Alzheimer's Awareness Month in November

From:   Ami Simms

CELEBRITY INVITATIONAL QUILT AUCTION  STARTS NOVEMBER 1ST

The Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative (AlzQuilts.org) offers an online auction during the first 10 days of every month. Each November, in honor of National Alzheimer's Awareness Month, the AAQI offers 12 very special quilts. This year the auction quilts have been made by world renowned quilters Alex Anderson, Hollis Chatelain, Caryl Bryer Fallert, John Flynn, Diane Gaudynski, Becky Goldsmith, Pat Holly, Libby Lehman, Marsha McCloskey, Sue Nickels, Mary Sorensen, and Ricky Tims.

The quilts are about 16" x 16" and the auction is open to the public.

Last year the 12 quilts offered in the November auction raised more than $14,000 for the AAQI, an all-volunteer effort to raise awareness and fund research through art

Preview the quilts here!

AlzQuilts.org preview.

Pickled Green Tomatoes

Still not time for sewing but I'm getting in a lot of canning.

When I visited my garden the other day, I found an abundance of green tomatoes..... did I mention, there were loads and loads of green tomatoes....... LOL

So, what to do with them besides give some away....... canning is the answer.

This is recipe that I used from Cooks.com.

4 qts. (8 lbs.) green tomatoes, cored and chopped. I used an apple corer which worked very well.

1 1/3 cups (2 med.) onions, chopped

2 2/3 cups (4 lg.) green bell peppers, chopped

1 1/3 cups (2 lg.) red bell peppers, chopped

1/4 cup canning/pickling salt

3 cups 5% acid strength cider vinegar

1 cup water

2 cups sugar

1 tsp. mixed pickling spices

Combine tomatoes, onions, peppers and salt in large bowl. Cover and let stand overnight at room temperature. Drain well.

Combine vinegar, water, sugar and pickling spices (the spices will needed to be tied in cheesecloth bag or a swatch of cotton muslin fabric) in large 5-quart kettle or cooking pot.  Bring to a boil; add vegetables; return to boil. Simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove spice bag.

Immediately ladle into Mason jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of jar top. Wipe jar rim and close with proper lids.

Process in boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Remove jars from water bath and place in a room temperated area. Listen for the popping sound of the jars to indicate that process is complete.

Sorry, no photo of completed canning project. Maybe next post.

Enjoy!!

Every Chance

What is this post about, you ask? Well recently it was brought to my attention that things are about to change in the way bloggers and Internet buddies will be able to "follow" one another.
I use GFC (Google Friends Connect) and last month added Bloglovin' but that wasn't enough, I was told. So I've added "Linky Flowers" to my sidebar. I want anyone that wishes to find and "follow" my blog, to be able to do so.
So whichever way you got here...... thanks for "FOLLOWING" my blog.

Next, I wish to address the "no response to comments" issue. I've been thinking about this for awhile.
 When someone comments on my post, I want everyone to know that I really, really appreciate your comments. So if you're looking for a response from me and don't ever get one, there are two reasons why...... (1) you haven't turned on your response thingy and did not know it had to be manually turned on via your dashboard or (2) you haven't turned on your response thingy and don't want to because you don't mind that you don't get a shout out from the owner of the blog.
I just wanted everyone that thought enough to leave a comment to know that I love reading your thoughts and critiques. It gives me  confidence and inspiration to carry on................................ Okay, I'll be quiet now!!

Finally Finished

As you all know, my "Lazy Hearts" BOM was over this month. But I had not sewn the blocks together. I'd experimented on my EQ7 with designs but wasn't happy. The blocks are so scrappy that I just couldn't decide. So I dug into my scraps of 2 1/2" squares, cut them down to 1 1/4" squares and hundreds of squares later, the blocks came together. I used tone-on-tone cornerstones to add that little something to the overall quilt and finished off with a dark 2 1/2" border.
Me like!
What do you think?
If you are wondering where all the BOM pattern are, I moved them to this page. Just scroll down to find them.

Something to Think About

I saw these quotes worth re-quoting in an Almanac and wanted to share them with you all.

• "Our attitude toward life determines life's attitude towards us." (Earl Nightingale)
• "A well developed sense of humor is the pole that adds balance to your steps as you walk the tightrope of life." (William A. Ward)
• "Wishing to be friends is quick work, but friendship is a slow ripening fruit." (Aristotle)
• "It is wise to keep in mind that neither success nor failure is ever final." (Roger Babson)
• "Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you'd have preferred to talk." (Doug Larson)
• "I never learned anything while I was talking." (Larry King)
• "Laughter is the shortest distance between two people." (Victor Borge)
• "Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, but only empties today of its strength." (Charles Spurgeon)
• "A true friend never gets in your way unless you happen to be going down." (Arnold H. Glascow)

Dash

The following poem has been read at a couple of funerals I attended lately. It struck me how deeply the poem affected me. I think we all want to matter, make a difference, do the right thing ..... as we live out our lives .... I think is particular poem made me more aware of those thoughts as I strive to do more.

Life Between the "Dash"
By: Linda Ellis

I read of a man who stood to speak
at the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates of her tombstone
from the beginning ... to the end.

He noted that first came date of birth
and spoke the following date with tears,
but he said what mattered most of all
was the "dash" between those years.

For that "dash" represents all the time
that she spent alive on earth ...
and now only those who loved her
know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not, how much we own;
the cars ... the house ... the cash,
what matters is how we live and love
and how we spend our "dash."

So think about this long and hard ...
are there things you'd like to change?
For you never know how much time is left,
that can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough
 to consider what's true and real,
and always try to understand
the way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger,
and show appreciation more
and love the people in our lives
like we've never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect,
and more often wear a smile ...
remembering that this special "dash"
might only last a little while.

So, when your eulogy is being read
with your life's actions to rehash ...
would you be proud of the things they say
about how you spent your "dash?"

Company & Tuna

So, I was sitting around this morning enjoying my day......thinking about what I wanted to sew on this time, picking out thread colors, tone on tones, even cleaning my machine.....when the phone rang.....it was at this point that the little devil on my left shoulder whispered....don't answer it.....yes that sounded like a plan........but that silly phone just kept on ringing........the good angel on my right shoulder whispered.....what if it's your mom or the boys....they could need your help..........evil angel chimed in with........but this is your day to do whatever you want.....remember???.....

What a dilemma.....to answer or not to answer, that is the question.

Unfortunately, I answered the darn thing to the following conversation.....Mom..."Uh, we're going to have company in a few minutes, do you have anything 'they' can eat".......Me....dead silence...followed by a bumping noise where I'm knocking my head against the nearest wall.........Mom...."Are you there?"........Me...bad angel whispers.....made some static noise and hang up....followed by good angel....she'll know..........!#~$%^&*(}~......Me...."Yes mother, I'm here"......unfortunately whispered under my breath...........

Long story...short......mom brought some cousins up to my house to visit (mom doesn't cook for herself very much these days...that's my jog..which I really don't mind) because they hadn't seem me since I was a baby.....boy have they been out of touch......anyway, I made Tuna Salad.....

Yummy & Quick Tuna Salad

chop half an onion

chop one Delicious Apple ...2 if you really love them

boil and chop 2 eggs

chop one jalapeno pepper (optional)

chop one half bell pepper

2 large cans Tuna in water, drained

mayonnaise

1/2 cup chopped pecans 

Mix everything except mayo, well in a large bowl.

Add several tablespoons of mayo....I really can't tell you how much. It's as desired.

Salt & Pepper to taste.

Serve as sandwiches with chips or over thickly sliced tomato...Yum!

I would show you the end results but the cousins ate it all up.

OMG!  Enough said.