Friday Favourite: Dido's Salsa


My Dad was world famous for his salsa. Well, locally famous. As in, all of our family and friends would beg for jars of his usually just the right amount of spicy and a bit smoky salsa. In a family such as ours it is no surprise that the recipe for pyrohy dough is a treasured possession. We'd be bad Ukrainians without it. But the salsa is what we all were afraid would get lost when he died.

As the end was becoming abundantly clear in my father's lung cancer we all gathered at my parent's house. I sat and spoke to my Dad about his salsa. We started with the first recipe, the first batch he ever made. He told me where he got his tomatoes and peppers. I photographed each ingredient as it was chopped so we would always know just how fine or chunky it should be. I photographed my Dad as he  stirred, sipped, and stammered through making salsa.



A week later he was admitted to the hospital and 6 weeks later he died.

Two weeks ago my Mom and I gathered to make a batch of salsa, only the second time we've done it since his death. Somehow it's fallen to me to be the guardian of the recipe. I don't mind at all. We do a good job with it, but of course it isn't the same. It lacks the smokiness - maybe that infiltrated from him and his nasty smoking habit. And I chopped things a bit finer this time because I wasn't paying as much attention. I could hear his criticism in my head as I stirred the peppers into the tomatoes. But we came out with jars and jars of salsa that we still call Dido's Salsa. I still top my scrambled eggs with it, my daughter fills her tortilla with it, it sits beside a plate of nachos when friends come over and they ask where we got it. It will always be Dido's Salsa, even when I chop the onions too fine.



Today is the 2nd anniversary of his death. The 4 am phone call from my brother. The sobs of my Mom as I woke her, the stupid red car stuck in a giant puddle on the way to the hospital, making tea while I called the funeral home, telling the girls in the midst of a date, the washing machine repairman who came and had no clue what had happened. It's all so vivid. Perhaps even more so this year as last year I was focused on the new baby.

My Dad was a man with many faults and our relationship was far, far, from perfect or even good. But he had a story and a heart in there somewhere. And damn, he made fine salsa.

Girlie Quilt




Girlie
38'' by 38''

Just a simple, pretty, girlie quilt.

It started as an improv block, waiting for a home and some inspiration. I sent it off to a guild member for the next go at a round robin. She asked if I wanted to keep it all black and white or if I wanted any specific colour. I gave her free reign, waiting for the surprise at the end. Once everyone else did their thing. Can't say I imagined baby pink!



When it came back to me I decided I couldn't let it linger  - I'm all about finishing these days! I went back and forth on some options and this is where I landed. I basted it and then it sat... One quiet Saturday with no kids in the house it got quilted. A basic stipple in Aurifil 50wt in white took me an hour. So, why did I wait so long?



But now it is done, bound in a sunny yellow for contrast and to coordinate with the backing. It sits packed by the door, ready to send off to a cousin and his adorable baby girl.

Not before my baby girl snuck in for a snuggle and photo op!

It Got Bigger?!


Last week my Mom asked me how I was doing with respect to my giant WIP/UFO list. I had to stop and think before I answered her. Rather, not answer her. I couldn't really recall if I'd finished much or at least moved on. Needless to say, I thought I better investigate and give an update. If not for you, Mom, then to keep me on track!

Before I delve into it, I want to go on record to say that I've been teaching and travelling A LOT lately. And my baby boy stopped napping in that special time while the girls are both in school. Honest, those aren't excuses. Just sayin'...

Quilt Tops Ready for Quilting

1. Cosmos Blocks - once I make a back for it I'm giving it to Andrea for quilting.
2. Improv Sampler - uh, nothing new to see here...
3. My version of Checkerboard from Sunday Morning Quilts - again, nothing to see here...
4. Slaveship Quilt - nope, nothing here either...
5. Old Amy Butler quilt top - still sitting there...

6. There is Peace in Pattern - top made, backing fabric purchased, waiting for basting.

Quilts, Basted and Ready for Quilting

7. Gum on Concrete - the quilting is almost done. Definitely my next finish, hopefully this week
8. Anniversary Quilt - It is the next one on the list for quilting.
9. Low Volume Circles - I'm plugging away on the hand quilting, slowly.

Works in Progress


10. Mid Mod Bee - Blocks to be assembled into a top
11. Giant Hexies from the Unscripted Bee - All blocks in, but I think I want to make more to size it up
12. Hand Pieced Diamonds - always ongoing
13. More Cosmic Burst blocks - I have a whole other set of blocks for a baby quilt
14. Voiles - Still cutting and piecing every now and then. And buying more voile...
15. Name quilt for my daughter - still haven't done anything since this post
16. Chandelier quilt - was so close, then discovered a big mistake and have never fixed it
17. Mountain Meadows - still have made no more blocks since
18. Liberty Circles - Almost done making the circles
19. Blue and green Christmas Tree quilt - I cut the pieces,then promptly put them away
20. The alternate pink/black/white blocks I started when working on the girlie quilt are finding a new home in an upcoming project...
21. Respite - a project started in a Bill Kerr design workshop
22. Pieced Stars - a BOM I started years ago when I wanted to do some precision piecing breaks when doing a lot of improv
23. Japanese Curves - Fell in love with a Japanese fabric and a curvy pattern, took a class, never finished it. I think this one has to be passed on to a more willing quilter...
24. The Water Quilt
25. My Denyse Schmidt Improv Workshop blocks - both mine and the extra class blocks
26. A travelling quilts project that just started. I've got the first round waiting for my input.


Class Samples (Pieces I work on while teaching, as examples)


27. A Shoeman's Puzzle/Slab quilt I started with some class samples

28. A values quilt in neutrals
29. Green/Yellow/Orange Improv blocks
30. Loads of circle blocks now that might turn into something...

Intentional Quilts

31. Sympatico and Organic solid stack
32. Lucky Penny Bike Path - I have a plan now and hope to start it next month
33. Some vintage feedsacks intended for Amanda's quilt from Fresh Fabric Treats
34. Turkey reds, blues, and whites for a striped project
35. A collection of screen printed and low-volume favourites that continues to grow
36. My other daughter's special Tiger Quilt has to be started now

And...

37. I know there is a box of 2000 2 1/2'' squares sitting in my garage somewhere. If the mice haven't got to it I'll have to tackle those when they are found.
38. and 39. I have two ongoing scrap/leader and ender projects. They aren't coming together as much yet, but I must admit to them.



Finished!!!!!

Wine Gums
Oh Canada
Girlie Quilt

Plus 1 more I can't share for another week or two and my daughter's quilt we made together (That's it waiting for binding up there.) Boy, and I was excited that I got two quilts finished this past week. Oy.

I think that's it. I think...

Charley Harper Board Books (Weekend Reads)


When I picked up the first of these books with a fabric order from Purl Soho I held on to them, keeping them away from the kids. Too precious, I thought. Then I picked up the third in an airport bookstore last month and brought them out. And now - no word of a lie - they are my little man's favourite books. He crawls around with them, eats them, hands them to me or his sisters to read... What can I say? The boy has great taste.