Author: louisaenright

I am passionate about whole, nutrient-dense foods, developing local markets, and strengthening communities.

Turkey Tracks: More Snow on Way

Turkey Tracks:  March 2, 2018

More Snow on Way

What a gorgeous day today is.  Bright, sunny, warmer.  You would never know that we are meant to get another big snow storm starting tonight.

No No Penny and I went up to Belfast to the Coop to stock up on food supplies AND to walk the river/harbor walk.  This walk winds through the ship yard, and I’m always intrigued by the HUGE boats up on their stilts, ready for whatever work they need.  I love seeing what lies beneath the water that we don’t normally see.  Here’s what I saw today:

What a sleek boat  But what intrigues me in addition to the sleekness is the depth of the rudder (?) at the back of the boat.  I suppose it balances the boat???

I came home with two heavy sacks of groceries and fixed this lunch of veggies and ricotta cheese, which I seem to tolerate ok:

Time to cook more beets…

…which I forgot to buy today.

Lunch yesterday was pretty nice too:

I love, LOVE drumsticks.  I cook a big family size pack of them and freeze them.  It’s easy to grab out two for lunch.  They defrost in an hour on the cast iron griddle I bought years ago from William Sonoma, and they reheat in about 15 minutes in my oven.

Betsy Maislen is addicted to the Long Time Gone blocks.  This one, due in April, arrived in my messages last night.

And Margaret Elaine Jinno is now caught up with the group here in Camden.  Here are all her blocks.  She says she’s redoing the two Bow Tie blocks now that she is rolling.  Love her Star in Star block.  Love all her blocks for that matter.  M-E is the best seamstress I know.

Margaret Elaine has inspired me with her crosses block.  I have not liked the addition of the star, but I like what she has done to make it pop.  Maybe I’ll do that too.

I finished what work I have been doing for some days now on the Traveling Quilt I have.  Pics will follow after our next meeting.

The binding is on Tula Pink’s 100 Modern Quilts.  I will start sewing it down tonight while watching tv.  It was fun to quilt it on the long arm.

Two more rows are on Valse Brilliante, the EPP project.

I’M CATCHING UP with the UFOs.

 

 

 

Turkey Tracks: Quilty Update March 2018

Turkey Tracks:  March 8, 2018

Quilty Update march 2018

I am working on a Traveling Quilt right now.

And I’ve almost finished quilting the Tula Pink 100 Modern Quilt blocks on the long arm.  By later today, maybe, I’ll make and attach the binding.  I’ll finish up the binding at night while watching tv.  This quilt is all Cotton+Steel fabric, which I continue to love.

(I am still watching PROJECT RUNWAY, regular and All Stars, but have almost caught up.  I find the creativity in these programs to be endlessly engaging.  AND, a friend suggested I take a look at SISTER WIVES (The Brown family) on The Learning Channel.  Oh my.  I am fascinated with this program.)

I spent some time trying out these large selvage blocks.  They are a riff on Amy Friend’s “Circuitry Quilt” in her INTENTIONAL PIECING.  Mine are larger and, for the most part, using busier neutral fabrics alongside.  The blocks are subtle.  I’ll mix in the purple blocks I’m working on now.  I think I’m looking at a warm and a cool quilt, but who knows.  Time and more blocks will tell.

“Valse Brilliant” is coming together.  The secondary patterns are emerging.  I’m working on the third row now.  And that upper right corner piece.

This block is a leader/ender project, with a center of “made” fabric from my bags of crumb fabrics–for the most part.  I now have 30 block centers of the 63 I will need.  making the centers is total play for me, and as such, very peaceful and soothing.

Betsy Maislen is working at her “Long Time Gone” blocks.  She’s now finished her set of churn dash blocks:

Look at those fun centers.  The churn dash block is my all-time favorite block.  Well, ok, alongside New York Beauty.  And any kind of square in a square. And…  Face it, I just love to piece blocks.  I am so looking forward to making these little guys.  They are…smallish.

Now I only have “On Ringo Lake” (Bonnie Hunter’s 2017 mystery quilt) to quilt on the long arm.  I have several leader/ender projects going, but I am beginning to see my way clear to start the neutral/vanilla quilt I want to make with my Cotton+Steel fabrics.  I despaired about getting the project pile down, but there is only a foundation pieced tree block I designed in Amy Friend’s workshop with Coastal Quilters left to do.  AND, LOL, a whole lot of knit fabrics to sew into delicious clothes.

And she persisted…

 

 

Turkey Tracks: The March 2018 Snow Storm

Turkey Tracks:  March 9, 2018

The March 2018 Snow Storm

I took these pictures before the storm finished.  In the light of day this morning, it’s clear I got something close to two feet of snow.  It’s a wet, heavy snow, so packs down pretty fast.  My gauge has always been the top of the hot tub (which is now dead).

My cheerful and wonderful plow/shovel team (Tom Jackson’s crew) came twice-once during the storm, and once afterwards.  It’s good to get ahead of snow this heavy, and the crew makes sure my generator is clear.

Trees were really weighted down with this storm:

I love the peace and quiet of falling snow.  Here are two little videos that try to capture a little of how beautiful falling snow is:

 

Interesting Information: Bees Marching In

Interesting Information:  March 9, 2018

Bees Marching In

DIL Tamara Kelly sent me this very interesting video the other day.

Tami is director of BEE CAUSE, an organization that is now national and that works to preserve bees.  It was started by the Savannah Bee Company.

This is the season of swarming bees in the south.  When this swarm was captured and rehomed, the rescuers placed the queen into the new hive box.

Watch what happens.

Turkey Tracks: My KA ORA Bracelets

Turkey Tracks:  March 7, 2018

My KA ORA Bracelets

Shhhh…

My birthday is coming up…

I gave myself a present.

Three of Audrey Lovering’s KA ORA bracelets.

 

You see see all Audrey’s bracelets on the KA ORA web site:  kaorabracelets.com

Each one has its own story and comes with a card telling that story.

I have “Lucky Charm,” of course, as my birthday falls on St. Patricks Day.

The real lucky charm is you.  Instead of just wishing for the good things in the world to happen, charge out, brave and ready, to make things happen.

And “Tumbling Hearts.”

Don’t change so people will like you.  Be yourself and the right people will love you.

And “XOXO.”

You are loved.  Whether it’s a special someone, family, or friend, just know that you are enveloped by their hugs and kisses.

I do feel the XOXO sentiment from my family and friends every single day.  But I want also to be reminded that I will strive to return their love and care.

 

There are two more bracelets in my future:  “Maine” and “207.”

I wear these bracelets every day with everything.  They leave my wrist only to sleep.

THANK YOU AUDREY!!

 

PS:  These bracelets are silver on jeweler’s brass.  I think I have that right.  They only need wiping with a microfiber cloth and cold water to keep them shiny.  They are very reasonably priced.

Books: Recent Books Read to Me

Books:  February 28, 2018

Recent Books Read to Me

When I sew, I listen to downloaded books from the Maine State Library online system.

Three recent books I listened to are worth sharing.

First, APE HOUSE by Sara Gruen, author of the popular WATER FOR ELEPHANTS.  I was astonished at the human language acquistion of these apes.

via Book Review – Ape House – By Sara Gruen – The New York Times

 

A LAND MORE KIND THAN HOME is a first novel that was unexpectedly interesting–probably because it explores when good people fall under the sway of a terrible “strong” man who uses religion to manipulate them.  I’ve long said that belief systems are among the most powerful things on the face of this earth.

Wiley Cash’s “A Land More Kind Than Home” – The Washington Post

 

DEEP DOWN TRUE falls into a lighter vein, but I enjoyed its desire to grapple with some difficult issues.  How does a “nice” person manage when faced with difficult life choices?  Maybe it depends on the depth of the person’s niceness.  Or maybe the person learns to recognize when “nice” isn’t going to work.  And maybe the person learns why her “niceness” formed in the first place.

Deep Down True: A Novel: Juliette Fay: 9780143118510: Amazon.com: Books

 

 

Turkey Tracks: Treasures

Turkey Tracks:  February 28, 2018

Treasures

Margaret Elaine Jinno recently gave me this adorable little chicken.

I’ve put it near my hand so you can see the scale.

It’s weighted with what feels like sand, but I don’t think I want to pierce its tiny body duly with a lot of pins.  I attached it to another treasure:  the pin cushion Linda Satkowski gave me some years ago now at a Coastal Quilters (Maine) retreat.

This little hen watches tv with me at night.  And, she’s good company too.

She sits next to other treasures I have on the little table next to my sofa.

There is the Longaberger basket Jill Bruns gave me.  Jill sent Coastal Quilters members, via her quilting daughter Gus Bruns, all of her Longaberger basket collection.  There were enough baskets for each of us to chose one.  I keep mine close and can feel Jill’s energy nearby.  My little basket holds the odds and ends that I use almost every night–you can see my needle book–made from a pattern Becca Babb-Brott found.  And, the top of my fabric glue pen I use for English Paper piecing (EPP).  You can see the little zippered pouch Becca made for me.  And the tin of thread wax (Unicorn Thread Gloss handmade by Robot Mom Sews) gifted to me by Gus Bruns.  The thimble came from a collection left by Gina Caceci’s mother.

So you can see I watch tv at night and sew with a community of friends and the magnifying head piece I also treasure.  I use the latter when I need a much more close up view.

Speaking of sewing at night, my current EPP project is moving right along:  the “Valse Brilliant” quilt by Willyene Hammerstein, found in her book MILLIFIORE QUILTS.  I used brights and text for each of the 99 blocks I made (11 rows of 9 blocks):

I have pieces to finish the edges, and I’m thinking I will use text neutrals for the edges.  I think neutrals will let the blocks stand out–moreso than a color.

 

 

 

 

Turkey Tracks: Some Modern Quilt Guild Swaps

Turkey Tracks:  February 27, 2018

Some Modern Quilt Guild Swaps

Some of our Mt. Battie Modern Quilt Guild members have participated in mini quilt swaps hosted by The Modern Quilt Guild.

Recently, Linda Satkowski sent off her quilt…

…and received this quilt:

And Tori Manzi sent off this quilt..

…and received this quilt:

Aren’t these quilts delicious?

I may have to think about these swaps…

Turkey Tracks: Mt. Battie Modern Quilt Guild February 2018

Turkey Tracks:  February 23, 2018

Mt. Battie Modern Quilt Guild February 2018

Last night w all brought our January blocks for the Jen Kingwell “Long Time Gone” quilt we have as a challenge.  What’s fun about this picture beside the color is the variety in our blocks.

Vicki Fletcher has finished her January blocks and is working on her February blocks.

Karen Martin has joined the group making the quilt.  Here are her January blocks:

Go Karen!  I especially like her Star in Star block.  So happy you’ve joined us in this madness.

Some of us can’t stop making the blocks.

Here is Tori Manzi’s February “trip” block, made with grunge fabrics:

Linda Satkowski (blue block) and Betsy Maislen have started their March blocks.  Both had some advice about how to assemble this challenging block–which is assembled in strips.

Karen Martin shared her Katja Marek “Millifiore” progress:

Linda Satkowski shared the quilt she got in a recent online swap.  This one makes all sorts of optical illusions.  What a cool project.

New member Anne Bargetz (welcome Anne) shared a quilt top she designed:

AND, Margaret Elaine Jinno asked if we could have a local 2-day retreat in the Lions Club.  We CAN and we ARE.  How fun is that?

Next month we see the traveling quilts again.

 

Turkey Tracks: Quilts By Friends: Betsy Maislen

Turkey Tracks:  February 23, 2018

Quilts By Friends:  Betsy Maislen

Betsy lives in Vermont and comes to MidCoast Maine to sail on the windjammer J&E Riggin, out of Rockland, Maine.  Last summer, after retiring in June, she volunteered to cook with Annie Mahle, co-owner of the Riggin with Jon Finger, for six weeks in September and October.  She stayed with me between trips, which was so much fun.  She also attended the May 2017 Coastal Quilters retreat at the Franciscan Guest House.

Annie and I roped her into making the Bonnie Hunter 2017 mystery quilt with us, and here is her finished top.  I really love the neutral borders she chose.

Next, I suggested she sew along with Mt. Battie Modern Quilt Guild’s challenge to make Jen Kingwell’s “Long Time Gone” quilt over the next year.

Here are her January and February blocks–and one of the March blocks.

I love her use of color in these blocks.

 

We all did different variations of this “star in star” block.

 

 

 

And, here is the March “crosses” block:

 

Yep!  Making these blocks is addictive.  Go Betsy!