Monday, May 29, 2023

Weekly update: Wildflowers, rhubarb, and Chunky Bar squeaker


 It's way too dry but the abundant sunshine is wonderful!  Saturday afternoon we went to Pine Dunes.  Until I began purposeful hiking I didn't know this existed.  The wildflowers are glorious.   A pair of cranes walked right in front of me, bugling all the while. I suspect their nest was nearby.

Pond-lily, shooting star, mayapple flower.   Wild flag iris, blue wild indigo, Virginia waterleaf.  longbract or false wild indigo, purple vetch, blue-eyed grass.



Sunday afternoon's walk was along the lakefront.  Puccoons grow in sandy soil.  Upper right:  narrowleaf puccoon.  Lower right: hoary puccoon.   Upper left: a cluster of hoary puccoon.  Also called stoneseed, species of gromwell.  

Lower left:  bastard umbellate toadflax.

These names sound like Shakespearean curses!

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When the landscapers tilled our vegetable garden they dug up the rhubarb.   (The boss apologized and I will deduct the cost of the four crowns I bought as replacements.)   Meanwhile our friend Mary Lou said we could harvest as much as we wanted.   I'd been emptying the freezer in anticipation of this year's crop -- but I still have one bag left from last summer.

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In the studio:  an unexpected and satisfying start and finish.   Remember the striped sashing that I ripped out of GeoChic? 

 
Another magazine pattern provided a way to use some of them.   

The pattern uses 5-1/2" and3-1/2" strips cut 21" and the quilt is 84 x 84. 



I adapted it using 3-1/2 and 2-1/2 x 8-1/2 strips.   It took me a bit to realize there are four blocks.  


The squeaker:  I had this much of the black/gray left.




Here's the finish!  51 x 64. 













The back uses a multi- dot print that I've had trouble incorporating into blocks (too black, too fussy, too something) and a jolly orange to finish up this month's RSC.  






Oh, and I still have a heap of gray striped pieces......

Linking up with Oh Scrap!  Design Wall Monday  




P.S.  First poppy in our garden, just in time for Memorial Day.   

6 comments:

  1. Lots of beautiful wildflowers in your neck of the woods, Nann! Looks like you have lots of rhubarb treats in your future, too. I like the design you came up with to use up those strips. Congratulations on a quick finish!

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  2. Thanks for taking me along on your flower walk! I think I am the only person that couldn't grow rhubarb! Congrats on re-purposing your striped sashing and the quick finish! Hurray!

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  3. Some fun projects in your plans! One of our daughters had lots of rhubarb growing in the yard of their first home. Then they moved across the state, and left it behind as it was winter and they were moving into an apartment. I miss being able to get rhubarb from her.

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  4. I bake my rhubarb and then water bath it - I don't have the freezer space for it. I had a rhubarb scone in a coffee shop last week and can certainly recommend that. It's very easy to grow here, the conditions are right for it (I am south of the rhubarb triangle)

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  5. Lovely wildflowers;))) Neat design to use up those strips...nice work hugs, Julierose P.S. Still sewing charms up--not so "charming" by now!! :000

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  6. Such interesting names for those flowers. Really wish I could get my hands on a bunch of rhubarb because we have a number of really good recipes including a lovely drink/punch that tastes so good on a hot summer day.

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