Category Archives: Shopping

What’s New…

…in my zoo!

Speaking of new…Happy Rosh Hashana to all our Jewish friends. The Jewish New Year begins this evening and ends September 18th. L ‘Shana Tova!

I finally put away my red, white and blue. My fall bins are ready to come down from the attic. I was at Target and saw these fall tin wall pieces and they were priced right for me…

I subbed out my plates for the tin pumpkins and pear for the Fall season. That might just be a tall skinny pumpkin but we’re calling it a pear after our pear bounty here.  At Christmas time I’ll add something new again.

Here’s a closer view of the pumpkin. These pieces were $2.50 each.

On Saturday Dear and I went to Cabela’s in Tulalip and while he was spending his gift card from the kids I found this table top tripod for myself. I’ll be using it for my food photos.

I bought this crown shelf piece to incorporate with my Christmas and Easter decor celebrating Christ as my King.

My hydrangeas are fading but still beautiful to my eye.

The maple leaves are falling and before we know it the lawn will be totally covered! Look at all that clover in my grass…

Later on Saturday the work continued on the siding with Josh helping again. I made a big pot of chili for the workers to enjoy when they were done.

Progress is good to watch…

We are still promised many dry days and Dear is encouraged with the extra time to finish the siding before the rains come!

When our Saturday was almost done we got one of those dreaded calls that my dad had to call 911 because my mom was very disoriented and didn’t know what end was up. Family met my dad and mom at the hospital and the doctors think she had a TIA event. They kept her overnight and are doing more tests today. I’m happy to be flying down to Southern California next Saturday so I can visit with my mom and dad in person.

So…what’s new in your zoo!?

Good Things Come…

…to those who wait.

Ever since we moved back to Washington from California I have been hoping that a HomeGoods store would open in our state. This past Sunday we had 2 stores open in the Puget Sound area, one in Lynnwood and Federal Way. Dear and I were a little wiped out on Sunday so we didn’t leave the house but on Monday I felt alive again and headed north to HomeGoods with a list in my hand.

I bought several things that we will decide about keeping or not. HomeGoods has a good return policy…

These three pieces will be mounted on the garage wall that I face from the kitchen sink. It adds a lot of interest to a big boring surface.

These wall planters will be easier to see once they are mounted.

While I was outside I took some photos of sections of our deck.

As you can see we don’t have real bright sunny skies even though it’s summer. We are hoping for a nice 4th of July this year. Time will tell. We are having our annual 4th of July barbecue so it would be nice to be comfortable on the deck. What are your plans for the 4th?

A Shopping We Will Go…

But before the ladies head out on their annual Day After Thanksgiving Trip to the Goodwill I wanted to post some photos from our Thanksgiving Day Festivities…

The Day started off with a beautiful Sunrise.

 

We joined the Spiro family and friends for the Thanksgiving meal.

 

The court jesters created another group game for everyone to enjoy.

We slept off the effects of the turkey and now we’re off and running to see what deals we can find and then we are headed to Madame Fifi’s for tea at 1:00. The fun just never stops. See you soon…

Photobucket is holding all my photos from 2007-2015 hostage and demanding a ransom for me to access them. I’m slowly cleaning up many of my posts where PB have added ugly black and grey boxes where my photos used to be. So frustrating!

For Katie and Flower~ Check it out…

 

Hi Flower! I thought of your blog site when I saw this window in Old Town Camarillo today!

Fun Flower Power!

Katie, these 5 cups cost me $2.00!

What do you think?

Here’s the bottom of the cup…

Photobucket is holding all my photos from 2007-2015 hostage and they have blacked them all out. I’m slowly working at restoring my posts without their help. Such a tiresome bother!

Tea Blog-a-thon ~ Decor-a-Tea

This weeks theme is decorating with tea items, or tea collections etc. I’m getting ready for my posts and wanted to remind you that’s it’s not to late to join in. Head over to Gracious Hospitality for the themes each week. Then you can click on the link below my collage to see other posts for this weeks theme. Here’s my first contribution to Decor-a-Tea.

 

The tea set and dishes are Royal Albert Moss Rose. The napkins and napkin rings are Target clearance. The glasses and clear glass plates on top of the Moss Rose plates are from Goodwill. The tablecloth is a quilt I bought at T.J.Max. The runner is a piece of dotted swiss fabric with lace that I found at Goodwill, too. The salt and pepper shakers are a gift from a friend who purchased them in Victoria, B.C. I love to find things here and there to add to my different ideas for place settings. When I find bargains it’s easier to justify adding them to my collections. I’ve gotten a lot braver in throwing odd things together and most of the time it works out well. Enjoy…

I’m headed to the airport now to return to Southern California. I will add some more Decor-a-Tea posts from there. Have a wonderful week everyone.

To see more Decorating Tea posts click here.

Photobucket is holding all my photos from 2007-2015 hostage. I’m working on updating my blog posts very slowly.

Back to the Burke-Gilman Trail

Photobucket is holding all my photos from 2007-2015 hostage. I’m working on updating my blog posts very slowly.

Today was my first real walk since I broke my toe and have been in Washington. I get to do this same walk again on Saturday, a reunion with my two Washington walking buddies. Jody and I did the walk today and it was nice to be on this trail again. The Spring scenery here in Washington is very different from my California walks. There are signs of Spring but it’s still quite cool and dreary with welcomed sun breaks here and there.

 

The Burke-Gilman trail in the Seattle area of Washington runs from Shilshole Bay 18 miles partly along Lake Washington and then intersects with the Sammamish River Trail that runs all the way to Marymoor park in the city of Redmond along the river. We start at Log-Boom Park in Kenmore on Lake Washington and head east on the trail.

 

There were some pretty signs of Spring along the Sammamish river part of the trail in Bothell.

These huge birds looked like buzzards but we couldn’t get focused in close enough to really identify them. They were very large like a buzzard.

 

I took a shot of the willow tree for you Willow! The last photo is looking north along a creek that crosses underneath the trail. This was the first day this week that I put my pedometer on for the walk and it was over 15,000 steps and after my stops on the way home I’m up to 17,430 steps!! On the way home from the walk I had to stop at a thrift store because I’ve done some cleaning out since I’ve been here and wanted to donate some stuff, but I couldn’t leave without doing a little shopping…hmm, counterproductive?!

 

I found this sweet little mug for 50 cents with a bird and I think dogwood blossoms and the reversible table runner with blue flowers and green leaves on one side and blue and white stripes on the reverse for $3.20. I added it to my Easter table and am ready for our brunch on Sunday after the 8:30 service we decided on for Easter. I so love anticipating celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus Christ each year…

Have a wonderful day!

ABC Wednesday ~ F is for…

Photobucket is holding all my photos I stored with them from 2007-2015 hostage. They have blacked out all those photos on my blog posts. OH BOTHER! I’m slowly cleaning up my posts.

F is for Farmers Market where we shopped this last Saturday.

 

The Farmers Market in Old Town Camarillo, California

 

F is for fruit. We have fields of strawberries in our town and strawberry stands where we can buy them all during the week fresh from the fields when they are in season.

 

F is for flowers the more unusual and flamboyant

 

and some more fragrant flowers

We bought purple cauliflower, artichokes, brussel sprouts, and limes. (Nothing starting with F) but all very fresh and flavorful. The artichokes were wonderful. My husband likes to have his with mayonnaise and I love mine with Ranch Dressing. Yum! I made a cauliflower soup that was blended with onion and garlic. (strange to eat purple soup). It was very good.

 

This is a strawberry field near my home. This made me want to sing “Strawberry Fields Forever”

 

This is a strawberry stand in my town that sells fresh berries from the adjoining field. So luscious, sweet and juicy!

For more ABC Wednesday photos go visit Mrs. Nesbitt all the way in the UK!

Lovella’s Walking Club Tally ~ 11,083 Steps

Time again for our early morning Saturday walk at Emma Wood. We took a new trail this week and took a closer look at the Flora and Fauna along the way.

 

Sitting already.  The waves were crashing and giving off wonderful spray again today.

 

I found this wonderful book at the Friends of The Library in Camarillo for $3.00 and it shows among other areas the flowering plants of the coastel region. Here’s some of what we found today.

 

Sea Fig and Hottentot Fig

 

We’re still working on identifying these two.

 

We saw this pod on a Eucalyptus tree and then this bloom that we guess comes from it.

 

After our walk we walked some more along Main Street in Ventura. We went to some used bookstores and some thrift stores and I’ll show you our “finds” at the end of the post. But first we decided to refresh ourselves at Anacapa Brewing Co.

Good ole Queen Victoria said “Give my People plenty of Beer, good beer and cheap beer, and you will have no Revolution among them”

 

We decided on the brewed on premises IPA and lo and behold we aren’t joining any revolutions today!

We split a pulled pork sandwich, coleslaw and some North Jetty Fries (fries with fresh garlic, rosemary, and Parmesan cheese) We’ll be tasting garlic and rosemary for the rest of the day!

 

After lunch we walked uphill to see the Statue of Father Junipero Serra at the Ventura City Hall. He founded 9 missions in California, including his last and most cherished, Mission San Buenaventura in 1782. He died in 1784. One of these days we’ll take a side trip to the Mission down the street.

The first elementary school that Josh and Dan (our sons) went to was Junipero Serra in Ventura.

Now to the bargains we found today. I bought this cute cake plate at the Mission Thrift Store for $4.95.

The hardbound Jane Eyre for $2 at a Span thrift store and my most exciting find the Elizabeth Goudge book The Child From The Sea for $3.25 at Abednego Bookstore.

We also bought this breakfast in bed or computer in a chair table for $2.95. It folds up flat and the tray also tilts up to set a book on at a reading angle. I like the magazine or book holders on the side.

 

So with all of our walking today my average steps went up nicely to 11,083.  Woohoo! Look what was in the mailbox when we got home, my new pedometer. Now I hope to get more accurate step counts.

Have a wonderful President’s Day Weekend for those of you in the states and a lovely regular weekend elsewhere.

Photobucket is holding all my photos I stored with them from 2007-2015 hostage. They have blacked out all those photos on my blog posts. OH BOTHER! I’m slowly cleaning up my posts.

Show & Tell ~ White Serveware

Photobucket is holding all my photos I stored with them from 2007-2015 hostage. They have blacked out all those photos on my blog posts. OH BOTHER! I’m slowly cleaning up my posts.

 Welcome to Show and Tell Friday.

I love to use white platters and bowls when entertaining and for everyday. Most of these pieces I picked up at Goodwill. The top right bowl was a gift from my brother (he gave me 2) and the bottom right hand corner platter was a gift from my son and his wife. The second row one on the left is a strawberry collander. I find that I can use these with any set of dishes and for any occassion. If they break I can replace them easily.

For more Show and Tell visit Kelli at There’s No Place Like Home.

The Somis Nut House

** Scroll on down past this post for Wordless Wednesday.

I made a little trip to the Somis Nut House. It’s located on Los Angeles Ave. between Lewis Rd. (Hwy 34) and North St. in the little town of Somis, California. It’s a family run business that has been in Somis for almost 48 years. It’s nothing great to look at from the outside but on the inside you find rows and rows of nuts, dried fruit, nut meal, and specialty candy, jams, sauces, etc.

If you blink you’ll drive right by it.

Like I said nothing glamorous on the outside.

 

 

Almonds, Filberts, Cashews, Peanuts, Pecans, trail mixes, etc.

 

Love the signs like Cashier Nut. And I was so pleased to find Walnettos here. “Want a Walnetto?” Is anyone old enough to remember that line from Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In?

~

Forget Me Nut…

They also have Almond meal and Filbert Meal

 

Had to include this shot with Fruit Labels from the state of Washington…

These were my choices for the day. Roasted and Salted Peanuts, Honey Roasted Peanuts, and of course the Walnetto’s! We were more impressed with the taste of the peanuts from Somis Nut House than Trader Joe’s. Dear says “In comparison the peanuts from Trader Joe’s tasted like they came across the Atlantic between the toes of Columbus’ men.”

So the next time I want nuts for anything I’ll be coming back to Somis Nut House…

Photobucket is holding all my photos I stored with them from 2007-2015 hostage. They have blacked out all those photos on my blog posts. OH BOTHER! I’m slowly cleaning up my posts.