Beauty For Ashes

Let’s see, where to start.  Last weekend we spent the weekend in Seaside helping my MIL put together a garage sale/arts and crafts bazaar for this weekend.  She has a number of artisans showing their things and I hope it will go spectacularly well for her.  I have to admit that I had my reservations but after helping here put together her displays, I was very impressed.   We talked with her on Friday night and she seemed very pleased with her results so far.  I am happy for her and for all intents and purposes, the time spent helping I think has further helped with healing in our relationship.  I think we are not quick to take one another for granted in who we are, very nice.

I am madly scrambling to get myself and my family ready for our respective trips this next weekend.  T and the kids are heading to Vegas to visit with family and attend the airplane show at Nellis Airforce Base.  It’s their 70th anniversary show and it should be pretty spectacular. 

NY is my destination.  I, with 4 other of my friends are heading to visit Summer in NJ but will be spending significant time in NY City.  I am excited and very nervous all at the same time.  NYC has never been on my list of must see places but, in doing all the research, I have changed my mind.  I.Can’t.Wait.  We leave on Wednesday for Portland and fly out on Thursday morning. 

I am now on to my second project in my metalcraft class.  It is due on Thursday, I won’t be here so I am scrambling a bit.  I am making a ring and the design is taken off of a sanddollar.  I am excited to see how it will turn out.  Pictures will come as soon as I finish it. 

Here are some pictures of my kids and a friend taken in Seaside, Oregon as well as some photos of my kids yesterday as they rode in a helicopter for the first time. 

My Camera is broken.

 You may as well rip my right arm off, throw it out into the street and run over it 3 times with your steel belted radials on your f250 pick-up truck.

Not happy.

We sent the kids to be with Grandma and Grandpa and went on a road trip to celebrate our anniversary this weekend. 

We decided to go explore with no particular destination in mind ahead of time.  The general direction we headed was Yamhill’s winecountry and then over to the coast somewhere.  Our purpose was actually two fold.  One was to just be together and the other was to revisit some of our old stomping grounds where we met and spent time in college and as newly weds. 

Boy have things changed.  Yamhill county has gone from a beautifully forested/farm country to winecountry.  The winaries were everywhere and came in all sizes.  We stopped at Lenne winary and visited with the owner.  He totally educated us on everything from the soil, grapes to the dynamics of different wines.  It was interesting and quite fun to experience.

Saturday we drove to Tillamook and enjoyed lunch at the Blue Heron French Cheese making facility.  We really enjoyed ourselves as we savored our turkey sandwiches and cheese platter.  The facility is really cute and if you ever get the chance to stop, it is a fun liitle place

Salishan Lodge was our final stop on Saturday.  What a beautiful place.  Our room was lovely with a view of the golf course.  The grounds were beautiful and our dinner was sooooo good.  Actually, neither one of us was hungry when we arrived so we scheduled dinner at 8:30 and decided to go for a nice long walk down to the beach.  Abbie ran around and chased a stick and we sat with our feet buried in the sand, watching the sun sink and the huge waves crash onto the beach. 

The following morning, yesterday I think, we woke up and decided to take the nature trail hike to wake us up.  It was so fun and quite a little jaunt.  What a great way to start a morning.

We picked up the kids in Newport after walking through a couple of lovely art galleries in Depoe Bay and Newport and wandered on home.

 Now here I sit thinking there is so much more to share about our little trip but I’m tired of typing.  It was a wonderful anniversary made up of three days that were packed with a weeks full of stuff.

Okay, so the top picture is of me.  T took it at our family reunion last weekend.  I thought it was fun and rarely do I have a picture taken of me that looks good.  I, like my Mom usually have my mouth hanging open funny when someone hits the button.

The second picture is of everyone who attended our family reunion last weekend.  We had a fun time and it was, as it always is, great to see these people.  We have been getting together for a campout every summer for 29 years.  That is so hard to believe on two different levels.  The first is simply that I can’t possibly be old enough to remember when those started but strangely I do.  The second is that it is so rare and we are so blessed as a family to be able to hold to this yearly tradition of easy going, fun loving, camping together.

We went to a camp up on the Coast Range near St. Helens.  The camp itself was rustic and had lots of potential to be very lovely.  We all had a nice time and enjoyed catching up with one another.  It was a bit coolish after being in Central Oregon with 90 degree weather, give or take 10 degree’s on any given day so we didn’t swim (darn) or anything. 

One of the highlights for our entire family was the bon fire that was built on Saturday night.  We all went around the large circle and talked about our favorite campout memories.  It was so funny and wistful to sit and listen to all the things that different people remembered.  Many things have happened and it was terrific to be reminded of them. 

Lots of memories centered around water which really is no surprise since we have camped around lakes and the ocean most of the time these have been going on.  It made me giggle to realize that my brother, Dad and I have a bit of a reputation for playing rough in the water.  So many of the cousins who are my age told about different times we would dump them off innertubes behind the ski boat or push them off a dock etc.  Many of the stories surprised me by being about things that I didn’t remember happening.  One of cousin’s favorite memory was my Dad taking her fishing.  Another was of one of my cousins going on a wild ride on a waver runner with me…apparently I scared her to death.  Other memories included difficult times, yet there was always something good that came out of it.  I love that even through the hard stuff, we are able to laugh and enjoy each other’s company.  It was a refreshing time.

I am looking forward to next years reunion.  It should be a great time.

This last week was a busy one for me.  On Wednesday last week I began an intense lesson in what happens to a house when it has no roofing and it rains all night. 

My parents were having their house reroofed and the roofer didn’t look at the weather forecast and didn’t bother to put tarps over their roof when he left for the night.  It rained for quite a few hours and soaked the inside of their lovely home.  They were in Portland and so I was called to assess the damage.  It went from what I thought was really badly soaked (the carpet needing replaced and their wood ceilings refinished) to shocking within about a 48 hour time period.  I called my Mom home (Dad had flown to Alaska) and the insurance company was called.  They sent out a restoration company to assess the damage and begin drying things out and that is where my education really began.  I had no idea how much water can be wicked up walls and soaked up by ceilings and floors.  I was right in thinking the carpet, baby grand piano and some of their furniture was lost but didn’t realize that most of the drywall in the house has to be removed as well as some brand new, beautiful, hickory kitchen cabinets that my dad made, some of the barnwood that covers parts of their walls and the hard wood in the kitchen are all needing to go.  Almost all of their atiques were damaged in some way, some totally lost while others superficially damaged.  It is estimated that the house won’t be restored for at least 2 months, possibly up to 6 months.  Amazing!

The other thing about last week was that I got to help my siste in law bind her Europe books.  She and my parents and brother all took a month long trip to Europe last fall and she wrote a book about it and had it printed.  She called and asked if I could help her bind them, which I jumped at because I love doing that.  Here are the results.  I am so proud of the job we did!

 I have so many more pictures of the things we have done this summer to show you but for now, I will leave you with my fun project.  Hope you enjoy the pics.

Memorial Day weekend has been relatively mellow around our house.  We spent lots of time working in our yard and being with family.  This morning I decided to drag my entire family (hubby, 2 kids and grandparents) down the river trail that I walk with my friends sometimes.  We didn’t go as far as I would have liked because my kids have short legs and they tire out fairly easily.  We saw plenty of wildlife and I got some terrific pictures over the weekend.  I am very excited about being able to share them with you.

This is a pretty typical day at Grandpa’s pond for C and Abbie.  He loves to lay on the dock that was made especially for the kids, look at the water and watch the fish swim by.  Abbie loves to run around the pond chasing birds and sticks the kids throw in the water for her to fetch.  It is a lovely picture don’t you think?

I have no idea what these pretty little flowers are called but they are so beautiful.  Right now the high desert has them in full bloom.  The color on them is absolutely real.  Can you believe it?  If you know what they are called would you let me know?  Jana wants to find out to.

Here is a field of them.  Beautiful, non?

Last photo is of Sawyer Park.  We stopped to use the potty and ended up just hanging out and enjoying the beautiful view.  While we were there we were buzzed by a lovely little hummingbird.  My mom loved, loved that.  We also saw one of the biggest rock chucks I’ve ever seen in my life.  I couldn’t get my camera to catch a picture of him.  There were also tons of fishermen out enjoying the sun and hoping to catch a fish, or not.

 Hope you enjoyed the pictures.  If you want to see more, you can go to my flickr account and check them out.

 Have a great Monday!

I have just learned how to do something really cool!!  I finally, finally learned how to put pictures on my blog.  Now you are all in trouble!  I may never write word again. 

Anway, for Mother’s Day, my husband and children decided to take me to the Schriener’s Iris Gardens in Keizer, Oregon for the afternoon.  It was quite a drive but as always well worth it.  I loved being with my family and enjoying the beautiful flowers.  M & C both have digital cameras now and they enjoyed shadowing me as I took pictures.  M was so cute because she would kneel down when I knelt or block the cun when I blocked the sun.  I was just the cutest thing and a terrific way for her to learn how.   I had the best Mother’s Day ever.  Here are some more pictures of my special day.

My family including Abbie our dog.

Hope you enjoyed the photos.

Have a terrific Tuesday!

I am really frustrated with blog.com and the inability to upload photos.  I know I have a thing or two to learn in order to make it happen better so it’s probably my fault but….

Anyway, here is the link to a few new photos.  Flickr

 The pink and brown box is for a special friend that is full up to her earlobes with class, humor and realness(is that a word?).  The green box is for a friend in Mexico however, it got waylaid and was apparently meant to go to another today so I will be making a new one for my friend in Mexico.

The picture of M and T is their annual date to the Father/Daughter Valentine’s Dessert at church.  M looks forward to it almost as much as Christmas.  This year she requested that her Daddy escort her in his big ole’ pickup truck.  I love that T puts so much thought into making this evening special for her.   I know it is going to go a long way toward helping her out in chosing a worthy mate when she is 50 years old.  You know she won’t be allowed to date until she is 49. :0)

Finally, Abbie.  Need I say more?  The furry golden child/dog of our family continues to delight me. 

Happy Valentine’s Day…T is teaching the kids to make chocolate truffles right now and I’m supposed to be helping so I’d better “git”!

I have been tryinig to enjoy a world that looks like black and white photos the last couple of days.  We have had heavy fog that freezes onto the trees, bushes, fences etc., and it makes for some fantastic negative space photos as well as some unbelievable gray scale photos.  Here is a link to a couple of pictures I’ve taken of the trees around my house.  They were not taken with a black and white setting, they just look like it.  Stunning, non?

In other topics…I am on a search for some new music.  I love music like most people in this world but am in a rut so now I’m asking for ideas.  I have been in the mood for tight harmony that is new and hip, kindof like this song by Imogen Heap.  it’s called Hide and Seek.  I don’t understand most of what is being said in the song so I looked up the words and again don’t understand what the heck the meaning of the song is but the sound is right up my alley.  I think I might need to go back to college and contemplate my belly button a little more to understand some of the vaguery.  I used to be on top of it but my world is now measured in concrete thoughts and actions as per the status quo of mommyhood.

Also, on the Today show about a month ago, there was a musical guest on for Matt Lauer’s 10th Anniversary Celebration and he sang accompanying himself on the piano.  I loved the song and have heard it before but for the life of me I can’t remember the artist or title.  I believe the date was January 5th that he was on the show and in the Today studio.  I have heard the song associated with the Today Show before but don’t know the word.  I know it’s a long shot but if you have any idea would you let me know.

Also, I spent most of yesterday making Greek food for dinner.  I have been in the mood for Gyros lately and found some good recipes to make Gyro meat, Pita Bread and Tzatziki sauce.  The meat turned out terrific but the pitas weren’t so good.  I think I have decided to try and figure out a lower fat version of the meat and buy the pita’s from the local Greek restaurant down the road.  The Tzatziki sauce turned out wonderfully and I can think of a couple of different things it would taste good on.  I was shocked when my entire family loved the meal.  Usually C hates anything out of the ordinary.  Maybe he liked it because I didn’t feed him much all day and he was so hungry he would have eaten the furniture… who knows?

Here is the recipe for the Gyros and Tzatziki Sauce.  The Gyros meat is rather time intensive but I think with a few substitutions, I have written what I’d like to do at the bottom, the time to make it could be cut down my quite a bit.  The Tzatziki sauce is simple, light and spring like. 

Gyros

1 ½ lb. shouder lamb

1 lb. beef chuck

1 pack of bacon

¼ c. dehydrated onions

1/3 c. water

1 tbs. salt

1 tsp. sugar

2 tsp. oregano

2 tsp. black pepper; coarsely ground

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. hot paprika

½ tsp. cinnamon

2 cloves garlic pressed or minced

2 tbs. vegetable oil

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Blanch bacon for 3 minutes in boiling water and then drain on paper towels
3. Rehydrate onions using the 1/3 cup hot water
4. Using large hole plate on meat grinder, grind lamb and beef together.  Then using small hole plate regrind meat one to two times more.
5. In small bowl mix together 7 dry spices
6. Sprinkle spices over ground meat and mix thoroughly
7. Add garlic and oil to meat mixture and mix thoroughly
8. Line the bottom and sides of a loaf pan with bacon and pack meat mixture in over the top.  Press meat in and then cover top with bacon
9. Place filled loaf pan in hot water bath that reaches ¾ of the way up the pan.  Bake for 30 minutes then reduce the heat to 325 degrees and bake for another 30 minutes.
10. Remove pan from oven and remove loaf pan from hot water bath and place on wire rack to cool.  Cover with aluminum foil and compress on the top with 2 lbs. of weight.  Cool to room temperature and then refrigerate the meat.
11. Meat is best if left to temper in the refrigerator for 12 hours before reheating and eating.
12. Thinly slice meat and put on pita bread with tomotoes, onions, tzatziki sauce and feta cheese.

Tzatziki Sauce

1 c. plain yogurt

1 clove crushed garlic

¼ tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

2 tbs. chopped fresh mint leaves

1/8 tsp. dill

½ large cucumber – peeled and finely chopped in food processor

1. Use cheese cloth to strain the yogurt over a bowl for 3 to 4 hours, until most of the water has drained.
2. 2. Press excess liquid out of the shredded cucumber.  In a medium bowl, stir together the cucumber and strained yogurt.  Mix in the garlic, salt, pepper, dill and mint.  Chill the mixture for 1 to 2 hours.

Next time I make it, I am going to completely omit the bacon, use olive oil instead and possibly not use the lamb and use our very lean hamburger instead.  Ultimately, I would like to try making this with ground chicken and see what it would be like. 

 Hope you all have a terrific, warm day.  It’s not warm here and I am convinced that hell is made of frozen fire and as cold as can be.  I don’t like being cold even if it’s pretty outside and yet I am still going to go walk….crazy I know.

Okay, so the the geocaching bug has struck again.  It is so fun! For an early birthday present we (the kids and I) bought my dear hubby a Garmin Fortrex GPS.  Oh, it is so fun.  Our first trek out with the new, more accurate model landed us on top off Bessie Butte.  Bessie Butte is nearly 2x the hike my normal Pilot Butte hike is and had we known what we were getting into, well, lets just say Bessie Butte would have had a lonely day.  The kids and the dog went at least twice as far as we did, which is normal because they run back and forth and around and around.  T and I thought we our legs were going to fall off and roll down the hill a couple of times but alas, we made it to the top.  The view was spectacular and we were so glad we conquered. 

Since Saturday, we have done a number of geocaches and our new gaget has made the rock climbing (which is par for the course in Central Oregon) a whole lot less precarious due to the fact that you don’t have to climb up the rocks one handed. 

I think Abbie might even be dubbed a geodog and our kids, well, they have gone from hating the hunt to looking forward to the next hunt and the treasure at the end.

For those of you who don’t know what geocaching is, check out their websight.  It is a very fun sport!

Also, you can check a few of our pictures at my flickr sight.