Birds, Blocks and Barbecue

My favorite weather is bird-chirping weather.

 ~Terri Guillemets

Friday!  The promise of the weekend, of fun, and freedom.  My week has been crammed full this week and so far Saturday doesn't look any more promising.  Ah, but Sunday is a different story.  I'm looking forward to reading the morning paper with a warm cup of coffee sitting out on my patio,  to some hand sewing, and to  catching up on some recorded tv shows (our DVR is 100% full!!!).  How has your week gone?  What are your plans for the weekend?  But, that's tomorrow.  I must remember not to wish the day away - I have too much planned!!

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Photo of the Day

Cedar Waxwing

Every spring we get a flock of Cedar Waxwing that visit for about 3 weeks, usually when our mulberry tree is full of berries.  The Cedar Waxwing is a silky, shiny collection of brown, gray, and lemon-yellow, accented with a subdued crest, rakish black mask, and brilliant-red wax droplets on the wing feathers. In fall these birds gather by the hundreds to eat berries (at my house it is spring), filling the air with their high, thin, whistles. In summer you’re as likely to find them flitting about over rivers in pursuit of flying insects, where they show off dazzling aeronautics for a forest bird.  Cedar Waxwings are social birds that you’re likely to see in flocks year-round. They sit in fruiting trees swallowing berries whole, or pluck them in mid-air with a brief fluttering hover. They also course over water for insects, flying like tubby, slightly clumsy swallows.  These are one of my favorite birds to visit my yard and one of our sure signs that spring is here.

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I was able to finish the last two blocks in Cheryl's Sew Along (So Many Quilts, So Little Time)

Block 11 - Tumbling Squares

Block 12 - LeMoyne Star Variation

Now onto the finishing steps of setting and borders.  Maybe this time next week I will be able to say I have finally finished (fingers crossed)!!!!!

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How about a recipe?  I know for most of the country it is past barbecue time, but we are able to barbecue all year round.  I've even had my hubby (who does all of the grilling) out in the rain with an umbrella cooking our meat.  After all, when you have a barbecue that looks like this....................

............... you just can't put it away for the entire winter season - it is an all-weather grilling machine!!

Balsamic Pork Chops

Ingredients

1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup balsamic vinegar
3 Tablespoons fresh rosemary, sage, or thyme
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
4 boneless pork chops, cut 1 inch thick
salt and pepper to taste

Ingredients

Directions

Combine oil, vinegar, and garlic with rosemary in a self-sealing bag.  Add pork chops and turn to coat.  Marinate them for 30 minutes or longer in the refrigerator.

Remove from marinade and discard remaining marinade.  Season pork chops with salt and pepper.  Grill over medium-hot fire, turning occasionally, for 15 to 25 minutes, until meat thermometer inserted reads 155-160 degrees F. 

Chops grilling

Ready to eat

Personal Notes

1.  I used the same amount of marinade for 2 pork chops.

2.  The longer you marinate the meat, the better the flavor - I usually try to get at least 6 hours of marinating time in.

3.  If using dried rosemary, reduce to 2 tablespoons.

4.  Reheats well and is delicious!!!!

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FINAL REMINDER

Today is the last day to enter my Fall Into Fall Bloggers Giveaway!!!!!  This giveaway ends tonight at 6:00 p.m. PST.  I will announce the winner either later tonight or tomorrow morning.  Don't miss out, enter HERE now before it's too late.

This will probably be your final reminder to enter my 200 Followers Celebration Giveaway.  Wouldn't you like to win 2 1/2 yards of Hoffman fabric?  If you do, then you can enter this giveaway HERE!

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Final Thought

With cooler weather already being experienced in a great deal of the country, our thoughts turn to all of the looming holidays - Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.  I usually do not look forward to many of the holidays because of all the busy schedules, shopping, people, and general stress that goes with it all.  I will do my best this year just to take things as they happen, enjoy the little things that I might normally overlook, and, most importantly, not to stress - what will be will be.  There.  You are all my witnesses.  I know that my family reads this too, and it is my promise to them that I WILL NOT STRESS!!!!  (I hope, I hope, I hope!!)  I will remember this quote for the coming holidays...........

The time to relax is when you don't have time for it.

                             ~Attributed to both Jim Goodwin and Sydney J. Harris

Have a fun, fantastic, frolicking Friday!!  And, enjoy your weekend too!!!!!!

It's All Good

"When your life flashes before your eyes, make sure you've got plenty to watch."                              

                        ~Author unknown, from a television commercial

 
Thursday!  Boy, I sure am having a better start to the day than yesterday - computer's working, I think I have the picture thing figured out, and life is good.  I did end up having a productive day yesterday which I will share with you later in the post.  I hope you are all having a wonderful day so far.  What did you do yesterday?

Photo Of The Day:

Milo

The visiting birds in my yard decided I wasn't feeding them enough seed and have planted several plants of milo in my pots of bell peppers.  I decided to let them grow and let the birds have an extra feast.  Milo is actually Grain Sorghum.  Farmers on the hot, dry plains from Texas to South Dakota grow and use grain sorghum like Corn Belt farmers use corn. Large acreages of grain sorghum are also grown in Africa and Asia in areas where the climate is too hot and dry for corn.  Worldwide, sorghum is a food grain for humans. In the United States, sorghum is used primarily as a feed grain for livestock. Feed value of grain sorghum is similar to corn. The grain has more protein and fat than corn, but is lower in vitamin A.  Let the birds enjoy!

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Yesterday I was able to complete one more block in Cheryl's SAL.  If you are interested in joining in on the sew along, you can find the blocks by visiting So Many Quilts, So Little Time.  Cheryl gives an excellent tutorial for each block. 

This is block #10.  It is called Noon and Light

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Yesterday I was able to work on my Candle Mat Swap from the Quilting Gallery.  I can't tell  you who it's for because it is a secret partner swap.  My partner doesn't have a blog but I don't know if she reads my blog.



  First step was to make the color layout.  The pattern calls for a charm pack and one fat quarter.  I'm using fabric Wrap It Up! from Connecting Threads.

Next came the HSTs

Center completed!

Side strips for the center block

Strippy blocks for all four sides (originally I had only made a 7 strip side because that is what I had counted in the picture.  Dummy me, read the instructions first!!!  It needed 8)

Snowball a corner of the corner blocks

And here is the top completed.  Now I need to sandwich and quilt.  I'm thinking of trying something different this time.  I'll let you know how it turns out.  Each corner will have a little decorative button sewn in it.

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REMINDER

My Fall Into Fall Bloggers Giveaway ends tomorrow evening at 6:00 p.m. PST. You could be the winner of this cute ducky baby quilt kit.

Just click HERE to enter for the this kit!

And if you would like to try to win this fabric from me........

Then you are just click away - HERE!

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And, for a final picture - Snickerdoodle. 

"Hey, Mom!  It's time for some fresh air!!"

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Final Thought

I've made it through half of the week.  A fairly creative week thus far.  I hope to complete a little more before the week is through.  Sometimes my brain gets a little fuzzy and a little tired, like it is now, but it does come out of its fog and actually works from time to time.  I just need to get moving - on to my one cup of coffee, some breakfast and then it's to the cutting table for one more SAL!  I will leave you with this great quote:

Once you choose hope, anything's possible.     ~Christopher Reeve

Have a bright and cheery Thursday!!