It's a Brown Out!

I got out this morning about 10:30 and it was a nice beautiful summer morning.  The heat hadn't gotten up to 90 degrees yet, but it was clear skies and looking gorgeous.  Why did I leave my house?  I was craving an iced coffee from Sonic.  A route 44 vanilla iced coffee with Caramel and extra cream and sweetener.  It is addictive, a little pricey, but less than a 20 ounce latte from Starbucks and way better than their iced coffee!!  (Jack in the Box has a great iced coffee, too.  just saying) 

Anyway, the main reason I decided to post today is because my gorgeous, beautiful morning turned into a brown, dust and wind blowing day.  It hit so hard and fast that it sounded like a herd of cats had jumped on my porch roof landing hard.  BOOM!  It has been blowing steady now for over an hour and is just brown and yucky out there.  I am so glad I got out early to get my drink so that I can now hunker down inside the house and work on sewing, quilting stuff and class projects.  Also, I can take a nap if I want.  LOL 

I am sitting here at my desk watching the lake white cap and the trees bend as the winds blow in from the north.  (yes, the lake is back full again after 3 consecutive nights of rain that was so desperately needed) The ducks that I can see are balled up trying to hold onto the grass and keep from getting blown away and the cat that sat on the fence last night taunting my dogs is nowhere to be found.  It's definitely a stay inside and sew kind of day.  Or nap - which is what I think I will do first before hitting the sewing machine again later tonight.  My Kaffe fabrics I ordered from Amazon and Missouri Star are here and I need to decide if work in the block swap patterns that my swapping people have chosen.  Light blue Kaffe is hard to come by.  I got a white with light blue dots, a blue with green dots (not as light as the picture made it out to be) and a millefiori that has light blue, but also a lot of yellow.  I need to get those items cut out and ready to sew since I haven't made May's blocks or Junes.  (I can't even remember what June's block is supposed to be.)  Okay, no nap until I figure out the block patterns! 

My friend posted a video from our news station and I am going to see if I can post it over here to share.  It's sometimes hard for people to believe who don't or haven't lived in the panhandle or west Texas to imagine what it's like.  so, hopefully here it is.  had to copy the link for you.  

https://fb.watch/dwEHL3TutH/

I'm Back! Again!

It has been almost six years since I wrote on my blog.  It feels like so much more.  I can't believe I allowed 6 years to pass me by without writing here.  You would have thought that I might have jumped on here while I was isolating in 2020, but I was still teaching the first part of the shut down and because I was on the computer every day for hours, I didn't feel like adding anymore eye strain or computer time to my life.  Then I decided to retire from teaching.  Boom. Just like that. I had taught for 35 years so the transition from school to nothing was a bit weird -  for about a week.  It felt like a typical summer break.  Everyone said, wait until August when school starts up again, it will feel strange then.  It didn't. 

I am still isolating for the most part. Okay, I am an introvert and a hermit so I may call it isolating, but you know, I'm just being me.  LOL.  I stay home A LOT.  I get out for a few things, but where do I really need to go? Why get dressed and put on make-up?  I don't usually see anyone except at the drive thru or picking up groceries or through my office window.  I do get out though.  I am not a complete hermit.  I quilt with my group, keep the books for volleyball and basketball, and have started teaching quilting at a local quilt store.  

I have been sewing quite a bit even these last couple of years though I've slowed down some this year.  I finished 21 quilts in 2021!!  That's an accomplishment. (finish means, quilted, bound and label on)  I also made a ton of quilt tops that need to be quilted and finished.  (hopefully by 2023) I need to put the binding on the last of the little cousin's quilts.  The last two are for my youngest nephews.  One has been finished for quite awhile, the other just needs to be squared up and binding and label put on.  (I have until July to get that one done)  I will have made and given away 23 quilts.  (or will have as soon as I get everyone's quilts to them.  I still have a few that have been sitting here taking up space at my house!  I am just too lazy to make a couple of trips to drop them off.  IE:  hermit)  

Last summer my mother said she should probably give her nieces and nephews a quilt and I was like, "that would be nice" then realized that was my first cousins and I had given all of their children a quilt for high school graduation, so why not them?  OOPS!  My first cousins on my mother's side will all be getting quilts soon, too.  I am raiding my quilt stash,  putting on labels, and getting quilts ready to give to each of them.  It's hard to give away a quilt that wasn't made specifically for a person; at least it is for me.  When I am making a quilt for a certain person, that quilt really belongs to them as I sew it up.  I hope they all know that if I need the quilt back to show for whatever reason, I am coming to their homes and taking it back!!  LOL.  I don't think I would ever do that, but there are a couple I just might have to go snatch back for awhile.  I really loved a few and didn't want to give them away. 

If you have made it this far and are still willing to follow me on my blog, thank you.  You won't hurt my feelings if you want to excuse yourself from this blog.  It has been sitting idle for 6 years so you may have not felt the need to delete it from your list.  I hope you stay, but if not, thank you for following me on the first part of the journey.  Now on to the second. (or 3rd or 4th) 

Wonderful Weekend in Hamilton

Just a few more days of summer vacation left for me, ugghh!  I have gotten a lot of quilting done in the last couple of months and that has been wonderful.  I haven't given school much thought other than, "not thinking about it right now." However, it's almost time to start thinking about it.  Thinking about what I want to do differently, how I want to change up some things that went well, but could be improved upon. Things like that.  I love my Facebook group of FCS (Family Consumer Science) Teachers and reading everything they are doing in their classrooms, but man oh man, there are a lot of beginner and second year teachers on there!!  Plus, they come from all over the United States so their curriculum is a bit different from ours here in Texas.  Still, it's a great source to pull things from.  I guess since it's almost time to go back, I need to get on there and start downloading files of things I want to do and plugging them into my plans.  (not that I always write down plans, but I do have a file in my head.  Things would probably get done better if I actually wrote down the plans from my head, LOL) 


Got back a few days ago from a quilt retreat up in Hamilton, MO with my mom's quilt group from Northwest Arkansas.  My mom and I had a great time up there with 35 other women.  We sewed and shopped all day, played games mid evening before everyone gave up and went to bed and then for us late nighters, we stayed up and sewed into the wee hours of the morning most nights.  Fun, fun, fun!!  If you ever get the chance to go up to Hamilton, do it.  It is something every quilter should have the chance to experience at least once in his/her lifetime.  13 stores full of fabrics, notions and fun fills up the entire town.  It's wonderful.  Plus, if you are lucky enough to schedule a retreat there, it's even more fun to watch and experience the town life.  (Friday nights the farmers and Amish have a small farmers market - don't miss out on the hand pies, fresh breads, fresh fruits and veggies and homemade noodles.  (last year they even had two kids for sale, baby goats)  Now, I haven't tried the noodles yet, but we got some this year on the word of one of the ladies that purchased some last year that raved over them and then proceeded to purchase all they had except for the one bag we happened to get.  Now I have to decide how I want to use them. 


This is the only one I have access to.  I had to download it from a Facebook page, but you will be able to see something that I worked on over the weekend.

She wanted to make sure she could see me, but left off one entire column of blocks.  Oh, well, it still needs a couple of borders which I hope to get on this weekend.  (if I can ever unload my machine from my car) 

Three New Bags

I am scrolling through a blog and wanting to read what the blogger has said about what to do with your farmer's market finds and some recipes of how to cook these items and all I get are advertisements!!  I really, really hate that a lot of my favorite blog sites that I used to read everyday or at least every couple of days have totally sold out and allow all these advertisers to come into their blogs.  A lot of the time I don't even read what they said because I am having to wait so long for all the advertisements to load, that I just get frustrated and leave that blog.  Does this happen to anyone else?  Is anyone else totally annoyed with this problem?  I am so glad that they have found a way to make money off of something they used to enjoy doing - and may still enjoy doing, I don't know because I have stopped reading their blogs due to all the advertisements! 


A lot of my favorite quilt bloggers are now famous quilters and have moved on to pattern making, fabric design and other things, that they either don't blog anymore or it's all about selling their items.  Don't get me wrong, I am excited for them that they have found a way to make the money doing something they apparently love.  I am sad that I no longer get to read about their fun innovative ideas, about their lives and what they were creating.  They have all moved on and reading blogs and getting inspired by what I was reading and then creating my own version just doesn't happen anymore and it's a sad change in my world. 


I have been busy creating items since school got out.  I made three bags recently.  I made them to take on our recent shop hop excursion.  One for me, one for my fellow traveling companion and friend and the last one I will probably sell.  I have more fabric and plan on making several more that I will, more than likely, sell.  I have posted them on Facebook and Instagram both, but not on here.  I guess those are easy posts that I can quickly make from my phone and posting over here is a little more involved. 

This last one is my favorite one.  I love the fabric and colors in it and have some more to make another one just like it, but I probably won't. I will make a different style bag with these fabrics.  Not sure what since I don't use a pattern and just wing it.  However, I will try to post here first this next time. 

Schools Out For . . . well, almost out

We are so near the end I can almost reach out and touch it!  2 days with students and one to finish grades, finish cleaning and putting away and finish with school!!  I am ready for it to be over with.  Don't take it wrong, it has been a good year, fast, full of stuff, but a good year, I am just done.  I really wasn't in this mood until memorial day weekend.  having a three day weekend just before the week of finals was poor planning!  It made me not want to return to school today, it made me ready to be done and it made me want to just sit and sew all day long.  Which is what I have planned for my summer!  Or, I should say the next 8 weeks since that is all of a summer we have this year.  I am sure that will fly by quickly and I won't want to return to school in the August, but we will see what the future holds.  I am making my bucket list of what I want to get accomplished this summer and maybe I can get some of that list done, unlike a couple of years ago where I only got a few items marked off.


I was scanning through my pictures I have downloaded and there is nothing new to show.  They are all still on my phone so I will have to do better and get them on here to show you what I have been working on, because I have been working.

Ever have this disease?

I have a really bad case of the "Idon'twanna"s.  This week my students have been testing on their home campuses and only coming over for the last half of my double blocked class and then returning to their campuses for the last class of the day.  Even though I had big plans on getting things done and graded and cleaned up, I have gotten nothing done at all!!  I take that back. I have gotten several things done, but not what I had planned on doing.  After two entire days of mostly sitting around working on the computer, planning future caterings, etc., today (our third day in a row and our last day) I really have come down with the "Idon'twanna" disease and have spread it to my classroom aide.  As I sit here yawning, waiting for two students to show up before taking attendance for the 20 minutes they will be in my classroom, I am writing in the blog.

My body is ready for school to be out and to move to my summer schedule.  I am having a really hard time getting to bed before midnight (more like 1 a.m.) and getting up by 7 (should be 5:30!!).  I have been sewing most nights working on my row quilt.  It's not a large one - only 42 1/4" wide so far.  I know I want to add a wide border on the left side with maybe a tree or branches or possibly floating blocks.

It's Not Easy Being a Sick Teacher

It's no fun being sick!  I woke up Monday feeling bad, but knew I had to go into work since it was our first day back from Spring Break.  Left school a little early, went home and lounged, but could I sleep?  No.  I woke up almost every hour on the hour!  I couldn't breathe!  However, I knew since we were having restaurant on Thursday, we had to get pies made.  So, into work I go on Tuesday.  Still feeling bad, but not totally horrible.  Needless to say, but I will anyway, my week has continued on in this fashion.  I have been here everyday, I haven't slept much at a time (last night was the longest between wakenings at 4 hours!!) Today, I feel HORRIBLE!!!  I am leaving school here in a few minutes to go to the doctor.  I know he is going to ask how long I have been like this and when I say since Monday, he is going to give me the look.  I am prepared for that look.  I know!  But sometimes you just have to do, push through and hold on until you just can't do it any more.

by the way, restaurant was wonderful!  We served Chips and Salsa, Green Enchiladas - with beef - Mexican style rice and beans and a variety of pies - how many varieties you ask - well, let me tell you.  I had purchased graham cracker pie crusts on sale after Christmas for cheap!  really cheap!  so we made:
 1. Peanut Butter with fudge topping, - this was a first for me.  one of my students found this recipe and it is a keeper!  definitely going into the recipe folder.
2.  My 8 minute cheesecake pie with fresh strawberries - this is always a winner in my book
3.  One of my childhood favorites, Pink Lemonade Pie, YUM!
4.  S'more pie - this was a new one - another student found this and wanted to try it.  It was a medium size hit and is also going into the recipe folder.
5.  Key Lime Pie.  this recipe, that a student found, is lacking something, even though some people liked it well enough.  I think my aunt's recipe is better.  I have it at home and I guess I need to add it to my school folder.
6.  chocolate Cream pie - another student find and it was a flop.  literally.  It ran all over the pie pan.  It needs some help or better yet, I think I will throw that recipe out.  I have a better chocolate pie that I will use next time.
7.  Caramel Banana Cream Pie - this one we combined a couple of recipes to create.  It was good, but runny.  It's a keeper with some major altering of the recipe.  it needs some help being more of a complete pie instead of a banana pudding.
8.  Cherry O Cream pie - I wish the students had made a couple more of these.  It's the standard pie from the 70's.

I think that is all of the pies we served yesterday.  It was a lot and when they ran out, we were out! I tried to stay out of the restaurant and kitchen as much as possible and just let my students run it since I was sickly and they, along with my aide, did a great job.  I could mostly sit at my desk and take in the money the waiters would bring me.  

It was a fun week in the kitchen, but I am so ready for a shot and some meds and my bed!  Can't wait until I can go to the doctor.  (Now, how many people do you know say that?)  I am glad I was here all week so my students could cook, but I have to get well so they can cook again next week.