Rose Cottage

  As January comes to a close, we are finishing our first blog challenge for 2025. It's been fun visiting each other's blogs, giving us a kaleidoscopic view of each other's worlds. New recipes, creations projects and inspires abound!  As this challenge ends, new opportunities beckon. One SiStar blogger has even set up a Pinterest board, inviting us to post favorite articles!  Emily, Mary, Josh n me Yesterday my son and granddaughter Emily came to town and we had a quick and sweet visit! Emily turns 21 tomorrow, so i passed on her gift. We stopped by Mary's work for 'a hug' (in facilities, at our nearby Uni)  In February I'm looking forward to our next space Reset (my Atelier/ Library and closets are next on the list!) and delving back into my  ᏣᎳᎩ Studies. I'll be blogging about that journey again - stay tuned! Connected I am taking a couple of my friend Cindy's creative workshops, combining Soul Collage ™  Mixed Media, and Intentional Creativity ™!...

 For the last several years , church members and friends have been invited to spend a fall weekend at Camp Arrah Wanna, on the beautiful Salmon River in the Cascades, near Y'East (Mount Hood). Some congregants grew up coming to camp when young, as have my grandkids.  Salmon - in the Salmon River  This year, all our group's camp fees were covered by a Calvin Grant, which pastor Erika wrote for the 52 week Seasons of Wonder devotional, by (Bonnie Smith Whitehouse). In adition to the books, the grant has funded supplies for recommended creative projects, and field trips, which Bonnie recommends to add depth.  This spring, I led a session on making rose beads as part of a session on making rosaries, and my daughter, grandkids and I have joined field trips.  John, Shelly and pastor Erika Our camp time includes ample free periods in addition to meals, workshops and group activities. My daughter, her 13 year olds and I came this year.   Saturday morning, Lar...

  Last weekend, Mary and Josh (my daughter and son) and I were invited to celebrate my cousin Merlyn's 90th Birthday! Merlyn brought along her lifelong friend Marilyn (they met in kindergarten!)  - don't they make 90 look great?! And what a beautiful day we had for this party in a park! Marilyn and cousin  Merlyn's mom Myrle was my dad Byrle's twin, and when my folks married in her parents home, my cousin  played the piano for the ceremony. Their older brother, our Uncle Ole, lived to 103, and Merlyn helped organize a 100th BD party for him nearly 20 years ago!  Josh and Mary I'm so happy my kids joined me for this celebration! Our other first cousin, Ole's son John (94) wasn't able to come, but we were happy that Merlyn's brother Don (79) and his wife Lori made it. Our folks' cousin Carolyn is nearly 100 - Merlyn phones her regularly for a chat.  Merlyn shared my mom's birthday, and they always enjoyed each other, and sent cards in celebration. ...

  I *finally* got out to rework the garden bed Zander and I began summer of 22!  Matt tossed clover seed over the back several years ago as a ground cover. They have gardened on the back lot several times over the 15 years they've been here, and it's good soil, but more exposed to cold than near the houses.  Zander and his sis learned about food security and planted seeds each day at VBS '22 (vacation bible school), and we gave the marigolds, beans and sunflowers they started a home, along with tomatoes, peppers and pink celery. We used wood rounds and chicken wire around the bed to define it. Kale, chard and lots of clover When I moved across town last fall, I put in a couple of chard, Perennial kale, ( homesteaders kaleidoscope,  seed from Experimental Farm Network), plus garlic and Babington topset leeks. I've had the leeks a decade, after getting sets from Peace Seeds; whose founder Dr. Alan 'Mushroom' Kapuler recently passed.   Mushroom loved sha...

 One of the delights of being a grandparent is family outings! As an only child, I'm at times amazed at having 9 grandkids, and it's a great to spend time with the different constellations. Family Fun We had so much fun visiting the Heiser farm pumpkin patch on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon! My daughter calls outings with her 5 (just 2 still at home) kids and hubby FFF - Forced Family Fun ! Her next oldest daughter and our little extra (half sister to two of her girls) joined us.  Train ride We rode two of several trains (3 trips through the tunnel on our first ride!), petted farm critters, took a hay ride to and from the Maze of maize and pumpkin patch; the kids had shave ice, and I got persimmons ...  Hay ride A good time was had by all, and we came home with pumpkins to carve! I like to cut off the top, scoop the seeds, add potting soil and plant a matching pansy! Red pumpkin   What's your favorite fall tradition?