Yeah, just lumping them all in here together, because I just can hardly remember the first six months of this year. I know I dropped a lot of balls: unfinished quilts, undusted corners, unsent messages, un-called friends, as well as an un-kitchen for awhile, but you’ve already heard that story. I’m sort of waking up here from where I’ve been, and am sorry if you were undusted, or un-called, or unsent or generally on the outside of this internal and pervasive fog. But overall, I’m here to tell you that:
I think signing up for the Modern Mystery Summer Camp Quilt-a-Long helped ease me back to reality. I was two weeks behind, and now I’m caught up. Good thing it is easy sewing. I like all the videos that teach us — given the brain fog I had, I definitely needed them — and these two solid MidWesterners are like chatting with your best pals.
I embraced my inner dorkdom and bought the T-shirt. But really, it was a light touch of fun that was really needed.
I have conquered hard-boiled eggs: take eggs from the fridge and smack the wide end lightly on the counter, just until you hear the slightest crunch, but no shells are dislodged. Place them in a pan of water to cover. Place pan on high, uncovered, and bring to a boil. When the water is boiling, put a lid on the pan, turn OFF the heat and set a timer for 8 minutes (10 minutes if you are doing egg-salad sandwiches). Remove from heat, and run some cool water in the pan, and add a hunk of ice cubes. Let sit until cool. They should peel easily, and be perfect for this, a rice noodle salad with lettuce and herbs:
- Slice a bunch of radishes. Grate a carrot. Mix together 1½ tablespoons rice wine vinegar, 2 teaspoons granulated sugar, and a pinch of fine sea salt. Whisk the dressing and pour over vegetables. Let sit while you do the rest.
- Cook up 8 ounces rice noodles (we like the vermicelli kind), drain, then rinse under cool water. Let drain, and save.
- Whisk together: 3 tablespoons lime juice (from about 2 limes, plus more to taste), 2 tablespoons grapeseed or other neutral oil (we use safflower), 1½ tablespoons fish sauce, 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated, 1 garlic clove, finely grated, and 1 jalapeño chile, thinly sliced.
- In a large-ish bowl, place the noodles. Top with carrot/radish mix. On top of that, add: 1 cup thinly sliced Persian cucumber (regular is okay, but not as good), a handful of lettuce leaves, torn if large, 2 thinly sliced green onions (I think they call them scallions now), a large handful of fresh, soft herbs, such as dill, mint, cilantro. (My husband hates cilantro, so we grabbed some basil instead.) Pour over the dressing you made in step three. Over the top of that, add ½ cup chopped roasted salted peanuts. Kind of mush stuff together, but leave layers intact. Surround with 4 hard-boiled eggs, sliced in half.
Perfect for summer days. It was good the next day, too.
First harvest. The little yellow tomatoes are what I call Garden Candy.
Did I tell you I gave away my quilt? She loves it, and sent me a photo where she had hung it above her sewing machine. If that’s not immortality, I don’t know what is.
Well, maybe this, too. @rowdyquilter made my Shine: The Circles Quilt, and I love seeing it every time she posts on Instagram.
You can find most the circles for FREE, in the tab above labeled “Shine: The Circles Quilt.” Then, if you want more, head to my pattern shop, where there are nine more to choose from in one pattern, and then finishing instructions (sashing and borders in the pattern above).
Here’s the original. I”ll post up the RWB version next month sometime. It’s good to visit old friends once in a while.
I was reading a high-end magazine while the car was getting washed (a once-a-year treat), and saw these quilted bags. I’m like, Hey–those are FMQ circles there on the sides. Nice to know we are being copied by expensive bag makers.
As I said to my friend Mary, labels are like the cherry on top of a sundae.
Whoever runs this Instagram account should get a raise. (Answer.)
Some days are No. But I’m always hoping for a Yes.
I wish the same for you no matter what you are going through, from finding yourself after a long absence in your own life, or frustrated after a series of hard quilty things, or sitting by a bedside or a beach, or on top of an overlook into your own valley — literal or figurative. Yes, yes, yes, all the way.
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I always love your posts. 🙂 I have one of those perpetual quilt block calendars which has six months of blocks on one side and you flip it over for the next six months. It seems like I just flipped that thing over for January and in a couple of days, I will be flipping it over for July!!! I had to laugh at the car wash. Mine is getting about the same amount of care. I used to keep my car clean but since we moved into a new area, we haven’t found a car wash that my husband approves of. We moved almost 7 years ago! I guess it is time to choose a local car wash. It’s on my list.
You’ve expressed yourself well in this post, Elizabeth. I always enjoy and appreciate your way with words. I’m so pleased that you too are participating in the Summer Camp Modern Mystery Quiltalong, and that you allowed out your inner dorkdom. 🙂 I’m not a t-shirt wearer, otherwise I’d have bought one too. Nice that you can appreciate Week’s and Bill’s Midwesternisms. I watch the YouTube videos, but I understand I missed out on a great camp chat because I’m not on Facebook. Darn. I also had to smile about your process for hard boiled eggs. While I’m not the cook at our house, I know hubs has been on a quest for the perfect process. He must have seen the same info you did because just this week, when making tuna salad, before boiling them, he tapped the fat end of each egg with a spoon… and heard the snap! While I rarely have a problem peeling a hard-boiled egg for my chef salads (I don’t really care what the egg looks like when it’s done, because I chop it up anyway), he’s using all your suggested techniques. Oh, you cooks! 🙂 I’m happy for you to know how your quilt designs are being displayed. It’s a good feeling, and one you deserve for your skills. Hope your JulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember are better that the rest!
I’m going to be honest- I follow that Facebook group, and sometimes it is just a bit much! But the variety of interpretations of this quilt is absolutely amazing!
My daughter claims that it is not the cooking method on the eggs, it is the ice bath at the end that is the critical factor. I use America’s test kitchen method, which is steaming and then plunging them into the ice bath and they are perfect every time!
X
I am going to get brave one of these days and do one of weeks’ and bill’s mystery quilts. The one they did earlier this year was just fantastic! I had a traumatic camp experience in the seventh grade, so I don’t think I can do camp again.
Happy to see you are finding your footing! It has been a year.
X
“YOU MATTER
Until you multiply yourself by the speed of light squared. Then you Energy.”
Hahaha hahaha hahaha 😂 hahaha hahaha hahaha 🤣 hahaha hahaha hahaha
Seriously, I’m wetting my pants here.
How many times are you lucky enough to find an inspirational quote that combines physics and grammar? And the word “un-kitchen”? I LOVE your blog!
Come for the quilts, return for the humor. Thank you❤️
I love reading your posts. I seem to be in the same boat most of the time only my current fog is caused by a car accident. (Totaled the car) I wasn’t hurt! HA! It’s getting harder and harder to cope. Thanks for all you do.
I understand the mush of time. I have SO many things I want to do and yet find myself caught in a spiral of thinking, thinking, thinking about them way much rather than actually just doing them. Yet once something is done, all the time and frustration it took to get to that point seems forgotten. Hope you are feeling more and more settled and more and more at ease with projects and life for the second half of the year.
May the second half of 2023 be better for you Elizabeth! I’m sorry things have been tough but your wonderful sense of humour shines through. Sew on…!
What a refreshing read, thank you! I feel energized to tackle the mind/body problem or at least recognize it.
Ceci
Love the t shirt and your rice noodles salad sounds so yummy! You are echoing my thoughts of the last several months. My best luck with easy peel eggs are with one of the small 6 eggs cookers. Recently got one that has 2 layers so 13 can cook at once. They peel 😊 great!
Your Shine:The Circles quilt has always been one of my favorites! Eggs; Years ago we bought a Cuisinart egg cooker and it is wonderful. I hope the second half of the year is much better for you.
I am enjoying seeing your mystery quilt blocks, it sounds like an interesting project!
I am very happy that you are starting to feel more yourself and hope that it continues, sometimes things just move slower than we like, don’t they?
I will give the egg boiling directions a try as I always fight the peeling.
The smile on the recipient of your quilt says it all, happiness shows big time!
Thanks for sharing so much with us all, I always look forward to your posts.
Glad to hear of your accomplishments! And your Shine quilt is lovely, though not enough to make me take up EPP!