Family Vacation

Sorry I've been absent for a few days. We have been on our family vacation to the Bay Area in California where I was raised.
I've not been able to get my lap top to connect up at my brother's house in the mountains of Santa Cruz, and today have had to hunt down a library to be able to connect.

I love coming home. I love the weather, the terrain, and most importantly being with my family.
On our drive from Utah to California, I'm always so happy when we reach Pacheco Pass, which is the southern most part of the San Francisco Bay Area.
I love to stop at the fruit stands along the Pass, and buy fresh cherries, peaches, apricots, or other delicious fruits.

Pacheco Pass was originally home to the Ausaymus Indians. Once the California Missions started dotting the area, this was a trail used by the Padres. By 1848 when the Gold Rush hit, the Pass was the main travel route between the coast and the mines.

Now this area is mainly agricultural, lined with rows of fruit and nut trees, and other produce.

This area is also known as Casa de Fruta. or "House of Fruit".

Most of the road side stands look like this one.

Mr. Cactus and I always purchase a lot of variety of items including fruits, nuts and even garlic.

Garlic is mainly grown in the town of Gilroy, also known as the Garlic Capitol of the World.
Gilroy has a Garlic Festival every summer, and one of the road side stands was even selling Garlic Ice cream. (no, I didn't try it.)

Garlic is nutritionally considered to be antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal. Some claim it helps prevent heart disease. It can thin the blood and have the same effect as an aspirin.

Yes, it does have the side effect of giving bad breath, but our family loves to cook with garlic, and it's often included in sauces and stews. My children love garlic bread the best.

The smell of garlic as we were driving through Gilroy was very potent! Almost enough to lift us out of our seats!

They had just finished harvesting the garlic in the fields.

I remember as a child knowing when a semi truck of garlic from Gilroy was heading down the freeway, because I could smell it coming.

Right across from the garlic fields we saw vineyards with several variety of grapes.

Most of the world renown wineries are more north in the Napa Valley, but there are other spots in the Bay Area that grow grapes too.

Some are used for juice, jelly's and raisins.

Our biggest draw for coming home was to meet up with our three daughters who flew in from Arizona and Salt Lake City.

Daughter #1 had a birthday and wanted to spend the day in San Francisco. More about that tomorrow.

Mumbo Gumbo

I've been a Mumbo-ing. And I've been a Gumbo-ing. Cutting and sewing lots and lots of strips from my stash. Today I finally got the entire quilt put together.

This could be called a "free quilt" because everything came from left over scraps of fabrics.
Nothing matches. This is about as random of fabric selection as you will ever get.

I've been saving my scraps for years. This quilt truly mixed the old with the new.

With this entire top completed, why does my scrap bin still look so full? I think I have enough left over strips to make many Mumbos and Gumbos.

I will be teaching this class up at Bryce next February. I am more than willing to offer my leftovers to my class. Do you think they will have plenty of their own, or do you think some people might want to pull from my bin?

Or do you think I should offer bags of leftover strips to who ever is interested? Maybe as a Give Away? I am really happy to share.

Mumbo Gumbo by Pie In The Sky Quilts.

Superior Threads Newsletter

Many of you know I work for a wonderful company called Superior Threads. Often people call me, or e-mail me asking questions about the best thread to use for their projects. I have learned so much this last year about thread. Superior carries over 2,000 products, and every time I go into work I feel like I learn something new. It's one of the things that makes working for them so exciting. They are constantly improving, growing and adding new products.
I feel one of the best resources for learning about Superior's products is Bob's Newsletter. It's so easy to sign up for, and will be e-mailed to you each month.

To subscribe to Superior Threads Newsletter, simply go to www.superiorthreads.com
On the blue menu bar at the top you will see the word "Newsletter". Click on that.
The first page will appear and will show the words "Subscribe". All you have to do is type in your e-mail address. Type it in again to confirm you e-mail address and submit.
Not only will you learn about Superior Threads products, and how to use them, but you will get to read Bob's jokes. I hear comments all the time about how much people love his humor.

Another way to read more in depth description of Superior Threads products is through their blog "Mother Superior's Blog". You can find the blog along the top of the blue menu bar also when visiting their website, or you can find it HERE. I have their blog listed on my side bar with all the other blogs I follow.
One of the fun things they are doing on the blog is "Texture Magic Tuesday". Every Tuesday they show a new project or idea in using Texture Magic. Sometimes it will be from their designers, and sometimes it will be from the public that have sent in pictures.
Make sure to sign up for the Newsletter and Blog if you haven't already!

Changing Lanes Finished

I received my red and black quilt back from the quilters, and today I finished the binding.

The pattern is called Changing Lanes by Pressed For Time Quiltworks (Mary Hubka)

Designed exclusively for Pincushion Boutique.

If you are looking for a fast, easy quilt to make, I had this one together in less than 2 days.

I started out with some fat quarters from the line Black, White and Red All Over by Windham fabrics.

Here is a little tip I learned from Heather Purcell (Mother Superior) of Superior Threads. She suggested that when you have a geometric quilt with straight lines, use a circular pattern when quilting. That way the two patterns won't fight with each other.

I tried to take a close up of the stitching. Can you see the pattern? If not, click on the picture to enlarge and it will show up clearer.

ODE To Scorpion

Nobody told me that when we decided to build a home in St. George, Utah right up next to the stunning red cliffs, with the blue, blue sky overhead.....

...with all the privacy of the desert Reserve for our backyard....

...that if we put in a pool, it would become the water source for every desert critter for miles around. OK, I can handle an occasional Gila Monster, or wolf, and packs of chipmunks traipsing through the yard. I'm perfectly happy to let them stay outside, because after all, we are in their territory. But I draw the line when they come into my house.
When the temperatures go over triple digits they think they ought to become part of the family.

I woke up the other morning and before my feet hit the floor, I noticed this.
Mr. Cactus had to rescue me BIG TIME.
I mentioned he'd better be considering relocation. I don't think scorpions live in Alaska do they?
Mr. Cactus tried to calm me down.
"Think of the gift that could come from this situation," he said, "I think scorpions eat THE RATS don't they?"
Ha, ha, ha, Mr. Cactus. Try again.

My pest control guy is now on speed dial, and he's been absolutely wonderful to come out and spray repeatedly, inside and out. He shakes his head and says, "Never seen anything like this. Even your neighbors don't have this problem. But, we'll take care of it!"
Sounded good, until last night I walked into Paul's bedroom and saw this right under his drum set.
As teenage boys go, he didn't care. He thinks my hyperventilation is out of proportion. He even quoted back to me something I've said to HIM a million times: "Now Mom, remember, how you feel is 90% attitude, and 10% circumstance."

ODE TO SCORPION

I do not like them, Sam I am.

I do not like them scor-pi-an.

I do not like them on my floor.

I just can't take it anymore.

I do not like them in Paul's room.

I think I'm going nuts quite soon.

I do not like them in my house.

I think I'd rather have a stinky mouse.

And I won't even talk about the 4 field mice that have been recently caught in my laundry room, in the hallway, in the garage.....