back from camping/hunting

Well, we're back from our camping/hunting trip, but have no deer to prove it, only pictures.

These pics were of our camp - it was a turnaround at the end of a road in the boonies.  The whole time we were setting up the tent, it was raining.  And about 40* F.  At one point, I was nearly in tears because I was soaked and chilled to the bones.  But, I told myself ''suck it up Karin, there is no crying in deer camp!''.

The first thing to go in the tent after the outdoor carpet was the woodstove.  That was definitely a necessity in this trip.  It got to low 20's a couple nights BRRRR. In this pic, the oven door on the right was open - that oven was wonderful I tell ya!  Baked potatoes in an hour just like at home!  MMM.  And I had leftovers from dinner the night before we left that I was able to heat up in a short time too.  I was sure glad to have the oven!

We even had a bed.....  I made a knock-apart bedframe so we were off the ground a foot - then with the air mattress on top, it was quilt comfy!  Brian didn't like 2 sleeping bags and 2 quilts on top because of the weight, but I am GLAD I had them.  It got COLD at night even with the woodstove going all night.

The first night, we went to bed early.... I think it was 7:30!  Actually, the whole trip we were in bed before 8.  The first night though, we got ready for bed, turned out the lights and seconds after we crawled into bed, the coyotes started hollering all around us!  They were IN our camp!  Talk about creeped out!  Glad we didn't leave any food outside.  After the first night though, they were still around, but not nearly as close to camp as the first night thank goodness!

at the beginning of the road we were on, there was a cool old cattle pen/loading area.  This was sunrise one morning......

Too bad it wasn't bighorn sheep season.  There were a lot of them and they were always real close to the roads.  I bet they don't offer tags for these guys though.......

This buck was safe - he was only a spike........

on the way home, we drove through Leavenworth - it's so beautiful in the winter at night with all the lights!

I did get a few hexie flowers sewn on the trip, but no pics yet (hubby took the camera to work)

urban 9-patch progress

I had hoped to have this quilt top done this summer, but that didn't happen - I now have all the curved 9-patch blocks done, I just need to add the outer 'urban' part to about half of them to turn them into urban 9-patch blocks :)  Then I can start assembly!  here is my EQ mock-up of the quilt:

Here are the latest blocks I just finished pressing/trimming:

I also recovered my pressing/cutting table and I love love LOVE it! :)  I am so glad I did that!  I always end up cutting into my material on my cutting board (from pattern cutting), then that hole gets bigger and bigger really quick.  My newest scissors don't have a sharp point to poke into the material like the Gingher's, so I think I'll be able to keep this one cut-free for a while (I hope!)

Next week is our camping/hunting trip to Eastern WA - we will call this baby home for a week (or two).

I bought a small woodstove, and made a bedframe for our air mattress, so it should be comfortable inside.  No showers though, and nowhere near for a pay-shower, booo.  I guess it will have to be camp-showers from a bucket with water heated on the woodstove :P
 I am hoping we 'tag-out' early though so we can come home earlier.  But, shhh, don't tell hubby.  He is SOOO excited for this trip and I want to be supportive.  I'm not so thrilled though.  Oh, I love camping - but I've never camped in the snow and I am a bit apprehensive.  We'll see how it goes - and I'll have lots of pics to share I'm sure :)  Hopefully a couple deer pics!!! ::crossing fingers::

chanterelles

Hubby and I went and picked chanterelle's yesterday - it was not without a challenge - the DNR decommissioned the road we usually take, so we had to cross a raging creek and hike about a mile into our spot.......
I was NOT happy to have to cross the creek and hubby was more worried about getting pics than helping me across, LOL.

But, we (and the dog) got some exercise and fresh air and a decent amount of chanterelle's :)

Last night I made fried oysters and sauteed chanterelle's - but tonight I made PIZZA!

Chanterelle's onions, bacon, and sausage, YUMMY YUM YUM!

disappointed

recently, I finished and donated a quilt to a club I have been associated with for probably at least a dozen years........

I raise Mini Lop rabbits for show and this was for the original national Mini Lop club to auction at the national convention that was this last weekend.  When I first donated it, I heard people saying they were going to open the bid at $500, and so many people were adamant that THEY were coming home with this quilt........ I just heard back that it went for $325.......  I know it may seem like a lot to some people (those that don't sew) for a quilt, but I know other quilters like myself will 'get' how disappointed I am.  I have well over $100 into materials alone in the quilt, plus the upteen hours of labor (didn't keep track, but all of 30 hours I'm sure).  I really expected more, especially since it was for a club auction...........

::sigh::