The Art of Giving - Foodie Basket

As we move into the holiday season thoughts will soon turn to finding gifts for family and friends. Shopping for presents has never been a favorite pastime for me. I wanted to create something unusual and unexpected that would surprise and delight, and be great fun to put together. Enter the gift basket (or bowl, or gourd, or box) perfect for just about any occasion: birthday, wedding, holiday, off to college, house warming or just because. The possibilities are endless. Walk away from the big box stores, support working artists, and put together a truly unique gift.

Harvest Time

About 3:30am I was awakened by bright lights, tractors and laughter. I toddled out to my studio and opened the door. It looked like a space ship had landed in the vineyard next door. Then it dawned on me, it's harvest time! I found out from a friend, who has a small vineyard on her property, that grapes are often harvested in the wee hours to delay the onset of fermentation.

I decided to explore Etsy and 1000Markets with the key word "harvest" and here are a few of my favorites for this week. Support independent artists!

"Goddess of the Forest" by creativityjewellery

"The Harvest" from Jewels in the Garden

"Home Grown" from Burning River Studio

Skylights

If you think life is simply a sequence of passing events

You haven't been listening to the music

One autumn evening we noticed a glow coming through the windows from the sunrise side of the house. The light was so improbably rich and bright we were immediately drawn outside. There we found our neighbors out on the driveway as mesmerized as we were. This was one of those magical moments when a few of the simple elements of our everydays: a late afternoon breeze, clouds and a setting sun collided to create an incredible light show.

LESSON HERE?

Go outside more often: take a walk, listen to the birds, say hi to your neighbors, or go get your hands dirty in the garden. Life is too short to be constantly plugged into that matrix that we call a communication device! Moderation is the key, so back away from the keyboard, find the nearest exit, open the door and step into the new world. That's where I'm headed right now!

Here Comes The Sun

Going out to get the paper early in the morning has its benefits

Blue Highways Tour - Back to Civilization

Snake River near Marsing, ID

Northwest Nevada Hwy 95

As we headed towards home we dropped out of the mountains of Idaho to high prairies and then the high deserts of the Idaho, Oregon, Nevada triangle. We spent our last night in Idaho on the Snake River. Though the river is no longer "wild" this far south it was nonetheless cooling and beautiful.

I don't get to the desert too often, but each time I adventure to these special places I find myself simply awed by the shear openness, the colors and the subtle smell of sage. It is a deceptive beauty that demands respect from all who travel here.

Though we have thoroughly enjoyed this adventure we find ourselves looking forward to home: apple pie from the last of the Gravensteins and grilled vegies from the garden. Of course we are already planning the next adventure.

Back to the Blue Highways Tour - Lachsa River, ID

We left Glacier National Park and worked our way south and west to the Lewis and Clark Trail (Hwy 12) in Idaho. As we drove we talked about what it must have been like coming west on journeys of discovery. We both have such an affinity for the era we decided that in previous lives we just may have been pioneers. We camped here on the Lachsa River at Wendover in the Clearwater National Forest. It was clear and warm. Once settled we pulled out the camp chairs and spent the afternoon reading near the river. It doesn't get much better than that!

To the Roads Less Travelled

Having just returned from a great adventure, I wanted to feature four Etsy artisans who also seem to be into roads less travelled, and of course pay homage to poet Robert Frost:

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"I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence

Two roads diverged in a wood

And I took the one less traveled by

And that has made all the difference"

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A click on any of the photos will take you to their Etsy sites Road Less Travelled by Country Dreaming

Blue Highways by Gretchen Simons

Road Less Travelled by Jane Perdue

Road Less Travelled by Robin Cheers

Blue Highways Tour - Glacier National Park

This road trip became a reconnaissance mission for future adventures. We have already decided we need at least two weeks in Montana and Glacier for exploring, fishing and photography.

Our rig was too big to traverse the Waterton to West Glacier connection on the "Going to the Sun" road so we traveled Hwys 89 and 2 to reach West Glacier and experienced some truly incredible vistas along the way.

We camped at Apgar in West Glacier. Once we settled in we walked to town for an ice cream and then strolled down along the MacDonald River via this pathway. Again, it seems more like Spring than the middle of August.

MacDonald River


At Crandell Lake in Waterton Park and here on the MacDonald River at Glacier we were totally amazed by the colors of the pebbles and stones that wash down from the mountains. I have a thing for rocks, this may turn into a theme for another blog entry!

Blue Highways Tour - Waterton Lakes Park, Alberta

I don't know what we expected, but the town of Waterton Park was a bit like Aspen: discovered, overboutiqued and crowded. We opted for the more isolated Crandell Campground. Once settled we made the 1.5 mile hike up to Crandell Lake. It is a small lake with a rocky bottom of very colorful stones: red, orange, cream, brown, blue green, white, yellow and black. We were lucky enough to see a young black bear cross the trail in front of us on the way up to the lake. Needless to say we stood stock still for a bit to make sure mama wasn't close and then continue our hike. Crandell Lake

Trail back from the lake to campground

Blue Highways Tour - Fernie, BC

Visited a Saturday farm market in the town of Fernie in the Macdonald Range of the Canadian Rockies. We found an incredible selection of organic produce from local farms and purchased raspberries, cherries, apples and a variety of vegetables for our campfire cuisine.

We also discovered a new food experience called Poutine. It is absolutely not heart smart, but we were on vacation and that means anything goes. The folks in front of us in line said we absolutely had to try it. It looked dangerous so we wisely decided to split an order. Ready? It is fresh cut french fries smothered in brown gravy with grated cheese on top! So bad for you, but oh so good!

Blue Highways Tour - Crowsnest Hwy

The Crowsnest Hwy (Canadian Hwy 3) is a 722 mile long road through southern British Columbia and Alberta that provides the shortest land connection between Vancouver, BC and Medicine Hat, AB. It is mostly two lanes and follows a mid-19th century gold rush trail originally traced by a young engineer named Edgar Dewdney. It takes its name from the Crowsnest Pass where the highway crosses the Continental Divide between BC and AB. We picked it up in Hope, BC and followed it until we turned south at Pincher Creek, AB to head for the Glacier-Waterton International Peace Park. I'm guessing we logged about 600 miles of it.

Our first night in BC was at Stemwinder Provincial Park on the Similkameen River. Although it was August what we know as spring flowers were in full bloom everywhere.

Blue Highways Tour - Hwy 92

Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest - Stillaguamish River - Gold Basin Campground

The object of our road trip was to stay off the interstates and stay on roads less travelled. Life moves too fast as it is and the idea was to explore with no particular destination or time table in mind. We were able to stop at small town fairs and farmers markets, pull over and wade in pristine rivers, camp in little known parks, watch wild horses galloping across unfenced land and lucky enough to see a young black bear and eagles on a hike in Alberta. This is what life should be all about: unplugged from all of our electronic gadgets and deciding whether to turn right or left each morning at breakfast. Now go do it!

Housing Shortage - What is he thinking?

We recently replaced a fence post and installed a new gate to the garden. We decided to leave the post tall and added an old birdhouse we found on the property. The thought was that one of the smaller species of birds we have here would use it next spring. This young vulture, handsome fellow that he is, looks as though he is checking out local real estate for a place to settle down.

Random Musings for a Saturday morning

I wonder if crayons come in this color?

Word Play

There is amazing power in simple words of description. They can capture your imagination or tell you a story, suggest a flight of fancy or stop you in your tracks. I work with lampwork glass in all of my designs. I am first drawn to colors and patterns, but it is often the descriptions that grab me. Today's kudos go to JavaBeads.

What is True

What is true

Is that when you get down

To why you are doing something

Not for the money

Or the ego satistisfaction

Not for the expectations

Or the promises

But for the shear love

Of what you are doing

There exist no droughts

No dried up wells

June 19, 1975

Did She Make It?

This little one could give Wiley Coyote a run for his money. I watched in fascination as she tried to figure out this new road block. The disc (an old pot lid) spins so it looked like she was driving a car on ice: right, right, right, oops, left, left, left, stop. I was laughing so hard I could hardly keep the camera steady. You'll need to stay tuned to see if she outfoxed me again. Now get on outside and enjoy the day.

Home Entertainment - Unplugged

Happy 4th Of July

There are a couple of peanut feeders in the front yard for the nuthatches, titmice and woodpeckers. Soon after they were placed we discovered that the families of red and grey squirrels were quite intrigued and wily enough to figure things out. We keep trying to outsmart them with new set ups, but they continue to prove us fools. Squirrels 6 - Humans 0. We'll try again another day.

Richardson's Grove

A walk along the Eel River is often full of surprises. This particular morning, near Richardson's Grove, dawned warm and sunny, trails refreshed by an evening rain. Footsteps went unheard on the forest floor. The only sounds were the river and the call of a lone hawk.

Bucket List - Tututun Lodge - Gold Beach, Oregon

One of those very special places that will become part of the fabric of your life. We have returned annually for over a decade to celebrate our wedding anniversary on December 21st. It is a truly serene and romantic spot on the banks of the Rogue River. If you go in summer taking a mail boat up the river to Agnes is a must. It is a 104 mile round trip through some of the most beautiful back country you've ever seen. Oh, and prepare to get wet, it's the best part of the adventure on a hot summer day!