Jason and Mamie had the greatest fish fry........................

It began down at the irrigation lake where the normally 22 acre lake had been pumped down to less than 2 acres...............................but the same amount of fish were living in it.  They were hungry, so catching them was easy..............................and they were big.  I think Laine caught the biggest bass...................it had to be 5 pounds!  They caught many many bass.

This is Laine's huge bass...............poor Laine, he has no front teeth!  He is always the best fisherman!

Bethany and Shea got thirsty.  Shea was the net girl.  When someone caught a fish they would yell for her to come with the net to bring the fish to shore.

Steward caught this huge mess of bass.

After the big catch,  everyone moved over to Jason and Mamie's house.  Shea saddled Amigo for the kids to ride.  She is such a big girl.  Bethany wanted to  be the first to ride, so she helped Shea saddle Amigo.

Bradley found some wheels to ride.

Jacob had to tow Laine and his tractor.

Dallas is always playing on the periphery..............you know.................the big kids don't really want to play with him, but they let him play "among" them.  He doesn't care.  He is such a happy boy!

Jason smoked some of the bass and they were wonderful!  Jason and Mamie know how to throw a party.  They food came out of the fryer and off the grill and everyone dived in, eating with their fingers.  Fun!

Kim, Andrew, Stuart and Greg stood around tasting the victuals

Shea led Bethany on Amigo.  What fun!

Amigo is so good She is 18 years old.

Dixie wanted in on the action.  She was licking the smoked fish off of the basket.  I felt sorry for her so I shared my meal with her when no one was looking.  No wonder she comes running when I show up!

We deep fried everything.....................fish, hush puppies, onion rings, potatoes.  Bethany and Jacob's Dad , Ed, was trying new fries....................he battered and fried a chocolate chip cookie, a ball of my broccoli rice casserole.  I got to thinking about that.  I wonder what a marshmallow would do if it were deep fried?

Do you think Bradley liked Amigo?

Laine led Amigo around while Bradley enjoyed the ride.

Then it was Laine's turn but he needed a little help from his best bud, Shea, to get up.  It was a wonderful party.  I don't know who had the most fun, the kids, the adults, Amigo, or Dixie,...................or me.

I finally sewed together...................

the 36 vintage blocks made from 30's fabrics and I really like it.  It makes me feel good to know that I "rescued" and finished something someone lovingly hand pieced so many years ago.   I was showing this to my neighbor, Marilyn, and she quickly ran and retrieved a box that contained a quilt made by her grandmother.  It was the exact same pattern and also made of 30's fabrics.  She didn't know how to finish the edges, so I think I can figure out how to do it and will help her finish her's as well.  I am also dyeing fabric today, still working on gradations of flesh colored fabric.  It's a beautiful day to be hanging fabric on the line.

Hatton Community Club today....................

was attended by 80 people!  While Jason was planting at the Jones farm today, most of the other farmers of our community were at the dinner.   Our farms are sloping and we no till, so we can usually get into the fields before other farmers who farm a lot of flat ground.  There were so many people at the dinner today that Mamie and I and the kids ate outside on the picnic table because by the time we went through the line the tables were filled.  It is so nice to have community dinner like we have.  It is so good to see neighbors and enjoy all the wonderful food that the ladies (and some men) bring. It has been cloudy all day.  I left my clothes hanging on my line, not knowing if they would get rained on before I got home, but they were fine.  Planting season  is such a wonderful time of year.

Wow! have I been busy!

It just  seems that I get busier and busier........................therefore, not much blogging.  Monday I went to my scalloped edge workshop and my guild meeting.  I didn't leave the meeting until about 3:30.  I didn't realize it was that late, because the presentation on Amish quilts was so interesting. 

Tuesday I cooked all day.  I decided that I wanted to help Mamie and Rachel more.  Mamie is home schooling their kids and  Rachel is teaching at a preschool five days a week..  I made 2 TexMex Chicken and Rice Cassaroles, 2 Beef Stuffed Pasta Shells dishes with my homemade Marinara Sauce, a large pot of vegetable beef soup, and cut up and buttered 2 loaves of French Bread for them to put in their freezers.  I kept a small dish of each to put in my freezer for me..................cooking for yourself is no fun.

 On Wednesday I went to Rachel's to give Jilli a day at home.  We had a great time.  She wanted to swing, so we went to the park and she played on all the great fun equipment.  I also washed all of Rachel's dishes, we   met Mom at Subway for dinner, made a batch of rolls and some Pigs In the Blanket.  I also made mashed potatoes and green beans to go with Pigs for supper.  I froze 2 pans of rolls for Rachel and cut up and fried a huge round steak so she could use it for fajitas.  Garrett helped me with the rolls when he got home.  He had a great time with his rolls. He told me  to take them home and leave them outside for the coyotes to eat.  Funny

 Today I sat down and registered for the AQS Show at Paducah.  Mom and I will be going to a trunk show on 30's quilts, a lecture on an easy method for making NY Beauty blocks, and will be learning to make mitered squares and corners.   I am taking a workshop on drawing feathers.  We will be going to the Awards Ceremony, the National Quilt Museum..........................and of course, the quilt show.  I can hardly wait.  It is always so much fun.   Yes, we will also make ourselves go to Hancocks to shop for fabric.  If you haven't registered for the show and all the the wonderful happenings of quilt week......................do so, and soon, before classes fill up.

Jason also came in and we figured out how much fertilizer we are going to need this spring.  At noon I went to our community club dinner.  It is always great to share a meal with my neighbors.  Mamie was hostess and she made her wonderful Lasagna..............it is to die for!  I had to get some prescriptions filled, so I ran to Columbia, went to the books store for some R and R and then to Aldis for a few groceries.  I am finally home.   Hopefully tomorrow will be a day at home.    Maybe I can do some serious blogging tomorrow.

Amish quilt pieced!

I pieced my little Amish quilt for the auction on Monday.  Think I'll hand quilt it............or try, anyway.

Iowa

Do you remember American Gothic, by
Grant Wood?  Grant Wood was an American Regionalist that painted scenes from life in Iowa.  I really love his work.  My friend, Marilyn and I were in SE and Central Iowa this weekend and we were driving through this little town and I saw a sign that said, "American Gothic House".  Without even asking Marilyn----I was driving her car, I turned to follow the signs.  This is what we saw:

It was, indeed, the house with the Gothic window-----a rare scene in Iowa.  I really loved central Iowa.  We stayed on a farm and the land was very flat, dotted with farms with huge old white farmhouses and big barns on them.  The people were so lovely...................I think I would move there in a minute!  We also saw this:

a buffalo.........................

that allowed me to walk up to him and give him a bite of prairie grass. ..........and...................

a windmill in Pella just down the street from a quilt shop where I bought.....................

this panel to make a fall table covering.  I won't mention the other fabric  I bought.

more photos

more photos

The Burns' are back in town

Joe, Rhonda, and Isaac Burns moved to Oklahoma last Spring and they were back here for the weekend and told us to join them for dinner last night.  It was great seeing them, especially Isaac. who is really growing and changing.  He is just so cute.  Rachel and Jillian met me at the interstate and we drove in together. Jason, Mamie, Laine, Shea, and Dallas came too.  We had a great time with old friends ( I watched Joey grow up).  We went to Chevy's and told the staff that Rachel had a birthday Saturday.....................she was so delighted with her birthday sombrero.  The little ones wanted to run around and it was quite wild.  Jilli did not want to sit in her chair, so I put her on my lap and gave her a fork.  She likes to feed herself, but I guess she wasn't hungry because she got to slinging my food around.  Pretty soon Jason asked me, "Do you know you have food in your hair?"  Needless to say, I put her down and let her run around.  Isaac was really good.  He wanted to run around too.  Dallas was wanting to be with his Mommy, Shea was sitting with her Daddy and Laine was devouring enchiladas.  It was fun.