It really did snow!

Quilting Retreat at Kettenum

Once again I am attending the quilting retreat at the Kettunen Center in Tustin, near Cadillac, Michigan. The group is a little smaller this time....about 34 quilters from around the m id-Michigan area.  We left spring like weather at home and woke here this morning to snow and an accumulation of about 3-4 inches!  I have been working on several projects this weekend.  The quilt top I would like to finish is the Spools Quilt pattern (from Edyta Sitar's book).  I am making good progress.

Roast Chicken via the Crockpot

I popped a plump chicken seasoned with rosemary, paprika, salt, pepper and garlic into the crock pot this morning.  After six hours on low temperature, the chicken was fall-off-the-bone done.  But, look at the stock it made!  Wow!  That's just homemade chicken stock waiting for a hearty homemade soup!

Seafood Ravioli with Creamy Tomato Mushroom Sauce

I adapted a recipe for ravioli from the Food Network website.  Instead of lobster ravioli, I made salmon ravioli.  The ravioli filling included poached salmon, lump crab and shrimp along with ricotta cheese, shallots, butter, garlic and salt & pepper.  The sauce was made from tomato sauce, mushrooms, shallots, garlic, salt, pepper, lump crap meat with a little heavy cream for good measure.  I used won-ton wraps for the ravioli wrappers. I made the ravioli a little bigger than the usual so that ample seafood was available for each portion.  I had some filling leftover.  I think salmon patties might be on the docket for supper tomorrow!

Farmhouse Quilt

I finished this quilt top in time for the Lansing Area Patchers Quilt Show in May.  It is one of Edyta Sitar's patterns that includes both piecing and applique.  The fabrics are all batiks.

Peace River Fish Market

Today we went into Cleveland, Florida for a late lunch at the Peace River Fish Market. It's rustic.  They serve wine in little plastic cups (no NOT red solo cups!) and dinner is served in plastic baskets....but the food was delicious!  I had the grilled grouper sandwich.  It came with a small ear of sweetcorn and red potato.  I tasted the crab cake which was also sumptuous.  Lunch was made more wonderful by sitting outside and enjoying the nice breeze.

Orange You Glad You're in Florida?

I've been in Florida for the past week and enjoying the balmy weather, blue skies, unrelenting sunshine and oranges!  I've had an orange off the tree every day.  Sometimes, the orange is soaking in a Blue Moon beverage. Sometimes I eat it "just plain."  This is the orange I choose to eat today!

Behind the Beautiful Forevers

I just finished reading the book, Behind the Beautiful Forevers, by Katherine Boo.  I first read about this book in the Lansing State Journal several weeks ago. It captured my attention because the summary said the story took place in the slums of Mumbai, India.  I was very moved watching the move, City of Joy, with Patrick Swayze, which also took place in Indian slums.  I was moved, both in the book I just finished and the movie, at the human spirit, and the conditions under which humans can and do survive.  I read the Nook version of Behind the Beautiful Forevers and was fortunate to be able see snipits of home movies made by the author as she was researching the book.  It is a book I would highly recommend reading.