Little Penguin Quilts Through the Year

Little Penguin Quilts Through the Year

Wednesday, July 15, 2020

I Like Thursday #194

Happy Thursday, friends!  How's your week going?  It finally cooled down here in No. Colorado where I live, and it's been a lovely couple of days.  (Don't worry - summer will be back in full force today!)

There are some good things to share this week for "I Like Thursday."  Last week I showed my newly spiffed up sewing machine who had been to the spa and come home just like new!  This week, some happy mail came for my sewing machine (and me, too!) - a Sew Steady extension table.  I'm liking the larger flat surface it gives me.

Sewing up my pink zigzag row!

I may be the only person I know who has trouble growing zucchini, but this year I have managed to grow two tiny ones in my garden!  


These little guys were just enough to make some yummy Banana Zucchini bread using this recipe from Taste of Home.

So good with our coffee every morning!

And in other garden news, I liked this view of our pumpkin blossoms, and one lone pumpkin growing!


Mike caught this photo of a Tiger Swallowtail deep in the red petunias getting some nectar.  When I was reading about what butterflies do on flowers, the nectar was called the butterfly's "flight fuel!"



I really liked this month's book club read!

It is a story of the Packhorse Librarians of Kentucky in the 1930s, with an added twist that the main character is a woman with blue-tinged skin.  She is based on a family who really did exist known as the Blue Fugates, who had a genetic trait that gave them blue skin.  You can read a little more about them here.

Joining in with LeeAnna and friends at Not Afraid of Color for I Like Thursday!  











21 comments:

grammajudyb said...

Oh, Mike’s photo of the yellow Swallowtail on your red petunias is much better than mine! But it’s funny we both posted about that on I Like Thursday! Mine is scheduled to post Thursday morning at 1:00am!

That’s weird about your zucchini, they usually produce like crazy! Good that you made a yummy breakfast bread, I’m going to look up that recipe, I have both frozen zucchini and bananas in the freezer. I don’t plant zucchini, but I have a generous neighbor! 😀

Siouxzq64@gmail.com said...

I wonder why zucchini doesn't grow well? Great pic of the butterfly. I have that book in my to read list.

Libby in TN said...

I recently remembered that I have an extension table for my Baby Lock. What a difference it makes!

Linda said...

Nice on the extension table. Oh that bread looks good! I have trouble growing zucchini too. This year the only producing squash (a spaghetti squash) is one that was a volunteer. I would love to have zucchini to make bread and to saute to serve over rice - yum! Well I guess I could just buy some - lol!

Vicki in MN said...

We haven't had the best luck yet this year with our zuchinni. Last night we threw away the second one that was yellow at the bottom and turned to mush almost the whole way. I did get one short stubby one for a zuchinni bread last week. And 3 smaller ones for salads. But as easy as they were before this is nothing. I haven't tried the banana zuch bread I'll go look it up!

Karen - Quilts...etc. said...

I am in zucchini country were everyone has so much zucchini that they can not keep up with it and give it away and finally most likely end up letting animals get it and I barely ever get more than a couple before I rip the plants out in disgust! I have no idea way mine never get anything - I have bees buzzing around - my tomatoes do great - usually I get no cucumbers or very stunted one this year finally I am picking a cucumber or two every 3 or 4 days which is ok with me but still many less than most get

Michele McLaughlin said...

Well that blue skinned family is a new one to me! So interesting! I like a recipe called Zucchini Chocolate Bread which I think I got at allrecipes. It has a spice added to it (can't find it now) and is wonderful. If you like chocolate, I'll look for it for you! Have a wonderful week Diann!

Roseanne said...

Hi Diann! Beautiful shot of that butterfly. I am happy to see them around - we have a lot of white ones floating by the back of our house where I see them while working. Your red petunias look nice and healthy, and I can't say I've ever seen a pumpkin blossom! Yay to two zucchinis - I think you ARE the only person who has trouble growing them. That's only because I've never tried or I would join you. ~smile~ Roseanne

PaintedThread said...

LOL - you're lucky those zucchinis aren't baseball-bat sized! I've seen them go from cute to huge over the course of a day or two. whew! That extension table looks great (love that you can find the scissors under it, too). Having a large area to work with is so helpful! Mmmm... zucchini bread!

Susie H said...

I love the extension table too ... I take mine to retreat if there's no room for my Sew Easy table. I'm starting to wonder about my zucchini. Years ago I used to grow it and it always produced unbelievably well. So well that I thought I'd grow some again this year for a change. The flowers are beautiful but they seem to fall off without a squash growing. Guess I'd better Google what's up, huh? Here's to another great week!

chrisknits said...

I am so bad at growing things I don't even try anymore, LOL. So your measly attempt far outshines anything I could do.

Shannon said...

I love zucchini bread, I have lots of zucchini frozen from last year, maybe I should make some this weekend if I can bake it before it gets too hot! And I'm so glad you got your sewing extension table. It's so nice to have some support around the machine base, I have my sewing machine dropped into the table and when I sew on one that isn't I really notice the difference!

piecefulwendy said...

The extension table looks nice. I've debated about getting one, so it's good to see one in use. That book is now in my Amazon cart; what a fascinating story. Good things in your garden too!

MissPat said...

From the comments, it seems that lots of people are having problems growing zucchini, which is odd, since people always seem to be giving it away. I get mine at the farmer's market.
I've got that book on my Goodreads list and I just checked to see if my library owns it since our holds are still restricted to home library only. They do so I'll put it on hold as soon as I finish the ones I'm working on.
I bet you'll find that table extension to be very helpful. My machine drops in my sewing table and it's particularly helpful when free motion quilting.
Stay cool, looks like we're all in for more heat this weekend.
Pat

Sherrie said...

Hi,
Love Zucchini Bread, do you at nuts to yours? I've got your book, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek on my TBR list..The pumpkin looks really good...Love your new sewing table...lots of room to stretch out..have a great day!
https://100sweets.blogspot.com/2020/07/i-like.html

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

I read that book and gave it a great review! I loved it! Your homemade bread sure looks yummy!

Jocelyn is Canadian Needle Nana said...

Mike had a lovely capture there Diann. At least you got a loaf from the zucchini which I love, btw. I have a tiny tomato on all 10 of my plants...I might eventually get enough for one salad.
Pumpkin flowers are actually quite pretty.
I've never heard of that remarkable blue skinned people.

Janice Holton said...

So many lovely things to like! I was so surprised to read how many have trouble growing zuccini. We always end up with way more than we can eat even after giving it away! You have insoired me to checj our tha extension for ny machine. I dont enjoy FMQ as much as i used to because its si hard to manipulate a big quilt around. Maybe that would help.

Janice Holton said...

Sorry for all the typos! Commenting from my phone is the pits!

LA Paylor said...

your machine looks inviting... but the garden is producing too! I got three small zucc. last year, that's it, they never thrived like I expected. The book looks so interesting... going on my to read list. Cannot keep up with you and colette!

Mary in Peoria Handmade said...

Congrats on getting the zucchini and that bread looks yummy. I love zucchini bread and have it almost every week!
Enjoy your weather while you can.