Thursday 12 November 2020

Soup, Muffins, Wood Workout, Hand Quilting and Free Patterns

I'd put my chicken carcass on the stove to boil down to make a base for yesterday's chicken soup.  Half an hour later I thought what on earth is making that smell.  I went to the kitchen to investigate only to see it was my chicken broth bubbling happily away. Thankfully I always start with lots of water in the pot and a low heat.

 Totally forgot it-wiped from the brain and now I can see how old people can start fires in their houses, right under their noses. Hubby says it's because I'm always juggling a number of things at once. I tell him that's just being a woman and I've been doing that all my life.  Besides which, at that time, I was juggling or attempting to juggle exactly two things...the soup and a bit of reading. Thankfully our smoke alarms (which are very high up with the ceilings here) have 25 year batteries. 
I added tinned tomatoes to this one... San Marzano is one of my favourites. 
The weather has been wonderful. The warmest November I've experienced here in Ontario. Last year this time there was snow on the ground and the pond was so frozen we could walk on it.  With temperatures up to high teens most days, nature is reacting like it's spring. More new growth here in the purple globe thistle for instance.
Maybe I could blame that lapse in memory on being sapped a bit physically. Loading wood on the trailer and then stacking it next to the house the last couple of days was quite a workout for us both. I noticed how differently we react to a little physical labour. I ache a bit whereas Hubby gets really tired and needs more sleep. I've noticed after day 3 of moving my body like this I've been sleeping better as well.  So thankful we can both still manage these chores. 
We have the other half of our wood order coming Saturday. We are already thinking we will stack it at the drop off and cover it well. Save us lugging it up here to the house and that way we can space out our wood getting trips as we need it. 

 I have a bunch of other things to share this post.

Let's start with food, my favourite topic and combine it with the season which normally (how much nothing seems to be normal this year) is one of comfort food.

Crosby's Molasses has a free e-book section. I downloaded Comforts of Home- 20 recipes for Homemade Comfort Food.  Molasses has 25% fewer calories than sugar so if you like it that's good. I'm not a big molasses fan but I love it in baked goods. 

Crosby's Comforts of Home E-Book

I made a batch of loaded bran muffins...raisins, dates and pumpkin seeds added to these. 

I found this wonderful free tree pattern with a tutorial from generous Leanne at Devoted Quilter named Ticker Tape Tree.  Super easy, really neat how this goes together and another scrap using pattern. I'm going to get out my green scraps and give this a try one morning very soon. I'll finally get to use green thread in the machine. 

Rachel at Stitched in Color and Lucy at Charm About You are co-hosting a sewalong called Geesey Geesey. A chance to practice keeping all the points when making many many geese. I'm thinking this could be an excellent candidate for the RSC which I assume will start again with colours in January. Or right now in Christmas fabrics. 

This colourway, which looks like Art Gallery fabrics to me, is appealing. I like how vintage patterns take on a completely modern look depending on the fabrics. 

I have to prep more spool blocks for the Medallion quilt and make the last of the fans to total 18.  
I love how hand quilting looks and feels. It is addictive and maybe that has to do with the soothing effect of this kind of slow stitching. 
Here I took the Halloween Sampler out of the frame to get a photo. Enjoying this stitching very much and getting a hang of how much slack I need in the cloth to get the rocking motion going.
A couple of woodpecker photos taken from a great distance down by the pond. Interesting how they use their tails for stability. They are enjoying the suet cakes I've put out and I'm seeing more of them. Update: This has been identified as a yellow bellied sapsucker by birder friend David at Travels With Birds.

Hopefully I'll have further opportunities to get better photos. 
We are off to do a grocery and dog food pickup. Hope your Thursday is a great one. 

30 comments :

Karen - Quilts...etc. said...

you are not alone! I find I get distracted - I will have something on the stove and leave the room to go check the computer for something - or other things and all of a sudden remember I have something on the stove - so far no disasters - I have taken to setting the timer on the stove (one that doesn't go off unless you press the button) when I have something on the stove. Your muffins look great, I like molasses in baked goods too - didn't know it was less in sugar. So much wood - I'm glad we do not have to heat with wood - we have a good amount stacked and dried in case we lose power and need to run the wood stove with the fan that it comes with and the generator but wood heat gives me headaches something awful and the living room gets so hot and dry I prefer to not use it.

Jenn Jilks said...

I think your hubby is right. Fatigue can be tough, plus you DO have much on the go.
I have to do all of the wood myself. Hubby's arm precludes lifting.
A delicious post!

Sherrie said...

Hi Jocelyn
We have a local guy to stack our wood. He does a great job! Your muffins look yummy..I downloaded the E-Book. Also got the tree pattern, thanks for sharing these items. Your quilt is looking good. We have couple of woodpeckers around here...they are hard to find up in the trees, but you can hear them pecking away. Have a great day!

Brian's Home Blog said...

I'm glad your stove just gave you yummy broth! Those muffins sure do look good too!

Roseanne said...

Hi Joycelyn! Wowee! That is a LOT of wood to load and then stack. I am thankful that you both can still do it. There's no shame in taking a few days to recover. Good grief. {{Hugs}} You two rock. Your muffins look yummy, the Ticker Tape tree is cute, and . . . I am going to check out the QAL for geese. I was just thinking the other day that I HATE making flying geese. I need a project that gets me over that. That is so cool, your photos of the woodpeckers. I know I used to hear them real early on my walk into work. That meant we had trouble nearby because they can do a lot of damage to our buildings! They have a unique sound that you know right away what it is. Happy Thursday to you, my friend. ~smile~ Roseanne

Ruth Hiebert said...

Oh I remember the days of stacking wood, both outside and in the house, so we would be ready for winter. Since moving to town some 28 years ago, that is only a memory. I always did enjoy a wood fire.It gave such a special warmth.

grammajudyb said...

So glad you caught your bubbling soup! Whew! Loaded bran muffins look yummy! May have to look that one up!I like the ticker tape tree too! I’m going to be away from my machine in December, but I’m envisioning a ticket tape heart for Valentine’s Day!

LIttle Penguin Quilts said...

Homemade chicken soup with your own broth is the very best! I'm looking forward to some soup from our Thanksgiving turkey. Glad you didn't cook it down to nothing - haven't we all had those moments where we get distracted and forget?! That's a lot of wood to haul and stack! You'll appreciate it this winter, though. Love the peek at your hand-quilting - it does give the most wonderful softness and texture to things!

Magpie's Mumblings said...

I wouldn't dare put something on the stove and walk away because I know it would be burnt to smithereens by the time I remembered it. Once I get into my sewing space all the outside things get banished from my mind. Setting the kitchen timer is the only thing that would save me. Good thing Resident Chef does all the cooking!
I love that wonderful Christmas tree design - wish I had a use for it!

Sandy said...

Have you thought about doing your chicken broth in the crockpot? I start mine after dinner and let it simmer overnight on low. And yes to timers! I use mine for everything, including the clothes dryer. I’m the one with the wrecked shoulders, so hubby had to stack the wood himself this year. Those muffins look and sound yummy!

PaintedThread said...

Oof - I ruined a kettle and a burner because I forgot to turn the element off. Whew! Glad you didn't end up like that. That's a lot of wood! Those muffins look good. That tree looks cool - I'll be curious how yours turns out. Lots of good stuff this week.

eileeninmd said...

Hello,

I am usually a good multi tasker but I can get distracted. The muffins look and sound delicious! My hubby is the wood stacker, usually they drop it off at the end of our driveway. Close to the stack of wood. Your quilts are beautiful, I love the tree. Take care, enjoy your weekend!

LA Paylor said...

awe, I want to come to your cozy home, to have some soup and a muffin, to see woodpeckers from a distance, to sit and hand stitch alongside you in Indian summer weather

Michelle said...

We have been having a warm fall here in Kentucky. For the first year, in many years, we won't have a wood stove. We installed a huge pellet stove and it is wonderful. Thanks for linking up and have a great week.

Karen's Korner said...

Us women are very good at multi-tasking - we need to be. Nice work on the hand stitching - good even stitches.

Siouxzq64@gmail.com said...

Your soup looks yummy. The spurt of warm weather was nice. Not really indian summer though, because we hadn't really had our first killing frost. I miss doing wood. Jeff and I used to split and stack about 12-14 cord a year, he had a wood boiler installed (outside) and that is how he heated the house. I can't seem to get the hang of it. I miss that heat though. Great likes and your quilting and applique is gorgeous.

Libby in TN said...

I'll be making soup this weekend with leftover pot roast and veggies. It's definitely that time of year. I, too, am easily distracted so I make good use of timers; sometimes I set timers just to remind me it's time to start something!

Michele McLaughlin said...

Great post Jocelyn! Love the soup, the recipe book, and the muffins look fabulous! Can't imagine doing that kind of work with wood right now but kudos to you two for getting things done! I love the new patterns-thanks! I adore your Halloween sampler! It's lovely and your stitches are so impressive! By the way, I love the piece you have as your new header! Love the colors! Have a safe and happy week!

eileeninmd said...

Hello, Jocelyn!
Great captures of your woodpecker! I wanted to stop back and say thanks for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, enjoy your weekend! PS, I appreciate the comment too.

Angela Tucker said...

Good morning! Stacking wood is hard. LOL My DH uses wood to heat his workshop. Once in a while he sucks me into his program of stacking. Yep...it hurts. LOL I love that tree pattern. I could see this hanging in my bedroom. Your applique is absolutely lovely! I've been doing more hand stitching but my stitches aren't as straight and even as yours. Mine look more like a wandering path through a mountain pass. LOL Have a good weekend.

Frédérique - Quilting Patchwork Appliqué said...

Love your hand quilting showing in the Halloween Sampler quilt, very pretty!
Thanks for sharing ;)

Rebecca Grace said...

What I want to know is, what book were you reading that was so engrossing? :-). Old age, phooey -- I'll bet it was just a really great book! All of the food looks delicious, and your chicken soup base reminded me that I used to start preparing for Thanksgiving by making my own chicken stock to freeze. I have done a fair amount of streamlining since then, and this year will be the simplest Thanksgiving yet, with just a bone-in turkey breast for the 5 of us rather than the whole bird.

Your hand quilting looks amazing on that Halloween sampler. I'll look forward to seeing more of that one. Have a wonderful weekend!

Anu said...

That woodpecker is great.

Irma said...

I love chicken soup.
Also the bran muffins, it looks good.

Radka said...

I like the look of your pile of wood, it brings back memories; we used to have multifuel burner in our previous house and at this time of year I do miss it!
Only central heating in this house, it is not the same :-)
I love your hand quilting; as you know I am such a big fan hand quilting, it is so much more personal.
Take care,
xx

Quilter Kathy said...

Love seeing your hand quilting and YES it is addictive... totally!

QuiltGranma said...

I think the older we get the more distracted our brains seem to be.. so much already in there, and then we pile on more! I fully understand. Love your quilting!

Rosemary Dickinson said...

I always juggle a few things at the same time and I do forget sometimes too. I get distracted I guess. Beautiful hand quilting. Our November has been warm too. The temperatures have cooled off. I wonder if we'll see anymore warm temps this month.

David M. Gascoigne, said...

That woodpecker is a yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Jocelyn, quite unusual so late into November. Perhaps it's a reflection of this unusually warm weather. It is great for wimpy humans but I am sure it must be playing havoc with the life cycle of many creatures.

Jennifer Fulton Inquiring Quilter said...

Boy you've been busy! Love the tree pattern and the geese! So simple and will use up scraps. Beer that soup smelled great. Thanks for sharing on Wednesday Wait Loss.