miss j's quilt top is together

The week we were back I needed to spend time at the sewing machine.  I decided to put Miss J's quilt top together.  I find a lot of peace at the sewing machine.  I am now working on the back.  More nine squares for me!  My Beloved likes the ones that end up on the back that do not have any white in them.  This week may mean that I start quilting.  Or not.  I need to work at the printing press too.  

And there may be chest high surf late on Saturday and coolish early on Thursday.  Boat and surf boards may be coming out.  My truck is also fixed.  I have a working clutch and working a/c.  Life is nice right now.

baby nacho's quilt

Baby Nacho's quilt is done.  I had everything done but the binding done before vacation.  I finished that bit today listening to audio books.  I like my phone and the library for that reason.  

I am pleased with how it turned out.  Every quilt is just a bit different and every step is different.  It was one of the main things I wanted to get done this weekend.  I find I do not have enough hours in the day for everything I wish to do.  Especially on a Saturday when I wake up slowly like I did today.  I just had a hard time waking up.

The top for Miss J's quilt is done too so the next step is working on the back. I really want to work on Nirinjan's quilt because she wanted linen and I have never done that.  I am going to make one for my rocking chair in silk after that.  Quilts take time but I love the meditation of the nine squares.  

and here is what I did

This is what I did between cooking meals and watching children.  Everyone else worked on the shed but I move gravel and fixed the drive and the road.  My Mom was a lovely help with this bit.  Actually bit is such an understatement.  We worked hard together.  We also kept the fire going.

The next day, I fixed the road in the rain.  Our road to the top of the mountain has not had a lot of attention over the years.  Having the D-7, tractor, Lowe's truck, and gravel truck did not really help anything.  And then it rained.  My Beloved, the Tall Short Person, and her Love went off the road in the Suburban.  I had not even been thinking on fixing that part.  I knew there were soft parts all the way down.  I was headed down the mountain one wheel barrow at a time.  They went off the road close to our neighbor's property.  I tell people it was up and down 110 yards but it was more then that.  Getting the wheel barrow up the mountain empty was as much work as getting the wheel barrow full down the mountain.  Getting it down was not easy because it just wanted to go!

Talk about a tired chilled lady at the end of this day.

the shed

We really love the land but the main reason we went up there this time was to build a shed.  We had people who know one end of a hammer from another but had never built a building.  We had a book.  I have actually  had a bit of carpentry expierence but my work on the land has a lot to do with keeping people fed, dishes washed, trailer swept, rebuilding the driveway and road, and then I had time to help help.  We had small hands.  We had large hands.  But not having that experience showed.

My Beloved wished he had started with a chicken coop and understands the meaning of square and level.  When we built the floor, I told him it was not level.  And we really did not build 12' x 12'.  That was part of the problem.  Like I said learning.  A chicken coop is next.

 

My Dad had some helpful suggestions but I am not sure how helpful my Beloved and the Tall Short Person's Love thought he was.  I think that had a lot to do with when in the process the advice was given.

 

The short people learned a bit about building.  The hammer was used and so was the tape measure.  My Beloved taught the small people how to measure.  We heard a lot of counting.  Small Mister wanted much more chain saw even though last time he was terrified.

We did a lot of the work in the rain.  It was a good soaking rain and it was in the high 50's, low 60's.  It meant that people got cold and were very thankful for the roof.  I was actually the one who got the most chilled but I was moving gravel to repair the driveway and road.  We ran out of roof 3/4s of the way through and had to get more.  

 

The shed is more then 3/4s done.  We still need to close up under the eaves and around the roof.  But there is a place to put tools and lock the door.  We are thinking about a bath house next.  The chicken coop and dog house next on the list so there can be more practice on a small scale and male bonding work parties.  I am told there will be no beer but cold bean salad.  I have interesting people in my life.  I cannot be as specific as to say men.

Can I say I am tired of breaking computer and vehicles, down internet providers and blog hosts?  Technology this week has been working against me.  My treadle sewing machine, spinning wheel, and letterpress are all fine.  So is the cast iron and the yeastie beasties in the sourdough.  And why do dresses not last longer the two years?  It has been an interesting week if I do say so myself.

By the way, I have been having problems with computers, internet, and hosting so if you do not see me here, you know why.  I do not have pictures on my phone that work yet.

for fire

One of the most exciting things about the trip was that this fire pit was created.  The Tall Short Person brought a friend.  He brought himself and his daughter.  It was an interesting trip.  

The first full day we were there, he created this fire pit.  And benches!  We actually had someplace to sit.  With the rain that came later in the week, it was nice to be off the ground.  The fire pit gave us a place to warm.  It did bring out all the pyromaniacs in the family.  We found out my mother likes fire as much as the rest of us.  Who knew?  This is a dry stack rubble ring so we will always continue to have to rebuild.  I am collecting more rocks for a house too so there will always be interesting piles.

We also introduced the kids and my Beloved to S'mores.  My Beloved had never had them which surprised me with as much camping as he did as a child and teen.  Things that get missed.  

Another interesting fact.  This fire pit is more then the previous owner did on the land for the nine to ten years he owned the property.  Especially since this sits in the middle of a clearing that we created.  It is just interesting what different priorities people have.