The Blue Heron and Celtic Soltice and Miscellany

Christmas is over and we are awaiting the New Year.  I've been slowly recovering from my foot surgery.  I'm not having to rely on crutches or my knee wheeler.  I still have some swelling and need to keep it elevated.  I'm seeing the doctor on the 5th and I want him to see some progress.  My boot hopefully will come off around the 17th, then I'll be able to drive.  I'm just not use to relying on others for help.  I guess this is a lesson on humility.  I'm learning.

Sunday the chickens were free ranging and making a ruckus in the front yard. I went out there and I think they were worried about this:

This picture is a little blurry because I blew it up to see it.

Here's one as it was flying off

Pretty aren't they?

Celtic Soltice.  What can I say.  We are on Clue 5 of possibly 6-8 clues.  We're not sure, Bonnie's not spilling the beans. After all, she says it's a mystery. I have all of Clues 1,3,4, and 5 completed. I'm still working on Clue 2.

I've been using my Scrappy Triple Irish Chain as my Leader and Ender.  I like the idea of a Leader and Ender and eventually that becomes your main project.  I am working on my sister's quilt and have to put the borders on and sew the appliques on. I should be able to get that done by July, when I see her.

Here's the border design.  I cut them out on day a few months ago when we had a power outage.   This one is from the Fons and Porter magazine.

 Last of all but definately not least.  I won this Japanese clone on ebay last night.  I just not sure which Singer model it is a clone of.  I need to find out so I can get a manual and learn some about it.  I'm excited to get it.  I did send the Seller a link on how to package a machine for shipping.  She's mailed a couple but I just wanted to make sure this arrives in one piece.

This post is being linked to Celtic Soltice Mystery and Judy's Design Wall.  Check out the links to see what others are doing.

She Thinks She's a Sparrow

The other day, like many days, the girls get out of their run.  We've tried to fence them out, but they always find the hole in the fence or the weakest link.  They root up everything they come in contact with.  My tulips probably won't make it this year.  They just love the soft earth to take their dust baths in and to find the tastiest morsel.

You know the saying, "The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence"  well that's a couple of my girls.  Here's Jana, thinking she's a sparrow.  There were two of them up them but I didn't get the picture snapped in time.

My Design Wall 7-1-2012

Judy at Patchwork Times is having a Quilt Along.  The quilt we are making is Nicole's Sofa Quilt.  So far I am all caught up with the instructions.  We are going out of town for the 4th Holiday so I'll have to catch up when we get back.  This is what is on My Design Wall this week.

Last week I showed you a Robin's nest just outside our front door.  They've all hatched and now they just have a bit of fluff.  I think my Bird Book says they'll fledge anywhere from 14-16 days. 

Sorry for the short post but it's been busy around here with work, garden, chickens and plain life.  More to come when we get back to town.

Happy 4th everyone!
This has been linked to Patchwork Times

Past Week

I went to the coast this last week for work with a coworker and we zoomed past several barns and businesses toting quilt squares.  If you zoom in on this one you can see the square. I thought it was so cool to see so many of them.  Next trip I'm going to slow down and get some better pictures.

Next to the walkway in front of our house is this knarly ornamental hazelnut tree (tall bush).  It's not even 5 feet tall but an American Robin chose it for her nest.

Inside it, as far as I could see were 4 of the most beautifully colored eggs.  They should be hatching in a couple of weeks.

And today, I finally got to do some sewing.  I mended Doug's work jeans for about the tenth time.  Just trying to get some more wear out of them.

This fabric has been sitting around for a year.  I bought it at a clearance sale at Hancocks in Billings, MT last year on vacation.  It was meant for my kitchen valance.  Today, I finally got it made.  I don't know what took me so long to do it.  

I hope to be able to talk a bit more tomorrow about some more sewing I got done.  I hope to get to quilt a couple of rows on Jan's quilt.  That is also my UFO for June.  I'm not sure I'll get it completed.  We have a busy week next week getting ready for a trip to eastern Oregon for Doug's brother's birthday party.

A Few Flowers for the Birds and Us

We got some of these iris from Doug's sister and some from a friend of mine from work.  We planted them against the fence to choke out the weeds from the farmer's field.  They are really doing well.

I planted the "Red Hot Pokers" for Doug the first year we moved here.  He said that the birds really love them.  They're hardy and hardly any maintenance.  This is one of the varieties that I got.  When I planted them they took forever to break the surface.  Doug, not liking any weeds, sprayed the area until I told him that there were flowers there.  I didn't hurt them too much.  We moved some and now the Orioles, Hummingbirds and  cedar waxwings love the nectar.  The smaller birds like the foliage for cover.  It's a win-win situation.

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Here's the red variety.  When they are mature, the bottom turns yellow and the top stays red.

Garden Update & Misc. Happenings

The last time I posted I was in Montana visiting my family.  Since then, my mom and sister came out here for a couple days.  Because my mom loves to bird watch, so we went to the coast and visited Nestucca Bay National Wildife Refuge, Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge.  We went to a couple of state parks on the coast.  She had her list of birds she wanted to look for and we found many of them.

We celebrated my birthday and watched the chickens.  We took her to the Woodburn Auction where we sold 6 roosters.  That really made my "girls" happy.

Well the garden has finally come into its own.  I've been canning pickled beets, kosher dills, hamburger dills, freezing broccoli and cauliflower, blueberries and peas.

Last night, DBF picked all the cukes and today, it's more of the same.  Hamburger Dills, Baby Kosher Dills and maybe some Bread and Butter Pickles.  Tomorrow, beets again.  We want enough to last two years.  We don't plan on growing beets next year so I have to can a bunch this year.  I think I can. That's all for now.  Talk to you all later.

Sunny Saturday

Today is a wonderful day. We let the chickens out of their run around 5:30. We planned on making their watering scenario a little more automatic. We purchased a float and DB attached it to our improvised water trough.

We hooked it up to a hose and is run from the house. We plan on burying it where it crosses the yard. I think this will also keep the water cool during the summer as it sits in the hose.

He made our water trough and feed trough out of rain gutter with endcaps. Then in order for them to not tip, he notched out some wood to cradle the troughs in. It's working great.



Next he moved indoors and installed my winder AC. Now he's playing horseshoes. He wants to hone up so he can play in some tournaments this summer. Me, I'm washing and hanging my clothes out. It's great to be able to have the sun out and the temps warmer.

Yesterday was wonderful also. I walked around our yard and just took some pictures of our flowers. Want to see?

The red hot pokers are a favorite of the orioles. We have a pair so far that like to dine on them.


How's your day going?

I Can't Believe It!

I've been silent for over a month. I read the blogs daily but think that I don't really have a lot to say that anyone would be interested in.

We're getting ready for a surprise birthday weekend for my DBs sister. She turns 60 this weekend. Her daughter and oldest sister are planning a get together on Sunday and we're having the primer on Saturday. Food, family, horseshoes, music, whatever. I'm just thankful that the weather will be great. Our lawn is still a little soggy but that won't stop the horseshoe competition.

I've been cooking. The BBQ beans are in the oven, the potato salad is made and in the fridge soaking up all the flavors. I've made brownies for desert. I still have my coleslaw to make. That needs a trip to the store for the cabbage and whatever else we need.

Since I didn't take any pictures of the food prep, here are some pics I have taken this last month.

Here's one grosbeak. We have several male and females.

The goldfinches are in abundance. I'm going to put some thistle out for this weekend. Our family loves all the birds we have here.

First Oriole of the Year

Our first Bullock's Oriole landed on our feeder just a half hour ago. We didn't think they visited feeders. Oh well, I'm not complaining.

Last year he visited our Red Hot Pokers everyday for a couple of weeks. Someone forgot to tell him that they aren't ready yet.

It's Spring

I forgot to post this on the 12th, so here it is. Well it's spring, but only in bits and pieces. One nice day and several rainy and windy. I took these Saturday. My DB started feeding the finches out of my plant hanger. He doesn't particularly like feeding the red wings because they just scatter the seed on the ground, then the feeder is empty. This way we get to see them up close. They are starting to know that we aren't predators and are feeling a little more comfortable around us.

We've had 3 hummingbirds this past week, but today we saw several. Rufous and Anna's. We love watching them and their antics. This time of year we start buying more sugar because they go through it fast.
Our cherry tree is in bloom. We are hoping the bee population will pick up soon so we have cherries to eat. Edited: We now have around 12 hummers. They're so fast it's hard to count. We know that we are refilling the feeders three times a day on the weekends.
We noticed that the weeds my DB has been pulling have started to disappear. We looked up in our carport and noticed a nest being started. Not sure yet what it is. Edited: Well the nest blew down and the finches didn't want to rebuild in the same location.

I've been Revisited!

Yesterday morning I was out getting a load of firewood and saw a yellow streak. I had to see what kind of bird it was. I went into the garage to get a better look out the side window. To my surprise, I had a Western Meadowlark. He came back. I was so pleased, I text'd my DB to tell him. I watched him during the day make his rounds and when he flew into the backyard below the feeders, I grabbed my camera. Isn't he beautiful?

I haven't seen him today so maybe the conditions were just right for him to visit. Last year during our "big" storm he stayed for a week. I hope he comes back.

I need to get motivated today. I really really want to get into my sewing room and finish a wall hanging that's been hanging around for a couple of years. It's almost done. I quilted most of it, then turned it. I'm so directionally challenged, it's the only way for me to do it.

I hope everyone has a Great New Year!

It's Sunday, Where Did the Weekend Go?

I've been busy this weekend trying to finish a quilt. I have till 5pm today to get it done. Then K is coming to get it. Pictures later. But what would a post be without pictures. I've also been reading a weekly tutorial by Sue (http://www.suehecker.com/category/photography/). So early Saturday and Sunday I've been taking some pictures. Take a look:

The first on is an Bullocks Oriole. He's so quick, it was hard to get any pictures. He does like our Red Hot Pokers. He goes from one to another. When this poker is mature, it'll be yellow on the bottom and red on the top of the cone. The hummingbirds like them also. My DB wanted a picture because he thinks it's a tanager and he wants to debate the issue. It couldn't match the Stokes Bird Book any better, but it'll be fun to hear his argument. The second is a female Grosbeak. I wonder why the males are always prettier that the females. I think it's because they need all the help they can get.

Spring's Come in Like Gang Busters!

This Robin family has already fledged. Mama has a new batch she's working on. This nest is right outside our bedroom window. In the morning I open the shade and tell her Good Morning. I usually look in on her often when I'm home.















I was driving into town last week and counted nine crimson clover fields. I had my camera with me so I found a spot to take some pictures. They are lovely.



























These pictures really don't do the colors justice.

This swallow nest appear within three days. She built her nest almost under our front door. I'm sure she doesn't like the interruptions of us coming and going.

And one of my favorites........

This is one of my Rhodies. Isn't it pretty. I love the color.

Enough for now. I've been taking lots of pictures. I'll get them all online this weekend. Until then.....

Robins

There were 4 baby robins outside our bedroom window in a Spruce tree. They've grown quite a bit. Today, mama was agitated, so we looked in her nest to find only three babies. They are so big that everytime mama came near they stretched their necks and I'll bet that they squeezed one out. We looked and looked and couldn't find the fourth. They are so cute.