The Symbol of the Season

 Happy Resurrection Day!

HE IS RISEN!

A Week Away

 I'm back! Our trip was a quick one, just five nights away from home.  I'm sorry that I didn't have the opportunity to check on everyone's blogs.  But now, life is returning to normal (sort of).

I am posting my Friday Fave Fives to share all the wonderful things that happened on our trip. (the link takes you to Susanne's blog where you can join and post about your FFFs, too)

1.  I am thankful for safe travels.  The Professor and I were happily surprised at the short waiting lines, especially at TSA checkpoints.  Our four flights (two each direction) were smooth and on time.

2.  OK.  Where did we go?  My cousin passed away last month and I wanted to attend her memorial service.  If you have been reading my blog for awhile, you will know that I was born and raised in Oregon.  Portland, to be exact.  Almost all of my family (especially on my dad's side) live in Oregon.

3.   We spent all of Saturday (after we checked out of our hotel by the airport) visiting friends.  I have a college friend who married a guy I've known since high school.  She makes and sells soap and years ago my daughter (and I) worked with her at local county and state fairs.   (If you want to purchase some the best soap in the world, go to Laurelstone Soaps www.lssoaps.com)  We had so much fun talking that we didn't take a single photo.  Then we met another friend for dinner at a delicious Lebanese restaurant and talked until we closed it down.

4.  After visiting our former home church for their Sunday morning service, we drove to where my cousin's memorial service was being held.  The tribute to her was lovely and prompted so many memories of her and our times of playing together as children. Like the time it snowed and we were at school.  She and I decided to go outside and play in the snow at lunch recess and since we were the only ones out there, we didn't hear the bell and stayed out until the principal rushed out and pulled us in.  Yes, we did get in trouble for that one.  All my cousins and my brother were there and also some of their children and grandkids.  After the service all but the oldest cousin gathered at a coffee shop and we chatted for another two hours.  I am so blessed with all those boy cousins (and a brother).

left to right:  cousin1, cousin3's wife, cousin3, me, cousin4, cousin2, my brother.

All but cousin4 and I live in Western Oregon

5.  Monday and Tuesday were devoted to time spent with my brother and his wife.  He drove us out to the beach on Monday and then on Tuesday we did some exploring of the area where they live which is Oregon wine country.  I took so.many.photos.  Here are just a couple from those days.  Come back for LOTS more.

The beach!

Vineyards!

And then it was time for us to return home.  Even Eleanor was ready.

A Quick Fave Fives

 I am leaving on a jet plane very soon, so I am doing my Friday Fave Fives quickly.  Here are my Five Blessings from this past week.

1.  We enjoyed an unexpected fun evening with Tall Boy Friday night.  A friend from school gave him a free ticket to attend our local school district's Fiddle Fest, a night of music by the string band from all the middle schools and our high school.  We all had a great time and loved the music.

2.  I always enjoy our monthly fiber arts group get together at a local coffee shop.

3.  After the group time, Nurse Girl Daughter and I decided to make a quick detour to one of our favorite garden nurseries.  I never win raffles or door prizes or anything like that.  So imagine my surprise when I answered my phone on Monday and the caller was from the nursery.  She told me that I WON! A GIFT CARD!   AND.  So did my daughter!  I am sure there will be another visit to the nursery soon.

4.  My daughter is friends with a couple who own an alpaca farm.  They were out of town last weekend, so she went over to the farm to check on the alpacas and feed them.  I tagged along.  It was so much fun (even if she had to muck out the pens).

5.  I finished another blanket for our local pregnancy center.  Super simple pattern.  All knit rows.  Size nine needles.  Simply Soft yarn by Caron.

Okay!  I'm out the door! Yes, I packed lots of knitting and a few books!

SPRING!

Today is the first day of SPRING!  YAY!  Does it look like spring where you live?  Here at Willow's Cottage it does today.  But don't count on it being warm and sunny next week.  This week's *Friday Fave Fives may have some references to weather.  And also some wonderful blessings.  This is how things evolved on this last week of Winter here at Willow's Cottage. *follow the link to join us by sharing your blessings.

1.  Weather.  On Friday, we experienced some wild winds and rain and many communities in our area lost electric power for several days, including our daughters.  Then, over the weekend the weather seemed like spring was coming.  I spent two houses Sunday afternoon doing some clean up in the garden beds.  Then the frigid weather set back in, and we had ice and snow and below freezing temperatures.  Why is all this a fave?  Well, our weather isn't boring :)  We go from sunshine and daffodils to snow in 24 hours.  And we were all safe from falling trees and accidents.

From sunny daffodils from the garden...

to snow

2.  Tuesday was St. Patrick's Day.  And it was my Birthday!  T, S and L joined the Professor and me for breakfast at Denny's because I like their multi-grain pancakes.  Then in the evening, all the family (except Younger Son Dr, Mike in San Jose) enjoyed dinner at our house.  We ate green salad, green roasted veggies and two kinds of pot pie and a shepherds pie.  Notice the green and pie theme?  My choice for birthday dessert was triple berry pie.  Yum!  It was all so yummy!  Dr. Mike did text me to wish me a Happy Birthday, as did my brother in Oregon.  And many friends and family.  I felt greatly loved.

3. My Birthday Present(s).  Of course, I loved my presents.  A knitting pattern book.  A "coupon" for my daughter-in-law to help me organize all the books in our 'library'.  And last but not least, a trip to Goodwill because everything was 50% off on St. Patrick's Day AND there was a HUGE bin full of yarn bundles.  PAL and her mom and I may have mostly cleaned out the whole bin.  There were some high quality yarns in so many different colors.  When we brought them back to our house, we opened them all and shared them with the knitters in the family.  We all walked away with so. much. yarn.  Me?  I probably have a life time supply of sock yarn now.

PAL was very excited.

4. In the afternoon, the doorbell rang and I opened the door to a friend holding a bouquet of flowers!  The ladies in my Saturday morning Bible Study group gave me a beautiful gift of flowers and special cookies.  That was a wonderful surprise.

5.  Always Walks.  We managed to get in two walks this week.  One was inside the local mall where we just walked around in circles for two miles.  The other walk was today (Thursday) outside for 2.75 miles in sunshine and 60F temperatures.  As we were walking back on the local path by our house, I commented to The Professor that I am thankful to be well enough and active enough to be able to walk.

Bonus:  crocuses from my garden.

What blessings helped you say good-bye to WINTER and welcome to SPRING?

Friday the Thirteenth? Uh-Oh

 Friday the 13th.  What good can come out of this day?  Well, lots.  Lots of good things.  The more we focus on the the good, the more we see.  That's why Friday Fave Fives is important (even on the 13th).  Friday Fave Fives is a great way to encourage gratitude every day, every week.

Here are five things that reminded me to be grateful this week.

1.  More daffodils!  I just can't get enough of them.  They're blooming in my garden!

2.   I love to cut some of the daffodils and bring them into the cottage.  It makes me smile every time I glance over at the side table.

3.  I am thankful I have family and friends to walk with and many trails to walk on in our community.  One of our favorite paths follows the Licking River and sometimes crosses over it.

4.  Yesterday, I opened up the mailbox and found a letter awaiting me.  If you don't know, it's my birthday month.  My birthday is next week, but I just couldn't wait to open up this card from my dear friend M.  It included a lovely letter which I plan to answer this weekend (maybe tonight?).   We've been friends for fifty-five years a long time.  We sang together in our college trio and toured during summers representing the school.  

I treasure my friendship with her and am thankful that we have stayed in touch all this time.

5.  Last night we spent the evening with friends at their home.  They ordered Nepali-Indian food for dinner.  Oh my.  Delicious.  An added bonus was that their two teenage sons and a girlfriend wanted to have dinner with us too.  We had a great three hours of eating and chatting.

So, I guess Friday the Thirteenth isn't so bad after all.

Marching In

 It's March!  I'm excited!  Are you?  And it's Friday.  And time for Friday Fave Fives.  Here are the five blessings I am choosing to share from my week.

1.  One evening when I was climbing into bed, I thought, "I am thankful for a warm bed."  Snuggling under my cozy blankets is something I don't take for granted.

2.  The weather has been very very rainy this week.  Finally, yesterday, it was mild and dry enough to take a walk around our neighborhood.  A bit more than two miles.

3.  We spent Sunday afternoon with a young mom at her place.  We've known her for a couple of years and adore her fourteen month old daughter.  Spending that time with them was a delight for us.

4.  This afternoon, my daughter-in-law and PAL drove down to the next county with me to a used book store that supports a local nonprofit.  We might have found a few books we want to read...  and then we stopped by a 'country store' where there is lots of yarn and fabric as well as used goods.  I only purchased two balls of yarn and a pair of needles.

5.  And it is almost Spring!  To prove it, the plants in my garden popped out some indications that Winter is winding down.

The crocus is blooming!

Daffodils are getting ready.

The forsythia hasn't begun to bloom, but it is setting out many buds.

Even the bees were busy outside of their hives.

That wraps up my first week of March.  I hope you had a great week, too.

Barns Are Back

A working barn

A barn  that used to be a working barn

A barn in a peaceful setting