Birthday at a Funeral

Today is Jim's birthday! He's 29 years old, kinda.



I bought a cake for him at Konditeri because we needed to go to a funeral in Portland, and I knew I wouldn't have much time for baking.











Lori's grandmother had passed away. We all went to her graveside service, then met at Mary Ann's for lunch and memory sharing.

It was great to see Josh and Mia there.













Lori's grandmother had given me some fabric pieces, so I made a quilt for her daughter (Mary Ann) using some of them, and some fabric of my own.

Hopefully, Mary Ann will be able to snuggle up in it during those inevitable times that she wishes she still had her mommy.

The pink cat was in the box of her mother's scraps. Mary Ann made it!

Rockin' Rocker

My week old birthday continued yesterday, thanks to my son Josh, his lovely wife Lori, and their bundle of cuteness Mia.

Josh gave me two incredible black and white photos of Mia that he shot, processed, matted and framed. Both of them are wonderful, artistic, and treasures I will enjoy forever.







Mia found a basket that usually holds booklets and magazines. She thought it was just perfect for sitting in.

























Mia can say "rocky rocky" and then her grandpa picks her up and does some rocky rocky in the rocking chair.

Fun in the Sun

Today, Jim and I went with some friends to Corvallis to take advantage of a spectacularly beautiful day.

We started at Nearly Normals Gonzo Cuisine, where I had huevos rancheros. It was so so yummy, and way too much to finish.









Gentleman that he is, David waited patiently for everyone to be served.







It took us awhile, but we finally found the place that makes what Melinda said were the famous Goji Bars. Their claim to fame is that Barrack Obama found them somewhere in Chicago, and loved them. When he couldn't find them one day at his usual dealer's, he complained.

Anyway, Goji berries are supposed to be yummy tasting, and full of good stuff that fills you with energy. I bought two of them to try when I quit feeling so full.
During our walk, we found this beautiful art piece by the riverfront.




Oregon State University still looks like it did when my daughter Kelly graduated from there about sixteen years ago.









We went into the art building where I photographed the painting studio where Kelly spent so much time.

The resulting memories jolted all my senses.

Spring is Sprung

Today was a much needed stay-at-home day. No sewing, no grocery shopping, no general gadding about.

In the morning, I baked some Cinnamon Almond Coffee Cake. We both loved it and it was simple to make.

Here's how:

Preheat oven to 350.

In a small bowl, mix 1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup chopped almonds and 2 teaspoons cinnamon.

In another bowl mix 3 cups flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt.

In a mixing bowl, cream 3/4 cup butter. Add to that 1 cup sugar, 1 cup brown sugar, and 3 eggs, and beat until light and fluffy. Then add 1 1/2 cups buttermilk alternately with the flour mixture and blend gently until smooth. Mix in 2 teaspoons of vanilla.

Pour half of the batter into about a 9" x 9" pan, top with 1/3 of the almond mixture, and swirl with a fork. Pour the other half of the batter, top with another 1/3 of the almond mixture, and swirl again.

Bake for about an hour, cool a few minutes, then top with the remaining almond mixture.

It's addictively yummy.




Then Phoebe and I sat in the breakfast nook. I read and she gazed at the river.

Ahhh. Spring must be coming!

It's Finally Done!

Here's my latest creation. The fan shapes are made from a box of antique fabrics I bought several months ago.










And here are a couple of detail shots.

(Remember that you can click on any photo on this blog to get a larger version.)

Peeps, Peep Peep

This morning, we had a peeping Tom looking in our kitchen window. I think he lives next door, and he has a crush on our cat Phoebe.








So we decided to go for a walk in a nearby park, and try to get our ducks in a row.






It was such a beautiful sunny day for a walk.



Then it was back to work on my story quilt...
love glove shove
shine wine mine
rhyme time dime
dim limb trim pin spin
spar far char car star





And there are always photos of little Mia to look at. She's even cute when she's pulling her socks off.

My Funny Vallentine

This morning Jim gave me a day-early Valentine gift...a beautiful little landscape painting.

Then we drove to Eugene to have our favorite lunch and so I could buy him his favorite Euphoria Chocolate truffles for his Valentine gift.










Miss Phoebe decided she didn't want to get a Valentine, she wanted to be a Valentine.

Wordplay

Today, an engineering geologist came down from Portland to have a look at the hill by our house. He needed to see if the ground is stable enough to rebuild the deck like it was before the trees fell.

He had to go all the way down our stairs to the river, and work his way back up the side of the hill, so he went back to his truck to get his waterproof boots.

The critters all around have had to be disturbed...again.


slid

slip

sleet

feet

heat

neat

newt










boot

root















cute

cat

Sew it Goes

My life seems a little strange these days. We're renting a house while ours is being repaired from the tree damage.

I've recently gone through training as a Hospice volunteer. Each year they decorate a Christmas tree with hand-made quilted ornaments. Families can buy one to commemorate a loved one. It's a fund raiser. So I've been making ornaments according to their prescribed design.


But the biggest part of my time has been focused on fallen and fractured trees. I'm putting together a quilt that hopefully will tell the story.




trees can be magical in the ways they cloister around a place.

in winter they rise unhidden by spring leaves.

muscled body builders with arms outstretched. pumped.

but when they fall, they're like random pick-up-sticks in a windstorm.

gold crowned teeth crushing against peanut shells.







my cat finds a mouse whose warm burrow under the deck has been disrupted.

fallen trees have dislodged more than dumb luck.







slow. so slow to weave
fabric of a new normal.











it all seems dark. too dark.

but the next night, a full moon. stars

Havoc in Heaven

Phoebe and I are trying to fathom life's mysteries. What's the meaning of this?