Leaves of Gold and Family Dinner at Tads

I was enjoying my drive home up the Sandy River after my DAR meeting on Monday.  These maples were aglow with the Stark Street Bridge over the river.

The trees clinging to the cliff were yellow and orange.

I pulled off the Historic Columbia River Highway and snapped this image of the sun sparkling on the river.  I do love living here.

We have a Chrysanthemum that came back from last year and the yellow flowers are so pretty.

Now that's a pop of yellow for you.

I have a "hardy" Hibiscus I got a few years back but the silly thing grows all summer and puts out a few flowers right when it's time for them to shrivel for winter.  I would put this plant in the negative column.  :-)  But what a pretty center!

The plant I brought home from my sister's funeral is happy after we re-potted it in one of my favorite old pots and I left it outside on the patio table for the summer and it obviously liked the outdoors.  

My precious little dog Mocha continues to enjoy being on the top of my easy chair in order to keep an eye on the comings and goings... and then she drops her head right on top of mine and falls asleep.  What a goof.  I have to tell you it's not comfortable for me!

I ordered her a new pink furry bed which was delivered yesterday.  She seems to always sleep in that spot.. so I put the bed there and hoped she'd find it and enjoy it.  Lo and behold I looked up and there she was.  :-)  The print was a gift from Kristi when Caleb spotted it at the thrift store.  It looks just like our little Buddy!!  Behind her is an antique cast iron doorstop I found a while back of a Westie and then another with 3 little kittens in a basket.

Kristi brought the boy's school photos for me.. I add them to a frame on the wall each year, putting them atop the last one.  When they graduate I will have all 12 of them in the frame.

Kristi came, the boys took the bus home and Travis drove here after work and we all hopped into our Flex and drove down to have dinner at Tad's Chicken 'n Dumplins last evening.  

We enjoyed spending time with our family and the dinner was delicious.  Tad's is up for sale and I'd wanted to go there before it is sold.  I'm so sad it's being sold.  

A new owner could change the name, gut the interior, change the cuisine and raise the prices.  WAH!  The locals call it the "Chic Dump" affectionately.

I just snapped this shot of our wild vine maple tree turning colors in the front yard.  Such a pretty time of year.

I will be heading to the pool.. in the rain.. brrrr.  But I gotta do it.  In one week we'll be on the road south to California!  We'll drive for 8 hours or so and then spend the night in a hotel.. the next day we'll drive 4 more hours to Yosemite and check into the Ahwahnee Lodge for two nights.  I sure do hope we have nice weather.  My friend Shirley and her husband John will be house and dog sitting for us.  What are you up to this week?
((hugs)), Teresa :-)