Recovering...

So alright already...here are my silly little watercolors :) These are done in a small 5x7 watercolor journal. Remember I am NOT a watercolorists hehehe...although I would like to be someday. I find this medium beyond challenging because it is not easily controlled. What I do love about water colors are how transportable they are. I have a small traveling case of colors, I grab a water bottle and voila I can do a little water color sketching on site anytime any where. This activity goes back to the days of my child hood. Every year when we went on vacation to Cape Cod my mom would bring a paint by number set for me. I was the child that actually finished those pictures. For me just to do a little something with color and paper is pure relaxation.

this year

Two years ago looking north

Haystack 2006

When we were in Portland recovering from the flu, Meg and I took Eden for a walk in the field next door to the home we were staying at (bless you Alida) Following are some wonderful shots Meg took.





I have not forgotten to share about my trip to Heirloom for those garden enthusiast out there...I will get to that later.

The mice crisis is over. We ended up catching only two before the exterminator got there. He set 4 more traps to the tune of $137.00 ...with no more mice caught...ridiculous! Anyways I have finally moved back down to the master bedroom and my nerves are settling. Thank you all for your sympathy and prayers!!! I was not actually scared of the mice themselves, I use to chop off the heads of baby rattlesnakes with a shovel when my kids were little while living in Badger Canyon. I just could not stand the thought of those filthy things creeping around my house!

A Bit of a Rant...

Quick pic taken with cell phone

If your into reading a more cheerful weekend account, I won't blame you for moving on to the next blog with your morning coffee.

I had meant to finish blogging about the rest of our lovely relaxing vacation...I am just not up to it yet. I have lost all the benefit of my peaceful and restful vacation. We came home late Friday afternoon after a wonderful stop in Portland for the day...more on that later in the week when I can get my sanity back and my camera from down stairs.

Okay already you are saying. Those of you still with me here this is how my weekend has gone. Friday night we came home all refreshed and relaxed. Megan was anxious to come hang out with us for the evening since hubby was away. As we were sitting around the great room Megan gave out a YEEK, and started grabbing babies. It turns out she saw a mouse. A fairly good sized one. So we quickly picked up babies and secured them. Megan kept watch to make sure the mouse didn't go anywhere else while I went looking for a bucket to trap him with. Yeah I know stupid idea. =O Anyways...I called Dan home from a friends house to help. He gets out the shop vac and thinks maybe he can suck it up...are you really laughing now? It's a no go. So Dan goes to the store to get mouse traps and decon and we move to the back porch and visit. He goes back to his friends to watch a movie. Looooooooooooooong story short. There was more than one mouse. As I was watching TV later I saw about three scurrying around. Okay that is it till Dan gets home I am going to hold up in my bedroom. This proved not to be very helpful as I am sitting on my bed, another mouse scurries by. Stomach is now getting nauseous. I am not doing well. One mouse is one thing an invasion has me sick. Dan finally gets home to find me a wreak on the bed afraid to walk on the floor. I end up moving upstairs to the guest bedroom for the night with the door crack barricaded with books. I seriously wanted to go to a hotel. I couldn't fall asleep till after 3:00 am. We did finally catch one mouse just as I felt it was safe to go back to the bedroom this morning to get ready for church...

Sooooo we have an exterminator coming Monday morning and today we went and got a new cat! I am not kidding. We looked on Craig's list and found the perfect kitty. Three years old and house trained. I am keeping her with me in every room I go in. She is a sweet little gal named Mara. She is a calico which is our favorite kind of kitty. She is the only way I can stand to stay in the house while Dan is gone. I know I am a big baby...and this story will be funny a week from now...I am just not there yet :((((((((((((((((((((((((

From... A woman who is.....barricaded in the upstairs bedroom....OH MY!

Okay after rereading this post I am looking for a silver lining...and I think the new kitty may be it. After loosing Bella last fall I was reluctant to get a new cat (weak smile)

Cannon Beach Part II

We ran into something rare and special at Cannon Beach this summer...oh yay 3 days of glorious sunshine. When the rest of the P.N.W. has been sweltering in the heat we were enjoying low 70's at the beach with that rare commodity around here...sunshine! But first let me give you a little bit more of a tour around town.

I had briefly wandered into this shop on the first day, but didn't feel like I could linger with Dan in tow. So this morning on our fourth day we had some overcast skies so this was my chance to go get a better look. While Dan hit the hot tub I went window shopping. I fell in love with this shop Sesame and Lilies. Some pretty swanky stuff with some pretty swanky prices...so I just looked. Come take a peek with me. Oh I just have to tell you all... see the white iron trellis through the window below. I didn't even notice it till I put the pictures on my computer. I had just bought one of those at home for about $60.00 less . The dealer was doing a special show at our local farmer's market. He was out of Portland and was selling at 40% off his normal prices. So I guess I really did a get a bit of a deal. You always kind of wonder about that sometimes.



I do a lot of black and white, and lineny neutral colors in my house. I was taken with how to incorporate one of these rustic raw wood pieces into my decorating scheme. I think the pictures will help me remember. We are heading to Portland tomorrow to check out Real Deals on the way home. They will be more my price range so maybe I will find some "Real Deals" there.

Here is a little garden shop I had to go back and check out.

I walked out to the water and turned around and took some shots of the beach...notice Dan under our blue umbrella with circling birds. I kept watching these guys trying to find a spot to land. They were playing territorial wars with the seagulls.

Pelicans were competing for stomping ground with the seagulls.

This is looking south towards Haystack which is pictured on the top of the post.

Every year I do a little water color when I am on the beach to commemorate the trip. This was the scene I chose. I may post it later.

This is looking north

Horse rides on the beach. My kids loved to do this when they were younger.

Good bye lovely Cannon Beach...hope to see you next year!

Cannon Beach

View from our hotel balcony

We arrived Sunday night at the beach after an interesting weekend. Our first night in Portland Eden threw up, the next day Tyler, then Meg, Dan, Jenna and I proceeded to be sick. It seems it was the 24 hour something. Not quite how we intended to spend the weekend :) The kids dragged themselves to the wedding activities they were attending and slept, watched babies and movies till we recouped. Sunday morning we headed out to the Portland zoo, and were finally able to have some fun together. It was a perfect day in Portland, sunny but not to hot.

Eden's rented zoo stroller was a car, and she was thinking that was pretty cool. It was fun showing Eden all the animals she had learned about. Tikka the elephant was a big hit.
We are here now at Cannon Beach and the weather is perfect. I love this little beach town. It has all the charm and feel of Cape Cod...well as close as I am going to it in the Pacific Northwest. One big difference is that the water is too cold to swim in unless your the polar bear type.
This town is filled with flowers everywhere you go. All the shops are charming and the flowers are tucked in every nook and cranny and down every hidden path or main street. I of coarse enjoy this thoroughly.
Every where there is a shop there is a nice bench for the husbands to sit on while their wives shop and they attend to their blackberries :)

I wish my hydrangea's looked like this







We parked our car at the hotel on the beach and we haven't had to use it since. We are smack dab in the middle of this town. Everything you could want is with in walking distance. Last night we went out to grab a coffee at our favorite coffee shop in town Bella . After an interlude there we stopped and listening to some live music at Pizza a Fetta . Then we strolled to dinner and had fresh grilled blackened halibut...yum! After dinner we grabbed a bottle of wine at the market and a Haagen-Dazs ice cream bar and strolled back along the beach to our hotel while walking into the sunset. Ahh another day tomorrow on the beach and another day in this charming little beach town.

My New Color Scheme

It all started with some pink glads I bought that bloomed orange...hmmm. What to do? I had started to plant a few warm color toned roses on one side of my garden....a pale yellow here, a pinkie peach there. As I said in my previous post I started noticing a new emerging color scheme with pinks and oranges. So when these bloomed last summer I tagged them and moved them later on in the season over to the warmer rose border. Pretty soon I found my self being drawn to these colors and started purchasing plant material to add to the picture. Above I just planted this new day lily called Persian Market




Bright pink zinnia's and a new climbing rose called Soaring Spirits named in honor of 9-11
Here is my attempt so far at this color scheme.
We are leaving tomorrow for vacation...not sure when if I will get to post...We are heading to Portland for the weekend to help with the grands while mom and dad attend a wedding. Then off to our beloved Cannon Beach with just the hubby for a few days. We will have to make a side trip to St. Paul on our way home. Hehehe I have roses waiting for me at Heirloom Roses :) I will fill you in on the goodies when I get back.

Lillies

Wow you might need some shades for viewing my new blog look :>

My new header is a photo of my garden that is blooming right now, check back on Thursday for more pic's

The heat wave has broken up a bit here. I have been busy in the garden doing some rearranging and planting of lilies. Our local nurseries got hit with the unseasonal heat and they were discounting some of their crispy lilies. I am so thrilled. I ended up with three new lily plants at a 50% discount. They may not be looking so great this year, but next summer they will be a wonderful addition.

One thing about gardening it has instilled a tiny bit of patience in me :]

I have rearranged a few rose bushes too. They are not looking so wonderful...I do hope they pull through. Sometimes a girl just has to do what a girl has to do.

I am working on a new color scheme of pinks and oranges in one of my beds. Me... the gal who has always dislike orange after living with orange shag carpet in one of our houses in the 70's. Having attended a few wedding recently where the Brides chose some unusual color schemes, that really started to appeal to me...the former I love lavenders, pinks and a touch of blue gal :}

Here is a recent picture of Miss Avey Rose...who is two months old

My most precious lily of all!!!!