two containers of inspiration

Posted on November 4, 2023 by is there any more pie?

In my effort to design a star quilt, I’ve been searching through fabric in my closet.  Here’s one container.  Much of the pieces are leftovers from the Gingko quilt.

I haven’t used solids since, and that was 2015.  I prefer prints, the more colorful and modern the better, but prints have no place in traditional Morning Star quilts.

Here’s the quilt kit I unpacked on Friday. It consists of a page of  detailed and confusing directions and eight star panels of printed interfacing.

I dug out another small container of 15+ year old Kaffe Fassett shot cottons and stripes.  That top piece of blue will be the center star.

It’s always great fun to pull out tons of fabric and see what will work for my latest project. This particular process took two weeks, but I think I have settled on my colors at last.

I have watched three different Youtube videos on how to use the printed interfacing and my 2 1/2″ x 5 1/2″ rectangles.  I’ve even–very cautiously–sewn one row.  I don’t feel confident about sewing down the second row, but I’ll watch another video, drink more coffee and tackle it.

Once I get the method down it should go quickly.

Famous last words?

 

 

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welcome to november

Posted on November 2, 2023 by is there any more pie?

Frost on the pumpkins this morning!

It is 35 degrees and all of a sudden winter is breathing down our necks.  Oh, my goodness.

Are we ready?  Getting there.  Sort of.

Last night Banjo Man defrosted a bag of thickly-sliced turkey breast from last Thanksgiving and announced he was going to make a soup.

I attempted to discourage him and urged him to throw the old turkey away.  It won’t be any good, I said.  It’s old.  Toss it in the garbage and make something else.

Of course he didn’t believe me.  Why listen to someone who has been cooking for fifty-three frickin’ years? 

He filled a 7 quart pan with a turkey-vegetable concoction, along with chicken “Better Than Boullion” seasoning, while I ate a bowl of cereal.  When it was finally ready to eat, he dug in.

Me, pretending to be interested:  How is it?

Him:  It’s great, if you don’t eat the turkey.

Well, there you go.

Lesson:  buy a smaller turkey this year.

 

 

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and it’s halloween!

Posted on October 31, 2023 by is there any more pie?

I couldn’t resist a few funnies this morning. It was 42 when I woke up, a more typical Halloween morning.

I’m going out later to buy candy for my TWO trick-or-treaters. Have I mentioned that I live in the woods???

And then I’ll treat myself to a pumpkin spice latte at Cumberland Farms.

It’s been a birthday week here. Son Will, the Funny Grandson and my brother (a Halloween baby 70 years ago). Happy Birthday, guys!

And here’s a little giggle for my online dating friends…

Be careful tonight!

Posted in family, just for fun, rhode island | 1 Comment

monday, monday

Posted on October 30, 2023 by is there any more pie?

How Banjo Man spent his weekend:

How I spent my weekend:

My tv tech problems continue. Five hours were spent on Sunday trying to figure it out, get help from Verizon, get help from Youtube TV, and not have a nervous breakdown.

The only thing that is happening as a result is getting a new router, compliments of Verizon, though it’s a longshot whether or not it will help.  Youtube TV, a streaming service that I really like, can’t come up with any response to why it won’t recognize where I am and adjust accordingly.  Patriots game, anyone? Local news?  Not here.  Not yet.  And not since Verizon’s “help”.

As far as Youtube TV?  I started out as number 171 in the “chat line”.

While I was waiting, I completely scrapped my first star quilt colors and started over.  There are mounds of fabric everywhere, but that’s okay.  Eventually this quilt will come together.

Daughter Nancy and I took a drive before going out for burgers Friday night.

Narragansett Pier.  And the iconic Towers.

Not much surf, but the surfers were enjoying a beautiful afternoon.  Temps came close to 80 degrees, an odd and appreciated weather blip.

And now it’s raining.  Welcome to November!

Well, almost.

 

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my cave has a kitchen

Posted on October 25, 2023 by is there any more pie?

After my post-summer, post-road-trip crash of the past two weeks, I’m slowly venturing out of my cave.

I baked sugar cookies Monday, and magically two hungry children appeared with their father!  How did they know?

It was a party.

Today–or maybe tomorrow, or Friday?– I will venture out to the library to pick up the new Longmire novel.  I need to buy Halloween candy.  And mail a box of jam.

That might be enough errands for one day.  But hey, I’m slowly getting back to normal and it’s all good.

Yesterday I tried my hand at making flatbread.  Conclusion:  I think it’s going to take more practice.  And a few more recipes.  Do any of you have a good one I could try?

My flatbreads tasted just fine, but the recipe called for cooking them in a frying pan and oil.  Next time I’ll try another way.  Suggestions, anyone?

I also made butternut squash soup, the best thing ever.  Banjo Man has promised a trip to Narragansett for chowder and clam cakes soon, which we will have to manage to do in between doctor visits.  It’s that time of year when we squeeze all of our check ups into the few weeks before Christmas.

What are you cooking this month?

My cookie-loving friend carving her pumpkin.

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the morning star project

Posted on October 24, 2023 by is there any more pie?

This is going to be complicated.

I’m in the mood for “complicated”. I like spending hours staring at, rearranging, and selecting fabric for a new quilt project.  And this is going to take a while.  I don’t even know what colors I’m going to use, but I’m intrigued with the squiggly red-white-black fabric.  The traditional colors of the four directions are red, yellow, black and white, so it would work if I could find the right shade of yellow in my quilt closet today.

I’ve been researching the history of star quilts and what that design meant to Native Americans. Called “Morning Star”, it symbolizes the beginning of a new day or a new life.  They are used in ceremonies and to commemorate important occasions.

To make it simpler, there is a kit that contains 8 diamond panels on preprinted interfacing.  Like paper piecing, only designed for star quilts. I just ordered one on Amazon and learned it would be delivered this evening.  This evening?  I love the convenience, but how on earth does that work?

It’s a mystery.

 

Posted in quilting, rhode island, shopping | 5 Comments

what’s on your mind, er, head

Posted on October 23, 2023 by is there any more pie?

Banjo Man is using his birthday gift from daughter Nancy.  Don’t you love it?  Campers, hikers and hunters have been using them for years, but for household repairs?  It really helped.  I think we’re very, very late to the headlamp party here, but Banjo Man intends to use this light whenever he needs to see a little better.

Thanks, Nance!

 

Posted in family, rhode island | 5 Comments

public service announcement, sort of

Posted on October 22, 2023 by is there any more pie?

Yesterday I spent over three hours trying to stop my tv from freezing up while the Nebraska football game was on.

Banjo Man fled to the basement, where he watched the game in comfort and without frustration from the 50″ screen down there.

I tried everything, from simple (turning the tv on and off, deleting and reinstalling the Youtube TV app) to complicated (changing the DNS numbers, updating the software).

When all else fails I have learned to plug in a Fire TV stick.

About ten days ago the basement tv wouldn’t recognize our Youtube TV account and wouldn’t update the access code, blah, blah, blah, so I bypassed the whole mess by plugging in a Fire stick.

Which is what I did in the 4th quarter to the living room tv.  Banjo Man was able to watch that exciting and triumphant volleyball game without interruptions.  Go Big Red!  Those women are incredible!

So far so good.

I think I have learned that my 2016 Samsung television’s software is not working with our internet now.  The software is supposedly updated, but televisions only offer updates for 3-5 years.  I guess they don’t think they’re going to last longer than that?  Huh?

We have no plans to buy a new tv.  

You are wondering how I happen to have Fire Sticks lying around, ready to be put into action and solve problems.  Well, when it comes to techie things like cords and plugs and all that important stuff, I always have a back up.  Always.

Amazon will deliver a new one tomorrow, one that will go into my “cord box” and be ready in case I need it.

I call it self-dense in this wild, weird techie world.

 

Posted in family, rhode island, television | 3 Comments

special forces: world’s toughest test

Posted on October 19, 2023 by is there any more pie?

Season 2 has begun.  This is not your typical reality show.  If you have an On Demand option on your streaming service, check it out from the beginning.  Season 1 was great, too.

The Special Forces selection process is the most grueling, challenging, frightening process I’ve ever heard of.  Twelve “celebrities”–sports stars, Olympic athletes, actors, reality tv stars–challenge themselves to complete the course.

Check it out.  And imagine our own Special Forces, the real thing, protecting our country.  I’m in awe.

 

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workin’ on it

Posted on October 17, 2023 by is there any more pie?

I am slowly getting my pumpkin act together. The mantel is fixed and looks festive.

There’s not much I can say for the rest of the house. I’m still unpacking six months of “stuff” from the summer, so autumn decorating will have to wait.

All of a sudden there is so much to do. Banjo Man fixed his broken lawnmower Saturday, but had to buy a new weed whacker to replace one that can’t be fixed. The yard is a mess. There is a freezer to empty and a pantry to clean out (we’ve made a stab at both chores). The car needs an oil change and an expert to figure out why our headlights keep going out. We are trying to find someone to remove our old range hood fan and replace it with a new one before Thanksgiving. Doctor and dentist appointments are piling up.

Everyone I know is enjoying cooler weather and thinking ahead to winter and what lies ahead. New England is predicted to be snowy, according to the amount of acorns on the ground and the markings of caterpillars and tv weatherman who forecast El Nino influences.

Before it snows I plan to load up on paper towels, toilet paper, beans, rice, yeast, flour and canned tomatoes. We have several dozen jars of canned Idaho peaches and plums. Our gas stovetop will work, even if the power goes out, so we’ll be ready for what comes our way.

What about you? What are you doing to get ready for winter? Any advice?

Posted in family, food, rhode island | 2 Comments