Birthday Lunch

Yesterday my "best friend from 7th grade" Shirley celebrated her birthday by inviting us to her home and making lunch for us all!  It was also my sister Roberta's birthday a few days ago, so we had a double birthday party.  :-)  Younger sister Denise arrived home just the day before from a 3 week trip to visit Lake Erie and surrounding places.  Shirley made an Italian Chopped Salad, I brought fresh baked artisan bread, Denise brought iced tea and Roberta brought dessert.  Shirley has created a wonderful garden at her home and gave us a tour before lunch.  I was charmed by this old shutter that was planted with succulents.. she has it hanging on the fence.  

Shirley started a collection of keys on this wall and each time I visit there are more.. it's quite a collection now!  

Shirley also had a painting I gifted to her many years ago.  One of my octopus ink paintings of a covered bridge that I photographed on the way to visit my mom years ago.

Shirley has a neat little garden area that her husband John made for her along their front walkway and the Dahlias have done well there.

They have the cutest potting bench in their back yard, above it in the center is a bird house that I had built for me and painted ivy on it and gifted to her.  :-)  Isn't this a charming area?

We had a wonderful lunch and chatted away.. I forgot to take a photo of the chopped salad but did get this shot of our dessert.  Yum!

I found the neatest handmade gift bags for the girl's gifts.. :-)

And gave Roberta and Shirley each a handblown glass pumpkin for their fall decor.  We had a lively discussion on our current political situation.  The 4 of us agree on things, so that is good.  :-)  I won't say anymore about it.. :-X

I made it through some difficult traffic and arrived home.. Dayle was on the tractor mowing the field.  I have been wanting to take a photo of our Hawthorn tree which is covered with berries.. very fall-ish!

See how many berries there are?

When I walked up upon the deck I noticed one single pink Gerbera Daisy in bloom.  So pretty.

I think this is an Abe Lincoln rose.. in bloom in the garden.

My basket of Moss Roses is still going strong.

We added a pumpkin by the back door.. come on in.  :-)

I'm heading off to the pool soon.. I was hoping to go on a scenic drive today but that fell through.   :-)  What are you doing today?  ((hugs)), Teresa :-) 

Portland Cityscape and Dollhouse Gifts

Hello my friends!  Yesterday we had an appointment with an attorney to do some estate planning - it was in Portland, Oregon, just 20 minutes from where we live.  We had an interesting meeting, learned a lot and feel good about getting our affairs in order.  :-)  On the way home we crossed over the Markham Bridge where you get an amazing view of our beautiful city.  We were in slow moving traffic so I asked Dayle to quick get out my iPhone, turn on the camera, hand it over and take the wheel.. and look at the photo I got!  

One of my blog readers, Teresa, recently asked if she could send me some of the extra dollhouse items she had.. wasn't that nice of her?  I received a box with these things in it.. how generous and nice.. thank you Teresa!!  Teresa has 5 dollhouses and told me she has boxes of extra tiny things so she wanted to share them with me.  Sweet.  There is even a dog bed and tiny pair of sunglasses, 2 brass lanterns, a candle sconce and more.

This tiny pair of hand-crocheted hot-pads totally charmed me.  Aren't they cute?  They're about the size of your thumbnail (made ya look! Ha!)

I've loved fancy hatboxes my whole life but never imagined a tiny one.. this will take pride of place on the highboy in my dollhouse bedroom.

And of course, 4 tiny skeins of yarn with wrappers in a little basket.. ::swoon::

There is a dish drainer and a roll of paper towels.. aren't these cute?

I will try to get some photos of these things once I place them in the dollhouse to show you, ok?  OK.. gotta pack the swim bag for a jaunt to the hot springs pool.  We're having a wonderful sunny warm day.. yay!  I hope your day is fabulous.  ((hugs)), Teresa :-) 

Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival

I made a beeline for the basket sellers booth.. all the way Dayle is saying.. "You don't NEED another basket!".. but Gracie has a little round one that I had admired and I don't have a little one..  so I want one.. :-)  He even helped me pick out the prettiest one.  What a nice husband.  

Oh how I love these baskets.  These baskets are woven in Ghana, West Africa.  Called "Bolga Baskets" are made from elephant grass.  The women in the village weave the baskets and the men tan the goat hide used on the handles.  The purchase of these baskets is helping a farmer in Africa.  Who am I not to help out, I ask you?  

My little basket was only $10 - I just noticed on the tag that I could have gotten 2 for $15!  Dang!  

Backing up the truck a bit.. :-)  Dayle and I drove to Canby and went to the place where he and his railroad co-workers used to go to have breakfast.  We've been going there each year for lunch before we hit the OFFF.  It's changed hands many times but each time the food is good.. I wonder if they kept the cook each time a new buyer came on?  :-)  The newest name is "Sugar Plum's Cafe and Bakery".  When we walked in we did a double-take on a man in a booth, it was Dayle's best buddy from his railroad days!  Mike!  And his wife was there too.  We had a nice chat before we got our own booth and ordered lunch.  After lunch we drove on to the festival and passed this neat old truck.

OFFF is held on the Clackamas Country Fairgrounds.. the gardens were gorgeous this year.  

There was carded and dyed wool aplenty.  I refrained from buying any as I still have some from the last visit that I need to spin up on my spinning wheel.  But it was still fun to fondle and look at.  

A new booth was a broom maker, I was drawn to the colorful straw brooms.

I asked the broom maker if I could take a photo.. sure he said.. could I have a smile?  Sure, he said.. lol!  

A stroll through the barns to see the Angora goats.. the different breeds of sheep.. the alpacas.  Love.

Some Cashmere babies.. sweetness.

OH BOY!  The little cute sheep lady was there!  Ohh.. look at that one!  And that one!

And this sculpture.. I swooned over.. it's a goat pulling a cart with a cow, pig, sheep and rooster on top!

A really BIG sheep with cute blanket.. and a neat little sheep replica.

Of course I had to visit the alpacas.. funny little darlings.

The swath of begonias charmed me.  And so we headed out from a fun time at the festival.

And then not far away is the Swan Island Dahlia Farm.. we love to go see the flowers in the field and they have a little red shed with bouquets for sale.  Dayle and I picked out 3 bunches to bring home.  I filled the bag with some water from the hose and Dayle stuck the flowers in and we stowed them in the car.

We walked around the rows of flowers and got some photos.. I especially love the speckled colors in this one.

This one is especially cute.

Dayle's favorites are the BIG ones!

A shot over the fields as we drove out of the gardens.

A new broom came home with us.. the broom makers wife gave us a hand made iron nail to hang it with, which I pounded into the wall and hung it just so next to the back door.  

Do you love all the colors of straw in the broom?  

Attached to the broom is a cute wooden nickel with the makers website on it.. how clever is that?  Squire Brooms website.

And look who else followed me home?  *LOVE*

My new purchases look very autumnal, don't you think?  I told my husband that this is called "retail therapy" and it worked.  

Our Dahlia bouquet on the table.. the flowers bring me much happiness.

We're having some wonderful sunny and warm weather over the last few days, so I'm going to enjoy my trip to town to swim this afternoon.  I hope you're having sunshine and warmth where you are.  ((hugs)), Teresa :-) 

Cozying In

Hello my friends.  Well.. one more summer done and dusted.  Fall is here.  It's rainy, grey and chilly here now.  We have the heat on and are cozy in our little old farmhouse.  On Wednesday it was still nice and Gracie and I went to the hot springs to swim.  We had lunch at Big T's and then went to the park to look for black acorns.  I found a beauty!  I found two more smaller ones with no caps, too.  I picked up a fallen twig with a few leaves on it and laid the prize acorn on top of the russet gold leaves.  Oh pretty.

Big T's sits on a hillside and there are California Poppies there.. *snap*

Nothing says Autumn like brown leaves and acorns, does it?

The American Empress was at the dock again.  I wonder if it runs all year or goes into dry dock in the winter?  I'll have to check.

Sun pennies on the river.. not many sparkles during the next few seasons.  :-(

I volunteered at Multnomah Falls with Shirley yesterday.  I took my knitting.  It's really neat how many people ask me what I'm doing.  I have fun having them touch the cotton I'm using.  To those who were knitters I'd show them my faux tortoise shell knitting needles that I use.  I have a nice collection of them - I get them on eBay from Australia where they obviously used to be quite popular.  My blog friend Wendy from there even sent me a few sets of needles that her mother gave her.  Wasn't that sweet!?

You should keep an eye out for some needles like this.. you can find them in antique stores or vintage thrift shops.  They are flexible and feel great to the touch.

Remember the baby hat I made for a young friend of mine?  Emily took a photo of her darling little baby girl Lynden and posted it on Facebook for me to see.  Isnt' she cute?  She has a handsome older brother and they look a lot alike.  Sweet family.

The Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival is on tomorrow.. I hope we might go visit.  Do you have any fun weekend plans?  ((hugs)), Teresa :-)