Of Good Intentions!

This is why the chickens eat the cat food!

WOW~~~it's been a day or two since I lasted posted and it's been several weeks since I last popped in and checked out what you all were up to!!!

Needless to say life has been crazy, fun, interesting, challenging, sad, and so very hectic!

I had very good intentions when the new year started to be more consistent with posting to my blog.   

Well that hasn't happened!

I shortened my shop hours in January and February to just Monday and Tuesdays (slow time retail wise anyway).  Was going to get my "SPRING" cleaning done early...got a decent start and then decided to do the Marshfield Vintage Market Spring Show (March 28 & 29). It was fun, creative, exhilarating, hectic, busy and oh so very tiring.  The G'Kiddo's were my muscle and strength.   I just had to keep all that muscle power fueled!!! They helped me tremendously. I could even take a bathroom break and leave them in total control. They offered to help my booth neighbors by assisting customers carry larger purchases to their cars. I could not have done the show without thier support and help. My "babies" are getting so grown up!

Two of my elderly cats, Stripes and Bon Bon, passed.  Stripes was born here 16 years ago and Bon Bon moved over from the neighbors about 7 years ago and she was pretty old then.  So now I just have Kit Kat and Homer. Both have decided that they want to be 24 hour inside house cats!

I let the G'Kiddo's talk me into brooding chicks (1 Wyandotte "Poppy" and 1 Barred Rock "Iris") in my laundry room bath tub. It worked rather well, but oh the dust was terrible. So we now have two more to add to the flock, bringing there numbers up to five. The three older gals are Barred Rock and rather sporadic layers. I suspect one has a clutch of eggs out under the huge pile of blackberry briars, I have no rooster so it's all for naught. But they do love to gab about, and I never get tired of hearing their chicken voices and seeing them pecking and scratching through the field and yard. It's a foot race every morning, each one trying to beat the others to get to the deck and eat all of the left over cat food...yes, the chickens are addicted to cat food!!!

In all of this madness, I have decided to close my shop. The reasons are many. I didn't start it with the intention of getting rich, but you do need to make money. I always said "I'll close the day that this is not fun anymore", that day has come. I'll be re-activating my ETSY shop...because you know I won't stop hunting and gathering!!!

I just want to get my house in order. I want it to be my home where guest can come over and I don't have to clear a spot for them to sit at the table. I am continually apologizing for odd pieces of furniture in different stages of restoration  scattered throughout the house. I really do have nice large area rugs under those ugly painting tarps and no, I'm not trying some new paint technique on the kitchen cabinets...it's just paint splatter. I'm an organized person and I am now so far beyond un-organized that it's truly scary for me. I'm taking my life back!!!

Do you think I might be a little to "dramatic" here?

With that said...my two granddaughters and I are planning a very fun trip up the coast of Oregon .  Mid June, during the summer solstice, we're driving to Astoria, Oregon for the Scandinavian Festival. Our route will be Scenic (translates into winding with cliff views of ocean, narrow, two lane road most of journey) Highway 101 and it's about a five hour drive from Coos Bay.

We will be going to nearby Fort Clatsop, of  Lewis and Clark trail fame. Going to be jetting about on the restored trolley car, doing walking tours of the "Old Victorian Ladies" and historic downtown, in fact quite a bit of architecture to be seen in the area. Another sight is the Astoria Column, which was under restoration the last time I visited. Plus just checking out the "new vibe" of the area and going to Sunday Market, by this time in June it will be laden with farm fresh produce.

Kindergarten Cop, Free Willy and Goonies are just three of the many movies filmed in Astoria. Going to visit the film museum and look up a few of the filming locations. Other venues we will be visiting are the Heritage Museum, Captain George Flavel House, and Columbia River Maritime Museum Lots of interesting and wonderful things to see and do, hope we can fit most of this in...they're young they can keep up with me!!!  I have added links if you want to check any of this out further.

We might even get up enough courage to cross the four mile long Astoria-Megler bridge into Washington state. 

Maybe on a sunny day!

Oh! How charming...just drive off into the mist...I don't think so!!!

Going to try and be a good blogger and take photos to share with all of you. Oregon is truly beautiful and the shoreline on a sunny day is spectacular and if it's storming...absolutely breath taking (see picture above...LOL). I haven't been that far up the north coast in over 20 years. Friends have told me that Astoria has rejuvenated itself into quite the trendy seaside community. Portland, our largest city, is about two hours or so east, so this is their backyard to play in.

In fact, things are rolling right along, just booked the hotel room...we even have a view of the Columbia River.

Well I need to close for today...talk with you soon!

Thanks for popping in!!!

~~~Happy Hunting and Gathering~~~