A Quilting I Will Go

   I have been very, very busy working on the quilts I'm making for our grand kids for Christmas. I think I started in May, took a break and did other things and now I'm back at it again. I am making 5 quilts and I finished the second one last night.
   Since this is the first time I have ever quited, it is also a learning experience for the next quilts I'm going to make. I've learned not to sew the batting to the top and then sew the back to it all. It sounded like a good idea, but as I'm top stitching it with the sewing machine, the top spreads out more. I've also learned it's probably not a good idea to sew it all together until it's top stitched. The quilts have turned out nice for my first attempt. I did try to sew them all together, with right sides facing leaving a hole and then turning everything inside out, but that really didn't work. I have made very nice borders  by folding the backing over it all. I like them better this way, too. I had to take apart the first quilt which was loads of fun and then it took me 3 tries to get the thing all pined together nice and neat. I didn't want to do it on the floor because I'd never get up again and I'd have a lot of help with the dogs and Michaela, so I use the kitchen island and just shift the whole thing as I go.
   Micheal is very worried and anxiously waiting for clothes for the bears I made them last year. He even asked my mom if she knew if I was working on the clothes when they went to their house for Thanksgiving. So, after quilts, it's bear clothes. I'm also crocheting slippers for my parents and still need to make the pants for Amy and Alyssa that they have requested. I'm now positive my list is never ending. It does give me something to do and snow will be here soon so I'll be stuck in the house except for my big outing to collect the eggs.
   We (Tim) finally caught a mouse and so far, it looks like it was the only one.
   It's been raining for days now and walking outside reminds me of walking on a sponge, not that I've ever walked on a sponge.
   I guess I'd better get busy and start working on the quilts again. I'll take pictures of them all when I have finished. I hope it doesn't cost an arm and a leg to mail them. Four of them go to Arizona and the fifth one stays here.
   I wonder whet brilliant ideas I'll get for next years Christmas gifts for the grand kids? Gift cards?

First Snow Of The Year

   Late Thursday afternoon/evening and into Friday, we had our first snow of the year. I know it's just me, but it seems colder this year. I know it actually has been colder, but that's not the reason. Maybe my old bones and healed broken bones just don't like cold this year.
   Yes, I know, we chose to live up here where it snows. I still like looking at it through the windows. It's so pretty and you have that kind of hush you only get from snow. I'm pretty sure as the fall progresses into winter I should, hopefully, warm up.
   Poor Jake says snow is for the birds and Chip thinks it's great as long as it doesn't fall off of the trees or some other object and scare him. The chickens are doing fine so far. Michaela is really impressed with all the white out side and the snow on the floor the dogs bring in. Michaela has reached the take your clothes off stage in life, so she runs around in blanket sleepers with a snap over the zipper pull at the neck because she hasn't figured out how to get out of those, yet.
   I'm almost done dehydrating potatoes and then it's freeze and dehydrate all the carrots in the refrigerator.
   I've decided we have an invisible mouse that just leaves droppings behind. You'd think it would step on and stick to a sticky mouse trap eventually, wouldn't you?
   I have all 5 quilt tops sewn together and names and dates embroidered on them and I'll start the filling and back part tomorrow. I'm just going to tie them together because it sounds the fastest and easiest and since they are my first quilts, I'll take the easy way and work up to harder.
   Micheal says the bears I made for the grand kids last year still need clothes. My list of things to make just gets longer and wouldn't you know it? I have towels to fold. I'm still waiting for the magic clothes folding dryer. My excuse now is I've been sick and just don't feel like it and we all know where to find them if one is needed.
   I made powdered laundry detergent a couple of weeks ago and it seems to work very well. The clothes are cleaner and softer and once again I am using white vinegar for fabric softener. I've used it before, but I think I will all the time now.
   You should all prepare yourselves because eventually there will be snow pictures up here again.
Also pictures of these tiny, tiny red bugs that should up after one of the last rains. Oh well, that's it for now. Goodnight.

Nice Weather Equals A New Rototiller

   The weather has been nice the last few days for a change so it was time to start tilling up the garden. Unfortunately, the engine on our trusty 25 year old Troy Bilt Econo horse tiller went out with a big, loud bang last year. We really like having a garden, so a new tiller it was. We did debate about renting one, but decided in the long run, we'd just rather have our own.
   Before we bought the new tiller, Tim had ordered an engine that was suppose to fit the old tiller. Well, guess what? It didn't, and it seems there isn't replacement engines for it. That's not what the internet said, but I guess you shouldn't believe everything you read.
   My chicks are 5 weeks old now, and it would be really nice if they were outside. We are still getting night time temperatures below freezing. Three of the Golden Comet chicks just don't get that you don't peck the hand that feeds you. The smaller one we call Penny, is still friendly. She is in with the White Crested Black Polish chicks. They are also still nice. I can tell them apart because one has black on the top of it's beak. I still don't know if one is a rooster yet, but I'm leaning toward no.
   I have been very busy cutting out 6 inch squares for 5 quilts to start with and more to follow after I finish those. I'm just going to tie those quilts and the next quilts I will try the quilting attachments on my sewing machine.
   Poor Chip was neutered a couple of weeks ago and my mother-in-law said he has a higher pitched bark than he used to. Chip had some problems after his surgery. He could only walk a couple of steps and the sat down in a hurry. There was no way he would wear the E collar, so he had stronger pain pills and a strong sedative to take to knock him out. Then, because he licked the incesion, it got a little infected. He's back to his old self now. Even Jake was worried about him.
   Michaela has learned how to turn in circles so right now, she's turning and turning and turning, making herself dizzy, falling over and saying "Uh Oh", her favorite words lately. The other day, there were some deer outside and the dogs saw them and ran up to the window, barking at them. Michaela ran up to the window and barked at them, too. She also now howls like the dogs. You'd think she was being raised by wolves. I don't know what she'll do when she goes to daycare when Amy is going back to college.
   I finally have an appointment to see a dermatologist about my hands. I sure hope the doctor can figure out why my fingers crack and what to do for them. I have so many things I need and want to get done. Well, the dryer is calling me and it's not even towels calling me to fold them, it's shirts that need hung up, so I'd better not ignore them.