The For Sale Sign is Up!

As some of you may remember I started blogging around nine years ago when I discovered fiber arts blogs that I started to follow. After moving to Oregon I missed the crafters I met with weekly while living in northern California and it took me years to find a weekly crafting group to attend in Oregon, so some of the fiber arts bloggers I followed became dear to me.  I never expected to meet any of the bloggers I followed, but I have! 

Most recently I met with my local blogging friend, Teresa, at the Crochet Guild of America Conference at a hotel near the Portland, Oregon, airport...and...with our very talented blogging friend, Mrs. Macawber, alias Sue Perez! Joy! If you haven't discovered her blog, I hope you will.  She very generously and expertly shares crochet patterns and tutorials. She also has patterns you may have noticed published in various crochet magazines. From time to time she also takes bike rides and shares on her blog gorgeous photos of the countryside and wildflowers near where she lives.  I have been trying to convince her to publish a book, and am happy to report she is working on one!  [No pressure, Sue, but I look forward to purchasing it! :) ]

Teresa, Sue, Gracie, and Gracie's sister, Margaret

My sister, Margaret had just flown up from Burbank, California, a few days prior to the conference.  She has done some beautiful stitching projects through the years, too.  After visiting with Sue and Teresa for a bit, Margaret and I drove on to meet my youngest daughter and her husband at Cape Lookout State Park on the northern Oregon coast where they were RV camping with some of my son in law's side of the family.  It was foggy when we arrived and foggy when we went to check out the ocean the next morning.

But on the way back to the campsite it was not too foggy to see this pretty thistle that reminded me of Thistlebear another blog I enjoy following.  So this is a photo especially for you, Jennifer :)

The next afternoon the fog rolled away long enough for folks, including my sister and daughter and me to go enjoy the beach and ocean in all its glory!

Those of you who have known me for a while know that admiring an ocean from the shore is one of my favorite past times!  I knit a dishcloth in between long admiring surveys of the sand and waves and rocks.

While my sister visited we explored possible places I might move to once our house sells, and we also got to see Multnomah Falls on our way to visit with a friend on the other side of Mt. Hood.

This was the only peek of the peak I recorded on my phone camera, but  Mt. Hood is amazing to me from any angle, and even if I only record just a bit of its beauty.

My sister went to my Wednesday knitting group with me, and she knit this sweet little preemie hat.  The pattern is a simple rectangle starting with about 35 stitches on size 8 needles.  She knit until she had about 12 inches in height, then our friend Sue stitched it up the side and closed the top.  You could also gather the top to form a bit of a poof.

Just after my sister flew back to California, my youngest daughter gathered our first batch of apples and she and I made some yummy applesauce.

Yesterday I picked the last of our peaches which were flavorful but bruised.  It has been particularly hot for a long stretch and I think I did not pick them soon enough.

The plums are still ripening and I am still wondering if we will get to enjoy eating them before we move.  I suspect we will.

Our house has been officially on the market for a week and has been shown once to folks who like it enough to put it on their list of possible purchases, but they have not made an offer yet.

Meanwhile, I am grateful to be living here and am amazed it has been nearly nine years since my husband died and we moved into the house.

I am finally packed enough that I have some time to check in with those of you who blog to find out what is new on your blogs; and whether you blog or not, know that as you read this that I am asking the Lord to bless you. :)

Gracie xx

Jamming in More Crafting

In the comments on my last post, Joy and Annie asked for the recipe for Carrot Cake Jam that some of my family members recently used and I finally have crammed in some time to type it up for them and anyone else who might be curious :) 

Carrot Cake Jam

4 cups peeled chopped pears

3 cups finely grated carrots

1 120 oz. can crushed pineapple not drained

6 tbsp. lemon juice

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 tsp. ground cloves

5 cups sugar

1 package fruit pectin

Combine everything except the pectin into a saucepan.

Heat, stirring frequently until it comes to a boil.

Reduce heat, cover pan and boil gently for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Transfer mixture to a blender and blend till smooth.

Transfer back to the saucepan, add pectin, and bring back to a boil for 1 min.

Transfer to hot jars and seal.


Last Friday I enjoyed another visit to Multnomah Falls!

Teresa invited me to attend the 100th anniversary of Multnomah Falls being a public park.

Reading the history of how this wonderful location was set aside to be enjoyed by all helped me appreciate it all the more.

Individuals such as Simon Benson helped make the park possible.

The 100th year celebration of the creation of the  public park was news covered by some of our local news broadcasters.

The celebration was made possible by the National Park Service, The Friends of Multnomah Falls, and others who worked together to make it so.  My friends Teresa and Dayle Kasner [in the upper right corner of this photo] were among those who helped make the celebration successful.

Driving home from the Falls I stopped at The Women's Forum overlook to take this view looking north up the Columbia river to Vista House. As I type to you I am appreciating once more folks like Dayle and Teresa who have contributed their support so that others can enjoy this view as well. 

Back at home with carrot cake jam in a jar on my table, I am also appreciating more beautiful dahlias and the crafting of others who have shared their talents with me.

I read this interesting cookbook from cover to cover one evening after receiving it from my dear NY friend, Becky, last week. It is a wonderful combination of history, artwork, and recipes.  Thank you again, Becky!

I thought I had mentioned this, but Teresa told me I hadn't!  My oldest daughter is expecting to introduce me to my youngest granddaughter, Sarah Josephine, around the end of November...in about ten weeks!  My youngest daughter was hostess for a baby shower yesterday, and I made this little bib with a size D crochet hook for the baby.

This is the new baby blanket I am working on for a baby at a local neonatal unit.  I love how the self striping yarn forms a pretty design...without me having to count my stitches :)

Folks round about me share their creativity and care in such sweet ways, and encourage me to go and do likewise.  There are so many needs in the world, I often hide from them, but then I realize that each effort one makes to express love is worth it and helps our world to be more filled with love.

While I was reading one of her blog posts, I listened to a song Clare crafted and performed and posted on her blog. I was inspired by how she is contributing to the cause of love by using her creativity to highlight the needs of the Syrian refugees.

I love hearing from you and learning how you are crafting creative caring into your life with your family, friends, and neighbors, at home and abroad; and I hope your are having a good week!  :)

xx,
Gracie


"...But I'm not abandoned.  The Father is with me.  I've told you all this so that trusting me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace.  In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties.  But take heart!  I've conquered the world."  John 16:31-33 MSG

Presidents' Day?

Looking north across the Columbia River to the mountains in Washington state

Looking south toward Portland along the Columbia River

Looking north toward Multnomah Falls from Vista House on the East bank of the Columbia River

Leftover Storm Orion Snow next to an appropriate sign :-)

Listen to the roar of the falls in the following video clip!

Confession:  Although the USA celebrated Presidents' Day on February 17th, I gave very little homage to my nation's presidents because I was so focused on celebrating my birthday.  From beginning to end, I had a wonderful day!

I enjoyed my youngest granddaughter Rose, a bouquet of gorgeous red carnations, and my youngest daughter drove me to Multnomah Falls, and took some photos to show you I really was there :)  Then when we got home we had a yummy dinner of stuffed mushrooms, broccoli beef, and stir-fried rice with a yellow cake decked in lemon curd, and nine candles placed by my oldest granddaughter.

How did you celebrate your last national holiday?

Gracie xx