Rain is coming and I wanted to weed the pumpkin patch with the tiller before the ground got wet, dried out again and the weeds grew another few inches. This is a job I detest. In fact this little garden is about as much as I can handle.
This is the hot dog relish and pepper jelly garden plus 2 tomato plants.
And this is the pumpkin patch. After the vines get big and cover the ground, my work is done until harvest.
In my zeal to till up the weeds, I also tilled up two hills of pumpkins. Honestly, it’s two steps forward and one back. Good grief! I just about cried right out there in the middle of the garden.
So before I could call it a day, I had to replant those pumpkins. I also replanted 3 rows of onions – all of the sets came up but not one of the onion plants so I replaced them with sets. Does anybody know why the plants didn’t grow?
The sky got very stormy looking but this line of thunderstorms went south of us. Interesting clouds, though.
Here’s one of my UFO’s that I’m going to work on. The old pattern was called Chicken Salad – eewwww! How could we have named it for a dead chicken????
My upcoming week is much calmer than the past week – like I mentioned, the big jobs are done with just a couple exceptions. Maybe it’s a sewing/reading week! By the way, I loved all the detailed comments about what’s happening in YOUR lives! Much appreciation to all of you who wrote!
I love, love that quilt with the chickens! Such fun! It just makes me laugh! I have to try to duplicate it!,,,,
Carolyn – the chicken quilt is a far cry from your embroidery quilt – ha!
I read there is a major rain storm going through the upper midwest starting around S. Dakota going east. Are you going to get any of that? How do your dogs do with thunder? My Westie goes crazy and July 4th is awful – so many fireworks all day and night. I’m trying something my vet recommended – Rescue Remedy for dogs. Will see how it works . The Thunder Coat didn’t. Fortinately we rarely have thunder. My other dog, a cockapoo, pays no attention to the fireworks – thank goodness.
All the work you do on your property certainly pays off – everything looks beautiful. You’re amazing!
Maryjane – Telly has started to be afraid but not Hazel although we had a lightning strike several weeks ago that scared us all. Yes, we are expecting that rain – that’s why I worked in the garden yesterday – to get it done before the rain started and it did rain during the night. — Good to know about the Thunder Shirt.
Every time I look at pictures of your barn I’m sad there’s no more quilt camp. Those were some of my favorite times. Just glad my sister-in-law in Mason City told me about it and I went several years! Thanks for the memories Mary!
Jane – those were great times – I agree. The tables are still there – with dirty tablecloths along with the hay bales ….and time marches on.
I have always admired the big flag on your barn. I have an old red barn and I’m thinking of doing something similar. Is your flag painted on or is it made of siding?
Pamela – this flag is made of siding but the original flag was painted.
Getting old is not for the faint of heart. It sucks. Love your Chicken salad quilt. We do not need any more rain here in the Shenandoah Valley Va. Carolyn B
Love your UFO – the chicken quilt. Is there a pattern for it or is it very old? If it’s like some of mine, it could be 20+ years old. LOL
Chris – yes, the pattern is available for $10 – I did make my quilt much bigger than the original and pieced the background blocks.
How do I order the pattern? Thank you for your speedy reply. I love your photos of the corn field across the road from you.💕
Chris – address is on our home page. Make check out to Country Threads and mail to 2345 Palm Ave. Garner, IA 50438
I love those geese. And may I add, the dress models in the ads look just like me😳😳🙃
I’ve made many charm pack quilts you posted, I shared the pattern and many friends are making the same quilt.
Jo – I am always thrilled that people are sewing!
I’ve got both the pattern and the kit for Chicken Salad!! And I haven’t made it yet.
We are here at Rapid City and have been having rain starting about midnight last night – 1 1/2″ the last I checked. I think more rain is forecast for 2-3 days. We can use it. Eastern South Dakota has warnings for floods and storm watches. We can really use the rain. Last Wednesday it was 105 degrees. Yesterday it was about 65!!! Today, too.
Love that.
Did you forget to measure the corn? We are waiting to see how much it has grown.
Betty
Betty – I forgot to post it but will today.
How much is a kit and to whom do we send the money to?
Jan Mittler
tjmittler@hotmail.com
Jan – our shop has been closed for nearly 4 years so there are no longer kits for sale which means the readers who say they have a kit have had it for some time. I’m not judging.
Rain. Need rain desperately here in Texas. Shenandoah please send the rain our way.
I love the “Chicken Salad” quilt.
Thank you for the update, sorry to hear of the mishap in the garden, Really enjoyed seeing all of the pumpkins you had last year. I would like to see a picture of the onions during the growing season.
Mary the trees in the picture near the barn don’t have leaves is it too soon ? I love the pictures you share.
Marilyn – sadly two trees around the barn have died – don’t know why.
It’s raining here in Minnesota again so the weeds in my garden will just flourish. I have put a full container of Preen down and seems to have not worked. So guess I will get the neighbor to come till a little again when it ever dries out again.
I need to look through my Country Threads patterns and see if I have the Chicken Salad quilt pattern.
Enjoy your week.
Kate – good to know I’m not the only one who has been unsuccessful with Preen.
I have been clicking on your ads…
enjoy your blog so much!
sorry about your garden mishap…
enjoy your week!
Sandy – thank you so much for clicking on the ads! I appreciate your support.
We need rain desperately in western NY so hope we get some later today. I feel bad you had to do some replanting. And everything takes so much longer to do as we get older !! Including sewing. I remember those days when I could sew into the evening hours. Not anymore! You enjoy this week with fewer commitments and take it easy.
At least it is still early and you can replant seeds. When I was growing up, I decided I could weed the corn. I knew what corn looked like. But I didn’t know that Dad had planted pumpkins in the corn. Oops!
Here is my garden story.
At least it is still early and you can replant seeds. When I was growing up, I decided I could weed the corn. I knew what corn looked like. But I didn’t know that Dad had planted pumpkins in the corn. Oops!
Judy – oh my – a lack of communication there, huh? I’m assuming you pulled every single pumpkin plant – so sad
Today is going to be a HOT one with feeling like over 100. A good day to stay inside and sew. I will go to our senior center where a group of “girls” bring all kinds of sewing projects. I’m working on punch needle, one is doing counted cross stitch a couple are working on binding quilts. I finished a quilt last week and gave it as a gift. It was done with 8 fat quarters I won at a quilting retreat in Taccoa, Georgia. They all had an out door theme, fishing and hunting. It was a big hit.
“Chicken Salad ” quilt is adorable! I have LOTS of UFO’S! I went on a sewing retreat recently. I should’ve worked on them there, but instead, I made new projects..lol. I’m also trying to grow some pumpkins but not as many as you have. My garden area hasn’t been used in quite a few years, so it needs a lot of work.
Janie – Reed and I planted 58 hills of pumpkins!!!
We went to NY and Northern Ohio this weekend–famiy reunion and Father’s Day. We also attended a QOV presentation for our friend’s son which was very nice. The state coordinator for QOV for Ohio is in our guild:)
I believe I have the Chicken Salad pattern, too. Would it have been in a set you sent out one a month for several months? I have all of them AND the cat embroidery for each month. Unfortunately, it’s still a UFO.
Your farm and land look so nice. You work very hard and it shows!! I would love a home grown tomato–ahhh nothing better is there? You deserve a read and quilt day/week/month/year!!
Diane – I am so sorry but I simply don’t remember and the cat embroidery couldn’t have been a Country Threads pattern. We may have been sending someone else’s. since yours is still a UFO, too, you could get it out and work on it while I work on mine!
Could you please print the recipe for your hot dog relish? It sounds interesting and there are so many variations on Pinterest. I would like to make yours this fall.
Jan Keilman – I will be happy to print it in August when I’m making the relish.
Mary, Your Chicken Salad quilt is WONDERFUL. An excellent way to use some of my homespun plaids for the chickens. I’d like something for hand work and appliquing chickens would be great. Was the pattern in one of your books? I sewed one chicken quilt with small log cabins along one side. Think it came from one of your books.
We had a deluge of rain last night with some thunder. I probably need a rain gauge. It’s 53 degrees up here at 10am so another day to layer up clothing.
This is the third early morning the Elk herd have come to graze with their young. We counted 6 calves. Enjoyed watching their young antics. Last night they stayed over an hour dining before heading back up the mountain. Life off the grid is quite a scenic experience.
Launa -having elk in your yard must be exciting! Last week a doe and her quite small fawn were along the edge of Tims cornfield. I loved watching them sprint across the field.
The quilt you made, I think, was Folksy Chickens from our very first book called On Behalf of Chickens and Chicken Salad was just a pattern – I think. Oh my, that is so many patterns ago!
On Behalf of Chickens in one of my very favorite books. Especially liked your log cabin chickens.
Betty – Thank You! Oh, that was awhile ago, wasn’t it?
Love, love, love the chicken salad quilt Mary!! I decorated my kitchen with chickens and this quilt would fit right in. Great colors 💕
Would love the chicken quilt pattern. I have chickens and think its adorable. Can you let me know where to get it?
Tammy – I can send it to you for $10 if you decide you want it.
Yikes!! You make me so tired!!!!
If only plants grew like weeds that need no water to be prolific. We finally got rain – 6.75 inches. Only extremes lately 93 for three days then in the 60s and 70s…. no rain then a lot of rain. It is hard on people and animals. Then brother-in-law (Sally’s husband) had major heart surgury – totally a miracle they found anurism and bad valve. Luckily they have kids who live near by and do the driving for them. Plus my husband ended up in hospital with heart issue. It is electrical, comes with age and they do nothing about it unless it becomes a bigger issue. Not only people issues but cat. I found out one of my cats has feline asthma and vet said she should stay inside. Problem is she and another cat do not get along. Must rotate locking them up in a room. Not complaining because these are not really extreme issues but sure keeps me busy for being retired. Oh to just sew and looking forward to a retreat next week to get away.
Polly – sounds like you have your hands full, like me! Hope your husband is doing well!
I’m going to order the chicken salad pattern. What about shipping, tax, etc? Do I make the check out to Country Threads? Love your blog – read all the time but never comment. I’m a native Floridian so it’s like a foreign country to me!
JoAnna – check made out to Country Threads for $10, shipping etc is included. Thanks for reading!