Will summer ever slow down? {{another update - LONG}}

Truly, no complaints about the long FILLLLLLED days of summer around here, but I'm really wondering if I'll allow myself to just SIT and relax for more than one day!

The highlight of this past week was some quilting-skyping time with Nancy, albeit, we had to pencil it into the schedule a few days prior!!!

But, OH so productive!!!!

I finished off the yellow June RSC14 block and managed to cut up and piece the July red RSC14 block.  I thought for sure I'd taken a picture of them, but nope.... not on my phone.  I guess I'll have to lay out all the blocks later on and get a picture of all 7 so far.  Between all the giggling conversation, I'm surprised I didn't make a mistake on the July block;  thankfully it was pretty mindless piecing.

With oodles of WIPs scattered around the room, I wasn't sure what to work on (mindlessly) while chatting away with Nancy.  I had started cleaning/organizing the room the other day (HA!!!! right?!?!?), so I simply grabbed some bonus HSTs that were scattered on a shelf to piece up some bonus pinwheels.  Trimmed to 3.5" unfinished.

Then I finished piecing up some stored 4-patches and 9-patches

And while searching around for the next mindless tidying task, I started sorting through a pile of scraps at the edge of my cutting table.......

LOOOOOOK what was buried!!!!!!

FIVE blades!!!!! Holy moly!   LOL.  

So, here's the BEFORE picture of the sewing room --- there simply isn't an AFTER (yet).

But while reorganizing, I saw piles of fabric that I simply was NEVER going to use in a quilt -- they just aren't quilt-worthy;  slippery, heavy, ... just not nice for quilts. 

They worked PERFECTLY for a rag rug, though.  So, Angela..... the entire time I was working on this rug, I was thinking......."this should world for the RSC14, right??  I certainly burned through a fair amount of scrap fabrics with this!" ;)

And then I got into a rug obsession...

This one was created with some garage sale yarns that my mother gifted to me.  Candace is grabbing this one for hers and Caitlyn's room.

But my FAVORITE is this gem.  While out on Ravelry the other day (Wednesday), I saw this pattern [Mandala Rug] and was instantly motivated and inspired.   That afternoon, I picked up some yarns before heading to and appointment for Cassie.  That night, in front of the TV with the family, I started it.  I finished it the next morning and blocked it to a 32" diameter.  I used 2 strands of Red Heart Super Saver on each rounds; different combinations of colors for various rounds too.  VERY happy with this finish!!!

And Caitlyn was/IS determined to learn how to knit!!!  Last week, she had asked me about knitting;  I know nothing!  One morning a few days later, I walked into the living room to find her watching YouTube videos, and using some brand new sharpened PENCILS as her knitting needles.  I think it's time to go shopping for her, huh?  ;)

And, as always.... the life of this hobby farm keeps us busy!

Big Mama was walking the tightrope.  I'm so partial to her;  she's MOST DEFINITELY my favorite!  I can't wait to see what her three chicks (of the 13 hatchlings) end up looking like.  

The incubator was started up again;  Pekin duck eggs this time.  I've learned NOT to wash the eggs prior to setting them because of the protective coating.  They were set on Wednesday (7/16);  their due date is Wednesday, August 13.  

Our lawn mower was on the repair list for a few weeks.  In the meantime, we were tying out the goats from time to time.  These girls USED to roam freely on the property, BUT they started eating our berry bushes, which is NOT okay.  They are now kept in the enlarged (former) pig pen, and they spend their days roaming with the two Pekin ducks.  

The mower was FINALLY fixed this past week, so Cassie spent much of the next day mowing the lawn.  She and I took turns raking the yarn with our Lawn Sweeper....

And we started stacking, and stacking, and stacking the grass into a huge mound.  Good golly!  The goats will have food to come for the next few months!  This was the mound about halfway through the 'sweeping' process.  In the end, we guesstimated we had enough grass in our pile(s!) that would equate to 2-3 big roundbales of hay.  With a little bit of math, we determined we saved about $40-60 by doing this, rather than searching out hay from local farmers for the winter months.  The piles have been reshaped, remounded, and tarped off for the time-being.  

And now, Paul and I are starting to talk about a POTENTIAL future purchase to add to our lil' hobby farm.....

OMGoodness!  It's so tiny and CUTE!  I didn't realize there were MINI hay balers out there!!!! HA!

So, the lawn is finished.  And the strawberries have tapered off.  And the garden is mostly tidied and weeded and mulched, and..... just waiting to get the growin' goin' on!  You'd think I'd have some down time....but...

Now the raspberries are in full swing!  We have 7 lonnnnng rows of berries

and the berries have grown to awesome sizes!!!

This is the result of TWO of our 7 rows, and there's only so much jam a person can make!  We still have a whole case+ of raspberry jelly and syrup from the harvest last summer, so....

The berries (at this point) are being bagged up and placed in the freezer.  Plan:  WINE!  

The weather truly has been AMAZING this summer.  The temps are quite low, on average, from a typical summer (so far).  Gardening has been very enjoyable.  The tomatoes are finally taking off;  I think we only have 25 plants this year.

So there ya have it.  Another week of highlights around the Skattebo Ranch.

Today, I THINK I want to actually relax!  That's what Sundays are meant for after all, right?

Happy Sunday!!!