Wednesday 28 April 2021

Beauty Product, Apple Crumble, Basket Applique, Amazing Bird Sighting

All this week down at the pond I've been serenaded by several cardinals singing their beautiful songs. I had to think how blessed I am to not only live where this is a morning greeting but also to have my hearing to hear them. With hubby being hard of hearing, I'm conscious of that too. 

I had a marvelous treat last week when the barred owl suddenly alighted on a tree in the marshy area as I was sitting on the skating shack steps. I was using binoculars and caught the movement of something quite chunky looking. Because they don't spook easily, I was able to move a little closer and get a few shots. Always thrilling to see such big birds and look at those eyes.

Busy looking around.
And to my complete wonder, a second barred owl joined him. This I've never seen before...two barred owls together! The sun went in but I didn't notice.

One very happy amateur birder here!  Emphasis on amateur...I realized afterwards, in my excitement I did not have the correct setting adjusted for such long distance shots. 😞

We watch Friday Night Dinner on Amazon Prime and enjoy the very lighthearted comedy. 


The mom, Jackie, is played by the wonderful Tamsin Greig. She usually makes an Apple Crumble for dessert which the family calls a Crimble Crumble. Since I'm so easily influenced, I decided to make one.  And wouldn't you know, UK's Nervemedia published this article- How to Make Crimble Crumble Just Like Jackie.  I make my own version with extra oats and lots of the crumble part.


My next table topper is an appliqued one.  I was inspired by Barbara Brackman's quilt project in this book.
 I've gotten this far below- would have been further but got very hung up on the fabric choices.  Then I had to employ Hubby's straighter eye to help me get it all lined up on the much larger piece of background fabric.  I love this shade of soft baby blue.  I think I'll call this one The Big Handle Basket, LOL. There is a bird, leaves and flowers to add yet.  Kind of in slings but you get the idea. Finishing this will be my May OMG over at Elm Street Quilts.
Hubby has been busy too with a variety of chores including this one.  Re screening the screen door in the patio door; someone (not mentioning any names) had pawed it and made quite a tear in it. He did a great job. Hopefully it will be warm enough to put screens to use sometime soon. 

A beauty product that is new to me but perhaps not to you...Boom By Cindy Joseph.  I'm sure you've seen the ads for this. I like the whole pro age kind of thinking behind this product. It claims to look good on all faces, and I have to say, I like it on mine.  With the blush, a little goes a long way. And I like the little zippered pouch it came in too.

 My bathroom lighting is a little dull and I have this fear of looking like Nora Desmond as played by the wonderful Carol Burnett in a skit years ago. That being said, only Hubby is seeing me these days and it would take a lot of pink for him to notice I think. 

Next week will be yard cleanup time for me. I look forward to that very satisfying work and thankful to still be able to do it. 

A mystery...something has been visiting my compost bin nightly and taking off the top. This is a bit of a feat as the lid has a special locking feature with arrows you must align to get the top off.  It stumps me sometimes!!  We've set up the trail cam so perhaps one of these days we'll solve this mystery. 

I'm sharing this post with Paying Ready AttentionKathy's QuiltsSmall Quilts and Doll QuiltsApplique Patchwork QuiltingCreations Quilts Art and I'd Rather B Birdin'.

38 comments :

Karen - Quilts...etc. said...

love Carol Burnett - she always made me laugh so much! I have heard of the beauty product but never tried it. I love the book Cold Wind Blows - I have only rarely seen an owl and the last one I remember was when we were in Glacier National Park camping and it is early evening when we had taken a walk to the lake near by and on the way back to the campsite I just happened to look up and saw the biggest owl ever just sitting in the tree I don't know if it had made a noise or not but I'm glad I looked up when I did

Out To Pasture said...

Wow, Jocelyn, two barred owls! How wonderful. And you've inspired me to use up my apples languishing in the fridge to make that desert! Sure sounds like you have a raccoon or two visiting at night.

Magpie's Mumblings said...

Oh, lucky you to see not just one but two amazing owls! I'll bet they're a pair. Wouldn't it be great if they nested nearby?! I certainly identify with the Nora Desmond fear - I've been 8 weeks without glasses and couldn't see close up so who knows what I looked like. I don't wear makeup but it would have been nice to at least pluck those errant chin hairs!! As for the compost mystery - I'll bet it's a racoon.

Brian's Home Blog said...

Those owls are totally amazing! I wonder who the compost bandit is?!?!

Libby in TN said...

What a treat to see not one, but two, barred owls. They blend into the woodwork!

Nancy J said...

Two owls, that is wonderful to get them both, and finding a good face product that suits, I recently found a Nivea face wash that suits my dry skin, but nothing to help the thinning hair, that is a side effect from one of my heart medication tablets.Never mind, I can wear a hat this winter.

audrey said...

Love the look of your new basket block! It looks very fun to stitch. We love a good apple crumble dessert though ours is very simple. Anything baked with fruit and we're happy.:)

David M. Gascoigne, said...

Those two Barred Owls must be a pair to tolerate each other in such close proximity. What a wonderful sighting. I can only imagine how excited you were. It's something many dedicated birders rarely see.

Ruth Hiebert said...

Oh what a thrill to see not one but two of those beautiful owls. I would probably get so excited that the camera would shake too much.

piecefulwendy said...

What a treat to be serenaded by the birds and to have the company of two barred owls! You managed to get some great photos of them! I just got the Boom sticks too and I have this fear of looking too pink. No one has said anything, except my daughter who says it looks okay. I'm not much of a makeup girl, so 3 sticks is a great solution! Love Carol Burnette - sure miss that show!

CathieJ said...

My husband has been bemoaning the fact that we have one intrepid cardinal that sits in the tree outside our bedroom window and sings his heart out each morning at 4:30 am. The song is beautiful, but way too early. I love the owl photos. What a wonderful sighting. Your table runner is going to be beautiful. I am looking forward to watching your progress. Good luck finding the compost bandit.

Quilting Babcia said...

Lucky you, seeing those owls and getting some great shots of them. A fun basket, I'll have to get out my copy of that book and try again to applique something during the hot summer months when hand quilting a large quilt during the evening is just plain too warm.

MissPat said...

What amazing photos of the barred owls, even if your didn't have the correct setting. I've never seen one barred owl, let alone two. I have some apples left, so I should try the crimble crumble which sounds like our apple crisp. I got some more yard work done yesterday and today, but the rain has come through and it will be much cooler through the weekend, so it's back to sewing baby quilts.
Pat

Angie said...

Jocelyn - you are blessed indeed! I was recently in Ohio, and I forgot how beautiful and prevalent the cardinal song is! And then not one but two barred owls!!! Fab photos!

Nana said...

To loose a sense must be awful, but good that we have hearing help and glasses, so we all still can see the beauty of nature. How lucky you were to see those two owls, how I wish I could have been with you.

Nana

grammajudyb said...

I’m no expert, but I think your owl photos are fabulous! I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a barred owl. Isn’t it great to have a handyman hubby? I giggled out loud at your Nora Desmond reference! Of my, she was so funny! I’m glad to know you were pleased with Boom! I’ve wondered about it. Have a great week!

patty a. said...

That was fabulous to see those two owls and your pictures are great! There is a pair in my neighborhood and I hear them quite often at night talking to each other with one in the tree outside my bedroom window and the other down in the valley. Sometimes they get quite loud and rowdy at 3 in the morning! It has been years since I actually saw the both of them in the backyard.

Anonymous said...

Wow, those are beautiful pictures of the barred owls. We have so-called long-eared owls in our garden, which are quite common in Europe. One year we had two young ones that slept in our trees during the day, very curious and aware of what's going on, but remaining in place all the same. I'll have to ask Nana around if they come again so she can post the pictures in her blog. You seem to have an abundancy of birds and I'm glad you take those pictures for us. Apple crumble is one of my favourites and I always make it with oats, too.
Andrea

Siouxzq64@gmail.com said...

The owls are fabulous. As I was getting my steps in this morning on the treadmill I was serenaded by a cardinal since, even though it was pouring I had the back door open. I can't wait to hear about your thoughts on the Boom sticks. Your basket block looks lovely.

Home Sewn By Us said...

Hi Jocelyn! Oh, that photo of the barred owl is just fabulous. He really blends into the tree bark well, doesn't he?! And then TWO of them together?!!! Hmm, I look forward to hearing about the mystery opening of your compost bin. Your new applique project background reminds me of a Tiffany surprise. ~smile~ Roseanne

LIttle Penguin Quilts said...

How wonderful to hear the cardinals and see the owls! I think your photos of the owls are great! Love your bird and basket applique, too. It's so nice to have a handy hubby. Mike always sees things that need to be done that I wasn't even aware of.

PaintedThread said...

The cardinals have been singing their hearts out here, too! And our first hummingbird arrived this morning. Those owl photos of yours are terrific! And two at once! Very cool. I'm going to guess raccoons as your compost bandits. They are amazingly clever.

QuiltGranma said...

Love your basket block, the barred owls pictures, and your story here today. When I make apple crisp I add cinnamon and slivered almonds to the topping. YUM,I think it is time to do that again!

gladiquilts said...

Hi Jocelyn. Just catching up on my blog reading and responding to your last 2 posts. I love your little yellow log cabin table topper - might have to steal the idea for one of my monthly minis 🙂. Also LOVE the new cross stitch project. Glad you’re vaccinated, but I can’t believe doctors are giving the shots, unless they’re retired and volunteering. I, too, have been enjoying nearly daily walks to a nearby pond and through woodlands, soaking in the signs of spring ,but haven’t been as lucky as you capturing wildlife on camera. Love seeing yours, and those owls - amazing!! Have a great weekend!

eileeninmd said...

Hello Jocelyn,

Congrats on your two Barred Owl sighting. It is always cool to see one owl, even better to see a pair of owls. Maybe a nest is nearby. Your basket is pretty. The crimble crumble sounds delicious. I will save the recipe link. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, enjoy your weekend! PS, thank you for the visit and comment.

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

Wow! You got to see TWO barred owls! How amazing! And the photos came out great. They are one of our favorite sightings and rare! I was thinking it might be a raccoon too. Love your sewing projects! And it's SO nice to have a smart hubby that can do repairs and help us with our projects! Enjoy your weekend.

Angela Tucker said...

Those owls are fabulous!! I hear them around my house, but I guess they just don't like my trees. LOL We went through four or five screen doors until we just spent the extra money and bought one of those "security" screen doors. I do like the fact that it bolts to your house and we picked the deadbolt type. Now, if I wanted, I could leave the door open all night in the summer. Except for the small open space under the door (the way our house was built) which does seem to call open house to lizards, snakes and such. LOL That apple stuff looks really good...and I have apples! Maybe a bit of baking before the heat hits. Have a good week.

Villrose said...

Oh, you were lucky to spot these owls!

Maria said...

Thanks and praise be at all times to the most holy and most holy sacrament of amen

Anu said...

Hello. Awesome owls. Great photos.

Chopin - A Passionate Quilter said...

Love the Owls! Hubby looks like he is really engrossed in his work - hopefully it will warm up soon. The basket block is so cute and I have the same book - think I have both of their books for quilting! Have a great week - we received 6" of rain! YIPPEE~. now for another 10" and maybe we could have grass and no drought in South Texas! Hugs

Anni said...

Oh my gosh...not one but TWO BARRED OWLS!! One of my favorites. Confession time...I'd pee my britches with excitement seeing such a sight!!

Thanks so much for stopping by and joining us at I'd Rather B Birdin'. Have a super week ahead.

Stewart M said...

I cant go past those owls - what wonderful birds. I was out late at night last weekend looking for Barn Owls - unfortunately without success!

Hope all is well - Stewart M - Melbourne

Karen said...

Love your owls. I hear them often around the bushes back of my house, but rarely see them. We had a snowy swoop down and snag a weasel in the back yard once. Another time an owl like yours swooped by the diningroom window, scaring the bijingoes out of me!

Frédérique - Quilting Patchwork Appliqué said...

Beautiful owls! Pretty photos. I love your basket block too!
Thank you for linking up ;)

Jenn Jilks said...

You must have been thrilled with the owls. We had a pair nest here twice, but the last hatching didn't go well with the blu jays.

dq said...

We call it apple crisp at our house and also prefer the oatty crunchy part the best!

K Reeves said...

Those owl photos are just amazing! WOW WOW WOW!!!