Author Archives: Ellen

Uninvited…

…but welcomed!

This little visitor arrived in my yard and I had never seen it before. I let it know that it could come over any time if it just promised to take home the unwelcome rats that enjoy my yard, too. I hope this pretty black and white creature understood my request…

Speaking of black creatures, on Monday morning the crows were making a constant high pitched cawing noise with no stop in their intensity. I went outside to see what was up and there was a murder of crows and it looked like they were trying to commit murder on one of their own. I got a broom from the garage and walked out to the fence where one of the crows had gotten one of it’s wings stuck in the chain link. I talked nicely and took the broom and gently pushed the wing out from the link. It immediately flew away and the rest of the crows all took off and haven’t returned yet. I hope they have me on their favorites list now and go cawing somewhere else…

I looked up murder of crows and came up with some interesting information. This is pretty gruesome so you might want to stop reading here but I think this was exactly what was happening in my backyard Monday morning…

“…I do know, however, that the behaviour of ganging up on one crow (which does not necessarily have to be the weakest) is real. In Swedish, it’s called “kråkriksdag”, roughly translated as “crow parliament”. I’ve seen it happen, and it is a brutal event. There is some general squaking, but there is no clear target. Suddenly it starts and all of them jump on one crow, picking at it until it is dead, literally tearing it to pieces. They are so focused on this that you have to run straight in among them to scatter them.”

I guess I really did save the life of this crow that was stuck and defenseless.

Glimpses…

…of Fall in my world.

I couldn’t walk away from this mum for $9.99 to add some late color to the deck.

Love these cascading vines on the neighbors fence.

I made a quick stop at Ste Michelle Winery and one of the resident peacocks was out but camouflaged…

Some dahlias were still showing beautifully at the winery but there wasn’t much fall color showing yet in the trees.

We are headed into another busy week at this old house. I’m looking forward to Dear coming home from Austria on Wednesday. What’s happening in your world?

Great God, as Seasons Disappear ~ Hymn

Great God, as Seasons Disappear

Great God, as seasons disappear,
And changes mark the rolling year,
Thy favor still has crowned our days,
And we would celebrate Thy praise.

The harvest song would we repeat,
Thou givest us the finest wheat;
The joys of harvest we have known;
The praise, O Lord is all Thine own.

Our tables spread, our garners stored,
O give us hearts to bless Thee, Lord:
Forbid it, Source of light and love,
That hearts and lives should barren prove.

Another harvest comes apace:
Ripen our spirits by Thy grace,
That we may calmly meet the blow
The sickle gives to lay us low.

That so, when angel reapers come
To gather sheaves to Thy blest home,
Our spirits may be borne on high
To Thy safe garner in the sky.

Words: Edmund Butcher, 1798.

Old As The Hat!

This past Mondayafter visiting my folks at their apartment in Brea I headed for the freeway and spotted The Hat. I enjoy a good pastrami sandwich so I decided to pull through the drive-thru to order one.

The Famous Pastrami Dip Sandwich was my choice for the day.

They don’t skimp on the size and the pastrami portion. I could only eat half.

I got my sandwich in this bag and noticed The Hat is as old as I am. It seemed fitting for this old girl born in California in 1951 to enjoy a sandwich from a company that’s survived and thrived for over 61 years in California.

I’m back from Canada and the Border Agents going and coming were very nice to me as usual. My time in Canada was filled with lots of good conversation and good food, oh my! My Dear is in Vienna right now and I’ll be interested in hearing about the food he’ll be eating. He’s there for a conference and won’t have much time for sight seeing but he does hope to see as much as his free time allows.

Have a good weekend everyone. I’m recuperating and laying low for the rest of today.

Boy Oh Boy!

The reason I originally made travel arrangements for Southern California was to attend a lifelong friend’s baby shower. Her mother and I were best Russian buddies in our college years and onward. Our families attended the same Russian Baptist church in Los Angeles. We sang in the Russian Youth Choir and in the 70’s we were in a Christian Rock Band that toured England in the summers. Heidi sang at Dear and my wedding. Lots of history.

The theme that my friend Heidi and the new mom-to-be, Nikki, decided on was a nautical one. Perfect for celebrating the soon to arrive little boy.

Heidi and Ken have a beautiful home in the Orange Hill area of Southern Calfiornia.

This is the mother-to-be, Nicole. When she was born she lived across the street from us.

My friend Heidi and Nicole.

The food was delicious and listed on a fun Nikki Cravings Menu.

These are all my sisters with me.  My SIL and two of my nieces were also at the shower.

My girlfriend Jeanie who married my cousin Jim was there, too. Our friendships intersect with a lot of people from church, the rock group and extended families.

We arrived for the shower in bright sunshine, sat down to our meal in the shade of the early evening, and left when the sun was setting…

It’s nice to be back home with Dear. I was upgraded to first class again and had a nice conversation with an ER doctor who sat next to me on the plane.

My Wednesday will be busy as I’m getting ready to travel to Canada on Thursday. I’ll be scarce till Friday. Hope all is well where you are…

Whimsy’s Flea Market

On Sunday morning I met up with Cori G. from Brambleberry Cottage for some Kean Coffee and a stroll around Whimsy’s Flea Market in Old Town Tustin.

The Whimsy shop was fun to stroll through out of the sun…

It was sunny, muggy, and very hot but we persevered and managed to see most every vendor’s wares. I even bought 6 pink goblets. Hmmm…I have to pack them in my suitcase. I hope they survive.

Cori was a good sport and posed for my camera at the little chapel in the Flea Market lot. It was very good to catch up a bit with my bloggy friend.

Another fun looking shop in the the Old Town area of Tustin.

 When I got back to my niece’s townhome I ended up going out to lunch with her and her fiance. They will announce their wedding date at our family gathering tonight. After lunch I was picked up by my sisters to head to a baby shower for a lifelong friend of ours. I’ll post about that tomorrow. Tomorrow I fly home and it looks like they upgraded me to first class again. Oh what a treat that is.

Fall Treats!

My first night in California my family got together for a build your own taco night.

I decided this was a good time to spring this new dessert idea on them.

Have you seen these caramel bits? I found them at Target and it’s great not to have to unwrap each individual caramel to melt them. The recipe for these treats is at Very Culinary. I used pecan pieces instead of cashews or peanuts. I wasn’t in my own kitchen when I made these. The next time I make them I’ll chop the nuts finer and the result will be prettier. They still were delicious chunky and disappeared quickly.

My parents made their first outing since my mom’s stroke and came to the taco party. It was nice to have them there and it was good for them to get out of the apartment.

The evening ended with this beautiful sunset in Orange, California.

Sunday was a full day and I’ll share later. Hope the beginning of Fall has been good to you.

Day by Day ~ Hymn

 Karolina W. Sandell-berg ws born in Sweden. She wrote 650 hymns and was known as the Fanny Crosby of Sweden.

Day by Day ~

Day by day and with each passing moment
Strength I find to meet my trials here;
Trusting in my Father’s wise bestowment,
I’ve no cause for worry or for fear.
He whose heart is kind beyond all measure
Gives unto each day what He deems best –
Lovingly, its part of pain and pleasure.
Mingling toil with peace and rest.

Ev’ry day the Lord Himself is near me,
With a special mercy for each hour;
All my cares He fain would bear, and cheer me,
He whose name is Counsellor and Pow’r.
The protection of His child and treasure,
Is a charge that on Himself He laid,
“As thy days, thy strength shall be in measure,”
This the pledge to me He made.

Help me then, in ev’ry tribulation
So to trust Thy promises, O Lord,
That I lose not faith’s sweet consolation,
Offered me within Thy holy word.
Help me, Lord, when toil and trouble meeting,
E’er to take, as from a Father’s hand,
One by one, the days, the moments fleeting,
Till I reach the promised land.

Words: Karolina W. Sandell-berg (1832 – 1903)

Goodbye to Summer…

…and a look back at one more stop off the road from the Washington Coast.

We stopped at the Willapa Interpretive Art Trail…

The Willapa Interpretive Art Trail was created to commemorate the restoration of a small stream near Refuge Headquarters. The art trail is a one quarter mile curving boardwalk.

Artwork located along the boardwalk helps to tell the stories of the stream and the many species who live there.

Students from the University of Washington Public Arts Program designed, constructed, and installed the artwork for the trail under the direction of professors John Young, Ian Robertson, and Jim Nicholls.

From a distance we thought this little guy was real and you should have seen us approach it very very carefully so we wouldn’t scare it away.

We got closer and closer and it didn’t move…

When we got this close we realized it was part of the artwork along the trail. We laughed till we cried about how careful we were not to scare this fake frog!

These feather sculptures didn’t trick us.

These salmon sculptures in the trees didn’t fool us either.

This dragon fly table was designed by UW Art student Gary Carpenter. The quote on the table is from a poem by e.e. Cummings ~ …the world is mud luscious and puddle wonderful.

The moss on the trees was so soft…

It was a treat to stretch our legs here on the way home from the coast.

Tomorrow I head South for some more adventures. I’ll be back in the Fall y’all! I had to say that because I’m watching Paula on the food channel while I’m preparing this post.  See you next week.

Septembers Past and Present

September 2007, Woodinville, Washington

September 2008 in California

September 2009 Stanley Park in Vancouver, B.C.

September 2010, Beaufort, South Carolina

September 2011, Kirkland, Washington

September 2012, Seattle, Washington

September 18, 2012. My mom and dad at their apartment. My mom got home from the hospital on Tuesday and my sister Lana took this photo.

Plans are afoot for my time in Southern California this weekend. The first day of Fall will include a taco party with my family at my niece’s house. More big plans are afoot for October. I’ll be able to share more soon. Hope all is well with you my friends…