The Pumpkin Rolls Are Done

Pumpkin rolls with cream cheese filling are on the list of family favorites for the holidays. I have discovered that a big can of pumpkin and a 3# box of cream cheese from GFS will make 6 pumpkin rolls. Since I already have the mess going in the kitchen it just make sense to make 6 at one time. I have a request for pumpkin rolls for Thanksgiving dinner at my sister's house and we will also enjoy them at Christmas time (they freeze real well). I still remember the first time I tasted pumpkin rolls probably about 30 years ago. We were at a family Christmas gathering down state. One of my aunts had made pumpkin rolls as part of her dishes to pass. I still remember my grandma "scolding" my aunt. The words that I remember my grandma saying were, "Oh honey, you and Dale (my uncle) are always struggling with weight issues, why would you make something like that". Although my grandma has been gone for many years now I can still hear her saying that to my aunt. I should probably listen a little closer to grandma's scolding.

Papa and London

Papa Steve is a logger and also a foreman. The company he works for does a lot of thinning of forest lands and not clear cutting. Steve operates a skidder, picking up logs from the trees after they have been mechanically harvested. Steve hauls the logs to the landing where the semi truck driver picks them up and takes them to one of several mills. Our 5 year old grandson knew that Papa worked in the woods but I know he didn't realize what Papa did. Around here there is a lot of hunting so I think he figured Papa just hunted every day (wouldn't Papa love that?). We had a couple of days of beautiful weather last week so I told London we would go for a ride and visit Papa. I am so geographically challenged that after our second attempt to find the crew I told London it was time to give up. He very promptly told me that his Dad says never give up. After a few chuckles I headed for home. After we got home Papa returned one of the many calls that I had made while in the woods. He gave me a little more detail in directions so London and I headed back out to the woods. This time we found Papa driving his big skidder. He hiked London up into the cab and they went into the woods to pick up a load of logs. Papa let London drive the skidder and I don't know who was more proud. It smelled so good out there, they were cutting balsam. Hopefully I can get the rest of the grandkids out to drive Papa's skidder as they get bigger.

A Wonderful Quilter's Retreat

My husband and I recently attended a Quilter's Retreat in Gaylord. The retreat was co-hosted by the Alpine Lodge and Delphine's Quilt Shop. This was the 5th annual retreat held in Gaylord and the 5th time I attended this retreat. This was Steve's first retreat and although he had to miss the first day because of work I think he enjoyed himself. He was involved in most of the retreats at Thunder Bay Resort for five years but never as a retreater. He took a sewing machine and added bindings to three wall hangings. One is hanging on the wall in the first picture. He found this pattern when we were in Tennessee several years ago. It was made with batiks and I am not a batik fan. Because of the background fabric he used on this wall hanging you can't really see the two doves in the upper right hand corner. He said when he first saw the pattern it made him think of his parents. He decided that he wanted to try photo transer and add pictures of his parents to the wall hangings. Since I know nothing about photo transers (and I am not interested in learning) I told him he was on his own. The picture of his Dad was taken about 15 years before the picture of his Mom. He did a great job in editing the photos and getting them onto fabric. He also did a great job in machine appliqueing and machine quilting the wall hangings. He made 7 or 8 wall hangings and has a few more to make yet. While at the retreat we tagged teamed to finish some Tiny Miracle (preemie quilts) tops. Steve did the machine quilting and I add borders. It was fun doing it that way. We also tag teamed and made two pillow cases using kits provided by the Quilt Shop to be donated to a local charity. I wasn't sure how the women would feel with him attending the retreat but they were all so supportive of his quilting venture. I also accomplished a few things at the retreat and I will post about that at another time. PS - Steve has a pattern for a deer head that is paper pieced. He thought about taking that to the retreat but I said no. I have only done a little bit of paper piecing and I told him that I was not going to be the teacher during the entire retreat, that we would have to work on that here at home some time. Maybe I should have had him take the deer project and maybe someone there would have taken pity on us and helped out.

A new hair do

I got a hair cut and a "new do" yesterday and I am very happy with it. When I turned 40 I decided to fight it by letting my hair grow. Every once in awhile I would get a perm but still kept my length. Forty, came, then fifty and fifty five hit several months ago. I decided it was time to make a change. I was pretty nervous but I totally love my hair. The only down side is that this morning I couldn't make it look like the hair dresser did yesterday with the curling iron. I know I will never get it to look like that I am not going to give up and I will try it again tomorrow. I did buy a new curling iron today so I will see how that works out. Now ...... I may have to get up the nerve to get something done with all of the little grays.

Nursing Capes

Last weekend I totally enjoyed some time in my sewing room. I made two Nursing Capes (a.k.a. Hooter Hiders) for our new Momma and Baby. I have made these for both daughter and daughter-in-love and they have been well used during the last 8 months. They are made with 1 yard of fabric. I modified the pattern slightly.

First Annual Fall Gala

Last night Steve and I attended the Fall Gala hosted by the parochial school that holds classes at my Church. The room was decorated with art work made by the children including the life size scarecrows. It was a fun evening with a delicious dinner followed with a live auction. Several raffles were also taking place. We did not purchase anything at the auction but had fun visiting and laughing with family and friends. I donated a 10 minute table runner and 4 placemats and they sold for $40. I was very happy with that. I realize that there are several different opinions about parochial schools and I respect those opinions. I just know what I have seen with two grandson attending the program - 1 for a year of pre-school and another for a year of pre-school and now as a kindergartener there. Both boys learned so much and really blossomed during their experiences.

A New Baby Grandson

Last week we welcomed Liam Samuel Roy into our family. Congratulations to Dad, Mom and big brother London. We now have 7 grandchildren, 6 boys and 1 girl. And 4 of the grandsons were born in the last 32 1/2 weeks (yawn, smile, yawn, smile). We have truly been blest. While Mom was in the observation room being monitored and prepped for c-section I noticed that there were several very tiny quilts framed and hanging on the walls. The quilts aren't any more than 4 inches square. Have you ever noticed that quilts and quilt related items just seem to find us quiltmakers?