what I am reading

Birds & Blooms magazines.

My mother has a subscription to these magazines and gave me this stack of them when I was there earlier this week.

They are full of nice close-up photos of different kinds of birds and articles on their habits and behaviors, tips on attracting birds to your yard, and more.

Also included...pictures and articles about flower gardening...with lots of helpful information, pictures of crafty yard art and other inspirational ideas.

I intended to look at them and pass them along to someone else who might enjoy them...but I think I might save a few back to look at this winter when the skies are gloomy and I'm stuck inside.  That's a good time for collecting ideas for spring flower gardening.

rainy day sewing

We had over an inch of rain the night before last and it was drizzly all day so I had no choice but to stay inside  in the evening and sew up a couple of blocks for the baby quilt I had planned.

These go together pretty quickly! It takes longer to cut the pieces than it does to sew them together.

I usually like smaller blocks in a baby quilt ( these are 12") but since these are sort of divided in to 4 segments, I think they will not look over-large in a small quilt.

My original plan was to use pinks,oranges,yellows...but after seeing these 2 blocks I started thinking I need more color.

How do you think it would look to have this green plaid as the sashings and border?

The color isn't good in these photos...indoor night time lighting...but the green is a fresh spring green.  It would be a very narrow strip, about 1", between the blocks.

I will keep thinking it over and make a few more blocks in the same color scheme. After I see it in daylight I might not like the green plaid with it at all.

planning a baby quilt

I am anxious to get started on a quilt again. Next up is a quilt for a baby girl.

I like making baby quilts because it gives me a chance to try out new blocks and patterns. Also, it's quick to make one- and that makes it fun.

After looking through some of my quilt books, I have chosen a block called "Lily".

I sketched it out and colored it with my trusty crayons. I will use bright colors...just the girl ones...on a white or light background. Probably with a bright border.

I would only need to make  twelve 12" blocks. 

I am also considering a layout with the blocks "on point". After I get some blocks sewn I will  lay them out and see what I like best.

This will be a good project for using up smaller pieces of fabric too. 

With it getting dark earlier I should be able to do a little sewing in the evening.

hose problem solved

The whole time we have lived here - since 1986 - our garden hose has just been kept coiled up on the driveway below the faucet.

Since it catches leaves and dirt laying there like that - it has always been a dirty job to coil it back up after using it.

One time I bought a little wheeled cart to wind the hose on, but it was so light weight it would tip over all the time. It was more trouble than it was worth to try to get the hose wound on it.

After our porch was rebuilt and that downspout was extended, I was worried that I would get the hose wrapped around it and pull it loose accidentally.
So, I bought this hose hanger...thinking surely I could figure out some way to attach it to the house.
It is very nice and has a little compartment to store hose accessories or garden gloves, etc.

Well, I gave up on that idea - the rocks stick out too far (and uneven) to get screws in to the mortar.

I wondered if something could be fastened into the asphalt driveway to mount a hanger on, but everything I read about it said that asphalt stays too soft for that type of thing.

I kept searching for ideas until last week when I saw this hose pot on Amazon!  It had good reviews so I decided to order one.

It looks nice. it's painted to look like copper. There is an opening in the back for the hose to come in and drainage holes in the bottom. The lid keeps the hose clean and protected from the sun.

I hope it turns out to be convenient to use. If not, I can still use it on the porch to keep small garden tools and gloves in. I just don't want to open it and find a snake curled up in there!

Really it looks nice enough to be used for decorative storage inside the house.

identified that big weed

Several days ago I showed a photo of a big weed with pretty leaves and flowers, that I did not know the name of.

Then it developed these spiky pods and I was able to search online using that description.

It is a...

datura stramonium  (you can click that to see the article about them.)

Also called Jimson weed.

It is poisonous to livestock but humans have used it medicinally, even though it can cause hallucinations or even cause death in the wrong dosages.

The blooms open at night and are pollinated by moths. Those pods will dry out and open and release dozens of seeds.

It is a native plant here but I am not sure if I will chop it down before those seed pods mature or just leave it be.  It's pretty but it seems a little dangerous to have around.

oatmeal scotchies

There was mark-down on butterscotch morsels!

My favorite thing to make with these are Oatmeal Scotchies. Everybody likes them.

The recipe is on the butterscotch morsels bag but I use an older version of it that used to be on the bag.

At that time the bag weighed 12 oz.  and now it's only 11 oz. but it still works out okay with the recipe.

Oatmeal Scotchies
2  cups flour
 1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2  cups brown sugar
 2 eggs
1 Tblsp. water
1tsp.  vanilla extract
 1 1/2  cups oats
12 oz. butterscotch morsels

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a small bowl combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl with electric mixer; combine butter and brown sugar.

Add eggs, water and vanilla and beat until creamy. Gradually add flour mixture and continue beating. Stir in oats and butterscotch morsels.

Drop by rounded spoonfuls on to greased cookie sheets.

 

Bake 10  to 12 minutes.  Makes about 4 dozen.

I always take cookies out of the oven a little early to keep them chewy.

There used to be a recipe for Butterscotch Brownies on the bag of morsels, too. It's not there  anymore and I don't have it saved. It was pretty good if I remember right.

I'll have to search around on the internet for it...and for other recipes that use butterscotch morsels.

dehydrating tomatoes

This is our last big batch of tomatoes for the season. There may be a few more small ones that will still ripen but now we can take a rest from always trying to figure out how to use up tomatoes.

I'm sure we will miss them when they are gone, though!

Lonnie set up his dehydrator and filled it with sliced tomatoes. He didn't peel them or remove the seeds. He set it up out on the screen porch because it is a little loud when it's running and also puts off heat.

Ten hours later this is what we have!

We tasted a couple of slices and they are surprisingly sweet  and nicely chewy.

The slices weren't completely dried out but they will be stored in the freezer anyway, so no worries about spoilage.

I'm not sure how we will use the dried tomatoes. Maybe on pizza? Or chopped up in a pasta dish?  They all fit into this one jar so it won't be too hard to use them up!

I don't like seeing all these signs that summer is on it's way out.  I was sitting on the back porch until after dark...thinking it was late, but it was only about 9:00.

Lovely evening though, with an almost full moon.