SewMamaSew Serger Winner Video

This is the winning entry in the SewMamaSew blogging contest. Whoever created the most unique PLEA had the best chance of winning a new Husqvarna Serger. Over 1000 entries and some were quite creative.

Crater Lake Elevation Flowers

When's the last time you went to Crater Lake?

We went this summer. The last time? Guessing when I was five?
Too long.

We camped at Diamond Lake at 5000' elevation the last week of July. Great campground with plenty of lakeside sites. Crater Lake is higher but I took photos of the most delightful 'rock' flowers.
My flower books - three on the Pacific Northwest - are packed away. Hidden away, as I didn't clear off that bookcase. Sometime, next year, I'll find those books and get  correct flower names, but I'll wing it for now.

Start with native Columbine. This is seen all over Oregon - I've seen a lot of Columbine in the Bend/Sisters area.

A gorgeous low-growing Penstemon.

Steep hillsides, lots of rockeries. This yellow beauty poking up through the Penstemon.

I hadn't seen this one before. The leaves are thin like crocus leaves - varigated. At the bottom you see that lovely penstemon tube.

Another non-memory moment. However, it grows wild all over Petersburg, Alaska.

A kind of violet?

Stunning purple Phlox, everywhere.

I took most of these photos on this hike up to the Lookout Tower. Short hike but ALL uphill - at altitude.

Definitely an odd one - not quite up to blooming speed yet.

This was a type of sedum. Fleshy little balls of leaves.

Phlox hanging on. The Rim Road around Crater Lake, had only been cleared, all the way around, for less than two weeks when we were there. Lots of snow hanging around. Made for a nice hike- having a snowball fight.

Flowers were very spread out - none of that layering business.

Another type of yellow beauty poking up through the phlox.

We plan on going back - without the extended family (drama). We drove south to Roseburg and followed the Umpqua River (hwy. 138) up to Diamond Lake. Absolutely amazing campsites all along the river. Fly-fishing areas, hot springs up by Toketee Falls (and Lake). More to explore.

Hickory Wood Floors

The dogs are both wigged out by the disappearance of the floor. No more lounging around on lots of carpet. Toenails click and echo. The couches have gone away, the dog beds are moved and both dogs exhibit separation anxiety.

Guard dog duty.

In order to lay real wood, the particle board subfloor has to come up. Originally built 20 years ago, thats what got put in. Plywood will be put down and then the hickory.

Major Upheaval

I feel surrounded by major projects.
And, it is a relief to get here.
All summer, I have been surrounded by major diva dramas - I swear - my forehead has been tattooed with "Bring It On."
But we are done with those and it is on to big - "will we ever get finished?" projects.

Just a preview of recent photos:

Wedding Reception Decor

This drama? The bride looked gorgeous and was so incredibly happy. Worth it.

All these blondes in a row, ending at the flower girl (didn't quite get into the viewfinder).

Instead of flying over to Madras for my favorite airshow, the wedding took center stage.

Couch set. Bought at a garage sale for $75 (talked down from $100). Love seat, chair and couch. Recovering them is cheaper than buying one of the new pillow couches for sale in the furniture stores. We are sending these out to the upholsterer who did the seats for the airplane.
We picked the fabric and I need to go order it tomorrow at Fabric Depot.    30 yds.

So- Does all furniture have freckles? We sanded these down to get rid of the speckles and discovered a little known fact about MAPLE. It doesn't accept stain well. On some valued advice, we are starting over to bare wood, roughing up the bare wood with 200 grit sandpaper so the stain has something to adhere to.

Up-side-down ottoman from my $20 garage sale find; Chair and ottoman. This one I am reupholstering myself. Same problem with freckled wood. The chair arm claws are very worn - hence the refinishing of the wood.
The fabric arrived last week. I need to start in on the double welting.

After 20 years, we are putting in hickory wood floors. Everything comes up. Everything gets packed away. We have labs which are allowed inside and the oil in their coats creates the darker places on the carpet around the furniture.

Hopefully, this will happen in the next week. We are doing a Swedish Finish which necessitates us leaving the house for three days while the wood guy does his stuff. Want to get it done here in September while we can still leave windows open - to air out any gases.

Canadian Harmony Peaches

I picked 45 lbs of peaches Saturday.

They will take a few days to ripen enough to start canning them.

These Canadian Harmony peaches are spectacular for eating fresh. And they can wonderfully. The skins come off almost without a boiling water dip to speed things along and they are a freestone peach, meaning they separate easily into halves or quarters.

This year, when we went to Crater Lake for a camping trip, my brother brought along this campstove. I am completely in campsite lust for this stove and I can, oh- what's the word? {{Justify}} not only camp with this stove but I could also can my peaches outside on this stove. We were at 5000' altitude at Diamond Lake and this 1000btu stove boiled water in under a minute. It was like lightning - super fast. Kidding, but it was a lot faster than my old Coleman.

Similar to this one in the Cabela catalog. The legs come unscrewed and the whole thing is about 2" thick when collapsed. The wind screen detaches and fold flat.

Playing around with some toggle-thingy on my photo program.

Last year, I canned quite a few pints. I know most people like to can in quarts but I always remember the last peach sitting at the bottom for weeks on end until someone put it out of its misery. With pints, we eat up everything, if we need more, we open another jar.

I am seriously working myself up to purchasing one of these collapsible campstoves. Think about all this steam - outside.






Peaches were picked at Rumpca (pronounced Rumpcey) Farms on Lone Elder Road in Canby.
You can subscribe to their e-mail alerts here.

**Update July 2012:  Rumpca Farms chopped down their peach trees a year ago. A failure with our moist Willamette Valley and no fungal pesticides that would keep on ticking led to their decision. It is impossible to grow peaches, apricots, or plums around here without fungals and pesticides.
If you know of a place where one might pick Canadian Harmony peaches, yell at me. They are my favorite canning peach.

How Would My Life Be Better With A Serger?

 Duh, -- my life would be better. 

The wedding drama next door would dissapate. The on-going family drama over camping at Crater Lake would not be spoken of again. The question of whether the dog has a bone cyst or a bone tumor would cease to be a terrible drama for a seven-year-old Lab to endure. The bipolar boss would cease to try and nail me to the wall in her little dramas.

All because my new toy would keep me locked up in my craft room.
Creating. Dreaming. Imagining.

Making clothes for my great-niece. T-Shirt make-overs. Christmas Gifts.
My mind would be totally self-involved so no new dramas could intrude.

I could sew faster. Make more gifts. My seams would look more finished, and I have to confess, I really never finished them before. But with a serger, I could think about it, effortlessly.
I need one.

Blogs About Dogs

My hairdresser's dog died this morning.

We have daughter's the same age so we have bonded over the years with some common interests. This is a hairdresser with long hair which is my number one requirement for someone to get near me with scissors. She understands my wavy and mostly unruly hair. She gets the cut right about 9 out of 10 times which is better than any other hairdresser I have used previously.

She once gave me straight hair for my 40th birthday. It was amazing until about 5pm when it all poofed back out.

We both have had more than our fair share of drama this summer. --Ongoing family drama, work drama, wedding drama next door and now our individual dog dramas.  Her dog died as she was leaving this morning for work. He's an outdoor dog so since it wasn't that hot today, she left him where he died until she could take care of him once she finished work.  Somehow the neighbors found the dead dog and called the police. Her daughter answered the door and they asked her some big questions about how the dog died. Since he was 12, it was fairly apparent what he died of.

My dog drama is my younger lab, Rusty. We took him to the vet for a  continuing gimpy shoulder which was getting worse. Lying on the rug, he would suddenly start shrieking, holding his left foreleg off the ground.  The x-ray results are either a bone cyst or a bone tumor. Some of the internet sites explaining these diagnoses are pretty saddening. And it is sad to know that quite possibly, this 7-yr.old dog will die before Rocket, who is ten years old.

Anyway, quite possibly not the best day to get my hair highlighted, I ended up a bit brighter than when I walked in.