Decking coming off....

Friday the decking started coming off.
The under framing was all wrong....so the contractor pulled off the top part and
and is making it right. I know that Im not using the right contractor terms or word that
they call this but......so whats new.
I have trimmed all the off white (windows, and doors...ect)
Started on the green what is one of the colors .
I was cutting in the last part of the green so i can start painting with a rolled.It will go so much faster.
Up about 10 feet off the ground on a ladder....... I looked down and there was a two foot long
snake at the bottom of the ladder.......HOLY CRAP!!!!!!

That black and yellow snake is now sporting the prettiest green blobs of paint.
I had nothing else to make him move on, and find somewhere else to be.....
.I waited for 30 minutes and down the ladder I came.
Had a great day working inside today......   wink wink!!

You never know what the day will bring.....

Ok so I need to clear up a few things. My last blog was titled Reno day....I think this must be something that only I understand. Reno is short for renovation. I know I got more than one comment about have I moved to Reno.....Ok so moving on to todays work.

Mid morning yesterday my contractor got a piece of wood shaving in his eye. He went to the eye doc and needed some rest. So I thought today would be a quiet day.House needed to be washed before starting to paint.Just as we started that task(homeowner was here for the day to help).
Up the drive way came a truck. (Now keep in mind no one just comes up the driveway.....It may be due to all the " NO TRESPASSING" sings every where. And the large lock on the gate) Anyway, here they come.
It wasn't The Mormons.
No ties.
And they were driving a truck.
It was guys that had more than 3/4 truck of driveway material. Gave a great price.(however I talked them down a little more) And you can see for yourself what is new on the home front today.

So everyday you have to just think maybe that is the way it was meant to be......
I have always said " if you want to make God belly laugh ,tell him you have a plan."

Reno Day One

I have been asked to give the old farm house a face lift....
As many of you know I have been house-sitting for a friend of mine in Prineville,Oregon
He bought the house a year ago and asked if I would help with the design and
over see the makeover. My passion is a makeover.

So here is day one. This is the NW side of the house and the front of the house.

Here is day two....

 Start painting tomorrow. So drop by tomorrow and see whats new.....

The Painted Hills

Took a great day trip from Prineville.  Headed North to John Day, Mitchell and Prairie City.
On the way back found a sign for the Painted Hills. I had heard of them all my life but have never been there.
Knowing how much I love getting off the main road, I headed up the road.

Painted Hills in Oregon

It was beautiful!! Pictures dont really show the colors.
When I got home and told my sister of the trip that I took she filled in the rest of the story for me.
Come to find out my great grandfather owned the land next to the Painted Hills. He ran sheep on the land. On the way up I was amazed at the land and green fields and creek that ran beside the Hills. I now know that my great grandfather walked and worked that very land. I wonder what his thoughts were about the hills. Were they more beautiful at sunrise and sunset? Did he wake up to see them ever morning? Did they hold special powers with there beauty? How did he feel when he sold that land that he had worked? And why did he sell it?
So many questions!! Will my great grand kids have questions about my life?
                 I guess that is a question that is as old as the hills........

Mitchell Oregon

Downtown Mitchell Oregon.....I have live in Oregon all my life. The last time I was in this area I was still in tippers.I wanted to travel back there before I was in them again. So took two days and made the trek.

It was a step back in time. I spent the better part of a day just looking around and talking to the nice people there. My fathers family was from this area. And I spent time in the cemetery putting flowers on the graves.

There was even a street named for my family

Then off to John Day....However got a little side tracked...
Saw signs to Thomas Condon Paleontology Visitor Center. Wooooo! What a great place.There were fossils that were 55 million years old. (I cant even get my head around that)

 And just across the street is the James Cant Ranch Historic Home.

It was getting late and I need to get headed to John Day. So down the road I went. But more surprises awaited me around the corned.......More tomorrow

Crooked River Sunday Drive

It was such a beautiful day that I had to get out and explore this new area that I am in.
When I got to the end of the street I turned right and just kept on going.
I had never been up the Crooked River and wanted to see what adventure awaited me.

A river that flows through a cannon that was carved out so many years ago. It made me wonder
what it would have been like to travel across this country on a wagon train. To put my life and trust in
others to get me to the my destionation safetly. Over hills and through rivers. How far would I have made it?
What would my life have been like? As I drive along this road I  couldnt help but day-dream.

I stopped along the way at many BLM campgrounds.
All of them were right on the river.  Good fishing im sure....

Then you come around a corner and there are the Mountains.  Three Sisters and  Mt.Bachelor.
I cant wait to explore more. Next trip will be to Mitchell and John Day.

ATV on BLM

It was just to pretty outside today to stay in.
I jumped on the Quad and went down to my new BFF house.
She is a true cowgirl...horse and all...  :)
But today was a ATV day.
We took off and after taking a spin around the "hood"

We headed up to BLM land.  How much more beautiful does it get......

We turned off the quad and just listened to the birds. It was so nice to not hear anything.

There were too many clouds to see the Mt. I will come back on a day there are no clouds.

Here are a couple of pictures from my friends house.

Cowgirls best friend.....jeans and work shirt....and boots.....

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It's smelling like Spring

Now that I  re-located to the Central Oregon area, I feel compelled to wake up when the rosters start crowing. And this beautiful Spring morning I really don't mind.
It is only a little after 7:00 am and I am on to my second load of laundry.
What is it about the thought of Spring that makes everything new.....
I have repainted my new room and have thoughts of painting the rest of the house.
I worked in the south 40 yesterday. Getting the garden ready(however I know that the bunnies will
get the most rewards of that).Moving rock.......and rock.......and more rock.

I opened the curtains and windows.

And out the front door snow caped Mt.
Im not sure what is what yet. But I know that
 Sisters and Batchlor are out there. Also Mt Jefferson.




                                                                          And when I look to the North........                  Look what I found....:)
Miss H......Just waiting to take me on a adventure.....And Im getting ready too!!!

Made with love......

I got word that my grand-daughter need some new PJ's
Well that's all it took.
I looked through the box of material that every woman has.
You know the one that is tucked away at the bottom of the storage unit.
The "Someday Project" box.
I found several pieces of flannel material.

So off I went looking for pattern that would suit her.

 All the parts are there and I started my project.

 I have sewn for years. Mom tough 
She even  made my father and brothers shirts. (Because they really didn't make my daddy size store bought)
She taught my sister and I how to sew. We made all of your prom dresses and school cloth..(My sister makes turn of the century costumes for her and her hubby's  performance and volunteering at  Champouge State Park)
The first dress I had that was store bought was in High School.

Here is the finished product.So its off to my grand-daughter to see if it fits.

Hope that you enjoy ...it was made with love....for YOU.

My winter projests, coming to an end...

Now that we are heading into the spring months its time to finish up with winter projests.
I am working on a quilt that I have been working on for the past 5 years.Im getting there. I have made myself work on it every night. So for some of you that I talk to on a regular basis in the evening. Know that I have been working on this as we talk. Its one of those mindless things that I can do, but more than that it keeps me warm.

 I didnt piece this however. Here's the story on that.
My mothers grew up in the South. During "First
Depression". They had a Fruit Stand and Butcher Shop.
My Grandmother had 5 girls and worked at the shop also.
There were several people that lived with my
Mom and Grandparent. (I will tell  some of these stories
in up coming blogs). Mattie was the lady that
helped raise and cook and clean for the family.
She took the cloths that the girls had grown out of
and cut them up and made a quilt out of it.
My mother is 92 and she still remembers some of the
fabric that is in this quilt.

This quilt will not only keep me warm, but it will remind me of my family that came before me.....

I hope to have it done soon so mom will be able to enjoy it also......

Just Veggin Out!!

Getting ready  for planting time.

 However it may be at least a month away. 

Its still cold and yesterday there was snow. 

So away to get a jump on this is to plant 

some of my veggies and put them in a window box.

I think I will need to put a little more top soil on.

 Then its ready to go.

I love canning what I grow.  So here we go.

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Sunday Drive

Do you remember taking a Sunday drive? When I was a kid we (as a family) would load in the car and take off  for a drive. Sometime we would leave town, other times we would just drive around town and go get an ice cream. 

I find myself doing that still. A couple of weeks ago I filled put the pick up with gas, made a bag lunch and took off.

I ended up Aurora. A little town  south of Portland Or.  Just off the I-5 .It  is an easy walkable town.  Has a ton of history and stories at every turn. 

I started at the restoration store. There are treasures at every turn.

Who knows what this was?  I can think of a million things to use it for.

And  look at these lights. Now granted, I really dont have the room to put them in my Airstream but they are wonderful.

There are about 10 wonderful store to roam through. Tons of history in these buildings.

And a few lingering Spirits.

So next  rainy Sunday afternoon. Pack a lunch and take a drive. It amazing what you will find.