Wednesday, September 16, 2020

Recuperating after Monday

 Monday was a LONG day at the sale barn. 

After 11 hours, we were pooped. Our fall run has begun and with the drought, many ranchers are either making severe cuts in their livestock numbers or selling out and it's really sad to see. Without rain, there's no grass, and without grass, there's nothing for cattle to eat. And although we supplement with feed in the winter, it simply isn't economically feasible to supply 100% of their intake. 

11 hours isn't really that long except our 11 hours are pretty intense. We DO trade off and get a lunch break when we've got someone to cover for us, but if you've ever been to a sale barn, you know that the action is nonstop and you cannot let your mind wander for even 1 minute.

I often run errands during my lunch break because I know it'll be late when I get off and that I'll be wiped out, but some days I just need to decompress during a break.

After days like that, I need a little time to recuperate. And my favorite way to do that it to spend time with DH and Skeet 

and sneak in a little time behind my sewing machine. I finished piecing my HST Chaos top:


It still needs to be pressed, but I'm pretty sure it'll take me a good hour to do that and I wanted to sew so I pulled out these neglected Jellystone Blocks:

                                          

This is a good time to play with these pretty fall colors. I finished the blocks and then fed lots and lots of strips through my machine for the scrappy sashing:

This one has been on my list for a long time and I'm enjoying the process of building the pieces:



9 comments:

Dorian said...

If we could just swish weather with the East coast for a bit huh? Some sun to them, and rain to us? Here's praying you get rain soon also. I love your jellystone blocks. Thats going to be a lovely quilt. Have a great day.

Sherrill said...

Woo, 11 hours IS a long time to have to stay focused..not sure I'd have that in me anymore! It is very sad to hear of the ranchers' situations and having to sell off. I know it's a hard life but can't fully fathom just HOW hard. And yet you STILL managed to sew. WOW!

Gretchen Weaver said...

I love your HST quilt, so pretty. Sometimes sewing is the only way to relieve the stress. Hope you get some rain soon, are there any fires in your area? That would make everything so much worse.

Violet said...

Now that I understand the "Sale Barn" is not where you sell dresses...these posts make a lot more sense! Love the autumn colors in your Jelly Stone blocks. We are riding out hurricane Sally here in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Maybe all this wind and rain will take care of the nasty Covid bugs!

Chantal said...

If only it was possible to ship some rain by FED-EX, I would so gladly supply you. Basically at every 30- 40 hours intervals, it rains. So depressing. Love your HST Chaos. Take care. ;^)

The Joyful Quilter said...

I'm loving that Chaos quilt top and the piecing that you're doing!!

Susan said...

I just love your quilts! Inspiring. We have beef cows here in KS and are calving right now. 2/3 done, and we had 2" of rain last week and now we have mud...which is no fun with calves, but we needed the rain too! We just brought our cows home from pasture the end of last month to calve. We have triticale planted and hoping to graze pairs sometime this winter if we get sufficient rain. Everything depends on water and that little layer of dirt!I loved the comment about the 'sale barn'! We have some heifers going there tomorrow, and they are not looking for dresses!! Susan

Betty said...

I just recently discovered your blog and have read almost all of your posts. Your life on the ranch is so interesting. It has been so much fun reading about your life and what goes on at a true working cattle ranch. I do have one request. I was very interested in the wool quilt you made for DH--but I never could find a photo of the full quilt finished. So I'm asking for a picture when you have time. Thanks again for sharing the ins and outs of living on a ranch.

Shelly said...

Oh my word, I love that Chaos quilt! Can't wait to see the finished pics of that one!

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