Summer Breeze, Makes Me Feel Fine...

What a beautiful summer we've had in the Pacific Northwest.  We usually get a bit more rain, and a bit less heat, but it's been fine with me, I love warm weather, and sooner or later, the rain's coming.  And I'm getting ready to get my studio cleaned up, make it cozy and inviting so I can hide away in here and work.  I have so much work to do, getting some treasures I've found listed on Etsy, doing some projects, getting geared up for baking.
As I was sitting at my desk, day dreaming a little, I'm looking outside and noticing how early the maples are turning gold, how dry the lawn got so early.  Everything's been that way.  But it's beautiful.  Besides the scenery outdoors, I was enjoying a little project I did last year, kind of a whimsical set of papier mache sailboats with tattered sales.  I hung them in my window, and the float along in the breeze as the maple leaves flutter.  I didn't plan it this way, but, see the little banner above the boats?  My daughter did this project with her kids.  It is actually little squares of world maps, strung on a piece of twine.  When I hung these together, I didn't think a lot about it, but isn't it fitting that my boats sale around the world under the banner, and through the rustic old tree branches at the window I get to sit and look out of when I work.  I think I'll leave it awhile, it inspires me!

Oh, This "Winter" Weather!

Greetings from the sunny state of.....Oregon???? In February???  While we hear of the terrible snows they are having in the East, we, here in NW Oregon, and SW Washington, are having some beautiful weather.  A few weeks ago, days of torential downpours, probably like a lot of non-Oregonians think is always the case (but it isn't THAT extreme). Potential flood watches, etc.  So, I guess we can figure, we got our rain all at once, and now? An early spring? Well, we can hope!  I have managed to till my garden, which NEVER happens this early!  We've been having some beautiful sunsets to end our days, too.  This photo is looking to the west, towards Astoria, down the Columbia,  and the Pacific Ocean, not far from us.
It was a very busy winter for me, baking, doing bazaars, and a vintage sale (that I forgot to mention earlier). By the time Christmas came, I was quite ready for a break from baking Cardamom Bread!
I'm looking forward to spring, to gardening, being outdoors all day, to enjoying family times around the outdoor fire, and to GARAGE SALE season!  It's starting up, and as every vintage addict knows, it's a race to find that awesome item.
I know I've mentioned I love gardening, and if I can't be outside, I'm often reading and searching for ways to make my garden better, easier, more productive.  I have been You-Tubing worm beds! I've never had a worm bed, although I can remember my dad having a night crawler bed (for fishing) when I was young.  Well, yesterday, with one of my boy's help, I got a worm bed built out of totes!  I'm anxious to get the worms, their house is all ready, and I'm so excited to give this a try.  Sometimes Youtube can be addictive, and make everything look so easy, when it isn't.  But it's always fun to learn!
What else have we been doing?  We have been celebrating births of our two newest grandchildren, and we got one of each!!!  How cool is that!
We've had our share of heartaches, and friends who we've struggled along with, with their own hard-life situations, but I don't think any of us would give up a day of our lives, the hard days or the easy days.  The Lord has been faithful in it all!