7/27/13

Friday and Saturday

No blog post from me yesterday.  That's because it's been a busy couple of days, and I have so much to tell you.

Yesterday morning, I worked a while hand-sewing the binding onto the Hello Sun quilt, but then I took off for the grocery store.  I ended up going to two stores because I wanted some clams for dinner last night, and I needed to go to a market that had good seafood.  We are only about 60 miles from the Oregon coast in Portland, and so we are able to get pretty good fresh seafood here if one goes to the right places.

When I came home, I decided to go to work on the Skillet Blackberry Cobbler that has been on my to-do list for a while.  I've made this before and gave you a link to the recipe.  While it is delicious and makes enough to feed a small army, it is a very dense cobbler.  The first time I made it, it wasn't quite fully baked in the middle.  This time, I added a full 25 minutes to the baking time in order to be sure it was completely done in the middle.  The extra baking time meant that it burned a little where the batter touches the pan.  Mike actually liked the little bit of extra crunch, but I didn't care for it.  Still, I left that part behind when we ate it last night...which Mike promptly snarfed up as we were cleaning up to go to bed.  In any case, if you have lots of blackberries, this is a great cobbler.


Once I had that finished, I had a little time left in the afternoon, and so I cut out my July NewFO project, a strawberry table runner. I didn't get very far with it, but today I'll work on it a little more.


When I got to that point, I quit for the day and made dinner.  This morning, I was up early to finish up the binding for the Hello Sun quilt.  Isn't this pretty?


And here it is!


I am seriously thinking of entering this quilt in the Oregon State Fair this year.  I think the deadline for entries is August 2nd, and so I still have time.  I need to look into it a little further.  It's the first time I've felt confident enough about a quilt to enter it, although I did enter a quilt when I went to the International Quilt Festival in Ireland.  The Oregon State Fair seems a good place to start, and so I'll have to investigate a little further.

Smitty thinks the quilt is just great.  It feels pretty darned good on his toesies.


"Yep, I'm liking this quilt."


"I'm claiming this one for the Catio."  [Fat chance, my man, but you do look pretty cute there.]


Then, I had a date with Erik to head down to the Portland Farmer's Market.  It was a beautiful day, and this is the time of year when the Farmer's Market really shines.  So much yummy food to be had.


The berries are the stars of the show right now.


Sorry this picture is a little blurry, but I had Erik hold up one of those blackberries so you could see how big it is.  Big as plums, they are.


The first local tomatoes are starting to make an appearance.


Look at these gorgeous heirlooms from Noti, Oregon, just about three hours south of Portland.


I'm embarrassed to say that I don't think I've ever seen celery outside of a grocery store.  Certainly, I've never grown it, but there you go.  Look at how deep green it is.


But there's more than vegetables and fruit at the Farmers Market.  There are crafts people of all kinds.


Also wine, flowers, cider, and beer peddlers, herb farmers, jams, jellies, sauces, tinctures, vinegars, and the list goes on.  Today I came home with a nice heirloom tomato, a basket of plums, a jar of white napa cabbage kimchi (which I love), and some culinary lavender.  I'll use the lavender when I make Bees Knees cocktails.


Also, I got a box of peaches.  I'm going to make peach chutney, and if there are enough left over, possibly a peach pie.  Something peachy, for sure.


When I got home from the Farmers Market, I had a little project for the handyman to do.  I saw these heavy-weight laser cut quilt blocks from Classic Metal Company advertised in Quilter's World magazine.  As you know, I'm a great fan of barn quilts, and so I had to have one of my very own.  I chose the 24 x 24 inch size in the Bear's Paw block.  They come in all colors, and so I decided on a forest green to match the forest green trim on our house.  Sadly, it was darker than I expected, and so it wasn't going to show up very well against the dark siding of our house.


Mike suggested having a white plastic backing made for it at a local business that does that sort of thing. They cut the 1/8-inch rigid plastic to fit and also drilled holes so we could hang it.  I stood by taking pictures and offering up support while Mike went to work drilling holes.  He used the backing as a template, and then


hung the thing with stainless steel screws at all four corners.



And as it turns out, it looks great with our white garage doors and green trim.  At least, I think it does.


There's a little closer view of it.  Cool, huh?


Now everyone knows...a quilter lives here.

So that just about brings you up to date.  After all that, I think I need a nap before I get going on my table runner.  

And I'll be linking this post to the end of the month linky at 

and to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.


34 comments:

Anonymous said...

That barn/garage quilt is great! The trek to the market makes me very hungry. We just finished of a fresh peach pie. Yummy! Hugs.....

FiberOfAllSorts said...

I ADORE the hanging block. The quilt is fantastic. Great finish. I wish I could try your cobbler. Hee hee.

Thanks for linking up!

WoolenSails said...

You amaze me, with all of the things you do and create. I love your sunshine quilt and I do think you should enter it, it would be perfect for the fair.

Debbie

Quilting Babcia said...

Oregon State Fair is just the place to enter your Hello Sun quilt! So happy you're going to do it! Thanks for sharing the link to the Blackberry Cobbler recipe again. This looks wonderful, and the wild blackberries up here will be ripe in a couple weeks. Yum!

Debbie said...

Enter it for sure....it is great! Quilting looks really good. So love the barn quilt sign.....I may have to break down and get one!

Kathy Felsted Usher said...

Good thinking on the barn quilt, it looks great.

Cath said...

You have been having a lovely couple of days. The farmers markets look fabulous and clever Mike.....I think his idea worked out really, really well and love your barn quilt. And I do hope you enter your quilt in the fair.
Cath

Vroomans' Quilts said...

Oh put those big girl panties on and enter that sweet quilt. Love the idea of the white behind the barn quilt sign - really makes it pop out.

Anonymous said...

Looking good there Smitty!! And I LOVE LOVE LOVE your barn block!!

Janarama said...

If you don't enter your beautiful sunshine quilt in the Oregon State Fair you're going to end up kicking yourself in the buttski. Soooooooooo, JUST DO IT!!! : )

Smitty looks very comfy on his new quilt. LOL

Holy moly, those blackberries are huge.

Love the barn quilt.

Kirsty said...

Love the Barn addition! Looks fab. Listen to Smitty, he knows a good quilt when he feels one. You must enter it in the fair! I also love the look of all that fruit. Personally, I never met a berry I didn't like. Your cobbler made my mouth water. Well done.

Teresa in Music City said...

Yep, you better watch out or Smitty will have that quilt snatched up and hidden where you'll never find it :*) I love your quilt block on the garage - just simply perfect!

Judy1522 said...

I definitely think you should enter your quilt in the fair that is if Smitty will give it up. Adding the white behind the quilt block on your house was a great idea it really stands out.

gpc said...

Definitely enter your quilt! It's fabulous. :) You have a really nice Farmer's Market. Ours is much smaller, but local produce is always good. Love your barn quilt -- Mike is brilliant, the white set it off perfectly!

Michele said...

Go ahead and enter the quilt. You have nothing to lose. I'm glad Smitty won't get his paws on that one. The fruit makes my mouth water. And I want one of those quilt blocks myself. I keep changing which one to get. I need to measure the spot where it will go and I think your reminder will spur me to finally get it ordered.

Nancy in IN said...

I replied to your newsletter as I couldn't get this to work at the time. Put your quilt in the fair. It looks wonderful.

make.share.give said...

Proving once again that great minds think alike...I just took down a wreath from above my garage doors, thinking it needed a barn quilt. Love the metal one, it looks perfect!

Kate said...

What a busy couple of days. You Are My Sunshine turned out beautifully, love that rainbow binding.

I entered a quilt in our county fair last year and it did well. It was a fun experience, so I'd recommend entering this project.

Quilter Kathy said...

You are making my mouth water! So many beautiful photos of lovely food!
The binding on your quilt is perfect...so pretty!
Thanks for linking up to Slow Stitching!

Carla A Few Of My Favorite Things said...

We just started growing blackberries and I have been looking for a good cobbler recipe. I will be getting my skillet out later. Also love your sunshine quilt, so cheerful and that binding is perfect. Isn't it wonderful when the men in our lives come up with such great ideas, love your barn block it is looks wonderful on your house!

cyndiofthevortex said...

Barbara, you are always such an inspiration with all you do - I'm so glad you have a blog to share it with all of us. I do hope you enter your Hello Sun Quilt in the fair. It's fantastic. I'd love to see it in person and I'm sure there are many others who will love to see it!

Dar said...

Definitely put Hello sunshine in the contest. It will get at least one ribbon and probably more!! You'll never know if you don't try. Smitty looks so cute laying on the quilt. I think he's a big ham. He look like he likes to pose whenever you get the camera out.

Your quilt block barn sign is very hansome above your garage. I like the bear paw block too.

LethargicLass said...

1)definitely enter the show if you can
2) I have never understood how heirloom tomatoes get so BIG!
3) I adore your barn quilt-esque sign
4) Can you get Tayberry jam at your Farmer's Market? It is only a west coast thing and rare at that, but it is my favourite...

quiltzyx said...

Mike geta a BIG check mark for thinking of using the white plastic behind the barn block! It looks JUST right that way. :)

You should definitely enter the Hello Sun quilt into the Oregon State Fair! It needs to be shared with as many people as possible. I'm sure Smitty won't mind sharing. Besides, what size is the catio? I think that quilt would be too big for it. Just sayin' Smitty.

That blackberry cobbler looks ginormously marvelous! I might have fought Mike for some of those crispy edges too....

And you just HAD to show a picture of those scary/creepy tomatoes, didn't you? Luckily I'm at work right now, and my office is in the basement of the Safety building, so the officiers can protect me. Whew!

Lyndsey said...

Beautiful quilt and it sure sounds a great idea to enter it in the Oregon State Fair. The sight of all the fruit and veg has made me hungry and reminded me I need to go shopping. Finally I love your barn quilt and it definitely looks good with the white garage doors.

Deb A said...

Beautiful quilt! I think you might have to sneak it out of the house... the cat sure does think it is his.
Love the barn quilt and the idea of putting white behind it.

Diane Wild said...

Too much delicious and wonderful things going on in your neck of the woods. Your quilt is definitely state fair quality and so is the cobbler. But when I looked at the recipe, my arteries started to plug. And the barn quilt is great. Wish you lived closer. I could use a handyman like yours.

Gloria said...

I am so impressed with your barn quilt! A perfect solution and it looks taylor made for your house. I enjoy all the great pictures you post, and i look at them every day. Thanks for your faithfulness in sharing .

Lynda Halliger Otvos (Lynda M O) said...

Yes, indeed, the white backing was just what the block needed. Looks like it was designed to be that way. You and Mike amaze me with your ingenuity and precision in workmanship.

I'm with you about the darker parts of baked goods and OO follows Mike's modeling and scarfs those bits up as if they were the Berry berry best part-which he claims they are; so, what do I know from baked goods ?~!

Brown Family said...

Smitty, you are like my kitties and have to lay on every new quilt first!

You have a good market.I need a good recipe for peach cobbler!

The quilt square looks great on the white!

Junebug613 said...

I think you should definitely enter the quilt in the show! Smitty is always so adorable. I love his little black eyeliner! I LOVE LOVE LOVE the quilt square. Maybe I'll put one up too! (that will confuse the neighbors, I'm sure!) Mmmmmm Peaches!

Nita said...

You are totally living the life that I envision for myself after retirement this winter. Totally. It's like having a sneak peek at my future. :) I even have the quilt block picked out for my house/barn block but haven't figured out how to make it or where to go to have one made for me. It will be the Winding Ways quilt block. And yes, there is a story behind it. ;)

Lynne said...

The white plastic backing is an inspired solution -- it looks fantastic!

Swedish Scrapper said...

Fabulous sunshine quilt! Each little window is different and lovely. Thanks for the vicarious visit to your farmer's market! How I love to see those tomatoes! And the celery looks way better than store bought.