October This n' That

I don't know if you feel this way, but it seems summer was way too short, and autumn is on fast forward.  I planned on doing some of this over the weekend.

Instead we did this.

DH is certified to use all of this equipment, meaning he takes the classes and uses the necessary safety equipment, and borrows it from the city when needed.  This big huge dead tree is on the back of the property of the widow next door.  It is an oak, it isn't rotting, and it isn't a home for any wildlife, but it is mighty close to the McMansion which is right across the property line.   Close enough that if it fell it would have taken out their house, their car port, and all of their vehicles.   All of these limbs came off, and will be cut into more manageable sizes and the main trunk will be brought down by us later this week, using a tractor, a really big chainsaw that DH calls the widow maker and lots of wedges, and chains.  The trunk of this tree at the base is probably about 4-5 feet across.  That was Friday night! 

The youngest daughter came Saturday  so she could earn some cash by helping DH split wood from our wood lot, and stack it into the woodshed.  All three big racks are full now.  I was going to help but when we walked out to the woodshed something was just not right.  Yep the blower on the woodburner had quit working.  So I was sent off with this beast....

To find a replacement.  I started at a big hardware store which is a chain in the upper Midwest which usually has a bit of everything, at least more than the big national chains- we will call it the big "M".  The problem is that the nearest one to us is in Toledo, Ohio. So I got to do an impromptu road trip.   The big "M" did not have one I was told after spending over 1 hour looking for someone to help me, but I was directed to an appliance parts store a few miles down the road.

 I stood in a line waiting for help for another 30 minutes at the appliance parts store only to be told nope they don't carry those, maybe I should try the fireplace/wood burner shop down the road a wee bit further.

At the fireplace store I waited for almost 1 hour because there was a couple who were looking at wood stoves and asking the differences on every stove in the showroom.  How much were each and every one and do you have a brochure? Can't the glass on the front be cleaned? These are so dirty don't they make one that is cleaner?  How come this one is shiny and this one isn't? Do I have to pay more if I want it shiny?  As you can imagine I was just kind of rolling my eyes.  Yep they walked out of the store with a handful of literature and didn't buy a thing.  According to the poor guy who had just spent oodles of time helping them, they didn't have the blower motor either, but he could order me one and I would have to pick it up sometime next week.  I opted for a no on that one.  What he did have that I needed though was 1 inch roping which is the seal for wood stoves and wood burners which goes around the door to keep it sealed airtight. 

By the time I got home it was after 1pm.  Between the youngest daughter, DH and I,  we managed to get almost all of the large logs near the woodshed split, and stacked, and even took quite a few logs out of the back woodlot.  That was Saturday.  No sewing, now I can't say I wasn't tempted to go and find this store down in Ohio that I have been hearing good things about and I wanted to check it out, but I did not yield to the temptation and kept on task.

Sunday-  DH says the yards need to be mowed, we need to move some of the wood from the tree that we started to cut down, and a solar heater needs to be installed on the chicken house.  I need time to do laundry, and clean a little.

DH went off to move wood from the tree from Friday.  My first order of business was to remove the sleeve off of my Quilty Barns quilt.  I had to put one on for the show, only to find that they use pants hangers across the bars to display the quilts.  Mission accomplished and it is now hanging in the dining room.

I can't even begin to tell you how thrilled I am to have this one finished and displayed.  The quilting is not perfect by any sense of the word, but I am in love with it, and the youngest was hinting that she was pretty enamored with it too. 

I then would work a bit, sew a bit, work a bit more. 

I fixed a pair of jeans for DH that he had torn the belt loop off.  It was funny because the other day the youngest daughter was complaining that her SO constantly is asking her to fix his pants because he tears his belt loops off all the time too. 

I finished the September Aurifil block of the month.

And here are 9 of the blocks!

I will say I love the two color scheme and it is coming together nicely. 

I also got another block finished for the quilt group that I belong to.  This is a BOM that we are doing. 

This is Annie's Choice from Quilter's Cache. 

I am also thoroughly enjoying reading everyone's comments on Facebook about Bonnie Hunter's new mystery quilt which is going to start on Friday, November 28, 2014.  It is called Grand Illusion.  Bonnie announced the color scheme already.  Green, turquoise, pink and golden yellow, blacks and neutrals....her design is based upon the Grand Hotel at Mackinac Island.  I have never been there, but the colors are so lovely. 

I love scrappy quilts and I saved last years pattern called Celtic Solstice to make someday.  Do you like scrappy quilts?  Are you going to join in the winter mystery this year?  Have you made any of Bonnie's mystery quilts in the past?  I have made 2 and thoroughly love how they turn out.