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Monday, August 12, 2013

Fruitarama!

This was the weekend of the Fruit.  Friday was planned to be our annual blueberry pickathon, but a steady downpour (all.day.long) bumped it to Saturday morning.  Marianne couldn't join us, so Melanie and I drove off at the crap of dawn on the hour-long drive up to the blueberry farm.  It was a perfect day for blueberry picking - clear skies, gentle breeze, low humidity. 

I managed to break my all-time record in 2011 of 12 lbs of berries.  I picked 15.2# of blueberries off of five bushes!  We then drove down to Marianne's to relieve her poor, over-burdened plum tree of plums - another 8# joined the blues.  Then there were the pears.  Another 8#.  Then there were the three 5-gallon buckets of apple falls from my neighbor, Nancy's tree.

I suppose it's rather obvious what I did all weekend, right?  I managed to freeze all the blueberries and dry a good portion of the plums.  I also discovered zucchini fritters, which had me in the kitchen most of the weekend.  Poor me.  :)

I am in the process of going through the apple falls.  The gnarly ones are going to the sheep, llama, goats and chickens.  Norman is afraid of apples so far.

And speaking of the lad, we (I) had a regular sheep rodeo yesterday.  Normie's coat was chafing - they outgrow them as their fleece grows in volume - so it was time to put him in a larger size.  It wasn't pretty.  I thought that getting the old one off would be more difficult than putting the new one on.  Not so.  It also was very clear that Norman is no Icelandic sheep, those nice, short, 'fluffy' sheep.  No, Norman is all legs and bucking bronco.  Thank god for tree cover so that no one was subjected to the spectacle we created.  I did, however, prevail in both cases and he is sporting a new, clean, sage-green coat with ample growth room.  His previous owner has entered his fleece in the county fair, so I am excited to see how it does.  It looks wonderful!

In the process of cleaning, freezing and packaging all those blueberries, a few broke free of their bonds and ended up on the kitchen floor.  Where I stepped on them and dragged them around.  All over my nice, clean kitchen rug.  Sigh.  BUT WAIT!!!  I had forgotten about UFO #46 -- yes, it's still an UFO, but it's finished state is now within view. 

It works out to 3 squares down, by 5 squares across

Should be colorful! (And easier to hide
smooshed blueberries...)
I had forgotten all about #46 until I stumbled across the squares I had finished.  I decided to finish one a night until I had enough (15) and then Melanie came over on a Sunday night and we worked out the pattern.  Now all I have left to do is to steam each square and lash them together.  Piece of cake.  It should only take me until 2015...

21 comments:

Michelle said...

Great rug! Were the squares done on a looper loom? I've been knee-deep in peaches here; thankfully, my prunes aren't quite ready.

Tombstone Livestock said...

Maybe 2014, if you wait too long you will forget you have it, I have projects I put away, and out of site out of mind, LOL

Janice Grinyer said...

the domestic fruity goddess strikes again..."where ever she goes -leaving behind a strong scent of blueberries and ...sheep..."

Susan said...

Michelle - Yes, I call it my potholder rug. The loops are made from remnants of the popular mismatched cotton socks. It was fun to make.

Susan said...

TL - Yes, that is so true. I can trip over something for months and not focus on it. I hate to think of all the projects that I have forgotten. Maybe I should put that on my winter to-do list. If I remember... :)

Susan said...

GWFW - And what a popular scent that would be in some circles... no?

Janice Grinyer said...

well, you certainly would be belle of the ball in Newell, south dakota...

http://www.cityofnewell.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=228&Itemid=158

Janice Grinyer said...

and dont ask me what the sheep teepee'ing finals are... im afraid to find out...

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

I love the rug.

Mama Pea said...

Seven hundred nineteen pounds of fruit processed in a weekend. You never do anything in a small way, do you?

Had to laugh at you saying Norm is afraid of apples. (Hey, maybe he had a bad experience involving an apple tree once, who knows? Or maybe it was under an apple tree.)

I do love your rug. 'Course, anything made of bright colors appeals to me. I think it will be bee-yew-tiful. And finished much sooner than 2015.

Sandy Livesay said...

You sure out did yourself with picking those berries, plums, and apples. I love the squares you've prepared for your rug. I'm pretty sure you'll have it done before 2015.

Carolyn said...

Norman is just, well, not so "Normal".

And are you telling me that you just couldn't drop a few more blueberries on the rug, smoosh them in & make it look like you made a naturally dyed, modern art looking kitchen rug? I know that's what I would'a done.

But I do like your newly rediscovered soon-to-be-finished rug. Very colorful...and stain-hiding.

Unknown said...

Lots of fruit! Norman should be proud- Mom is talkng such good care of him:) Photos please, when you have a minute!

Susan said...

Kristina, thank you~!

Susan said...

Mama Pea - Something devilish with apples must have shaken poor Norman. But he seems to have been raised as a - gasp - sheep. Mine, however, are more sheeple than sheep and expect and demand treats every time they see me. I am sure that Norman will see the light... :)

It is going to be nice - and sturdy. I am hoping to steam the squares this week and then, dare I say, finish it next week?

Susan said...

Thanks, Sandy! I think I now have enough fruit (except for applesauce) to keep me through the winter.

Susan said...

Carolyn - Yes, he is a pip. Rather on the high-strung side, I'd say. You know, I never thought about that. Maybe I'll give it a go tonight when I have to peel and grate a ship-load of roasted beets! You are such an inspiration... :)

Susan said...

LHB - You'd think that he would have been greatful for a clean coat with room to grow! I will definitely take pics this week. While his coat is still clean!

Candy C. said...

What a haul on all the fruit and you are such a good girl to take care of it promptly! Love the newly re-discovered rug project, can't wait to see it all finished and hiding blueberry stains! :)

D.Hausmann said...

Sounds like the sheep rodeo was a struggle, but I really liked the fruit preservation. I love fruit, all fruit.

Leigh said...

What a fantastic idea for those "potholder" squares. And I love that you put up so much fruit. That will be a real treat this winter.