tickleberry farm

.

2012-01-27T17:04:00.000-08:00

he's home...

talk to you next week.

love,

"jAne"

as of late . . .

2012-01-25T07:49:00.000-08:00

a bit of life has been happening.

a bit of the usual .. the expected.

a bit of drama .. the unexpected.

while i do not blog out of obligation,

i should have shared a post

especially after that crying chick

picture i left up on my blog.

gracious!

onward.

first off, here's a sweet pic of evelyn.

she has a loppie-sided face

and i just love it.

she's imperfect. like me. like you.

that's just one of the attributes

making each one of us oh so special,

and rightly so.

it's the rainy season where i live,

though it hasn't been raining too terribly much.

still though, evelyn needs to walk. so do i.

i have an umbrella.

she has a pretty petal pink raincoat.

and a tongue to match.

the picture's blurry

cuz i didn't take time to change

my camera setting

and golly!

was she ever excited to go on a walk!!!

she wiggles and hops and whines

at walk time. so cute.

she stands very still for pictures, usually.

and in my humble opinion,

my new little poochie girlie

is quite photogenic.

isn't she beautiful?

she has dainty feet

that smell like fritos.

i took her to our vet for a general

'get to know you' type appointment.

the vet found a couple little lumpies

in evelyn's chest area.

gulp.

after investigating further

she said that they

appear to be of an aggressive form.

other than that

{and golly that's a biggie}

she's in tip top shape.

i called the sanctuary and explained the situation;

they told me to bring her back for surgery.

wednesday evening i took my girlie

back to the sanctuary.

thursday morning she had surgery.

thursday night the director called

to share that surgery went well,

3 masses were found and excised,

and that the only challenge they

had was removing the lippystick kissie mark

from her sweet little forehead.

.smile.

saturday, rocky and i went to gather

her and her staples {in 2 incisions}

and bring our girlie home to recuperate.

she was *so* excited to see us,

knew which vehicle to go to,

and hasn't let me out of her sight since.

thursday or friday of this week

we should know the biopsy results.

evelyn .. she's a happy, content pooch

who simply wants to love and be loved.

we're doing just that.

rocky painted the little cottage,

same as the 'big' house.

next stop :: interior

my tiny trailer has a chandelier.

swoooooon!

we've had some overcast/foggy weather.

call me weird but i love these type days.

barren trees .. something so beautiful, to me.

can you see the birds?

rocky's been traveling.

but not for long.

there's a bit of corporate reorganization

going on and his role is set to change.

soon.

a role that will keep him close to home.

very close. with very very very little travel.

now *this*, ladies, is SWOONABLE news!

blessings,

"jAne"

... and some days are just this way ...

2012-01-18T06:46:00.000-08:00

truth.

{ picture found at pinterest }

introducing . .

2012-01-16T09:08:00.000-08:00

evelyn ann

{sugar pie}

she's sweet as can be . .

. . .

that special pooch . .

2012-01-12T07:50:00.000-08:00

praying {yes, praying}

we're drawn to a pooch

who will stir our hearts.

you pray too, ok? *smile*

{ picture found on pinterest }

giggle snort ...

2012-01-11T12:37:00.000-08:00

.. laughter is excellent Rx ..

the next step ..

2012-01-10T06:39:00.000-08:00

.. is visiting the

"orphanage,"

a sanctuary for

rescued or released

golden retrievers ..

. thursday .

{. image found on pinterest .}

for reals .. really

2012-01-09T07:16:00.000-08:00

keeping it real, typos and all.

here.

now.

at t his moment .. i really should snap a pic {but won't} .. it's really quite sad that an empty nest woman would have such a shambles of a kitchen. ha! at this moment, my lappietop is on the far end of my table and i'm backed up to the window, wondering why i'm freezing. ahh but there's the ever ready hot flash to take that chill away. ha! been having loads of those lately. why? hm. i'm thinking it has something to do with the amount of sugar i ingest. seriously. am on weight watchers for real again. last night rocky said i did much better on the program when he was on it with me - and that he'll gladly go to the meetings if it means i'll stay on program. love that man. so much. oh, back to the kitchen. i've a sink full of dirty dishes from yesterday, canning jars here and there on the long counter, bread, clean dishes waiting to be put away {{oh boy here's another hot flash}} **power surge** ...grrrrr... packages of lobster bisque and biscuit mix from seattle, dish drainer. on the kitchen table is my lappietop, lotion, sewing machine, sewing needs, loads of random thread on the floor, teapot, bible and journal, mug of hot coffee (doesn't exactly help during flash time), 2 purses (?), vest, mail that's been sitting there since friday night. by the stove...well, that looks pretty good actually. you'd **think** i'd take 15 minutes to clean it up and be done with it.

ahhhh but that'd take away from

{{{pinning}}}!

oy!

there's no place like home ..

2012-01-07T09:09:00.000-08:00

sweet time was had in the seattle area.

while rocky worked, i played.

spent one day with a childhood friend,

dodging raindrops, eating out, antiquing and thrifting.

the next was spent with dEby from apples to gold,

basking in sunshine, eating out, antiquing and thrifting.

treasures found, hearts shared, tummies full. there was one day in the hotel by myself, resting, walked to marlene's for an amazing salad lunch, evenings with rocky, we spent part of a day in the heart of

seattle with my hub, and a travel day. lotsa days.

{{{ wonderment }}}

. but .

. there's no place like home .

returning home last night, we quickly unpacked and changed into jammies. i whipped up some scrambled eggs with saute'd red onion, cream cheese, and seasonings. oh, and made a little stack of biscuits to go along ... so good to eat our own food after a week of eating out .. though eating out *is* a treat!

i really enjoyed being with rocky on one of his trips. i also really enjoyed spending time with my childhood friend, karen; it's been many years and we picked up where we left off {true friends}. she's a florist and took a day off from her very busy schedule to pal around with the likes of me. twenty-three {& a half} years ago she did the flowers for my wedding!

and i loved meeting dEby and spending time with her in Port Orchard and having a tea lunch at debbie macomber's tea room{!}. curry chicken salad..thud. dEby's a sweetheart through and through and dragged me {kicking and screaming..right} to awesome places full of treasures. here's a picture of us:

and so .. laundry is my focus this morning. and buying a few grocery items. and maybe even taking a nap on the couch. i may even go look at a bed for our future furr-baby. we'll adopt through a golden retriever rescue organization that really takes care of the dogs, meeting health needs and assessing their behavior to ensure proper placement. we appreciate the extra care.

as mentioned in my last post, our home visit is monday morning. they'll ensure our home and yard is safe,

and that we're normal {uh oh...}.

the latter might be a problem area. wink.

bless you dearly,

" jAne "

my heart is ready ..

2012-01-03T17:32:00.000-08:00

we'll be{rescuing} a new furr lovie

.. of the canine variety ..

... soon ...

we just learned that

the home visit portion of the

adoption process

is coming up next monday.

. my heart is full .

on a mOndAy

2012-01-02T07:38:00.000-08:00

. rocky travels .. a fair amount .

sometimes i get to tag along,

like today for instance.

. sweet .

rocky bought me a lappietop

which means i can now blog

from afar .. for real!

my lappietop is white. of course.

that was my one main requirement.

oh, and the keyboard needed to be

comfy with good-feeling keys.

i made a case for it and its accessories

cuz i couldn't find a case that pleased all my senses and i refused to spend the $75 for one i found on etsy that did in fact please my senses. my senses are delighted with what i constructed. ever so much.

i'll take pics and show that next week.

whenever i travel and stay in hotels, i'm always saddened at the poor quality of coffee offered in the rooms. i've begun the practice of supplying myself with the st*rbucks singles. this makes me a happy travel companion. well yesterday i visited st*rbucks {which i actually do *not* do often any more at all. for reals.} to pick up a new singles pack. the Christmas singles packs are on sale. $3.58 for 12 heaven-filled caffeine experiences. such a deal.

* { . } *

:: a bit of Spurgeon in the morning ::

". . . Prayer is the lisping of the believing infant, the shout of the fighting believer, the requiem of the dying saint falling asleep in Jesus. It is the breath, the watchword, the comfort, the strength, the honour of a Christian. If thou be a child of God, thou wilt seek thy Father's face, and live in they Father's love. Pray that this year thou mayst be holy, humble, zealous, and patient; have closer communion with Christ, and enter oftener into the banqueting-house of His love. Pray that thou mayst be an example and a blessing unto others, and that thou mayst live more to the glory of thy Master.

The motto for this must be, Continue in Prayer."

{ image courtesy of pinterest : vintage suitcases }

.day one.

2012-01-01T07:58:00.000-08:00

* .day one. of a new year *

from the inside out . .
that's how i seek to live my life,
for Him to consume my deepest
desires, heart, and soul.
everlasting ..
never ending ..
is His glory and grace.
i seek to be drenched in it,
loving Him as He does a
work in my life, bringing
me to a place of complete
surrender ..
for His pleasure and purpose.

what most of you don't know is that the past couple plus years have been personally challenging beyond all reason. i'm not at liberty to share details. be encouraged though; God is working in my life and the lives of precious others.

.reconnect.
.restore.
.renew.
.refresh.
.revitalize.

in hindsight, i see with clarity how He brought me through moments in time that *at* the time i thought impossible to endure.
fear {of the situation(s)}
consumed me, paralyzed me, isolated me.
with a public facade firmly in place,
i lived, one day morphing to the next
in what many days could be
described as continuous tule fog.
the facade has been removed.
so has the tule fog .. almost.
He wills it.

He breaks to rebuild. laying a foundation, His mortar spread, construction, interior design ...
hammered heart{s} for His glory.

.day one.
walk with me;
there's a new rhythm to my gate.

bless you,
"jAne"

"Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me {by Your} generous Spirit." ~ Psalm 51.12

.

2011-12-31T10:15:00.001-08:00

{{{ picture found on pinterest}}}

.

2011-12-27T23:59:00.000-08:00

the time between

Christmas & New Years

holds quiet sparkle

midst contemplative thought.

there are crisp temps,

warm sweaters,

& hot coffee surrendered to

willing hands.

.. taking a break ..

{ picture found on pinterest }

worship . . Christ the King

2011-12-22T05:30:00.000-08:00

"I feel a presence around me, begging me to come near,

To lift my hands and quiet my breathing, to sing lullabies of grace,

Joining in with majestic beings as they fall in worship of the Almighty.

For that time, that thought, and that love, I feel You."

~ liZZie

fall on your knees
o hear the angel voices
o night divine
o night . when Christ was born
*
. holy ground .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

mErry CHRISTmas

{ picture from pinterest }

peeking in . . .

2011-12-21T10:51:00.000-08:00

i'm putting the final touches

on our simple little Christmas plans.

how 'bout you?

glamp.

2011-12-16T06:14:00.000-08:00

rocky and i are heading out for the weekend,

in our big girlie trailer, to the foothills where the chill is chillier than where we live.

a little getaway. good food. hand holding.

picture found on pinterest

blessings,

jAne

{. the cottage .}

2011-12-15T06:59:00.000-08:00

snug in a corner of our backyard sits a sweet little refuge known as {. the cottage .}, das Gasthaus. soon a coat of grey-blue paint will grace it's exterior (as shown on the adirondack chairs), devonshire cream on the trim (shown on door), interior insulation and bead board, wood floor, and a built-in bed.

interior is 10 x 12

porch is 10 x 4

dresser, comfy chair, heater,

a/c, cozy comforters, coffee maker

and luggable-loo (for nighty time tinkles),

lots of flowers and a brick path.

.. prettiness and hominess ..

. it's gonna happen .

the 5-panel door is vintage,

from my brother in law's

childhood home.

i'm thankful and honored

to use it in this way ..

can you envision what the interior

will reflect when completed?

think : white, lapis blue, touches

of yellow, orange and black.

. Willkommen .

a mani & pedi 4 the weddi & the sad aftermath

2011-12-13T22:43:00.000-08:00

my sister the bride gifted all her

* maids in a row *

as well as her wedding coordinator

and niece lizzie ..

with manicures and pedicures

the day before the big day.

now .. it's been a blue moon since

i last had a 'cure' so this was special.

and the results were pretty.

i chose the soft, subtle tone of

slight pink spit ..
which went well with my
bridesmaid 'goth' dress
{ black }

cuz i'm classy like that.

lizzie chose bronze.

since she wore olive and chocolate

toned top and skirt and heels, the bronze

was perfect and went well on

her long nail beds.

she keeps her claws very short

cuz she plays guitar

so she's really fortunate

in having those long nail beds.

that 'dna' didn't come from me.

anyway ..

at the wedding another *maid* and i

doled out the corsages and boutonnieres.

there was some confusion as to who

got which, and after a slight melt down

on my part then a bit of laughter,

we figured it out just peachy like.

cuz we were smart ~~desperate~~

and just handed them out willy nilly.

right. no... we were good girls we were.

lizzie affixed her father's boutonniere.

she stuck him. on purpose.

she's loving like that.

and it's okay.

she has to sleep sometime

and it's that sometime

she'll receive her payback.

well, there was a little

unfortunate outcome from pinning

the flowers to people's clothing.

the clothing was fine. yes.

my nails, however, turned

to an interesting * mold * tone.

lovely. not.

during the reception i changed from my fancy satin heels with the rhinestone baubles to my mud-brown mary jane style crocs. my dislocated toes and arches thanked me .. profusely. well, when we returned to our hotel room i took off my crocs and realized that the fancy shoes turned my toenails pitch black.

not lovely. not good.
i no longer own the fancy shoes.

and today, my nails {all 21 of 'em} are void of any pink spit tone. their natural matte spit tone graces for all to see on my gnarly little hands and under the covering of my mud-toned crocs.

love,

jAne

a lil recap

2011-12-13T08:20:00.000-08:00

rocky and i drove 450 miles on Sunday,

staying in 2 hotels in 2 locations

{for business}

until Wednesday when we checked in

at a wonderful hotel for the remaining days

of our time in SoCal . .

for the wedding and family reunion.

a trip to 2 airports,

gathering my father (!) and daughter,

activity, chatting, eating, laughing,

organizing, tending, soothing,

visiting . .

and joy in seeing 2 hearts united

in marriage.

beauty.

and to think, though i brought my camera,

i took not one .. not even one .. picture

of the events. how can this be?!?!?! argh!

soon enough i'll see proof of the photographer's

fine skills and be able to share a shot or two.

my sister {the bride} and i spent

some sweet time together.

two peas in a pod.

we laughed lots.

and cried.

and shopped.

and hugged.

i love her so much.

now, to complete necessaries at home.

almost done with laundry. need to iron

cuz thAt mAn (rocky) leaves for portland

this afternoon. he comes back home

thursday night, just in time for our little

glamping getaway to the foothills

with dear neighbors.

oh, and tomorrow .. ?

our **backyard cottage** is being delivered!

sUndAy

2011-12-04T06:21:00.001-08:00

as the deer panteth for the water

so my soul longeth after Thee . . .

.road trip.

2011-12-03T12:12:00.000-08:00

. business & pleasure .

tagging along with the mister

at the end of the week is a wedding.

my sister (yes, one of the 431)

is getting married!

a big to-do.

i'll be the geriatric bridesmaid.

i'll have a fan ready for any possible

hot flash(es) she may experience,

cuz i'm considerate like that.

lizzie's flying down for the shindig,

on her new broom.

here's a pic of my beautiful

soon to be married sister . .

and me.

she's the normal looking one.

love,

"jAne"

my fAmily

2011-12-01T00:39:00.000-08:00

. * .

. i {almost} never act strange .

they do though .. often.

she's cute.

hm. our hair is questionable.

bad hair day .. ?

mErry CHRISTmas from tICklEbErrY fArm,

jAne

one ringy dingy . .

2011-11-29T20:40:00.000-08:00

those of you who lived through the 60's with any semi-lucid clarity will readily remember lily tomlin's {laugh in} character as the telephone operator.

"one ringy dingy, two ringy dingy . ."

. . at which time she would offer her

infamous snort.

i loved that snort!

still do.

always will.

cuz i'm classy that way.

i do an impression of lily's character

quite well. i also do an impression of

the w*cked w*tch of the west

that's better than the original actress's

rendition .. to the nth degree!

ah, but i digress.

lisa, my across the street neighbor

who recently died her hair a dark brown

from a most gorgeous blonde,

was getting rid of .. um .. yes .. getting rid of

all sorts of vintage things.

she ***gave*** me this

rotary telephone.

it works.

we use it.

i'm wearing pearls more often these days,

cuz it's just the right thing to do

while vintage conversing.

right.

i think i was born in the wrong era

as i long for simpler times.

seriously.

love,

"jAne"

thanksgiving recap . . .

2011-11-28T10:39:00.000-08:00

our 'lizzie'

spent thanksgiving in virginia.

with 'charlotte.'

charlotte is lizzie's childhood bestie

and in her senior year at a college

out in them thar parts.

the night before lizzie flew to charlotte's

for the week, we put together a sweet

and simple tiny thanksgiving all our own.

.the 3 of us.

painter's drop cloth over the table ..

reclaimed barn board down the middle ..

food atop all that wonderfulness ..

drop cloth ties around napkins ..

baked parchment as place cards ..

{yes alice .. baked parchment}

lizzie made incredible biscuits.

she always makes incredible biscuits.

i'm not able to reproduce her recipe,

so i depend on her to make 'em.

they're swoon worthy fall down yummy.

roasted chicken

with onions, lemon, garlic,and parsley.

fresh green beans.

also on the table were

whipped potatoes and gravy.

.delish.

on thanksgiving day, while lizzie partook a huge feast at charlotte's apartment with about 9 other college students, rocky and i had our own thanksgiving day celebration.

we ate buffet style rather than have

all the groceries on the table.

there were seconds had.

and a sizable doggie bag sent along ..

a vintage canning jar with slips of paper.

conversation starters ..

good way to get to know folks a bit better

and keep the conversation flowing

'midst shoveling food in one's mouth.

final menu didn't include my autumn salad.

gasp.

nor did the menu include turkey.

double dog gasp.

the evening was comprised of our

annual traditional viewing of

.. a christmas story ..

then we played dominos.

nice day/evening.

missed lizzie whole big bunchies.

she comes back to the west coast tonight.

rocky and i are thankful.

.big smile.

.

2011-11-27T07:30:00.000-08:00

it's not religion ..

it's {{ relationship }}

milk & cookies

2011-11-26T16:02:00.000-08:00

sweet (literally) idea

from pinterest

milk & cookies

is a grand idea ..

& not just for the littles ..

.

2011-11-25T07:12:00.000-08:00

the day after Thanksgiving

begins {{{in my mind}}}

the Christmas holiday season.

* go hErE to download *

for lots of other Christmas
ideas, visit my pinterest page.

love,

jAne

. thanksgiving .

2011-11-20T12:14:00.000-08:00

.. hoping your Thanksgiving

is special in every possible way ..

. * .

vantage point ..

2011-11-18T09:58:00.000-08:00

. may your heart reflect His light .

have a wonder*filled weekend

at which time i ask, "what is it?"

2011-11-18T08:40:00.000-08:00

i found it at my favorite

thrifty place .. for a buck.

i've no idea what it is.

but i love it.

.help.

what is it?

how can i use it?

what would *you* do with it?!

and yes, i changed my header {{{again}}}.

vantage point ..

2011-11-16T20:24:00.000-08:00

.. and once in a while, your dearest desire

is to go back to bed for more Zzz ..

. just cuz it's so comfy .

. a simple pUmpykin sweet .

2011-11-16T07:59:00.000-08:00

. . . pUmpykin cAkes . . .

{with cinnamon cream cheese frosting caramel drizzle and a dash of kosher salt}

1 box carrot or spice cake mix
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice

mix about 3 minutes on medium.

i made low, wide cupcakes:

1 inch by 4 inch papers

(purchased at a specialty store).

325 for about 20-25 minutes or so.

then make cream cheese frosting and add cinnamon to taste. you know you'll want to taste it. i use the large opening of a decorator bag then frosted in a circular motion, leaving a tip on top.

drizzle with caramel then add a dash of kosher salt.

the past year, five couples from church

(including us)

have gathered together every few months

for excellent cuisine and fellowship.

the host couple offers the main dish

and the other couples bring side dishes.

it's been a wonderful avenue of

using our culinary skills

(every couple is quite adept in the kitchen)

and getting to know one another better.

settled nicely in a deep carrier,

we set off for our dinner party.

dessert was our contribution.

. simply delish .

scenes from home

2011-11-14T07:35:00.000-08:00

. a few views .

using an antique carpenter's box for books on the ottoman

a place to rest my feet

our big girlie lAdy jAne trailer undergoing a bit of a routine maintenance and upgrade. we'll be taking her on a little adventure come mid-december.

our little girlie trailer is still being restored.

sorry for the poor picture quality.

i shot this view at 6am,

the street light being the only bright.

took about 7 minutes for the

shutter to do its thing. ha!

a new to me pillow

thrifted vintage quilt .. cozy warm

autumn leaf and a bit

of rain on the bathroom skylight

happy squirrels

saute'd vegies in a red wine reduction

before adding to the crockpot

with leftover beef and stock..

pretty wreath - gift from sally

(my sister...one of the 431)

sustained by Him,

jAne

. let it go .

2011-11-13T04:33:00.000-08:00

. snicker .

2011-11-12T08:44:00.000-08:00

. a little giggle .

. you are . . enough.

2011-11-11T06:26:00.000-08:00

reading .holley gerth's. latest post,

she shared the following passages

that spoke to my heart . . .

you are loved {Psalm 103.11}

you have a purpose {Philippians 1.6}

you are not alone {Psalm 73.23}

i'm so thankful for His promises,

holding them close to my heart. you?

.mom.

2011-11-10T07:08:00.000-08:00

time with mom

is *so* enjoyable.

but this morning

she takes her leave.

.sniff.

she's a pretty thing

with a pretty heart

with a love for lovely things.

so thankful for time well spent...

autumn thoughts & views

2011-11-09T06:52:00.000-08:00

while my mother is visiting we're participating in a bit of thrifting and retailing, eating yummy food, reading, chatting, and enjoying strong coffee. lizzie came with mom and i, yesterday, thrifting 2 places then stayed for supper (along with her friend, "dizzle"), performed a bit of 'surgery' on my splintered finger, then left the house on a good note - laughing. nice day .. loved every moment.

i still haven't gotten to making applesauce and apple pie in a jar. i'll get there. over the weekend and next week. for sure. until then, it's cool enough outside that the pink lady apples are happy as can be and resting patiently until their time comes for processing. sweet little ladies, they are.

thAt cAt's memory lives snuggly in my heart and i'm missing him and his rich orange color for the season. and his squishy huggableness. and his purring. and how he'd outstretch his arm when i came into the room. what a sweet blessing he was .. thankful the blessing lives on .. in memory.

for cool nights, quilts and throws.

i made one of these paper flower thingies. it didn't turn out as pretty.

thinking on Thanksgiving and all it entails, from guests to dishes to centerpiece to cuisine.

seriously loving this room..

beautiful apples that capture all the senses.

storing up a little bit, in pantry and freezer.

realizing all the more that one should not wait for glamping to enjoy toasted marshmallows!

dark, rich coffee in the early morn..

quilts :: found 2 vintage ones at a thrifty place for six buckaroonies each. seriously.

wearing my hair up in a messy bun/twist..

hot cider .. making this, this afternoon.

{{{ all photos found on pinterest .. my boards }}}

lovies,

jAne

.cousins.

2011-11-08T06:42:00.000-08:00

.. lizzie and degbert ..

always sparring .. always in fun.

{degbert .. not his real name .. thank the Lord}

.hassock.ottoman.stool.

2011-11-07T07:54:00.000-08:00

a quick trip to my favorite thrifty place

was rewarded by this awesome little

hassock .. for $1.99!

it wasn't perfect but for $1.99

one does not expect perfection.

i knew i could use it .. somewhere ..

once i recovered the sad naugahyde.

after thinking on this for a few minutes i decided that the hassock would be perfect in our *big girlie* trailer and since i had an extra pillow sham in the same material as the trailer curtains etc, it would go very nicely. besides, i don't need yet another stool in our home. oh look, it matches the sofa ottoman. you can see a hint of the ottoman ruffle just beyond ..

my mother is visiting for a few days.

happy wonderfulness.

love,

jAne

lizzie's new purse

2011-11-05T00:01:00.000-07:00

.. thrifted .. for a dollar ninety-nine ..

the purse, not lizzie.

lizzie's priceless.

. . in a pretty cup

2011-11-04T00:01:00.000-07:00

: you know my motto :

"Life is too short to drink from an ugly cup."

so i found a few pretty, vintage ones

just like this .. they go well with

some pretty, vintage saucers already

in the cupboard. the cloth napkin was

thrifted along with the cups and saucers.

.and there ya go.

makes an early morning

wake-me-up

that much more wonderful..

.g'morning.

"It is the sweet, simple things of life which
are the real ones after all."
~ Laura Ingalls Wilder ~

keeping it simple: autumn salad

2011-11-02T22:55:00.000-07:00

it's simple, really.

arugula

toasted pecan pieces

apple (i used pink lady)

red onion (paper thin)

goat cheese (not shown in pic)

dressing *

* equal parts extra virgin olive oil

and balsamic vinegar, add fresh

cracked pepper and a pinch of dried parsley.

shake well and use sparingly.

remember, dressing is to enhance

the flavors, not change or overpower it!

right where you are . .

2011-11-01T19:11:00.000-07:00

today .. is day one .. of any new thing.

begin, then if necessary, begin again.

love,

jAne

image found at pinterest.com

self examination

2011-10-31T18:35:00.000-07:00

so much has been happening lately and i'm up to my eyeballs in needing to tend to necessary things in my home and in my heart. examining one's focus is required. i see areas of drought and flood in my life, depending on what area viewed. this week i'm focusing on what's important. at this juncture in time, that means setting my home and heart on the right path with needful prioritizing. things are jabberwockied and upsidedown and hereandthere.

i sense such a need right now

to spend intentional time .. at home.

i miss thAt cAt. very much.

i donated the rest of his food

to the animal shelter.

it was the right thing.

at present, my home is ill kept.

each day this week i'm spending

chunks of time devoted

to cleaning and organizing * zone by zone.

my etsy shop is woefully neglected.

my intention is to remedy that.
{we'll see}

time devoted to the Word

and books of excellence

are absolutely necessary.

i need to be fed and learn to walk to

the beat of His heart .. fresh, every morning.

healthy eating, after a couple weeks of

too much of lots of different foods.

delish at the time but feeling the effects .. ugh.

reducing and refining .. things.

reassessing my clothing . . .

i have too much that's not necessary.

period.

are you aware we only wear 10% of

what's in our possession?!

i read that somewhere.

thinking on that claim, then peering

into the black hole called a closet . .

. . i believe it.

and apples.

**80 lbs** of pink lady apples.

can you say

aPplEsAuCe

aPplE pIe in a jAr

???

i thought you could.

i'll check in and letchaknow how things

are faring. if you don't hear from

me in a few days, you might

want to send out a search party.

.thankyouverymuch.

so simple . so sweet

2011-10-29T10:09:00.000-07:00

oh that we would seek the simple

sweetness of time with our Lord.

"thank you God for everything we have,
and thank you God for everything
we don't have."
~lizzie, age 6~

.he's home {again}. & a thank you.

2011-10-28T08:56:00.000-07:00

my guy's been away since 4:15 monday morning.

but today about 12:30 he returns.

and i'm glad.

i put dinner in the crock pot at 7:30am

so by the time i pick him up at the

airport and we arrive home,

it'll be ready. no more eating

in restaurants for him.

home cooking. yum.

thank you so much for your kindness and sweet thoughts and extended prayer, over the loss of my sweet kitty-boy. my heart longs for his furry comfy-ness.

he was a precious little guy and i'll miss him always.

love,

"jAne"

.

2011-10-27T09:47:00.000-07:00

"It is the sweet simple things of life

which are the real ones after all."

~ Laura Ingalls Wilder ~

.stepping softly.

.a bit of tears.

.gratitude.

.blessings.

"jAne"

thAt cAt {6.1.97 ~ 10.25.11}

2011-10-25T13:33:00.000-07:00

.. and so ..

my sweet kitty-boy took a turn for the worse

and this morning at 11:05, passed on.

.heartbreak.

(the pic below was taken on monday)

it is believed that cancer was an additional factor to his infection. for his advanced age of 14.5 as well as how he was faring, it would not have been prudent to put him through further testing when nothing could/should be done at such an age.

he slept next to my head last night. early this morning at 2am i accompanied tiger for over an hour outside, just walking the back patio and front yard. he walked slow, stopping to sniff bushes. then with no protest from him (indeed unusual), back inside
where he fell asleep on my legs.

this morning he ate a tablespoon of food .. his first in over 24 hours. then he sat under a bush, watching a hummingbird sup from the mexican sage. and slowly he turned and entered the house. again, so unusual for this outdoor loving kitty.

lizzie came over at 10 to take
myself and tiger to his doctor.
so thankful for her support
as she too has a hurting heart.

rocky's in virginia this week
and as such couldn't be here.

we all hurt.

tiger's last picture is below
.taken at the vet clinic.
looking outside * always outside*
with me holding him and waiting
for his doc to tend to the
loving and necessary thing.
he was always happiest in nature.

holding him closely until he breathed his last,
purring all the while,
i held him a bit longer,
making an attempt to
memorize his stripes and fuzzy face.

to many folks, pets are just pets.

to some of us, it goes deeper. much deeper.

i see so clearly how God used my furry baby to bring precious comfort in oh so
deeply personal intense challenges.
And isn't that God's way ..

while my heart grieves, i also extend gratitude to the One who brought this sweet and sometimes archie bunker-like kitty into our lives.
it was part of his *mercy project*, if you will.

such grieving.
such grace.

i hope we blessed him as much
as he blessed us.

love,

"jAne"

added to read ..
i just got a call from tiger's doctor.
he had a large inoperable tumor deep
in the base of his tongue.
sweet Dr't' said we did the loving thing
as tiger was indeed suffering.

as of late . . .

2011-10-24T08:49:00.000-07:00

there seems to be a new element into our already precarious sickie situation at home. randy raccoon {so he says is his name} has chosen our yard as a resting place until he decides to go back to his family which in raccoon speak is: a gaze of raccoons. best we can figure, he's lost. well, he can just go get lost elsewhere cuz he's making our lives rather uncomfortable. you see, thAt cAt potties outside and when in the night he needs to potty, i {the other sickie besides thAt cAt} goes out with him. at 1:01am. i was armed with my 'airsoft' so thAt cAt and i were safe from the big bad randy raccoon. in answer to the question you're sure to ask, yes, we tried the litter box. he would have nothing to do with it. nothing. nada. zip. zero. so it's outside at zero'dark'thirty for the unforeseen future.

and about thAt cAt :: he's still a sickie but this morning he ate some finely crumbled tuna then some of his favorite treats out of my hand. he also bit my finger.

i'm trying not to be bitter.

night time is filled with nasal spray, tissue, albuteral inhaler, 4 pillows, midnight or close to it potty runs for thAt cAt, a ~~snoring~~ husband, a cat who lays on my legs, and sleepless hours. tHat cAt snores too. seriously. he snores. like father like son. rocky left for the east coast this morning at 4:15. my plan is to take a long nap starting soon cuz i think i had maybe 3.5 hours of Zzz'z last night. yep. cozy blankies, a few pillows propped up on the couch, a jane austen movie at the ready along with lemon honey tea and all my sneezy accouterments which will make my life much sweeter. i'm hoping thAt cAt takes an equally long nap. post slumber i may choose a piece of felt from my stash and quick put together a sweet little something like this (below). it's from martha stewart and i found the idea on pinterest. i doubt very much i'll need a pattern. looks straight-forward to me. you?

the church we've attended since moving to Northern California 20 years ago has always met in an office building or school. well, the Lord opened up the door to a building all "our own" and construction has been in full force for a while now. as of early this morning, the sign is up! included is our church name and the dove;

city name not included as i prefer a bit of anonymity.

and there you have it .. the latest.

blessings,

"jAne"

thAt cAt .. under the weather

2011-10-23T12:53:00.000-07:00

.thAt cAt.

aka

.tiger.

.buckey.

.baby boy.

.my son.

.archie bunker.

.sir timothy.

.my precioussss.

isn't feeling so well.

the very worst was expected

based on his symptoms

{by us *and* his sweet doctor}

.poor little guy.

the 3 of us

{rocky, lizzie & myself}

took him to the doctor on friday afternoon.

lots of blood work and a promise

for lab results the next morning.

so saturday morning tiger's doctor called

and at this point in time tiger is being treated

for a bacterial infection of some kind,

not the worst for which we braced ourselves.

he's eating special food (critical care stuff)

for a while and received an

antibiotic injection at the doc's office.

he wasn't too thrilled about that experience

but it was either an injection or give

him daily pills. um. that's a no-brainer!

!!! injection !!!

completely worth the $20 extra buckaroos!

i mean, have you *ever* given

a cat a pill .. or tried to ..

and come away unscathed?!

seriously.

!!! injection !!!

soon, hopefully very soon, he'll be

feeling frisky and feisty once again.

here's a picture of my preciousss

{taken in autumn 2010}

love,

"jAne"

.. i'm sick too ..
.. nasty head cold ..
.blech.

gorgeous oregon .. lotsa pics

2011-10-22T07:28:00.000-07:00

leaving portland, we drove east on our way to sisters, oregon, with the plan to stop at the falls and drink in the amazing power of God's fingerprints. along the way came a cute little town (don't blink) named troutdale. there was a little antique shop along the main street so rocky and i stopped for a look-see and weren't disappointed. the shop keeper told of gypsies (real ones!) living in the area and how she fears whenever they enter the store, as things leave the store without being paid for. she told us they don't educate the girls (only boys receive any type of education), they don't have bathrooms inside their homes and they wash their undershorts/panties apart from regular laundry. interesting. then i had my eyes peeled to sight any gypsies as we left the store and the area. didn't see any. then again, i didn't quite know what to look for. i mean, do they wear signifying clothing colors or have bells and baubles hanging from their skirts, or travel with horse and gypsy wagon ??? ..

as a little girl my parents threatened to sell me to the gypsies. well, seeing this gypsy wagon, i wish they would have!!! isn't this darling?!
(. image found on pinterest .)

leaving troutdale

{* click on the pics to enlarge them *}

entering the columbia river gorge area

acres and acres and acres of cAbbAge!

the columbia river westward

oregon * the river * washington

side of the road .. plenty of moss .. beautiful

guard rail .. even that was beautiful

the columbia river eastward

can you imagine the beauty seen in 1805?

* click here for a timeline *

a meandering stream that parallels the columbia

a bridge at the falls

another view

a mossy place to rest

bridal veil lodge

** click here to read its history **

an easy path at the falls..

most paths were easy but there were some that

left you huffing and puffing, for sure!

so so so much larger than it appears

a little better perspective

multnomah falls and lodge

On September 6, 1995 a 400 ton rock broke loose from the face of Multnomah Falls and plunged into the pool at the base, creating a wave of water and small rocks that inundated a wedding party taking photos on the Benson Bridge. Of the 20 people, 16 were taken to the hospital with minor injuries such as a broken arm from the rock shrapnel.

This rock was the size of a school bus.

** more information here **

our time in the falls and columbia river areas were wonderful. the scenery, aroma (one can smell, almost taste, the beauty) were so worth this drive to our next destination. so thankful we stopped. so thankful to experience the grandeur!

i'll post more pics of our trip, soon.

in the meantime, i hope you enjoy what i've shared

and consider taking a trip of your own to the breathtaking northwest!

have a blessed weekend,

"jAne"

.. camas ..

2011-10-20T11:48:00.000-07:00

adrienne {a grateful heart}

drove me to camas, washington,

kicking and screaming because

i despise quaint little towns with excellent

antiqu'ing and vintag'ing and food'ing.

calming down after what seemed

hours of screaming and gnashing of teeth,

we arrived.

.right.

.camas antiques.

2 stories of absolute

horrendous displeasure.

adrienne pushed me through

the front doors.

i grumbled the entire

time we she shopped.

.yep.

.right.

above camas antiques

is the

camas hotel.

adrienne forced me

to go have a looksee.

.sigh.

okay so, there's a gorgeous chandy.

.whatever.

and the wallpaper just so happens

to be beyond incredible.

.whatever.

and so, a building on the street

has beautiful chippy wonderfulness.

.yawn.

more beautiful chippy wonderfulness.

.boring.

** twilight **

is a cute place {i suppose}

and i further suppose

the roasted tomato soup was

delish, as was the salad,

and breadstick with its garlicky goodness.

{i suppose}

sorry to give such a mediocre review

but golly gee willikers, i don't want you

to know about the place, cuz

** i want it all to myself **
.. you know i'm kidding ..

" jAne "

after the rain { in oregon }

2011-10-20T07:22:00.000-07:00

.looking west from our hotel room.

rainbows speak of God's

faithfulness and mercy

Genesis 8.13-17

Revelation 4.3

Revelation 10.1

His mercies are new every morning,
great is His faithfulness!

:: what to take on a road trip ::

2011-10-18T19:03:00.000-07:00

a fairly recent thrifting expedition with lizzie resulted in a sweet find for all of $1.99:

a hard backed vintage case from the

Castro Valley Beauty Academy.

i knew exactly how i would use this case!

isn't she a beauty

very good shape for a vintage year

a little treasure trove

all neatly tucked in

the day before we left for oregon i combed through some books, files and writing tablets and settled on what you see above. also included was a colored pencil for highlighting, a pen, cute little lacy sticky notes, page tabs, hair scrunchie and rubber band. a nice selection of books at the ready and my heart was happy.

do you bring books with you on road trips?

how do you store them?

here's some thingies found on *pinterest*

that happen to speak to my heart of hearts

these days. just a sampling . . .

. . what's on your mind today?

toes .. ?!

2011-10-17T21:49:00.000-07:00

.. photos are coming along ..
.. slowly ..

i chose the unexpected ones first.
for shock value alone ...

have a gander at what idle time

will make a woman do.

i was waiting for rocky to return

to the hotel after work so we could

go out for dinner. rather than conduct

a worthy activity i opted to take pictures

of my feet doing their own

version of calisthenics.

you can see the lines from my tennie-runners on my shriveled skin. you can see my dislocated toes, the ones my podiatrist will fix when i can no longer walk. you can see in the 3rd frame that i took a well deserved rest. you can also see that i don't paint my toenails and in the rare case i *do* paint that dead flesh, i prefer the color of spit,
thank you very much.

spit. it's a funny word.

'jAne'

{ i need a life }

home sweet home

2011-10-17T10:20:00.000-07:00

"I'm going home the old way,

with a light hand on the reins

making the long approach."

. Maxine Kumin .

rocky and i returned home last night.

our time in oregon was wonderful.

time together .. just the two of us,

and time with friends .. old and new.

i have 486 pictures to sort, crop and consider. that'll take a bit of time. and considering i have laundry from our time away, a refrigerator to clean, a menu to plan and groceries to buy .. and a kitty boy to snuggle and a daughter to love on, it'll take even a bit longer.

one picture i will share is from a special luncheon with some sweet bloggie chicks, held in salem, oregon last week. and for the first time, i'm sharing my own mug. yipes.

. from left to right .

elizabeth from *just following Jesus*

sharon from *rose of sharon garden*

marilyn from *delights of the heart*

jAne from ... *tickleberry farm*

adrienne from *a grateful heart*

adrienne orchestrated our day with a tour of the historic deepwood estate, lunch at alcyone cafe, and some necessary retail therapy in old salem. we all found some treasures .. of the heart, especially.

so thankful to have met

and spent time with these sweet gals.

{{{ hugs all around }}}

'jAne'

gettin' outta dodge

2011-10-08T21:54:00.000-07:00

. road trip with rocky .

business & pleasure

my kitty-boy will be in the excellent and loving care of his "big sister" (lizzie). i knew you were concerned so i wanted to put your heart at ease. we'll sure miss both of them though as we'll be gone a whole week. gulp.

rocky has business during the day and i'll be meeting up with a few bloggy ladies; a nice get together planned by adrienne from *a grateful heart*. looking forward to getting away with my honey, and golly gosh, staying in a swanky hotel. truth be told.

tonight, rocky and i had cinnamon applesauce pancakes and coffee for dinner while we watched the movie: Uncle Buck. i needed a lighthearted chuckle today as an issue was pressing on my heart - and the heart of a dear friend.

can't share the situation but please do pray as the Lord leads.

thank you ever so much.

image found on pinterest

{ vintage road trip }

love,

jAne

it all started with . . .

2011-10-07T16:08:00.000-07:00

lizzie saying she'd pick me up in the morning so we could go get our hair trimmed and made all purty-like. so she did and we did and now our hair is all purty-like .. as promised.

then i mentioned going to our favorite thrifty place since it's on our way back to town and that was a peachy idea as long as we were quick cuz she had more plans for the day in addition to working.

didn't take long to find the perfect cage.

cage?

yes. cage.

.. vintage ..

gotta use your imagination noodle.

rustic gorgeousness

love the hardware

i stuffed it with fresh hydrangeas

{they're drying}

and gourds

and placed it on top of a couple benches.

{the little stool found a new home at home}

isn't it beautiful...?

puzzled

2011-10-07T07:55:00.000-07:00

sometimes working through itty bitty things

(together * as a family)

is just the right thing to do.

and there's the .. cute factor.

adding touches of autumn .. inside

2011-10-06T00:09:00.000-07:00

i'm not one to decorate, heavily anyway,

for any given season or holiday.

but i do change out pictures and a few

nickinac type things. and i add or remove

a slipcover on the behemoth sofa.

here's a few views of our living room,

now that autumn is officially here

in northern california.

love my fireplace screen, an old family heirloom from rocky's side. one time we kidded his mother, that we sold it for $10 in our garage sale. she didn't laugh. hm. funny, that. i've had those gourds since forever i think. love the color and patina.

we have loads of acorns in the backyard. rocket j. squirrel tosses them down to us. actually i think he throws them at thAt cAt and thAt cAt dodges them. a form of dodge ball then, hm?

anyway, i picked up a few and put them in this vase thingy with a candle. when the candle is lit it's sooo pretty. but of course i didn't include a picture of that cuz that'd take foresight and at present i just don't lay claim to such a thing. the picture is of rocky back in the early 80's when he was an officer and a gentleman.

the books include, the harvester, the prayers of peter marshall, jackie squirrel's new pants (a family favorite), autumn story, miniatures and morals, pride and prejudice, little threads, the mansion (original copy), and the three weavers.

i moved our big striped chairs (and pretty needle-pointed stool) over by the behemoth sofa because without the creamy white slipcover they look better than the other chairs.

look at the rich tones in that sofa.

this is where the big striped chairs and pretty needle-pointed stool used to live. i'm thinking this area needs ***something*** and i don't know what it is.

any suggestions? cuz i'm plum out of ideas.

lizzie {{.& dizzle.}}

2011-10-05T08:36:00.000-07:00

some of you have asked what

lizzie's been up to lately.

: here's your answer :

lizzie . . . i introduced her to ditching school (while she was in kindergarten), dumpster diving and tp'ing. i feel it necessary at this point in my post to say,

"i'm a good mom."

at 21she seeks adventure laced with a bit of danger. she's not afraid of what i would consider harrowing events. God has had, and will continue to have, a purpose in all that, to be sure.

my hair is silverish. need i say more? wink.

she's been spending lotsa time teaching littles how to swim, delighting in their joy when they can actually do the strokes that keep them on top of the water rather than drowning. happy thought indeed. she teaches the not so littles too - advanced swim and beyond. she's quite amazing really.

when she's not teaching swim

she's doing things like this . . .

here's lizzie and dizzle,

climbing trees at the lake

and jumping in . . .

* dizzle *

{not her real name}

is a close friend of lizzie's.

.delightful dizzle.

skydiving.

this was taken last year.

had an instructor/guide

and loved every moment

of the free fall.

she's going again.

other loves of lizzie's are kickboxing.

and guitar (6 & 12 string).

and running. and swimming.

and biking. and hiking. very active gal.

oh .. and sleeping.

she loves to sleep.

when not in sporty attire she

glams up so beautifully, with

perfectly coiffed hair, expert make-up,

pretty jewelry, and a heart that is

so beautiful. she has

that beautiful heart

no matter what she's wearing though.

i love her heart, 'specially.

it's what makes her lovely.

lizzie & dizzle

had nothing better to do at

midnight last weekend

so they tp'd our house.

come morning when i let

thAt cAt out for his morning

constitution i beheld the

beauty taught her at a young age.

immediately i knew it was

lizzie who did the deed.

awesome.

then i found out that

dizzle had a part in it as well.

it was a total chick job.

and the sprinklers were on.

oh .. not so good. haha.

isn't it pretty?!

the tp was very soft .. excellent quality.

we're thankful the gals chose as they did.

i never knew snails liked to eat tp.

interesting.

lizzie's back to taking online classes through Bible College, her plan being to attend the college come january .. finishing her degree.

.. and that's what lizzie's been up to ..

. . . she posted again ? ! . . .

2011-10-03T21:16:00.000-07:00

keep up with me, ladies,

i'm posting most every day.

don't know what's going on with

all that but here's another anyway.

found the sweetest thrifted cup

for all of 99 cents .. and i lovies it.

it's cream with little gold thingies

all over it and a gold rim

around the top.

she measures four & a half inches

in diameter and requires

both my little hands

(they're kinda small & rat-like)

to hold and drink from it.

more like a vintage latte bowl!

"picky" doesn't come close

in describing my cup choices.

the fact that i **love** this cup

says volumes. my coffee

tastes better now .. because of this cup.

and as we all know . . .

as i always say . . .

{for it's *my* coined motto}

{* life is too short to drink from an ugly cup *}

.plates.

2011-10-03T11:03:00.000-07:00

two, fairly recent

{last couple months}

thrifty finds help to

make our table pretty.

pretty, faded roses

elegant whimsy.

sUndAy

2011-10-02T06:22:00.000-07:00

~ * ~

"Happy are those who hear the joyful

call to worship,

for they will walk in the light

of Your presence,

Lord."

~ Psalm 89.15 ~

and so ...

2011-09-30T19:30:00.000-07:00

. i found this picture on pinterest .

and i gasped.

is this not *beautiful*?!

the picture is owned by
*the unique librarian*
and you can find more
of her loveliness
*here*

. . . but first . . .

do you have a pinterest account?

i do. *here*

what's yours and i'll

~~stalk~~ follow you around.

benches : one, two, three ............. seven, etc.

2011-09-29T22:38:00.000-07:00

be it at garage sales or thrift stores, i can almost always find a bench or two that for sure needs to belong in my home. of course i don't bring all of them home, but they want to be here, just the same. i know this to be true * they tell me so. some people hoard cats .. i lean toward the hoarding of benches. could be worse, i suppose. i could hoard vintage trailers . . . hmmmmm.

top bench : $1.49 thrift store

middle bench : $1.00 garage sale

bottom bench : $2.50 garage sale

paint : a little $ and labor

{ love that annie sloan chalk paint }

extra seating for 3 adults & 1 child : priceless

love how the sun kisses the white paint.

looks like my bench, stolen street side by yours truly

(it was actually a legal undertaking. really!),

could use a good scraping and painting, hm?

it's looking a bit more shabby than chic these days.

.easy access for simple seating.

looks quite prettified as is.

this is a fourth bench.

um ... aka stool.

in light of full disclosure,

i have three more than four.

.benches.

.seven.

but we won't discuss those at this time.

... back to my tale ...

this bench acts as a centerpiece

for pretty flowers, jars of candles

and jar of honey with the comb.

i think this bench belonged to

my great grandmother .. i think.

it won't be receiving a coat of white

paint. trust me on that one.

the honey and comb was a

sacrificial gift (so hard to part with)

from sweet sara, who has a farm

and pet chickens that lay pretty

espresso toned eggs (just for me, i'm sure).

and it would seem .. she has pet bees.

i have to wonder if she names

the pet bees, or pets her pet bees;

these things .. i wonder about.

sweet sara with the pet bees and pet chickens

has another grouping of pets:

her children. six in all, all adults,

but still her precious pets.

spending time with sweet sara and her knight

and her precious pets is so inspiring,

so meaningful, so full of grace and love...

one is refreshed from time in their

presence, anxious and ready to make

new in our own little families.

such a gift

sweet sara.

may i present thAt cAt,

sporting his new autumn sweater ..

in a rich forest green cable knit design.

he's looking quite dapper,

the most coiffed kitty in the hood.

autumn roses

2011-09-29T08:10:00.000-07:00

still blooming

the days are getting shorter.

here in NorCal we have the

promise of autumn just around

the corner. yellow, orange, and
red leaves are in my not too distant future.
in fact, lower temps

starting tomorrow then rain

next week * 3 days straight,

so the weatherman says.

i'm thinking . .

soup will be on the menu.
makes me smile.

.quiet.

2011-09-28T11:14:00.000-07:00

. . and sometimes a little

contemplation

{ with coffee in hand }

while watching the world

in quiet repose

is a necessary

and i might add

* healthy *

thing.

. image found on pinterest.com .

. gathering .

2011-09-23T21:30:00.000-07:00

sometimes, God-inspired opportunity arises. hearts are stirred and numbers grow. it started out with 20, 20 ladies seeking to gather together on thursday evenings for a study, led by our pastor's wife, about letting go of fears. that number quickly grew to 41. i'd say He's doing something big.

my home is the gathering place. our God is so wonderful: His tenderness in the quickening of hearts and offerings of courage, the ability to fit that much estrogen in a fairly small area and the foresight that i really and truly needed {all these up and coming years} to gather seating for 34. our pastor's wife brought 7 more chairs making the total 41.

God provides. And He blesses.

happy thought indeed.

. * .

. come on in .

. . one view of the seating . .

more spilled out into the foyer,

off to the left side of the room

and doorway to the kitchen.

we all fit. amazing.

we were tuned in. awesome.

a form of heart surgery . glorious.

.the book.

tickleberry farm

.

as of late . . .

... and some days are just this way ...

introducing . .

that special pooch . .

giggle snort ...

the next step ..

for reals .. really

there's no place like home ..

my heart is ready ..

on a mOndAy

.day one.

.

.

worship . . Christ the King

peeking in . . .

glamp.

{. the cottage .}

a mani & pedi 4 the weddi & the sad aftermath

a lil recap

sUndAy

.road trip.

my fAmily

one ringy dingy . .

thanksgiving recap . . .

.

milk & cookies

.

. thanksgiving .

vantage point ..

at which time i ask, "what is it?"

vantage point ..

. a simple pUmpykin sweet .

scenes from home

. let it go .

. snicker .

. you are . . enough.

.mom.

autumn thoughts & views

.cousins.

.hassock.ottoman.stool.

lizzie's new purse

. . in a pretty cup

keeping it simple: autumn salad

right where you are . .

self examination

so simple . so sweet

.he's home {again}. & a thank you.

.

thAt cAt {6.1.97 ~ 10.25.11}

as of late . . .

thAt cAt .. under the weather

gorgeous oregon .. lotsa pics

.. camas ..

after the rain { in oregon }

:: what to take on a road trip ::

toes .. ?!

home sweet home

gettin' outta dodge

it all started with . . .

puzzled

adding touches of autumn .. inside

lizzie {{.& dizzle.}}

. . . she posted **again** ? ! . . .

.plates.

sUndAy

and so ...

benches : one, two, three ............. seven, etc.

autumn roses

.quiet.

. gathering .

. . . she posted again ? ! . . .