Pumpkin Time!

It's a boy!

I have been away with my son and his family waiting for my twenty-sixth grandchild to be born! He's finally here! Although the birth was difficult in a couple of ways, and I won't go into the details, the best thing is that baby is healthy and perfect! He looks a little bluish and red but that will dissipate soon!   I am grateful to God for His provision and grace for a healthy mom and baby!


Son Aaron relaxing with his new son Gideon

 My son's family has a tradition, done with each of their home births--they celebrate the day with a birthday cake!  Here Aaron and his children light the candles!

grands from left to right--Ada, Bella, Roman

And then present the cake, singing Happy Birthday to baby Gideon and his momma, just four hours after the birth.

And, of course I am a very proud grandma! 

Do you have traditions for family occasions?

Short interlude . . .

I'm on a little vacation, visitng my grandchildren in Seattle and waiting for our newest grandchild to be born. Will be back to blogging next week--I hope, if the baby gets here!

Another Fall Color

In our neck of the woods, it's Salmon country.  The Pacific Northwest (PNW) has abundant rivers, streams and water ways most of them draining into the Columbia River and out to the Pacific Ocean. On a recent trip to Mt Saint Helens, we stopped at a fish hatchery.  Outside the hatchery we saw these Coho Salmon coming up stream, trying to get over the spill way and into the hatchery waters, the likely place of their birth. On that particular day the gate to the hatchery was closed, so  all these fish were backed up at the headwaters. These particular ones range about 12-18 inches long.  We were astonished at the sheer number of fish.  Hope you enjoy seeing just a portion of their journey in the pictures we took that day. (You might need to look closely to see the red in the water or maybe enlarge the photos to see the fish.)



Waiting for the gate to open



This bright red spawning color is another to add

to our autumn palettes, don't ya think!? 

"Frydeee" Faves

"Howdeeee!" as Minnie Pearl would say!  "It's Frydeeee", and  in Minnie's style, I have found some lovely vintage and country finds that you might enjoy!!



Minnie Pearl collection by CheesyShrimpGrits



Straw Hat without hanging tag by dronning



Vintage 1950s Hat Box by luncheonettevintage





Minnie original Painting by kylieharris





Vintage Sifter by MagnoliasAttic

 There are several great youTube videos showing Minnie's humor!  You'll get a real country kick out of them if you take the time to look them up!!

Hope you enjoyed this Blast from the Past! 

The YoYo Lady

I guess you could call me "the yoyo lady" since I have been making a lot of them lately--Machine is still on the fritz! :(  I've been finishing some Christmas tree yo yo wall hangings.  Already posted about them here.  Have oodles of yoyos all around my easy chair!  If you need yo yos made in special colors, I make custom lots too! Also busy making kits for Christmas lollipop decorations.

 These turn out so cute to hang on a tree or use as package decorations! Kits and ready made sets will be available in my shop soon. 



Lollipop Kit





Ready made Set

I am also working on some cute little yo yo tree ornaments for Christmas!  Will show those in a later post.