Fall Initiation

Fall officially arrives Tuesday, but almost like clockwork, when the month of September comes, our summerlike weather ends. The days become visibly shorter. It's dark in the mornings when I normally get up at 5:30am, and it is cooling of quite a bit at night. We haven't had a frost yet, but it is only a matter of time. Yesterday was a gorgeous day, going to nearly 70F, so we took the family on what has become a perennial favorite outting - Apple Picking. I love to pick the other season varieties like strawberries and blue berries, but the death of our fridge for 10 days rotted the picked strawberries, and somehow we never got out to stock the freezer with a year's worth of blueberries this season.

Maine had a fabulous early spring, starting in early April. In early May, however, we had one night which had scattered frost. Much of the apple orchards in my area were hit hard. Because this was after they had put on their flowers, nearly a month ahead of schedule, the crop was estimated at only 5% of normal. Despite this, we still were able to easily and quickly pick 2 bushels of apples. Today's breakfast was apple-cinnamon pancakes. Dinner is apple-stuffed chicken. There are apple tarts for dessert compliments of my husband. Who honestly has time to cook all afternoon??? (not me, considering I quilt then!).
Here's my often unruley brewd, looking well mannered and pleased to be having their picture taken. So often the images they give me in this short life couldn't be farther from reality! My middle kid (in white) just did not want to get into the picture.

This week...I am quilting one of my own. I need a nicely quilted piece to take to my retreat in Utah in just 3 weeks (and my 100" Summer on the Beach" quilt is just too large to travel with). I'd hoped to take "Primavera", but it was accepted into the Georgia Quilt Show that weekend, and will be taking a short trip next week. Besides, I have a Guild show, and I need another quilt for it. Kill 2 birds with one stone. I have a couple other customer quilts to get done at the end of the week too. Nothing huge, thankfully.

Visit back this week where I will show some fantastic pictures of a pinwheel quilt made by a client of mine. They are really pretty~