Christmas Quilt & Kitchen Goings-On

This is a quilt based on the Twelve Days of Christmas.

Most of the applique was completed by hand.

Borders and sashing were stitched in the ditch.  Most of the applique was also s-i-d.  Yes that takes forever, but it makes a huge difference in the appearance.

ZUCCHINI REPORT

Picked 5
Eaten 6
Given Away  0 (so sad, unable to torment my friends this year)
Compost 0
In Fridge 1
Total YTD 54

This week I made another Chick Pea & Zucchini Salad and two loaves of zucchini bread. This was for the Kinsmen who were here for a dinner/meeting on Friday.  My friend Sue took pity on me and took me to the movies so I could avoid the get-together.  We saw The Help, which I am giving two thumbs up - it was very good.  It sure provides a glimpse into a totally incomprehensible way of life.  I always have fun when I'm out with Sue.  She knows the back roads EVERYWHERE, so I never know where the hell we are.  Which can be kind of scary sometimes.  We had some time to kill before the movie so we went to Home Depot and looked at fridges.  Then we looked at lights.  Then we looked at toilets.  Well, Sue had to sit on all the toilets, and made ME sit on the toilets too.  Then we discussed the comfort levels of all the seats, and round bowls vs. elongated bowls.  Thank goodness the bathtubs are all up on the wall, or she'd have had us sitting in them, too.

Yesterday I went on a scouting mission for blueberries, peaches, and plums.  It's canning season...  The little market I went to also sells plants.  Uh oh.  Two large-ish viburnum shrubs came home with me.  They were on sale for $10 each and I'm hoping to clean up the side yard hillside garden, which used to be so pretty.  It  has fallen into a sad state ever since I lost access to water over there.  When I got home I went out and dug up several plants that I really want to save, then the nasty grass which is taking over got the Roundup treatment.  In a few days I'll go out and dig that up and plant the new shrubs.

With the produce I bought, last night I made 4 jars of blueberry marmalade.  Today I'll go visit Mom, and stop at the grocery store and the Bulk Barn to stock up on vinegars and sugars to do the rest of the canning.  Tonight will be the peach marmalade (or peach jam?  still undecided).  Tomorrow I'll do Plum Sauce, which is way better than the icky stuff from the grocery store.  Later in the week will be Fruit Chili (hmm, must go out and pick pears so they have time to soften up).