Martha's Vineyard !

 Last weekend we spent the most wonderful weekend on one of my favorite places on earth! Martha's vineyard...just off the coast of Cape Cod ....It is just beautiful especially in the fall........it was a very foggy start...as you can see...this is one of the ferries to the island...only 45 minutes!

 Went to one of my favorite shops on the island     http://thebeachhousemv.com/home.php where I always bring something home for the house....I just fell in love with this Table Cloth !!

So in love I had to change the table in the room to a round one!!  The owner of this shop is a delight...totally my kind of person...and her taste is just heaven...I wanted to take pictures of her incredible shop but forgot my camera......  : (

poppies and lavender.....

and look at this tray....  The colors....are my absolute favorite....warm and inviting !  All in all a very fun trip!!

It's been too long!

 Well I have been a very bad blogger of late..I really need at least 10 more awake hours for all I want to do every day!  and then toss in all the things we Have to do....anyway lots to tell!!
As you can see our new members are doing very well!!
           ***   Oh and the picture on the top of my site is of the Morning Glory Farm stand.. on Martha's vineyard...one of my favorite places on earth!!

 We added a bird feeder out this window for kitty observation!!

 This fellow likes to be where the action is and I would like to say he is no help here!!  Lieing on the laundry is not helping!!!

 This is our entryway and the little shy girl has braved her way here!  The sun pours in here and kitties do love the sun!  God I love this little girl....she is so so sweet....

 This fellow is cousin vinny...he does not live here......well I guess he sort of does...we feed him...he has a summer bed and chair ....this is his take away window...he sits here when he wants my attention.....oh and he also has a heated outdoor glass covered (so he can see us ) winter kittyhouse....so maybe he does have a membership...his owner does not care for him.....so ...we do...When I feed him he now does a prrrt and then he swats me!  I sneak a pat in when I can....he is not fixed so he is a little bold!

 O.k so is this the cutest little guy ever!!!!!  This is his first picture !!  NO...he is not ours....8 + vinny is enough!  He is my next door neighbors new little fellow!  still nameless....any ideas?????? I like Eddie ..  he has the cutest little tail you have ever seen...we already adore him!

 I think my Fall post was a little early......since I wrote it we have had summer all over again..I am so so so ready for it to be a little chilly!!!!!!!!! a little something under 80 Please!!!!.This is a very foggy day in our backyard....

  Walking down to the salt marsh...I love this walk...

We see deer here all the time now...

 Some one is following me!   Dear dear Buster....My sweet boy... he has a crooked tail!!! and it is short sort of a 3/4 tail!

 Mr...with the new members....getting along nicely...My Mr. is a real cat whisperer...the really shy ones always fall for him.. look at those sweet little white paws....

 This is the little living room in the cottage part of our house...this is the original part of the house..1912

 it's very tiny and very cozy!

 A new embroidery!!  I just wanted to do a simple thing...I think I like it....it was really fun to do!  quick too!

 This as a little wallet I made....I love this fabric and I only had a little piece...

 This was really fun to make too!  I think I am going to use up my bits and pieces for christmas presents...( shhhhhhh christmas wallets.. maybe.....)

 Just enough room for a few bills and a card or two.. I made it deep so things won't fall out...

 And a new bag I crocheted ...this is alpaca wool my dear friend gave me and I wanted to do something special with it...I lined it with silk dupioni.. At the bottom of the page is the link to "Tangled Happy"a wonderful site... That is where I found the pattern....I made mine alot bigger than her pattern...Hers is so cute!  Free pattern too!!  She has a crocheted flower on hers...I may do that or maybe just the right button....not sure yet...it is so so so soft!  The photo does not really show the true colour...it is a lovely soft warm green...

 The marsh is really looking fall like..( even though it has been HOT!!)

Looking across to Hen island Rt. and pine island Lt.

 the virginia creeper is turning....as it climbs up and up and up....

 I love the winterberry.....It looks lovely in winter arrangements but I can never pick it because the birds love it...so I enjoy it on the tree!

This week we are really starting to see the change in colour....

Yea!!  A red leaf!!!!                                                                                                                                  The link for the crochet bag!                    tangledhappy.blogspot.com
Thank you nice people for all the comments.....I love to hear from you all....I must try to write more often.....Happy days ahead to you all!!

Fall........mmmmm.....

We seem to be coming to the end of the tomatoes...........Mind you we have had heaps!!............. but...there is nothing like a home grown tomato...

 This is a photo of the sweetest little girl...who is starting to feel quite comfortable in her new digs!! she is just the dearest little thing.....

 Mr. K is loving the sunny spot in front of the door....

 Projects!!  I just adore feed sack fabrics..  I've had these for quite a while and finally........a decision.....so the plan is to edge my feedsack scrap quilt that I have been working on...it has been in past posts...it is really a medium for embroidery....I am embroidering many of the white squares with this and that...no real theme  just fun..so I used a jelly roll and sewed them into one long sheet of strips..

 I just love these fabrics!!

 I ironed the lot and then proceeded to cut them into strips of squares ( about 3 inches )

 really....the rotary cutter.....it is the best!!

 How sweet these all look......I think I have way to many but I am sure I'll use them for edging some of my embroideries....

 It just makes me happy to look at them!!!!

 This is a little kitty I have made for my neighbors little girl...she is turning 2 on the 23rd of this month and I have a skirt made from this fabric...she loves to point out all the fruits...I put a soft and snuggly fabric on the back...this little darling girl was only 1lb 9 oz when born and she is perfection.....so amazing....I just adore her....

 Preview of coming attractions........I just adore Fall....to me it is the absolute best season of all...I am very lucky in that I love winter too...so I am in my glory at this time of year!!!  It is not even close to this yet here.... but soon!!!!!!!!!!!  I don't know what it is but I just feel Happy in the Fall..almost euphoric...I don't know why....but I am very glad..

I think I may edge this embroidery with one of my feed sack quilts ....I love doing clothes line designs..I am planning on a big one soon..sort of a wall hanging....but  ...I think...I better ....finish....a few things first!!!!!!!!!!!!!  The piles of not quite done are growing.....ever taller!!!
I have so many things I want to work on...I can barely sleep..and the garden will have to be put to bed soon.. a huge job..and dare I say ......the holidays....are looming around the corner!!
Vacation next week...apple picking...and eating.....bicycle riding....fall beach visits!! yea!!

Thank you to all the lovely people that left comments after the 9-11 post...Not an easy thing to write about.....all your thoughts were very kind and thoughtful.....

Lots and lots of happy thoughts to you all out there ..and Heaps of hugs !!  xxxxx

A Day for thinking about what we all mean to each other...........

It is a solemn day in the world today.......why humans do these things to each other is beyond imagination.....but I choose to believe that most people are good and loving..most people want to live a life that is peaceful and happy....most people care deeply about their fellow man..and our beautiful earth.. most people just want everyone to get along.......... today is a day to think lovingly  about all those that suffered on that terrible day... to think about how we can be better people.......Make sure you tell someone you care about that you love them today....... and my love to you my new friends out there....and peace to us all ......

Rain...tomatoes .....cats....pickles....'

 Our poor old apple tree.....99 years old...now only 1/3 the tree it was before Irene...The gent that built the first part of the house, farmed this little piece of land and  planted the trees in 1912..there were 7 apple trees , one crabapple, two cherries and one pear when mum and dad became the owners...I just love this tree..it is a Baldwin apple..one you don't see too often any more...well. we still have one branch left!!! and it is loaded with apples....so there!

Pictures for Helen!

 Dear Miss P.  is really starting to relax...she is a very shy little girl...this is her new bed!

 This fellow is quite the explorer!!!!!  on everything....under everything.... he is a dear dear boy!!

 Helping me cook!!   His tail likes to flop...flop...flop...as he lies near me !!

 Poor little Rusty.....we always know when the weather changes because this fellow does not like the cold at all..we have to cover him up and double up the blankets .....His littles ears get pale ...poor little pink kitty......... = ^..^ =

 When the hurricanes come and go the garden always seem to just explode!!!  and boy is it ever !!.....!!

 We can not eat tomatoes  fast enough.....so time to make a huge pot of tomato sauce!!!

 several hours on the stove and then into the deep freeze!!

 A lovely simple tomato sauce!!!!  the house smells divine!!  For those of you who wanted the pickle recipe...Here it is!  I hope my directions are clear enough...please feel free to mail me with any questions!

Mr Wolks polish dill pickles!

I usually double this recipe and use the large Quart Jars because we eat them so fast!

this is the original Not doubled recipe....

4 lbs of pickling cucumbers or so  ( I just buy a big sack and use them all )

one bunch of fresh dill washed and rinsed well. I use the leaves not the flowers...

(I do not use dried dill ever for this recipe)

8 cloves of garlic or so to taste

4 tablespoons pickling spice 

1  1/2 cups white vinegar

1/2 cup kosher salt

5 cups water

4 quart jars or several smaller ones

Wash and dry the jars ----put the lids in a small saucepan with water to cover and put them on the stove and bring them to a boil.......then let sit in the hot water until ready to use

Put the water.. vinegar and salt into a large pan and bring to a simmer

Put one tablespoon or so ( can be less ) of pickling spice in each jar...a few slice garlic cloves 

Then slice the cukes into thick slices about 3/4 of an inch.layer cukes and a few sprigs fresh dill until to the top of the jar ..You can really pack them in tightly...

sometimes I sprinkle some of the spice on top and some on the bottom.

Now take your hot water and carefully pour it into the jars...I find the best way is to put the water into a pyrex measuring quart container..then it easily pours into the jars..

Full to 1/2" from the top  then  clean the glass edges and put on your tops.. 

Seal tightly.....the jars then sit out for 3 days....then chill and eat when they are cold...

I do not processes these because they will lose there crunch...they MUST  be kept in the fridge.. not on a shelf........I make about 25 jars a year and we just used last years last jar...they were exactly as they were the day we first opened them!!

They were all kept in the fridge until used.

You can use thick sliced green tomatoes or string beans instead of cukes in this recipe if you want.  Just make sure for any choice that you pour very HOT vinegar water over what ever you choose.

Happy cooking!!

Today is sewing day ( I hope ) that means Inspector Lewis... or Foyles War or Upstairs Downstairs or Midsummer Murders or Downton Abbey or Anything Jane Austen.. or...... Room with a View...or...House of Elliot.. Inspector Moorse or Forsyste Saga!!!!    

Oh that Maggie Smith.....  "What is a ....week.... end........."   ( Downton Abbey )

There is really no point in watching anything but!!!

Yes..I did just find the colored type.......Happy day and weekend to all you really wonderful people!! and Thanks for all the kind words of  concern about Irene...xxxxxxxxxxxx