Catching Up

 Another week in review because it seems I'm unable to get anything posted these days and we're closing in on 2 weeks. The guineas are enjoying their freedom although I haven't released them to free range yet - me thinks they are still too small

So, for the time being, I've got 24 guinea keets, 7 older hens, and 11 4-month old hens co-existing in the chicken yard. When I walked up on this keet, I was immediately concerned that something was wrong - she/he was lying in such an odd position, but apparently this was comfortable and all was well - who knew they were so flexible?

An old pallet that I keep propped up in the chicken yard when it's not in use as a stepping device when the yard is flooded, makes for the perfect sunning spot first thing in the morning

They are such comical looking birds

I haven't been doing any sewing as my sewing machine has been in for cleaning and tension repair for the last 3 weeks. I'll fuss about that in a future post. 😉 However, I have been cutting for the next quilt:

I did have those 2 quilt books I mentioned earlier, bound at Office Max - $4 and change per book and now they are so more user friendly - I like this option for those books I use again and again.

                                     

I had someone comment about the possibility of losing pictures or text with the addition of a spiral binding - I didn't lose anything in this book

                                             

But the spiral binding nicked a few words in this older book on a few pages- it doesn't bother me and nothing pertinent was lost, but you might want to take a closer look at the book you are considering to have spiral bound if you are concerned

These 100°+ days with no rain equates to a struggling garden, but I'm grateful for the produce it provides

Trips to town always include a stop at the Farn Store. Plumbing parts, a pallet of horse feed, and panels this time

We unloaded the panels and set up a temporary pen so the horses would graze down some grass

About 4 days a week still finds us here before 6 a.m.:

This heavy, old chute is a workout and it's about all I can do to shut these doors 30 times. And you had better insure the latch catches properly or they will pop back open and  knock your teeth out

DH's colts are coming along nicely

Here, let me show you how it's done! ~Grin~

We've had some spotty storms in the area and we lost power about 7 last night. it was after 11 when the Co-op showed up and began to run the line out and thankfully, power was restored at 3:30 this morning. We were sacked out when he first called after 9 to let us know he would be about an hour. Then he called back at 10:30 to ask where we were located. Then he showed up after 11. Poor guy was new and wandering around these back roads in the dark. 

I need to bake more cookies because the last of what I had in the deep freeze went home with Cory. 

                                

I browned a Chuck roast this morning and cooked it in the Insta-Pot. We'll have roast today, green-chile roast burritos tomorrow, and then I'll make roast spread for sandwiches the next day

DH took another beef to Ft. Sumner on Monday to be processed so I'm moving things around to make room for about 350# of beef in a few weeks. We're branding next Wednesday and I think I'm fixing Barbecue Sandwiches because I've got to use up some of these roasts. I can smoke 3 on the smoker and they will make delicious Barbecue Sandwiches. 

Tonight will be an early night because we've been getting up at 4 in order to be in the arena by 5:30 and after our late night visitor, I am beat. I don't bounce back from sleepless nights very well these days, but His mercies are new every morning 

The Week in Review

 My sewing machine has been at the local quilt shop for a cleaning for the past week so it's been a non-sewing week, but there's been plenty to keep me out of trouble. 6 a.m. every morning finds Skeet and me here

DH has 2 colts he's been working with and the next step has been time in the arena:

The mornings have been so pretty before the heat sets in

 and bringing cattle up and working the chute doubles as an arm workout

Skeet is very intense when there are cattle to be schooled 

It takes 2 hours and then it's 8 and I'm getting behind the mower or weed eater for a couple of hours

It's been too hot to be slaving over a hot stove so most meals are courtesy of the smoker or grill although this taco salad sure hit the spot

But when the wife over at North Camp had some medical issues, I made a batch of Buckaroo Bundles so they wouldn't have to worry about meals for a bit

Oliver and his littermates are living the life of Riley. Oliver looks huge here, but it's an optical illusion because he's still the runt, but I chuckled when I saw them relaxing in this plant stand. And no, I didn't set them in there - they're just at the stage where they are curious and climbing everything

Gardening is always hit or miss. 1 zucchini plant. 1 squash plant. 16 tomato plants. 😕

DH had a fundraiser shoot today so yesterday, after chores, I helped him blow the dust off of his shotgun

So no sewing, but finding some time to sort, pull, press and cut fabric for a future quilt

And as I was sorting, a few fabrics from different piles jumped out at me and are now destined to become a gingham quilt

Or two. 

That sewing machine better enjoy it's sabbatical, because it's got work to do when it comes back home! 😉

Letting the Scraps Fly

 A few months ago I saw this trunk show for this book and I pre-ordered it lickity-split.

With so many great quilts, although I will probably make them bigger, I consider the book to be a bargain. Do I need more quilt patterns? Of course not, but that didn't stop me and now that I have the book, my only problem is deciding which quilt to make first.

 I've already spent a couple of hours pouring over the possibilities. 

Looking at the cutting instructions, I can see where a scrap users system like Bonnie Hunter uses would be handy. Lot's of 1 1/2", 2", and 2 1/2" pieces. I keep some strips, but not many 

so I see a lot of cutting in my future, but I'll cut a little here and there and designate a bin for each quilt:

Eenie, meenie, miney moe...

I can see that I am going to have 2 favorite pattern books now - I took them in on Monday to have them spiral bound

I also took my sewing machine in for a good cleaning so for the time being, the scraps will be flying as I cut them into usable pieces

The Bag Lady Strikes Again

A dear friend had a birthday and knee replacement surgery last week and I wanted to send a care package. She loves pink so if it was pink, I included it 

and of course I wanted to mail it all in a cute bag. I have quite a few stashed, but nothing pink so I made a few:

I used the Lined Drawstring Bag pattern. I have definitely gotten my money's worth from this pattern. I'm betting I've made 100 of these bags through the years in all sizes (these are great for Christmas gifts!). So while I was at it, I made 2 more bags - this little patchwork cheater print made cute bags

I popped into our local quilt shop last week to look for a coordinating print for something else and picked up this fun wine print 

so wine bag making was added to the que

And while I was rifling through a pile of fabric, I came across some bag pieces I had cut out probably sometime last year so I finished those off 

I don't do much gifting anymore, and I still have a few left from earlier bag making marathons but it's surprising how often I reach for one of these and now I ought to have enough to last a little while:

Celebrating Wet

 Two weeks ago, Sunday afternoon, we sat and watched this

A few days earlier we had two 0.6" rains and on Monday morning we added another 2.7". 

                                               

This is the first moisture we've had since September and we are over the moon grateful for every drop

Seems like most folks fuss about rain, but it's such a necessity for farmers and ranchers and out here in the desert, it's part of our daily prayer. I know that too much rain can be as much of a problem as not enough, but in 35 years of ranching, I've never seen "too much".  Skeet says this is just right

This means we can stop feeding cows, but we've exchanged it for this

DH is spending hours a day spraying Mesquite and looking for Cockleburrs. Through the years, he's been so vigilant about the Cockleburrs that there shouldn't be too many. A few years back I earned the Cockleburr Queen title:

We walked many a mile each summer in an attempt to eradicate the invasive weed and I'm hoping it paid off and there will be less this year

But right now we're too excited about the blessing of dirt tank water!