Accomplishments!!!

Two major accomplishments to announce today:

One - I finished Paul's Dr. Who Scarf last weekend. Just in time to give it to him for our 2nd wedding anniversary.



Paul posing with his new Dr. Who season 18 scarf. Below are the only two Dr. Who Scarves that I will ever knit. If you are a Dr. Who fan find someone else to knit your scarf.

Two - I rode my bike to work today for first time.

Random Thoughts

As summer comes to a close...I realize there are things I have yet to accomplish. Going hiking on a regular basis, riding my bike to work, getting organized around the house. As I think about these things I also realize that life is "a work in progress". My husband and I might not be driving out every week to a different mountain trail but we can "hike" around the hill in Seattle that we live on...me being more open and willing to walk up a steep block or two. Any remembering as I walk up a hill that there is no race, just like I would walk at a snails pace on hiking trail I can do the same on the sidewalk in Seattle. I can ride my bike anytime of year... it just might be a little colder than it would be in summer.

My house is a little cleaner and dishes are being done on regular basis... compromise helped me accomplish this goal.

Morning philosophy done time to head to the shower.

Quilting AdventuresI

This past weekend my mom and I were supposed to go to the Roslyn Quilt Show. Due to some scheduling hick ups I was unable to get the correct day off from work. So instead we spent the day working on one of her quilts. This quilt top belongs to her boss. This quilt was a gift from her boss' mother the fabrics collected on her travel adventures. Last November mom and I bought the fabric for the borders and backing.

Sunday we spent the day sewing the boarders and getting the backing ready. The last thing we did was load the quilt onto my quilting frame. We had already decided that we would hand tie the quilt. Tonight we got together after dinner and hand tied the quilt.

close up shot of the quilt squares

My Mom

The quilt is almost finished.

More Kitchen Adventures

Canning Peaches

Each year mom and I both say that we want to get together and can peaches. Well we finally did..two weeks ago we canned 28 cans of peaches after work one evening.

Adventures in Jam making

Thursday was a raspberry picking day. My husband and I stumbled out of bed early so that we could make it to Harvold's farm in Carnation before they closed. The rumor was that the field opened early and closed when the majority of berries for picked for the day. Usually before noon. We also had to return the car we had borrowed from my parents so we had two reasons for the journey out to the Snoqualmie Valley.

Within an hour Paul and I picked 14.5 pounds for raspberries. On the way home we stopped at Fredmeyer's and picked up the necessary canning supplies. Paul and I have been gradually making changes to our diet. Eliminating processed foods like sugar and replacing them with unprocessed alternatives like honey, increasing the amount whole fruits and vegetables in our daily food intake with green smoothies each morning packed with fruits, flax seed, fish oil and a green vegetables...With these changes came a new adventure in cooking....Honey sweetened jam.

One of the two flats of raspberries that we picked with my jug of honey sitting along side. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the honey came from Moses Lake, Washington and I didn't have to pay an arm and a leg from the local farmer's market for 1/2 gallon jug.

Don't mind my messy kitchen I'm in full jam making mode with the hot water bath going. Someday my dream kitchen will have a ton of counter space. Until then I'll make of the most of counter space.

Almost time to ladle this delicious red sauce into hot jars. I'm sure you'll find it odd that I don't eat jam after it has been canned. I only like it fresh out of the pan.

Two jars filled and a few more to go.

From raspberry bush to sealed jar all in a days work. Raspberry jam ready for Paul's PB & J sandwiches and holiday gifts.

All good things must come to end:)

I've been enjoying the last seven days off from work...but I must return to work tomorrow morning to begin my usual work week of three twelve hour shifts followed by fours days off.

My husband took an extra day off work this week so we got to enjoy three days off together in a row. A rare treat for us. Tuesday we enjoyed a lazy day of sleeping in, dog walking and going out for ramen in the international district. Wednesday Paul had a craving for our favorite pizza restaurant in Portland so we headed South and arrived just in time for Apizza Scholls to open for dinner. Along the way we stopped at the Bayside quilting store in Olympia and after dinner we checked out Twisted a knitting store in Portland. Although I was not in the market to purchase any quilting or knitting supplies I did find some very interesting yarn. If you are the type that wants to purchase items that were made close to home you can now buy yarn that was made in Oregon using sustainable practices check out the imperial ranch.

Just today Paul and I went berry picking for the first time together. Growing up in the Snoqualmie Valley I went berry picking several times with my mom. So today was a first time with Paul. Hopefully it will be one of many time for Paul and I enjoy harvesting our food. My kitchen adventures is a topic for another post soon to come.

Tomorrow I head back to work full of fun memories of my week away from work.

The Quilt Gathering 2010

Each opportunity I have a for a road trip is always exciting. I like being able to just let the miles cruise beneath the wheels of the car soaking up the scenery as I drive by. Friday afternoon I headed East and North to Okonagan, Washington. My adventures took me East over Snoqualmie Pass and then North over Blewette Pass. As I was driving a long it hit me that I have traveled this road many times during my teenage years on my way up to Silver Star Mountain for family ski trips. I don't remember the section of road between Wenatchee and Okonogan along the river....All I can say is that I must have had my nose buried in a book...

My destination was the 10th Annual Quilt Gathering for my friend Mo's family. The women in her family gathering each to honor their grandmother's life. We eat, quilt, socialize, sleep a little bit, share our projects from the past year and quilt some more.

Pictures from the quilt gathering can be found here.

Mo's mom made individual goodie bags for everyone coming to the quilt gathering. Each bag was personalized to the individual. Everyone brings a little something to add to each person's bag.