Popcorn and a Christmas Gift

Some of you know, I tried growing my own popcorn this year. Well, it grew, but I learned something new during the growing process. I have never had 'critters' in my garden in the past.....mind you, we live in the middle of a corn field or bean field, depending on the year....
Well, for the first time ever, we had critters visit the garden & guess what they liked.....yup..you guessed it...my popcorn...As soon as the ears started growing, they started 'disappearing'.. I found tracks to two different critters around the stalks.....we had raccoons loving  my popcorn & also deer.....
They missed 2 ears, so I did get to at least try my popcorn....ha!!!! You can see in the pictures the ears, the amount unpopped & then the end result, which tasted WONDERFUL last night!!!!
Stitching this weekend was a lot of fun.....I had 2 of my stitching friends over for the day on Sat...we had our own private little Stitch In.. One gal almost finished what she was working on. I got word later that evening that she had finished... The other gal did a little stocking border...those premade stockings that you add stitching to the band around the top. She started & finished it while here. I worked on an ornament for my nephew & his wife. They are expecting baby #2 in Feb. I thought this ornament would be a perfect gift. They know the baby is a girl, so I changed the one color to pink. This ornament was done with a variety of flosses. I didn't have the called for flosses, so I went on a hunt thru my hand dyed flosses. I used some dmc (310) some Carries, some Dye is Cast & some San Man Strands... The fabric is Sassy's Crocus..the picture does not do the fabric or the flosses justice..that is what I get for taking a picture while it is still dark out..bad lighting!
today I need to find a Disney themed pattern for an ornament for an exchange....may be harder than I thought!

Sam Sarahs JCS 2011 ornament issue

My two lone ears of popcorn

The popcorn ready to be popped

The results of my new test!!

I hope everyone had a great weekend & has a great week....it is Monday....start fresh & enjoy!

Two Fall Finishes

Well, the canning has slowed down...for a few days....:>) I just found a place that has my applesauce apples on sale starting tomorrow, so guess what I will be getting tomorrow?!!?!? Yup, a bushel of my sauce apples......
I also made another batch of the caramel cider jelly this week...it is so good on a piece of toast, with peanut butter...oh my!
I saw the surgeon doctor again this am...we have ruled out anything thyroid related for my 'clump'...we are now steering toward possibly allergies. He feels I should just try zyrtec for a while & see if that helps....he said allergists are very costly & if this will do the trick!!!! So, here we go...trying something else.
I finished two more of the LK Halloween Rules this week. I am done with these now. I am having my husband make small frames for them & will display them this way. These are stitched on PTP 32 ct. Doubloon lugana...I really like this fabric...one of my new favorites I think.. (wow...they look so different..the Scare a Crow is more true of color)
I am going to start several ornament size pieces now. I kitted up one for my nephew & his wife last night...it is the baby bump one in the new ornament issue.

Have a great rest of the week & weekend......I have some stitching friends coming over for the day on Sat. & I am so ready!!!

In Place of Stitching.....

this week has been crazy busy...normal extra activity on Monday & Tues. am....hubby had a meeting on Monday night, I had a meeting on Tues. night, we had flock on Wed. night...this is the first evening we are BOTH home...
Yesterday & today, I spent in the kitchen. Yesterday, I made 14 pints of applesauce, using my favorite apples for sauce...Ida Reds. They make a very light pink sauce & it is a sweet sauce...no sugar at all needed to flavor it. After the sauce, I got the supplies out to make Caramel Apple Jam...I didn't have any small jars, so I only got 4 pints out of the whole process.
Late yesterday afternoon, my brother text me & asked if he could come over today & we could do jam & jelly together. I said sure, because I wanted more of the caramel apple jam & he had a recipe for Caramel Apple Cider jelly.
I had to run to get a few things before he got here...I wanted 1/2 pint jars, I needed lids & I HOPED to get more Ida Reds...a local store had them on sale for 2.99 for 5 lbs. They were out thou..... :<(
Before he got here, I made a batch of Cherry Pear jam....I got 7 1/2 pint jars of it.
When he got here, we made 2 batches of the caramel apple jam & 2 batches of the caramel apple cider jelly. Those 4 batches yeilded 42 1/2 pint jars, which we split between us.
Denise of Riverside Stiching asked how much canning I do...she also said I should show pictures of my canning pantry. I am sort of ashamed of how it looks right now. I always ORGANIZE it, after I am done canning for the season...I am not done yet, but I went down & took pictures anyway. My canning pantry is under the stairwell in the basement.

L-R: Cherry Pear Jam, Caramel Apple Jam, Caramel Cider Jelly, Ida Red applesauce

main section of canned goods

overflow of canned goods

Tomorrow, my plan is to STAY OFF THE COMPUTER & STAY AWAY FROM THE PHONE & STITCH THE DAY AWAY!!!! We shall see!!!
Have a great rest of the week & weekend...Thanks for stopping by & those of you who leave comments, thanks even more...sure do love knowing people have stopped by!

Northwinds Week NINE & Novalee SAL

I intentionally waited until late evening to post for two reasons. I was waiting to see if we would get pictures from Angela & Rose. As of 8:45 pm, they haven't sent them. I know they have much busier lives than I do..
Denise & I both finished Northwinds this week.......Denise on Sunday & myself on Tues. But we were both good & waited until today to post.
I also waited until now to post, because I wanted to finish the Autumn section of the Novalee SAL. I finished a little bit ago. Just one more season to go & this piece will be finished. I am counting it as one finish, so it isn't in my total for the year.
Northwinds is finish # 41 for this year. Who knows how many more I will have....I want to work on some small things now....no commitments for a while....
Thanks so much for stopping by & for commenting...the comments mean so much....

Denise's Finished Piece

Shari's Finished Piece

Novalee SAL, autumn finished

view out my back door

Oh! I almost forgot....I am also attaching a picture taken out my back door this morning. The sun was hitting the trees just right & the sight was beautiful...

Northwinds Week 8 & an Autumn Finish!

LK amongst friends

Two of the four SAL gals had a super busy week & haven't been able to send their pictures yet, but I am going to go ahead & show you Denise's & my own. I also want to show my small autumn finish.....it kept me from cheating & doing more on the SAL...I wanted to finish so bad, but I had done my 2 days, so I pulled this cutie out & did it....
The pumpkins on the front porch are from the lady I babysit for. Aren't they adorable?!?!?!! One of the local sororities makes them each fall. I have always loved them, but have never bought them. She remembered me commenting about liking them. So, meet Mr. Duane & Mrs Shari Pumpkin!!
I am going to stitch a few of these LK charts as individual pieces & have my husband make small frames for them.

Denise's

Shari's

Angela's

Close up of LK

have a super week...enjoy autumn wherever you are!

third of three finished!!!

After having to FROG the letter, I have finished the 3rd grandson ornament. I don't know what I was thinking, but I was nearly finished & realized I had stitched one of the other boys letters on this one as well...oops!!!
These are stitched on Sassy's brushed suede opal lugana, 28 ct. The other two are stitched on the same fabric, but you wouldn't know it looking at the previous pictures!!
This is finish # 39 for the year. Boy, compared to some previous years, that number is really, really low....but.........we are coming into the holiday season & I typically do a lot of ornaments, so we shall see!!

Thanks so much for all of the kind words on the past few posts...especially about my health tests....I appreciated so much your taking time to comment....

An Ornament finish & Northwinds SAL week 7

Boy, I just made it with this ornament!!! I stitch one ornament per month. I usually get them done in the first couple days of the month, but for some reason, I waited in Sept. I literally started it on the 29th & finished it on the 30th!!! Needless to say, today I started my Oct. ornament...these are simple little ornaments & they are for our grandsons...Might just make them into gift tags....
As you saw on my previous post, I finished the LK piece last week...I had spent a lot of time on that in Sept. I loved it & my husband promises a frame soon...He likes to have a bunch to do when he goes down....well, I told him 2 that I want, he has orders for about 8 more...I THINK that is a bunch...now to get some free time for him!!
Northwinds SAL update:
Rose had no time to work on her piece this week, so I am not including a picture for hers....see post from last Monday... (I didn't save her old one on the computer!!!)
Angela made nice progress on hers, even thou she had a very busy, testing week!!!
Denise is still recovering from her surgery, but I think she made great progress, regardless!!!
Me, I don't think I did that much, but each XXX is one closer & I am still enjoying this piece!!!

ornament for my grandson

Shari's Week 7

Denise's week 7

Angela's week 7

I hope everyone has a great week.....we have a birthday filled week here....we have 4 between tomorrow & next Monday!!!