Fall Harvest Our Annual Pumpkin Patch Day Out

Good afternoon, friends! Oh it is hot! 

Must be 90* out on my deck, so Mo and I finally came in to cool off and write this post. I was going to say, "what a gorgeous Indian summer day!"...but then I wondered Is that okay to say? Google weighs in  : "The AMS [American Studies?] says using the phrase is discouraged and claims that it is disrespectful of Native American people. In its place, the AMS chose Second summer – another phrase used to express an unseasonably warm and dry period in autumn in mainly temperate climates of North America.Nov 13, 2020   " Huh. Sigh....

The other day my friend and I went to my favorite garden center, as we always do as each season rolls around.

This is the old farmhouse core of the nursery/ shop.

This year the front porch is rather dark, both in theme and color.

But everywhere else was beautifully flamboyantly colorful, just like I love! The entry is filled with fall bedding flowers and preplanted pots.

New neon yellow mums.

Celosia or coxcomb.

A different version of celosia, like an ornametal grass:

Coxcombe has really become beautiful in recent years.

The inspiration for my Thanksgiving  Welcome small quilt.

This nursery prides itself on its pansies. Winter pansies do very welt in this seaside climate and are much loved, a popular late autumn choice.

Next we walk into the big airy display area. Fall bulbs and fresh cider, locally made.

Pumpkins galore to make my heart sing.

Ornamental corn, have not seen this in years. I always like it.

The Big Max giant pumpkin contest is always fun.

I wanted stripey pumpkins this year but they were far out of my budget,

The mums were beautiful and I did treat myself to two pots this year. Size of small shrubs. One for my deck and the other, along with a classic orange pumpkin for my entrance door, plus a few baby jacks..

On through to the pumpkin patch! Smaller and subdued this year. My friend wasn't allowing me a lot of time, so I didn't get to visit and pet the goats and feed the ornamental chickens. 

Many pumpkins though, in their perfection of orange, like my quilts I so love.

.....

Afterward we stopped in the health food store for an array of supplements to bolster our immune systems. Their flowers never disappoint, if only to admire from afar.

fall hyacinths.

fancy color fall tulips

Roses and hydrangeas with fall grasses.

Sea holly?

Pincushion lily! Blog friend Penny says they are grown near her home in South Africa. She posted very similar beauties on IG.

Back home, here are my little baby jacks, in my old big bowl.

 

I added the herbal sachet pillows for color and fun. They are filled with lavender, sage, mint, dried rosemary, cedar and cinnamon apple oil. 

I hope you will take the time to buy some mums and choose a pumpkin! Even if jackolantern carving is not your thing, the fruits and flowers add a luscious touch to Autumn, and stay fresh through Thanksgiving.

love

lizzy

gone to the beach.....

Quilting Miscellany

Hi everyone! It's Columbus Day weekend already! Today is very blustery, the big winds of winter are looming closer as the weeks move on. Earlier the sky was filled with swirling flocks of tiny birds and some monarch butterflies. All headed east--wrong way, guys! And I believe the oystercatchers left on schedule, on October 2nd. Will try to walk down tomorrow if the wind lets up.

I keep getting locked out of Instagram, ever since the crash they had earlier this week. I have spent hours recovering the account, only to have it blocked again. I enjoy IG for the people and posts I wouldn't see on FB or Blogger, wonderful quilters and also home décor and ''mudlarkers''/ beachcombers. So I don't want to lose  access entirely. 

Between power failures, eye issues, IG probs, not so much quilting was done the past few weeks. But Mo insists on his daily afternoon sewing time every. single. day.

I was very surprised when my dogwalker said dogs have no sense of time. [she was 45 minutes late and Mo was frantic for morning walkies/ I had taken him out to potty when she didn't show]. 

Mo seems to know exactly when the walker should come for his morning run, and at 345 every day he wants his deck hour. And lately because of my vision issues I've been watching TV after dinner, my mid range and distance sights are still good. Mo likes to sit behind me on the sofa and snooze through House Hunters etc. Last night I wanted to work in my sewing room and he was quite miffed.

The Thanksgiving Pineapple is my main project, hand sewed wool---hopefully very forgiving. I don't know what I will do if  it looks awful when my eyes are treated and when/ if I see more clearly.

 I added the cutouts on the coxcomb flowers, used bright cheddar for reverse applique.

Mel suggested ages ago that she'd prefer a more realistic stem on the pineapple instead of the big star. I like the star but I think she may be right?

This is my antique block from Lori of Humble Quilts, the challenge to make a small quilt using an old block. I have a design all planned, for needleturn applique, but cannot do that right now. I think we have til May? My other choice is my Giraffe at the Pyramids block. It will get a machine pieced setting. May submit that instead, as I think I can machine sew some days. [my vision fluctuates, which is now making docs consider issues other than just cataracts, so scary!]

With mid-October approaching even I must begin letting go of summer.

I got out ALL or almost all of my big fall quilts. Why I do not know, as I can't possibly display them all even if I rotate for October then November.

I put this wonderfully brown prim quilt on my bed! Made in 2011/ 2012, it was my first large appliqued project. Designed by Lynda Hall here A sewalong, again with Lori/ HQ.  A Little Porch Time Oh I was so proud but of course it was slammed by my family. My son was the kindest, saying it looked like Fall not Summer [it represents a summer garden really]...

After almost ten years in the closet, I did bring it out for Fall. I kinda love it! 

However it's far too hot and heavy for the current temps [70s, sunny, pushing 80*] and after one night I put out this long stored Lone Star, an antique. Good for it to be aired for a few days.

Turkey red and very faded cheddar, beautiful quilting. It probably was a rainbow of colors, the blue and green long gone.

Next week I'll bring out the bright orange Halloween-y Wedding Ring quilt, maybe.

Probably will not use any/ many little quilts this year! I am paring down even more. Much as I love them

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Just because I have too many Fall quilts that doesn't stop me from planning more! I fell in love with this quilt in one Jan Patek's early books, found on Thriftbooks.com   here.

This is the book.

In the book, apropos of nothing, I LOVE this little Thanksgiving quilt. Next year 

someday?

Since I think perhaps my shirt thrifting days are over [covid/ distance/ thrift friend issues] I was so pleased to see this new group of homespuns in the new catalog for Connecting Threads. Love the look, though shirts are far easier to sew with. I am picturing butternut yellow [mustard/ old gold]; medium blue, browns, ivory palette.

This new group also caught my eye, with similar color planning: Maria's Sky [Mariah?] :

I especially loved these prints.

And from way back, must be 5 years now, I finally found a fabric for the background of the Blackbirds in the Marshes in winter, for my wintery version combining When the Wild Geese Fly and Blackbirds/ Morning etc, again by Jan Patek. Don't be put off by the pine and holly, both grow wild in my marsh.

You may recall first trial color way which was a Fail, not at all wintery!

So I have lots planned for the coming winter, staying as hopeful as I can. But right now, it is --again---deck time with Mo. Must wash the windows first though. Have a good weekend!

love

lizzy

gone to the beach.....

Off topic again: when I went for pre-op testing for my eyes I hurt my shoulder very badly. Not sure how or why, but a month later it's still agony. A friend gave me this and I am very impressed. It has kept me going. Expensive but only use a pea sized bit. Beware of the strong menthol around face and especially eyes; wash hands etc. [no I didn't see a doctor, couldn't deal with yet another issue. Hope it heals itself, etc...]

CBDMEDIC

not being paid to endorse!