Catching Up - Part 2

Hi Friends and Family!

I'll try to finish up here what I've been up to since Thanksgiving and Christmas. Trying to make much shorter posts if I possibly can (I'm too wordy so not easy for me!).

THANKSGIVING AT MY SON'S HOUSE:

His property is so pretty! Sun was shining through the trees.

Firepit awaits!

Table all set and ready for the big feast.

DECEMBER SUNRISES:

Had to get up early one morning - this greeted me out my bedroom window! I hardly ever get up early enough to see the sun rise.

NEW VIGNETTE:

I had my ceramic Nativity Scene on a shelf in my living room for Christmas, with little colored lights. I hated to take the lights away... so I decided to make a little "woodsy" vignette and leave the lights up! I really love it in the evening. Since I took these photos, I've added a little rustic cabin.

FOGGY DAY:

Though I live close to the coast, it's unusual to have fog where I live, which is 10 miles east of the ocean. On this day (February 27th), I drove to town and the fog was hanging low! I loved how it made the cargo ships look like ghost ships!

BOXES AND CAKE:

I'm currently working some for my daughter-in-law, who has a shop in Astoria. I upload jewelry to her Etsy store, and also have been making some origami gift boxes. I really like doing both!

Tiny 1" x 1" boxes up to 4.5" x 4.5" boxes. The origami boxes are fun to make.. no gluing!

I've been trying to cut down on the sugar I consume, so haven't baked very much.. but the other day, I just NEEDED something sweet! So made a gluten free vanilla-orange cake with cream cheese frosting. Oh my... was that ever good! I ate it up in 3 days.

As you can see, I had to sneak a piece (or two) before I even got it frosted!

LUNCH AT  YOUNG'S RIVER IN ASTORIA:

The day was fairly sunny last week, so I took advantage and drove to get groceries, and of course, had to stop at fast food for lunch! I like to try to find a spot to eat by one of the rivers... this Young's River flows into the Columbia River (or flows from the Columbia? not sure)... and there is a view of Saddle Mountain to the south, which you can just see in the distance. I so enjoy all the water around here!

Saddle Mountain in the distance.

I park along side the road.. clouds were obscuring the mountains for a few moments, but still beautiful.

TRIP TO MY CHIROPRACTOR:

Somehow, I hurt my right knee again (it happens now and then).... I think from walking too much in shoes with NO supports. I was a naughty girl to do that! I paid the price with a bad knee for two weeks.. could hardly walk on it. After 2 weeks, it was mostly better, but I decided to go see my wonderful chiropractor in Morton, WA (2 hours from me) as he usually adjusts it back into behaving. I stopped to photograph some of the river views (of course).

Rife Lake - dammed up Cowlitz River in Washington... the lake is long and deep and gorgeous.. was a pretty rainy day.

The dam that forms Rife Lake. This lake was on my way to Morton, WA, east of I-5 Freeway about 20 miles. I used to live up in this area in 2000 and 2001. 

ANOTHER STUNNING VIEW:

And about 20 miles east of where I live, there is a viewpoint way up on a cliff, that overlooks the Columbia River and a small town on the other side, called Cathlamet, WA. It's a small picnic area too. I love the views there!

Usually pretty windy in this area, but was a crystal-still day. 

This is a small island in the middle of the majestic Columbia River.... you can ride a ferry to it from the little town of Westport, WA, about 20 miles from me, and then drive across a little bridge over to Washington to the little town of Cathlamet. I stil haven't taken the ferry yet! It's on my "to do" list.

I think I'm caught up for now! March is almost over, but a few of my plant pots have some green peeking up... I'm so ready for warmer weather!

Pansies coming up by my rose bush.

My daphne bush that I planted last summer had two blooms on it! I'm so happy. It is one of the most fragrant flowers ever.

Irises peeking up... I brought them with me from Madras. Glad to see they survived in the planter box.

Take care all..... if you have any sunshine, enjoy it!

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.

Power Outages

This is the time of year in Astoria, Oregon where the winds howl and the rains pound on the roof! Today is one of those days! I'm cozy inside, but no power!

So today, I'm experimenting with Blogger and attempting a blog post using my phone. My phone still works thank goodness!

What can you do without power? You can paper craft, read a real book, scroll on your phone, email people or fold laundry. I had taken photos of some large gift tags I made last week, so thought I'd post those. They are what I call wonkey house tags.

They're large, about 6 inches tall, and I glued on bits and pieces of papers, and then added lace and little embroidered flowers.

I love the pink and green of course! I added little satin bows to the heart on the roof.

Isn't the purple pretty?

I'm doing this in the dark, with a little battery lamp beside me, with the wind gusts of at least 40 mph outside.

And the blue and green is a nice effect. I then doodled around each tag with a black pen. I love doodling!

I'm going to scan these and add them to my Etsy shop as printables. I'm going to make more as they are fun to make!

How did this post look, attempting it using my phone? Actually, it was pretty easy!

Wherever you are, have a great day!

                           Marilyn

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~

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.