Hi friends,
Did you notice the title??? Well.. I have NO IDEA as I start this post, what I'm going to write about! I haven't really done a "real" post since Christmas! But I do want to stay in touch with my sweet blogging friends out there so here goes...........
This is a photo I took last November when I was visiting my sister's new place in Terrebonne, Oregon. As I was going home, I drove down a side road that I had wanted to explore, and came upon this gorgeous canyon! Wow it was amazing, and bits of snow were sprinkled here and there. Of course I had to get out of my car and take pictures!
I miss going on photo shoots just for the fun of it - visiting different areas and exploring. Didn't do any of that in 2020 (well hardly). I don't call going to my sister's house as a "photo shoot" but there IS some stunning scenery there, if you look for it!
I may have already posted this photo (above) that I took last summer in July. That little trip was the highlight of my summer of 2020! My son and his fiance had come to visit, and we went for a drive into the mountains (Cascade Range) west of us, and went for a little hike along the Metolius River. Oh that was so wonderful to see water and big trees! I so miss that in Madras where I live.
Really, there just hasn't been much to blog about for 2020, and not much for 2021! Like most of you, we just haven't gone anywhere other than to a grocery store, doctor's visit or post office or library. I feel kind of like my blog is based on sharing awesome photos with you, of places I've visited, or of my home and yard. I kind of have "nothing" to share!
I DID actually take my first trip out of my town for almost a year - and that was a visit to Portland to see my great nephews. I rode along with my sister who lives here, close to me (the one who lives in Terrebonne). Now I finally have some pretty photos to share!
We drove on the mountain pass that goes by Mt. Hood, and it was a gorgeous sunny day, and the mountain was just stunning. This first photo is Mt. Hood in the distance, as we are driving in the "dry" country to the east of the mountain. I've grown up with this mountain and I love it!
Now we are driving into the forests and trees - so nice to be in the deep dark forests.
A close up shot... it was hard to get good shots of the mountain as we were driving and a view would open up for about 5 seconds, and then we would be in the trees again!
We only made a day trip, but accomplished alot in that one day! Went to visit my "niece in law" and her twins (my great nephews). Here's my sister and me with the little cuties (below). They are not identical twins and each have such a different personality. Love them both to pieces! We also drove by the old house we grew up in, in Portland, went to the cemetery to "visit" our parents, stopped to see another friend of my sister's, and managed a take out lunch from Subway!
Anthony, in the back (below), is a little mischief maker. He is trying to grab his brother's head! And Andrew, in the front, is the little mellow one... very laid back.
Andrew is happy to entertain himself:
So far, this has been 2021's highlight. I have been constant in my paper crafting, and even a little sewing. I've been making a few "spring" face masks to add to my wardrobe. Not very exciting but is something I've wanted to do for weeks and finally got started on them (only one made so far!).
I've made quite a few little mini albums since Christmas, and they are now at a little shop here in town that just reopened after a year and a half of moving to a new location.
I love this little "My Treasured Scriptures" album that I made. There are pockets inside that hold tags to write your favorite scriptures on. It was fun to make and I want to make some more!
In January, I took a "mini class" from a gal at the little quilt shop here in town. I had bought some pretty fleece, and the owner was holding it for me until I could come and pick it up. The day I went, her friend was there doing some sewing in the back room, and I asked her about the darling ponchos she had made, that were hanging around the store on the walls. She said, oh they are so easy to make, I can show you right now if you want! And I said YES.. and we sat down and she helped me make mine in about a half hour. Now that was fun!
I really HAVE been pretty busy.. and like to keep busy so I don't dwell on the current state of affairs in our country.
Oh... I did have tons of fun making some Hershey Bar Pockets for the little gift shop. I had made some Christmas ones that I sold at the craft fair I participated in last October, so I thought some Spring ones would be pretty.
Oh I so loved this lavender paper from Prima Marketing! I have been hoarding it for two years, but thought I'd better use it. For 2021, I am at least going to try to use up some of the gorgeous scrapbook papers I've been hoarding......... that is my goal anyway.
I know this is a long post, but I wanted to get caught up, so I can post more often, and shorter posts. I hope that coming up will be some Spring gardening and yard posts. At least we got most of our hard (big) work done last year when we laid down all those heavy tarps and 10 yards of gravel! We still have one side of our house left to do, but that isn't such a daunting job.
Hopefully this spring and summer will be more fun projects, though I do hope we can (build/buy?) some larger raised bed cedar boxes for some vegetables. I also want to find some more of these nice cedar boxes for flowers (above). Last year, our local Bi Mart did NOT have any in stock! I was so disappointed. I looked everywhere for them. I'm so tired of all the plastic tubs we have been using (see that blue one?) that are old and cracked and falling apart. They were supposed to be "temporary" but you know how that goes.........
Hope you are all staying well and finding things to bring you joy!
