Blazing glory

So much beauty abounds. I love fall

Ghoulish delights

And so.. Halloween is soon to befall us. Being from the antipodes I never celebrated Halloween. Now I'm here in the states I do as the Yankees do and immerse myself in culture. Still though I'm not a fan of the gruesome or scary... Even though the fam LOVE IT.. This is more my style:

But this is more the style of my fam

You gotta love em!

Question

Have you ever seen those ladies with huge handbags in the fashion
Magazines ? They usually look like lollipops dwarfed by their arm candy but it's a fashion statement I guess. As you know, I myself have a certain penchant for a larger bag, but I think that's in the hopes that someone will mistake me for a lollipop rather than a beluga whale.... Anyhoo can you imagine my excitement when unnamed friend was seen like this

What you see seeing here friends is no CGI (computer generated image) its real. Unnamed friend has not one giant sized bag, not two... Neigh. It's four giant bags. Wow. Impressive.

Holiday treat

I live simple gift giving ideas.

Orient Express Set Up

I just discovered Pamie.  I think you will love her.  If you are looking for an entertaining story (and lets face it, WHO ISNT) - take 2 minutes to read this hilarious recounting of a special occasion she orchestrated for her Mum.  Its great http://pamie.com/2011/09/mother-on-the-orient-express-part-six-the-train/

Friendship bracelet

This past week we visited Chunkanut Drive. I'm not sure if you've taken this stretch of 21 miles but I highly recommend it if you love nature. It's breathtaking. You weave through the old highway with views of Puget sound one side and huge boulders and trees on the other. If you start in Skagit Valley like we did you end up in Fairhaven which is a. The delightfully named hamlet b. Home of dos padres - best melon margarita in the world, and home of the most lip smakingly scrumptilicious homemade habanero jelly. It's also where we decided to wash the car.

All that nature on Chucks drive got me in a silly mood and while the car wash paused, changing cycles I decided it would be a great time to wind the window down and touch the washer twirlers, ya know those big yellow things? Well in the midst of my personal adventure the cycle changed and as I rolled up the window one of the tentacles from the twirlers caught in the window and amputated itself. Most people would have simply opened the window to released the tentacle to the wind... But not me.

Said item was the EXACT yellow of a Lance Armstrong live strong bracelet ... And I wanted to take a little gifty poo to my BFF Tadpole who, coincidentally we were meeting for wine soooo I retrieved it, tied a knot with love and gifted it to my bestie.

A few days later I revealed that origins of the bracelet to Tadpole, suffice to say I think he is not sporting a yellow carwash tentacle any longer BUT... Now I see that he would wear a friendship bracelet to display our mutual amor for one another. So sometime soon I will be crafting one for him. Stand by for photos.

Happy day one and all

Vacay

While stalking someone else's blog I was struck with a realization that apart from a childhood short stay in a Rotorua Motel with ill fated bunk beds and a leaky roof... I, have never had a summer vacay.

This seems wrong. Am I the only one that dosent have summer vacays?

Maybe the reason is because I'm always working towards a vacation in NZ to visit with family? Or maybe it's just really poor planning in general on my part. I think me needs to pow wow with Mr Big to plan a getaway of some sort, course a summer vacay literally is not possible for me - we have our lovely kids for the majority of summer - but how bout a fall or winter getaway? Maybe Whistler or Bampf? Ah sweet dreams....

Simple truths

Fall is a time for reflection and self development for me I tend to do allot of reading and in the midst of this I stumbled across this list of deliciousness this morning and thought it might resonate with you as it did with me:

A happy ending is possible from any beginning.
Stay true to who you are and never give up in your personal truths.
Obstacles are a way for you to prove how much you want something.
Talent, persistence, creativity and passion are important but LOVE is essential.
Fear is better than regrets. Take on your fears.
Don't be afraid to challenge yourself.
There is no such thing as failing - learn. Make adjustments. Move forward.
Avoid analysis paralysis.
Have faith. Jump in.

Birthday tour of the peninsula

Yesterday I turned 40. I was joined by my number one man Mr Big, my mum, stepdad John and step sister De.

I came down to get ready for our getaway in the am and found Mr Big with fabulous lavish gift all gorgeously wrapped.

I know it sounds corny, but the only gift I ever need is him... Still though, a brand new D3000 and not one, but two mini getaways were graciously accepted and welcome. WHOOT!

And in the kitchen, lil Gary had gotten up early and walked down to Henrys for a culinary masterpiece for me to start my day with..

The best part was the beautiful note. I'm a blessed lady.

Then it was time to head out to the peninsula. Though there was no party, no birthday cake or candles, it was a thoroughly lovely time. We started off in Port Townsend visiting Fort Waldon and the point Wilson lighthouse.

As the name suggests, it's a military facility, well ex-military. What's weird about it is all the raw beauty there including wild life, deer just hanging out amoungst the abandoned barracks

And the wildflowers tumbling out of every nook and cranny, speshly the gun emplacements

Next stop, lunch. We went to the Public House. Uttterly delicious potato, corn and dungenous chowder was accompanied by awesome art work

Next day was reserved for a visit to the Olympic Game Reserve you have to go

All too soon it was time to start back, through more beauty

I was so grateful for us all being together, and for awesome beauty all around us.

De goes home Sunday. It's been wonderful getting to spend time with her.

Oh, and a shout out to the peeps at work who surprised me with an awesome autumnal birthday celly at work. It made me feel very spesh

I'm lucky. I have so many blessings to count. I'm grateful.

Great start to the day

Thanks Brina

Thanks Sabrina Ford, hope you don't mind but I borrowed you lovely fall leaf picture

And joosed it with pixloromatic filters, frames and effects

What a great shot!! I lurve me some fall colors

Mother nature, I love you

Yummy. That's the only way to describe the day. This morning showed promise...

On the way in I wish I could gave photographed what I saw for you - the valley was filled with mist - only the tippy top of trees was visible. In the background was the mountain which were inky blue...all of this was lit was the golden light of the rising sun... Beautiful.

That kind of light makes everything beautiful. Have a blessed day friends!

Greek festival

It only happens once a year.. GREEK FEST!

As always parking was a beezy, but... It did give an opportunity for viewing beauty in the montlake neighborhood to reveal itself

Another wonderful day. I am grateful!!

Oh glory

Im certain ive written millions of words sharing with you my love of nature. Fair warning: here comes more.

The photo above is perfect. Cold enough for groovy socks and a campfire... Yessssssss. Join these perfect things with a buddy and you got yourself a good time. And what's better that a fire? The sight literally makes me a giddy girl, in my mind I'm skipping, I'm clapping, I have a grin. And that delicious radiating heat. Yummy. I kind of imagine that out of the frame there's a glass of mulled wine or perhaps a spiced apple cider with a cinnamon stick.

Lookie here this picture was taken at 70 miles an hour riding down i5 after a great day with the family ... and I truly felt blessed. Blessed at all I've had, and all I have. Life is good.

Fall..you're only a latte away

Good news dear reader. I know you, like I, am champing at the bit for fall to take a hold... Well even though the official kick off is another whole week away you can get your early autumnal fix thanks to the awesome
Peeps at your neighborhood Starbucks

And if you're lucky enough to have a Ladypal like Hailstorm.. You can get delivery with a smile and that's not all. If you are super lucky you might also get.....AUTUMN LEAF, utterly resplendent in magenta. Oh, and that early fall in a cup? Why it's GASP.... PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE oh yea.

Country girl

For some strange reason, even though I was raised in a city, I have always yearned for the quiet of the countryside. Wide open spaces. Every shade of green. Sparse population... Perfection.

This past weekend we took the parents ( Mum and Step-dad ) to Darrington to see the Kangaroo Farm , which was lovely and we couldn't be in the Darrington area and not visit you-know-who...

Billy goat Blackjack was in fine form and if you are out in that area you really should stop by and allow his stunts to delight you PLUS you can get your lungfull of clean sweet country air, ya know - get your country on

It's so refreshing. So grounding. I love it.

Woah

A seriously stunning day continues to present itself in Washington

Thank you for this day

Woah, look at the beauty that blessed our eyes this morning! What a start to the day. Thank you nature!

It made me think about Margaret Owens and her sensational song "thank you for this beautiful day" which has a great chorus:

I thank you for my health
I thank you for my healing
Thank you for this beautiful day
I thank you for my life
I'm blessed and I am perfect
I thank you for this beautiful day

Word.

Last first day

It's a big day at Castle Allen. It's oldest son Elliott's last first day of school. Gasp. Yup. Gulp. LAST first day.

He's finishing his senior year at Everett High School, we are proud parents. He is an amazing person and when I look at his face, and in his eyes I just see potential shining back at me.

At 17 I didn't feel like the world was my oyster even though with hindsight I now realize... It was ( and still is ). Mr Big and I are diligent in reinforcing this knowing in all three kids - that they can achieve their grandest dreams and that they should think BIG because with focus and hard work anything is possible. My dearest hope is that this has sunk in to all three of the kids and that they live their lives in this knowing.

I think these coming months are going to be amazing ones for El - last first day, seniorness, settling into Navy lifestyle - readying himself for life after school, prom... And a million more things. It's also going to be an interesting time for Mr Big and I, adjusting to the fact in less than a year we won't be washing his clothes, buying strawberry milk and helping him with his homework. It seems like just yesterday he was a little boy.

Happy last first day lil guy (6ft7in). We love you. Hope you liked the note in your lunch.

Hair Salon at Castle Allen

Lil 'in Miss Dorothy dutifully offered hair services a few moments ago, sadly I dont have wonderful hair, but she was a trooper and braided me up...