I used to love the heat of summer, but no more. I now tend to hunker down under a fan and move as little as possible. Even so, there are a few new and different things going on around my house.
All my tiny violets in the kitchen window are blooming at the same time! I think this is a first. Maybe they’re simply happy to live in air-conditioned splendor while other plants are turning crispy shades of brown from our daily 100+ temps.
I recently attended a needlework class and learned a few useful sewing tips. The goal was to make a tea towel using Madeira embroidery techniques, which date back to the 15th Century and gained popularity just before the Civil War. Catching on as a writer seems daunting to me. I hope that doesn’t take 400 years! The day was something of a fiasco, mostly due to my own thick-headed stupidity, but I ended up with a lovely needlework example—accomplished completely by machine.
More on sewing. Have you ever heard of a twister quilt? I have made a few. They are quite magical. Abandoning my master sewing plan, I impetuously bought a layer cake of patriotic fabric and embarked on a new twister. You can see “before”—the simple 10-inch blocks sewn together and framed with a white border–and after, below. Looks incredibly complex, doesn’t it? But with the use of a special ruler, it’s easily accomplished and rather impressive, if I do say so myself. I only need to add an outside border and I’m ready to quilt.
Let me share one other domestic pursuit. My mom was the pie-baker in our family. From time-to-time, I try to fill her shoes, most recently for my son’s birthday. I make incredibly ugly pies and here’s the proof. Have you ever seen more hopeless looking crust? Fortunately, this pie might be one of the tastiest I ever made. The apple filling was delicious, the crust, incredibly flaky. It did look better once it was baked, but only slightly. There is a possibility if I made more pies, they might get more attractive, but I seriously doubt it.
Finally, one last summer vignette. It’s time to crawl back under the fan.