Oh this is so exciting. I was talking on the phone to a friend of mine and a deer walked right across our yard. We used to see them all the time but with all the neighbors moving in and our dogs, they stopped coming. Since we don't have outside dogs anymore maybe they will come back. So beautiful! What a joy.
The other focus was on family. There were so many things to do. We took my grandbaby and he got to take his first pony ride. He wasn't sure about it all. 
They also had a petting zoo. This sheep was very friendly and stuck his nose right up in our business.
That was Sunday and on Monday we had a barbecue with family. I spent a huge part of the day sweep all the pine needles off our cement porch, patio and garage pad. Seems our outdoor broom has gone missing again and so I had to use the small inside broom. I got a blister from that one. It looks good though.
Then on Tuesday the new refrigerator arrived, whoo hoo! It is much bigger than the one we had before. Because it has a new configuration; I'm not sure where to put everything. With all the bottles of stuff we have we needed three doors. I can't figure out where to put the large pitchers either. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining I'm just needing to adjust after having the same fridge for the past 14 years. Next on the list is a new dishwasher.
Here I am with actual birthday girl. 
This picture is of my niece and I. So cool to have a good one of the two of us. 
While the other girls where getting their pictures taken, I walked around and took a few pictures myself.
After our photo session we went to the Farmer's Market and looked at all the booths. I thought this lemonade stand was so cute. Then it was off to her house for lunch, desert and presents. Birthday parties are so much fun. I don't know why we don't have them more often when we are not children anymore.
The quote is from Anne Frank and reminds me to get out in the world on those especially beautiful days. The little tag in the pocket comes out and has a list of some of the things that make me happy :)
I hope you'll leave a comment and tell me what makes you happy.
I stopped to take a picture of the mountains and this really cool, dilapidated house was sitting there just waiting for me to photograph it.
We could see about four mountains at one time. This one is Mt. Hood. So beautiful.
I believe this one is Mt. Adams. On a warm clear day it is refreshing to see cool, crisp snow.
An inlet along side the road as we traveled down the Gorge. I have always loved tall weeds against the blue water. 
We traveled down the Washington side of the Gorge on our way to Yakima and then came back on the Oregon side. I thought the rolling hills on the Washington side were so amazing. It always makes me think of a movie I saw (The Never ending Story) where the mountains just stand up and they are actual giants. 
We stopped to stretch our legs at Multnomah Falls. Someday I will hike up there. The sun was starting to set and cast a glow on the falls. I'm so glad that we live in such a beautiful place.
I found a milk glass pedestal bowl to match the plate I found a couple of weeks ago. The rubber stamps look like fun and will be showing up in my journal pages soon. There were so many more but I also picked up a huge wooden barn for my grandbaby and it was hard to look at the stamps with it in my arms. I couldn't even get down that isle, I just had to stand on the edge and reach for what I wanted. It was so crowded at this huge rummage sale that I think I will go back on Saturday when things are 50% off. I also grabbed some trim on my way out that is MY-T-Fine! The other item I purchased was a shelf that I am using to put my ribbons on.
I need to get some more containers but I think this will work quite well for getting the ribbon off the table top. I even think I might be able to hang the shelf on the wall which would make it even better.
I did work in my Paris art journal this week and added to the Bainbridge Island signature. This weekend I am going to spend a couple of days with my niece, who I went to Paris with. Her journal was destroyed on the trip and so we are going to work on re-creating it. I may have pictures on Tuesday when I get back.
The lady doing mine was really into it and paint an elaborate design on my toes with a gem as the center of the flower. It was a lot of fun and relaxing too. I was so pleasantly surprised because my kids are starting to be very thoughtful as they get older. I don't expect it and I think that is even better.
Later that evening we went to dinner with my in-laws to celebrate with them. It was pleasant but the food was horrible. I was so glad that I had Sunday to look forward to.
Sunday we went to church and one of the men there bought red roses for all the ladies. He is the happiest, sweetest person you will meet and he stood at the door passing them out to all the mothers. Then it was home to barbecue steaks and try out our new table. The weather was amazing and we sat for the longest time just eating and talking and enjoying being together. I got so caught up in the moment that I forgot to take a picture of all of us at the table. This happens quite often actually. 
We did have some friends come join us who had no family to spend time with and they brought bubbles. Something about bubbles brings out the kid in all of us.
The train ride was so great. I just ate my lunch and read my book and even took a short nap on the 3.5 hour ride up to Seattle, Washington. It was good to release all the worries and responsibilities of home and just enjoy the beautiful scenery going by.
My train got into the station around 4:00 in the afternoon and I headed out to the ferry terminal. It was quite a walk but I had prepared by packing light and I kept thinking that this walk was nothing like all the walking we did in Paris. Of course I wasn't carrying around a very large duffel bag either. I stopped outside the ferry terminal and bought a Starbucks coffee and then headed to the Bainbridge Island ferry were my good friends live.
I met my friend Teri and her daughter Nicole about 18 years ago when our girls were so little. They became the best of friends and so did we and our husbands. This doesn't happen very often and we have cherished their friendship all these years. It was sad when they moved away but we try and keep in touch. Nicole just graduated from college and we are so proud of her. Way to go Nicole! We wish you all the best as you pursue a career in ministry. She has traveled to Egypt, Africa, India, Turkey and Israel. I was able to hear about those trips and see some of her photos. 
I am pretty sure Seattle and the surrounding area is the coffee capital of the world and you can get some pretty amazing coffee there. There is even an art to making lattes. It doesn't hurt to have a yummy piece of chocolate dangling off the handle either.
Her husband is into old cars and fixing them up. This is his old suburban and it actually runs. In fact, he took it to a car show while we were there. He has a corvette too but I kinda like the rustic look of this one.
I worked on a few journal pages in the afternoons. I tried to get some converts while I was there but I had no takers. We did hit a couple of art stores though. Teri is an artist too and is writing a book and illustrating it herself. No doubt, she will be famous one day.
We went to a very interesting grocery store for lunch one day. It is similar to our Whole Foods or Natures but they have a cafeteria inside the store with some really fresh food that you can either take with you or eat there.
It was fun to walk through and look at all the fresh food and I wished that I could have sampled everything.
This cake was in the bakery department and I thought it was so cute. Doesn't it just make you happy to look at it. I think I want this one for my birthday.
Bainbridge Island has a huge artist community and so we got to walk through the town and see all kinds of art up in stores and galleries. One of Teri's friends had her paintings up in a gallery for the first time and I actually got to meet her. We ran into her at the art store, go figure? 
I am liking the arrangement but it is a tight fit. I tried to give the room some foofiness to make me smile and to distract me from the wall and carpet. 
This is where I paint and work on my art journal. I just bought the cute basket vase today at a garage sale and I knew right away I wanted to put my paintbrushes in it. I totally scored today at a couple of garage sales. I bought two hankies from the Philippines, this vase a pretty white scalloped plate and a couple of blouses all for the low price of $6.
I just got the cover on my Paris art journal with the Eiffel tower hanging off the spine. I love it.
Behind my painting chair is a wall of narrow shelves for all my inks, pens, adhesives and tape.
Along one wall are the bookshelves that have all my tools and art books. This is still in process so a couple of shelves still don't have anything on them. Not to worry, they will soon. I also have a group of plastic drawers with all my embellishments in them on another wall. In the walk-in-closet is my sewing stuff and a comfy chair to do my morning bible study and prayer time in. This is working out really well so far. When my daughter moves out her stuff I may move all my sewing things into the laundryroom but for now it is hiding out in the closet. It's not like I am doing a lot of sewing right now anyway. I think I should have everything moved in tomorrow and then I can take a big sigh of relief.
