When I'm Feeling Sad

Although sometimes I miss having an actual summer vacation, I like the feeling that summer isn't over with the arrival of Labor Day.  This year, we have three more weeks before summer comes to a close and we enter my favorite season.  I'm already noticing the decreasing length of day and honestly, am enjoying it.  If your interested, here are a few other things I fancy.

The thought of being four years in.

A greyhound turned Roscoe, the Rescue Dog for cocktail hour.

This late-summer sweater in both cuts and all three colors.

Assuming you get one, have a fantastic three-day weekend!

Array

Upon arrival at campsite #1 last Friday, I was greeted with a goodie-bag gift from a six-year-old that really, really, really wanted me to open it straightaway.  She was even willing to untie the bow to help me out.  A butterfly pin, which I immediately used to adorn my sweatshirt, was included among many other hand selected items.

As I imagined it would, said butterfly brooch worked seamlessly into my nine-to-five wardrobe.

Everybody Needs a Little Time Away

J. has taken Marrow with him to Grants Pass.  It's thrilling to come home from work and have the front door wide-open.

Also, sans dog and with the garden beyond a delicate state, Larry, Moe, and Curly are enjoying their freedom beyond the confines of their yard.*

*Marrow would be none to impressed with the chickens nibbling at his bone, or maybe he would be delighted to find so many chew toys (chickens included) all together in one spot.

Itty Bitty

Our Evergreen Huckleberries have a lot of growing to do before they look as mighty as the wild ones all over Carter Lake Campground.  

Read more »

Coastal Beach Camp, or, 2nd Annual

Last weekend, J. and I enjoyed a weekend of coastal camping with friends from Portland.  This was our 2nd camping trip with said friends.*  

Read more »

When the Bee Stings

It has been a rough week.  Despite that, here are a few of the ups that have stood out among the downs.

Visualization of data.

A college-mate gets some local press.

Community storytelling.

Maybe an Everlane Snap Backpack is in my future.

Tunes that quiet me.

Stitched Together

There were nearly one hundred quilts on display at a quilt show in town last weekend.  It was amazing to see so many fabric wonders on display.  One of my neighbors said that it looked as if the buildings were adorned with necklaces.

I couldn't help but feel like I was at Mama [Berenstain] Bear's grand opening of the Bear Country Quilt Shop.

A Little of This and That

When they visited, my parents brought a juicer with them from Michigan and then left it here for me and J. to use.  I didn't pay much attention when my mom was making nutritionally-dense juice after juice so my first attempt at carrot juice was too carrot-y.  I guess you're supposed to add a green apple or something.  It was kind of terrible, but we drank it anyway.

Blue Moon

I blame it on the moon.

Yesterday, Marrow decided that it would be really fun to catch a chicken.  To get to them, he jumped the flimsy 3' chicken wire fence twice, and then, as a last ditch effort to secure a hen, he jumped out the window.  The chickens were frazzled, but alive, and no one appears to be injured.

...except me that is.  

Knowing that, without enough exercise, I have a tendency to be destructive, I decided to take Marrow for his first official run.  Not unlike my first bike ride, there was a skinned knee and a few shed tears involved.

P.S. Did I already mention that my dog is a (fill in the [expletive] blank) _______?

In Love, Serve One Another

It's not every day that Lighthouse Bakery serves brick oven pizza so, if you're not paying close attention, it's easy to miss.  Over the weekend, J. and I finally make a concerted effort to go.  Because Lighthouse has never disappointed me, I wasn't surprised to find their pizza to be absolutely scrumptious.  I'm already looking forward to the next one (September 21st).

When the Dog Bites

It may have seemed as if I disappeared for the past two weeks, but I was ramping up for and then recovering from a fun-filled eight days with my family.  Just now, I'm kind of wishing that I had taken more pictures (both still and moving) to help absorb it all.  It would be nice to have a few images of the mundane.  My dad and brothers, all three with their ipads, reclining on the couches, my sisters-in-law returning from a candy run to the little store with the subsequent distribution of loot, and my mom taking the rare moment to relax in the rocker with my niece.

Returning to the swing of things has been somewhat overwhelming. Thankfully there have been gems along the way.

A mural in motion by Hyuro.

Typewriters for better or worse.

A flower and vegetable garden of days-gone-by.

Including a Victory Garden how-to.

Miniature gore by Abigail Goldman.

P.S. My dog can be a first-rate asshole.

Continental

If I were visiting Oregon, from say... Michigan, next week, I would prepare for temps between fifty-five and ninety degrees Fahrenheit.

This means packing:

long-pants
sweatshirt and/or layers
shoes
+
swimming suit/trunks
sandals, etc.

Adventures may include, but are not limited to Pacific coast meandering, museum visiting, Elk and peacock viewing, golf playing, Redwood admiring, domino and card gaming, river splashing, and a whole lot of relaxing with good company.  If there were an official agenda, what would you like to see added to the list of good-time-fun?