Behind

This was nearly a month ago.
My sis from MN came into town during a week off that I took to attend SewExpo in Puyallup. She came to help deal with the parents and our sister who is depressed.

We squirreled Mom and (surprise!) our sister away on a beach trip. Our older sis is better than last winter but was sinking fast again in the grey Oregon winter. It was a surprise that she came on the beach trip as she doesn't leave her house.

It was winter.

Blustery, rainy and snowy.

We picked Lincoln City/Newport because that mountain pass sits lower. My temperature gauge sunk to 33' as I was driving....thankfully, it went no lower.

We stopped in Lincoln City to see where the big super moon tides at the end of January hit Kyllo's Restaurant and saw the construction crews already had the windows that blew out back in. ODOT was still repairing the hwy where the tide came up to.

But it was cold and blustery so we hustled back into the car and continued on down to Newport where the weather app said it wasn't raining as much.

Baked oyster. These were so good.

We lunched at Mo's down at the dock and watched the seals in the harbor. We tried to go to the Hatfield Marine Center but *winter hours* - dang. Oh well, Rogue Brewery is always open. Here's my mom - shocking those grandkids.

 Our next stop was actually a detour as we had seen fresh crab at the Newport Thriftway (supermarket) for only $5.99/lb. Awesome price. We stocked up and continued north to the Yaquina Bay Lighthouse. 

My little sis and I journeyed over to Galway, Ireland when my daughter was doing a study abroad and we clearly recall the Cliffs of Moher. One step forward, two steps backwards in that Atlantic wind. That wind was in both our minds at the top of the headland where the lighthouse sits.

But it wasn't raining....

Steamed Clams - afterwards.

I think I had crab three times that week. Winter - post Christmas - is the best time to get fresh dungeness crab. Yummy.

There is light at the end of the tunnel at work with a possible sighting of the new clerk  starting Saturday. (six months after the other clerk retired!). Anyways, that will help downsize all the overtime and long 12-hr split shifts for me.

I've got a couple of unexpected weeks off work coming up and I have already over-scheduled it with jobs that must be done. If you need to know what unexpected means you can email or private message me.

I'm gonna try to get my backlog of photos off my computer as it has caught a wee virus and probably needs a check-up. I need to throw my photo collections onto the external hard drive beforehand. Hopefully, I'll summon up the energy to write a few blog posts with them.

My son's quilt/throw (second time around) is nearly finished. I'm hand-sewing the binding down now. I can't send it to them until April 15th when they move into their house they bought. I may just fly out  to visit them with it in my suitcase instead. And I'll have news on them in another blog post!

Randomly In March Already

 Spring is here. Most of the east coast and midwest are buried in snow drifts. We in the Willamette valley of Oregon are just sitting back and enjoying our four month show of spring flowers. Maybe a few gray, overcast days to break up the monotonous beauty.

I am taking photos and only a few are even making it to Instagram. A fellow employee retired clear back in October and we have yet to get another body hired. Lots of 12 hour split shifts for me. I was pretty sick since December and I seemed to pick up three versions of something and it's been difficult trying to get on top of the crud with so many tiring work hours.

I took advantage of being tired and played Library Bingo where you could just read four category books and win a mug or you could play all 16 (blackout!) and be in the running to win a Kindle Fire. For some reason, this hit me at the right time of year and I was very inspired to read not just quick novels,  but some new to me books in categories I normally don't read and that seemed to fit my energy level quite well.

Anyway, I took a week off last week to go to SewExpo (sewexpo.com) and used the time well. My son and girlfriend visited and my sis from MN flew in to help do some family (interventions). So the week was busy but not over the top which so often happens when my sis visits.

I also had the opportunity to be one of the first reviewers of a friend's foray into writing children's books. She is a talented illustrator. I don't know if you're familiar with Jan Brett but this gal has a similar style of making the illustrations tell a story beyond the actual story.  She hasn't published yet but is very close.

 This book is a version of the 12 days of Christmas. "...My true love gave to me Six Warthogs Wading...", set in a fanciful zoo of animals.

 Until the princess is surrounded by all these wonderful animals and has to call mom on what to do now.

 This book features a boy who drinks a sip of coffee and turns into a fanciful animal. A very simple story but gorgeous illustrations that are fun to ponder and enjoy on their own.

So, here I am with new fabric for a new quilt. The post office keeps saying since they "delivered' it to a parcel locker, the claim for insurance is denied. The not giving out keys issue is totally ignored. If you're new to this story, I made a quilt for my son for christmas. he never got a key to the parcel locker. My sis in MN also sent him a package that arrived the same day and also, NO KEY. If you can read between the lines, a few choice swear words were inserted.

So quilt no.2 is all sandwiched now and I have started the hand stitching. After that, I can bind it and re-send it either to their new house or via UPS since USPS is ridiculous in their no communication.

I was in sort of a denial place. Partly because I didn't want to re-make this and partly because winter will be over before they get it. And it was made for Christmas Wintery Cold.

And of course the fabric store didn't have the same fabrics - they had also moved onto Spring. Now I think I should have made a spring gingham but I am committed. Possibly I should be committed.

 Here's a picture for Kyle of the snow that shut down Portland. Bare ground. Schools cancelled the day before it even snowed. Gone by afternoon snow.  Portland did get hit much harder than my banana belt community.

And finally.
My dd nailed this photo of the Northern Lights. She's still up in Alaska.
This is what 3am looks like on a cold wintry night.

Orange Confetti Clothesline Bowl

 

 My third Orange Confetti Clothesline Bowl. Much happier with my third attempt. Second one was my typical, too fast, trying to make it the same, fiasco (in my mind). This third one is also a tad smaller. About 8 inches across.

Anyway, even with the leather finish, this bowl still had to have a knot. A snake knot, to be precise.

I just love how organic the bowl comes together. Not overthinking the design, just letting it evolve how it wants to.

 Last Sunday, my only day off, was warm - over 60'f,  and sunny.  Yard work was calling. Specifically, this wild Nootka rose.

It had no redeeming qualities other than keeping the neighbors at bay. No excess of blooms, no excess winter rose hips, just excessive vicious thorns and the ability to jump over and under the aluminum flashing I put in to keep it contained.

Late in the summer I tried some Crossbow on it and I was happy to see some dieback.
It will take me two years or so to get rid of the vigorous runner roots but I am waging war.

I have a nice clumping bamboo to put there instead. Teresa gave me some of her clumping bamboo varieties for my birthday last year. They are in pots until I gain control of this spot in my flower bed.

 It's all chopped back, crossbow applied and some roots dug up.

My living fence is now opened up and the neighbors got a bit closer.
Gardening is a process. That's for sure.

 I did do a bit of sewing. This was all cut out on my sewing table and was finished. This little professional pouch with leather accents measures about 5 1/2" by 4 inches tall.
Nice small pouch.

For coins, stuff, timbers memorabilia.
---our local soccer team.

While the rest of the nation is enjoying the winter months, our spring has started here in the Willamette Valley. My Christmas Cheer Rhodies are starting as well as my early daffodils.

Warmer weather is expected through next week and I might even see my mini-iris's pop open.
We can still expect frosts until April but this winter has been mild - our usual state of affairs here. Last year was snowy and icy - which happens every ten years or so. Good to be back to 'normal'.

Library Bingo

 I'm busy playing Library Bingo.
You can win a mug by reading four across/down/diagonal.
But if you do blackout - all 16 categories - you're in the running for a new Kindle Fire.

 Categories include Biography, Book translated into English, Book made into a movie, Travel, Nonfiction History, Humorous Book, Fantasy Novel, Book from Childhood, Bestseller, Poetry, Classic Novel, Mystery, Library Staff Selection, "Lucky Day" book, Graphic Novel, and Book by Oregon Author.

I need suggestions on Book translated into English, A Humorous Book, and a Fantasy Novel.

Creative Girl is providing me with a (short) graphic novel from her daughters extensive collection.

She also found me my Poetry Book. I like poetry but I don't love it enough to read a book full of poems. She found me a vintage single poem, "Sweet By and By". Complete with etched plates and illustrations. And the music score.

This is a typical time of the year for me to read more. I feel quite energized by this Library bingo game. I have until March 15 to finish, which I think I will.

Last Sunday was nice, so I had to play out in the yard (next post) instead of sewing and reading. This sunday is warmish but the wind is blowing and there's the occasional drop of rain. I was able to sew and read and do my laundry on this Sunday.

 Another acquaintance in town started her own book store. She's ordered this bag from me before (twice), so I made her another to use or to sell in her shop. I plan to make her two to help get her sales going so she can stay in business - we'll see.

This is my own tote bag pattern which I am still perfecting. But I made these corners. I'm pretty pleased with myself.

 Inside is this great slip pocket featuring a scrap of books.

 The Lilac Girls is my bestseller. It's about WWII and three women. One is a society gal who helps french citizens from the USA and sends care packages to french orphans. The second is Polish, studying medicine, when she and her sister, mom, and boyfriend are picked up and sent to a concentration camp. The third is german, also studying medicine, who turns into the only woman doctor tried for war crimes by lethal injections/operations performed upon concentration victims.

I highly recommend this book .

First of all, the similarity between my work environment and the concentration camp really played in my subconscious. I dreamt about this book. The decisions I made to get out in a year and a half are  more right than ever. I see more and more workplaces becoming authoritative, hostile - well- work is a four-letter word.

Secondly, I was really sick with the bronchial flu in December and still feel exhausted from the christmas work hours and continuing overtime. These women, underfed, forced to do hard physical labor, with less sleep than I get, were able to persevere, create bonds to survive and do more - in spite of their exhaustion. Very inspiring kick in the butt.


UPDATE on missing package: Well - we have been officially denied insurance coverage because tracking says the package was delivered. We are appealing that decision because no one bothered to give out keys to the parcel lockers. No one is addressing this issue. It's sucky.

Why did I make the book bag and some other things? While I have bought new fabric to make the replacement quilt for my son, I am procrastinating on cutting it out and sewing up the quilt top. Big sigh. Maybe after I write two blog posts. (cuz I'm NOT watching super bowl).