Tropical Shirt Quilt. The Top is Completed. 19 Sept 2023

 Here's the completed quilt top.

I'm actually kind of pleased with the result.

First I combined squares into pairs, and sewed those together.  I left out 2 of each type, for row ends.

The seams are ironed toward the darker square, so the nest when sewn to the next row.  The other seams were ironed open so they will be flat.

I questioned whether I left enough un-sewn, so I laid them all out on the sunroom floor.

Well, they were OK.  So I sewed together the pairs, building up to eight rows.

At this point, I'm ironing all seams toward the darker squares.  I'm also checking my photo of the layout that I liked, so I get it right.

Then U sewed together the rows, this time ironing the seams open.  Result is at the top.

Next step, batting is ordered on Amazon, USA grown and manufactured.  The Chinese imported is cheaper, but there's the slave labor issue, so I paid more for a US small company product.

Also, the flannel backing.  I'll starch, press, and sew that in the next few days.

Tropical Shirt Quilt. Squares Are Ready. 18 Sept 2023.

 This went pretty fast.  All of squares are completed, each consisting of two rectangles.  Since this was different from my original plan, each square needed just a bit of trimming in order to have true squares.  That gave me a chance to even up some irregular edges, so it was a good thing.

I'm using my trusty pre-digital, 1990s (I think) Kenmore sewing machine.  I enjoy sewing in this machine, more than any other.

I printed out a photo of the lay-out, to help me assemble the squares.

Fig Harvest. 18 Sept 2023.

 There were a few ripening figs on the Hardy Chicago Fig tree.

I sliced them into halves, and put them in the dehydrator to dry.

Some New Bearded Irises For A Container. 18 Sept 2023.

 These are rhizomes that I bought via mail order.

The varieties are "Seward", "Frimousse",  "Twist of Sheree", and "Lemon Cloud".  The rhizomes are healthy looking, but I imagine that 2024 will just be a year of growth, preparing to bloom in 2025.  Who knows what will happen by then?  It's a bit on an act of faith, planting them.

Depending on how well they grow, they will probably need more room in two years.  Wait and see.

Transferring Seed-Grown Echinacea "Cherokee Spirit" to Container. 16 Sept 2023.

 This is one of the Echinacea "Cherokee Spirit" that I grew from seeds late last winter.  It's interesting, the plants grown from seeds that I did not stratify, are blooming earlier than the ones I did stratify.

I liked the color of this one the best so far, so I dug it up and transferred to a container with potting soil.  Before planting, I washed off most of the garden soil.

It was a little stressed.  I knew I was taking a taking a chance, possibly killing the plant.  The daytime temperature high has been in the mid to high eighties, although nights drop into the sixties.  But so far, just minimal wilting and that perks up in the evening.  I'm keeping the plant in the cool shade on the north side of the house, so far.  I also pruned off the oldest flower.

Tropical Shirt Quilt. 16 Sept 2023.

 I changed my idea about the layout for this quilt, and changed a couple of fabrics.  Now, this is the layout.

The top row is a bit off, which I will correct when sewing together.  Also, with this layout, I need to piece together blocks from two fabrics, in order to have enough.   I think they are busy enough, it won't show.  

This quilt is eight shirts for the top, and will be one more for the binding.   The blocks are all 5" by 10".

My original idea was a brick pattern, similar to this -

I think the new arrangement looks much better.  The blocks are the same, except no 5 inch square pieces for the ends.  With the new arrangement, the blocks will lose 1/2 inch due to paired 1/4 inch seam allowances on the other end, I think.  That's a decrease of two inches in total length and width, I think, which is OK.

Saving Tomato Seeds. 16 Sept 2023.

 I saved seeds for Rona VF and Dwarf Eagle Smiley.

First, I chose the nicest looking tomatoes.

Halved them.

Scooped out pulp with seeds.

Transferred to a jar, covered with labeled coffee filter.

These will ferment for a few days, then I'll rinse off the seeds and let them dry on the coffee filter.

Freezing Roma Tomatoes. 16 Sept 2023.

 I blanched and skinned a batch of Romas, then quartered them.  Each package is two cups.

I made eight bags.  I think this will be the plan for the final crop, too.

The Supremos seem to hold their shape better, while the Roma VF seem to release more juice.  Mixed together works out nicely.

Freezing Cherry Tomatoes. 16 Sept 2023.

 There have been lots of cherry tomatoes.  The most productive have been Reisentraube (red heirloom) and Golden Eagle Smiley (open pollinated dwarf, from Dwarf Tomato Project).

We like using cherry tomatoes to make the roasted feta cheese noodle sauce, which should work fine with frozen cherry tomatoes.

I froze up a batch of Reisentraube.  These are a bit bigger than other cherry tomatoes, but great flavor.

 Once frozen, they are like marbles and can be packaged into a gallon freezer bag.

I did the same with the Golden Eagle Smiley.

This is what the noodles looked like with a separate batch of Reisentraube tomatoes.  Before roasting...

After, with noodles added.

Green Bush Beans in a Half Barrel Container. 12 Sept 2023.

 After the ducks ate all of the bean plants in their yard, I planted some in an extra container.    I'm guessing there will be a pound of beans when I pick them soon.

There will be more in a few weeks, from the last, much bigger, planting.

Honeybees on Hypericum and Sedum. 12 Sept 2023.

 The sedums are covered with bees.  Both honeybees and the tiny pollinator bees.  The sedum is always popular with bees.

The tiny bees don't show in the photo, but there are lots of them.  

I haven't planted these hypericums yet.  The front border still needs some cleaning up first.  Meanwile they are still growing and blooming in their containers.

Repotting More Bearded Irises and Some Carnations. 12 Sept 23.

 I'm continuing to dig out bearded iris clumps, cleaning them up, and planting the best rhizomes in containers.

There are also some carnations that I grew last year.  They bloomed but never thrived.  I think it was bad potting soil.  Still, they survived the winter, spring, and summer again.  I decided to clean them up and repot.

As they were.

I dug out the four plants.

Cut off dead stems and scraggly stems, and hosed off as much soil as I could.

Planted three into one large container, and one in a smaller container.

I don't know if they will grow and thrive next year.  That's part of the fun.

Tomato Pie. Apple Pie. 9 Sept 2023.

 These are some of the last crop of dwarf tomatoes, "heirloom type" although not all are actually heirloom.  

I also still have a lot of the Gravenstein apples, although they go bad rather quickly.  

So I made pies with both.

I substituted cake flour for about 1/3 of the all purpose flour in the crusts.  It did make them more flaky (mission accomplished!) and they tasted so good!  But for the blind baked cruse (tomato pie), the bottom cracked and the sides flopped in a bit.  The flavor was still wonderful.

This time, I used a Mexican style shredded cheese mis for the tomato pie.  That was excellent.   I also used home made mayonnaise in the cheese mixture.  The topping includes some chopped Jalapeños. 

Some Hybrid Echinacea Bloomed the First year From Seeds. 8 Sept 2023

 These were the Cheyenne Spirit Echinacea that I grew from seeds this Spring.  It doesn't seem to matter much whether or not I stratified the seeds.

So far they all seem to be this red or reddish pink color.  Maybe the later bloomers will be the other colors, yellow or white?

I didn't expect any to bloom the first year, so this is a treat.

Bearded Iris Cleanup. 8 Sept 2023.

 I cleaned up some of the bearded iris rhizomes.  There are only a few remaining in the large bed I tried to grow a few years ago.  I moved most to other locations.  Some of that area was also potatoes last year.  I will downsize, converting that to easily mowed lawn, over the winter.  Meanwhile, I'm looking between thistles and grasses for remaining bearded iris clumps.

This clump lost its label.  If this variety blooms next year, I can figure it out.  With all of the ones I dug up, I hosed off all of the soil that I could.

Then separated rhizomes to pull out grasses and remove burnt-out old rhizomes.

Trimmed, and selected the healthiest appearing ones.

And planted into a container with fresh potting soil.

Here's another container.  These were mostly in worse shape.  Two are new rhizomes that I bought.

Bearded irises should be really easy to grow.  The challenges here are the aggressive thistles and grasses that invade the clumps, which have to be pulled by hand.  Also, in rainy spring weather, they get fungal spot and bacterial rot.  My hope here is they will be much easier to give TLC in the big containers, and I can keep them on the back patio when in season, then move to the vegetable garden the rest of the time.  

I con't know if they will bloom next year, or thrive in the containers.  I hope they do.

Buffalo Grapes, Harvest to Jelly. 8 Sept 2023

 Here is how the Buffalo Grapes looked a couple of ago.  I planted this variety because it is a Concord type that can be grown and produces in my area.   This vine has been growing for ten years.

I picked a tub of grapes.  There are more than that, still on the vines.

I cleaned up about 5 pounds of the darkest and bluest.

And made grape jelly.

The flavor is really rich.  I have to wait until tomorrow to see how well it gelled.

Buffalo is the most prolific of my grape vines, so far.  The same row also has Himrod.

Those are very tasty, but don't have that "grapey" Concord type flavor.  Some of the others had a few clusters.  They might grow faster with irrigation and fertilizer.  But I think the flavor is richer without those, and I don't need that many grapes.

Planting Bulbs in Planters. 31 Aug 23.

I emptied some containers of their former occupants, removed the top half of soil, mixed fresh potting soil with the bottom half, and added some Osmocote slow release flower fertilizer, then planted these tulip bulbs in one.

Then I covered with more fresh potting soil and a little more Osmocote.  These are settled in for the fall and winter.  They do need to be kept away from squirrels, voles, and feral cats.

This time, I'll also treat the bearded irises as container plants.  I think it will be a lot easier for me to take care of them.  I bought two more, but will also try to clear out the rest of the old iris bed, which is taken over by thistles, and recover what iris rhizomes I can, from there.  Then that bed will become mowed lawn once again.

The daffodils will also be planted in a container.

Repotting Some Dendrobiums / Planting Keikis. 31 Aug 23

 I have a couple of dendrobiums that survive all the neglect that I give them.  I decided to restore them, and have been watering them and fertilizing for a couple of months.  I repotted them now.

One had several babies (keikis) growing on old stems.  I cut off those stems at the red lines.

Then I planted in orchid bark.

I mostly covered the old stems with more orchid bark.

Now they just need regular care again.  The keikis will grow fine with no special treatment.