Crazy Quilt

I started a Crazy Quilt made from flannel at the "Ladies of the Lake Quilt retreat in 2010.  I pieced it all during the retreat and then brought it home a added the back.  There it sat for almost 2 years.  My intentions were good but there are always new projects.  This spring I quilted it on my machine and yesterday I decided to finish it.  I sewed the edge of the border on and then hand sewed the other side of the border.  It is done and I am wondering what took so long.  It will be nice and warm for someone to sleep under this winter.

Blueberry Cupcakes

Sunday was an absolutely beautiful day in Iowa.  The weather was cool and the urge to bake something came over me.  I did it - there were fresh blueberries in my refrigerator just begging to be used so I made blueberry cupcakes.  They were just yummy.

Blueberry Cupcakes

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour minus 4 tablespoons
4 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup (2 sticks)butter, cut into 1-inch cubes; room temperature
4 large eggs
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 ½ cups fresh blueberries plus
2 tablespoons flour

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners and set aside. In the bowl combine flours, cornstarch, sugar, and baking powder; mix on low speed until combined. Add butter, mixing until just coated with flour.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla. With mixer on medium speed, add wet ingredients in 3 parts. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl before each addition. Beat the batter until ingredients are thoroughly combined, but do not overbeat.
3. In a medium bowl, gently toss the blueberries with 2 tablespoons of flour, the carefully fold the blueberries in the batter. 4. Use a large scoop to divide batter evenly among liners, filling about 2/3 full. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 18 to 22 minutes.
4. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat process with remaining batter.

 I added a little butter cream frosting to each one when they were cooled.

Did we win the Lottery?

I think it has been 20 years since they have put blacktop on the streets of Moorland. It is such a small town and just like other small towns it lacks the finances to keep things up. Yesterday our ship came in. We are grinning all over the place.

State Fair 2012

Friday, August 17, Ronnie and I headed for the Iowa State Fair. We had a great time and managed to make it to the 4H building, the horse barns and show, varied industries, quilt and threads room, agricultural building, pioneer village and the cultural building. So much to see and so little time. It seems like we can never get to everything before we are just worn out.

 The food was amazing as always and I failed to get pictures of any of it. I guess we were too busy eating. We had corn dogs, cheese curds, cinnamon rolls, strawberry shakes and of course pork chops.
Each year people from around the state paint concrete pieces to set around the fair. This year the theme was ice cream cones and some were very unique. It was fun to seek them out to see all the different ideas.

Of course no fair is complete without the WHO TV kernel vote for the next president.