2021 Five and Dime Quilt.

This is my oldest quilt waiting to be finished and yesterday was the day.

Laying out a quilt can be back breaking. I am lucky Mr. b is always willing to help me. I lay out the layers on a board in our garage and then begin pinning.

I tried to pick out fabrics that you would have found in a Five and Dime store in the 1950's. I love vintage. Today it is supposed to  reach 104 degrees so you can find me in my little sewing sweatshop in front of the air conditioner quilting this old/new quilt.

There may be banana bread for my coffee break. I have an oven in the basement that comes in handy on hot days.

Stay cool...b

Kombucha

 I have been brewing kombucha for weeks and today I poured my first bottles. Kombucha is a fermented tea that is good for just about everything that ails you. While we waited for mine to ferment we have been buying it in the store to drink.

I tried growing my own mother from a jar of tea. When I failed or just grew impatient I ordered one from Amazon. Who knew you could order a mother from Amazon right?

I didn't think Mr b. would be on board as it has a strong vinegar taste but he may like it more than I do. We each have a half cup of it first thing every morning. 

Once in the bottles they need a couple of days to carbonate.  I made these blueberry.

I am enjoying this experiment like the sourdough I maintain.

b

Are you crying?

 We pulled our camper to North Dakota for a week where we got to watch our two youngest granddaughters play ball. While we were having a discussion on sports I told them "There is no crying in baseball."

We really had fun with the movie lines from A League Of Their Own. Tom Hanks did a great job. "Zip it Doris!" may have been our favorite.

b

pink

 

This has been the most flowers my Weigela bush has ever had.

It is years and years old and has been a bit of a struggle for it but I'm glad we both hung in there.

I put my North Dakota rhubarb to good use yesterday.

And that's all the pink I have to show you today. I love pink don't you?

~b

Mark your spot

 We rolled away in our camper yesterday which meant packing books. Which led me to sew up a few bookmarks. They are a fun project using up nothing but scraps.

It's absolutely necessary to mark your spot with a cute bookmark when reading this summer.  b

Chop shop

                           Another beautiful hardwood cutting board made by dakota man.

I enjoyed painting the carrots on a small canvas...not to be cut up on the cutting board.

b

Dandelions...

 ...aren't just weeds. I made salve today with the dandelion heads I've had soaking in olive oil and marinating in the sun for three weeks.

Olive oil, beeswax, Shea butter and dandelion heads.

Benefits include moisturizing, lip balm, pain relief for sore and tired muscles or achy arthritic joints and healing minor wounds.

Or you can take those dandelions and make wine.

"A weed is but an unloved flower."

b