Weathervane Quilt Block

    
     I used some of Amy Butler's Midwest Modern fabric line for this block.  The flowers are really large, so I made this block 12" to accommodate them.  The directions to make this quilt block may be found at: http://www.quilterscache.com/W/WeathervaneBlock.html.
     Howard and Ted are Hattie's younger brothers.  Howard is 18 years old, and Ted is 15.  You can watch a portion of the fight between Jess Willard and Frank Moran on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5lmExNRjVQ.
          
Saturday, March 25, 1916 -
"This has been a misty, gloomy Saturday, but still I have had a pleasant day.  I always insist that I like rainy Saturdays.  Nevertheless, I did want the sun to shine.  Howard got here this morning just in time to find the whole downstairs torn up in the proces of being cleaned.  But it was all straight and clean in a remarkably short time. 

"I made some brown bread this morning for the Food Sale, and Mother did a lot of baking as usual.  She offered me a nice piece of mince pie - it was very tempting, but I had to say, "Get thee behind me, Satan," and told her to give it to Ted, for I have sworn off eating between meals, except an apple at bedtime.

"About two o'clock it had stopped raining, so I decided to go to town.  I flew around getting ready, had a dozen things to do, and about three o'clock I started.  The roads were quite muddy, and I had to poke along behind the boys on hayracks as far as Ellis'.  Despite the weather, there were a great many people in town, and our little Food Sale was quite a success.  My brown bread was sold in less than twenty minutes.

"Oh dear, I must tumble in.  I'm afraid there will be no Sunday School for me for it is raining again now."

Sunday, March 26, 1916 -
"I think this has been the most disagreeable day of the entire winter.  When I awoke this morning, it was raining hard, and soon the rain turned to a very wet snow and sleet and has kept it up most all day.  It hasn't seemed so very much like Sunday as, of course, we didn't go to church but just laid around all day.  Howard and Papa and the boys were out a good share of the day taking care of the stock - the storm is very hard on the cattle.  I fooled with my Kodak pictures quite awhile this afternoon.  I spread them all out on the dining table and sorted them to put them in my book.  Some of those old ones look so queer!  What will they look like in 25 years?

"Howard and Ted have just been in here, having their usual tussle, demonstrating to me how Willard knocked Moran last night.  The boys stayed in town last night until they heard the result or at least part of the returns from the fight.

"The sun set clear tonight - I have hopes of sunshine tomorrow."

Aunt Annie's Boston Brown Bread

3/4 cup sifted flour

1/4 cup yellow corn meal

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup bran flakes

3 Tablespoons melted shortening

1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup molasses

3/4 cup boiling water

1.     Preheat the oven to 325 and bring a large pot of water to a boil.    

2,     Meanwhile, combine the flour, corn meal, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.  Stir in the bran flakes.

3.     Add melted shortening, beaten egg, and molasses and mix well.  Stir in the boiling water.

4.     Grease the inside of a metal (6" tall x 4" diameter) coffee can.  Pour the batter in the can, not allowing the batter to reach higher than two-thirds up the sides of the container.  
5.     Cover the coffee can tightly with foil. Find a high-sided roasting pan that can hold the coffee can. Pour the boiling water into the roasting pan until it reaches one third up the side of the can. Put the roasting pan into the oven. Steam the bread for at least 2 hours and 15 minutes.

6.     Check to see if the bread is done by inserting a toothpick into it. If the toothpick comes out clean, you're ready. If not, re-cover the pan and cook for up to another 45 minutes.

  from The Woodbury Larder: A Legacy published by Phyllis Woodbury Bryant

After Step 4, the recipe said to steam in open cans topped with waxed paper.  I thought that wasn't specific enough so found more specific directions (Steps 1, 5, and 6) on the internet.

You might enjoy reading my previous blog post: http://starwoodquilter.blogspot.com/2011/10/bouquet-quilt-block.html