BRIGHT DAYS OF SPRING

 Wow!  I was shocked to see how long it's been since I'd posted here on my blog!   I guess I just needed a bit of time doing other things for a while.  Like making new friends, facilitating A Course Of Love group, gardening, etc. etc.  Day to day in getting familiar and comfortable in our new home.  It's been over 2 years now and in some ways we still feel like newcomers.........other times, not quite 'old timers' but not the new kids on the block anymore.

Our garden is thanking El Nino for the wet winter......I think anyone living on the west coast is thankful for the abundance of the rain.  Even with some of the problems it might have caused.  Quite a number of hillsides and rocks not wanting to stay in place.  Thankfully, no one was hurt that I know of.  Oh.....one woman I believe was killed up in Florence when her house slid down.  

I actually haven't been taking as many photos but have been exploring some of the arts and crafts.  A little painting and sketching.......did Zentangle until I got a little bored with it.  My newest is Iris Folding.  I love it.......It leaves a lot of area for creativity.  Something like Origami but more expressive, I think.  

Above is one example of a card I made up.  After cutting out a particular shape and using a pattern you start folding pieces of paper.......on overlapping another........It's a little time consuming but I enjoy it.  

And Norm?  It's been a long time in developing but it seems he's made some sort of woodworking items for everyone one of the women in my art group.  Some have a specific item in mind and wonder if he can accomplish what they can't find at the stores (without $$$$)   Small items.......but he comes through.  Lately he's been repainting our outdoor furniture.......love the new soft mint color.  He has some men neighbors who stop by on their walks if they see the garage door open.........which means he is accepting.......

Now with such warm weather happening I'm spending more time gardening.  There are a number of plants that I thought I'd lost.............particularly ones I brought over from the coast.  The prize goes to a couple of peony that not only popped up through the creeping phlox, but one has about 6 or 7 buds all ready to bloom with exuberance!!  

I saw that on the last post back in May of 2014 I showed our new pergola.  At the time it was placed on a cement patio.  Just last week we had Precision Plus build a deck.........Although I like to call it a 'back porch'............on top of the cement..........They used Timber-Tec rather than wood.  I love it!  It's maintenance free and it matches the pergola so perfectly you'd think they were all installed at the same time in the same material.  I can't say enough for the workmanship of the crew, also.  Precision Plus earned the top spot for building the best decks in all of Oregon.  Everything they did from the foundation to the final touches was accomplished perfectly.  No rushing through to hurry and get the job done..........and I do know they have a big job coming after ours.  The photo below shows one angle of it.  Norm still wanted that screen cover over the top, more to insure privacy than another else.  The pergola does have more slats now.  So. there is more shade.  All in all, the result more than passed our expectations.

 My niece might be coming this week for a visit and I'll have more photos and tales to tell in a few days..........I hope.   Next weekend, TJ and Aiden will be coming.......more on the adventures of grandson and great grandson......
Our friends, Ginny and Dick, will be taking us up to Steamboat Inn for lunch and photos of waterfalls I hope.  Steamboat is a internationally know resort where 'serious' fishermen from round the world come to try and thin out the fish from our lakes and rivers........The beginnings of a good summer....
till next time..........

It's good to be back...........