pick up the paintbrush!

This picture should be labeled "Before", since it will be changing over the next few days into a finished serving platter for Brita and Ben. Let me explain--at Saturday's bridal shower, I brought along an unpainted pottery platter and all the guests (well, anybody who chose to participate) contributed a squiggle or a flower or initials in one of the squares. This morning I took it back to the Paint Pot in Plymouth and finished up by painting over the drawn lines. Now it will be glazed and fired and transformed into a wonderful memento with some practical use. It was a fun project for the shower guests and something for Brita to always remember. The Paint Pot was a great little shop and workspace, giving me the tips and advice and paints that I needed to make this project successful. Thanks!

The witches are flying

The witchy ladies are flying on out of here--finally! This quilt isn't huge but sure seemed to stretch on for a long time due to many interruptions. Of course, the interruptions were for some very fun and important things, like weekends away and visits from kids and wedding showers! So here is the quilt:

And here is a glimpse at the shower:

Brita and Molly, who hosted the shower and is the Maid of Honor

Grandma Sally, Aunt Ruth and Grandma Ruth

It was nice enough to enjoy the backyard, which was gorgeous with all the flowers planted there. Even though it was a very hot and muggy weekend, we needed the outdoor space to have all the guests seated for brunch. This was a combined group of high school friends, college friends and family from all over, all together in one smashing party for Brita. I was amazed at all the beautiful and generous gifts that were shared, what a testament to the love and support for Ben and Brita as they build their life together. Thank you so much to Molly, Katie, Barb and all the others who helped out, I really appreciate all the time and effort. The shower was followed by a night out in Minneapolis for the bride and 6 bridesmaids, of which no pictures will be shared! I did accompany them for awhile to serve as photographer and cheerleader, but I have no idea of what happened after I excused myself about 6:00 and that's the way it should be! They are a fantastic group of friends and truly wonderful people, all living positive and productive lives. Can it get any better than that??!! Oh wait, yes, I get to see them all again in October!

I'm his #1 fan!

Just got done listening to my amazing son, Dan, speaking on Sirius radio! He was interviewed by a talkshow radio host on the Martha Stewart radio network during a segment about festivals. Each Friday they talk to someone around the country about a local festival, and Dan was promoting the Mammoth Festival that is happening this weekend. I have to say that I think he did a good job of thinking on the fly to come up with the best responses to the host's questions in an accurate and understandable way. I don't normally listen to Sirius but Dan tipped me that I could get a free trial so I signed up for that in order to catch his talkshow experience. Now I just wish I could go to the festival! Wine, food, music, art and mountains--how good can it get?!

As I'm listening, I'm cooking berries and it smells delicious! I am preparing them for the sangria that I will be serving tomorrow at the bridal shower brunch for Brita, a very special event for us! Brita and Ben are "home" this weekend for golf and girlfriends. Ben is enjoying an annual tournament of friends, 24 golfers from all around the country that flock back to St. Paul/Minneapolis to enjoy the heat and humidity. Since Tiger Woods and other greats are also in the area for the PGA tournament, maybe they should plan a little get-together? Sounds like Ben had a good showing yesterday, maybe he could pass along a few tips to Tiger to help him get his game on! As for the girlfriends part of the weekend, Brita is going to be the recipient of showers of happiness followed by a night out on the town with her bridesmaids-to-be. Molly, marvelous maid of honor, is hosting the brunch at her cute house in St. Paul. I am trying to help out by bringing an adult beverage, a concoction that I have been developing. This stems from a white wine sangria I tasted last spring which has now been modified and named the Minnesota Mixer. Want to sample it for yourself? Here's what you do:

Mix 3 parts chardonnay, 1 part gin, 1 part mixed berry puree, 1 part 7up or sprite, and 1/2 part simple syrup. Pour over ice and enjoy! I am using the frozen assorted berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc.) and cooking them a little to get them softened. Then I puree them in the food processor and then through a strainer to eliminate the seeds. A little bit of work, but worth not having seeds stuck in my teeth!

Hope you are enjoying this fine summer day! I would like to be quilting but need to finish up these berries, take my car to the mechanic to see if they can tell me why the carpet is soaking wet, and then take Bob shopping for new dress-up clothes. Maybe tomorrow I'll get back to the witches!

What's on the frame today

It's been a little witchy around here lately as I am having some fun quilting up these broom-riding babes. Witchy Woman Nancy pieced this quilt from the Buggy Barn book "Frightfully Crazy". Very clever construction and legs that dangle! Lots of homespun plaids mixed with other appropriate purple, black, grey and green fabrics. Should have it done before too long and I think it might show up on the Bear Patch fall class schedule.

The fruits of Bob's labors

A shift has occurred in our gardening habits at the Hansen house over the past few years. Used to be I was the gardener, couldn't resist getting into the dirt. Bob was my go-to guy for the heavy work part of the gardening, lifting and toting, fetching and hauling. Gradually, I have become less enchanted with the garden work, although still drawn in by the need to get my hands dirty now and then. Maybe it was the recurrent end-of-the-summer feeling of having had enough of the picking and weeding that just wasn't fun anymore, and no one else seemed to care if they had fresh green beans for dinner or not. But Bob has stepped up his game and taken charge of the vegetable gardening (hallelujah!) and doing a fine job! This morning I have been taking care of tasks at home on this fine summer day, can't resist showing you:

Zucchini and green beans picked

cherry tomatoes starting to ripen

basil awaiting the transformation to yummy pesto and a little acorn squash

We still get some nocturnal visits from neighborhood deer, we never see the critters but they like to nibble the tops off the green beans. Deer repellent works as long as someone remembers to put it on now and then. But all in all, we are having a good summer for produce in the back yard!

I made 2 batches of pesto last night, one using the traditional pine nuts and the other with walnuts so we can do a comparison. I just made a yummy bowl of pasta for lunch using rotini, tomatoes and calamata olives with a heaping spoonful of the pine nut pesto. Here's my pesto concoction: 4 c. packed fresh basil leaves, 3 T. toasted pine nuts (or walnuts), 3 tsp. minced garlic, 1/2 c. shredded parmesan cheese and 1/2 c. olive oil. Put it all in the food processor and let it chop until there are no chunks left. I plan to make some to freeze, but for now I just put it in a plastic container (with plastic wrap pressed down to the surface to slow down the oxidation that makes it turn darker color) and have it refrigerated.

The beans are always greener on the other side of the fence

One of the prettiest sights I can imagine is the rows of beans and corn spreading across the acres of lush farmland. The heartland. The nation's breadbasket. Home sweet home. Even though I love the lakes, the mountains, the coast, I consider myself lucky to have come from the rich black dirt of northwest Iowa. My dad asked me if I remember when he used to pull me and my sister, Jan, in a little red wagon tied with a rope behind the tractor as he cultivated the fields. I absolutely have no memory of this, my explanation is that I must have had a head injury from bouncing around in the wagon! Or maybe the head injury was incurred during all those years before seat belts existed! Or when we rigged up a trapeze with a metal pipe and baling twine in the haymow, until it collapsed with a direct hit on the head? Or when we dug tunnels into the snowpiles, ready to cave in when the temperature warmed? It's a miracle any of us survived!