quilts for Calgary, and Basil Harvest = PESTO

This past week has been dedicated to quilting items that are being donated to Calgary flood victims.

Love this batik quilt.

Quilted with Willowy Weeds pantograph, a freebie pattern from the Quilters Niche website.

Here's a scrappy Snowball quilt going as a donation.

Love the little hourglasses that show up between the snowballs.

This has been quilted with Starburst pantograph, a free design from Urban Elementz website.

So far, I have quilted seven tops that are going to Calgary.  I'm still making a quilt myself that I am sending to my brother and s.i.l. in Calgary.  They are helping to rebuild a flooded basement apartment for their friends, and it's the grandmother who lives in the apartment and will get the quilt.  In an odd quirk - the family is originally from Caledonia (where I live).  I will be taking this quilt to my s.i.l.'s mom, who I travelled to Bali with back in March.  She's heading out there next week for a nice visit so she will deliver the quilt for me.

If you have a quilt or two that you'd like to donate and you're in southern Ontario - you can deliver them to Cherished Pieces quilt shop in Tillsonburg until Sept. 18th.

In some down time yesterday I harvested a sinkfull of basil.  Half of it got pulverized and made into pesto - 3 cups worth.  I took one cup to my darling nephew and his wife (1-800-luke-tek ... my I.T. nephew.  And don't phone that number, I'm just being funny) and the other two cups are in my fridge.  To DH's delight, I took them a couple of zucchinis too.

What a friggin' mess!!!  Four measuring cups, shredder, food processer bowl & blade, blender & lid (Helpful Tip:  don't use the blender to make pesto - FAIL!), cookie sheet from roasting the pine nuts, and cutting/mixing/scooping tools.  On top of that my fingernails are BLACK from the basil, and the whole house is, um, fragrant with basil.  Of course, while I was elbow deep in olive oil & parmesan cheese the phone rang.  aargh...  I'm hoping the green oily stain will come out of my pink t-shirt, otherwise it will get added to the growing pile of 'cooking clothes'.  I have, like, SIX aprons in the pantry.  Apparently, though, no brain to go with them.

The rest of the basil... I picked the leaves off and have them dehydrating in the basement.  When they're crispy they will get crushed and put into jar(s) for winter cooking.