What Made Me Happy

Hello!  August is rolling on and here at Willow's Cottage, the weather is wonderful, and the skies are blue.  Perfect summer weather.  And Willow's Week was quiet and practically perfect.  I'm so thankful for the little things.  Here are my Friday Fave Fives.

1.  We were delighted when a young couple in our church approached us and asked if we would like to join them for lunch at our favorite Mexican place.  It took about ten five seconds for us to enthusiastically reply, "Yes! We'd love to."  An added bonus is that The Professor's sister came, too.

2.  Ventura County Fair!  We went TWICE this week.  That makes a total of three visits to the fair this year.  And we ended up paying a total of $2 for admission.  Day One was Dollar Day, hence we paid our $2.  Then this week, Tuesday was "Old People's" Day and we got in free.  Then today, Friday, we used our free tickets because we hadn't used them on Day One when I came to work in the weavers/spinners booth.

3.  Why would we want to attend the fair so many times?  Mostly, we love the music.  There's one performer who comes from Oregon (he calls his stint at our fair his vacation because the weather and beach is so beautiful) and we love to listen to all his sets during a day, which is three or four performances.  His name is Brady Goss and if you ever have the chance to attend one of his concerts, DO IT.  He's great.

4.  This fave is kinda silly, but it is still a fave.  The Pig Races!  Little pigs race around a track while the announcer makes constant piggy/hoggy puns.  It's just fun.

5.  I have a very dear long time friend who lives not far away.  We have been like ships in the night this summer.  She spent several weeks in another state helping her family as someone was dying.  Then I was gone for a month.  Finally, yesterday, we texted each other and set a meet up.  It was just a bit too windy and cool to sit outside and drink our drinks and it was too loud inside.  So we sat in my car.  Crazy Ladies!  But we were comfortable and had a great time catching up.

So that's how my week shaped up.  None of these events were particularly spectacular, but they were important to me and made me happy.  How about you?

August Means...

August! Wow!  I'm not ready for August!  But here it is and here it is the first Friday in August.  Fridays are my FRIDAY FAVE FIVES days.  (Follow the link to join in!)

1.  It's FAIR TIME!  Our county fair opened on Wednesday and The Professor and I were there.  We dragged along his sister and nephew and a young friend from church.  Dragged might be a bit of an exaggeration.  They happily accompanied us.  We love the exhibits and the musical group son the small stages.  I'm thankful for where I live!

2.  While I was demonstrating spinning at our weavers and spinners guild booth, they all took off to look at fun things like the stamps section in one of the "hobby buildings" and the photography competitions.  Then they decided to watch the pig races.  From their reports back to me, the pig races may have been their favorite.  I'm thankful they all wanted to spend a fun day with us.

3.  I have also been (FINALLY) organizing and scanning some of our old photos.  After I scan them, I am putting them into various albums.  Right now, I am focusing on the photos from our years in Indonesia.  We lived for three years in the house in the foreground of this photo.  For us, that was luxury living!  We had access to stores, four hours of electricity at night, and running water!

Erickson-Tritt Bible Institute

This is where we spent more of our time.

Our home is not in the picture--it was just to the right outside the photo.  The church is the building on the far right.  Only access to the village was helicopter (or walking for a week).

I'm thankful for the years we were able to live and minister in such an amazing place!

4.  The reason I started back up again was that my daughters asked me for some photos of them together when they were young because they are having a birthday party barbeque this weekend to celebrate their birthdays which are two weeks apart.  I found one which I though would be right.  They were SO CUTE! (They still are!)  I'm thankful my girls still love each other and love to spend time together.

And this one of the three of us

5.  I love to study new things.  Right now, I have TWO NEW THINGS to study.  I just signed up for a free introductory class for making herbal preparations.  AND I checked out some books from the library on sketching.  Why two such different things?  Well, partly because I want to learn about herbs and herbal medicines AND I want to draw the sketches of each herb I study. Now those are not the only reasons for my interests, but that's how these two intersect.  I'm thankful I can learn new things and it's mostly free access to so much knowledge!

What are you thankful for this week?

Mid August Swelter

Hello, Friday!
I'm a bit late writing up my Friday Fave Fives.  AND I missed last Friday.  The good news is--I'm not dead.  I've just been busier than I like to be.  How did retirement get so busy??

1.  Last Friday, we kidnapped The Professor's sister again and dragged her off to the county fair.  We also invited friends who enjoy good music, so we sat through more Brady Goss performances.  In between, we wandered through the various exhibits.  Obviously, I love the home arts building.  And the photography building.  We drove home and sleep well that night.  I love me a good fair. (Should the deep sleep of exhaustion count as a separate fave?)

Of course, the main entrance building has to have that California mission look, complete with bell and tower and red tile roof.

Everyone loves a ferris wheel!

2.  The next morning, Saturday, we added our nephew The Lawyer to the caravan and drove east to the very, very hot San Bernardino County to celebrate a grandnephew's birthday.  He's eight this year.  Another great night's sleep!

3.  We've had more hot weather.  As I am typing this, the AC just kicked in.  Again.  God bless the man who invented the air conditioner!

4.  I'm working my way through my unfinished knitting projects.  Finally, I did the i-cord edgings on this vest.  For those who care, it's knitted with Heartland acrylic yarn on size 9 needles.  The pattern, Many Buttoned Vest, was too large for me, so I had to make some adjustments to the number of stitches.  But it all worked out ok.  Of course, it's too hot to wear a vest right now, but I'll feel very snuggly in it once the weather cools down.  You may notice that there are NO buttons on it.  That's because the buttons are ornamental.  You find a button you like, you sew it on wherever you want.  I'll be searching for my favorite buttons!

5.  I  love coffee dates with friends.  The past two weeks, I've enjoyed iced coffees with one long time college buddy and another friend who I am just now getting to know.

Oh! A bonus! Happy Independence Day to the Republic of Indonesia! Selamat Merdeka!

So, that's Willow's Week (or two) succinctly summed up in five bullet points.  How are you!

Five Faves at the Fair

If you have been reading the Willow's Cottage blog for very long, you will know that even if I don't post anything else during a week, I will write about my favorite things from the week and link up to Susanne's blog Living to Tell the Story and her Friday Fave Fives.  This edition of Willow's Week for Friday Fave Fives features A day at the County Fair.  This is a recurring theme each year.  I love our county fair.  It calls itself "The Country Fair with an Ocean Air" because the fairgrounds are literally across the street from the beach and the Pacific Ocean.  Who wouldn't love that?

Usually I work the first fair day doing demonstrations of spinning in the Agricultural Building at our guild booth (Ventura County Handweavers and Spinners Guild).  It was busy the whole time I was there.  People love to stop and watch us weave and spin and they ask so many questions.  My answers?  "No, it's not really a lost art."  "Everything you are wearing right now as gone through this same process--just using a large mechanized and industrialized method.  But truthfully, nothing is fundamentally different than it was hundreds and thousands of years ago."

We get free tickets for working the fair and since I work the first day which is Dollar Day, we just pay our dollar each and save those free tickets to attend another day when I'm not working.

This year the fair was extra fun for me because my sister-in-law joined us.  Normally, she avoids the fair's crowds like everyone there has the plague or lice or at least the flu.  It was a treat for me to share my love of the fair with her.

The Professor enjoys listening to the music acts on the smaller stages.  One performer has been returning for several years and we will sit and listen to Brady Goss sing.  We love his style and I love that he's from my home state Oregon.

Do you love the fair?  What's your favorite thing?

Friday Fave Fives in Mid August

It's Friday and I am posting a bit late as we were out on Thursday for a long long day.  Better late than not at all, right?  Especially when it comes to being thankful.  So here are my Friday Fave Fives.  The link to others is HERE.

1.  Lunch with a friend.  She was my Precepts Bible study leader and we attend the same church. In addition, we are sort of in the same time of life, so we have lots in common.  Starting at the lunch place, we continued our conversation over coffee.  We just had so much to talk about--we still weren't done. There's always another time...

2.  The hat I knitted for that sweet little one was happily received.  Big brother was standing nearby, so I asked him if he'd enjoy a hat too.  He replied, "Yes, please!" {so polite!}  Brother chose a World War II watch cap in navy blue.  It's on the needles now.  I love knitting for people who appreciate it!

3.  Speaking of knitting, the World's Best Neighbor asked me for some knitting advice.  The result is that I have a new scarf project.  I'm making her pattern with her so we can compare notes.  Details:  sock yarn, size 7 needles.

4.  We went to the county fair again this week, this time as revelers not workers.  I love the theme!  We truly are a country county although we share a county line with Los Angeles County.  And we truly do have ocean air at the fair.  The fair grounds are literally across the bike path from the beach and you really can smell the ocean as you stroll down 'main street' (unless you're right by the bbq place!)

5.  First time ever at a fair:  a vegan option advertised on the menu board.  I think the clerk was a bit amused at my enthusiasm.

That's it for Willow's Week.  Summer is winding down although the temperature isn't.  I hope you have a great weekend and find many many blessings in your days.

Fairs, Museums, Birthdays, and More

Hello!  Welcome to Willow's Week in Friday's Fave Five hosted by Susanne.

1.  Reagan Library and the Vatican Splendors.  We spent a lovely day with friends at the Presidential Library and the special exhibit from the Vatican.  So many highlights!  So many moving moments and displays.  But everyone's favorite is always Air Force One and Marine One.

2.  Much of my week has been focused on preparing for and working at our county fair.  Our guild has a booth and I worked there demonstrating spinning the first two days.

(Did you notice the blue ribbon?  Our exhibit earned first place in our division, and we also received an award for education.)

3.  One of the days, (probably because we won the awards), we were featured in our local newspaper.  Every year, every day of the fair, one of the reporters does a story on some part of the fair.  His stories are always fun to read.  Who knew that he would come interview US?  Here's the link to videos and article.  I think everyone enjoys Tom's columns because they're funny and not about negative stuff in the news.

4.  Best news ever:  Son #2 sent a message saying, "Just got my seat.  Almost there!"  and then, "Shutting down over here."  And finally, "On the ground."  Back in the USA!  He has been away all summer researching but is back now.  That makes my mama's heart happy.

5.  In other children news, two had birthdays this week.  Although we can't celebrate in person, we always make sure we all communicate our love and felicitations in calls, emails and texts (and cards or packages delivered by USPS).

How was your week?  I hope you found many blessings!

August Break #11 and #12

#11  Edge

Living life on the Edge

County Fair Fearless Fun 

#12  Yellow

Yellow Flags Flying at the Fair

Fair Week

Summer weeks seem to fly by.  This last week of July just raced along, day by day.  I may be on summer break, but I've been busy doing-- busy things.  Here are my Friday Fave Fives--five events out of a busy week--just fun things.

1.  County Fair.

I love county fairs.  This week I spent a few hours volunteering to demonstrate spinning at our handweavers and spinners booth in the agricultural building.  One would not readily and immediately think of 'country' and 'Southern California' in the same setting.  But Ventura County which is adjacent to Los Angeles County has a distinctive and extensive agricultural presence in Southern California.  (Note:  if you eat strawberries in January, it's a good chance they were picked and shipped from Ventura County.  Ditto on blueberries. Or carrots and spinach. Or kale and parsley.)  So the theme of this year's fair was "A Country Fair with Ocean Air"  because, you know, Ventura County hugs the Pacific Ocean.  Think: just north of Malibu.)  Opening Day is always super busy.  During my hours of spinning, there was hardly a lull in people passing by and asking, "What are you doing?"  I enjoy talking with the kids and showing them how ALL fiber is made into 'string' which is woven or knitted into every bit of clothing they wear.

2.  It's always fun to watch the dare devils on the rides.

There is NO way in the world I am going to get on the bungee jump.  But it was thrilling to watch these jumpers get their nerve up and then jump.

See the large palm tree down in the lower left corner?  Yeah, that's how high they were.

3.  BEACH BOYS!  How appropriate it was to have the BEACH BOYS play on Thursday night on the stage across a parking lot from THE BEACH.  We sat high up in the bleachers about as far out as you can get and still be in the arena.  Behind us, we could see the waves rolling in and crashing on the sand, and in front of us, the BEACH BOYS were playing and singing Surfer Girl and Surfin' USA.

4.  I did something this week I've been promising myself I would do--for YEARS.  I wove a rug!

I haven't brought it home from my friend's studio because it is still 'on the loom'.  When the rest of the warp is used for another rug, I'll return and watch (help?) to take it off the loom and finish the edges.

5..  My youngest girl's birthday was this week.  It's birthday season here and although she is the youngest of the siblings, her birthday begins it.  Born in the interior highlands of New Guinea, in the Indonesian province of Irian Jaya (now called Papua), she spent her early years playing in the jungle and at the tropical seashore.  She's a great wife and mom and we are proud of the godly, wise woman she has become.

First beach day

Happy Birthday!

So those are the highlights of Willow's Week.

Fast and Fair

This will be quick.  I am in Phoenix, Arizona for two days to attend a funeral.  But even in the midst of a crazy weekend, I want to pop in to remind myself to be grateful.

Willow's Week for Friday Fave Five

with Susanne

1.  One evening we enjoyed dinner with long long time friends.  It's wonderful that we now live in the same town, but we realized that we hadn't been together for MONTHS.  So we just decided to have dinner.  We've hit on the perfect solution to make it easy to get together:  choose your own meal and bring it:  BYOM.  Fellowship and friendship doesn't have to mean a big dinner.  All we want is to hang out together and this way takes away all the stress of being the host/hostess. 

2.  Fun afternoon at the Ventura County Fair.  Every year, I volunteer to demonstrate spinning at the Ventura County Weavers and Spinners Guild booth.  It's so much fun!  Four students/parents wandered past and were surprised to see me 'outside of class'.  One boy asked, "So, is this your hobby?"  So cute!  Of course, in all the preparation for the trip and the demo, I forgot my camera.  Not. One. Photo.

3.  Safe and uneventful drive across the California and Arizona deserts to Phoenix.

4.  Comfy arrangements at the home of my son and daughter-in-law.  And that bit of extra time to spend with them.  (Added blessing:  we will be here for a couple of hours on his birthday!)

5.  Happy Birthday this week to my youngest child!  She has always been a delight and has blessed us so very much with her personality, her love for her family, her love for God, her love of justice and mercy.

Everyone agreed she was a beautiful baby!

One hour old.

On her wedding day

Still beautiful

There it is.  My week in Five.  I hope you've had a great and grateful week.