Winter is Here

I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, 

that it kisses them so gently? 

And then it covers them up snug, you know, 

with a white quilt; and perhaps it says, 

"Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.” 

~ Lewis Carroll~

We awakened to snow this morning. It was forecast to begin yesterday afternoon, but started at some point during the night. As I'm writing this, it has been falling for hours, in big fat flakes. Perhaps later, I'll get outside and take some pictures. It seems like a good day for sewing and baking, doesn't it?

On the bread-baking front, recall the seed culture from yesterday. It had risen more than 50%, as it was supposed to do.

Also, there were lots of bubbles, indicating the fermentation taking place...also a very good sign.

Yesterday's task was to discard half of what I had (or give it to someone else...any takers?), and then add another cup of flour mixed with half a cup of water. Here's how it looked when I pressed it back into the container.

I moved the tape to measure its rise...although, looking at this image, I could take better aim. 

After that, I went about my day's business. Mainly, I did housework and cooked up a Dutch oven dinner. It always makes the house smell so good, but it's usually a bit of a production. The only task completed in the sewing room was to get the first stitchery block ready for the "Summer Holiday" quilt. This quilt is the creation of Lynette Anderson. Her primitive drawings are so sweet.

I've made two of her quilts in the past...a doll quilt that I called "For the Birds". This one was swapped in a doll quilt swap.

And "A Kitten's Tale". This is one of Mike's favorite quilts, and it was one of my first embroidered quilts.

When I made those quilts, I became painfully aware of how difficult it is to embroider through fusible applique. Heat 'n Bond is my favorite fusible, but I decided to use Wonder Under this time around, thinking (incorrectly) that it's a softer fusible and it might be easier to stitch through. Well. It continues to be frustratingly difficult to remove the paper backing without having the fusible come off as well. It works better with tightly woven fabrics, like batiks. For the more loosely woven dog fabric on this quilt, it gave me fits. The dog frayed pretty badly at the edges. I think it will be fine, but I'm second guessing myself on the use of Wonder Under. (Yes, I know the pin trick...it still came off in crumb-sized pieces.)

This morning I got a start on the stitching. It's no easier to stitch through than Heat 'n Bond, but it was worth a try. The satin stitching is done, and that's a good thing.

Checking in on the seed culture, it was supposed to have doubled in volume today. Clearly, it has quite a way to go. The book advises me to wait another 24 hours before the final addition, and so I will. No rush.

Bubbles have appeared, and so it is fermenting. Possibly our colder temperatures have made the difference.

It might be a good day to bake some cinnamon swirl bread, because this falling snow puts me in a powerful mood for baking something.

When I last worked on the Summer Holiday quilt, I posted this picture to show you that the leaves on our maple tree were just beginning to turn red. It was the beginning of September.

It's a different world out there today, for sure.

This morning I read that cold air is headed over the North Pole from Siberia...something to do with the "Polar Vortex," which always sounds suspiciously like "Sharknado" to me. In any case, stay warm and dry out there, my friends. There's a cold wind coming.