Grand Times!

Friday morning the Grand Girls were in charge of me while their parents went to another pre-natal appointment.  We had a wonderful time outside in our yard, counting mushrooms, and the girls and Teddy enjoyed swinging and the older girls loved sliding down the slide.  [The midwife expects the baby to arrive within three days, but no steady contractions yet....sigh ]

Saturday, with plans in place to be ready for the baby's arrival, I met my blogging friend, Teresa, at an Asian restaurant in Sandy, Oregon. I told Teresa I had finished the baby cocoon blanket and she was disappointed I did not bring it to show her, but I did bring the hat I started that is part of the cocoon blanket set.  I was concerned that the hat would be too small, and Teresa agreed that I should rip out some rows and increase the crown of the hat.  After a yummy meal and good conversation we ventured off to Designer Yarns and managed to get out of the store without buying anything....What???

Then we set out to take photos of Mt. Hood and the surrounding area.  There are many commercial nurseries and farms nearby and the autumn colors were wonderful!

Have you been having grand times, too?

Summer Sprinkler, Swings, & Squares

Young friends came to play today!
Great fun!

The cherry tree was strangely quiet

 after a week of chirping celebration

while the birds feasted on this year's cherry crop .

And I completed some more squares for my Granny Square blanket.

What is new with you?

Hugs from Gracie :)

Jolly Journaling :)

My young friend, Kate, across the pond from me, proposed a brilliant challenge

last week.  Do you have a journal that is so beautiful you dare not

write in it lest you ruin it?  I did.

20 years ago my artist friend, Becky gave me a journal bound in handmade paper.

Through the years I have displayed it, patted it, treasured it but I never wrote in it

until this past week.

Kate challenged me to fill its pages with

Reasons to be Cheerful

So there you have it...my first week of reasons I have found to be cheerful...
not great art,  but such fun to focus on what inspires me
to be cheerful.
I would love to know your reasons you find to be cheerful!
Will you journal them this week and share them in a post next Sunday?
Until then, Cheerio !
From Gracie <3

Tea At Chariteas

To celebrate Mother's Day, some of the moms of our family and two grand girls met at Chaiteas in Sandy, Oregon, Saturday afternoon.

It was a beautiful warm sunny day and we all enjoyed a lovely tea.

Were you busy this past weekend? I hope you had happy days as we did<3

Bibs to Bears

I finished this bib just in time to wrap it before the baby shower for my oldest daughter! Whew!
It is single crochets done with a 2.25 crochet hook. I have typed about the story behind the pattern here.

Many years ago I could not resist buying this bag.
My husband and I even at our thinnest were always teddy bear shaped, and this bear reminded me of him.

The teacher bear pictured on the other side of the bag reminded me of me. I have the bag on a shelf down at my nearly 3 year old grand girl's height.
This morning she was looking at the bag telling herself a story. She said one of the bear cubs was her and another was her sister and the third was her cousin. Then she whirled around and looked at me and said in amazement,
"Grandma, you're a bear!"

I KNEW IT ! <3

Fiber Fun!

Starting with this so soft colorful cloud of fluffiness

then stranding a bit of it

I am learning to let it glide through my fingers to form interesting yarn for one of my fiber dreams .

And I am crocheting another Queen Anne's Lace scarf
With this lovely
Lime and Parsley yarn from

Sosae Caetano .

What crafts are gliding through your life this week?

Tulip Time

Late this afternoon the rain stopped, the sun came out, and my oldest daughter, the grand girls and I bolted to the car. My oldest daughter drove us 40 miles southwest of here to view the Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm, 40 acres of tulips and other lovely bulbs in bloom !

We had come just 30 minutes before the farm closed, but even so were refreshed by viewing so many beautiful blooms in one location.

If you have never visited Jane Brocket's Blog, Yarnstorm, I think you will enjoy visiting her there.  At the moment she is posting stunning photos of tulips and other bulbs blooming in her native England and other nearby areas.
Beyond that she has published a number of worthy books and giftedly writes about her many interests including knitting, cooking, crocheting, quilting, gardening, wine, and reading.

Are you enjoying viewing the blooms around you, too?