Here I am!

I was in Colorado for 11 days and just got back yesterday afternoon.

It was a great trip but I kind of feel like the picture =)

Silly ... crazy ... wired ... tired.

PS - I have a wretched cold.  =(

Something New for the Kitchen

Just call me Bob the Builder ... I put it together All By Myself!!!

I love having my melamine mixing bowls and vintage Pyrex out where I can see them everyday.  =)

Putting Up Jam

50+ jars ... some for gifts and some for Us.  :-)

My Favorite Canning Links:

Food in Jars

Pick Your Own

Canning Jar Love

 **Spices**

Wordless Wednesday ... Reading to Her Girls

Vintage Sheets Picnic Quilts

This pile of vintage bed sheets will hopefully turn into 

picnic quilts this fall.  

One sheet front and back ...

Flannel sheet batting (thrifted of course) ...

Machine quilt lots of straight lines ...

Binding. =)

Or perhaps I'll get Fancy and do a patchwork top like Christine's:

It took FOUR months to find the Perfect Curtains for the sliding door to our deck.

It was Providential ... I hung them from the existing rod and
the length was Exactly RIGHT!

Thank you Target for having such an affordable option.  =)

Food for the Week

Meal Ideas:

• Hamburgers on the Grill
• Homemade Pizza ... weather in the high 70's means I can turn on the oven again!
• Chicken Burritoes ... in the freezer. =)
• Br-inner (Breakfast for Dinner) ... need to use up some buttermilk so I'm thinking pancakes.

To-Do:

• Bake bread ... I love using my "hand-me-down" Zojirushi bread machine but need to figure out how to keep the crust soft.
• Bake Banana Bread ... or muffins.  =)  Three bananas are getting quite brown on my counter.
• Make one more batch of Jam ... then I should be set for Christmas presents!  I'm thinking Triple Berry (strawberry + blueberry + raspberry).

Putting up Peaches

Love Bug and I picked up 1/2 bushel of Red Haven Peaches this week and I processed them in record time!

(16) 1 pound containers in the freezer

You have to add  lemon juice & a liquid to cover the peaches so they don't turn brown.  I used Apple Juice instead of a simple syrup.  Gpa Mellema always used Orange Juice.  =)

Peach Jam

Those wide mouth 1/2 pint jars in the front are my FAVORITE for jamming!

Note to self ... the dark color of Raw Sugar turns the jam from a bright peach to a pumpkin orange.  Next year use Evaporated Cane Juice Crystals.  =)

On my Mind ... Present Potholders

The last of the Rico Creative Cotton was hooked into potholders this month.

 

  I've enjoyed working with this yarn and highly recommend it because it comes in MANY wonderful colors!

They were added to the Present Pile to be given away as a housewarming or a Christmas gift. =) 

I invite you to visit Down to Earth  for other "On My Mind" posts.

Another Log Cabin Blanket

Yarn - Knit Picks Comfy in Worsted Weight

Colors - Just about all of them.  =)

Hook - Susan Bates #7 or 4.5mm

Size - about 30 inches square

A new friend at church is having a baby in September and I think this will be the perfect gift for her!

I Cannot Start the Day ...

without making the Bed.  =)

Sheets re-tucked ... Quilt smoothed ... Pillows fluffed.

Now doesn't that look Tidy and Very Pretty?