Grapes, grapes and more grapes
However, first I want to update you. A friend and I went to a new to us church yesterday and learned about the Hebrew New Year, Rosh Hashana, which was very interesting. 
At this Messianic Jewish church, they had a lovely “Ark of the Covenant” replica as well as an amazing Torah Scroll that survived the Holocaust.
I took the granola off the dehydrator this morning after breakfast, did a small amount of spinning.
Then I decided to pick grapes. I was surprised at the amount that were out there. With what I picked on Friday, we had over 6 of these 4 gallon buckets of grapes. This is the first year that we have had much of a harvest. Last year, the chickens got them and then again this year, the chickens were busy with keeping the bugs out of the grapes and then reaping the reward. Still there were more than enough for us. So we have been cleaning and freezing and dehydrating grapes today – and maybe tomorrow as well.
More food prep
I’m so glad that it is Friday and tomorrow is a day of rest. God knew we would need one day a week to keep from wearing ourselves out. Today, after gym, I went out and picked more grapes. I will probably finish picking them on Sunday. Maybe I’ll freeze them on trays so it will be easy to just take out what we want to use. It will be so nice to have them in the freezer and we can just add them to our winter fruit salads.
and here is another 14 quarts of potatoes canned.
The pears look like they would like to wait several more days, which is okay with me.
So I baked another 6 loaves of zucchini bread. There is more zucchini shredded, but I’m debating whether to just freeze it that way or make up more patties.
My wish for each of you is one restful day and one productive day this weekend. Enjoy your families.
Does this sound like your life.
Get up groggily, get breakfast on the table and then eat mine. Still tired, but not enough to go back to bed, so sit down and spin wool for a bit. After I catch my breath,
grate the two huge zucchini with plans to make bread, brownies, and patties for the freezer.
It grated into 3+ gallons of zucchini. I refrigerated that for later use. Next I get out the jars and other canning supplies to can the potatoes.
About then DH would like to eat at his favorite local Mexican restaurant. I had a large tostada with beans, lettuce, tomato, and guacamole. We get back just in time for a conference call I agreed to attend. Oops, lasted nearly 2 hours instead of one, and then another 1/2 hour phone call. Wow it’s 3.30 and I haven’t accomplished much yet.
14 quarts of potatoes.. The plan is to do another 14 quarts tomorrow plus the zucchini products.
While I was waiting for the pressure canner to heat up, I went out to check the grapes which are small this year, but that’s probably because we didn’t know how to prune them I am thrilled and delighted with the sweetness. They are so wonderful. I filled the bowl I took with me and will finish picking them tomorrow.
So I get to the end of my day and there were more things I wanted to get done than got done. In fact, I feel as if I am swimming backwards. If I could get going a bit sooner in the morning and not have phone conferences……………but then tomorrow there is gym, then a drive out to get a loom someone wants to find a home for which I’m sure will consume 3 hours, then to finish picking the grapes and canning the potatoes. There is no time in this schedule for housecleaning and gardening and so the garden suffers a lot and we won’t talk about the house. Oh, and there are still carrots and beets, to get done in the near future and applesauce after that.
Making lemonade
The quilt is quilted!. It still needs binding. 
I encountered a small problem with the machine jamming at one point which put this small hole in the backing. There is too much work and fabric involved to just toss it. So then I had to think creatively.
I mended the hole and then used the 3 remaining blocks and put little pockets on the back side. They are real pockets which are open on one side. And the bottom photo is the real color of this quilt backing.
An easy, cute bag
I found a little bag called a “small flat tote” on the label. In fact, it was a flat bag without the side seams sewn. I embroidered this on one side.
Here is the back side of it.
Then I sewed up both sides and across the bottom corners and here is a cute small bag which measures 11″ square. Another little gift ready when I need it. And the embroidery took the longest. If you don’t embroider, you might want to do some other thing such as paint, etc.
Snowman “warm wishes” flimsy
Continuing from yesterday, I sewed the blocks into rows and then
the rows together to make the quilt flimsy. The line of red you see hanging from the top is the binding. I’m hoping to find time to quilt and bind this before the weekend so it can go to someone who needs it.
But you can see what a fast and easy quilt this is. The blocks are 6″ which is part of the reason it is fast. This particular quilt measures 58 x 69″ which is a very good size for wrapping in or crawling under for a nap. I do hope some of you will soon have one to show us.
A new start
I’ve been looking for something that goes together quickly that I can make for the displaced people in the eastern part of my state. I have made this in baby sizes before, but this time I want to make one larger. It is called “Warm Wishes” and it looks like more work than it is. There are several sizes on the net or you can do your own size. The secret to it looking like more work is in how the blocks are turned as the blocks are all the same size.
OK, I cut all the strips according to the instructions and sewed these 3 colors together selvage to selvage. Can you see how the lower one bows? That is because I should have sewed down one side and up the other side instead of starting both from the same side. Starting every other row from the other end will keep your strips straight. I sewed all my sets of 3 then
started cutting them into blocks. Now they are all cut out and next time I come to sew I can sew them together.
See how the one color surrounds the print and the other color is at the other end of that block.
