Vegetable Soup

This time of year, I just love a hot bowl of veggie soup, don't you? In fact, that's what I'm working on for supper tonight. Do you cook your turkey bones like I do to make a yummy stock? When I recently finished up my latest "free quilt" using 'leaders and enders', it turned out so colorful, that I decided to name it Vegetable Soup.

 Although there's not much to the simple 9-patch design, it's was a quick and easy quilt to make and a great way to use up some of my scraps. I always keep a box full of 2 in. and 2.5 in. squares on hand to use as my leaders and enders. In no time at all, I have the makings for a quilt out of leftovers....just like my turkey vegetable soup!

 The colorful fabric squares were paired with some cream colored Kona that I had on hand....something a little different than the usual white or snow that I usually lean toward.
The quilting is a serpentine like wave stitch that my Bernina quickly turned out. The quilt is bound with  a Moda 'Oh, My" large floral...more leftovers from another project!

This little lap size quilt will be given to a child living in an orphanage in Rwanda sometime soon. Hopefully, the colorful fabrics will be a fun way to cover his/her bed! If you are interested in making "free quilts" with your scraps, check out the tutorial here. (It's a quilting life changer....seriously!)

Sunday Something--Thanksgiving

Thankgiving Proclaimation 1789

By the President of the United States of America, a Proclamation.
Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor-- and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.
Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be-- That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks--for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation--for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war--for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed--for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted--for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.
and also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions-- to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually--to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed--to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord--To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease of science among them and us--and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.
Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.
George Washington

Wordless Wednesday--My In Box

Thanks, Ladies!

Sunday Something

God is our refuge and strength,

an ever present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear, 

though the earth give way and the mountains fall

into the heart of the sea,

though it's waters roar and foam

and the mountains quake 

with their surging.

The Lord Almighty is with us,

the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Psalm 46:1-3,7

Farmer's Wife Friday--Independence and Charm

The farmer's wife is back today after being on "sick leave" for a few weeks...have you missed her? This week's wife is from my home state of Missouri and she has nothing but good things to say about  country living: "There is a wholesomeness about farm life, an independence and charm not found in any other industry."

Mrs. R.C.W, from Jasper County, doesn't mince words about any "drudge' wife who can't find the time for pleasures during the day and blames "a lack of management, lack of order and lack of backbone and brains" as the source. Well, we all can learn from that, probably!
She definitely hopes for a farmer son-in-law someday; someone who gives her daughter a  home on a farm, perhaps just like the one where she is growing up..."with all the joys and pleasures of an American home in God's wonderful out-of-doors."

The blocks today both reflect one of my personal favorite things about county living, and that is visits from my feathered friends to the bird feeders. I love to watch the darting antics of all the different species, especially in the winter after a snowstorm.

Block 27-Darting Birds

Once in a while, a sharp eyed hawk will swoop down to try and snatch up an unsuspecting little bird perched on my feeder. 

Block 52-Hovering Hawks

The first time I witnessed a successful catch, it was a little dismaying and I was more than glad that one of my grand daughters wasn't watching at the window with me as feathers fell to the ground. But, then, that's the circle of life, especially in the country. 

Be sure to visit Cindy today and read her thoughts on the charming life of a farmer! I can't wait to see her blocks...always so different from mine!

Wordless Wednesday--Out Box

Fence Line

Here is my entry for the Habitat Challenge in the Modern Quilt Guild. I've been wanting to do a quilt using several shades of white as the background and decided this was the perfect time. Because the fabric design isn't really my usual style, I also thought that cutting it into small pieces would make it more to my liking.  

Creating the blocks looks more complicated than it really is. I used Linda's instructions for swap blocks I'd made for her a few months ago. Piecing a few random Habitat bits here and there into the border helps carry the theme to the edges of the quilt. My quilting is just simple wavy lines running vertically throughout the quilt. (I had to do something easy since I'm still hampered by a cast on my hand.....Although, wait! I usually always do something easy anyway!)

The sky blue back has an inset of the gravel colored border fabric plus one strip of each of the six Habitat fabrics used to make the front. I also added a piece of selvage as testimony to the challenge. The binding is a dark grey Habitat dot with 3 sections of orange solid spliced in.

My idea for naming the quilt came from seeing fence posts around a neighboring field that all have a rock sitting on top them. The fence surrounds a field of pumpkins, so I added some pumpkin colors in two of the rows.  

I like the neutral, but funky feel, my quilt ended up having.  I'm glad that I participated in the "challenge" of using fabric that I would not normally choose! You can see other Habitat Challenge quilts here and here.