Tomato Soup & Crackers

Tomato Soup & Crackers

It seems that I may be on a food theme for naming quilts this year. I've used the tomato colored fabric again, this time for a 45" square lap quilt.

I finished this one back in February, using 4” blocks set on point. The neutral tan and beige fabrics were mostly scraps from other projects, with a few new solids tossed in. The back is one red/beige block surrounded by cream strips.  Machine quilting is free motion twists.  This one is currently displayed on the wall in our living room.

Tomato soup sounds good for this week, since it may be chilly. It's comfort food that I remember from childhood. I think we just had red bud winter with dogwood winter not far behind. In Tennessee, these mini-winters usually start in late March or early April, and only last a couple of days.  I believe they're coming earlier this year.

Strawberry Winter: late March

Redbud Winter: early April

Dogwood Winter: late April

Locust Winter: early May

Blackberry Winter: mid May

Britches Winter: late May

(after this one you can wear cotton britches)

☀  ☔

If you can't be in awe of Mother Nature,

there's something wrong with you...

Home On The Range

I've been baking, roasting, grilling, and simmering on my brand new gas range. We installed it last week and I love it! Just a bit of countertop modification was needed, compliments of my favorite guy. The shiny stainless steel gave my kitchen an instant update, and even better, it was on sale! Only one hiccup so far with fish sticking to the griddle, but I'll chalk that up to operator error. I've used gas before in the RV, but our former stove was an electric relic from the late 70's.

The chess pie I baked first didn't last long enough for a photo, but I made sure to get one of my latest creation: vanilla Bundt cake with eggnog frosting. I substituted eggnog in place of milk, and added a dash of nutmeg. Yum!

Thanksgiving turkey will provide a chance to test out the temperature probe, and of course I'll be baking my signature pecan pie, along with cheesy crisps, pecan cornbread dressing, and chocolate chip cookies. If you need me, I'll be in the kitchen...it's way more fun when you have a new toy.

Wishing everyone a happy, peaceful, and relaxing Thanksgiving!

Breakfast Dates and Quilt Fabric

Sorry to be late posting this morning, but I had an impromptu date with my sweet husband at our favorite breakfast place. Bacon and cheese omelet, fluffy biscuits with hot sausage gravy, crispy home fries and steaming coffee. If you have a chance, try breakfast at the Highway 109 Restaurant in Portland, Tennessee.

Last week I pieced this quilt, a new design called One Direction. The fall colors coordinate with the dining room valances I made a few months ago. It may be a table topper, a wall hanging, to snuggle under, or all the above.  I will quilt it tomorrow so it will be ready for use on Thanksgiving Day.

I have several designs in mind for these lovely new fabrics that I got last week. It's funny, sometimes I immediately know what a fabric will be used for. Other times I buy fabric because I love it but don't have a clue what will be done with it. I salvage old clothing for scraps as well. I guess that's why I have hundreds of yards of material stored in my sewing room. I will use it eventually, even the smaller pieces. The dark brown print in the above quilt was the last bit left over from a blouse I made in the late 70's.

Hopefully when I'm a hundred years old, I will look back at my quilts and remember the fabric's origin: clothing it came from, where I bought the yardage, or that I went to breakfast with my husband wearing that shirt in 2013.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Paying More But Getting Less

I just got home from grocery shopping, one of my least favorite tasks, particularly on a pretty Monday morning. I've been noticing that food packaging seems to be shrinking more and more. Nearly everything I purchased today was smaller than the same product a year ago. However, the cost of food is rising significantly.

A large can of coffee, originally three pounds, is now only two pounds, two and a half ounces. The small package, which used to be a pound, is now only eleven to thirteen ounces, depending on the brand. A pack of bacon isn't a pound anymore, and a half-gallon of ice cream is long gone.

Canned goods, cereal, cookies, cleaning and laundry products...most brands have cut the size of their packages. Unfortunately, their pricing has stayed the same or increased, so the cost per ounce has gone up.

Downsizing may be popular, but I really don't like this trend. Especially when the redesigned packaging boasts “NEW LOOK, SAME GREAT TASTE” or “VALUE SIZE” on the label. They just pretend nothing else has changed and hope shoppers don't notice. But we do notice when we run out of something that used to last all week because there aren't as many servings included.

Even with coupon clipping and shopping sales, many folks on fixed incomes have been feeling the pressure of rising food costs for a while now. Some switch to store brands to save money, but those can be even smaller sizes with fewer servings. To get the most value from their ever-shrinking dollar, people today have to spend more time looking for bargains.  It's a challenge, and sometimes it's fun to score a great discount.  But I'd rather be doing something else!

Useful Notion:  Here are a few ideas to help combat the higher cost of food and household items:

• Don't buy it if it isn't on sale – it will likely be on sale later
• Plan your weekly menu around what's on sale this week
• Clip and use coupons – and don't forget to take them to the store
• Compare cost per ounce or serving, not just item price
• Buy extra of sale items when possible – use the freezer or pantry for storage

Inflation is taxation without legislation.  ~Milton Friedman