Things I like Jul 27

Greetings!

Hope ya'll are enjoying summer.  Here's this weeks list of things I like:

1. Cooler weather:

It finally rained yesterday and so this is the coolest morning in awhile. BUT, check out the humidity!
It's not even cloudy, but it rained so much (it's relative) the moisture is still in the air. This is very unusual for us. It'll still be 102 today but not a dry heat.  LOL

2. New adventures. My daughter and I took a pottery class a few weeks ago and it was so interesting.
    Neither one of us had tried it before but she got a Groupon and the class was worth it.

The top piece is my daughter's and the bottom one is mine.  I had to have a lot of help from the instructor to get a feel for handling the clay. At one point the clay flew off the stand!   It was a weird experience for me but my daughter loved it and we had a lot of fun together.  Of course, we invoked 1990 music from "Ghost".
We had to leave the pieces to dry at the studio for weeks and will go back to "glaze" them. It's kinda like learning to quilt in that I never knew it was such an expensive hobby or there was  so much  involved in making a quilt. Making pottery is definitely an art, takes time and it's not for everyone. We both were happy we tried it.

3.Specialty bakeries. I try to adhere a gluten free diet as well as soy free so when I find someone who bakes a good gluten free dessert I am a happy person.  For years, I baked my own bread and desserts but since we moved 2 years ago to a much smaller home and kitchen, I would rather someone else do the baking. Usually I spend a lot of money on supermarket gluten free breads and desserts.  I found a specialty bakery in Glendale,  Az. who is quite reasonable, so I am picking up cookies today. I'm excited. It's the little things.

Well, this is it for today, but I hope you visit other likes at Lee Anna's post:Not Afraid of Color.

Thanks so much for dropping by.
mary

Things I like July 20

Greetings!

It's been a busy week.  I made a quilt about 60 x 53 from start to finish and did a bunch of cooking. So, I'd like to show you some of the things I like for this week:

1. The "Kip" quilt.  This is a nap quilt- no batting or binding.  I used a MSQC pattern from You Tube- The Two Step pattern. Combining 3 packs of left- over jelly roll strips from the Downton Abbey collection with a creme charm pack from Bella Solids, this was a super fast quilt top to sew together. I added a gray/greenish twin sheet to the back.  I just sewed right sides together and "tied" the front.

It is so light and airy!  I loved sitting in front of the tv and tying it together. My grandson was rolled up like a burrito in it yesterday for his nap!  Even tho these are hot days, it's nice to have a soft cover from the AC.

2.  Buttermilk Pie. This is not dairy free but is gluten free and oh so tasty.  I added fresh cherry slices which look weird but added a new taste to a very old fashioned, easy pie.

this is so good. I make it for breakfast. The recipe is at Food Network: Anita's Impossible Buttermilk Pie.

3.  Zucchini sauteed.  I'm not a big fan of soggy cooked zucchini, so I decided to try strings of zucchini sauteed in olive oil.  I used a peeler and removed the skin.  Then I still used the peeler ( not a fancy machine) and peeled strips just to the seeds.  I then used a sharp knife and cut a few if they were too wide.  With about a Tablespoon of oil, I sauteed them with salt, pepper and garlic powder for 1 minute. Really good.

Quick snack or side dish. Just sayin.

4. Beef Burrito Skillet from Betty Crocker. This photo is from Betty Crocker but my dish looked just like it. (hee hee).

Anything to not use the oven and heat up the house even worse than it is.  I even made my own taco seasoning in a jar for this one. I got tired of remembering all the seasonings I wanted so I  just combined them and  put them in a jar.  Gee- that was smart. But, that took time away from my quilting. Ugh.

Well, hope you enjoyed a peek into my life today.  Please hook up with Lee Anna at: Not Afraid of Color for more "likes".

Have a great day.
mary

Things I like Jul 11

Greetings!

 I don't have jury duty today so I am a happy camper. I don't know how the jury system works in your state but every 18 months a legal resident is eligible (GEE-THANKS) to serve. I get chosen  to serve every 2 years and feel I've done my civic duty. Guess I'm lucky in a county of millions.  You are notified 6 weeks in advance for jury duty but don't know if you must appear until the night before.  So, I have been stressing about being absent from home all this time. I'm responsible for my brother, and it's important he not be home alone.  He is gone on the weekends to his girlfriends house. Now you see why I am relieved. Besides, I can't quilt at a court house.


Without further ado, here's some other "likes" I have today:

1. Home made pizza on the "Green Egg". Last week I had dinner at my son and DIL's home . They made pizza in the "Green Egg".  Years ago, we called it a Hibachi.  It is a Hibachi- very big and green.  Marketing is great cause this is almost exactly like the one my son's father used to cook or smoke a turkey 50 years ago.  LOL.  Anyway, the Green Egg is quite popular now.  My daughter in law made 6 pizzas and my son cooked them one at a time in the Green Egg.  Best pizza I ever had because the crust was super thin and topping ingredients were fresh. My DIL also has a real knack with the dough which contains olive oil!

 I wish we had smellavision.

2.  Toll House "cookies" made on the "Green Egg".  While we were eating our pizza, my son put those prepackaged cookie portions of refrigerated cookie dough in little bread pans and cooked them on the Green Egg, too! Since the Green Egg really is an oven, I think he cooked them for 20 min at 350 degrees. Unbelievable.

Needless to say I had a carbohydrate crash that night but it was so worth it. Oh- and nothing was gluten free, unfortunately. That was my one treat for a month.

3. Community Musical Theater.  We are taking my grandson to Seussical this month and I am so excited.  Peoria Theater works is  2 miles from my home, intimate but with great performers. And, they have ADA seating where parents can sit next to the wheelchair. JOB WELL DONE.

You know, it's the little things in life that really are fun.


4. Having a reputable vehicle maintenance shop close to home. In a few minutes, I'm dropping off my truck for service and hoping all will go as explained. The shop has been good to this single old woman which is saying a lot. (that's a story for another day).


I have a million things to accomplish today before I can quilt, so I'll close with a reminder to see Lee Anna's post at:NOT AFRAID OF COLOR.

Enjoy summer!
mary

Things I like July 6

Greetings!

Thanks to Lee Anna ( she keeps me motivated), here's my list of likes for this week:

1.  Avocado Nachos.  I had just got home from a major grocery shopping. I was starving, so I just sprinkled Italian blend cheeses with a little piece of chipotle soft  cheese over tortilla chips, baked in the micro 25 seconds and added smashed avocado with a few shreds of lettuce. Sort of healthy but done!  Really good, too.

It was a quick, easy snack till I could get a lunch thrown together.

2. PBS show-The Story of China

We have watched 2 in the series.  The video and photography is outstanding while the host, Michael Wood, is delightful.  He presents the country's  long history while providing a glimpse of their many current day cultures simultaneously. This photo is from the PBS website. Please check your local listings if you want to watch these also.  The DVD's can be purchased and of course, you can watch them online at PBS.


3.Another finished quilt. This is the Scrap Slice quilt. I sewed informal scraps together to form 10 inch blocks with an added peach border. It's about 50 x 60 inches.  It will be donated to the ALS foundation next week.

This is the first time I "tied" a quilt and I have to say: I LOVED IT.  The tying was quick and easy while TV watching, but didn't hurt my thumbs as hand sewing does.  I machine stitched the sides of the blocks and borders then I just tied each of the block centers with embroidery thread.  ALS accepts all types of quilts whereas, other agencies require machine stitched quilting. There is a "Hopes & Dreams Quilt Challenge for ALS" on right now sponsored by Quilters Dream Batting. You can see it at Quilters Dream Batting.

I hope everyone enjoyed the 4th here in the USA.  Please join us at Lee Anna's blog for other likes:NOT AFRAID OF COLOR.

Thanks for dropping by!
mary

This is My Country

Greetings.

I wish I could be more excited about this 4th of July. My country is divided with a disgrace for the man in the White House and his cohorts. The Congress is no better in doing their jobs, but instead want to take health care away from the people who put them in their high paying jobs.

 I know it's not politically correct to state that in this arena but I have to write what's been bothering me for 6 months now.  I just hope and pray rational leaders will prevail in straightening out the White House and Congress.

In the meantime, this is MY COUNTRY.

Hope you are able to enjoy celebrating our Independence.

mary.