Wine touring to Osoyoos...

NK'MIP Cellars

Warrior

http://www.nkmipcellars.com/

Winery

Jim @ Burrowing Owl. This setting is overlooking the new pool and 10 room luxury Hotel at Burrowing Owl. It is such a beautiful location. In a couple of weeks they will be picking the grapes for the fall crush season.
http://www.burrowingowlwine.ca/

The view from the winery overlooking the pool and the vineyards.

********************

We left at about 10:00 this morning with 3 dogs as we are dog sitting Maddy while Andrea has a weekend off.

We headed south to walk the dogs at Peachland, and then on to a coffee and sweet

@ Bliss Bakery. Always such a treat.

As we headed south towards Summerland, & Penticton, we were happy to note that on this long Labour Day weekend, no blasting or hold ups on the road, so it was smooth drving to

"See Ya Later Ranch Winery"

over the back road to Oliver, down to Osoyoos where we went to

NK " MIP Cellars

and checked out "Spirit Ridge Resort and Spa.

Then on Twisted Tree Winery where we sampled some Chardonnay and Merlot.

Ran into to Judith( whom I had worked with at Mission Hill) and her husband Andrew, celebrating their 22 Anniversary....Congrats!!

Back towards Oliver and taking the back road to Burrowing Owl Winery...

A good day, as it was sunny but quite cool, perfect for the pets.

Another excellant adventure ending the month of August in style.

*******************************

"I cook with wine, sometimes I even add it to the food!!"

- Anonymous

Adelante....

This will be Shirley's new home.

In the next couple of months my friend Shirley in Vancouver, will be living "aboard" Adelante in FalseCreek at Pier 32 Marina!! Shirley just purchased this 1912 "Union Lake Dreamboat" - fiberglassover wood hull, 42 feet long, 10 foot beam -

Shirley will still has her land house, but this has been a dream of hers since 1975.

I am so proud of you Shirley, having the courage to live your Dream.

******

Adelante meaning " moving forward" in Spanish.

*****************

Learn of the little nautilus to sail, Spread the thin oar, and catch the driving gale.

Alexander Pope

Last Days of August....

Jim relaxing at the beach in Peachland.

It seems that this summer has gone by so very quickly.

Luckily, I love September the best of all months.

"In August, the large masses of berries, which, when in flower, had attracted many wild bees, gradually assumed their bright velvety crimson hue, and by their weight again bent down and broke their tender limbs."

Henry David Thoreau

Country Living USA...

Cindy had sent me a a note to remind me to look out for this Country Living Magazine, as it is full of the decorating I love to do. This one happens to be Vintage and McCoy Pottery...what can a girl do, except go online and see if she can find some Blue McCoy Pottery to add to her collection.....I will keep you posted. Thanks Cindy....

Here is to Christa who has flown to Ontario for a couple of weeks to be with Mike and help look after her mother-in-law...you are in my thoughts!!!

******

Friends are those rare people who ask how you are and then wait for the answer.

~Author Unknown

Napa Style....

This is a wonderful web-site and catalog. Check it out.

www.napastyle.com

From Cindy's garden...

This homegrown bounty is from Cindy's garden in Nelson. She told me that the Raspberry crop was going to be good this year, and assured me of some raspberry jam coming my way!!! Blackberries were picked and are in the freezer. I do love her seedless blackberry jam.

The fragrant rose is "Reine de Violette"

Thank you Cindy for sharing this with me, and can't wait to see you down here for our "Excellant Adventure" finding treasures mid Sept.

***********

Gardening is about enjoying the smell of things growing in the soil, getting dirty without feeling guilty, and generally taking the time to soak up a little peace and serenity.

~Lindley Karstens

Text message from Hawaii.....

Jeremy and Julie arrived safely in Hawaii to enjoy the sunshine and just hanging out...when I got off work, there was a text message on my cell telling me that they had arrived.

Everything a Mom wants, to know their loved ones have arrived safely. Then he called just as we got into the house...

Love you guys!!!

Happy 45th birthday to my brother Werner in the Baja. We are all thinking of you today.

Happy 10th Anniversay....

Married 10 years ago today.

Happy Anniversary Jeremy and Julie.

Have a wonderful time on your holiday in Hawaii.

*******************

An anniversary is a time to celebrate the joys of today, the memories of yesterday, and the hopes of tomorrow.

~Author Unknown

Fresh in Season.....

Look at this beautiful box of fresh fruit and veges from the little market up the street.

Peaches and Beaches.

That is what we are noted for here in the Okanagan and now of course all the wonderful wineries.

Happy Birthday Larry, for tomorrow Aug 21, 08. We wish you joy and happiness and lots of fun on your new Quad.

*******************
If an August night could talk, it would probably boast it invented romance.

~Bern Williams

Vintage Country....

Inspired by the charm of a best loved country retreat, the Vintage Country collection offers comfort, casual style, and lasting beauty. White washed finishes, vintage patterns, and modern quilts are complemented with classic touches of blue and white. Elaborate detailing on pieces such as the Deauville Dresser and Mirror add character.

The color palate includes distressed white, stone, sun-drenched yellow, and cool shades of slate gray.

Washed linen and quilted velvet are set against painted wood, pewter, and mercury glass.

Love Williams-Sonoma...check out their website for some great decorating ideas

www.williams-sonoma.com

**********

The world is full of people whose notion of a satisfactory future is, in fact, a return to the idealized past.

~Robertson Davies, A Voice from the Attic

Pressed Flowers..

Pressed Flower Stationery
Picked at their peak and then preserved, pressed botanicals enable you to enjoy summer's beauty long after its blooms have faded from the garden. Today, Martha uses a variety of pressed flowers, including bridal wreath, Queen Anne's lace, blue and red verbena, and yellow and purple violas, to create charming stickers that are ideal for embellishing note cards, envelopes, or gift tags. When selecting your flowers, keep in mind that intensely hued blooms with flat bottoms, such as pansies, violets, and verbena, press especially well. Although Martha uses pre-pressed blossoms for this project, you can easily press yours at home, using little more than waxed paper and an ordinary phone book.

Tools and Materials

Always handle pressed flowers with care; they're fragile and can tear easily.
FlowersScissors

Waxed paperLarge, heavy book, such as a telephone book

Tweezers

Sheets of clear stickers

Note cards, envelopes, or gift tags
Pressed Flower Stationery How-To:

o1. Begin by selecting your flowers: Gather clean, blemish-free specimens on a sunny day when they aren't wet from rain or dew.
2. Snip flowers' stems close to the base, or leave them on their stems, as desired; place flowers between two pieces of waxed paper and press, facedown, in the book. Close, and weight the book. Leave undisturbed. After a week to 10 days, open the book slowly, and you'll find papery pressed flowers.
3. Place the stickers down, sticky side up, on a dust-free surface. Select a flower, and using the tweezers, carefully transfer it, face down, onto the center of the sticker. Press down, and stick.
4. Use the stickers to decorate note cards, envelopes, or gift tags. Keep in mind that pressed botanicals will fade naturally over time, but keeping them out of direct sunlight will delay fading.

From Martha's Crafts..

400th Blog Post....

Happy Summer. It is very hot today here in the Okanagan!!! I believe that is why we live here.

It is hard to believe that this is my 400th blog post. This is such a joy for me, to showcase photos and the creativity that surrounds my life. I am a very happy girl in my craft room.

These bottle stoppers were found in Country Living and they are actually fairly easy to make with a cork and some great looking vintage jewellary.

It is easier to believe than to doubt.
~E.D. Martin, The Meaning of a Liberal Education

Cindy's loves....

Barrels at the Beach filled with tomatoes

Shenia
Shenia and EmmyLou having a ball with the ater noodle.
Tim and Emmy Lou messing around in the boat.

Eggs Benny for Breakfast....

Jeremy surprised me with this lovely breakfast before I left Vancouver yesterday. He got up early with me, made me his special Eggs Benny, complete with shrimp, avocado, tomato and a garnish of basil. It was so yummy and thoughtful. Great coffee and Orange Juice completed this great start to me my day. Thank you my son.

Vancouver Day 2 & 3....

Frosso, myself and our dear friend Layne. We have been friends since the mid 70's.

Dinner at the Keg, then off to see "The Dark Knight" . Great time with the kids overnight in PoCo.
My McCoy Pottery finds @ the Attic on Commercial Drive

Around and About Vancouver...

One happy Me, sharing dinner with Jeremy, Julie and Frosso.

Checking out the garden shops in Kerrisdale.

Frosso enjoying the sights.

A special Vancouver Geranium



Frosso and I had a great day today, we walked, eat, and drove around the town to find such bright and contrasting flowers. We meet Jeremy and Julie for dinner at a Greek Restaurant, had a good dinner and off to visit some of her friends....more later.

********************

Happiness is an attitude. We either make ourselves miserable, or happy and strong. The amount of work is the same.

~Francesca Reigler

It's a Dog Life.....

Cookie relaxing @ Peachland after having had her treats on our picnic.

Maddy basking in the sun @Peachland.

Pebbles resting on the couch.

This is a photo of Buddy. He lives next to Frosso's house in Vancouver. These row houses have 3 1/2 floors and here he is inside the closet which has a window on the 3rd floor. He has all day TV viewing of the street and the park across the way. I took this photo from the street.

My trip to Vancouver started out later than intended, as I was sick with a cold and feeling really awful. The weather was pretty bad driving down with fog at the summit and then it rained all the way from Hope to Vancouver.

A rainy day is the perfect time for a walk in the woods.

~Rachel Carson ...

However, seeing Frosso and having a chance to shop at our FAVOURITE stores restored my faith that I will recover from this cold!!! I will post some photos tomorrow of my finds.

Check out these babies....

Check out these lovely looking cupcakes on the blog below!!!!

Yummy, all this sugar could give you a BUZZ!!!

http://cupcakestakethecake.blogspot.com

Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie.

~Jim Davis

Christa's Catch....

Christa's catch of Kokanee, some that she froze and some that she canned.

This is her combined catch with her husband Mike, can't wait to try some of that fish!!!!!.....

Modern Barn Style

As found in Williams-Sonoma Home Collection.

Rustic meets refined in Modern Barn, our most contemporary collection. Inspired by a classic Midwestern barn reclaimed for living and reinvigorated with walls of glass, ebonized floors, and blackened steel detailing. Softened by the judicious use of time-worn fabrics and natural elements. Sleek, modern furniture silhouettes are juxtaposed with supple leather, Navajo-inspired patterns and flokati-inspired rugs to create a relaxed feel in a chic American setting. The color palette: warm whites and grays, taupe and chocolate, touches of antique red and burgundy. Essential elements are the Beekman Sofa, the Nassau Collection of coffee and side tables, and the Williams Trunk.

Rooted in American style, William-Sonoma Home’s Modern Barn collection imparts a relaxed contemporary aesthetic.