Let It Rain

A rainy day is perfect for resting, don't you think?  We have a cozy fire burning in our den, I'm blogging in my easy chair, hubby is watching COPS.. and all is well in the world.  A bit ago I grabbed my camera to record the moment from the warm dry coziness of our 100 year old farmhouse in the Oregon countryside.  I snapped this photo of the rain outside our kitchen window towards the barn.  Drip.. drip.. 

I've been admiring some copper wind art at the Freed Gallery in Lincoln City at the beach - click HERE - but they are very spendy... so we saw this whirlygig at Costco for a VERY reasonable price, so in the cart it went.  Dayle mounted it on the deck railing so we can enjoy it from our easy chairs when we look out the kitchen window.  

A shot out the back door.. green..  

Out the dining room window.. rain, wet, moss, green = Oregon. :-) 

I wanted to get a better photo of the pretty unusual begonia that Dayle bought for me on the bus trip of Hood River - he got the neat little basket and planted them and they're doing wonderfully. 

While I was standing outside the door I saw a little female hummingbird feeding... 

See their long little beak and their even longer little tongue? 

Here's her mate, a male ruby-throated Rufus hummingbird. 

These tiny beauties are kind of comical, too.. they fight over the feeder and dive-bomb each other to scare them away so they can eat... and chatter at each other.. it's so fun to watch them.  If you stand under a feeder and hold your finger out and stand completely motionless, they will actually sit on your finger.  They also dive bomb people and I've had them zoom right by my head.

Their wings move so fast they are just a blur, but you can hear them! 

Back inside.. looking out our den window to the front yard. 

The picket fence and the front yard off our old fashioned front porch with a porch swing. 

When Dayle walked the dog he took these photos of the rhodies - this is a special lavender one, the last to bloom of our group. 

The bright red one. 

Blue Boy.. I think..  

Yesterday we did a favor for our boys - Travis and Kristi are doing some yard work at the house they share with our older son Shawn and his family - and needed some gravel - so we headed off, picked up some chicken food at the farm store and then to the rock place and got 1.4 tons of gravel and delivered it to them.  Of course it poured down rain while Travis emptied the pickup bed.  I got to hold my 2 littlest grandsons for a long time, a grandma's blessing.  I hope you're having a good week, rain or shine.. ((hugs)), Teresa :-) 

Woman Power

What a busy weekend it was!  I attended the Oregon DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) State Conference on Friday and Saturday.  On Sunday I drove back to Portland and picked up two of my DAR friends, Peggy & Susan, (who'd flown in for the conference, one from Chicago and one all the way from Rome, Italy!) and took them on a tour of the Columbia River Gorge.  Below is a photo of my sister Roberta and I from the conference. :-)  I was honored to lead the National Anthem at the start of the Dinner on Friday, then on Saturday evening our State Chorus sang a special song that we'd rehearsed for months - "A Loving Heart".

A photo of me, my friend Susan from Italy, our newly elected chapter Regent, Carol and her Mom Barbara.

More Portland Chapter members, my sister in the middle.

Here is the head table with all the state officers, state regent AND our President General from Washington DC.  At the Gala Dinner on Saturday evening, our PG gave a presentation about the restoration work she did during her 3 year tenure on the Lay Lights, which are leaded glass panels in the ceiling of the DAR Library.  It was amazing how much work went into that restoration.  I highly recommend you view the video about this project HERE.  The DAR building in Washington DC is 2 blocks from the White House. Encompassing an entire city block, DAR Headquarters is one of the world’s largest buildings of its kind owned and maintained exclusively by women... and I'm one of them. :-)

This is a group photo of Portland Chapter with our State Regent middle right and President General, middle left.  

On Sunday I picked up my 2 friends at the hotel and we headed out for a day of fun together.  First stop was the Factory Stores at Troutdale, Susan needed some thing at the Hanes store, then we visited the Coach store, I was hoping that I'd see the purse of my dreams, but alas, I did not.  

We then headed around the corner to have lunch in Pompello Ristorante.  I informed the owner that I brought in a friend from Rome, Italy, and he was very excited and cleared a table by the window for us.  Susan had a chicken Parmesan sandwich and said it was as good as any in Italy. :-)  Then we drove up the Sandy River Gorge, pulled in to the farm for the girls to see, and meet Dayle and Buddy, then on to Portland Women's Forum to see what they thought of "my" Columbia River Gorge. :-)

The wild roses were in bloom.. isn't this an amazing pink?

Peggy, me and Susan.

Next stop, Latourell Falls.

Then Wahkeena Falls.. I love the Maidenhair Ferns with black stems and moss against the rushing water. 

Wahkeena is a beautiful waterfall that is spring-fed, it cascades down from the top of the bluff. 

Then on to the big daddy of the falls, Multnomah.  There were wild iris and wild strawberry blooming in the planter in front of the lodge. 

The girls were suitably impressed with my waterfall. 

Then on past Oneonta Gorge, Horsetail Falls and on up the gorge to Cascade Locks where we viewed the big river and they loved the Sternwheeler that was there.

Then we zoomed along the freeway and I dropped them off at their hotel, gave them each a hug and headed home.  :-)  Now to prepare the agenda and write my president's report for the Friends of Multnomah Falls Board meeting this evening.  Maybe tomorrow I can veg out? :-)  Have a great week!!  ((hugs)), Teresa :-) 

Sisters + Friends = Love

In my last post I mentioned going to a restaurant named "Trees" with my 2 sisters and sister-friend Shirley.  It's a fun place, kind of hidden and it's off a deck surrounded by forest so you feel like you're in a treehouse.  We got a new waiter and we had to laugh, he got so many things wrong with our order it was funny.  I did good with my new healthy eating program, having salad with dressing on the side and cedar plank roasted salmon with a dill rub on top of the salad.  I used only a tiny bit of dressing.  :-)

This is the dining room.  It's in Sherwood, OR.

Afterwards we went to the nursery Shirley found called the "Corner Garden" - home of the worlds largest hanging basket.  I was looking forward to seeing that and I was not disappointed!  It's below and the edge of the basket is above my head!  Remember the tiny hanging basket Shirley gave me for my birthday?  This is made just like that only gigantic!  (The chimpanzee on the side is life-size but not real.)

It was a great nursery and had the most fun thing - the curtains hanging above were indicative of what color flowers were.  Clever, huh? 

The owner made us each a hot mocha and delivered them to us in porcelain cappuccino cups!  I loved this pretty petunia!

After visiting the nursery I had to take my car into the Ford dealership service as something was wrong... no power.. 2 hours and $400 later, I was on my way home. :-)  

Yesterday I spent time getting all my things ready for the Oregon State Society - Daughters of the American Revolution - State Conference.  I will be singing in the chorus and Friday I've been asked to lead the National Anthem in front of 200-250 people.  ::gulp::  Not only that our President General of DAR will be attending.  Big doings!  I will take some photos.. but you knew that. :-)

Today I met my beloved fellow bloggers for lunch, Gracie, Taci & Betsy at Boccelli's restaurant in Gresham.  It's really amazing how neat it is to be able to talk with fellow bloggers and crafters - we "get" each other!  We showed projects we're working on and then we pulled out some little gifties we'd brought.  I got a kick out taking a photo of Gracie and Taci taking photos of our goodies.  We all have iPhones and I taught them how to make the type bigger on their phones. :-)

Taci crocheted a flower and put beads on the ends for a bookmark, Gracie crocheted us each a double think pot holder and Betsy knitted a cool spiral/round dishcloth and wrapped it around a coaster with sheep on it.  We all feel like it's Christmas when we do this.  :-)  I brought fresh farm eggs which the girls were quite pleased about.  

Sweet Betsy - she's the fastest knitter ever! 

My pile of goodies. 

Betsy's goodies. :-) 

After lunch today I went to a place for a manicure and pedicure so I'd look "polished" tomorrow.  If you've never had one, I highly recommend it - hot rock massage on hands and legs, all kinds of hot wax on my feet and stuff.. and new polish!  Woo hoo!  OK, I'll be back soon.. hugs and smooches all around.. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)  

Men in Uniform

I attended my Daughters of the American Revolution meeting yesterday and our program was given by two wonderful men in period uniform of the First Virginia Regiment - 1776 - during the War of Independence.  Aren't they handsome?  They gave a wonderful and informative program.

A voice from the audience asked that we see the back of the uniform. :-) 

And they told us ALL about their rifles.. the one on the left is the Brown Bess which was the English standard arm for over a 100 years.  The guy on the left said that General Washington wanted them all to wear the brown coat as appearing as hunters would be more intimidating than the fancy uniforms.

3 of our chapter members came to the meeting in period dress, my sister is on the left, she'd just made the apron herself using no pattern, her husband, (My BIL), Teddy, is in the buckskin outfit - he's the descendent of Daniel Boone's younger brother. 

They brought a brick of tea such as would have been thrown overboard the ship in the Boston Tea Party.   

They brought a trunk full of period items that they've put together to take with them to schools and group meetings.  It was fun to guess what everything was.   

Do you know what all these things are?  I do.. now! :-) 

Of special interest to me are these beautiful powder horns used to carry gun powder for their rifles.  I love the scrimshaw on these.  They told us that the men would etch in their names in case they were killed in battle, and on the other side they would etch their wife's name and address.. so their body could be returned to them. :-( 

I love this one with the ship scrimshaw. 

We had a very fun Mother's Day here at the farm.  Both our sons and their families were here.  I didn't get a good photo all day, but I like this one of grandpa horsing around with the two littlest boys.  Dayle made homemade from scratch macaroni and cheese with peas for them and we had a lo-cal dinner. I just love when everyone is here and everyone is talking and laughing - it did my heart good.  

Buddy heard that I put a photo of the cat on my lap the other day and he wanted equal time.  This is his usual spot.

I'm soon to head off for a lunch with my sisters, plus sister Shirley.  We're going to a place called "Trees" and then we're going to a plant nursery.  Should be fun!  I hope your day is wondrous.  ((hugs)), Teresa :-)