Here we go again....

We are so thankful we finally sold our house this past October. We had various back-up plans for where we would live while we get a house built. The sale went through so late in the year we aren't able to get the house until next summer. We knew all along we would be building a shop first. The plan was to get the shop built and live in it until we had a house. Little did we know building a shop is no easy task if you are not a builder. Do we hire it out or ask for help from friends and family who do have the experience? We got some bids from several contractors and decided to go with the friends and family route. My Dad has the experience and the equipment and he was willing to take charge. He got here in October from his job in New Mexico. Since then a lot has been done but a little at a time with whatever help we can scrounge up. It is no where near ready for living in. Our temporary home here was only until winter hit. This week winter hit hard. We have been cold and drifted in out here in the country so it is time to move out. We are moving to Union to live in mom and dad's abandoned house for a little while.

Work will continue on the shop as the weather allows.

Brrrr!

Beautiful but cold.
Look at all this snow that fell the other night. I wasn't quite ready for it yet. I do love a snowy December and a white christmas though. We need to get moved out of here before we are trapped for the winter so moving day comes again. This also slows down the construction.
Some dedicated souls did get the roof finished yesterday and today in the freezing temps.

BARN RAISING

Welcome to Lexy and Eric's reception. We tried to turn a church gym into a barn.

Morgan saw this idea from Martha Stewart. She made 1500 tissue flower petals to create these flowers that attach to a sting of lights. They were gorgeous when added to some tree branches Gareld cemented in pots for me. We had three trees like this.

Out here at the Hibbert's, Kathy let me borrow several things from the barn. I got milk cans, a barn door, the wheel, wooden boxes, 2 qt canning jars, and other odds and ends to help create the "barn" Lexy was going for. She always thought it would be fun to have a reception in a barn so we did what we could to give her that feeling.

Wedding Cake! Yellow cupcakes with cream cheese filling and chocolate frosting. The top is a New York Cheese Cake. The bride and groom kept that for themselves as is tradition. Darn! Morgan makes delicious cheesecakes.

Morgan was in charge of the cake. Lexy wanted cupcakes. Morgan saw this really pretty idea using dried pineapple slices as flowers. We borrowed a meat slicer so we could get them thin and even and dried some in the oven, some in the dehydrator, some with sugar water, some without so we had many variations in color. It was beautiful.

I had this idea for a fence to separate the eating area from the rest of the room. Just to give a little definition to the space. We have no shortage of barn boards so it was easy to do. It turned out really cute. There are strips of burlap down each row of tables. The flowers were in canning jars and various other glass vases. I had pictures from the day before at the temple framed and on the tables, too. Lexy wanted paper lanterns overhead so Gareld, Grandpa Tony and Uncle Cam were in charge of stringing the fishing line. It was a huge family endeavour. Thanks for all the help Eli, Riley, Max, Zoey, McKinna, Morgan, Theresa, Cam, Suci, Stephanie, Gareld, Sandra, Grandma Maur, Grandpa Tony, and the Lougee family who put on a delicious dinner.

Alexa and Eric

They did it! Today my niece was sealed for time and all eternity. It was a great day.

JOURNEY

I haven't shared my birthday present yet so here it is. On October 27 we headed to La Grande to go to dinner and a movie. We had gift certificates from Jeremy (to Ten Depot) and Morgan (to the Granada) so what better way to celebrate a birthday. We pulled into the dealership to look and ended up buying a car. A year and a half ago we almost had ourselves talked into this car but we knew it wasn't the right time and we resisted. This time we got it. This black one wasn't on the lot. They had to go across state to get it. I was planning on going to Portland for the weekend to the antique show. Jeremy was going to Jackson Hole for a job fair. His car broke down so he had to take my Neon. Luckily this one got here on Friday morning and I took off on my trip. I got to break it in all weekend. I think it was a week before Gareld even got to drive it. It is a nice car. I love it. I really love satellite radio! Now this weekend we are doing a big car swap. Jeremy gets his car back from the shop, Morgan gets the Neon, Lexy and Eric get Morgan's car and I am happy in my shiny, black, Dodge Journey.

A ROOF OVER OUR HEADS

The roof started going up today. Half it it got done. It looks really nice. Max spent his day spreading out gravel inside so it is closer to being ready for concrete.
Gareld said it finally looks like a shop. I wanted it to have some shape other than a big box so we went with this design so it looked like a cross between a barn and a shop. The doors will make it cute too. I am having doors with cross bars on each of the lean-to sides. The roof is light gray. The sides will be white and there will be a dark gray section all around the bottom.

Lunch break around the camp fire. Gotta keep warm somehow. Today was family day. Dad was there, brother-in-law Jeff, nephew Max, and my niece Lexy's fiance Eric. They are getting married next Friday. Welcome to the family now get to work! Thank-you everyone!!!

UPDATED UPDATE

Today, with more good help (Jeremy brought along another friend), one side of the shop got it's roof rafters. Running out of good weather days and now daylight savings time kicks in but they keep at it every chance they get.

UPDATE

It's been awhile since I mentioned anything about the property progress. Dad has been working out there most days by himself until Gareld gets there after work. They stay until dark, which comes way too early to get very far. Trenches have been dug from the well to the shop and from the electrical box to the shop. Wiring, phone lines and pipe are in the ground. The electrical installation has to be inspected and then it will be buried making room for cement trucks to back in and pour the floor. This week weather has been beautiful but it looks like there is a change on the way. We have been worried about getting far enough to get moved out of this temporary home. Looks like we can be out by December 1st. The next three weekends are busy with Lexy's shower, marriage, reception, antique/craft show, thanksgiving and day after thanksgiving big event sale at work. I work best under pressure. I am a procrastinator. Everything will be fine.

FALL PHOTOS

I took the Columbia River Gorge Scenic Byway drive on the way home this time. I always want to go that way but Gareld had a bad experience in 90 mile an hour winds up at Crown Point one trip so it's hard to convince him it will be fun. It was especially beautiful this time of year. In New York we drove out towards Vermont to see the pretty fall colors and they were pretty but this section of Oregon has it's own special fall beauty.

Horsetail Falls. There are several waterfalls you can get up close and personal with.

Here's a neat old bridge along Historic Highway 30.

Rasmussen Pumpkin Patch in Hood River. I like to go here and load up the car with apples, pumpkins, gourds and squash. It's a family business and the inspiration for my own pumpkin patch out on the property. It has been fun taking friends and family here over the years.

I don't know why I like these gourds so much but I am drawn to them.

Love the colors and textures of fall fruits and veggies.

Brandon and Monica have some big old trees in their yard. Lot's and lot's of leaves.

This is a fun place to visit a little ways out in the country outside of Watertown, NY.

Fresh squeezed apple cider samples and fresh made donuts, too.

Isn't this inviting. The gates into the cemetery have big concrete urns on top of these pillars.

There are some awesome cemeteries back east. Many old stones with a lot of character. This one in La Fargeville was beautiful in the fall colors. Last year when we were there in September I took several photos thinking they would be good for Halloween decorating.