Another great retreat!

I was back at St Anthony's last weekend, so no sewing for me, but here are some pictures to share...

Seriously, could the sky have been any bluer?  I did not enhance these at all!

Love the roof lines on the old section of the monastery.

A volunteer came while we were there and brought pumpkins.  A truckload of them!

View from the upper balcony.  Too bad about the power lines.

It has been such a wet summer in Wisconsin that there are about a zillion varieties of mushrooms everywhere.

I could have taken more pictures, but my camera decided it needed a retreat too.  sigh.

My pretties and more baking

Look at these lovelies!!!!  Rumi from the http://luckyfrogblog.blogspot.com/ Lucky Frog blog and I did a little private swap.  She offered to knit me those cute red wavy's there on the left.  You use them for quick little wipe jobs in the kitchen, I offered to make her a tote bag.  I thought that was pretty good, then lo and behold when my package came there were two more gorgeous knitted pretties!  See the little brick wall?  It's so cushy that I use it in my fruit basket to keep my fruit from getting bruised, and the beautiful white star stays right there on our end table/trunk.   Thanks Rumi!!

Then since the weather was so cool, I did some baking.............

pumpkin pie seemed like a good idea since it's fall.

And I made a turkey and broccoli quiche for dinner...............

And since there was crust left, how about an apple pie?

Yeah the big guy and Miss V thought it was a good idea too.

Lovely Lemon Bars

One of my baking talents is lemon bars.  The entire secret (besides cooking with wine- see my glass back there?) is to only use fresh lemons not bottled lemon juice, and (duh) real butter.

What you see here (besides my wine, yum) is enough lemons to make a two pans of bars.  I believe in a LOT of lemon.

Here is the crust going together.....

Crust is baked, now to pour in the filling..........

2 pans out of the oven............

ingredients for lemon glaze, more lemon juice, melted butter, and powdered sugar.

and here you go, one for YOU!

some sewing at last!

I have had this fabric since I inherited my mothers fabric stash a few years ago.  I loved the way the two florals play off each other and I always thought it would be a pretty peasanty type blouse.

Turns out I was right! 

Here are the somewhat peasanty sleeves.  See that lovely edging?  That is hand made tatting!!!  Not by yours truly, trust me on that one.  My great gramma tried to teach me once but all I managed was a very impressive knot the size of a small cat.  She gave up. 

Happy blouse!  And see the necklace?  That is my favorite necklace of all time. Miss V bought it for me at a handmade shop, it's a piece of broken china and the chain is totally adjustable and has a green glass bead hanging off the catch.  I love that thing!!!