Irish Loaf, Scrap Busting, Book Club Block, Nana Mail

Here I am once again regaling you with my most exciting pastimes here at the wooden house.
 I can honestly picture my grandmothers doing much the same things back many decades ago like the jigsaws for instance. One of my grandmothers had a large puzzle glued and made into a picture hanging on the wall in her living room. It showed Balmoral Castle and she had pieced it during World War II. No doubt as a break from her knitting, darning, tending the chickens and all the other chores she had to do. And worrying about the war of course.

That same grandmother (the Irish one) made this bread but she would add raisins, slather it with butter, and wash it down with tea as everything was in her house. I made bannock when living in the far north and coast of Labrador and it would remind me of her soda bread which she called "loaf".  Hubby has been enjoying this loaf which is surprisingly bread like.

 Coarser texture of course. I didn't have buttermilk, but used soured milk instead which is easily done with vinegar. Great toasted. I used the Stay at Home Chef's recipe.

The Phoebes are back.  I meant to clean out the nest under the eave of the backyard shed but didn't think they would arrive so soon. Taken July, 2019. They like to use snug quarters which it quickly became as three chicks fledged from this little spot.

 I worry that there are not enough insects out for them but they seem to find enough.
I took this photo last week from the patio door...spring snow and little Phoebe.

I managed a little scrap organization when I had my big tote out. I cut the smaller pieces into triangles and felt satisfied with that evening's work. Good way to keep busy yet rest my eyes too from the close work.

As well I decided to use some scraps to make two slabs, in this case, about 12 1/2 inch blocks. This was such easy stitching with the machine...no back ache.

I have more reds so I used them because really what else will I be doing with them.

I sewed Jo from the Book Club Hand Pieced QAL.  Another fun one to make and I've stitched another version of her to take better care with the four outside triangles.  This is teal blue, definitely not purple.

And a couple more baskets because as Michelle says these are addictive.  This was in between working on my two old projects.

I don't usually talk a whole lot about cleaning here on the blog but I have been tackling one job a day that really is more organizational than cleaning I guess. (Around here, organizational most often occurs when we are searching for something.) Yesterday I chose to sort those two silly bottom corner kitchen cabinets with the swing out doors where the shelves can only be reached properly on your knees. Stuff gets put in the back of them and rarely sees the light of day. So both of those have had an good sort through with a couple of happy surprises.  An unopened bag of Costco quinoa and one of golden sugar (why did I buy that!).

I had Nana mail delivered this week along with more of those farm eggs.  A bookmark from 6 year old Robbie. I will use it in one of my bird books that are now out and in use. Despite snow, rain, hail and sleet and occasional sun this week, the birds are twittering and the frogs are croaking. Spring must go forward in spite of the weather I guess.

On that happy note, I'll close this post.
So happy to link it with Not Afraid of Color, Paying Ready Attention, My Corner of the World, My Quilt Infatuation, Viewing Nature With Eileen, I'd Rather B Birdin' , Quilting is More Fun Than Housework, Sum of Their Stories and It's a Small Town Life.