I started on the plants today. Each plant that comes back into the house needs to be cleaned of all debris and sprayed with an insecticide.
If I do a few each day I won’t think it’s such a huge job, right? Plus it’s raining again – big time, an inch already this evening, and some of these poor succulents and cacti need to dry out.
I don’t remember mowing the grass so much in September but with all the rain we’ve had, the grass is very green and it’s still growing. I try to keep the ditch mowed every week or ten days but I mow it with a walk behind mower and it is not an easy job so I keep putting it off. Today was the day because heavy rain is expected tonight.
I think it’s hilarious that many of you made a connection between the Donald Trump picture and the manure spreader of the future – ha! I hadn’t intended the reference but it sure fit, didn’t it? And I wanted to thank all of those readers who commented about where they were on 9/11. I read every comment and enjoy them all. For those of you who don’t read the comments, you’re missing a huge part of the blog – the interaction which I just love. I wish I could hear from more of you.
On Monday Connie and I are taking the class on our new machines at Calico Hutch in Hayward, MN. We’ll probably have to shop while we’re there, too. I have so many projects in progress right now, I don’t know what to sew first. It’s all fun! Isn’t it a wonderful thing to retire from a business only to spend all your free time doing the same thing – quilting, not running a business, I mean.
Two little dogs coming for the weekend – Tasha and Libby.
I love your blog, and agree with the others who made the Trump/manure connection! Glad you have time now to enjoy yourself! I retired and am now in culinary school! So much fun!
I too am still mowing. We have 11.5 acres. I have an awesome John Deere riding mower. We are still getting lots of tomatoes and peppers from the garden.
Mary Ann – what model is your mower?
Just saw a quilt called “River Town” by Country Threads on FB. Love it.
You are having more rain than we are in Byron Illinois. We’ve had our fair share but the constant mowing in mid-September is quite the job. Love your blog and am so happy for you and Connie to enjoy your hobby. Have fun shopping and creating. Cindy in northern Illinois.
I’m a bit behind in answering where I was on 9/11. At that time I worked for Walmart & was a dept mgr. My area was directly across from electronics with all the TV’s. We all were watching as the World Trade Center was bombed….shock & disbelief! When the second plane hit we all knew it was no mistake. I also remember where I was when John F. Kennedy was shot. HS history class! Some things we never forget!! Some of us have retired and and gone back to work…..I miss the interaction of people. I still find time to do some quilting and knitting.
We haven’t mowed here in weeks. Grass is all brown. Sure hope it comes back in the spring. I live in Nova Scotia Canada. Driest summer around here this century apparently. Enjoy your visit to learn more about your machine. I had decided to get one like yours but learned Bernina is bringing out a 765 special edition so I am getting one of those. Can’t wait.
We live in Rapid City, SD and our grass has been completely brown all year with a lot of bare dirt patches, but it has been raining lately and new grass is sprouting and the yard is turning green again. In the last week or so, so many of the trees are turning. Spearfish Canyon, a favorite for people to watch the changing colors, is about 60% changed with maybe 1 or 2 weekends to go, IF the wind doesn’t blow them away.
I wanted to tell you I have made your tomato salad twice. It is great.
We’ll send some rain to California, we need it….They are increasing our water bill…..🐾🐾🐶🐾🐾
I was working at John Deere in 9/11 . (I took early retirement so am retired now-more time to quilt!). We brought in a TV and had thencoveragenon-never had TV on otherwise. Love your blog!!
Yup, thought the same thing about the manure spreader!
9/11-I’d seen my kids off to school and gone to the chirporactor. He told me it was a terrible day, I had no idea anything had happened.
I always think of you when I start bringing plants in, it’s still so warm and humid. I am kind of ready for fall.
Happy sewing. I am working on sweater mittens and The Raven by Blackbird Designs.
I have the pattern RAVEN, but haven’t started on it just yet.
Here on the west coast I was just getting up for my tea…….my husband had the TV on and turned on the bedroom TV to show me….
That fateful day JFK was shot in Dallas…my husband and I were shopping at Macy’s in Anaheim, CA People came out of the store talking to everyone about it……I’ll never forget how sad we were driving home to Huntington Beach.
I showed my quilts at our guild meeting last month and was surprised how many were country threads patterns. All so beautiful with a distinctive look to them. Thanks to Mary and Connie for sharing your talents with so many of us.
On 9/11, I was listening to a radio talk show called, Rick and Bubba. They reported about the first plane hitting but they thought a wing had hit it and could not figure out what happened to the rest of the plane. They did not realize yet that the whole plane went in. I then picked up what was happening at my Dr.’s office on their TV and that is when I saw the second plane hit. I’ve never been felt such heartache. I cried all over again when I watched some of the specials from the 15 year anniversary.
This has been our hottest and driest summer in Northern AL. We have had over 50 days of 90 or above and our average is 12!
I too had on the news watching Charlie and Diane, I had gotten up to get a coffee refil when my daughter called to tell me the news. I almost laughed as I watched the second plan hit telling my daughter “how did they do that”, as she said Mom this is real!!! Then reality sunk in and tears of disbelief.
Well Mary, my little lambs have been attached to their two fans blowing on high speed 24/7 all summer, lol. It’s been so humid and hot. Poor little things still acclimating to Texas. They are pretty much full grown now, 17 inches tall to the shoulder. They are spoiled rotten as they want to be out of their enclosure and in the yard, ya know the grass is always greener!! So I let them out to visit in the evening to be with us and the dogs, they love the dogs. And they are so very curious and have to have their faces in all I do. I will send you more pictures soon.
Well that is my lamb update for now.
Argyle, Texas
I love your lamb update – can’t wait to see the pictures!
Seems that every night, for over a week, I’ve fallen asleep to the sound of thunder off in the distance. I do love the rain and snuggling under a quilt with a good book…but enough already.
My cousins kids built a bridge, over their creek, using an old pontoon boat. Since Mother Nature has been so generous with rain, the creek has turned into a river and the bridge is floating somewhere out in the middle.
We’re dry this month after a wet July & August. But today it’s going to rain so I have to cut some plastic to covet a table I am refinishing in my driveway. On 9/11, I was sleeping in due to being up late with my usual intestinal problems and insomnia when my SIL called and told me to turn the TV on. I was really upset. As I suffer from PTSD, I became obsessed and hardly slept or ate for days. But the late Peter Hennings got me through it; sometimes he reported for nearly 24 hours before taking time off and then coming back on. I missed him terribly from that day forward whenever tragedy struck our nation.
On another note, I also made a connection between Trump & the manure spreader at the fair & it was worth a chuckle. Wish I could get my belly pain under control (I now have peptic ulcers) so I could finish more of my applique projects. Still buying an occasional OOP books of yours and Connie’s when I find one that looks interesting. Thank goodness for online used book stores via Amazon.
Pamela – I hope for pain free days ahead for you – thanks so much for writing.
That was Peter Hennings
That was Peter Jennings during 9/11
enjoy your rain. We are in extreme severe drought conditions here in New England. All that falls from the sky are rain drops send your rain our Way. The farmers need it desparately. The crops are all small in quantity and size. Glad you are enjoying retirement.
Joanne – we had over 2″ of rain last night – ugh! I wish we could give you some of what we don’t need! More mowing ahead.
Salmon,Idaho…Ou lawn has never been so green. We have 5 acres and it’s really just pasture we mow. We too have had lots of rain this summer but fall is in the air. Still spitting the last of the wood but did start sewing a bit yesterday afternoon. Love your blog.
Our grass is green and lush, but the veggie garden is having it’s last gasp. Just finished an orange peel quilt for my daughter in law (Christmas is coming). Love your blog. It has some of my favorite things: Iowa, farms, animals (love them all) and a healthy dose of creativity. I look forward to your posts.
Chippewa Falls, WI
Sounds like you never “retired” from your quilting which is such a creative outlet and I know a passion for you. I’m thinking of doing something more creative than the writing which I enjoy. I want to make a quilt for my couch in the living room so I can snuggle under it during the cold nights that are coming. We are having mild weather here in CA, but no rain which we need as water shortage a constant problem in CA. Seems like we could trade our drought for your rain and it would be a balance of nature, but alas, that will never be. Can’t wait to see some of your completed projects. Glad you are so energetic and can accomplish so much with your animals, mowing the grass and then quilting, not to mention caring for your potted plants!
I just love your blog and wish I lived closer to you. On 9/11 I was working for a CCRC in NJ. Many of our residents family members worked in NYC and in the financial district. We had a stream of 80 and 90 year old concerned residents. We were 1 hour from NYC and many people used a Park & Ride to go to work in the city. The police would go through the parking lot and put a chalk X on the tires checking how many might be involved and still in the city. The post office that our mail went through was the one closed down because of Anthrax so much mail was searched and brought to residents and the office in plastic bags. It really was a part of our lives in the area for many months. To this day it is a reality in that area. Keep on quilting! Have a great day.
What does River Town look like and what is it’s number?
We, too, in western South Dakota have been in severe drought all summer with extreme fire danger. The rain we’ve been having is a god send, but it is too late for hay and wheat. We just don’t waste water on the yard, but I still have a few petunias in big flower pots. They add a nice bit of color and happiness to the picture – next to the brown yard!
Chin up everybody, this, too, will pass. At least that is what my Mom would have said.
I would like to know if you still have copies of the pattern ‘River Town’. Someone posted a photo of it on FB and it’s absolutely beautiful, but I can’t find any sources for it. Can you head me in the right direction?
Gayle – we have no patterns left at all but I have all the masters. I can make you a copy and mail it for $10.
Mary Etherington, 2345 Palm Ave. Garner, IA 50438
Do you have the number?
I was getting ready to head out towards CT to go to camp on 9.11. I remember it being so eerie driving up. My sister, Connie Vos, and I went to Calico Hutch a couple weeks ago and guess what?! We signed up for a camp/retreat!!!! Exactly how we got started with CT years ago! I love that store! I am interested also in what River Town looks like and the # of the pattern! Have a great weekend and mow more lawn!!!
9/11 recollection. I was at work, an early morning meeting, when a colleague called and said he didn’t think he should come to work because of the NY stuff… we all laughed and told him to get moving and get his rear in gear…. then he called again… that’s when we realized it was more than we thought… I worked on the near north side of Chicago. I went to the roof of my building and watched the exodus of cars from downtown… it was a beautiful sunny morning, no clouds or planes in the sky… eerily quiet… praying to our Heavenly Father for safety….
Well thank you for the tip on which insecticide to use. My plants are slowly going back to work. Today I caught a giant grasshopper, I set him free. It was all the ants on another plant that freaked me out. Had to dump the pot to shake out the ants which there werent many. Whew.