A Great day with Good Farmgirl friends and New Places to visit again

What a great day I had today..  because a couple days ago when it was so ugly outside I called up two Charming chick friends April & Mary Gail and insisted we take a trip today (come rain or shine..) to Merril to a fabric store there. April has been taking quilting classes there so I knew she would be game.. I wanted to get some fabric to use on a project  I have  in mind.( embroidery red work) and making it a pillow center. I will post when I get  it together... So back to my story. We went to a really neat shop " The Country Cork Collectibles,"I had never been to but they had. WOW did I score on a  small 50"x 60" throw quilt or wall hanging ( I have not decided yet what to do with it) Couldn't pass it up and sure couldn't make it for the price  of  only $ 79.  What do you think?  Yes,  I had to haved it!  Then we went to another of our favorite shops "Simplier Times" and a cute chicken feed tin sign caught my attention .. A great one to hang on the exterior wall of  my chicken studio. A fabulous find for $8 Don't ya think the coop will look cute too...? After this great adventure we headed downtown for a bite  to eat for lunch where I had the best panni wrap... A place I also had not been .. "The Mermaid Garden Cafe" I will be reproducing that recipe on my cooking site tomorrow for all to see.
To wrap up the story here it was like  a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow for me as   I looked outside saw a patch of Blue sky peaking through the clouds hanging over April & Mary Gails way & quickly  I drove  the 15 miles  to enjoy a good time with two great  Chick sisters. Wouldn't you like to come with us next time..... We do have some  adventures planned... I will share those details as they develope too. Now I must have a cuppa tea and reflect back on my great day.  It was indeed my Lucky day...  Do Come visit again soon..

But..wait..!!!

Yesterday was a perfect day to hang out my laundry..And they smelled so nice & fresh when I brought them in to fold. But wait.. this morning when I got up I had big plans to plant a poppy plant I purchased yesterday afternoon..
 but wait..  OH My! Its Snowing  big flakes out my front window, ... But wait....  it's snowing harder.. I can hardly see across the road..

But wait... look  on the positive side  it looks like another cookie baking day. * recipe for oatmeal cookies on my "This Hens a cookin blog" follow the link on the right.. But wait...

Maybe Buster has it right... Looks like its nap time. Now that the cookies are finished I think I will also take a nap.. until the sunshines... But wait.. what? More snow predicted for tomorrow... (why  is Mother nature playing tricks on me?)

Hanging out there

Monday morning  Laundry day...Warm breeze, partially sunny means I am hanging out my first laundry this Spring.. shhh   don't tell Mother Nature this  she thinks it is still  winter here ...I can't wait any longer to be hanging my clothes to dry in the sunshine. They smell so good when they are dry.. and clean. What true farmgirl  wouldn't agree? Some people don't like the neighbors seeing their "laundry hanging out" but not me.. and it really never mattered to me, I hung my clothes out when I lived in town... I just hid the "old stretched out & torn undies" between the rows of nice white towels & sheets..pretty nightwear.... I do have some pride....

Recycle, Cute, Easy & fun to make.

After  we returnd from our drive yesterday I was thumbing through a new copy of Romatic Home magazine and came across this charming tricket box idea..Made with an empty matchbox.."Who wouldathounk it..?"
and If I can make one so can anyone.. see...how pretty..
You just cut pretty paper or fabric to cover the box, glue in place.. line the inside with a smaller piece and trim with ribbon, glass beads or buttons. I found  some pretty paper & a small crystal & pearl bead for mine. Secured them with glue and there you have it.
I will  put my tiny pieces of "sea glass or also known as "mermaids tears" inside.  (I love finding pieces on the sea shore.)  these I picked  up on the sea shore on a trip to Washington Beaches last year.. to remind me of that trip...but You could put anything small inside couldn't you? Wonder what I can do with the fabric covered one?

Nature at its best.

   It was kinda warm..low 60's so Clay & I drove to the mountains today. Checking out yet more future campgrounds & boat launch pads. Found a couple we think may just be fine. One was at Willow Lake.  The lake looked really green.. because there is a species of algae in there blooming right now. Fishing is fine there catch & release, but the water not good for dogs to be swimming in or anyone drinking this time of the year. When the weather warms the "flowering blue algae" will die and then it will be ok to swim  and play in..The campgrounds are very nice & the campsite drinking water is funished by an artesian well.. I was a bit concerned but re assured by the camp host ... but even so   any tent camping is  a few  months away. 
Further up the road is a turn off to get to LostCreek Lake State Park very nice and clean, just North of Butte Falls,  Oregon. (a very quaint  and friendly logging town. ) We stopped for a bite to eat there and the cafe owner was very nice.. Good small town hospitality... of years gone by...We felt as though we stepped back in time....On our way home we got this great view of Mt McLoughlin.  A very Nice day.  both places are less than 90 miles from our home.  I do hope the summer allows us to camp at one of these nice spots.

Maybe Mother Nature is not deaf

 Or so it might seem. After all my griping ,whinging, and crying about it not being spring yet..

Today was an exception and perhaps the begining of the season... Crossing fingers yet  however.. This morning I went to the Nursery and purchased a few plants to add some color to the outside planters. Including the Bath tub that sits at the entry to our drive/lane. Clay & I painted it flat black and hope the deer will stay away from the colorful plants, once they get a good start. We have not had many deer around yet so perhaps they think  like me the Spring flowers will never come.   I also planted a cute basket for my porch table  and a couple pots on the porch steps and as you can see the "girls"  also think it nice enough to have a little dust bath. The landscapers come in a couple weeks  to add major changes of trees, flowering shrubs and bushes to our yard.   I can hardly wait to see the results. We met with the designer yesterday and picked out some nice colorful plants that will do well in our climate. Maybe next week I will get the wicker couch pad recovered and set it out  onthe porch too...

Okay Enough! This was the weather report this morning when I woke...
*A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW, that  MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW WILL CAUSE PRIMARILY TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SNOWCOVERED ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES.
I awoke to Ugly at 4:30 this morning..  crawled back to bed,  pulled the covers over my head and thought  for crying  out loud..I know how badly I felt yesterday... and hoped for a change... This was Not what I had hoped for....Enough Enough Enough...Fortunately it is supposed to decrease to rain and wind gusts will drop to 15-25 instead of 40 mph . According to our faithful weather report. Canceled the trip to Medford for Dr appointment as its 70 miles there and over a snowy pass. Thank you for all  my readers nice supporting comments left on yesterday blog entry...I do have a bit clearer outlook today even if I am snowbound again so today with a vision of me baking those chocolate chip cookies,  I will sip yet another cup of coffee and plan my day accordingly... maybe just read some of my friends blogs and work on my gratefulness journal...
Cheryl

Today,I have come to a full STOP

Is it me or does it just seem like winter is taking a long time to leave? One day last week I felt like it was really Spring..I spent a day at the Lake, grabbed another photo op of the area in which I live and felt very positive.. warm and comfortable with  a smile and a spring in  my step. I updated my calendar with fun activities coming up, a trip to the beach, a theater night, yesterday I shopped for fabric to replace a patio cushion. Browsed the craft store & had a lovely Sunday with my "farmgirl" friends including a great lunch. 

Something is not right... I am never like this.. Never bored, or un inspired...but Now  I am looking outside at rain, a dark cloudy sky with cooler temperature than yesterday...

Thinking of the things that I could be doing, but have no energy to get out of the chair to do.. like embroider the piece I started last week, straighten my craft room, or even bake some chocolate chip cookies, but no  here I sit even making  tonights dinner overwhelms my ambition.

I think it would rather  curl up in a quilt and read for the rest of the afternoon or perhaps take a short nap.... I am sure you have had days like this too... haven't you? How does going out for a burger sound? That may be just what I do....Wake me when its Sping please...

A spectatular day on Klamath Lake

It was a very nice day yesterday,  so we decided to take  the boat out for the first time this year. This is Pelican Marina. (appropriatley named, as the Pelican migration begins here in April)

 As you can see  this up close & personal photo of the pelican, it is sitting sitting  on the rock as if he is King.

I was able to catch him as he was taking flight, and again in air.. They are huge beautiful birds. 

The snow covered  mountain in the photo is  seen as we head north on the Lake.

Further along the ride I spotted this Blad Eagle in a tree.. He was watching for a catch and as he spotted his prey off he went. I think I  was lucky to get this shot.

We really did have a Spectacular afternoon don't you think?

She's a "Beauty"

Oh, yes!  She gets  plenty of Looks and Smiles...  I love my car.... She is a 2004 Chrysler Sebring Convertable...I had never made such a big purchase alone before & at the time, being divorced I was a bit nervous,  (Meaning there was no man to give me pointers or "Man car" suggestions. ) In 2005, I begged my sister to come look with me...So we drove  into Las Vegas Nevada... 90 miles from home at the time...  and after serious  price comparing in local lots in Arizona & on the internet... I really had a long time desire for a convertable and when I heard her calling my name I pushed all caution to the wind and traded in my 1998 Saturn ( I also Loved that car, she was paid for but she was falling apart...little things going wrong.. she was a tired girl with over 100,000 miles on her.) I drive with the top down on sunny warm days, letting the  wind blow through my hair.  She has had her share of minor expenses in maintenance, and I have driven a lot of miles ( now at 87,000) but who wouldn't like to drive her around in the sunshine? I just spent a couple hours giving her a fresh interior wash and she sure smells  nice of Sweet fresh vanilla beans..I  made myself a promise not to let her get so dirty again... My husband sometimes washes her exterior for me..(Secretly I  think he likes her too....) I hope it's going to be nice tomorrow  because I'd like to take a long drive maybe even with the top down...I can always turn on the heater..right?

Take Away Treat

 I love to cook and Dining  in but sometimes its nice to have  Chinese take away. Clay & I found this new restaraunt The "China Wok "just a few miles from our house. The food is superb. Fresh and very tasty,  They use only the freshest & highest quality ingredients & tonight we enjoyed Fried Pot Stickers and Pork Almond, sweet & sour Chicken and fried rice, Nothing fancy just really good. The pork dish has  diced barbecued pork w/ mushrooms water chestnuts bamboo shoots and vegetables.. the chicken dish was yummy as well  made with Lightly breaded boneless chicken in a sweet pungent sauce with pineapple & mixed vegetables.  The fried rice was fluffy and amazingly light as well. The best part  I have plenty leftover for lunch tomorrow.. How could that be a bad deal? It is  nice to have Take away food that is hot and freshly prepared using contemporary recipes of Asian regional favorites and the friendly service was always appreciated.

Birthday Lunch with the Klamath Falls Charming Chicks

Well here we are again..Seems like we eat lunch together a lot..We were celebrating April's birthday.. Joann also has a birthday this month but she was unable to attend.. We are a group now of 10 and 8 of us were all gathered around the table laughing and enjoying good food and company..Our chapter meets monthly. I began the chapter through the Mary Jane Farmgirls website. A fun group of ladies who share the farmgirl spirit  It is always a good day when we meet among "like-minded" friends. Happy Birthday Joann and April your friendship is appreciated by all..See you at the next monthly meeting at Susan's home.  Bring cameras as the baby llamas will be waiting...
seated around the table next to me.. Faith, Susan, April,MaryGail, Robin & julie..Gail took the picture.. I will get her in the picture next time! Sadly, Andrea' was also not in attendance. You can check out the Charming chicks site by clicking on the link on the right sidebar under the Mary Jane Farmgirl Magazine.

Batter Up!

Baseball season has begun around the entire country...Professional and Little league too.  "Here two of my younger slugger wanna be"  grandsons. They are both playing this year on separate teams..... I was surprised at the cost these days for just for them them to be dressed to play.  Pants, belts, shirts, caps,cleats and don't forget the batting gloves... Mits & bats & balls... over $150 for the two....Here Peyton  (9) and Mason (7) are dressed to play. Clay & I bought them Bats & balls for Easter instead of the traditional candy this year (because thats what this practical Grandma decided to do & because I thought for sure they got way too much sugary candy.) Now we hope they will  have fun playing  this  season.  
We hope to drive  back to Yakima at least once  to watch them play on their teams...I think they look cute all decked out in their gear don't you even if they don't keep score on their coach-pitch teams..It's good outside fun...