turkey feathers

Daisy Daze

Grace was out wandering around on the mountain yesterday and took these pictures. We've walked this path dozens of times, through the changing seasons and through all kinds of weather, but have never had the pleasure of seeing the path lined with wild field daisies as it is now.  This wonderful, beckoning daisy border continued on for at least a quarter of a mile like this, she said.  I'm going up today to experience this natural wonder for myself.  That is, if the sky doesn't open up and pour cats and dogs.  But even then, I may just don a parka and grab my umbrella.  If I waited for the rain to stop or the weather to cooperate,  I'd never get out of the house!

Anyway, for the past forty-five minutes, I've been sitting at my desk writing.  From time to time, I've looked up to see a small wild hare streak across the lawn followed by one of the neighborhood cats in playful pursuit.  There are several cats out and about today, giddy it seems, aroused by birdsong, sunshine and shadow, and the heady scent of springtime in the air.  I watch them as they lie in wait in the tall grass that borders the creek.  Suddenly one will pounce and the chase begins.  Usually nothing much ever comes of it.  More of a game of "cat and mouse" as these felines are well-fed and somewhat lazy, having spent most of the winter months lounging in front of wood stoves and coiled in cozy corners. 

The rabbits, on the other hand,  are much quicker and alert and know all the best hiding places.  

Afterglow

Well, another Christmas has come and gone and I can confidently say that we did our best to make some happy and lasting memories.  Everyone had a fine time.  We missed our little love, Lily, curled up under the tree though.  It was quite sad to not see her there.  Or napping in the wrapping.  As she loved to do.  And, I didn't mention this before but Marshy, our dear little hampster pal died two months ago of "old age", which is not very long in people years.  What's funny is, last Christmas, when both pets were still with us, the Mister and I went to a vintage mall in the next town to poke around and we found these two adorable ornaments.  Both handmade, and old.  I immediately thought of Lily, when I saw the white kitty on a cloud.  On closer inspection, I realized she was made out of a painted walnut and a chestnut!  We brought them home, wrapped them up and gave them to the girls to remember their pets by.  Little did we know then that they would lose both pets this year, and how special these little ornaments would become.  To all of us.   

 

 

There was also baking! 

 

All this and more...

. . .went into decorated cookie boxes tied up with peppermint bows for special friends and family.  

These are some of the candies the girls made for their dad. They counted 96 candies when all was said and done.  Enough to last 'til his birthday in April.  But I wouldn't count on it.  They are really GOOD!

There was a lot of crafting and paper rustling going on behind closed doors these past weeks.  These two colorful gifts were for my granddaughters from their Aunties.  Grace knitted sweet little hats for both her neices; Ginger made the cute flower hair clips.  Not only are they wearable, but make pretty package toppers too. 

 Time out for cookies and coffee.

That's it in a nutshell for another year! 

Pumpkin Hollow

Saturday, the Mister and I stepped out and stepped back in time, or so it seemed, as we found ourselves here at this charming little home-run shop--that was recently built behind the owner's Colonial saltbox home.  Pumpkin Hollow is open on a limited basis and by appointment, but the doors were open this weekend, so we took the opportunity and the old scenic route and paid a visit for the first time.  We were not disappointed!  Every detail was perfection.  Truly a labor of love here.

This is the view looking out from the stone porch.  See that tree stump in the far left corner?  Instead of taking the tree completely out, half the stump was left standing and expertly carved into a big glorious pumpkin.  The "hollow" is lower down in the trunk.

Here's a close-up of it.  It's really quite large.  Anyway, that was just one of the extraordinary things we found here.

The "water wheel" is an actual working grist mill that's turned by water.  Neat, huh?  OK, so let me take you inside.

I love primitive folk art.  At one time, back in the 1980's, I started a little home-based craft business called, Hearts & Hands.  It was just a hobby-biz, consisting of myself and a few creative friends who also liked to make things.  None of us had much money for crafting in those days, so selling a few things helped us buy the supplies we needed to pursue our interests. 

Over the years, I put together a few humble little catalogs with our vintage-style crafts, handmade dolls, quilts, and wooden folk art and sold them by mail-order.  These catalogs were super fun to make.  However, no computer graphics programs back then, or digital cameras for that matter.  So the photographic quality wasn't that great having used developed black-and-white film prints, and an electric typewriter for the print.  Everything was layed out and pasted-up the old-fashioned way; with a T-square, a ruler, and brushed-on glue gum.  Then, off to the printer it would go, who did his best with it.  (click on catalogs for enlarged view).  Once a year, I would open up my house and have a "holiday boutique".  This was really the thing we had the most fun doing.  I will never forget our annual holiday boutiques!  We planned for them all year.  Mostly, we just invited our family, neighbors, and friends, and they invited theirs.  Just word-of-mouth, that sort of thing.  One all-day girl party!  This went on for several years, and as word got out our customer base grew.  GOOD times. . .GOOD memories.

. . . those were just some of the memories that stirred when I stepped inside.  And then I saw these!  These were actual gingerbread cookies (of some kind) dipped in wax to preserve them as decorations.  The shiny wax looks just like icing. Sweet!

A cozy nook.  Did you know that in Colonial times, the pineapple was a symbol of "good luck"?  Well, now ya do!

This big stuffed deer had branches for horns and wrapped sticks for legs!  Love that.  The adorable little mouse standing behind it came home with us.  For old-times sake. 

(More details about Pumpkin Hollow Mill in this newspaper article.)  

 But getting back to the shop . . . 

Peace & Plenty

Driving back home from town this morning, with my bundle of packages and a bag of croissants from the bakery, I turned onto our street--and the sight of rows of flaming maples lining the road nearly took my breath away.  I can't remember a lovelier autumn than this one.  It's just been incredible.  The trees we planted a few years ago are coming into their own now and adding different shades of color, complimenting others that were here already.  They seem particularly vivid against a backdrop of evergreens shrouded in fog.  Amazing, is all I can say, and I wish it would last a bit longer.   

Because very soon, this is about to change.  A storm is on the rise.  And so, before the autumn splendor gets entirely stripped away by wind and rain, and possibly snow later in the week, I grab a camera and head back out the door.  The air is as crisp as a green apple.  A hint of woodsmoke drifts by from a neighborhood chimney.  Everything is still.  Just the sound of leaves floating down around me.  I turn, take a few steps, set up my shot, then sense something--watching. 

   

Sometimes happiness is the simple realization that a still, small moment is special, and you thank the Heavenly Father for His provision of peace.

Winding Through Autumn

We have been busy as bees here, but thankfully, November arrives with it's own quiet rhythm offering us balance and a little time to breathe, before we are swept along into the next mad rush.  The hiking trails near my house are now carpeted with gold.  The ancient tree trunks are flocked with damp, velvety moss, some of them sprouting gigantic mushrooms over our heads.  (This one was the size of a dinner plate!)  I love the woods.  There's a hushed silence that follows at our heels as we walk along.  Occasionally, a small creature will shuffle through the leaves, ducking for cover at our approach.  We stop to look, but never do see anything in the dense underbrush. 

A woodland jay calls out an alarm as it sweeps from tree to tree, watching us, until we are out of it's range.   We take the old horse trail that winds deep into the mountainside wilderness.  A haze of shimmering light filters down through the tall, lacy canopy, sheltering our path.  Overhead, dark clouds coast silently and then part momentarily, allowing a single golden ray of sunshine to illuminate a small patch ahead. 

It's magical--a sliver of heaven, I say.  My camera captures the moment.  Lovely.

Treasure Hunt

 
I was up in British Columbia a while back, and stopped in the charming little town of Fort Langley.  There is a wonderful Vintage Mall there, where these pictures were taken.  What's funny is, when I was going through them today I noticed this BOWTIE quilt.  I saw it, but the pattern didn't register at the time.  It "ties" in well (pun intended), with my last blog post don't ya think?

More nooks and crannies. . . and peeks into the past.

Glass coffee and tea pots!  Something else you don't see anymore. 

  
After that I wandered down the street and came upon another treasure: The Little White House.  It was filled with beautiful French-inspired furnishings, accessories and clothing.  At one end (left), was a teeny-tiny Cafe Salon designed for a leisurely nibble.  Quite enchanting!  If you find yourself in the area, you must stop by. 

Unrelated: Just a quick note to tell you that the Turkey Feathers Thrift Shop (with older and vintage sewing patterns), is open for business once again.  October is here, and what better way to celebrate than with a SALE!  Just enter coupon code: SEWGOOD25 to receive a 25% discount on your purchase.   

Magical Places

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Five years ago, I discovered an enchanting woodland hideaway called, The Vintage Roost.  (I first blogged about it here, and again, in 2009 here.  It's changed a little over the years.)  But, needless to day, we still experience a thrill when the gate opens and the handwritten welcome sign appears.  Such times are much anticipated seasonal events around here, because it's only held several times a year; hosted by the ever-gracious Debbie Williams (and friends), who adorn the "shop" with amazing handmade items, vintage finds, and scrumptious pies and treats.  The offerings and adorable vignettes change with the seasons, so there is always something new and inspiring to see.  The main building is basically a small, converted shed that is filled to the rafters with glee, glitter and goodness.  These photos were taken outside around the back of the building, where, as you can see, a wonderful surprise awaited around every corner.  That adorable pair of vintage pillows caught my eye.  Fishing anyone?  That reminds me, and you'll understand why, when you see the new August bonus transfers.  (Occasionally, I'll get requests for BOY themed designs--so, there ya go.)

Look Who's Here

 

Wildlife Refuge

 
Here's another picture from the Oregon coast--this estuary is a natural habitat, and wonderfully alive in the spring with nesting birds and bullfrogs providing *morning song* (tweet-tweet) and *night music* (ribbet-ribbet).  It's completely closed off to foot traffic, I was standing on the edge of the road looking in.

  
And this photo...taken from the opposite end--facing toward the sea. 
The sound of the ocean at low tide is but a whisper on the wind. . . . .  
Yesterday, we were just sitting down to lunch, when a young male bobcat hopped up on our backyard deck and casually strolled by. We fell over ourselves trying to get to the windows to watch him.  This is of course, a thrill as well as a concern living on the edge of a vast wilderness. 

Rainy days are here again...but at least we have rainbows!

 

Parting is such Sweet Sorrow

 
We had to say goodbye to another tree. A boxwood elder this time.  Not the most charming of trees, I know, but a tree that provided habitat for birds, shelter and shade for people, and through the years became a visual anchor within its surroundings.  For years now, we have been waffling about this tree (and another one exactly like it on the other side of the deck), always with mixed feelings.  Because we love our trees.  We really do. 

Unfortunately, this tree was planted too close to the house decades ago (by someone else), and no amount of trimming could tame it.  Plus there were other issues that created problems not easy to live with.  Even so, given all that, it's still hard when you have to make the decision to cut any tree down.  That part was done months ago.  Giving us time to get used to the idea.  Facing that decision yesterday was sobering.  

Lately we've been having lots of tree issues, and not just with this one.  Some appear to have bore-beetle infestations, and sap sucker damage; one gorgeous maple suddenly died without any sign of trouble.  The arborists come and go, like good doctors making house calls. But trees are a funny lot.  It's hard to decipher the signs and symptoms, and they are hard to treat.  Eventually, we have to do what's best. 

 
Looking on the bright side, and I am looking for the bright side...I just noticed that even on this gray November day, I have much more natural light in my sewing room.  That's certainly a nice benefit.  Would you look at that.  I really can't believe that great big tree was growing out of that small planter, can you?   From this angle, it's almost as if a tree was never there at all.  But I know something is missing.  And it is missed.

 
This photo taken last month, for the record.  R.I.P. dear/terrible tree. 

 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Moving on then...two brighter and happier things: 

 
The cute cake Grace made for her sister's 13th birthday.  No, I don't know why there are only ten candles. I guess that's all we had.  Sometimes details get lost in the enthusiasm of a moment!   No matter--it was still a party.  

 
This is making me happy today...more details tomorrow.