It’s about thyme...hmm...time

Here we are at the end of July...the stores are filled with back-to-school stuff, summer clothes are on clearance and in just a few short weeks, Pre-season football begins...I am so not ready to see summer winding down and want at least 6 more months of days in the 70’s and blue skies...Dream on...

We have just eaten the first garden tomato and English and Persian Market cucumbers are providing fresh crunchiness each day. The little herb garden is offering frequent cuttings for drying. I grow English thyme...

And French thyme...a more delicate and finer leafed herb but I use both for cooking not being fussy in the kitchen and also a little patch of lemon thyme.

The microwave in the potting shed comes into use...

And though some may find it tedious, I don’t mind stripping the minute leaves from the stems...the fragrance is gentle. Marjoram is dried in the same manner as well as parsley.

Sages hang from the rafter air drying and I know how wonderful the leaves will taste at Thanksgiving in turkey stuffing.

After a morning outside in the gardens, I have been trying to get in a little sewing time. Distraction comes oh so easy if I discover a new pattern or ruler...such was the case with Midnight At The Pumpkin Patch and learning how to use Deb Tucker’s V Block ruler - a clever all in one tool based on the classic Peaky and Spike...

Lots of cutting...lining up little points...chain stitching units...pressing...squaring up...

But, I am liking the results so far...the first 5” block and nice sharp points...

And all those little units needing pressing? (Excuse the iron) How about watching that 1956 (!) remastered Friendly Persuasion - Gary Cooper, Dorothy McGuire and a very young (pre-Psycho) Anthony Perkins...if you remember this movie, are you humming “Thee I Love”...

Happy Stitching!

Pat

Rainy day quilter...

With a much needed all day lovely and gentle soaking rain...this gardener is “forced” to stay inside.
Found a recent quote...”God made rainy days so gardeners could get housework done.” Let’s get our priorties straight though...housework? Not so much...a little quilting...that’s better...

Finally got all the foundation papers pulled off the back of that Scrappy Houses project...into the waste can they went...

Now everything is layered and under the walking foot of my machine...Have switched from the gardening gloves to my purple Grab A Roos...simple quilting going on...just stitching down the middle of the narrow sashing...

As each row is being quilted, I can’t help but revisit some of those little 3” houses...from our former President’s face peering out the window (Barbara Brackman did a Print on Demand fabric offering a few years ago and I have a fat 1/4 which was longing to be used) to houses with scissors, crickets playing pool, pumpkins on the roof and a sweet little dog...no two houses are the same and many have a personal sentiment to me.

Nice to have a slower day indoors...Pandora music tuned in, the pups curled up snoozing nearby and with an opened window...the sound of the rain...you can almost hear the earth offering up Thanks!!

Wishing each of you a pleasant weekend and remember to take time to listen to the quietness of Nature.

Pat

Eureka! Back to blogging...and summer days...

Well, it was a short hiatus afterall...things seem to be running as they should...
So no more whining and back to fun things...

First...are you having the same hot summer days as we are here at Taylorsoutback? Such a strange summer weather pattern...it is totally to be expected that we keep old sheets in the potting shed to protect the gardens from frost...but this is the first time ever that I brought out sheets to act as a canopy from the hot sun...I sure don’t want my lovely lettuces to bolt...

In the early morning hours or the cool of the evening being outside is perfect and we are enjoying the now completed deck...we have gone from a rustic look which worked well with the log exterior...but required high maintenance...

To being without a deck for months because of our contractor’s job backlog...

To the latest in composite decking, much more user friendly for its 74 year old home owners...

It is a great spot for tackling the dreaded job of finally removing all the papers from my Scrappy Houses project...or enjoying a morning cup of coffee..our Seana offering advice...

Summer days are in full swing now...the gardens are producing at long last; flowers are blooming, strawberries, blueberries and my favorite Rainier cherries are abundant...visitors to the house - not only friends and family but wildlife too...such a special time here at the edge of the Northwoods...

Hoping your summer days are filled with time to sit and enjoy the outdoors...

Pat

The Blogger issues saga...

Reaching out for any feedback dear readers...still not receiving any email notifications when a comment is added by you...continuing to go into my dashboard to see if any comments are pending and then I can hit publish. So will handle that for now...

Also a new problem - one of my followers sent me an email after I commented on her blog posting - my comment came up as a “no reply blogger”...shaking my head over this???? Any thoughts???? I have made so many attempts to correct the email notification issue - following all the shared tips on how to fix things...maybe I have messed up something in the process...

Any feedback will be greatly appreciated and I will make every effort to follow through and reply back to you!

I could end up eating a lot of chocolate(like this little cutie) out of frustration...and being on Weight Watchers only gives me 23 points each day...

Pat