Author Archives: Ellen

Tablescape Thursday ~ Fall in Seattle

Last week I was at my home in the Seattle area and got so busy visiting with our kids and getting the house ready for fall I couldn’t participate in Tablescape Thursday even though this table was set  for a family meal with our kids. I’m sharing it this week now that I’m back in California with a little more time on my hands.

Visit the lovely Susan at Between Naps on the Porch to see more tables decked out for your enjoyment!

I forgot to take a photo of the family enjoying our meal at the table but it was really good. Our last BBQ of the season. We had steaks, fresh corn on the cob and zucchini also grilled and for dessert we had raspberry and apple pastry bites. Then we had a great time playing Beatles Rock Band.

We are so happy to be having some cooler temps since we arrived back in Southern California. It makes it feel more like Fall…

Tuesday Afternoon in Vancouver, B.C.

Tuesday, afternoon,

Tuesday, afternoon,
I’m just beginning to see,
Now I’m on my way,
It doesn’t matter to me,
Chasing the clouds away.

Something, calls to me,
The trees are drawing me near,
I’ve got to find out why
Those gentle voices I hear
Explain it all with a sigh.

I’m looking at myself, reflections of my mind,
It’s just the kind of day to leave myself behind,
So gently swaying thru the fairy-land of love,
If you’ll just come with me and see the beauty of

Tuesday afternoon.
Tuesday afternoon.

Tuesday, afternoon,
I’m just beginning to see,
Now I’m on my way,
It doesn’t matter to me,
Chasing the clouds away.

Something, calls to me,
The trees are drawing me near,
I’ve got to find out why
Those gentle voices I hear
Explain it all with a sigh.

ht: Moody Blues

 

I Am A Blatant Thief!

This is too cute not to share so here’s my Ruby Tuesday! Visit Mary at Work of the Poet to see more Ruby!

Yes, I admit it! I stole this photo of my cutie patooty niece right off of Facebook without asking. I just had to have it on my blog so I could look at it every time I log in today!! Sorry brother dear and sweet SIL! Blame it on Pooh cuz this was just like honey that I couldn’t resist…

Speaking of thieves. Before we left Seattle to return to California I received a letter from a local police dept. in Washington informing me they had made an arrest of some person who happened to have my mail on them. They sent me a copy of what they found on this person. I immediately called a credit card company to cancel my card and let them know to be on the lookout for bogus charges from me. Yikes!! We will be informing our local police and the neighbors who share our mailbox kiosk of this ugly incident.

I am back at the Condo in California readjusting again to the simple life with the two of us. We were so thrilled that the temps have cooled down here in Southern California. We didn’t even turn on the A/C since we’ve been home!

Hope you are enjoying Fall wherever you are except for our friends down under who are enjoying Spring!

All Creatures of Our God and King ~ Hymn

All Creatures of Our God and King

All creatures of our God and King
Lift up your voice and with us sing,
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Thou burning sun with golden beam,
Thou silver moon with softer gleam!

Refrain

O praise Him! O praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Thou rushing wind that art so strong
Ye clouds that sail in Heaven along,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Thou rising moon, in praise rejoice,
Ye lights of evening, find a voice!

Refrain

Thou flowing water, pure and clear,
Make music for thy Lord to hear,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Thou fire so masterful and bright,
That givest man both warmth and light.

Refrain

Dear mother earth, who day by day
Unfoldest blessings on our way,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
The flowers and fruits that in thee grow,
Let them His glory also show.

Refrain

And all ye men of tender heart,
Forgiving others, take your part,
O sing ye! Alleluia!
Ye who long pain and sorrow bear,
Praise God and on Him cast your care!

Refrain

And thou most kind and gentle Death,
Waiting to hush our latest breath,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Thou leadest home the child of God,
And Christ our Lord the way hath trod.

Refrain

Let all things their Creator bless,
And worship Him in humbleness,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son,
And praise the Spirit, Three in One!

Refrain

Words: Francis of Assisi, cir­ca 1225

Round Robin Photo Challenge ~ In Motion

It’s time for another Round Robin Photo Challenge and this time around the theme is “in Motion”.  Click on the Robin above to get to the Round Robin Photo Challenge blog and see the participants for this challenge..

My daughter and I headed up to Canada this past Tuesday. We visited the Aquarium in Stanley Park and all my motion shots are from the Aquarium and of my daughter walking along the break wall in Stanley Park.

Thanks for stopping by. Have a great Saturday!!

Friday’s Fave Five ~ PNW

Here are some favorites from the Pacific Northwest!

1. On Saturday I attended a bridal shower for my DIL’s good friend. Spending some time with my DIL and her mother was lovely.

2. Taking a roadtrip with my daughter to Canada was so much fun.

3. Stanley Park in Vancouver is a beautiful destination. It was great that it was cool enough to enjoy hot tea in the afternoon!

4. The Vancouver Aquarium was amazing. The incredible variety in God’s creation struck me over and over again as we walked from tank to tank.

5. Fall color washed with rain has been fabulous to see!

Finding dead rats in our attic was not a favorite!! Sorry I just had to add that since I can’t get it out of my head. Ugh! Double Ugh!! Maybe triple ugh!!!

Please visit the lovely Susanne at Living to Tell the Story to join on in with your favorites from this past week!

 

Eating Our Way Through Two Countries!!

My daughter Katie and I set out on a rainy adventure through the top left corner of the U.S.A. to Canada on Tuesday. Just before we got to the border of the U.S.A. and Canada we stopped at the Blackberry House Cafe in Blaine. Friends of ours own the cafe and we wanted to check it out since we were in the neighborhood. What a great spot for some good eats and good coffee. We had a little visit and bought some fresh bread to take home. Make sure you stop by sometime at H street and 3rd!

Here are the owners and our yummy breakfast. Aaron is a pastry chef. Sorry the photo is a little blurry…

They let us across the border after a few questions as to our purpose for visiting the fine country of Canada. We told them we were visiting to go to lunch. They wanted to know where we planned to eat. We said “Stanley Park”. They wanted us to be more specific so we said, “The Teahouse Restaurant in Stanley Park”. That was the right answer so they let us proceed!

 

I think our food choices at the Teahouse Restaurant look like something you’d get served on Top Chef. Don’t let the name of this restaurant fool you. It’s not about the Tea here but it is about some very good food.

After lunch we spent some time at the Aquarium in Stanley Park and then enjoyed seeing some beautiful views under dry skies before we headed back to the Border.

When we got to the border we were asked some more questions to see if we were worthy to re-enter our country. They were concerned about agricultural products. They wanted to know where we ate, too. I’m wondering if the Border Patrol are compiling a book on most frequented eateries in Canada…

 

After all those questions about food we got hungry again and stopped at Taco Lobo in Bellingham. Lovella had given this spot a good review and she was right. We got there at 4:45 and ordered our food and as our food arrived the place filled up to overflowing.

If nothing else you can rest assured if you ever travel with us you won’t be hungry!!

And just for the curious if you have a smooth border crossing you can make it from my house to Vancouver in 2-1/2 to 3 hours.

Photobucket is holding all my photos that I stored on their site from 2007-2015 hostage replacing them with ugly grey and black boxes and asking for a large ransom to retrieve them. It is a slow process to go through all my posts deleting the ugly boxes.

We Made it Through the Storm!!

Our trip to Vancouver B.C. was a great contrast in light and dark, wet and dry, stormy clouds and blue skies. When we hit downtown Vancouver and turned onto Georgia St. the rains came down in buckets and I’m not exaggerating. Rivers formed within minutes on the downtown streets.

We got to Stanley Park and found the right road to get to the Teahouse Restaurant and it was fun to hear the big plops of rainwater hitting our car off the huge trees. We got out of the car to run into the restaurant and it was like someone was standing over us pouring water out of a pitcher onto our heads. We ate lunch in the conservatory type room and enjoyed seeing the rain all around us.

After lunch we decided the best option for this day would be to go to the Aquarium.

After our time at the Aquarium we were treated to some beautiful dry skies.

I’ll be posting photos from lunch, the aquarium, and more from Stanley Park as the week goes on.