Have a Blessed Christmas

Merry Christmas to all... and to all a goodnight!

I wrote this poem (below) back in 2013. It just popped into my head the other day when I was telling a friend I wrote it, so had to go to my blog to find it!

The writing is a little blurry, as I saved it in a smaller size, and the original size is on one of my (many) thumbdribes!

Thought I would post it again, and wish everyone a Merry Christmas... full of joy, peace, love, and the "warm fuzzies".

Love to all..........

~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.

I've been busy..........

Hi friends,

As the title says.. I've been trying to keep myself busy since my last post. This is a photo heavy blog so just a warning!

I've had my up and down days since my husband passed. Sometimes I feel like I'm still in shock.. it's so surreal that he isn't here. I just take each day at a time, and do what I feel needs to be doing... and sometimes I do nothing if I'm too overwhelmed.

To keep myself occupied, besides all of the necessary things that need taking care of after our spouse passes (of which there is SO much and it can be overwhelming), I have been making and creating... it is my happy place, my craft room, and when I'm there working, the time passes very quickly.

I'm happy with what I've created. Most of it has been for the little gift shop here in town,  Hummingbird Junction. It is a wonderful little shop, run by a lady whose dream it was to one day have her own little magical place, and it surely is wonderful! She stocks mostly gently used items that she finds on her "treasure hunts" as she calls them.

I received a custom order from the shop, fairly soon after my husband passed.. and I debated on doing it, but thought it would help me pass the time... and it probably was a wise thing to do. The order was for 14 little Scripture tag albums, and as I worked on them, I was reminded of many bible scriptures that helped me through the days.

I had told the gal that I didn't know if I would get them all finished, and she said she would take what she could get! but thankfully, I actually DID complete all of them. Quite satisfying and very enjoyable. Each little album was unique, and each one became my friend.

The other things I made for the shop are......

Tea packets

Hot apple cider packets

Hot cocoa packets

Bottle cap "buttons" and charms

These are the most precious images! I bought them from an Etsy shop

I made some more of my old standby.... Hershey Bar pockets for Christmas. Each one comes tucked cozily in a cello bag. These are so fun to make.

I LOVE this pastel Christmas paper! I used by bottle cap "buttons" on these pockets.

Next came a new project....some little Chapstick holders..........

Chapstick holders, with peppermint striped Chapsticks inside.

Insert Chapstick here

I think that is the sum of the things for the shop! As I said, I've been busy! I wanted to make a few more of the Scripture tag albums for the shop, but don't think I'll get them done in time for Christmas. 

I've also kept busy making some Christmas cards (not as many as I normally make) and a few little gifts for my family. I think my "busy-ness" has gotten me through these last few months.

I did manage to add a few items to my Etsy shop, but I've been really remiss in keeping my Etsy store current.

I did finally put up my tree - I wasn't going to but decided maybe it would bring me a little cheer, which it has, and I'm glad I did. I only have a few ornaments on it as my two most favorite ornaments boxes somehow got pushed to the back of my garage, behind alot of (very heavy) "stuff" that I don't feel like moving.

I found this DARLING patchwork PINK Santa at the Hummingbird Junction shop. Who could resist a pink and green Santa, all dressed up in his little vest with a little chain watch tucked in his pocket??

I'm not doing much house decorating this year, but I decided to at least make my dining table pretty. I found this neat wood tray at the one bazaar I went to, and have filled it with little trinkets from the Dollar Tree and things I had. I didn't do much digging in my Christmas decoration tubs this year....my heart is just not in it.

In digging through my decorations, I came across my ceramic village houses that I bought years and years ago. I painted some of them back in the 90's, and then in moving to central Oregon, several of them were broken. These are the ones left and I was so happy to find them! I hope to paint a few more over the holidays, as I'm staying home and not going anywhere.

The details in this barn are pretty amazing!

There was a little "weather excitement" around here in November, but I'll save that for the next post. I'm really slowing down on my posts, but I'll post when I can, and with little things I want to share.

I hope every one of you, friends, family and followers, has a nice Christmas, full of love, joy and peace.

~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.

Changes..........

I'm sorry it's been so long since I've posted.

Many things have happened since my last post on August 14th.

I got COVID on August 29th (or I should say "it got me")....... toughed it out for a week at home and then when it got more difficult to breathe, I went to ER and was transported to the hospital in Bend (1-1/2 hours away) and was in the hospital for a week. Thankfully, my lungs weren't attacked too severely, but I've never felt so rotten in my life.

My husband was a little sick, and he said it was "just a cold". He was trying to take care of himself at home. When I was in the ER, they tested him for COVID and the next day was told he was positive for COVID. He still chose to stay home.

Two days later, he called me in the hospital and said he "had taken a turn for the worse" and was going to the ER. They immediately transported him to the same hospital I was in in Bend. We were on the same floor, about 10 rooms apart. We never got to see each other though, as they were VERY strict on keeping the people in the "COVID rooms" completely shut off from anyone else.

While I got a little better every day, he continued to get worse. I was on oxygen and the steroids they give you specifically for COVID. 

My husband had many complications - he had air in his belly, and his pneumonia got worse. They put a tube down his nose to try to release the air from his belly.  They gave him a more concentrated oxygen. They talked about having to ventilate him. I was in constant contact with his nurses and his doctor. He agreed to be ventilated if it would help, although we both knew what the outcome usually is when you're ventilated.

I went home on September 14th so was in the hospital for 7 days. I was not allowed to go visit my husband, but we talked on the phone every day and the nurses and doctor called me to let me know his condition. I felt so helpless. I kept "suggesting" other things that friends and family had suggested worked for people they knew who had COVID. The doctor was very insistent that none of those things worked. Again, I felt so helpless.  

I, myself, was still recovering from COVID. I was on oxygen at home, took the steroids for a few more days, and was taking many other supplements to boost my immune system and help my lungs. I was so so fatigued, tired, weak and lethargic. I couldn't even fathom traveling an hour and a half to the hospital, suiting up and going to see my husband. I felt awful that I couldn't/didn't go, but I was still very sick.

My husband continued to get worse. He was struggling to breathe. The doctor said they could not vent him at this point as his lungs were very bad and had previous scarring (they did a CT Scan).  At this point also, my husband could not even talk - it took too much effort.

On September 22nd, early in the morning, my husband passed away. I was in shock. Two days earlier he had seemed to rally and they had him sitting in a chair and he could talk. I had high hopes for his recovery. Two days later, he was gone.

I am still in shock and denial. 

I don't know how much I'll blog now. My life is going to be so different... and I know there will be many changes coming. For now, I'm staying put where I am, in this sweet little cottage.... but I don't know what the future holds for me.

Being in the hospital for those 7 days, and being so sick, and knowing my husband was so sick, my perspective changed drastically. All of the little things seemed so irrelevent as I laid there in that hospital bed........... all of my "stuff" seemed irrelevent, TV, commercials, news, noise, people, talking, all seemed to mean nothing to me. And I still feel that way now.

I pray every day to "Let Go and Let God".. and try not to control the next path I will take in my life. All I know, is that everything has changed.

Rest in Peace my sweet Husband.
Ronald McLeod
10-29-1948 to 9-22-2021

Our 18th anniversary was October 18th, 2021.

~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.

Yard and garden #2

Hi all,

I decided it's time for another update on our yard and flowers. What is YOUR weather like in your neck of the woods???? It's HOT here.

This post is more like a book, so get your tea or coffee, your cookie or muffin, and settle in. Since I don't post that often, I try to squeeze 2 months of life, into one post! Just the way it is.

Can you BELIEVE this Coleus? It is in the HOT sun all day long, and it loves it! I thought Coleus was only a shade plant. I'm learning they love the sun and heat.

Considering the super HOT weather we've had here in central Oregon, most of my flowers and shrubs are surviving the heat... thanks to hubby for watering every day!  I sometimes water again in the evening, if it was over 100.

From two tiny Nasturtium plants, I have quite a large bush now growing up our mailbox! This was my plan and it is working!

We have lots of fires around us, but not too close (praise the Lord).... and I so feel for those more affected by the fires than we are. Other than some very smoky days, we are safe so far.

This was taken yesterday.. it was really bad. Today the smoke has blown away somewhat.

It is especially smoky here the last couple of days. It's a yellow gray look outside, and I don't even want to go out. I did go outside just a little bit ago to take some updated pictures of what is going on in our yard. (the smoke wasn't too bad when I took the pictures).  We live on a small plot in town, but I do love it.. and it's become more and more like a little green oasis for us.

Our back yard lawn is FINALLY, after 6 years, looking pretty good. There are still some bare spots but we will reseed again this Fall.

Here is before and after. The "before" is on the top and taken about 6 weeks ago! The bottom picture I just took today. It is greening up nicely and filling in. I thought the new grass seed would NEVER grow, as it had to survive that heat wave we had. 

A lawn guy I was talking to also recommended a different type of weed spray called Speed Zone. I HATE using pesticides, but this one you can spray all over your lawn and everything (not flowers) and it only kills the weeds and not the grass. It works great and this way I can keep those pesky weeds from taking over.

Here are some "before" and "afters" of my strawberries, peach tree and roses. The strawberries are growing like crazy and there are MANY white flowers on them for some berries in a few weeks. These are everbearing strawberries mostly.

Peach tree now (on right) that we thought would never grow! I swear it looks more like a bush!

Roses... the one on top is from today... the bush on lower left is today, and the roses on the bottom right are a few weeks ago.... they came in the first time really pale. I love the brighter peach color.

Strawberries... top was right after I planted them.... see our scraggly grass??? Today.. on the bottom, they are lush and I think they grow a couple of more inches every day. They are sending out runners everywhere!  I am very happy as I love strawberries.

I used to get up early in the morning when I was young, around 11 and 12, to go to the strawberry fields and pick for pay. You could do it then (back in the 50's- aging myself!), but today, they say it's too young to have "child labor" at that age. I thought it was fun and a great way to earn money for school clothes. I was lucky to maybe make $1.50 for the day.

I was really late planting my Nasturtium seeds, but finally got them in some pots. They are coming up nicely. My mom always had climbing Nasturtiums.... they are hard to find now.

Hubby dug up some dry climate sage (middle) and some sort of succulant when he housesat for my sister. They are doing well in our back raised bed where nothing seems to want to grow.

I love our purple sage. It is finally thriving after struggling for a couple of years. My sister gave me a darling garden "bee girl" for my birthday. She ordered it on Amazon and it came from China and took 3 months to get here!

My blueberry plants have almost doubled in size! They love being watered every day with the sprinkler... I've even been given the joy of eating a few! 

Would you look at those blackberry plants? Look! Green berries!!! I'm so happy. I used to live on the west (wet) side of the Cascade Mountain Range, and blackberries grew wild there, EVERYWHERE!  You could walk down your road and pick them for making jam and pies. Here in Madras, there is only one patch in the entire town, and that is along a large river that is about 15 miles away, and I haven't gotten there yet. Of course, it's "snake city" so hubby doesn't want me to go (rattlers). I may not. Nuff said. So I'm trying to grow my own.

The blackberry I planted in our gravel, is spreading, spreading and spreading. I know I'll have to keep it pruned or it would eventually take over our yard! It has some red berries on it. I want to get a little fence to put around it and keep it tamed.

Since we had to cancel our beach trip for my birthday, due to the "heat dome", I had rescheduled for Aug. 16th, but I had to cancel again due to this heat. I know... I know.. the best place to be during the heat here is on the Oregon coast! But..... when you have 4 cats depending on you, and it's too hot to leave them outside, then you just can't go, unless you have a pet sitter, which we don't (or unless you want to take them with you!).

Maybe we'll get to the coast this Fall. I hope so. I sure miss it.. miss the smells of the wet sand and seaweed, sounds of the seagulls and the waves as they crash and then sizzle with foam to the sand. I miss the mist and fog even!

Even on one hot day a few weeks ago, I talked hubby into driving to Lake Billy Chinook about 10 miles from us. I just wanted to sit by the lake and have lunch. I've wanted to do this all summer, but has just been too hot. I compromised and said we could sit inside with the air conditioning!!!  We did.. and it was so nice.

See those DRY hills??? This lake is surrounded by dry dry dry, but it is beautiful in its own way.

Please try to ignore the 12 lb. "covid weight gain"!!!  Darn it. Hard to stay away from sugar now.

I've been doing a little bit of cleaning out, organizing and destashing.... even of my craft room. I have way too much "stuff"!!!

Ready for donation!  (more is already in the car).

FUTURE PLANS:

1.  I plan a trip up to Washington to see my chiropractor in a week - it's a 5 hour drive one way, but I have to go.... he is the ONLY one who can "fix" my neck, and I have been in alot of pain.

2.   We plan a 2 night camping trip in our Van (finally!!!!) at a lake not too far from here. My sister and husband are going and taking their boat... so we decided to book a site close to them. I know it will be hot probably, but I'm hoping for some cooler weather, maybe in the 80's???  Keeping fingers crossed.

3.   I'm hoping for a beach trip sometime in October! 

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer.  Until next time.....

~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.