DONNA POSTER NEWSLETTER
                                                              MAY 2009
Hi folks,


Just got back from a two week visit to San Diego to see our daughter, Laura.  We left in cold  weather and returned to warm sunny days  and flowers blooming everywhere.  Great way to enter springtime!

Eliad is growing so fast these days --- and the questions!  He gives you a whole new perspective on life.  He’s very self sufficient, too.  About a year ago he entered the usual “monsters under my bed” stage.  But he solved the problem by stationing a little rubber goofy looking figure in the doorway to his room.  It works, too --- as long as that goofy blue guy is there his room is absolutely safe!  Wouldn’t it be great if we all had such a simple guard against our “monsters”.


If you ever get to San Diego, be sure to visit Rosie’s Calico Cupboard Quilt Shop.  I hadn’t been there in several years and was stunned!  I have never seen so much fabric --- she must have several thousand bolts!!  One room alone was filled with fabric on sale for $4.00 a yard.  I bought ten 8 yard pieces for backings!! 


I get so many funny stories from my readers --- I love them!  Here’s one from Linda Worsley.  Before I had a dedicated sewing room, I used the “guest room” and always had fabric piled up on the couch that made up into a bed.  One day when our son was about 5, we were going to have company and I “cleaned” up the guest room to be able to fit someone else in there, and our son said, ‘When did we get a new couch’?!!  Boy, can I relate to that story!


In the same email she tells about having an embolism that went into her lungs.  She constantly tells quilters to get up every so often and move about, especially their legs. 


I’m delighted at the number of quilters who are using the Foldy Stuff for potholder gifts.  Most use the Pineapple, probably because it’s the most showy and the thickest.  Check out the third page under “Show And Tell” on our website, http://quiltwithdonna.com.     Karen Winn’s son went on a three week choir trip to Italy and was told she needed to send eight gifts for hosting families.  They couldn’t be too heavy as each student was limited to one suitcase and one backpack.  Eight Foldy Stuff potholders were perfect and a huge success!


Mr. Donna here:  First a note about sending this newsletter.  Comcast did me a big favor and changed its e-mail format.  They do this from time to time; doesn’t improve anything, just change for change sake.  Anyway,  I floundered for a while and made many telephone calls. As part of the solution I managed to send the last newsletter to certain folks more than once, maybe two or three times.  So, please pardon the foulup.  I believe I now have it back on track.  We shall see.


Mr. Donna here with a new recipe.  This one is called Creole Bouillabaisse  (I couldn’t spell that one without help if my life depended on it).  It is my understanding that this is a dish made by wives of fishermen.  When the boat came back after a days fishing the catch was sold.  What wasn’t sold was taken home and the fisherman’s wife made a stew called bouillabaisse.  Here is what I do:


1 lb fish fillets cut into 1 inch chunks.  Can be flounder, bass, orange roughy,                     
           or any firm fish.
¾ lb shrimp.  The smallest shrimp works best.
½ cup butter
¼ cup flour
1/2 pint oysters
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup copped celery.  You can’t use to much celery.
2 tsp minced garlic
2 cans chicken broth, 13 oz each.
1 lg can diced tomatoes.  Use the brand with some seasoning. , like Furmans
1 cup dry white wine
2 T chopped parsley
1 T lemon juice
1 bay leaf
½ tsp salt
¼ cayenne pepper


That’s the recipe.  In addition I include the following:
1 can clams
8 clams in the shell. Try to get live ones.
1 lg snowcrab leg cluster cut up at the joints.


½ lb bay scallops
10 mussels


Using medium heat melt butter in large boiler, add flower to make the roux.  Heat to light brown.  I find things work out better if I undercook everything.  Add onion, celery and garlic. Stir (it’s all in the wrist motion)  until veggies are tender. Add small amount of chicken broth if roux is too dry.  Add remainder of ingredients except the seafood, simmer 10 min.  Add fish, oysters and scallops, simmer 5 min.  Add clams, mussels and crawfish, simmer 5 min.  Add shrimp, simmer 1 min.  Should be enough to feed Patton’s 3d army.


Cute quote, “Quilting alone; an out-of buddy experience”


Till next time --- happy quilting,

Donna