tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59073512256417882582024-03-18T20:53:11.182-06:00Lovin' Life At The End Of The Dirt RoadRanch Wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08581852590008365006noreply@blogger.comBlogger1290125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907351225641788258.post-89211372246838419352024-03-15T00:00:00.002-06:002024-03-15T15:19:43.570-06:00New Project Did I need a new project? Of course not! But last week as I spent some time in my sewing room, sorting and putting away piles, I ran across yardage of this fabric. It's called Indian Summer.I bought it back in 2015 at our local quilt shop. I made a quilt with it that I shared here: Indian Summer . I still love this print today as much as I did when I first saw it. I still had over 3 Ranch Wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08581852590008365006noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907351225641788258.post-46954171679677087502024-03-13T00:00:00.007-06:002024-03-13T00:00:00.128-06:00Bed & Breakfast at the End of the Dirt Road No, I am not opening up a B&B, but some days it sure does feel like it. LOL. On Sunday DH's brother and his wife drove through and stayed the night. With the time change, we're still a little discombobulated. Doesn't seem like an hour should make that much of a difference, but we're finding that change is more difficult as we get older. Since we eat our big meal at noon, we Ranch Wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08581852590008365006noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907351225641788258.post-36418655917536713132024-03-11T00:00:00.001-06:002024-03-11T00:00:00.130-06:00Lilly and Will Row QuiltThis Lilly and Will from Bunny Hill fabrics was one of the first lines I bought when I started making quilts which was in 2007 so these fabrics are well-aged. I don't even remember what I bought, but apparently is was a lot because I have made a lot of quilts with it. I really like the combination of pink and brown. The collection also included a blue and brown colorway that I used to make 2 babyRanch Wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08581852590008365006noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907351225641788258.post-74352382341751200302024-03-07T00:00:00.003-07:002024-03-07T17:10:27.564-07:00Catching Up I'm sorry - I didn't mean to disappear again. I've had some kind readers contact me as they were concerned that we were in the path of the Texas fires, thus, I hadn't posted. I am touched by your thoughtfulness - thank you! But we are well and the fires are not close to us. We are close to the Texas border, but in New Mexico. However, we know many of the folks in the Panhandle and it's Ranch Wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08581852590008365006noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907351225641788258.post-66556352913105423102024-02-29T00:00:00.001-07:002024-02-29T00:00:00.251-07:00Under the Needle: February These monthly stitching updates are rolling around awfully fast, but they kind of help keep me accountable and it's good to know I'm making progress...some months more than others and in between helping DH, my Monday (and occasional Saturdays for special sales) gig at the Sale Barn and cooking for extras, I managed to move some projects forward this month.I finished binding my second Ranch Wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08581852590008365006noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907351225641788258.post-65377830084522254132024-02-24T00:00:00.001-07:002024-02-24T00:00:00.243-07:00Seascape QuiltToday I'm sharing the second blue-green quilt in a series of three. Last summer, I started pulling fabrics for a blue-green quilt for a Christmas gift and when I started to take stock of those fabrics, I realized they were busting out of their bins so I went looking for projects that would whittle them down enough to make the lids fit. I figured if I was already pulling all these fabrics, it Ranch Wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08581852590008365006noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907351225641788258.post-13708526511207120302024-02-20T00:00:00.000-07:002024-02-20T00:00:00.133-07:00Green Chile, Bacon, Gouda Mac & Cheese Who doesn't love mac and cheese?! It's a comfort food and I fixed my share when we were raising chiddlers, but I really haven't made it in years. I don't know why, but I'm guessing it's because we've cut back on carbs and starches. But last year our girl shared this recipe with us and I'm telling you...it's a game changer! Green Chile, Bacon, Gouda Mac & Cheese2 1/4 C dry macaroni1Ranch Wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08581852590008365006noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907351225641788258.post-8497789162855096352024-02-19T00:00:00.056-07:002024-02-19T11:29:26.591-07:00Just a Hodge Podge of Odds and Ends I love writing my little posts here, and it's hard to believe I've been writing for over 16 years. I know so many folks have moved over to other social media platforms, but I'm glad I've continued here. I feel like this just fits for me. Alas, some times I struggle to get things written to post and this space is neglected. All is well here, we've just been filling our days and at the Ranch Wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08581852590008365006noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907351225641788258.post-51747572003228730002024-02-09T00:00:00.009-07:002024-02-09T00:00:00.137-07:00Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies The county is out blading our road this week and through the years it's become a tradition for them to receive a Ziploc bag of cookies. I share a lot of cookie recipes here because, well, I give a lot of cookies. And I realized I hadn't shared my plain old chocolate chip cookie recipe. I've made a lot of chocolate chip cookies through the years, but I've only had this particular recipe for Ranch Wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08581852590008365006noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907351225641788258.post-47961514269623633182024-01-31T00:00:00.001-07:002024-01-31T00:00:00.138-07:00Under the Needle: January Time in my sewing room has been scarce this month - I think I've misplaced my sewing mojo, but I did manage to make a little progress.I finished binding this quilt that I started last summerAnd I made a binding for this quilt that I'm taking to Jackie's as soon as she calls and let's me know the 2 quilts I left with her last month are readyI am currently binding the 2nd blue-green quilt&Ranch Wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08581852590008365006noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907351225641788258.post-33657942405193976512024-01-27T00:00:00.001-07:002024-01-27T00:00:00.138-07:00Red & White Fabric Swap Besides this blog, an occasional peek on Instagram (I used to post there, but stopped years ago - I just felt like it took up too much time for me), and just recently I've watched a few pieces on You Tube, I don't participate in Social Media. It wears me out. I probably miss a lot, but my hermit personality just needs less information. The kids usually reach out if there's something I need Ranch Wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08581852590008365006noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907351225641788258.post-380728005408296232024-01-22T00:00:00.003-07:002024-01-29T07:41:48.911-07:00Meanwhile Back at the Ranch I haven't been posting much about ranch life because we've pretty much been spending our days doing thisStill no help at North Camp so feeding 700 hd of cattle on 128,000 acres means DH is in the feed truck every day for 6-8 hours. I wish we had another feed truck because then we could divide and conquer. We had a load of cubes delivered on Monday. It arrived at night and the next morning Ranch Wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08581852590008365006noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907351225641788258.post-10230519530441826372024-01-17T00:00:00.018-07:002024-01-17T07:10:38.870-07:00Best Ever Potato Soup Today I'm sharing another recipe from my favorites file. I found this in Taste of Home in 1999 and I've been making it ever since. I only make it once a year and it seems it's always the week before Christmas. This soup is quick to pull together during the busy holiday season. Served with a good, crusty bread, it always hits the spot and I love having it as a part of my soup collection. Ranch Wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08581852590008365006noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907351225641788258.post-17850356830025560542024-01-15T00:00:00.055-07:002024-01-15T00:00:00.128-07:00 Mountain Lake Quilt I keep a lot of my fabrics sorted by color and last year my blue and green bins would no longer close so I came up with a plan that would hopefully make a dent and leave me with bins that would close. Since I was pulling and cutting a lot of fabrics, I decided to make a couple quilts and 2 quilts turned into 3. This is the first one. I didn't use a pattern, but this quilt, that I saw on Ranch Wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08581852590008365006noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907351225641788258.post-32354957450045902002024-01-13T10:48:00.003-07:002024-01-14T18:17:35.716-07:00Blast From the Past If you'll indulge me a little this morning, I have a little bit of a backstory to this post. My mom was from Vienna, Austria and she married a young Air Force GI in 1963. My Daddy was from Ulm, Germany but he joined the Air Force and they were sent to Aurora, Colorado in 1965. My mom couldn't speak English or drive a car and one of these days, I'll post about their story, but it's not Ranch Wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08581852590008365006noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907351225641788258.post-63820733099198468582024-01-08T00:00:00.002-07:002024-01-08T08:12:18.887-07:00 Posole (Pozole)Last winter, DH asked if I would make Posole. This is a traditional Mexican dish. I'd never made it before, but it's a staple here in New Mexico, often served on New Years. Surely, I could figure something out. I mentioned it to my hair dresser and she told me how she makes it so I started there. I wanted to document how I made it because DH loved it and if I don't write it down, I won't rememberRanch Wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08581852590008365006noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907351225641788258.post-53008504688109895342024-01-04T00:00:00.018-07:002024-01-04T00:00:00.141-07:00Quilts on the Horizon for 2024 I'm a consummate list maker. I edit them as needed, but they help me stay on track when life gets crazy and a new quilt list to kick off the new year is one of my favorites. This is a combination of UFOs, quilts that have been requested, and quilts I just hope to make. 1. Black & Pink Spring Splash Baby Quilt - This has been on the list for a few years and it's silly because I justRanch Wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08581852590008365006noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907351225641788258.post-74452681139112860252023-12-31T09:31:00.000-07:002023-12-31T09:31:27.470-07:00Christmas 2023 Look who came this Christmas! Our son had to work so he and his family were unable to come for Christmas, but we've been able to visit via video so that's the next best thing. When they took E to see Santa, she was apprehensive. I love this sweet shot Steph captured of E and her Daddy while they were waiting in line.Escape! LOLMama and Daddy made it somewhat bearable.Meanwhile, Ranch Wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08581852590008365006noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907351225641788258.post-38876809126437723372023-12-27T00:00:00.030-07:002023-12-27T00:00:00.148-07:002023 Quilt Roundup I've always heard that time speeds up as you age so I've come to the conclusion that I am getting old. How else do I explain that this year just zoomed by? I always say I don't get to sew much, but my list of finishes this year says otherwise. However, most of these quilts began the year at Jackie's and only needed to be bound once they were quilted so my list is a bit deceiving. Still, a Ranch Wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08581852590008365006noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907351225641788258.post-29915875851687550892023-12-26T00:00:00.007-07:002023-12-26T00:00:00.139-07:00Cows for Christmas Unfortunately we couldn't fit them under the tree and ours aren't quite as cute as this fella, but nevertheless, we're grateful that, with God's help, we now have cows that belong to us. Yes, we still manage the ranch, but it was time to start investing in our future. Someone once asked if we'd been to Vegas and liked to gamble. We don't need to go to Vegas to gamble - every day in theRanch Wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08581852590008365006noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907351225641788258.post-71335075589898954592023-12-23T06:00:00.014-07:002023-12-23T06:57:20.738-07:00Countdown to ChristmasChristmas will be low-key in the traditional sense this year. DH was on the road from the 5-9 and then again from the 14-21. I wanted to go with him, but needed to hold down the fort here. Then the very next morning we had to make a trip to Lubbock. Our attention has been focused elsewhere so I paired down Christmas. I did decorate in an attempt to make it feel like ChristmasI did put up a Ranch Wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08581852590008365006noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907351225641788258.post-85431904955936578132023-12-15T00:00:00.001-07:002023-12-15T00:00:00.127-07:00 Bramble Patch Baby Quilt I haven't finished a quilt since September, but I picked up this baby quilt from Jackie in October and it's finally finished - this is my last finish for the year.Last year I made this quilt for our girl's maid of honor who was expecting her first baby:It's hard to get a good picture of a soft, pastel quilt during the day in New Mexico, but these prints are preciousBefore putting the Ranch Wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08581852590008365006noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907351225641788258.post-55651208952264562822023-12-11T00:00:00.001-07:002023-12-11T00:00:00.182-07:00Stacking Up S'mores Whenever I can find the time, I sneak into my sewing room and work on my S'mores blocks. When I began, I didn't have a certain size in mind. The original quilt takes 113 blocks, but that only makes a 57" x 57" quilt and I'm having so Ranch Wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08581852590008365006noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907351225641788258.post-72729288142164459862023-12-08T00:00:00.001-07:002023-12-08T00:00:00.240-07:00This Year's NFR Quilt DH and I are not big TV watchers, but in early December you can bet we'll be tuned in to the NFR (National Finals Rodeo) for 10 days. Now that the Cowboy Channel televises so many of the rodeos, it's easy to keep up with that world throughout the year. And during those 10 days, I like to have a quilt to bind. I am a slow binder, but this year I have two that I picked up from Jackie a few Ranch Wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08581852590008365006noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5907351225641788258.post-64530906779648234832023-12-06T09:30:00.002-07:002023-12-06T10:04:10.501-07:00Adding to the Family Tree! A few weeks ago I made a very special road trip to welcome this little cub into the familyOur girl and her husband welcomed a healthy baby boy into the world!Praising God for this incredible blessingTo say I am smitten is an understatement.Oh, my, he is precious and watching our girl become a Mama is just a double blessingThey are using cloth diapers. which have changed so much since we Ranch Wifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08581852590008365006noreply@blogger.com16