Catching Up - Part 1

Hi friends and family!

I've got alot of catching up to do!

I know my last post was of Christmas doings. There were some things I did and places I went before Christmas, so will get caught up on those first.

MAY:

I drove to Fort Clatsop which is in Warrenton, Oregon, just south of me across the very long bridge. What a beautiful spot! Took a nice walk through the huge fir trees and checked out the log fort. So much history here!

Last May, 2024, we had some very cold rainy weather (not unusual for here!) so I enjoyed a little fire in my electric fireplace, my kitty was loving his nap on my bed, and drank some of my favorite tea, Coconut Creme, from Pinky Up tea (which is now no longer available, I'm so sad).

Also in May last year, I had to buy a new stove, as the one that came with this place, went kapoot! I love my new one.. has a ceramic top, extra burner and a large (very clean!) oven!

Old Stove

AUGUST:

I managed to get some blackberry picking in and made blackberry juice using my new steamer. It's canned now in jars, ready for me to make some blackberry jelly. I forgot how hard it is to pick.... scratchy arms, stained shirts and torn sleeves!

Speaking of blackberries, when I moved in here, there was a HUGE row of blackberries along my back fence, that covered an area behind many of the mobile homes here. I thought it was neat to have them so close, but discovered over the summer that they were very invasive, and grew over and through the fence into my yard. I must have pruned them down at least 5 times! So decided I didn't love them there. I never did pick there either, as there was no way to get to them! I ended up picking in a patch down the road.

Who grew up blackberry picking with their parents? I did and always loved those blackberry pies and jelly!

The owners of the mobile home park here, have decided to put up a new chain link fence behind our homes, so they've removed all those blackberries! I am very glad now, and looking forward to that new fence, as mine is so old and falling down. I even have bought cedar boards to replace 2 sections, but will now use them for something else. Any ideas what to use some cedar boards for?

Before.........

After.......  and soon I'll have a new fence too!

Looking at all of my photos, I realize that I did more than I thought I did! I took a few more drives and took pictures of the Columbia River and bridge, that I love so much, also of the Eagle Sanctuary not far from me, and a little lake up in Washington.

Beach in August.

Clatskanie River about 20 miles east of me, in August.

I managed to catch an early sunrise one morning! I never get up early eough to catch those, but just happened to be up that morning for an appointment.

Eagle Sanctuary.

Columbia River 4 mile bridge, and boat harbor at the Port of Astoria. I eat lunch there sometimes, if I get fast good in town!

NOVEMBER:

My son and I put new step treads on my porch steps.. that was November. Kind of late in the year. I painted them on a clear day, but it rained that night and kind of ruined all the paint! I even covered it with plastic, but it still peeled.. so had to repaint it again.  They are much prettier now and safer too.

This is the "before"....

Covered with plastic because of rain! They were so slippery for days that I couldn't use them and had to put a warning sign up!

Here is the "after"... much better..... for now anyway.

Was driving home a couple of weeks ago and this is what I ran into! about 2 blocks from my house...... the neighborhood herd... probably at least 50-60 elk. Always fun and exciting to see them!

I think I'll stop here. There are a few more things I've done recently and after Christmas, but I'll cover that in my next blog post. This one is already too long. Hard for me to keep things short!

Oh... one more thing... please go take alook at my new Etsy shop! I've been busy adding new items. Lots of Valentine's Day cards and card fronts, and tags. If you need a quick Valentine card, just print it out, cut off the top, then fold and it's ready to go! More coming soon! I've been a busy girl. (The link is in the upper right corner).

Have a great new week everyone!

~Marilyn~

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PLEASE DO NOT COPY MY PHOTOS AND IMAGES INTO YOUR OWN POSTS WITHOUT FIRST LINKING TO THIS BLOG AND MY NAME.

Merry Christmas to all!

One day to go! Are you ready for the big night and day?

I'm so happy......... my two craft bazaars are done! What alot of work! One was at the local Grange (which I showed photos of 2 posts ago, and the other one was Dec. 6 and 7 at our mobile home park community center. That one was surprisingly successful, so I was very happy about that.

I made about 25 Christmas cards.

Mini tree with gift card stockings hung with care.

Me with my wares.

A new addition to my inventory - mini post-it note holders. These were VERY popular!

Microwave popcorn packet.

Mini Hershey bar gift bags.

I tried making some pink Christmas Hershey bar pockets... not so popular. Well.. I like them anyway!

The "manly" Hershey bar pockets were very popular! I think I sold all but 2.

My "mini" tree is up and decorated. It's a faux tree I bought at JoAnn Fabrics... it said 4 feet tall but I swear it's shorter! I put it up on my wicker basket to make it look taller. I could only fit about a quarter of my ornaments on it.  But I love it anyway.

My Maddie girl of course, had to lay right by it. She remembers the days of being a kitten and sleeping under the tree. That's the first place she tried to go, but she wouldn't fit!

Set up my nativity scene which I love. It's ceramics I've painted over the years, since the early 1980's. I treasure it.

This is the extent of my decorating. My hutch has some candles, squishy Santas and an elf, and my Christmas cards I've received.

After the preparation for the craft bazaars, my heart just wasn't into decorating my house. I pulled very few things out of my tubs in my shed.. handed them to my son and he took them in the house. I didn't really feel like lugging those tubs full of decorations into the house!

I made some pecan shortbread cookies today, to give to my sweet neighbors I've met in this mobile home park. There are so many nice and thoughtful people. 

I had to take my male cat to the vet last Friday..... a big puncture wound by his ear! That was very maddening... only good thing was that there was such a pretty sunrise when I got up early! I am NOT a morning person, so was NOT happy having to get up at 7:15.

My other female older kitty, has been sick too.... I thought it was just allergies, but she's gotten worse, so off she goes to the vet this Tuesday. Nice way to celebrate Christmas eve day. NOT......

We must take care of our furbabies, right?

I hope everyone has a really nice Christmas, and that you are blessed with good food, family and good friends.  Blessings to you!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Marilyn

ALL CONTENT © PINK PAPER COTTAGE.

PLEASE DO NOT COPY MY PHOTOS AND IMAGES INTO YOUR OWN POSTS WITHOUT FIRST LINKING TO THIS BLOG AND MY NAME.