"I started photographing my domestic world and writing not just about what I had made,
but why I made it, examining the thoughts that accompany creativity and the act of making."
Jane Brocket from The Gentle Art of Domesticity p. 189 UK edition

Monday, May 4, 2015

Crocheted Headband at Indian Beach

Several weeks ago my oldest daughter, her four little girls and I drove up to Powell Butte Park in Portland, Oregon to view Mt. Hood and
Mt. St. Helens with it's distinctive flattened top after it erupted  35 years ago.
Then another day on the way home from running errands I stopped at the corner of Highway 212 and 232nd Street to get this view of Mt. Hood and one of the many nurseries that are near the base of the mountain.
 Mr. and Mrs. Mallard are doing a fine job caring for their new ducklings.

They spend much of their time safely hiding in the grass of our front pond.
My son took this photo of a muskrat who has been visiting the pond, too.
A heron has been visiting our front pond lately, as well. See him standing in the middle of the photo? He is standing very still trying to blend in with the grass and not  be noticed!
After I tried to get an intermittent problem with my car fixed and did not succeed, my youngest son, Tim drove us to Gearhart by the Sea in his car. 
The trip was restorative for me because the week before I had whacked a back upper molar with my electric toothbrush, making it sensitive...then painful...requiring me to be on an anti-biotic,  then having to have the tooth extracted :(
The sunsets were often beautiful.
I sketched more flowers in baby Rosie's album.
Tim and I took turns winning playing Scrabble.
I even saw this beautiful sunrise one morning!
We saw the metal hulk of a wrecked ship,
and there was lots of Scotch Broom in bloom.
We saw a barge near the mouth of the mighty Columbia River near Astoria, Oregon.
At Indian Beach,
we saw surfers,
and a squirrel,
and a ladybug,
and a kite being flown,
and I crocheted a Rampant Arch Headband using Sue Perez's pattern
which my granddaughter, Hayley, kindly modeled for me when we got home :)



Today a brilliant young man came and repaired our washing machine that stopped working this past weekend. Our household is rejoicing!

Blessings to you and yours,

Gracie xx

27 comments:

  1. I loved seeing your trip to the beach, Gracie. It's so nice that you and your daughter are able to take the girls away for a little while. They will always remember these trips with their grandmother. I love your headband, it came out very nicely and your little model looks lovely in it. Thanks for your kind, thoughtful comments on my blog. I appreciate them so much. Thank you. I hope you have a great week, my friend.

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  2. Such fun! I never tire of seeing "your" mountains and the beach photos are wonderful. You take such lovely photos of your life Gracie. They have a calmness that soothe my soul. Great job on the headband and the beautiful young model. Perfect! Now I'm going to google Gearhart by the Sea since I've never heard of it. See you tomorrow sweet Gracie!
    Blessings,
    Betsy

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  3. The photos are such a treat, Gracie. Really beautiful. I've not seen a ladybug for so long, I'm sure someone told me that they are almost extinct. I was happy to meet yours.
    Amalia
    xo

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  4. What a nice time you and your son had at the beach! It looks like you stayed in a very comfortable and scenic place. It's neat that we were enjoying the same sunsets. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  5. Gorgeous photos Gracie-loved them! I am not sure if I have ever been to Indian beach-looks beautiful!
    Happy to hear you again have a working washer-know, from personal experience, what it's like to be without one. Hopefully they'll figure your car problem out soon too.
    Blessings, Aimee
    PS:Your granddaughter has lovely eyes ;-)

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  6. Your trip to the beach show such beauty, you have captured some wonderful moments. Loved the headband and such a beautiful model.

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  7. What beautiful pics, Gracie - thanks for sharing them and taking us along with you on your travels. Love the little headband too, and your model is just adorable!
    Have a happy week - enjoy the laundry ;-)
    hugs xx

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  8. hello Gracie - lovely to see the beauty of nature in your part of the world. Your GD is delightful and the headband I like the headband! Anne x

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  9. Your photos are just beautiful, Gracie - The scenery is fabulous! I love that you have a beautiful pond in front of your house with wildlife coming to visit you.
    Sorry about your tooth. I know how painful that can be.

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  10. Another beautiful post my friend. You are so loved by your entire family, you bring them such Joy.
    Hugs to you Gracie,
    Meredith

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  11. Wonderful photo's looks like you had a great trip, and the head band is sooo cute.
    Clare x

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  12. That is a lovely trip to the beach. I know how much it means to you. Sarah x

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  13. So many beautiful views here! It has been a long time since I last saw Mt. Hood. The road lined with Scotch Broom seems like a cheery pathway to follow. And, Indian Beach looks very nice.

    Sounds like electric toothbrushes now need to add a side effect list! That does not sound fun!

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  14. So much to a see and take in. I love your headband and your adorable model. Jo x

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  15. lovely photos and it sounds like a perfect trip for relaxing. Pond visitors are so fun aren't they? little ducks are too sweet., I keep hoping our geese will try laying more eggs. wow that is awful about your tooth-I have not used an electric brush don't think I would now-enjoy your weekend
    Kathy

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  16. Beautiful area; gorgeous photos. I would love to visit Oregon one day. From all of Teresa's posts and other bloggers, it just seems to have so much to offer. Sorry to hear about your tooth but glad to hear you had a relaxing time at the beach. Best wishes, Tammy

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  17. Oh the Oregon Coast. I have had some very important moments in my life there. I could just smell it from looking at your photos! And I remember Mt. St. Helens erupting. I was working for the Multnomah County Operations and Maintenance office at the time, and they sent all the snowplows to clean up the ash. It was a very strange time. I drove my parents' car and was terrified the ash would wreck it. All summer after it erupted, it sent plumes of ash up at the full moon (I think it was). I'm so sorry about your tooth, Gracie, that is bad luck. And the headband is just lovely. Take care!

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  18. Such beautiful photos of your trip, Gracie! It looks so peaceful and restorative to spend time there. I am glad your washer is fixed.....somehow laundry doesn't seem so bad after all when you have a working washer again! Hope your car gets sorted soon too. The little headband is very sweet and how pretty your grand daughter is....a perfect little model for your crochet!
    Wishing you a wonderful week ahead.
    Helen xox

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  19. Washing machine disasters aside, life looks to be treating you well Gracie ... great photos, you have me longing to spend some time by the sea.

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  20. What a beautiful post! I do miss Mt. Hood and always love it when you post photos of it! We are always thankful for those people who have special skills in repairing washers and cars (and who win at Scrabble!).

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  21. That headband is so cute! I might have to try my hand at crocheting again (I am a knitter and can't seem to make the leap!). Also, your photos are spectacular. Oregon is so photogenic!

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  22. I just found your blog this morning, it is always fun to find "local" blogs! The Peter Iredale is our regular beach, though we spent most of last summer at Sunset Beach. There is so little of the wreckage left, but it is still fun to see! We have ladybug season here, where our houses fill with them. They make my mom crazy with their stink, as it's her sewing room that gets filled. Here, it's my oldest son's room and the porch, so they don't bother me so much, hee hee. Isn't it a blessing to have people who can fix things? My hubby has been keeping our washer limping along for quite a while, I am so grateful! It looks like you have had a lovely time, I look forward to reading through your blog and getting to know you better!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Michelle! Thanks for visiting and commenting. I look forward to getting to know you better as well. :)

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  23. LOVE the photos... Visiting the west coast is on my bucket list. Absolutely stunnng! Might have to give the headband a go. Looks like a wonderful little take along project

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  24. Hope you are healed after your tooth problems, and that your car is fixed too.

    I love your photos, what a beautiful part of the world!

    Helenxx

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  25. Very pretty headband. Those ducklings are so precious. We get a Heron visiting our pond sometimes. It looks very funny as our pond is so tiny and the Heron looks so big ^_^ Pretty ladybug. XOX

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  26. Gracie-- I love your beautiful blog... You live in such an amazing place. The views are jaw dropping gorgeous. Thank you for sharing all these amazing photos!!!

    The headband is adorable and so is your little model..

    Love
    Vicki

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