IN BETWEEN STORMS

How was everyone's Thanksgiving? We had some good friends over and I cooked.......and ate too much! As I'm sure most of you did, too. And some wild, wild weather before Turkey Day!! Wow! They said it was 85 MPH winds.........I'm surprised there wasn't a lot more damage. Even our electricity stayed on.
One set of friends were away for the holiday week and Norm and I would go over and feed and do what petting we could for their bunnies. They were fine the whole time, but I did worry that something would break into their cages and have rabbit stew.......or one would get sick on a hair ball.......or the wind and rain would somehow scare them to death. Obviously, nothing like that happened at all...........they were fine, enjoying their banana chips, alfalfa and apples....or carrots. and the pets...........Very lovable little bunnies.

Another friend of mine had a lovely Thanksgiving dinner at Redfish here in town. That's my plan for next year. Maybe some friends and relatives will be able to join us. The only problem would be not having the turkey leftovers. Today I finished making up gallons of turkey soup for the freezer. Coming home from a day of shopping, add some vegetables and bake up some fresh bread..........all set!

Tomorrow we need to go up to Coos Bay and replenish our food and hopefully get some Christmas shopping done. I don't do the Black Friday shopping. It just sounds too crazy for me......Although I doubt that there are too many pepper-spraying shoppers around. That was just bizarre. But rare, I think. I had thought I was ahead in the Christmas shopping for this year.........suddenly the reverse seems to be true and I need to hustle!!

Well, hope everyone has had a restful and long holiday weekend and are all rested up to begin another new week. It's still raining so drive safe and stay dry.

TWO RECENT FAVORITES OF MINE

These both look better against the black of my 'real' blog page......for those of you who subscribe and get them on a white background. The first is of some vine maple leaves set on a glass table top. A gold speckled ball added an extra color and the processing led to what looks like a background of blue velvet. Edited using Topaz..........

Below photo is of a painter down on the beach at Brookings. He seemed completely oblivious to me and/or my camera. That's the way to really get involved in your art......completely right brain ingrossed........and my right brain loves that unbrella~

A DAY IN BROOKINGS

My friend, Karen, and I went on our own little shopping jaunt last week. We hit the Fred Meyer's in Brookings. I hadn't been down there in years and I was so happily surprised to see how large it was. They had a great selection of women's clothing up on the second floor and there really wasn't enough time for me to take it all in. Perfect reason for a return trip! I've been wanting a number of particular items and had no problem in filling a few shopping bags!
Love Norm to pieces but this was just no place for him!

These two photos were taken on our way down........somewhere between Gold Beach and Brookings, I think. The day was perfect with not a cloud in sight and no breeze. Maybe the water wasn't quite THIS placid since I did play around with editing, but it was beautiful. It was even a little warm in the afternoon.

We had a nice lunch, a few errands and then headed home. There was a forecast of possible rain and it seemed the weatherman had to be wrong but as we closed in closer to Port Orford we could see the lineup of clouds offshore, and it wasn't too long after we got home that the drips started in.

I have more photos of our day plus an album of Doug and Karen's new bunnies at the Compass Rose posted in a photo album on my Facebook page.

Hope you're all having a good weekend. Thanksgiving is probably on a lot of people's minds.......only a couple of weeks away now. I have a partial menu planned and most shopping done. I've even started in on my Christmas shopping. This holiday season is so different for me than last when Norm was in the hospital or newly arrived home. He's so better than ever now.....and I still feel incredibily blessed.

Happy soon-to-be-Monday.

'DOCK' ADD ON

NOVEMBER AT THE DOCK-

Had a good lunch and great and long-overdue lunch with my friend, Pat, last week. I vowed to order something unfattening..........does fish and chips count? I ate very few chips and that was only when I wasn't thinking about it. I'm sure you've all done the same thing, right?? I hadn't been down to the dock in quite a while and here are a couple of photos from that day. I have more that will follow but I'm having trouble downloading them again.......The day was fairly gray with plenty of clouds so everything look fairly drab anyway. Just the time to use black and white......and with the wisps of clouds and mist around Humbug and the off-shore rocks, I think it enhances it nicely. If you double click on the photo it should take you to a larger sized photo where I think the effect shows better.

This fish float and net are hanging on the old grayed wall behind Griff's Restaurant. I like it.....and one similar that's done in a painterly look is a favorite of mine also. I'm posting it separately.

Rainy and windy out tonight............we did still get in a bit of a walk (Good for us!!) Tomorrow I'm making up a nice big pot of split pea soup with rustic boule` bread. I think I make this comfort food up just to let the house smell so good!

Have a great Sunday and travel safe on these wet roads if you are going out.........