Mountain Musings

Snowy Saturday

It's been awhile since I've done a "what's happening in your neck of the woods?" post. Here's the snowy scene around here:

You can't tell from this picture, but it's snowing fast and furious this morning. The new prediction is 5 - 8 inches before stopping. Looks like we're snowed in for the weekend, and I don't mind a bit!

And here's the cozy scene inside:

I've laid out all the Figgy Pudding fabric and hope to get some blocks sewn today for the Simple Squares Quilt-Along. 

Since I'm doing three quilt-alongs, I decided I'd better get myself organized! I even made a notebook and copied instructions for this quilt from Vicki's Sew Inspired blog and will add the other two quilt-along tutorials as they are posted next week.

Well, that's my Saturday. I'd better go get started having some fun! 

Update on Jonathan: He finished his plane repair work in Idaho, so today is a free day before flying back to Virginia on Sunday (please pray that the plows will have the roads clear enough for him to drive home safely--thanks!). He's planning to venture to Snake River Canyon today for some scenic photo ops. Oooh, I'd love to be there with him trying out my new camera!

Have a wonderful weekend wherever you are! What's going on in your neck of the woods this weekend?

~Deb

Heart-shaped Shortcake Recipe

This evening I was in charge of supper. I made a turkey chowder from frozen broth and turkey bits we had put in the freezer at Thanksgiving and served it with homemade rolls and strawberry shortcake for dessert.

Here is the shortcake recipe I used, which is a modified version of the one we use for communion bread. Some of the measurements below are close guesses of what I did. It turned out fluffy and lemony!

Shortcake

• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 4 T. sugar
• 2/3 t. salt
• 1/4 t. baking soda
• 1/2 c. butter, cubed
• 1 T. honey
• 1 T. lemon juice
• 1-2 t. lemon flavoring
• 6 T. milk, more if needed

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine dry ingredients. Cut in butter with fork or pastry blender. Add wet ingredients, using just enough milk to form a sticky dough. Do not overmix. Turn dough onto a 12" pizza pan and spread to edges. Bake for 15 minutes. Let cool. Use desired cookie cutter to cut out shapes. Place one cut-out on plate. Fill with whipped cream and strawberries. Top with another cut-out and garnish with whipped cream. Makes 6-8 servings.

~Hannah

De Plane

Just a quick update on Jonathan in Idaho...we've talked to him each evening, and it seems he's doing well. He's put in some long days of work trying to get all the planes in Boise that are in need of repair fixed so he can come home.

We were excited to hear tonight that he thinks he's repaired one of the planes that has never worked--we hope that's a big success for him.

This picture was taken locally before he left (excuse the darkness from the cell phone picture taken by one of the pilots), and it is representative of what he does as part of his avionics job.

We are praying that he will get finished in a timely manner and make it home soon...hopefully avoiding the 8 - 16 inches of snow predicted for our area on Saturday!

~Deb

Lettered Family Names---Completed!

Remember this project? This past weekend, I was able to dot the i's on the last of the 12 names, and the finished pieces were delivered to our friends. The idea for this special project has been a long time in planning, so I'm thankful for the strength to have gotten it completed!

Here are some samples of the artwork on a few of the children's names. (Click on the above photo to see them all.)

Each family member's name is written in burgundy brush-lettering with accents of green. I calligraphed the meanings of their names and a Bible verse that corresponds with each person's name meaning and character.

I mounted each name and custom cut the navy blue matting for the final touch.

Having the artwork hanging on their walls will help remind their family of God's gift of each of their children! I really enjoyed being part of working on this for them.

~Hannah

It's National Pie Day!

Today's the day to bake a pie! Check out A Guide to the Celebration of National Pie Day for lots of links suggesting things to do to celebrate.

The most popular pies are: apple, cherry, pumpkin, lemon meringue and chocolate. What's your favorite? I think I would have to say apple would be my top choice with coconut coming in a close second, followed by fried sweet potato pies.

"Here's some history of the pie. The early Romans were the first known pie-makers. The first published pie recipe was for a goat cheese and honey pie with rye crust. Most early pies were meat pies. It is believed that the first fruit pies, or tarts, were made in the 1500s. The English settlers brought pies with them to America. Since that time, pie has become the most traditional of American desserts."

And speaking of pies....in honor of National Pie Day, quilt shops all over the country are celebrating by offering pie recipes on their site and free pie quilting blocks!

Each participating shop (there are 30 of 'em!) is making available three different pie quilt block patterns for you to download (you just have to search the sites to find them all)!

Well, instead of eating pie...how about sewing a pie quilt to celebrate? The FabShopHop gives you all the details here.

That's also the link for the list of 30 participating shops and the list of 90 pie recipes that are available. It's a two-day Pie Extravaganza!

I think this will be fun!

~Deb

Would You Sell It? Or Keep It?

I think I already know what most of you would answer to that question, but first let me give you some background.

My parents were married in July of 1949, and my mom received this lamp as a gift from her mother-in-law their first Christmas. That means as of this past December...this lamp has been in our family for 60 years!

When my mom was paring down her household goods this past fall to move in with us, she put this lamp in her yard sale.  It didn't sell.

Both my sister and I had already decided that we didn't want the lamp; and Hannah and Sarah didn't care for it either, even though they both like antiques, and Sarah has a special interest in our family heritage.

Hannah listed it on Craigslist and then re-listed it. Still there was no response after dropping the price even more.

This week we added it to the classified ads in our local paper, and yesterday a lady called and wanted to come take a look. I quickly took this picture in case we'd never see it again.

While we were waiting for the possible new lamp owner to arrive, I began to have doubts about selling it. I told the girls, "Your great-grandmother gave this lamp to your grandmother 60 years ago! Don't you want it? Should we really sell it??"

Well, the lady who showed up yesterday didn't like it, and it remains with us. I actually breathed a sigh of relief that she didn't buy it. But why? I don't want it, do I? Not really.

Now, we either await the next caller or pull the ad and keep the lamp.

My guest bedroom is black and yellow, and I could make it fit, couldn't I, even if I have four antique lamps in there already??

What would you do? Sell it or keep it?

And...we have yet another antique lamp with a mismatched globe and base to sell.

~ Deb

Hymn Sing X 2

We recently posted about a recent Sunday afternoon when everyone brought along and played their musical instruments. That was a fun and encouraging time.

This past Sunday we all gathered again after our main worship service and fellowship meal and began practicing singing parts for the Doxology using the Servens CD "All Glory, Laud, & Honor" as we've done for past songs learned from that CD.

Here are all four families grouped to sing parts as we listened to each track on the CD before we tried it without the recorded voices.

By the end of our practice session, we all sounded like the Servens...hmm, well, not quite! But it was fun singing, and we'll do it again another Sunday soon.

******

Later that afternoon, we headed over to visit friends for an evening meal and a hymn sing at their farm.

What a good time of fellowship we had...conversing, eating venison sandwiches (a first for most of us!), singing, and playing instruments.

Talk about singing in parts!! We think all the children in this family were born singing! Such harmony and robust singing! We all loved it and think they could definitely teach us how to sing in parts!

We sang some old hymns and also learned some songs that were new to us from their Heartland Hymns songbook.

And then the instruments came out...Hannah and Sarah on flute, Jonathan on both banjo and guitar, and the others joined in on violins, harmonica, and guitar.

As time rolled around to call it a night, our friends sang one last song to send us on our way...Echoes From The Throne from the Harmonia Sacra hymnal, one of their favorites.

Thank you so much for inviting us, Showalter Family! It was a full Sunday of musical enjoyment!

~Deb

Quilt-Along X 3

I have a lot of sewing to do from now until April if I want to finish these quilt-alongs and be ready for the spring gardening season! So here's a peak at what I'll be doing the rest of the winter.

First, I joined Randi's Quilt-Along over at I Have to Say. She's taking suggestions for names of the quilt she designed that we'll all sew, and Road to Spring seems to be winning as the top choice. I'll post a button soon.

Randi gives lots of good information for picking your fabrics on this post.

Here are my fabrics that I had already picked out before reading her post, but I think they'll work. I'm going with a blue/brown/tan color scheme similar to the quilt she posted here. This quilt-along should last six weeks, and I'm looking forward to Randi's great tutorials.

Then I signed up for Rachel's Pinwheel Sampler Quilt-Along over at p.s. i quilt. Here is her pinwheel sampler she made last year using the fabric line Nikki by Pat Sloan.

I decided to order a Verna layer cake for this sampler, and here's a picture from the Fat Quarter Shop to show what the fabric will look like. This quilt-along should last 12 weeks. 

And last (thankfully!)...I'm joining Vicki's Simple Squares Quilt-Along over at Sew Inspired. I'll be using the simple squares pattern to make her Figgy Pudding Christmas quilt. The fabric was ordered, and I'm waiting for it to arrive before I can begin.

If anyone wants to join any one of these quilt-alongs, there's still time. It's just the beginning for all three of them...just ask if you have any questions. I'll be giving updates as the weeks go on.

Has anyone else signed up for a quilt-along?

~Deb

Sunday Exhortation

"Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes."   ~ Isaiah 54:2

This verse was typed at the top of a letter we received this week from Institute for Creation Research. It seems they have been doing this very thing the verse speaks about and have been encouraged in spite of difficult circumstances and challenges.

It's life-stretching and exciting to think about the Lord also blessing us when we follow His counsel.

Have a wonderful Lord's Day.

~Deb

Isn't This Adorable?

Seeing as I just posted the picture of the delicious quilted table topper, say you won't get upset...but this beauty was in my mailbox today! I had completely forgotten about winning this little girl's hat!

The flower-adorned hat was wrapped in brown tissue paper, and the fabric is a warm brown corduroy with pink polka dots. I think it will look the cutest on my future first granddaughter--whenever it is that she comes along...and this Granny's gonna be ready!

Thank you to Sue over at Bows & Blossoms for sending this my way! 

~Deb