EKjourney Backup

The season has changed.  All the same time, there are hints of change for weeks and then a sudden realization that we entered Fall.  The days are shorter, the sun comes up while I watch from the couch with my Bible in hand, the evening air is crispy and I can feel the coming frost, the wind has changed directions, the light is golden and the shadows are long, the leaves are rapidly changing from trees to smallest perennial.  Oh how I love watching the changes take place across the landscape, there is so much variation.  Oh what a magnificent creator to include every detail of every day with his constancy and yet its changes.  It leaves me in awe!! Just the other day, the fog settled in among the valley before the sun rose. The last of the field burning. The full moon rise. We celebrated Fall with an Autumn party hosted by Tracie at Whispering Oak Farms.  We read the poems that we wrote and did Fall crafts and enjoyed Fall inspired treats.  I know I hav...

We keep our favorite bird book (Birds of the Willamette Valley Region), a pair of binoculars, and a bird list in the playroom.  This morning, Jubilee spotted this lovely creature in the wooded area near the ducks.  I was so excited to see him.  I can't even remember a time that I saw a pheasant in the wild.  We learned in our bird book that the Ring-necked pheasants are from China and were first introduced (successfully) to the wild in the United States right here in the Willamette Valley in 1882.  It was fun to see the children so enthusiastic - looking up information, writing on our bird list, getting out their cameras.  Brighton was pheasant crazy all morning and kept checking on him, put out some corn for him, and talked a blue streak about all things pheasant (though he kept calling him either a peacock or a phoenix LOL).  I switched the lenses on my camera to a telephoto and then tried to get some pictures.  He was sure fast!  He disapp...

Today was Flock and Fiber Festival shopping day.  I wandered through the inside and outside vendor booths (no list this year) looking for treasures that I can use either for crochet or felting.  I am pretty well stocked since I haven't been felting much but I did buy some foundational white roving, a few skeins of yarn, and some embelishments for detail work in my felt paintings.  I also bought myself a new basket "purse" since the one I bought several years ago has worn out.   It is so much fun to see all the beautiful colors, feel all the wonderful textures, and get inspired by seeing so many projects! Monster crochet hook.   Boxes and boxes of yarn! This was my favorite little treasure find!  This gal masterfully figured out the art of making beautiful crochet rugs and she graciously shared with me the process.  It is totally something that I can do and best part is that it uses all kinds of yarn so I can upcycle cheap acrylics and make th...

The Flock and Fiber Festival is here!!!  I look forward to this event every Fall and it is one of the highlights of my year.  I love shopping for my felting supplies and I love the colors and textures and beautiful Fall drive into Canby.   Last year, I didn't take any classes.  This year, I decided to take a crochet faces class.  The problem was, it was on a Friday.  Phil made arrangements to stay home and I scheduled the homeschool day so that he could easily (ha ha) manage.  I packed a lunch and a bunch of small yarn bits and spent a wonderful day crocheting! One of the things I love so much about crochet and felting is the color and tactileness of the materials.  At the end of class (9:30-4:00).  Can you guess which one is mine? I was a bit surprised by my crochet "skills".  I can't follow a pattern but I have crocheted enough to know all the basic stitches, can crochet quickly (who knew?), and know when something isn't working r...

We left on Saturday morning, around 5:45, for a quick trip up to Seattle to celebrate Gram's life.  It was a whirlwind trip.  We arrived in time for a family breakfast, time to check into the rental house we were sharing (with my parents and my brother and Tina), and then back again (to my Aunt and Uncle's) for a family dinner and time of reflection on Gram's life.  Sunday morning, we got up early and walked to a coffee place with my brother and Tina and then everyone headed out. Seattle was its normal big gray city.  I was thankful for it though because I had an eye infection and my eye was so light sensitive, I could barely see.  Luckily, I had leftover antibiotic drops from the last infection because I didn't have time to go to the eye doctor. Cousins and second cousins Sitting around after a big dinner, sharing about Gram. My brother, thoroughly stuffed with Indian food. So, this funny picture was an attempt at an in-the-dark selfie that we were creating to ...