Sister's Choice Quilts

My New Succulent Garden

One of my nephews has a green thumb.  He specializes in cacti and succulents and has an amazing collection.  He propagates his own plants from cuttings and even from seeds.  Growing cacti and succulents has been his passion for years and he is very good at it.  I think he does sell some of his seedlings to nurseries.

Can you even imagine? Those are dozens of tiny cactus plants he started by seed.  He should start his own nursery someday!

Anyway, when I visited my father last weekend, my nephew generously gave me 8 or 9 cuttings and baby starter offspring from his collection.  We got a handsome black dish to plant them in, and I cannot wait to watch them grow.

These are the tiniest ones he gave me.  The round one on the upper right is about as big as an M&M peanut.  I think as they grow, they will send out shoots and begin to trail.

This one has a fuzzy texture that makes me want to pet it.  I am refraining though.

This one is a perfect rose shape.

I know not to water them more than once a week, and that their soil needs to drain well.  They like lots of light and some direct sun, but newly planted succulents can scorch if left out in the scorching heat and sun.

I am new at this and really want to succeed with these thoughtfully gifted plants.  If any of you have had success with growing these sorts of plants, do you have any tips or words of advice to share?

Piecing the Past Blocks 19, 20, 21

I did manage to finish the three Piecing the Past blocks for this week.  I have been reducing the block size down to 6 inches, and some of the blocks have been a real challenge.  The one on the top in particular.  It is hard to tell from the photo, but the block contains four little 4 patches that are set "square in a square", and which finish at 2 1/2".  The 4 patch units were super tiny.  None of the points came together as precisely as I like, so it is up in the air at this point if the block will make it into the quilt.  It is so disheartening when you spend hours on a quilt block and the results are disappointing.

Oh well, the quilt police aren't going to site me if I change out the block to a design I can actually make successfully, right?

I got some really good news again today!  Because of the rural nature of our county, hair salons have been given the green light to re-open.  I got a call from my stylist today and got a booking for next week!  I am so happy for her.  I was afraid she wouldn't be able to pay her rent on her salon and might have to give it up, since she wasn't working or making any money.  Somehow she managed to stay afloat and is good to go to open up.  She has tons of restrictions though.  Only one client in the salon at a time, we all have to wear masks, and she has to sanitize everything top to bottom when the client leaves.  Clients are not allowed to read magazines or have a beverage.  You know, it's ok.  We will work with it.  I am so glad she is back in business and can support herself and her family.

Wherever you are, I hope all is well.

Plodding Along

I have entered this week at the pace of a turtle.  I did manage to get one block done in the weekly Piecing From the Past Sew Along.  This one is called Arizona.

Today was the last day of school for Eva.  We will still continue to use the online learning resources the school has provided us.  We did get some good news that the neighborhood pool may reopen this summer.  Lots of restrictions of course.  Only six kids at a time in the pool and no one within 10 feet of one another.  No guests, members only.  If the maximum number of people are already within the pool gates, people have to line up outside in the sun and wait for someone to leave so they can go in.  Oh, and in the adult pool--get this:  if one person wants to swim laps, everyone else has to get out.  I don't see why they couldn't just allow one person to swim in a lane and leave the other 5 people alone to dunk or soak or whatever.  Nevermind, I am grateful Eva can go.

It was a l.o.n.g. long weekend and I am pooped.  Hopefully I will regain my pep tomorrow. Hope you are all having a great week.

Nice Long Weekend

I had a great visit with my dad on Saturday and Sunday.  I made him soup, his favorite thing to eat.  It was so rewarding to see him eat every last bite of it.  He has gotten so thin and frail.  I suppose that is to be expected at the age of 94.  All in all he is doing great though.  It was so good to see him with my own eyes.

If you are interested in the soup, it is Chef John's Ham and Potato Soup and was absolutely fantastic.  I could eat it every day too.  Over 700 people have reviewed it and it has a five star rating, which tells you something.

I got out all my Memorial Day through 4th of July decorations and changed things out around the house.   I have ordered a few new things for my tiered tray, so I'll share that with you once I change it out.

We had our "Quaranteam" over for a bbq yesterday.  Eva, her daddy and his soon to be wife.  We pass Eva back and forth every day, so have been sharing the same germs since forever.  My husband grilled a tri tip, and I made macaroni salad, cowboy beans, coleslaw, and homemade ice cream.

Even the front porch got a festive new look.  The other quilts I had out there are getting so faded and sad looking from three years out in the daylight. Those particular quilts I had made eons ago, they weren't my favorites and I didn't mind if the light faded them.   I won't leave this one out though because I want it to stay nice.  Do you ever use quilts outside?  If you do, I would love to hear the details:  if you use good quilts outside or in a bright sunroom or porch, if you bring them in every night, if you've had fading...

Memorial Day

Thank you for your service.  Thank you for your sacrifice.  We remember.

Do any of you know this plant and enjoy it?  It is calibrachoa and is just about the only thing I can grow.  It likes warm weather and lots of sun.  6-8 hours of direct sun a day.  It can take less, but you will have fewer flowers.  I have heard that it is a relative of the petunia, but don't know if that's true.  It blooms for a longer season and can even return for a year or even two if you cut it back in winter.  They are amazing in hanging baskets, but mine are just starting out so they don't look so lush yet.

These two pots that are going gangbusters are from last year.

This one is new this year, but it will fill out and be beautiful too.  They never fail.  Do they grow where you live?  It is so interesting to me what plants will thrive where.  For instance, hostas.  They are such cool plants, and come in so many varieties.  But I sure can't grow them in California where I live.   Those girls love their shade.

What annuals/perennials do you like to grow?  Any secrets for a wonderful "pot garden"?  (No, not that kind of pot),  I love having lots of color on my front and back porches, and pots are the way to go.  

In other news, the Clark's leopard print sandals arrived and they are keepers for sure.  So comfy and so darn cute.  I got mine at shoe.com for under $40!  I think the regular price is twice that.

Hope you all have a great weekend.  I am going to go see my father.  I can fix him some good food and at least run the vacuum in his house, which hasn't had a good cleaning in a while since his cleaning lady is sheltering in place.  Mainly, he is craving company and that I can definitely provide.

This Week's Piecing the Past Blocks and Wedding Plans

I am continuing to piece the weekly blocks for the Piecing the Past "Comfort and Joy" sew-along.  This week's blocks were really good.  The one at the top in the photo above is called "Lilies" and is one of my favorites for sure.  I reduced the size from 9" to 6".  I had a bit of operator error, but I erred in the direction of too large and could trim down with no ill effects.  It was challenging, with the smallest squares measuring in at 3/4" finished.  I love the effect of the two different reds. 

Such a pretty block.  But I'm glad I only had the one to make!

I have to share this with you.  My niece Emily has been planning her June wedding for the past year or more.  She has not had the easiest time of it over the last few years, with her younger sister and her mother (my sister and my niece) both passing away from cancer within a year of one another.  She is a strong young woman, and with the love of her father and brother has come out of the ghastly ordeal, battered, but not broken.  Her wedding was something our entire family has been greatly anticipating.  It is about time she had some happiness and joy come her way and we were all on board for a fabulous celebration.

And then we got Covid-19.   This has put a real monkey wrench on the plans.  I know, I know.  People suffered during WW2, Vietnam, and the Depression.  Times have been hard for folks in the past.  At least we didn't die from the coronavirus and lot of people have it worse.  The bottom line is that this is rotten luck for a lovely young woman who deserves better.  She rose to the occasion though and sent out this announcement:

With humor and good grace, she and her fiancé postponed their celebration until next year.

Cherry Garcia Brownies

I made the most amazing brownie dessert this past weekend.  Cherries are in season here, and this recipe for Cherry Garcia Brownies is reason enough to buy a bag of cherries and make these for yourself at home.

First of all, the recipe is by Delish and can be found here.  One major change I recommend is to use a 9 x 13" pan.  Do NOT use an 8" pan.  That would be a disaster. Your pan would be way too full and the cake would never bake properly.  Also, there are conflicting directions on what temperature to bake the brownies.  The video says 400 and the instructions say 350.  I think 400 would be way to hot an oven.  I did 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes.  Check after 45 minutes.  If the cake is awfully jiggly, give it a couple more minutes, but don't let it get too brown.  I also used more cherries than the recipe called for (maybe 1 1/4 cup).  I used Duncan Hines family-sized brownie mix and as I said, put it in a large pan.

You start with your basic brownie mixture and put it in your 9 x 13" pan.

Now here is where the magic happens.  You mix a large block of cream cheese with your pitted chopped cherries along with 1/2 cup of chocolate chips, an egg, some sugar and vanilla.  

I could have stopped right there, gotten out a spoon and just eaten that.  Good sense prevailed, however, and I plopped spoonfuls of it on top of the brownie mixture and swirled it around.  

Pop it in the oven and bake at least 45 minutes at 350.  You end up with the best of two worlds: hot fudgy brownies with a cherry cheesecake topping.  

Trust me, this is a really yummy dessert to make when cherries are in season.  It would also feed a lot of people if you ever have any kind of gathering in your house again.

 

Moda BlockHeads 18 Alternates

I decided to go with the alternate blocks for the Moda BlockHeads block of the week last week.  We are on block 18, to the best of my recollection.  I just wasn't feeling the applique this time and decided to switch it up. Each time there is an applique block, one or more of the participating designers offer an alternate.

The block shown above is called Lilies and was offered by Sherri at A Quilting Life.  When my husband saw it he asked "Oh, are you making a Canadian quilt?  I like your maple leaves".  Um no, that would not be maple leaves for a Canadian quilt. 

I made the 12" size, which will be set on the diagonal in my setting.  I am tempted to make one more, just one quadrant of the block above, which would be 6".  I have seen different arrangements of the large block that have all the stems facing inward to the center, which is a cool look as well.  The block looks more complicated than it was.  There are a lot of half-square triangles in it, which makes the piecing easy.  Also, Sherri offers a very nice method for making those stems, which does not involve applique.

This additional alternate block was suggested by Lisa Bongean at Primitive Gatherings, so I made that one too.  It is the classic Martha Washington Star.  I made mine the 6" size,  It will be set on the diagonal in the setting I am using.

When I look at all these blocks on my design wall, it makes me so happy.  I am absolutely loving the red, navy, light blue and cream colors and that the 3 Sisters fabrics in my stash are finally getting the attention they deserve.

 

A Quarantine Story

I hope you all had a nice weekend.  Our weather turned cold and rainy, so I spent a lot of time inside reading my books.  I zoomed through a couple of them, so at the end of the month, I should have a decent number to review for you.  

My husband had a hankering for Potato Leek Soup, so we indulged ourselves in some of that along with our home-baked bread.  From the comments I received last week, it sounds as if a lot of you are bread bakers too!  I also had bought some fresh cherries and made a delicious bar cookie called Cherry Garcia Brownies.  I will definitely share that recipe with you this week.

Speaking of sharing, I meant to share this with you all last week but got sidetracked.  A reader of this blog named Dianne and I have been corresponding recently, and I think a lot of you will be so interested in her quarantine experience.  Dianne and her husband live half the year in California, and half the year in Australia.  Her husband's mom is still with them and they like to spend time with her.  This is their typical time to return to their home in Australia, and have they ever got a travel/quarantine story.  Australia requires all persons who enter the country to shelter in place for two weeks in a hotel when they arrive.  Fourteen days and they cannot stick as much as one toe outside their hotel room!  She and her husband have been put up at the government's expense at a five-star hotel in Sydney. Dianne has shared her adventure on her blog Calfornia GIrl in Oz, and I invite you to hop over and read her adventure.  To my knowledge, she and her husband are on day 10 of their lockdown at this point in time.  After 37 hours of travel and fourteen days stuck in a hotel room, I'll bet she'd be real glad to get some comments.  Be sure to start on Day One and read through all her posts.  They're so good!