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Sunday, May 24, 2009

Quiet Weekend

Friday evening I set out two more tomato plants along with two zucchini and a cucumber. I also have two good sized rhubarb plants. That's the start of my kitchen garden. Keith finally got the bed finished and filled for me. It looks so nice!

You've got to wander over to Kalama Quilts and watch the video of Sharyn hooping! Fantastic! You'll see what I mean!

Being diabetic is quite a challenge for me but I came across this recipe for rhubarb crisp that I could easily modify to my requirements. Not Keith's Mom's rhubarb pie but under the circumstances I guess it'll do!

Rhubarb Crisp (adapted from Mindy Breckenridge's cookbook)

Filling

12 cups chopped rhubarb
1 1/2 cups water
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 1/4 cups fructose
1 1/2 Tbs vanilla

Combine rhubarb, water and salt in a large heavy pot. Bring to a boil and simmer with the lid on until tender. Mix cornstarch with sweetener. Pour gradually into boiling rhubarb while stirring quickly. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour into ad 13x9 glass baking dish and set aside.

Filling

1 1/2 cups flour (I'm allergic to wheat so I used millet flour)
1 1/2 cups quick oats
3/4 cup chopped walnuts (opt)
1 cup sucanat OR brown sugar
1/2 cup fructose
1 cup butter OR margarine

Combine four, oats, sucanat and fructose in a mixing bowl. Mix well. Cut in margarine until crumbly. Crumble over rhubarb filling. Bake at 350* for 25-30 minutes.

It was so GOOD to find something that satisfied my sweet craving without raising my blood sugar through the roof! I still practice portion control, but just the fact that I'm not totally deprived is a treat. The millet flour had a texture somewhere between cornmeal and regular flour. Not objectionable in this particular recipe.

I haven't been doing much on the quilting lately. I did actually get out a quilt I need to get sandwiched, looked at it and then at the beautiful day outdoors and thought, Nah! I want to get that quilt all done so I can do something else. I found the cutest purse pattern and want to make it. (I have a purse fetish!) I change purses like...well, you know.

Sunday Greatful's

For a beautiful day
For a long weekend
For my family
For a quiet place in the country
For the Internet

Ya'll have a GREAT holiday!

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Peaceful Saturday

It was a glorious morning and afternoon. Nearly perfect weather. And so quiet! It was awesome. I spent a great deal of time out in the lawn swing reading.

Heidi called me specially to say that Owie Boy is walking now! His sister took her time. I think she's going to be a little perfectionist. She waited until she KNEW she could do it RIGHT! Little does Heidi realize what lies ahead! We won't tell her either will we? No one warned us!!

If you have cats you will just love this easy to make kitty bed. Here's a link--
http://network.bestfriends.org/crafts

When you get to it click on resources. The very first one is a document link that says Sweatshirt Cat Bed. All it takes is an old sweatshirt (small is best unless you have a VERY large cat) and some poly stuffing.

Here it is Monday and I still haven't posted this,. Better get busy!

I'm working on an applique wall hanging right now. It's called Spring Basket. I don't remember just where I found it. It's a basket with daffodils and petunias. LOTS of pieces I'm discovering LOL I'll post a photo when it's done! I've got the fabric picked out and am in the process of cutting the pieces. Goes much faster after I heard the tip about using spray startch to stiffen the fabric. I have a small table that I put in the living room so while I'm watching my favorite tv show I can mark and cut pieces.

You all have a GREAT Monday!

Monday Musings

I know the wind cleans the air but does it HAVE to cleanse so vigorously?

It's nice weather. Why can't the mice move outdoors? I'm TIRED of being their cleaning maid. And I don't WANT a house cat, but the dog doesn't seem to be doing the job.

How do clothes get dirty so fast?

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Sunny Days Are here Again!

We received 1/5" of rain yesterday afternoon and evening. And of course, I'd chosen yesterday morning, which was sunny, to put the cushions on the lawn chairs. When Keith came home and broght them in they were soggy with water. I didn't bring them in when it started to rain because we were scheduled for rain SHOWERS, not DOWNPOURS!! I'm not putting the cushions back out yet because I heard today will be a repeat of yesterday and tomorrow will be worse. So, might as well wait.

I have the Mosaic Tiles all quilted. I was ready to put the binding on--couldn't find the fabric. I did a serpentine stitch over the seams and in the snowball blocks I did a free motion heart. Some of them certainly LOOK free! But by the time I was getting to the end they looked better. I toyed with the idea of taking the errant stitching out and redoing it. But this is a practice quilt, not one to be judged by anyone. And, if the 'quilt police' don't like it...be my guest LOL

In crusing around the internet one day, I saw the most amazing Storm At Sea quilt. The way it was quilted, and the color combinations really made it look like storm tossed waves. I didn't bookmark it, and do you think I can find it again? Not a chance! Barbara Wynne has done one call After the Storm At Sea, which is awesome. She added three small sailboats and an object that is supposed to be a compass i assume. In the center of the quilt she put red, pinks, orages to represent the sunrise. Needless to say, it won a ribbon at a show!

My two year old granddaughter, the one I babysit, has a cold. I think it's her first real cold. Mom stayed home from work yesterday because they were both sick.

They say only newcomers and fools try to predict the weather around here. I guess so. Just while I've been writing this it has clouded up, the wind is about 20 mph, and it's RAINING. So much for sunny days.

Time to go change the tv channel. The View is on. I don't mind their subject matter, but eventually the squabbling, however friendly, wears on these old ears.

Have an AWESOME day!

Tuesday Thankfulnesses

Sunshine
Green grass
Birds Singing
Friends
Grandchildren