walmart shopping
• DONE Grocery shopping - Price Rite
• DONE Post office
• set up dehydrator
• Herbs - harvest some - begin dehydrating
• DONE Prepare Shabbat foods
• DONE Prepare Challah
• Make sure all is B'seder at least as far as K-DR

MENU

DONE B: Pancakes, mocha

DONE L: lo in refrig (clear refrig )

DONE D: vegetarian chili and beef sausage, cole slaw, watermelon

Found my Camera!!!! Quilt finish!!!!

I found my camera - mixed in with my Back to Square One fabrics and quilt medallion!!!!

Anyway - here's the picture (I also put one on this last week's stash report!)

Baby Blanket #2 - 9 patches alternating with plain blocks.
Quilting is large X's in the center and small X's  in the grid on the border

Thursday WAIWO - 07-04-13

Another scene from Stanley Park

HOUSE

• DONE Morning Routine
• DONE Afternoon Routine
• DONE Evening Routine
• Quick and Easy
• Detailed (the it's great cleaning!)
• DONE Zone 1 - Side Porch and back stairs
• (Ignoring as best I can! LOL) Declutter - 1 hour or 4 x 15 paperwork - filing

No - Heat and allergen advisory GARDEN - weed, re-plant, etc.

• weed
• Finish weeding salad stuff
• Plant
• Flower beds - 
• Flower bulbs
• Potato section -
• see if I can find mulch for rest of 2 beds of potatoes
• WAS onion bed - now roots - set up and plant 
• carrots
• beets (LOTS of beets)
• turnips
• kohlrabi
• Triangle (new)
• plant in carrots - I will interplant with lettuce
• Plant Chinese cabbage type seeds for transplant

STUDIES (weekend off - catchup)

• Religion
• Finish mini books - 41 Things - p. 21-33
• Songs we Sing - p. 69, 17, 78
• mini books - 41 Things - p. 33-38
• mini books - 41 Things - p. 38-45
• Songs we Sing - p. 6, 36, 69
• Songs we Sing - p.80, 43, 58
• Math +
• DONE Lesson 55
• Russian
• DONE Lesson 13
• Creative Writing
• 10-1
• 10- 2 
• 10- 3
• Social Studies - Earth, the Beginnning +
• Life on Earth (LOE) Ch. 1 - 10-16
• UPW 4-5
• Life on Earth (LOE) pp 17-22
• Life on Earth (LOE) pp. 23-28
• UPW - 8-9
• UPW - 6-7
• Botany 
• Ch. 3 - graphics
• Ch. 3 - 3-2
• Readings - 
• Swiss Family Robinson

QUILT

• DONE well - working on it! Picnic Quilt
• Road to Round Rock
• H. Sandy

KITCHEN

• set up dehydrator
• Herbs - harvest some - begin dehydrating
• DONE Make bread
• DONE Prepare Shabbat foods

MENU

DONE B: 1 egg omelet with veggies

DONE L: casserole - lo

Eating out with dil and son!!!! D: Veggie platter 

Wednesday WAIWO - 07-03-13

Stanley Park

HOUSE

• DONE Morning Routine
• DONE Routine
• DONE Evening Routine
• Quick and Easy
• Detailed (the it's great cleaning!)
• Zone 1 - Side Porch and back stairs
• Declutter - 1 hour or 4 x 15 papersort

GARDEN - weed, re-plant, etc.

• weed
• Finish weeding salad stuff
• DONE Sweet potatoes - weed
• DONE Orchard tree area - weed
• strawberries - probably final one for year - maybe 1 more weed session
• sweet corn and okra
• squash
• Plant
• Flower beds - 
• Flower bulbs
• Potato section -
• see if I can find mulch for rest of 2 beds of potatoes
• WAS onion bed - now roots - set up and plant 
• carrots
• beets (LOTS of beets)
• turnips
• kohlrabi
• Triangle (new)
• plant in carrots - I will interplant with lettuce
• Plant Chinese cabbage type seeds for transplant

STUDIES

• Religion
• Finish mini books - 41 Things - p. 21-33
• Songs we Sing - p. 69, 17, 78
• mini books - 41 Things - p. 33-38
• mini books - 41 Things - p. 38-45
• Songs we Sing - p. 6, 36, 69
• Songs we Sing - p.80, 43, 58
• Math +
• DONE Lesson 54
• Lesson 55
• Russian
• DONE Lesson 13
• Creative Writing
• 10-1
• 10- 2 
• 10- 3
• Social Studies - Earth, the Beginnning +
• Life on Earth (LOE) Ch. 1 - 10-16
• UPW 4-5
• Life on Earth (LOE) pp 17-22
• Life on Earth (LOE) pp. 23-28
• UPW - 8-9
• UPW - 6-7
• Botany 
• Ch. 3 - graphics
• DONE Ch. 3 -plants
• Ch. 3 - 3-2
• Readings - 
• Swiss Family Robinson

QUILT

• Picnic quilt
• Road to Round Rock
• H. Sandy

KITCHEN

• set up dehydrator
• Herbs - harvest some - begin dehydrating
• Make bread

MENU

DONE B: Pancakes, strawberry syrup (home grown)

DONE L:Green bean soup, crusty bread

DONE D:leftovers

Tuesday WAIWO - 07-02-13

Map of the northern hemisphere - in Stanley Park, Westfield, MA
Wendy is standing in NB, CA talking to me (I think I was "visiting" TX at the time! LOL)

HOUSE 

• DONE Morning Routine
• DONE Afternoon Routine
• Evening Routine
• Quick and Easy
• Detailed (the it's great cleaning!)
• DONE Zone 5 detailed cleaning - Living Room
• DONE Zone 1 - Front porch and entrance
• Declutter -
• 1 hour or 4 x 15 paperwork sort

GARDEN - weed, re-plant, etc.

• weed
• Finish weeding salad stuff
• Sweet potatoes - weed
• Orchard tree area - weed
• Plant
• Flower beds - 
• Flower bulbs
• Potato section -
• see if I can find mulch for rest of 2 beds of potatoes
• WAS onion bed - now roots - set up and plant 
• carrots
• beets (LOTS of beets)
• turnips
• kohlrabi
• Triangle (new)
• plant in carrots - I will interplant with lettuce
• Plant Chinese cabbage type seeds for transplant

STUDIES

• Religion
• Finish mini books - 41 Things - p. 21-33
• Songs we Sing - p. 69, 17, 78
• Math +
• DONE Lesson 53
• Russian
• DONE Lesson 13
• Creative Writing
• 10- 1 
• Social Studies - Earth, the Beginnning +
• Life on Earth (LOE) Ch. 1 - 10-16
• UPW 4-5
• Botany 
• Ch. 3 - graphics
• Readings - 
• My Side of the Mountain

QUILT

• Finish all catchups on Back to Square One
• B2S1 - Post pic
• B2S1 - July
• H. Sandy - ticky tack - get it ready for buttons

KITCHEN

• shopping list - 1 year

MENU

DONE B: Omelet with asparagus, snap peas, cheese

DONE L: burger and onion rings

DONE D: Fish loaf, baked potatoes, Zucchini sauteed in butter and onion with parmesan

Design Wall for Week 26 - 07-01-13

Camera is still missing - all of which has prompted me to (1) clean up the place and (2) declutter as I go!

I did get several quilts together for working on this week - all pictures are OLD pictures taken over a month ago - but so far.....

This one - Hurricane Sandy - was originally supposed to go as a charity donation - twice  over!
At this point I'm going to finish it this week - and will be machine tieing the quilt.  I may substitute another one for charity - and keep this one for a tablecloth - and as a reminder of Hurricane Sandy -
and the day that my greenhouse went sailing end for end and tried to climb the garden fence!


And with my local quilt shop - there are 53 4 patches - all of which are done - and which I will take in this week.

My dd and I are also doing a 4 patch swap - she is putting together a Jacob's Ladder quilt and I am working on Bonnie H's Bodacious quilt - so we're trading 4 patches!  this shouldn't take too long to get done

Back to Square One has been posted - and I need to catch up - and post to that one - will post the picture in a separate post (once I find the camera!).  Will add new picture to here as well - once I find the camera!

Stash Report Week 26 for 06-30-13

06-30-13 - Week 26 - baby blanket #2 completed (sewed last of binding to midnight last night - yawn!!!!.....  Will post pix later when I find my camera!

Used This Week: 3 yard
Used This Month: 3 yard for June
Used Year to Date: 15.88  yds.

Added This Week: 0 yards
Added This Month: 0 yards for June
Added Year to Date: 35.59 yards

Net Used for 2013: - 19.71 yards

Monday WAIWO - 07-01-13

Dinosaur footprints -
Stanley Park here in Westfield

NOTE: It is Canada day for my dd and her dh - and we plan to do some quilting (and cleaning).  Schedule may change drastically!  Also - it is trying to rain and the mosquitoes are out in droves - no garden today!!!

And that is exactly what I did - for the most part.  I did hand and machine mending, sewing (only way THAT ever gets done!) and chitchatted!

HOUSE

• DONE Morning Routine
• DONE Afternoon Routine
• DONE Evening Routine
• Quick and Easy
• Detailed (the it's great cleaning!)
• Zone 5 detailed cleaning - Living Room
• Zone 1 - Front porch and entrance
• Declutter -
• 1 hour or 4 x 15 paperwork sort

GARDEN - weed, re-plant, etc.

• weed
• Finish weeding salad stuff
• Sweet potatoes - weed
• Orchard tree area - weed
• Plant
• Flower beds - 
• Flower bulbs
• Potato section -
• see if I can find mulch for rest of 2 beds of potatoes
• WAS onion bed - now roots - set up and plant 
• carrots
• beets (LOTS of beets)
• turnips
• kohlrabi
• Triangle (new)
• plant in carrots - I will interplant with lettuce
• Plant Chinese cabbage type seeds for transplant

STUDIES

• Religion
• Finish mini books - 41 Things - p. 21-33
• Songs we Sing - p. 69, 17, 78
• Math +
• Lesson 53
• Russian
• DONE Lesson 13
• Creative Writing
• 10- 1 
• Social Studies - Earth, the Beginnning +
• Life on Earth (LOE) Ch. 1 - 10-16
• UPW 4-5
• Botany 
• Ch. 3 - graphics
• Readings - 
• My Side of the Mountain

QUILT

• DONE Post stash post
• DONE Post Design Wall post
• Finish all catchups on Back to Square One
• B2S1 - Post pic
• B2S1 - July
• H. Sandy - ticky tack - get it ready for buttons

KITCHEN

• shopping list - 1 year

MENU

DONE B: Rice pudding (I don't make mine very sweet at all - has eggs, milk, rice, flavoring)

DONE L: Soup - green bean, sourdough bread

DONE D: Strawberry blintzes,