Dan's Ramblings

Dan here ~

Thursday evening. We have returned to cooler weather with the next several says showing the full spectrum of spring weather. The forecast is for mostly on the cooler and snowy or wet side. Most of the snow is either gone or is disappearing fast. It is almost time to start wasting my time picking up the winter’s debris and beginning the cycle all over again soon. I’ll probably wait until it warms again.

The pond is changing every day. When we get a couple warmer days the water on the surface melts along with the ice along the sun-collecting edges of the pond. Now with the colder temps again, the ice is back to groaning and rumbling with those temperature changes. Many rumbles are accompanied with loud cracking as the ice complains about the changes. Here is the picture I took while making my kitchen sink soup for supper.

Here is the one I took after dark. 

My kitchen sink soup is a staple here on the pond. I call it that because I put just about anything in it but the kitchen sink. It originated from a recipe book from quite a while ago. I always refer to it, but other than the spices I don’t follow it. Oddly the recipe is a pasta fagioli recipe, and I have never made it with pasta. It contains, celery, onions, carrots, ground beef, black-eyed peas, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, potatoes, cabbage, corn and I think other than the chicken broth, that was it, this time. Tasted pretty darn good, only problem is it makes enough for two to three nights or more. A lot like many meals too much is created when the process happens. Probably Sunday we’ll need something new.

In the studio, after a fair amount of cleaning, I decided that the next project would use a 16” block made up of eight 4-patches laid out 9-patch style with one of my wonky stars in the center. I put a 1” sashing between them with a 1” border or frame around to arrive at the 16” finished block. It made the blocks look much like small quilts. I set the nine blocks in three rows of three. Then using a 4” sashing and my Corner Pop II, I popped at 4 to get a V-block effect where needed. The fun pieced borders lengthened the top without making it wider. I always like using square in square units as cornerstones. I couldn’t help using them in the border as well this time. Overall, I was very pleased with the outcome. 

2026-19

Also in the studio, with Carol waiting for delivery of batting, we have been cleaning in the knee wall cupboards. This is where quilts are currently being stored. We had decided it was time to put some of the “quilted, bound, washed and ready to go” into storage containers and put them up in the shed. Somehow I have got to figure out a venue to sell some of the couple hundred quilts we have kicking around here. That is another problem. Here is three containers full headed for the shed.

This picture is part of the knee wall containing “to be bound and washed” and those that are ready for just the last step, washing. 

A long process and a lot of quilts to go. Some bloody fool keeps making more. 

The next time will be a class type sample showing what can be accomplished using the tool I will be teaching next weekend, Tucker Trimmer.

So stay safe and attempt to enjoy the beauty of spring weather. Spiders have been spotted, but still no black flies. Enjoy.