My new theme song

The music-only link was broken so I found this U-Tube vid with my song.

Big Harvest

It was time to gather all the almonds today.  I picked 2 ice cream buckets of the peach-like fruits, split them and set out the almonds to dry for a few days. There may be enough for one batch of almond toffee.

Quilting Update

Our Quilt Guild did a Block of the Month using the same pattern.  Mine isn't quilted yet, but here is a preview:

Then our QG challenge this year is to make a quilt measuring at least 100"sq. with a star on it.  Those were the only requirements.  Last fall at the Shop Hop (I'll explain some other time) I bought a kit for a one-block wall hanging.  It hung on the shelf all year until this challenge.  It is now the upper left block of this wall hanging:

It is also unfinished.  Both need to be done by our December 6th luncheon.

Wow! Really?!

It has been 4 months since I even looked at this site.  Time for a little catch-up.

So here goes:
Backing up a ways - Dad took a week off to install sprinklers in the back yard.  Uncle Bob came over to help with the trencher.  Here is what we have today:

Maybe next year

One reason the sprinklers didn't get finished is because Dad got excited about another project.  He wanted to paint the kitchen.  It is beautiful.

This Wednesday I chopped down all the raspberries and got several bites on my face (spider, I think) and scratches on my arms.  Should have worn long sleeves.  Ah, me.  But the job is only half over.  Our last trip to the dump was so heavy that it bowed out the bed and was rubbing on the tire causing the rubber to melt.  Bad.  Before we can make another run to the landfill Dad needs to take care of that little problem.  So you can imagine all the piles of weeds and rubbish around the yard. (sigh)

HAZELNUTS- This year our bushes produced, even after moving them.  I am so happy.  Here is our first crop:

Cute little things.  Too small to even crack.

 FIGS- And here is one of the 2 figs on the tree this year.  They are as small as my baby fingernail.  I don't imagine they have time to get any bigger.

ALMONDS- I haven't cracked any of the almonds yet this year, but looks like we may have a bowlful.  Here is one about ready to drop.

The late freeze we had this spring killed back the walnut pretty severely.  It is still alive but not thriving.  It may have something to do with the gophers from last year also.  Darn those vermin.
While chopping down hollyhocks and weeds this week in the side yard, I discovered another fresh gopher hole.  I set a trap but haven't caught it yet.  It may be the same one that dug down and then up into one of our window wells and dug extensively around the corner of the house that caused our basement flooding last month.  I really need to get rid of that thing.