Summer Sonnets

    I have been itching to get back online and write what I've been up to this summer. Since fall is officially tomorrow, it's a perfect time to recap the summer from the perspective of my handiwork.

The clothespin Gang

    I planted a small garden at the cottage, which did not do too much since it had little sunshine, was worked for the first year, and lacked nutrients.  But I did harvest some oregano that was already growing there and we munched on a few snow peas.

    The kids thoroughly enjoyed the water (as did hubby and I). It barely rained all summer! We went to 2 camps where the kids learned how to paintball and the fine skill of horsemanship. God kept a close eye on them for me and kept them safe even though my youngest tried flipping over his horses head, and almost drowned in the pool and then at a friend's house. Hard on a mom's heart though!

Boating with dad.

Turtle at the lake.

    I knit and spun and quilted by hand here and there all summer long. My daughter and I picked wild flowers, wild mint (which we dried and put away for the winter) and enjoyed the bug free, lazy, hot summer days.

    We also found an enormous stand of chokecherry trees. We picked for an hour and came away with about 2 dozen bottles of jelly! I saved some for us, gave some away, and plan to sell the rest. I also made this delicious Blueberry Spice jam (we're keeping all of it), at the cottage.

    We finally moved into our "new" home that God gave to us. We're renting this lovely 3 story house with heated tiles in the bathroom, and the whole top floor (a finished attic) is all furnished with my knitting, sewing, spinning, loom, quilt rack, etc (and a rocking chair).

Playing Jenga with the packing boxes.

    I have been commissioned by a girl at church to make a shawl for her. I started with this fuchsia mohair and will probably not have enough. But I do have another shade of pink mohair that will blend in with it nicely. I also found some online, should I run out of that one as well. I hope it will be enough....

    I have been making lots of jelly of late. I made some with this lovely beet juice and added spices-best jelly yet! I also made some with rowan berries (also known as Eastern Mountain Ash). These are only edible cooked, though (FYI).

Daily Quote

"Comparing my weaknesses to the strengths of others, while neglecting to be grateful for the gifts and abilities God has given to me, is coveting at its lowest, and truly smacks of idolatry."- Tiana Krenz, Ladies against Feminism

Kings Landing Pics

Using a dutch Oven to bake a pie.

Making Butter

Here are some pics of the ladies at King's Landing churning butter (with my youngest lending a hand).

Summer Plans

I have all these great ideas to write in the evening but when I sit down, my mind goes blank.

We are moving and I'll be away from the computer for 2 months.

We went to King's Landing yesterday. I loved to see everything and really got inspired to make more things by hand. There is a look and feeling of hominess, love and beauty that so permeates everything made by hand. I want to do that for my family.

I want to make braided rugs (they had woven cloth carpets in some of the houses-what a load of work!). Also, the next quilts I make, I plan to have real cotton in it to authenticate the real feel and look of a quilt-besides providing better warmth and fewer chemicals.

This summer, we will be at the cottage lots. I plan to bring my fabric and squares and do some hand sewing. It is much more portable, and I'm suspecting it will also be quite enjoyable.

I also plan to bring my knitting along and my spinning. Nice to have some variety.

I have a few books that I plan on reading as well. So Much More by Anna Sophia and Elizabeth Botkin (great for women of all ages), Logic by Isaac Watts (which used to be a textbook-wow! See how far we've fallen in our literacy), and Raising maidens of Virtue by Stacy McDonald (mother and daughter book). That should keep me going all summer.