I went to bed with the cornfield across the road only partially combined and when I got up the next morning – poof! The corn was gone! Just that fast! I love the cornfields right after the corn has been combined – it’s all a soft yellow and very pretty to look at.
Here’s the next step which isn’t pretty at all and thank goodness I got all the porch covers on before they started this step. Hog manure from hog confinement buildings is spread on the empty fields and tilled in before winter. These are called “honey wagons” – farmers depend on hog manure for fertilizer. It’s a valuable commodity in the fall and it makes for tall corn the next season.
And now some miscellaneous tidbits. Here is a picture of a tray filled with those wonderful little tea sandwiches from last Saturday. They were all delicious as well as the little filled muffin and desserts. The only thing I didn’t absolutely love was the tea – I would have loved a cup of coffee!
Remember the kittens Connie got from me? Here is Dot on a leisurely stroll.
Isn’t that a great picture? And here are both Lily and Dot captivated by that pesky squirrel outside.
Connie’s orange and black quilt was very popular. Here is Kathy Hanson’s quilt ready for quilting.
And here is Norma Gebhardt’s version.
Thanks so much for sending these photos – makes us happy to know that someone is making the patterns we share instead of just filing them for “someday”.
And a quick photo of one of my gorgeous roosters. He is picture perfect!
He was the single chick that hatched just before the group of four so Reed and I have labeled them the Fab Five.
And remember Chicklet? Here he is all grown up and gorgeous as well.
Remember last year when we made Split Squares for Christmas? I made one this week for a gift – now I will get it quilted.
And this is Duet by Villa Rosa Designs made with an Amy Butler jellyroll. This will go on the quilting machine soon, I hope.
Yes, I’m also working on the book but I had to step away for a bit to regroup. Ha!
I love seeing your photographs. I live in Ocala, Florida, and have friends who live in Ottumwa. They bought property next door to us about 5 years ago. They live here in the winter and head back to Iowa in May. In addition to their photos of Iowa, they gave me a subscription to “Our Iowa” magazine which I thoroughly enjoy.
Some day would love to visit your state.
I’m pretty sure that we don’t use honey wagons here in SW Iowa. (I’m a townie these days.) My guess is because we don’t have as many hog containment businesses here.
As a former farm girl though, I have no appreciation for chickens. I HATED gathering eggs. However, those roosters ate stunning hsndsome–from a distance!
I so look forward to seeing your blog and all the things you get done. The animals are so interesting. Now I am wondering where to find the instructions or any info about the quilt you referred to as Split Squares. I am old but pretty new to pieceing and have never quilted but love making the tops.
Hope you have a great fall and winter and keep up with the blog.
Thanks for all you do to entertain us……..
Split Squares is found in our book Sew Charming by Country Threads
Thanks for sharing! I always enjoy your posts. Those “boys” are absolutely gorgeous!!
Chicklet is gorgeous? If he only had a harem of his own. Bet he thinks he is the cock of the walk. SO very pretty. Can you glean fallen corn from the field before the manure comes? Squirrels would love you.
I love your photographs too! I’m Janice from Topsfield, MA. The leaves are past their peak here but it is still beautiful in places. Just love this time of year. Your roosters, they are just gorgeous! So handsome. I miss my chickens terribly. We hope to move to NH or maybe Maine by next summer and we will definitely have chickens and hopefully some roosters. They are so fun to have around. Have you ever had guinea hens? Thought about getting some of those eventually. The quilts are really cute – especially the orange and black ones. I’m more of a rug hooker (wool) and I had fun making a rag rug from your book and the frame that you had instructions for – my husband made the frame and I made the rag rug. Came out great! Maybe when we settle down I’ll get back into quilting. You make it look so easy!
AMEN to coffee!!!!!
Those are two lucky cats! I should have tried to find a farmer who as going to combine …I want to get some corncobs for garlands! Love all the quilts…don’t usually like orange but I really like these!
Is this the cornfield that looked smashed by hail? Did they actually end up with a yield off it, Mary? If so, that is amazing.
I read the Couple Next Door on our Amtrak ride to Glacier Nat’l Park- it was a fast read! Now I’m reading The Round House.
Happy fall, Mary.
Yes, it was hit by hail but not totally destroyed.
I love those two roosters even though I know they’re not your favorite. They are regal looking!! In upstate New York, a honey wagon is any kind of manure–horse, chicken, hog etc. My mother swore by horse manure for her rhubarb. Squeak watches our chipmunks just like Lily and Dot are doing with the squirrel. She tells them long “stories”!! Yum, those sandwiches look good. I have several blocks of the little star blocks finished on my wall. Thanks for the reminder about the Split Squares quilt; I finished one so need to start another. Trick or Treat here tonight. Fun.
The roosters are so handsome! So colorful! Wish I had your energy or ambition. You get more done than anyone I know. Love reading your posts. I spent sometime on a farm in my youth so your posts bring back a lot of good memories.
Those roosters are beautiful! Too bad those honey wagons don’t smell more like honey! Love seeing all of your pics.
Your pictures of the roosters are gorgeous. I grew up on a farm too and my grandfather used to use cow manure for the fertilizer. Have a question, what lines of Amy Butler fabrics did you use for the quilt? Love the colors!!
The jellyroll I used was over 5 years old – I did not keep the tag and don’t remember what line it was.
Beautiful roosters! They’re actually hams posing for pics like that! Lol!
Your roosters are gorgeous! But I can’t tell what breed they are – my kids were in 4-H so I know the common ones but these look different to me. Good luck with your Fab 5.
Diane – yes, they are different because they are a mix of 2 purebreds – which ones, however, I wouldn’t know and couldn’t guess. Ha!
The roosters are GORGEOUS!!! Look at all those colors!!!
Ditto all the above about your roosters but especially love seeing Chicklet. Such a surprise and so handsome, wow.
Love all the pictures but love the roosters they are gorgeous!!!
Oh yes, pig manure….my friends dad would laugh at me when I wrinkled up my nose. He’d say…didn’t you know? That’s the smell of money!!!! Hahaha
Love Chicklet!! Very regal, indeed!!!
I think you and Connie are just fantastic with all you do. Just LOVE to hear from you.
Mary, again, thank you for sharing so much. I’m amazed at how you appreciate all that is created – a cornfield that’s been combined. A good lesson for all of us to find the beauty in each new day. I have roosters – the decorative kind – in my kitchen. So I really enjoy seeing your ole boys, one is more beautiful than the next! Quilting question – is it possible you can load both Split Squares and the Amy Butler piece on your longarm at the same time? I realize you’d have to use a huge piece of batting, and backing as well, to stabilize it all but wondered if that was an option for time-savings. I always wonder how I can get more quilting out of a day HA! Enjoy your weekend, and thanks again.
I’ve never tried it but it might work. They would both need to use the same backing unless you pieced them and positioned each quilt top. I’m not sure I’d save much time.
The roosters are beautiful! Love the quilts, too.
That Chicklet is a handsome boy, the other one is very pretty. Thank you for sharing their pictures.