Country Living With Emma

On Fridays, we usually look ahead to the weekend and what I hope to get done!

Here is the recipe for Irish Potato Farls

Today, all tools and appliances are designed and created to save us from ourselves. In the 50's, they were designed to work. One of my favorite appliances/tools is my 1952 red Chambers Range. Below are some links to see how they work. Tina Cooks - Facebook Tina Cooks - YouTube The story of the Chambers Range

I was off work for the last week, busy doing things on the property. Here's what I did on my staycation!

I've been gone most of this week on a work trip. Time to get stuff done this weekend. Plus, I'm planning a personal quilting retreat staycation!

This is the last episode of Allie's story and the last episode of the book,  "Texas Tears, Texas Sunshine".

Making fruit butter, i.e., apple butter, is a great way to get started in canning and food preservation.

These are so handy and I really like how little space they take up when they are flattened.

Yes, I really did get this monstrosity of a quilt basted! 

Quilt Progress: Top is done Backing is sewn together Plans for the Weekend: Starch & Iron back Baste quilt

Some of my earliest episodes are about learning to do sourdough. Here are some websites that I have found to be helpful: Farmhouse on Boone Amy Bakes Bread

Completing my current quilt project has necessitated using a rotary cutter, mat, and ruler. These really haven't been around that long. I was an adult when the rotary cutter for fabric was first created. That makes me feel old!

One issue in my life I have never solved in nearly 70 years is underestimating how much time it's going to take me to get something done.

It's Friday, and my big goal for the weekend is to get my Civil War BOM quilt basted and ready to take on the road next week to start quilting. 

Allie and her family settle into life on the prairie. 

We're starting a new series about things you can make yourself. Our first entry is mayonnaise . 

The lowly steam iron may seem like an unlikely tool of the week, but I used mine a lot this weekend while working on my Civil War BOM quilt top. A good iron is essential for sewing.  There actually was a water sprinkler cork stopper on ebay! Here's the link: Sprinkler Cork Stopper

In short, it depends. Some produce is more cost-effective than others.

Allie is another West Texas pioneer. She and her husband built a homestead on the Llano Estacado. 

I love hand sewing tools and this one should save my finger from endless pricks when hand quilting.  Needleslide  

A recap of the weekend. What's happening in the garden and in the world.

Typical Friday chat about the coming weekend, quilting plans, and more about the Women's Institute.

Mary and the cowboys complete the castle drive and end up in Coolidge, Kansas. 

We can always learn more about how to navigate our current time in history by studying how people coped in challenging times in the past.

Cooking from scratch is probably the first skill that we think of when we talk about self-sufficiency. Clearly, if we can't feed ourselves, we're in trouble. A good set of kitchen knives goes a long way in developing cooking skills. A really good knife set can be super expensive, but there are some less expensive options.  Cuisinart Knife Set