Just a note from the farm today – I know I’ve published pictures of my eggs before but take a look at this ginormous egg I got today. I’ll bet it’s a double yolker. Ouch!
www.country-threads-chicken-scratch
Look at this stack of new books from Martingale – I can hardly wait to look at each one in detail.
Here they are, two by two.
Between Connie and me, I think we’ll be making at least one from each book just to get started. I’m still putting my Good Fortune mystery quilt together – did you see that Jo has hers together and on the quilting machine? How did she do that so fast?
And this has been a daily occurrence this week – thank you for all your orders for our new book Beyond The Battlefield. We are hoping to have all the envelopes addressed so we can just slip the book inside and get it mailed. Wow! Thank you!
And just wanted to share my beautiful amaryllis with you – 8 blooms on 2 stalks and it was just a $5 bulb from Walmart. Last year I ordered a $30 bulb online from a leading company and got maybe 3 nice blooms and one very tiny bud. What’s the lesson here, Girls? I’m going to mark my calendar for next year and buy them at Walmart again. I’ve gotten some of my nicest succulents at Walmart. Just keep watch and when they first come in, buy them. The employees kill them with water so don’t wait.
The days just fly by and there’s so much I want to do – sew, read, take care of my plants, play with Hazel, quilt on the long arm …. and watch Netflix! Has anyone watched Bloodline? I am loving it! Don’t want it to end!
Ouch is right!!
Poor hen. That had to hurt
I remember when our hens would do that – poor things! They were fun to get though – love double yolkers! Those books look great. I finally got a chance to look at Bonnie Hunter’s website and it is really wonderful. Will definitely spend some time there. I am almost caught up with the Bull’s Eye quilt. It is a lot of fun! And your amaryllis is beautiful! Hmmm…I don’t see any ads to click?! I’ve been clicking away other days. I’ll be watching for them. Janice in MA
Nice selection of books. I have one coming any day now. It is thrilling to get them in the mail, isn’t it? I still have not sent in my money for yours. Am I too late? Still plan to do it. As you say….the time flies by so fast.
Yikes! Extra, extra large egg. I have gotten a few like that. Especially from my Buffys. Buff Orpingtons are big girls. I have about 1/2 of my circles sewn. Need to sew.
We watched Bloodline twice—–hated for it to end.
Can’t wait for the Battlefield book!! I have more books than I know what to do with, I keep printing more patterns from the internet, I have magazines galore…it must be a thing like never too much fabric! And just like fabric, I never have just the right pattern. A couple of the new books by Martingale look interesting too!!
Your amaryllis is beautiful!! I got one for Christmas last year. The leaves grew very well, 3 on each side and at least 24″ long, never a bloom. I let it rest, taking the leaves off as the spring went on. Finally they all came off. the bulb was still green so I put it in the dark for a month or so and brought it back out, started watering it. Leaves started to come back. I was excited to see a bloom this year. The leaves grew, 3 on each side again and at least 24″ long, no stem for a bloom. The leaves toppled and broke off. I tossed it just today. I will get a new one next year because they are so beautiful. It sits in an east window.
The eggs are beautiful colours grouped together.
Oh for sure! Poor hen may end up with hemmorids. Ah all those books! Your flower is s0 pretty!. Mary
Those eggs are beautiful. The flowers too. I think blooming flowers, this time of year are such a gift.
Have fun with the new books…quilting forever, housework…whenever🥴
Forecast for about 60 degrees tomorrow!!!
OUCH! Hope it is a double yoke or you better check as you have an odd bird there.
Your eggs are gorgeous!! I love all of them, but particularly the blue ones!! Who needs Easter egg dye when you have lovely natural colors like those???
I haven’t mailed my check for the battlefield book yet either, but will do so this evening. I’ve already chosen the first one I want to make and it’s next up after Bullseye! I can browse through quilt books for hours. What a fun package in your mailbox! It will be fun to see what you and Connie choose to make!
Question, do you wash or use a light bleach wash on your eggs when you gather them. My neighbor had chickens and she washes the eggs with water and a little bleach. I thought there was a natural bacteria on them and you wouldn’t have to wash. I a city girl with no chicken knowledge lol
Janet – a fresh clean egg straight from the barn to the kitchen will stay fresh on the counter for 2 weeks without refrigeration. There is a coating that keeps it safe from bacteria. If you wash the egg, it takes off that coating and the egg should be refrigerated and used. I wash the eggs as I use them – if they’re dirty and if I keep the nests clean, the eggs will be clean, too. Make sense?
That looks like a duck egg!! Mercy, poor hen!! Love your flowers and thank you for the advice on getting them early before they are drowned!
Love the egg colors, like a palette to choose colors for a whole house painting scheme… does that give you a hint as to what we’re up to these days??
Maybe you should contact Walmart and let them know you’re going to give your followers the up to the minute news on what must haves are in stock at their neighboring Walmarts…. in exchange for some $… I can just see it … Run to Walmart today girls, the succulents are in! Get to Walmart asap, the amaryllis are getting overwatered! Etc….
You never know… it could be a money maker!
So many quilts. So little time. And are your sure one of your hens didn’t meet up with a goose?
Those are some nice looking eggs and Yikes on the size of that one! I cant wait to hear what you think of all those quilt books, I really enjoy anything that Jo Morton does, will have to look for that one. I don’t buy many book anymore since I still enjoy re reading the ones that I do own. Your amaryllis is gorgeous and what a great buy. Stay warm the wind in Iowa can be brutal, ask me how I know 🙂
Kim LeMere – yes, the wind can be vicious but with temps in the mid 30’s, we have nothing to complain about this year!
I bought the same books.
Nice amaryllis I never had much luck with them I guess I should have gone to Walmart for my bulbs.
I always felt bad for my hens when we would get one of those huge eggs. My chickens are all senior citizens so we no longer get eggs. They will be 10 years old on April 8.
Rita Mulvey in CT – the brown eggs and green eggs are all from younger hens. I think the big one came from a Turkey hen, the naked neck. Will you get young chicks again?
I am not sure if I will get chickens again I didn’t know that they would live to this age. I would hate for them to be homeless if in another 10 years we should sell our current house to downsize. I hatched them from eggs and vaccinated them against Mareks myself. Everyone asks me how long do chickens live. I really don’t know I have never heard of anyone having 10 year old chickens.
Rita – because I never butcher my old hens I’ve had them for 10 years sometimes. Then I lose track as they die of old age one by one. Your hens have had excellent care! I worry about that same situation but if Reed were a little older, I could pass all my chores to him. He’s only 11 however.
I’ve been looking for an answer to my Bullseye quilt question. Maybe I missed it.
Question is : I have flannels to make the circles. Do use flannels for the 9 inch squares or is muslin ok? I’m concerned about weight and sagging.
Thank you!
Nicole Hanson – I answered that ages ago but no problem. Either flannels or cotton is ok but not all just muslin. You’re going to miss the point of this if all your backgrounds are the same. I can’t imagine much sagging happening.
Nicole Hanson – did you get my reply sent a few minutes ago?
Nicole – I used all flannels in my bullseyes quilt and no sagging so far with this next step added. I didn’t use any cottons, just flannels so far. It’s been a new to me medium to use as I am all about using cottons or batiks so enjoying my new found love of flannel just like I am loving this quilt.
Winter has finally arrived here. We got 6” of snow last night. Tomorrow I am in all day long so going to sew and make a pot of chicken soup for dinner. I need to get my check to you as well Mary. I bought my daughter the Temecula book for Christmas and last night I heard on our local news that a well known bakery here is closing and relocating to Temecula CA as the area is suppose to be a hot spot for weddings, etc.
What causes them to each lay a different color of egg when they are all fed the same food? Old farm girl but ours were always white, Ha
Diane Deibler – these are some newer breeds of exotic chickens that are bred for egg color. Reed wants to get some hens that lay chocolate colored eggs!
Interesting. Didn’t know that.
I’m with Reed! Chocolate eggs sound great!
this is why I love this blog…you never know what you are going to get…eggs, books, plants and wonderful comments to read. I also have a few books. I was cleaning out some book boxes and found some older Country Thread ones…
WEAR WARM CLOTHES
WE MADE IT THROUGH THE WINTER
ON BEHALF OF CHICKENS
COUNTRY SEAMS (a Leisure Arts)
COUNTRY THREADS (that patchwork place) QUILT SHOP SERIES signed by Mary Tendall & Connie Tesene
I have so enjoyed going thru them once again
Thanks again Mary for sharing your life with all of us.
Mary Jane – and this is why I enjoy writing the bog, too – I can talk about a myriad of subjects – ha! I’m not expert in any of them but I have many interests!
Lucky you to have all those new books!!!
Bet that egg could be a triple Yorker…whoa…bet she had to stand up for that one and then bragged to the other hens!
I love to sit and look at quilt books. I need to get my order in for your new book. I think all of my books from CT are signed by you and Connie. So special.
I love reading your blog! I also got a couple of bulbs at Walmart and gave as gifts. The recipients said one had 8 blooms, the other had 16!! Best bulbs ever, and I buy some every year . I’m enjoying the bulls eye sew along! Thanks for sharing !
Poor hen!
I just sent you a check today for your book and included a note about how fast others are getting their Good Fortune quilts sewn together. But I’ve never been known for speed quilting. I enjoy the process. I’m looking forward to getting an autographed book from you plus a Bull’s Eye pattern. Would Connie possibly consider autographing the books, too?
Marsha from Kansas – of course Connie will sign books – I’m just the voice of this blog. We’ve been partners since 1981. Believe me, she’s the better designer – but I’m the better talker – hahaha!
Thanks to both you and Connie for taking the time to autograph the books. I will surely treasure this one!
Ha! Opposites attract. Something clicked because unit has worked all these years! 💜
Amy M – yes, whatever the attraction, it seems that we just don’t want to quit working! Haha! Is it still snowing?
Bloodline, Broadchurch, and Shetland are my 3 favorite shows on Netflix.
Sharon – I finished Bloodline last night – I think it’s the best TV show/series I’ve ever watched. I’ve watched Broadchurch and Ozark was recommended by my niece.
What did you think about the ending for Bloodline? I highly recommend Shetland.
Mary, I got a $5 amaryllis bulb from Walmart in November. I haven’t looked but it just didn’t come up and I think that it didn’t have any roots. So — remember to make sure that the bulb has roots. I planted it in a hurry and didn’t look.
Betty K – Really? You mean it never even grew leaves? You didn’t plant it completely, did you? The top 1/3 of the bulb should be above the dirt. I don’t remember my bulb having roots – I need to look next time. I also have the two from last year in the basement under the lights and they’re growing but no stalk and bud yet. I keep trying this but I’m never successful.
I have a collection of unusual eggs that I’ve gotten from my chickens over the years, all blown out, of course and set in antique egg cups
Margie Braaksma – I have pretty eggs in baskets and I’ve just let them dry up in the crisper drawer. Sounds like a marble inside after they dry up.
Your going to have to give everybody a heads up when you purchase yours next year. I would remember if you don’t. It is beautiful. I’ve always wanted to make a red and white quilt and I even purchased the fabric, now I just need a pattern. I’m anxious to hear your thoughts on that book.
Sometimes there’s just not enough time in a day to fit everything in and I believe the older I get the faster time goes.
Hi Mary, I may have written this before. We always had an Amaryllis at Christmas and my husband put each one in the basement, then brought them up and we had them in the living room. About three years ago, he decided to try them outside. This summer we had 11 blooming Amaryllis!! They are in a southern exposure with full light and up against the house under a wide eave. They are beautiful. I usually prefer red, but we also have pink and white. Everyone in the neighborhood stops to see them. We live in Central Ohio and do get snow, cold etc. It’s 28 here today and they are out there under the snow. They’ll come up this year, too. He has 10 GREEN fingers:)
Love the eggs and books.
Diane in Central Ohio – you are kidding!!! He leaves them outside in the ground over winter? That must be fun – 11 blooming outside at the same time – OMG – do you have a picture of that?
Watched Bloodline a few years ago. Really good. Wish they were still producing it.
Love your amaryillis! Reminds me of my Dad, who always grew them. I’m afraid my cats would knock them over. In fact, I’m pretty sure there is one who would; can’t even leave a glass of water unattended around him!
Carmen – last year I had several and one was going to church with me but yes, the cats knocked them over and broke all the stems! I put it in a safer place this year. I have a couple troublemakers, too!
Mary, you have probably answered this a zillon times. Where did you find those fabulous eye glasses? Maybe you can share the manufacturer?
Blamb – the glasses I’m wearing in our profile photo have a real story behind them. We were in Cincinnati for Quilt Market quite a few years ago and as we left our breakfast location, we walked by an eyeglass place and in the window were these glasses. I loved them! I walked in and bought them, brought them home and had my prescription put in at Walmart. The story continues – about 3 years ago I needed a new eye prescription and I went back to Walmart and as I was ordering new lenses to be put in my frames, I explained that they were special and my favorite frames and please be careful with them. He was gone quite awhile and came back to sit down at the table to tell me he broke my frames when he was taking the lenses out. I was in tears! BUT Walmart came thru – they found my exact frames online and paid for them! They are John Lennon frames and might be still available if you look online. And they are still my favorites! I told you there was a story, didn’t I? But there’s always a story with me – like I’ve said before, it’s a shame I have nothing to say, huh? Haha!
It IS a great story, and so glad Walmart did the right thing. Thank you for sharing!
I have never tried my hand at growing an Amaryillas but I think I got a few pointers here today so I just may try it. Hopefully I don’t plant it upside down and it will grow in regular potting soil. There’s a 1st time for everything.
Jeri in S. Texas
Oh I see my envelope is in your stack! I am so excited as your book is the first autographed anything I will have in 68 years! I have a good many of your books and patterns-so this will be the crowning touch to my collection. Thank you for making it available!
My grandpa raised Cochin bantams and there was one hen that every so often would lay an egg that was the size of an extra large grocery store egg. Poor little lady!