What Do You Do With All the Quilts You Make?

 Quilters don't ask quilters that question, but I get it on occasion from others. Àlthough my MIL asks it a lot and she used to make quilts. 😀And yes, there are A LOT of quilts in our home. And we use them, but it's also nice to have some on hand for when a need arises. Just this month alone I have: 

Finished this one for our grandson's 2nd birthday next month

Donated this one to a breast cancer fundraiser

Gave this one to the wife of a friend who day-worked for us on the ranch for nearly 20 years of brandings and weaning and shipping. She is battling cancer.

Sent this one to a friend who neighbored us when we managed that same ranch. They just welcomed their 1st grandchild

Gave this one to one of the kids' friends who just welcomed their 1st child. Her dad owns the local vet supply store.

This one is at Jackie's and will be in the mail next month to friends' daughter who started college this fall. Her family lived and worked for us on the ranch for 3 years

This one is at Jackie's too and is for the college girl's brother.

That's 7 quilts made with love and headed to their forever homes where I hope they will bring joy and comfort and be loved. I think those of you who make quilts can relate. 😉

Potholders in Progress

I've been making these potholders for about 15 years, but I haven't made any in a while. Credit goes to Deanna at Wedding Dress Blue where I first saw her tutorial in 2011. String Pieced Potholders. I've made probably 50 sets since then and I still have folks tell me how much they love them on a regular basis. Potholders are not a big deal, but I guess you really do use them daily and it's kind of nice if people think of you when they grab them. Since the kitchen is the heart of the home, it's nice to be a small part of that too.

My favorite gift for wedding showers is a good cast iron skillet, a few hand written favorite recipes, and a set of these potholders.

Our girl requested a new set a few weeks ago to replace a set I made her when she was in college and moved into an apartment about 12 years ago so I pulled out my bin of potholder parts and set things up.

I figured it was time to make a whole slew of them again as they are a fun, and practical gift along with a homemade treat.

I had 1 safari set left from the last time I made these, as well as some wine ones that are just pieced, and 1 set of western ones that need binding. Western, coffee, safari, floral and wine themes have been my go-tos so I went ahead and stitched some of those up and then I thought it was time for  a set with scraps from my bin that houses my favorite Songbook fabric.

I personally only have 1 set and it's the first set I ever made. They are currently in the washer so you only get a 'before' photo. 😉

They have been used hard and washed often, but I still reach for them. They are stiff at first, but just use them and throw them in the washer and dryer and they will soften up nicely before too long.

I need to practice machine binding. So far, I have always stitched them to the back by hand. My original set has probably been washed 50 times and the binding is still stitched tight, but I could get them finished faster if I could conquer machine binding.

I cut my squares at 10" and once they are quilted, I trim them to 8". I layer the backing, Insulbrite, cotton batting, and the top (pieced on a muslin foundation).

I know I could eliminate a step if I used the quilt as you go method, but with the additional thickness of the Insulbrite, they seem to shift too much. I am able to keep things straighter this way. I ended up with 20 sets quilted and 4 sets completely finished. I think I'll confiscate a set or two of these for myself this time.

A Hunting We Will Go...

DH had a 3 day antelope hunt and he asked me to go with him on the 3rd day. Antelope habitat is open and vast and I could stay with the rig and drive it to where DH was if he was successful. He stalks and hunts and often covers 5-10 miles on an antelope hunt. I love watching them move across the pasture (I took this years ago)

We left well before daylight 

and drove over pastures, thick with grass. Home was behind us in those mountains to the south.

I drove about 2 mph while DH glassed

Once we spotted some, DH bailed out on foot

About 3 hours later he was successful

It would have been a long way back to the rig if I hadn't been along.

So grateful to be able to put meat in the freezer.

His 5 day elk hunt was the next weekend, but that was the same weekend he was judging the ranch rodeo so he was only able to hunt 2 days.

I made breakfast sandwiches the night before

 since we left at 3 a.m.

We hauled the Can-am and left the truck on a forest road in the Jicarillas. Lots of miles across pretty country

Lots of glassing

Almost took a shot

But they moved into some thick cover. DH went after them on foot, but wasn't able to get a clean shot. 

We drove back to the truck about 3, laid out a tarp, and enjoyed a picnic lunch (I had made buckaroo bundles)

We had a room with a view. Gotta love these New Mexico skies.

But neither of us could resist a siesta

The afternoon and evening were also unsuccessful, but we still considered it a wonderful day.

Wild animals. Wild country. And the best company.

We were still recuperating from the ranch rodeo and were exhausted by the time we loaded the Can-am back on the trailer and headed home. 

We'd gotten up at 2:30 a.m. and pulled back up to the house at 10 p.m. A long day for old folks.

We still have a chance for an elk in November as well as a deer hunt. Hopefully, we'll be rested up by then. We're in our 60's and don't bounce back as quickly as we did 40 years ago. 😂

Horsing Around

 Around here, we spend most of our time outdoors and it's baby L's favorite place to be

When they were here a few weeks ago, we soaked up all the mountain air we could

Let's get a little mud on the tires

Childhood as it should be

Chicken chores

If there's a road, he was taking it

Horses?

yes, please!

DH's horses are not pets. They are working ranch horses and it was just the sweetest thing to watch them shed their cow-horse mind and open up their big, gentle hearts

To this tiny, precious toddler

They were absolutely drawn to baby L

They were so curious and inquisitive

And followed him all over

His mama was practically raised in the saddle

Such a sweet

                          

Happy

Soul

                             

We soaked up every sweet moment

A Good Year to be a Rancher

 Since moving to the mountains, it's been difficult to tear us away from home. Especially when tearing us away means being in town. But this weekend found us at the fairgrounds for a 2 day ranch rodeo. A good friend coordinates and produces this annually and he always asks DH to be a judge. 

It is good to catch up with ranching friends we rarely see and in this year of plentiful rain, abundant grass, soggy calves-fat cows, and soaring beef prices; our conversations are filled with grateful hearts. We know all too well that this is an incredibly rare season and an immense blessing and it is not taken for granted.

If you ranch for the money, you may as well go do something else because more often than not, the bottom line is red and not black, but most of us don't do it for the money. In this line of work, it's not what you DO. It's who you ARE. It's faith and family. It's tradition and heritage. It's legacy and values.

                                        

Through the years I've written countless posts (most of those are tagged under ranch life if anyone wishes to read more) about wind and drought, the challenges we've encountered, and about my love for this way of life through it all.

So even in the rough years: when the rain doesn't fall and the prices tank, you pray through it and ALWAYS give God the thanks and glory for allowing you to be a steward of the land and livestock He has placed in your care because from where I stand, there isn't a better life. 

Well that certainly wasn't the direction I saw this post taking. LOL. But the words just fell out and I'm leaving it as is and honestly, every year is a good year to be a rancher.