Miracle

You may think this is just a picture of flowers but they are very special. A coworker of Roger’s gave me this Jasmine plant. She was from India and they were from plants she owned. They survived 8 months in the coldest, darkest and driest conditions till we were able to move them to Chicago. They survived the U-Haul trip to Chicago and then the trip from there to Oregon just to bloom in the back yard here. It is quite a miracle and I thought I would share it with you.

Rock Lamps

The tables are from Colonia House Antiques in Forest Grove Oregon.

Used the only rock lamp I have left to decorate my bedroom.

Found this stunning piece today for 2 buck!

Every farm house should come with a lil Toto.

I am going for a old farm house look. I really love the colors.

New Project

Shout Out

I would like to thank the guys at Wal Mart who put up with my spaz face while I had them mix like 11 different colors of paint. I told ya I would put you in my blog. LOL!

A Moment of Nerd Zen

I am writing this as we fly on the air plane. How cool is that?

A Little More While Waiting For The Plane

The landscape in our new area is amazing. Some of the main differences between the East Coast and the West Coast are the tree textures and the Mountains. Everything is more rugged in Oregon. The trees are pine and oak and the tree line is pointy and much taller. When you are in New York the trees are soft rounded mounds on the hill sides. 

Everything seems wilder and bigger out west. We decided to hit the ocean before heading off to Upstate New York for Roger's brother's wedding. We are about an hour from the ocean and my first impression was that the seagulls are HUGE compared to the ones out on the East Coast. They came in all kinds of browns, grays and whites. They seemed uninterested in us as they dozed in groups on the beach. The beach we went to visit was fine sand and it shifted like an illusion for the eye. I had always assumed as a kid that every beach came with a standard set of seashells. When we went to Florida when I was five I assumed that I would find sand dollars. These to me were the most interesting shells in existence. I realized that there were different shells for each ocean and each beach. I finally found the source of sand dollars. I was unable to find a whole one for the seagulls had smashed each and everyone but still was impressed by the quantity of shells on the beach. There was a strange tube like plant laying in the sand with a bulb at the top and some long waxy thick leaves exploding from the bulb. 

It was a fantastically relaxing trip to and from the ocean with little java huts along the way where Roger and I picked up a iced coffee and a muffin. We slowed for the 24 hour flagger who was moving people through the construction in rout back to our house. I admired the wild fox glove along the roads. The forest was lush with moss dripping from all of the branches of the gigantic pines. We went through a tunnel to get there and back and saw lots of little quirky shops one of witch sold a list of exotic meats. They had yack meat, alligator meat buffalo and a few others I can't remember now. There was a old saloon looking town that had a creepy mannequin all dressed up in a floral dress hanging out on the top porch. 

We had stopped at a gas station. It rang just like the old fashioned gas stations you see in the movies do and a person came out. Most gas stations in Oregon seem to be full service. It takes a little getting used to for this independent New Yorker but is pretty nice. I would say over all the North Western hospitality is pretty amazing. 

After spending one night in our new home we rushed off to a Best Western in Portland to prepare to fly to Upstate New York for a wedding. It was not the best place we have ever stayed but pretty good for a last minute booking. We met the funniest man at the counter who told a witty story about having to rescue a miss deposited bill from under a guests door at 3 a.m. That is one thing I really noticed about the people out in Oregon. They move at a totally different pace then East Coasters. We sped into the bank and waited as the teller fiddled with the little radio at her window till she got a nice clear Cindy Lauper tune. The funny hotel consear was oblivious to our rushed need to get to the air port. Plane is here!! Be back later to finish this story. 

The Homestead

When we rolled in to town we knew this was going to be the perfect place to live. Forest Grove is totally adorable. The street signs are all old fashioned metal and totally cute. We have a older house with a white picket fence around it. There is plenty of space for gardening and some beds all ready set up with plants itching for some T.L.C. The front porch is totally sweet with a really nice fern by it. Looks a little like a Christmas Fern but I am not great at fern i.d. and have to look it up. 

We are right across the street from a park with tennis courts swings and things. I love how the trees here are covered in moss and people have giant red woods dominate front yards dwarfing the houses that huddle underneath them. 

Some of you may have read about the feral parrot that had started nesting in our cable box in Chicago. We traded the parrot in for a hawk family in the park. We did a quick inspection of our near by blocks as we waited for the relater to come and open up the new place. 

The dogs love the yard and scooted around sniffing everything they could. I think they are going to be so much happier here. They had started to get some city chub and need wide open spaces to run in. 

Once inside our lil house I admired the rough cut pine wood floors, claw foot tub and ornate door frames. I am still out and about and will do pictures later. We fly back home tonight. 

Our first night (and only night before flying to NY) was a little rough. The house was not ready. There was no hot water and I desperately needed a bath. The plan was to find our pots and pans to heat up some water and put it in the claw foot tub. having all four burners , washer, drier and lights on is not a good plan in the old house. We dropped it down to one large pot of water and started to slowly fill the tub. Then.... I noticed the small creek of water running along the floor..... The tub pipe was leaking. I gave up and went upstairs to take a howling cold shower. 

The next day a repair team came. They were great guys. They have been working on the place while we were away. Hoping to comeback to a perfectly functional house and to take a steaming hot bubble bath. 

The whole decision of living in Forest Grove verses Portland was the fact I was not a huge fan of not being able to really open up my windows in Chicago. There was always someone smoking below, sirens and what not. We picked a house out in a quiet location so we could open the windows and get a cool breeze and silence. The windows are painted shut at the moment. I am going to try and find a tip site on how to open up old painted up windows. 

Bout to play Buzz Word with Bonnie and Lisette. See you all later!

Road Dogs

Missing my pups tonight. They are at a ranch in Oregon till we get back from New York. This is a picture of them passed out on one of the long drive days on our move.