Rainier Cherries and Kimberly Orchard Dried Granny Smith Apples…must be summer!

Harold Fogle crossed Bing and Van cherries in 1952 at Washington State University and named his new cherry after Mt. Rainier. What’s not to like about the sweet creamy yellow cherries, harvested at their peak for best flavor? In fact, birds eat about 1/3 of the crop before the cherries get harvested. They retail for about $5 a pound around here but can go for $1.00 each in Japan, where they are much loved.

Snake Oil or Just Too Good: This fruit is high in fiber, Vitamin C, antioxidants, and melatonin (for better sleep). These cherries (allegedly) fight inflammation, ease the pain of arthritis and gout (?) and headaches, and help fight cancer and heart disease (all according to the source  pnw.localnews.com).

I’m a big fan of Kimberly Orchards (think the best peaches in the world) and now I’m addicted to their dried apple slices- dried with nothing but their natural juices and a little lemon juice. Yummm…

The apples can be purchased just about year around if you know where to shop (such as Whole Paycheck/Foods) but the rainier cherries have a short season. It’s hard to practice moderation, but something so good for you can also make you sick if you eat too much!

July 25: Life in the Pacific Northwest

Our Mountain Meadow Quilt Guild, in collaboration with The Village Mall at Sunriver, holds an outdoor quilt show every August. The women of MMQG hold workshops to learn about and make items for the annual fundraiser bazaar held at the outdoor show. In exchange for the free workshop, an item must be donated to the sale.

I took the table runner workshop offered by Pat Pease and Sheila Finzer, who each presented their approach to string piecing. Using all scraps (except for the 1/8 yard I bought for the binding on side one) I made this reversible table runner to donate. I had to break out my 2nd book to read up on my reversible double French fold binding technique, but it was like riding a bicycle (it all came back to me- not that it was hard and I fell!).

I brought a tub o’ strips to share. I shouted with glee as people took masses of strips for their table runners, so how did I come home with more strips than my original pile?  Turns out rascal Pat dumped her tub o’ strips into  my pile!!

Fish like David? Well, check out the little piece of trout fabric- it’s the last bit of this fabric I had!

I love this plant! It’s a wonderful bitter cocoa powder color with appealing texture. One can get a “fiber fix” just about anywhere, and this plant is proof of that. Makes me want to stitch it into the underwater coral reef quilt or  appliqué it or just enlarge the photo to hang on my sewing room wall.

July 17: Circles Outside My Kitchen Window

I cooked up a fitting red, white and blue dessert for the 4th of July: mini cherry pies!

Of course, you’ll need a napkin to go with it.

July 4th: Happy Independence Day

P.S. I read a story about a survey in which 26% of the American respondents could not name the country from which we won independence…if true, what’s going on with that?

When baby deer mosey though the backyard, it must be spring, even though it’s almost mid-July. That’s the joke around here- spring is a week in July and summer is two weeks in August.

This morning I watched one rascal lean on the stake and chicken-wire to nibble on a young Aspen tree. Aha- the mystery of the pushed-in chicken wire is solved. So cute- but not too cute. I  knocked on the window to make the little guy move on. This fast growing baby deer monster did move on- to the wildflowers!

As I recall,  the “Happy Feet” roller ball foot massage gadget promised world peace if only we’d all take care of our sore feet. Obviously, not enough of us bought this item, but my feet are certainly happy because of it. It lives under the computer desk, so my feet can get relief any old time.    P.S. I have a Happy Hand gadget too!

July 3: Happy Feet!