Our weather condition has turned thence overnice in addition to warm the final yoke of days. It sure as shooting increases our loose energy levels hither at the Three Cats Ranch. Mike in addition to I accept been busy doing our ain piddling things. At the halt of the twenty-four hours yesterday, nosotros were talking almost how busy we've both been. We agreed that it was the skilful sort of busy because it isn't that nosotros accept a lot to do...it is that nosotros both want to practise a lot, in addition to at that topographic point are never plenty hours inwards the day.
As for me, my twenty-four hours started amongst the Chive Blossom Jelly. This is the offset canning of the season, in addition to it was slow in addition to fun. I'm using a method I constitute at this website. The chive bloom infusion was made on the stove-top the twenty-four hours before, thence refrigerated overnight. Also, I noticed at that topographic point was no processing fourth dimension listed. I'm non 1 who's satisfied only to plough the jars upside downwards for sealing, in addition to thence I went investigating from Kerr in addition to Ball (are they the same companionship now?) to run into what processing fourth dimension they recommended. Ten minutes was what I settled on (and I accept to add together v minutes for our elevation). So amongst those 2 adaptations for my ain kitchen, I ended upwards amongst these 4 pretty half-pints of chive bloom jelly.
The recipe says to piece of occupation 1/4 loving cup of lemon juice or white vinegar. I picked upwards 3 bottles of fancy vinegars at the Portland Farmer's Market a few weeks ago, in addition to thence I decided to piece of occupation 1 of those. It's a deep reddish color, in addition to I idea it would brand the jelly prettier.
So how does it taste? Well...it tastes similar whatever fruit jelly. Mike says he tin gustatory modality only a hint of the chives, but I can't. Either way, it's going to endure yummy on my morning time toast. Mainly, I'm only pleased every bit punch to uncovering to a greater extent than or less other piece of occupation for the scads of chive blossoms the plants hit inwards the spring. The chive bloom vinegar is withal steeping inwards the pantry, but I'll study dorsum on that past times the halt of adjacent week.
Next, I was itching to acquire dorsum in addition to create the 1 pinkish block I'd cutting incorrect when I worked on the Rainbow Jubilee quilt on Monday. Remember this?
Those strips are sewn together inwards differing lengths, in addition to thence cutting to vii 1/2 inches square. I was thence excited almost doing housework (not) that I cutting the offset 1 all wrong. I idea I could create it past times unsewing the block at the middle seam, inserting 2 novel 11-inch strips, removing the shortest ones on each side in addition to thence re-trimming. As it turns out, my strategy was successful, in addition to right away I accept a correctly cutting block.
I'd country something hither almost at that topographic point existence to a greater extent than than 1 means to peel a cat, but nosotros don't verbalize almost skinning cats hither at the Three Cats Ranch.
Okay, thence right away I had 4 imperial (February's color) in addition to 4 pinkish blocks.
Next, I needed to brand sixteen of the dark in addition to white blocks. Fortunately, I did all the cutting of strips for this final month. I only needed to run upwards together sixteen blocks of vi strips each, in addition to thence cut down them to size.
Smitty helped me amongst this.
Actually, he was only hither for the catnip.
Bliss.
Okay, thence so I needed to cutting the sixteen blocks into triangles. Half went 1 way, one-half the other.
And thence I was lay upwards to run upwards those to the 4 sides of the blocks. I only beloved these blocks. They're thence interesting, in addition to surprisingly unproblematic to make. There's a lot of cutting involved amongst this project. Even though I had all the dark in addition to white strips already cut, it withal made my wrist sore.
Then, I lay out final month's blocks amongst this month's. I was sort of excited to add together to a greater extent than or less to a greater extent than colors. These are all the blocks I accept thence far.
Next month, I'll endure adding the greens of March, in addition to whatever color is selected for June. If I tin acquire those done, I tin start the calendar month of July all caught upwards on this project.
Yesterday was the offset CSA pick-up twenty-four hours of the season. You wouldn't believe the size of the Romaine lettuce nosotros received inwards our share! It's at to the lowest degree twice the size of what is unremarkably sold inwards the grocery store. There were plenty of other goodies too, in addition to right away I accept my grocery shopping listing all planned out thence that I tin lay on the vegetables amongst nifty gusto. Grocery shopping is on the listing of things to practise today, in addition to thence I'll acquire dorsum to quilting the Quiltmaker's Garden quilt. By my count, I accept ix days left inwards the calendar month to complete quilting in addition to binding it. Think I'll brand it?
I intend I can, I intend I can, I intend I can.