Nuts

 When I was a kid, we often walked through Bethlehem searching for horse chestnuts.  My aunt (my age) and I were captivated with these nuts.  Once the prickly exterior of the seed was cracked, a hard nut with an almost silky surface that was shiny was revealed.  We thought they were treasure.

Last year while we walked at the park, two women stopped us and asked if we knew what kind of tree produced the pinecones near the path.  

They had never seen such small pinecones and were collecting them to take home.  I wasn't sure which pine tree produced the cones but I thought that the size had more to do with the drought than the species.

This year, I am fascinated by acrons.  The acorns at the park are normal size but only 2 blocks away near my mothers, the acorns are tiny.  

It's much more dry near my mother's home than at the park.  We are not "officially" in a drought but all the gardeners in the area will tell you the gardens are suffering.  The tiny acorns are falling before they have a chance to mature; most of the nut is green when they fall.

How are things where you are?  Are you finding anything fascinating ourside this fall?

Have a safe and happy day!

Flower Friday: September 26, 2025

 

Happy Flower Friday!

We won't have too many more flowers unless the weather remains warm (it's very humid here).

Today is my brother's birthday.  His favorite football team is the Minnesota Vikings.  The colors of the team are purple and gold/yellow and that oddly fits into our flowers today!

Rose:

Clematis:

Phlox:

Mums!

And my brother's favorite, Beauty Berry bush given to me by Barb S.  My brother calls this the "Minnesota Vikings bush"!😂

Have a safe and happy weekend!

EPP Questions

 

I'm still loving hand sewing!

I'm still enjoying Quilt As You Go hexagons and have now bought more Daisy and Grace templates.  I figured I should go what I want now because Missouri Star has run out of the hexagons and there were some others I wanted to try.

I'm also thinking about doing some English Paper Piecing.  My ladder stitch is much improved and I would like to try some other forms of hand sewing.  But recently I saw a person question whether the quilt police (or EPP police) would criticize using some water soluble iron-on hexagons.  Here is the product I found (also see below).

The reviews seem favorable and I like the idea of appliquing some hexies on quilt blocks.  I also would like to get back to the snippet roll I started last spring.

I remember years ago, there was some kind of product that was supposed to wash out.  It might have been for foundation piecing.  I was very disappointed in the product and I guess that is why I am hesitant now.

Have any of you used this product and could you share your thoughts?

Have a safe and happy day!

First Day Of Autumn!

Happy Autumn!

The days are getting shorter, the air is cooler and yes, the leaves are falling!

It's been weeks since we've had a decent rainfall.  For weeks, the autumn leaves have turned brown instead of colors and just fell to the ground.  It reminded me of this 19th century Tree of Life quilt. 

The colors of the trees would have originally been green.  Green dyes could be very unstable and fugitive.  Even without washing or exposure to sunlight, the color could turn to this khaki color.  If you are interested in this topic, you can check websites here and here.

At this point, most of the gardeners in my area (including me) have given up gardening for now.  Until we get rain and the bees settle down, we all seem to be leaving everything as it is.

What is going on in your world?  Are you happy for the arrival of autumn?

Have a safe and happy day!

 

Flower Friday: September 19, 2025

 

Happy Flower Friday!

Barb S. has kindly shared these photos from her garden:

Major Wheeler Honeysuckle is below.  Barb says that it is still attracting hummingbirds!

Autumn Clematis:

Mrs. Martin's Beauty Berry:

Thank you so much Barb!

The photos are wonderful!

Have a safe and happy weekend!

Wayback Machine: Woolworth's/Woolco

 

The other day, I saw a title of a book that surprised me:

What surprised me was that the book takes place in England and I had never thought of all the places there might be Woolworth (or Woolco) stores.

I loved Woolworth.  I walked to the store in Bethlehem (photos above) for my sewing supplies.  Later one would open at the mall and I would go there too.  The Bethlehem store was my favorite.  It had been opened in 1892 and had the original hardwood floors and an old world scent that I loved.

Frank Winfield Woolworth is credited as inventing the Five and Dime Stores.  Woolworth's Five and Dime store would later be matched with similar stores like Ben Franklin, Newberry's, and McCory's, etc.

I suppose some people will tell me that they were the walmart of those days but it wasn't the same thing.  There was a charm to our old Woolworth and the clerks were kind and helpful.

Who remembers this--protests to desegregate Woolworths?

Protests apparently didn't happen in our region.  The main population in our valley was white Pennsylvania Dutch folk.  Still there were many areas in our state that were ordered to end segregation.  I don't remember much about these events but it's an important chapter of the story of Woolworth's.  

When I was young, I loved little dolls like the ones above that Nana would buy me at Woolworth's.  As an older child and an embroiderer, it was still safe enough for me to walk to the Woolworths.

Did you buy your craft supplies at a five and dime store?

I bought all my embroidery supplies at Woolworth's and even bought records there in my early teens.  Later I would also get my knitting tools there as well.  One of my first teenaged jobs was at Woolworth's.

 

What do you remember about five and dime stores?

Have a safe and happy day!

This Week's Tasks

 

Life has been crazy.  

Last week I had to return my mom to the hospital after her mammogram for more tests.  Fortunately, the radiologist found it was just a cyst and she is fine.  

I'm already at the hospital 4 times a week driving Dave to radiation.   He's pretty weak and had a terrible weekend.  He gets chemo on Thursdays--the day his son drives him.  But the reaction from that doesn't hit him until Saturday and this past week was a doozy.  He woke up without a voice and spent most of the day in the bathroom.  It was pretty awful for him.

Brad came home after a month working in Quebec.  Since he got back, I've been cooking his favorite things and spent most of the weekend in the kitchen.  

This week, I'm going to spend more time in the sewing room.  I did finish a quilt top that I made for my brother.  I used the same pattern that I used for Paula's top and I'll be taking that to Lizzie this week.

I'm almost out of hand sewing projects and need to get some more prepared.  Hand sewing comes in handy while I'm waiting for someone at the hospital or watching the Phillies at night.  This past week I did buy more "Daisy and Grace" quilt-as-you-go templates.  I'm enjoying these projects so much, so why not?  The templates come from the UK and I figured if I waited the prices would increase or they wouldn't be available at all. 

I also need to reorganize my scraps.  I really like the system that Sue at the youtube channel "From Small Things" uses to keep her scraps organized.  You can see her videos here.  Sue's only been doing videos for about a year (or less) and she is already very popular with quilters.

So what are you up to this week?  I hope something fun is coming your way!

Flower Friday: September 12, 2025

 

This week:  September Gold!

Have a safe and happy weekend!

Victory Quilt

 

World War 2 poster

Years ago, I really REALLY wanted to make an embroidered Victory Quilt.  I'm not sure if I had intended to make it for a program or for my family while our boys were in the navy and one of them deployed to Iraq and Aghanistan.

I had received a box of pattern pieces and found this ad:

While cleaning out, I found the ad again and did a net search.  This time I found a copy of the pattern.  It was a weak copy but I might be able to do something with it.

You can see it here at The Quilt Index.  Unfortunately, I have a long list of projects to do but I might consider doing this one later on.  We'll see.

Do you like this Victory Quilt?

Have a safe and happy day!

Knitting and Physics

 

News Flash!

Not everything on the internet is true!

It should go without saying but I'm married to a person who still hasn't learned that lesson.  Probably three or four times a month I have to gently say to him, check the source, check reputable news agencies.  

Last week, he booked a flight home that would take him to Newark Airport.  A while ago, we had agreed he wouldn't do that because at that airport, there are so many problems with delays, etc. 

So I was pretty surprised when he told me he booked a flight to Newark.  "I read about it," he said.  "The problems with the airport are cleared up."  Translation:  He read it on the internet so it must be true.

Result:  He didn't get home on Saturday at all and ended up booking a hotel for another night until he could fly out Sunday.

Even though I don't knit anymore, I enjoy watching Kristine Vike's youtube channel.  She's a scientist and a maker from Norway.  I love that she cites creditable sources on youtube page.  

The last video was about Knitting and Physics and a critique of a recently published video about Physics and Knitting.  Even if you don't knit, I think you will enjoy it.

The video is here.

I already looked into the book she cited during the video (The Golden Thread:  How Fabric Changed History).  Because my library doesn't have it, I ordered a used copy.

Wishing you a safe and happy day!

Flower Friday: September 5, 2025

 

Happy Flower Friday!

We got rain last night!  Whooppeee!  It's been many weeks since our last rain.  My friends in other parts of the valley tell me they got a few brief showers but we didn't here.  I'm grateful and I"m sure my garden is too!

The annuals seem to be doing the best these days.  My brother's mandevilla is still really healthy--of course he waters it everyday.

Most of the petunias began fading in August.  It was so dry!  These mini petunias aka calibroacha are still going strong.

Because weeding has been impossible the last few weeks, I began pruning.  During the early summer a catbird kept scolding and chasing Lucky.  We thought her nest might be in the oak leaf hydrangea.  He kept sticking his nose in the bush and that's when catbird would get more aggresive.  We were right.  I found her nest when I was pruning.

That's all I have for this week!

Have a safe and happy weekend!

September

 

Did you have a good Labor Day holiday?  Mine was quiet and restful.   

I worked in the garden on Sunday morning and began trimming bushes.  The soil is just too hard and dry to do any effective weeding so I am pruning.  It was a cool and productive morning. 

But Monday everything was different.  The bees appear frantic and aggressive.  I can't remember the last time we had rain and I wondered if that and the cooler temps are making the bees that way.  

That brings me to my only goal for 2026.  I want to make a temperature quilt.  I know that most people record the high and lows of the days.  But I also want to record the days we have rainfall.  Have you made a temperature quilt?  I'm interested in any insights you might have before I begin.

I might make one like the one I found on this website (here).

Anyway, that is what I am researching when I am not caregiving these days.  

Have a safe and happy day!

Happy Labor Day!

 

Have a safe and pleasant holiday!