What I am enjoying today...

My class from Kim Klassen Cafe...here






A free download from Geninne's Art Blog...here





Cork candles fromNapa
Style...here

Skinny-mini adobe Photoshop course

Last night we had our neighbors Jeff and Kathy over for dinner to thank them for taking care of our home. They live here full time and when we are they keep a close eye on our place. It is such a gift to have friends like them..Jim did a wonderful job grilling the chicken to a fine turn.
Other news: the Canadians are arriving back here..the weather has finally moved into the high 80's instead of the high 90's..my traveling family have reached the Baja and Vegas..all is good. Caroline holds the fort in Bull River as

Countess Caroline of Bull River

This is one of the courses I am taking. Kim has been kind enough to offer this course free! I have wanted to learn more about my Adobe Photoshop ever since I got it a few years ago...and here is my chance..if you want to learn..just follow the links and sign up for free.
Later on some I will be posting some of the photos we are working on.

Kim Klassen Cafe skinny-mini course...here.






Kim Klassen Cafe

Miss Louise...

Ever since Cindy and I went to the Farm Chicks Show in Spokane in June..I have wanted one of these vintage shopping carts. To my delight...Cindy found "Miss Louise" at her favorite thrift store in Nelson. I am not sure who was the most pleased...Cindy for finding it or me knowing I will get it as a present and fix it up like the bottom photo. I now have the dimensions to sew the liner for the inside..only a fellow thrift store addict would know what a treasure this is. Thank you Cindy !

Happy Birthday, Laurie

We talked to Laurie last night ( which was tomorrow) to wish her a happy birthday for today..she is a busy Mom with a little guy that has 2 new front teeth and took his first steps yesterday...so Happy Birthday Laurie...we will see you soon.



Cake photo:The Farm Chicks

Hull Pottery

I have a lovely collection of Hull Pottery. I adore the cream and pink colors..
Just before we left BC..I happened to be in Summerland and saw the pink vase with white flowers in 2nd photo..I scooped it up for $20.00...a great find to add to my collection. I really like the fact that the one I had was totally different.





Karen and I went out shopping today..the dear girl has been bereft of my company for the pajst 6 months and was in need of some retail therapy. She had a very good day!!!! Got a few cool things for our trip and am on the hunt for a watch that I can wear in the water and not ruin it...stay tuned!

Desert Colors

I am usually a soft palate kind of gal..but here in AZ. I love the hot, vibrant, bright as you can get colors. They are everywhere but no where more beautiful than in the desert sunset.
Christa tells me she saw snow on her mountains in BC this morning.. we are surrounded with warmth and sunshine...no wonder they call us snowbirds.

In our AZ. Garden

Orange bells, barrel cactus and agave, Mexican pot with bougainvillea on wall, candles in a shady spot on the patio and our water fountain.
This fountain is fairly large creating a soothing sound and a place for the birds to drink. Our garden has matured in just 3 winters down here. I have made some changes as well as added about 80 new plants...trying hard to stay true to my desire to have a calm desert garden. I want it to be alive with hummingbirds and other cheerful little birds.

Lucky #13.... Happy Birthday Carmen!

Thirteen has always been my lucky number..so I have decided I will be on the hunt for that number in different forms.

Today also happens to be Carmen's birthday..so we send sweet birthday wishes to our daughter-in-law knowing she is going to have a great day and year ahead.

Our 21st Anniversary

These photos easily capture some of the moments of this past year..Welcoming Alexander and getting to
see him in 3 weeks...and having
another grandchild in December..
It is all good.

A happy anniversary to our dear friends, Sue and Bob McLure sharing the same date with us..safe travels on your trip to Australia.

Crafty things to make

I have an on going list of craft things to make...my head has a storm in it..I need to create..so here are a few of the things that I am thinking about..we will see where this all leads to. Here are some of the places that inspire me.
As you can see....they all tend to be quite colorful.

Happy Birthday to our son-in-law Shane..celebrathing in Sri Lanka...we will see you in 3 weeks and toast to your health and happiness.





www.inspireco.blogspot.com




www.amybutler.com












www.stashbooks.com

Movies

While we are here in AZ..we rent a lot of movies from Netflix (it is now available in Canada as well). You set up a queue on your computer and they arrive within the next day or so. Yesterday we watched...Dear Frankie..it was a little gem. If you have time...get it and I hope you enjoy it as Jim and I did.

Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times said, "The filmmakers work close to the bone, finding emotional truth in hard, lonely lives . . . What eventually happens, while not entirely unpredictable, benefits from close observation, understated emotions, unspoken feelings, and the movie's tact . . . The bold long shot near the end of Dear Frankie allows the film to move straight as an arrow toward its emotional truth, without a single word or plot manipulation to distract us."

A quietly told film that--by casually tossing in a surprise here and a plot twist there--builds up to an ending that carries an intense emotional impact.







Go to www.rottentomatoes.com and checkout what the critics say about any movie.

Being Thankful

At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.
-- Albert Schweitzer


Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough.
-- Oprah Winfrey











Each one of us has something to be thankful for..take that moment and give thanks..it will be different for each one of us. Happy Canadian Thanksgiving.
Images are from www.potterybarn.com

Light and shadows....

The morning sunlight here in the desert here is so beautiful...time to capture those moments here in our garden. Here are a few of the photos taken this morning.

Good morning Coffee...

This post is for my Cindy.... Come have coffee with Me.....when Cindy was here this spring we gave each other these coffee mugs..she took hers home and I left mine here. I know she uses hers everyday. The coffee just seems to taste better in these mugs.
Today is a get things done kind of day.....wash the windows..finish unpacking and going for a walk in the neighborhood.....we seem to be one of the first snowbirds to arrive. Yesterday, swimming at the pool was lovely...the sun still packed some heat and the water was just right..it was a good way to spend part of Jimmy's birthday.



These are from village clayworks..check out their shop.
www.villageclaywork.com

Here in Az.

Happy birthday Jimmy..

What a 3 day drive...great truck, comfortable seats, wonderful music...and the best part was that we arrived safely. 1705 miles....torrential rain...change of best laid plans..flash flood warning thru the Bryce canyon..rained so hard that the water had no where to go to. We didn't go to the Grand Canyon either as planned...another time when the weather is better.
We got home just after 3:00 pm to even more rain, hail and flooding....they closed I-17 (this was was the highway we drove) down in both directions because of the high winds and power lines that were down across the road. They even closed the Phoenix airport down for a couple of hours as the storm spawned 70 mile an hour winds..
Not a great trip to take a lot of photos, but here is what it looked like thru the inside of the truck. The good and safe driver..what a guy!





This is what it looked like looking thru the windshield as the rain was pouring so hard the wipers could not keep up.


The wipers trying to keep up.



Stop for breakfast..the food was really good and one of 2 times that we got a break from the weather..




Stop at the Glen Canyon Dam and bridge..it is a marvelous engineering feat.





Also...a sweet happy birthday to our YA Ya Sue! We have ordered sunshine and great weather for your trip down here.

Panguitch, Utah

Hwy 89 towards Bryce Canyon..it just poured buckets...sometimes it was nearly impossible to see...plans changed as we drove along..so we made it here Panguitch, near Kanab, Ut. We are staying at a low entry motel called..Blue Pines...the only accommodation to be found...be it has great wifi and a flat screen TV..
The rain ahead of us.





The sights alone the way..




Rock Candy Mountain.

Butte, Montana

This rough and tumble mining town has some of the most beautiful heritage building that they are restoring..Here are some of the sights we saw today.

Grande Coulee Dam..all the water behind it...was very full.







Dog riding on motorcycle with goggles and no helmet...taken thru truck window....






Need your laundry done..this one is for Christa who is forever doing laundry with all the company she has! Free laundry for a year....





Elevation engraved on a federal building..it's high alright!






This is where I wanted to stay just for the sign..it is under renovation...







This is what this town is all about..mining and the wealth that came with it for some of the investors and heartache of the biggest mining disaster in the USA 168 miners died in 1917. We would like to come back and go on the walking tour of the historic district and of course shop for some antiques..thinking of you, Cindy.

A restored home..there are so many in need of restoration.

Leaving B.C.

4:30 AM.


Heading out, hitting the road..1st stop...coffee at Tim Horton's..then on to Butte, Montana for the first night..around 530 miles..that should do it for the day...a new adventure..a new day begins..photos to take..new scenery to relish..new memories to file away..it is all good!

Fall colors

As I am out in the garden, emptying the pots of still blooming flowers, getting it ready for the frost that I know will come, I am grateful to have them bloom for the long summers we have here in the Okanagan.

We are ready to leave tomorrow for our journey south.
New adventures..exciting times. I am looking forward to taking lots of photos on the trip down this year as we are traveling a new route...to the Grand Canyon..I will keep updating my blog as we drive along. Jim and I will be able to share lots of windshield time together listening to good tunes and stories on my iPod.

ReVamp It!

Happy October 1st.

This is what you can do with a couple of pillowcases, vintage cotton slip, white lace from a flirty skirt and pockets made out of a dresser scarf cut in half. This was a project for a revamp it challenge. It is super comfortable in all it's vintage goodness. I might pair it with some cowgirls boots, I think I would like that look, oh yes, lots,of pearls and a glass of wine or 2.