Why I love Utah in September

#1 best thing about Utah in September is fresh peaches, so many kinds of fresh peaches!

#2 best thing about Utah in September is tomatoes from farm to farm stand to me and not refrigerated even once so they are still full of flavor.

 

#3 best thing about Utah in September is fresh picked corn on the cob from the same farm stand.

#4 best thing about Utah in September and which will last long into October are fresh picked honey crisp apples newly picked and without a hint of wax.
 

#5 best thing about Utah in September is that the hills are starting to change color outside my kitchen window.

 

My camera does not begin to show how amazing it is to watch.  I noticed from the freeway the other day that the mountain peak outside my window really is the most beautiful of all!

I know I've said many times before but, "I love autumn in Utah!"

 

#5 best thing about Utah in September are a myriad of farmer's markets.  That cutie in the booth is my DIL.  She is up two late nights before Saturday mornings making empanadas for her booth at the Salt Lake City Farmer's Market at Pioneer Park downtown.

It is a huge market and the park is full of booths of all kinds many with amazing vegetables and fruits.  I got some blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries which were to die for.  Here are the men in her life coming to check on her.

They have been selling hundreds of empanadas.  If you go look for Argentina's Best, you won't regret buying one of their various flavors of meat filled or dessert empanadas.

 

This cute little family will soon be moving here.  It is a delightful tree filled, sun dappled place with a beautiful backyard and a basement for Oscar to run around in this winter.

What do you love about Utah in September?

Special note:  All these pictures were taken before all the smoke from the burning northwest flowed into the valleys of northern Utah.  That has not been one of the reasons that I love Utah in September!

What I've been sewing

Baby Opal's arrival is just a month away, so I've been busy helping her mom with the custom crib bedding.  First up, fitted crib sheets.  I found a Michael Miller tutorial online which helped with measurements.

  It called for 2 yards of fabric and enough 1/4 inch elastic for each end per sheet, but the standard 42 inch width was pretty tight and was pulling up.  My DIL had put elastic around the entire sheet before so I decided to try it.  I didn't want to pick out and start over, so I merely folded over the remaining selvage edge (no turning the edge under, too) on each side for the most width.  I then added an additional length of elastic.  I think it turned out better that way since I didn't have to thread elastic around the entire sheet and then adjust and sew down at the corners.

My daughter has had a very hard pregnancy so declined my offer to visit all the fabric stores to see what fabric she liked best.  Instead, she shopped online.  When she called me about this darling fabric line she had found my dream was fulfilled as well.  I saw Sarah Jane introduce her "Children at Play" fabric line at Spring Quilt Market in SLC in 2011.  I immediately fell in love with it but didn't have anyone who needed grandma to sew something up.  Now I had an opportunity and need to play around with it.

I knew it would be hard to still find this fabric line in fabric stores, but my daughter was able to find enough online for us to work with.  The border print was perfect for covering bumper pads.  The back side of the pads is the pinwheel print fabric.  I inserted pink piping in the top edge.

The quilt was a bonus.  After cutting all those 8 inch squares out of each corner of three sheets  I decided to use the bumper pad leftovers to make 8 more 8 inch squares which made enough for a 4 X 5 squares top. 

I was in need of fabric for the ties on the bumper pads and a backing for the little quilt.  I remembered seeing some "Children at Play" fabric at a local fabric store this summer.  They didn't have much, but I did find the tiny floral print for ties and a quilt border and the very cute "Dolls" for the backing.

I used the 2 inch trimmings from the sheets for a scrappy binding.  I machine quilted using stitch in a ditch and a loftier batting giving it more of a comforter look.

This is what I am currently trying to finish, an ombre ruffled crib skirt.  I cut muslin for a foundation and I'm gathering and gathering ruffles and sewing them onto the foundation.  My daughter texted this when I sent her a picture via phone, "That looks like a pain."  I replied, "It is definitely a pain but will be very cute."

It's pain enough that I am blogging about it instead of doing it!

I also whipped together two Halloween pillowcases for Opal's older brothers.  Just doesn't seem right to bring in armfuls of stuff for baby sister and nothing for them.

September in the Garden

I demanded a Thanksgiving Point Gardens September tour.  They are so lovely in September with floozy flower beds, full leafed green trees, and autumn's coming airs.  This trip also included the grandson brothers.  They now narrate this outing in their own words.

"That is a lot of grass.  Hnery, do you remember being here before?"

"Grandpa, can you wait while we go on that bridge?"

"Oh, my gosh Henry! Do you see that frog?"

"Grandpa, there is a frog."

"I don't see it! Now I do on Grandma's camera!"

"Grandpa, how much fish food for a quarter?  How many quarters do we have?"

"I'm going to feed them one piece at a time."

"See them!  It's like a fish tornado!  Throw all your food in together."

 

"Wow, Henry!  That is so cool, a fish tornado!"

"Grandpa, I like all these fish."

"This is a fun hill top."

"It's kind of scary standing on this bench.  Can you see those windmills?  I love windmills."

"Grandpa read us those scriptures on the pillars about God creating the world."

"See those hills over there? That is where our house is."

"Why could Jesus walk on the water?"

"I want my picture taken with the chicken."

"Grandpa, is that story really true?"

"Look at those water steps.  Do you see that frog trying to get out?  Can I get in and get it out?"

"There's another frog down here.  A dead one!"

"This is a cool tunnel."   (Meaning cool, as not hot.)

"I don't see any secret."

"Come on Raymond!  There is water in here."

"You mean I can put my finger on it?!!!"

"I need to cool my hot head off!"

"Your finger on makes the other water go higher!"

"See Raymond! Like this!"

"I like this place!"

"Like this Henry?"

"Okay, all three at the same time."

"That was high!"

"Where are you going Grandpa?"

 

"To check your phone?"

"I'm going to try this one now."

"Don't get me more wet."

"You can't get me!"

"But I can get my own hair wet."

"Drip, drip."

"Now we're cooler."

"Can you go really fast so we can dry off?"

"We'll meet you at the bottom."

"Can you count all the waterfalls, Henry?"

"Grandma said this is where singers come to perform."

"I made up a song about waterfalls.  Do you want to hear it?"

"I can't believe that we are on top."

"That's really far down there."

"Hang on tight grandpa!"

"See? There is the stage."

"Are there anymore waterfalls?"

"Read me all the things there are to eat."

"I am being on my very best behavior.  Did you know that?"

"Thank you grandpa for our soft birds.  Is that their real sound?"

"I think the baby blue bird sounds like the baby eagle and the baby eagle sounds like the blue bird.  Do you grandma?"