My Design Wall 9-10-12

For the past couple of weeks I've had company.  My daughter and her family came to visit.  They hadn't been here for ten years, since they moved in 2000.  I always go and visit them in Montana but this was especially nice to have them at my home.  We had a great time.

My design wall contains all the finished blocks for Nicole's sofa quilt that Judy at Patchwork Times conducted.  I need to sew the blocks together then add the binding.

Craftsy had a free lesson promotion Saturday.  I signed up for the Creative Quilt Backs put on by Elizabeth Hartman.  I think I may need to incorporate this less on my quilt.

We heard the weather forecast for Monday was rain, so we gathered all our onions and set them on the tables to continue their drying.  I'll need to get them off soon because my tomatoes will be ripening next.  I trimmed back all the unimportant leaves and stems so the romas would start to ripen.  I can't believe I don't have a single ripened tomato yet.

Zorro our black austrathorpe is broody again.  It just so happens our farm store is selling chicks.  I think we are going to get some and see if she'll accept them.  The Chicken Chick has tried it so I think we will also.  I'll keep you updated.  Has anyone tried this?  What's your experience?  Any recommendations?

This post is being linked to Judy's Patchwork Times, Design Wall and Homestead Revival Barn Hop #78

Starting the Garden

We are getting a later start on our garden than we wanted.  We have been looking for a tiller and just today found one.  So Doug got busy tilling.  We want to get the tomatoes and peppers that I bought in the ground.  So he's just tilling enough of an area for that right now.  It's suppose to rain all week and it would be nice to have them in the ground getting established.

 Right now the chickens have the run of the place.  We will be planting from the trees to the chain link fence and back to where the green plant is in the back.  That's my rhubarb.  I had to fence it in because the chickens were eating the leaves.  They are really loving the newly scratched dirt.

The chick on the right is one of our new purchases.  She's about 3 weeks old.  We got her and two others.  They seem to be adjusting well with the older hens.

This post is being linked to Homestead Revival Barn Hop

Tomato Juice

I have not been feeling well and didn't think I would get this accomplished.  But the garden can't wait so I forged ahead at a slow speed.  I have more tomatoes to can so that will have to happen after work this week.  One canner at a time.  These are my Romas.  I have some Beefsteaks left to do.  My son brought them over from his garden.  It was welcome because this was not a good year for my tomatoes.  Seems like most of then have rot on the bottom.  My mom said it was "blossom rot" from inconsistent water.  I haven't looked this up yet but it's frustrating because I'm all out of tomatoes in the pantry.  We are on an irrigation system for our household and 5 others.  When our landlord irrigates his crops, we get water.  This year he grew grass seed, garlic, green beans and it looks like field corn for seed.  We had great water the beginning of the season, but after he harvested the green beans, he didn't need to water the other crops very often.  We've had water off and on, three weeks off, then on for 2 days, off, on, currently off.  I've spot watered with the household water.  The beets,  cukes, and green beans are ok, it just the tomatoes really suffered.  I glad my son is helping his ole mom out with produce.