Random 5 for September 18, 2022 – Projects, gifts, memories, sizing, food

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I made the double window treatment earlier in the year but in the last few days I made the cornice to go over the sliding glass doors. I decided not to use a wood back as the fabric was sturdy and with a rod through the bottom, it would hang straight. Good idea with a few snafus (as there always are!).

Projects with agitation – When I was younger, I could bounce around several projects at the same time. Not anymore especially if one is a project with agitation. That is a project that should be easy but is more complicated than you expect. It requires thinking. Lots of thinking. There are some fails along the way requiring a redo of at least a part of it. If I am doing one of these, I have enough trouble finding the brain cells to brush my teeth. All TV must be mindless (like there is any other kind in my house!). Don’t want to overbook either. I can’t lose focus. Dinner plans can throw me off! I finished one of these this week. It took three days of cogitation (and agitation) but in the end, it turned out ok. Not the way I thought, but ok anyway.

A pleasant surprise – There is nothing like Jersey crumb buns. Especially those purchased at the beach bakery. This week my next neighbor had a beach trip. I watered pots for her and she rewarded me with a dozen crumb buns. After a moderate gorging episode, the extras were frozen to dish out sparingly. They are wonderful but must be a thousand calories each!

Floodgates – The buns brought back wonderful memories of beach life past. Every morning at the crack of dawn, we would go to the bakery to get fresh goods. It was a pleasant ritual. We walked and biked enough to counteract the calories. It was the best part of waking up!

Another shopping note – When I was shopping a few weeks ago, I noticed a new “modern cut.” It’s used to describe bottoms including underwear. Best I can figure out is that the waist sits lower to varying degrees. It’s not always more comfortable especially when it cuts in the middle of the stomach. I realize that everyone’s body is different, and a modern cut may work better for some but to me it’s another way of using less fabric.

The end of the summer for sure – This is the last week for our corn place. It will close for the season. My last watermelon was a bit overripe. I’m starting to see root vegetables and not a lot of summer fruit. Peaches are at the end and early apples are starting to appear. Each season has it’s pluses but I will miss the simpler food bounty that summer brings (while I’m stoking up the chili!)

So how was your week?

71 thoughts on “Random 5 for September 18, 2022 – Projects, gifts, memories, sizing, food”

  1. Your new window treatment is really lovely, Kate. You’re very talented in your ability to do such a professional job! I have been noticing that I, too, really don’t enjoy too many projects, decisions, errands, you name it, if they are bumping up against one another. I need space between them. I can still multitask in many ways, but I don’t want to! I feel the stress.

    I have never heard of New Jersey Crumb Buns but I Googled them and now I want to make them. Even the name appeals to me. 🙂

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  2. You made a great job on the window treatments Kate. I would not have the patience to sew now, though the console and chair are just downstairs, but not used in 30 years. I think I mentioned before I used to sew all my own clothes back in the 70s/early 80s. I had to Google “Jersey crumb buns” – they look yummy. I think I tasted something similar with a streusel topping in the past – I had an flashback of eating Sara Lee Crumb Cakes and Googled. Yes, that was it. I would not go for “modern cut” anything, especially how you describe it – sigh.

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      • Yes, I wanted to go back to my old brand and read the reviews … I hate seeing reviews on my old favorites, no matter if its food, clothing, anything that begins “I wish they hadn’t changed ….” They said they fell apart and the lace tore and were not the same. Sigh.

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        • I did find my old brand but at triple the price. They used to be 3 for something. Now it’s one for the same price. There is a new very soft thin fabric out that has a nice feel to it. Trying to find something that fits in that.

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          • That’s always a surprise! The price of everything blows my mind. I was running low on sunflower seeds and in the past I’ve ordered a 25-pound bag on Amazon. I sometimes can order it in the morning and get it by the end of the day. It is convenient and has a handle on the bag (no cardboard box to slit open and slit the seed bag at the same time). The same seeds were double in price – I said “no way” and I’ll get them at the grocery store when I go.

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            • Sadly, it’s difficult to feed the birds safely here. There are 3 outdoor cats next door. When I had the feeders on the deck, the cats would come and sit on my deck. Not with the new deck there is no ideal spot to hang feeders so they are not snacks for the cats.

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              • Oh, that’s too bad – you really enjoyed feeding the birds. I don’t feed the birds or squirrels anymore at the house due to the hawks. I enjoyed feeding all of them. So I feed the park squirrels and birds. I ran to Meijer before I walked this morning and got three 10-pound bags of sunflower seeds and a 10-pound bag of corn for what I would have paid for a 25-pound bag of sunflower seeds from Amazon. To double the price was crazy.

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                  • That’s a shame – how about the nature walk you take – can you sprinkle some sunflower seeds down on the path? I have the three places I make drops and they’ll head there as I make my way along the path. Some of the savvy squirrels will waylay me on the path thinking to score extra peanuts or seeds. I liked doling out treats from the path when they begged, but since the arrival of hawks, I don’t like making the squirrels (or birds) sitting ducks for a hawk. A few weeks ago I found a dead snake with bite marks in the middle – I figure it was a hawk or maybe a turkey vulture dropped its prize.

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                    • I did a partial cleanout in the garage yesterday and noticed that there are a lot of sunflower shells. Something ate into the bag on the bottom and it looks more like 10 lbs. than 40. Leave it alone long enough and it will solve itself. I’ve been putting seeds on the patio in the back. Cats still hang around but it’s more likely to get squirrels and raccoons who can handle the cats.

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                    • Someone discovered a windfall! If I have errands to do after I walk at the Park, I take my bag I carry home as I don’t want the smell of peanuts or seeds luring some critter to the car. My boss was up in northern Michigan a few years ago and left his car parked 4-5 days and when he went to come home, squirrels had chomped through wires and he couldn’t start the car. The mechanic found a stash of peanuts under the hood as well. 🙂

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  3. Hi, Kate – I am always so sad when summer fruits and vegetables come to an end. I will sadly miss fresh corn on the cob and watermelons (and summer’s wonderful bounty). Early Fall Apples are good — but not quite the same!
    BTW- Your window treatments look great!

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  4. The window treatments look great!! The end of summer produce season is always sad for me too. We’ll have good root veggies for a while, and then it’s all frozen or canned or shipped quite a distance. Crumb buns are pretty amazing – that was really nice of her! Of course it was nice of you to water her plants too 🙂

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  5. Couple things. You made those shades? Love them! Despite the difficulties, you did a great job. How much do you charge? 😉
    I know what you mean about the season vegetables. I’m sure going to miss all those veggies the hubs has been growing (you’ve seen on my blog). So fresh, right from our back yard. Sigh.

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  6. I live in a beach community, but we have nada in the way of “beachy” pastries. Beach tacos and burritos, yes, but not pastries. Those Jersey crumb buns look magnificent. All we’re seeing in the stores for fruit right now is apples, apples, and more apples. It’s already boring. Your window treatments are really nice — will you do our windows, please? Pretty please? – Marty

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  8. I don’t have a needle or spool of thread in the house so that tells it all. I am pretty impressed with your work on the cornice and the previously done Roman shade. It’s all very lovely and I will always have to say how beautiful the light is there. We are not anywhere close to end of summer… dang it!

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  10. As a person who toils at the sewing machine, I can appreciate the challenges. Your cornice came out beautiful. I can only imagine you feel great satisfaction just glancing up at it. I was not familiar with Jersey Crumb Buns so looked them up. To my surprise, a local farm store sells a similar bun, one which I’ve enjoyed many times. Happy Monday!

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    • I like them because they are not too sweet like a sticky bun but just enough sweet with a yeast dough base. I am glad that project is over. I was torn between covering a wood base or doing a simple drop from a head board. What I did worked although I had to use interfacing and line it. At my last house my window treatments lasted a long time. I only replaced the miniblinds and left the swags and jabots alone. Sewing is a challenge as fabric isn’t like wood. It has stretch which is sometimes hard to calculate. In this case I used 1/2 dowels in the bottom piping to give it weight so there aren’t wrinkles.

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  11. I love your window treatments. You have good taste–or maybe it just agrees with mine.
    I’m with you on projects with agitation or projects that are complex or tire me out. I think part of it is that since my husband died, I don’t have anyone to fall back on when I mess up. Of course, the main thing is that I’m getting older.
    Our weather has been beautiful this month (once the smoke from a forest fire started blowing the other way.) But it’s shocking how fast the days have become shorter.

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    • We are close in age so I expect our tastes are similar. Bare windows are “in” but I like the softness of fabric. The getting older part doesn’t help. I took so many breaks it was ridiculous. If I would have been working for myself, I would have fired me. It seems like all of a sudden it’s dark early. Just like that! Wam bang, summer is over!

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  14. Nice job on the valence, Kate!
    You do good work.

    The end of summer used to make me so SAD. Living in endless summer (or close to it) was the solution for me. There was a hint of coolness in the air on our bike ride this morning. Nice change of pace.

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  17. I got a notice of your blog post (suppose BIG BROTHER saw my whiney post about blogging platform issues????). Love love love those window treatments – they are gorgeous. I feel like I’ve missed out on a special treat – Jersey crumb buns. You almost make me want to drive to Jersey to get some. HAHA We have had a touch of Fall in the air for the past few days and it feels yummy. No more hot and sweaty stuff – leaves are JUST starting to change…..I had to wear a medium weight jacket to the grocery this morning – makes me anxious for our trip to Maine next month!!!!! Bring on the Fall.

    Hugs, Pam

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  18. I am so impressed with your sewing skills.

    I am always excited for apples. This is McIntosh week–the farmer’s market has a vendor that has McIntoshes for about one week (I think they have two trees). It’s my favorite apple. I’m making homemade bread to have with cheese and apples for lunch all week.

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  19. My favorite vege stand has converted to all fall stuff…pumpkins and mums, etc., in the last week. I will so miss them until next year. The window treatment is lovely. And finally, Marley and I are headed to Dewey Beach in late October…can’t wait. I haven’t seen the ocean in much too long.

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    • The Delaware beaches are great! A lot less honky tonk than NJ. We were at the corn place this morning. No peaches or cantaloupes. The early apples and some leftover watermelons along with zucchini and butternut squash. They did have green string beans. I was surprised. So sad.

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  20. We had a pretty mild summer and are experiencing a cooler than normal September (a month that is typically quite warm). I’m starting to see more fall produce too. Some make me happy (apples! pears!), but sad to see the corn go.

    We just got home from our trip so there is unpacking and laundry to do, as well as photos to curate. Tough life.

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  22. Oh, my Lord, yes. Sometimes the smallest task (brushing teeth) can feel overwhelming. Depression, agitation, and sheer fatigue kick in and kick my ass on a semi-regular basis! Your experience is very relatable. I hope your state of agitation subsides soon, and gives way to serenity and confidence.

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  23. The best thing about summer is the bounty of a variety of fresh fruits. Fresh fruit salad is often my dinner when I have it in the fridge (homemade, of course!) that’s about all I will miss from summer. And I’ve heard that the greatest inventors of all time are known for saying “that’s not a mistake, that’s how I planned it “and being able to keep to themselves the truth that it wasn’t what they’d planned. Meanwhile, enjoy the cooler temperatures out on your deck that you waited forever for!

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  24. Your window treatments look so beautiful, Kate!
    Never heard of a New Jersey crumb bun, but the name alone sounds delicious.
    My week has been one of patching, sanding, washing, priming and painting walls and window and door trim. Forecast for next week: more of the same 😬. At least my kitchen cabinets got installed so now the floors can go in, at the end of the month.

    Deb

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