Happy Zombie

Following our trip to Barn House, we ventured where the signs told us to go next.

Second stop was a place where I had trouble remembering the name.  I still can’t remember, and will edit it in later.  I do though remember it was in Battle Ground, WA (don’t get too homesick Nanna Jamma).  Super-size-me photos on a slide-show here for flickr peeps.

After many turns and twists, we are lead down this drive-way not knowing what awaits us.

A little enchanted forest with a village (someone’s home with lots of little buildings and goodies to buy inside them).

The doorway to Autumn paradise.

A cute little “shop” with folk artsy goodies.  Karen picking out for each of us a darling felt pendant with a cute Halloween critter on it to remeber our fun day together.  I could have gone to town in here. Actually, I did.  I had an armful of stuff to buy, got the counter… and the didn’t take debit/plastic (oh well, I was tightening the belt anyway).  Paula and I both did manage to get some adorable little fabric pumpkins (I see pumpkin making in our future).

An enchanting little grove and parts of it were lit up with twinkling lights.  I can only imagine how magical it must look at night.

And THIS is what brought me to my knees and prompted a 100+ photographs.  Amanda, you better sit down - hope you didn’t get a new barn yet.
I.  LOVE.  THIS.

One more time:  I.  LOVE.  THIS. I love this. I love this. I love this.

I took 100’s of photos to show my carpenter - for him to draft up a work order (aka my hubby and a honey-do list). I would LOVE to have this little sanctuary in my yard. I could envision so clearly friends coming over… having tea (or margaritas), stitching, yacking. Just being together hanging out and having respite, creativity, laughter, and of course… snacks.

Right side of the sanctuary:

Left side of the sanctuary:

Next stop… Beyond The Garden Gate, also in Battle Ground. Impressed with myself for remembering the name… I got lucky and captured the sign in one of my photos.  The highlight of this stop was nature’s wonders and farmishy stuff on the property. LOOK at this tree!!! I ’bout drove off the side of the road when I first saw it (shhh… don’t tell that to Robin).

My girl gang accused me of a reach-a-round.
And I did.
And I liked it.
And it felt like cherry chapstick.

Barntastic art.

New stuff inside to buy, but I’m more into vintage pre-loved stuff or handmade.  I did like their window box with the pumpkins (the mint green star on The Juice, not so much).  Something else to put on my “work-order”.  I see a trip to Lowes in my hubby’s future.  Okay, okay… I love the star too, and want it on the side of my one-day barn sanctuary.  And painted in aqua.

I did manage to drop some cash and picked up some cute iron gardenishy stuff.

After our vintagepalooza through Battle Ground, off to lunch we went.  For dessert we went to Kalama for antiquing and scored, scored, scored. If you’re ever traveling up the I-5 between Portland and Seattle, and you love antique shopping… Kalama is a great little town with many little stores to choose from. The locals here call it “ka-LAM-a”. But I know better and refuse to buckle to inaccurate pronunciation… it’s “ka LA ma” when I comes from my mouth, mahalo very much.

Paula and Robin getting ready for Halloween at the antique mall.

And before we knew it… it was time for dinner, and even more fun was had. And then it was time to make the trek back to the coast. I got home just after 10pm… and off to bed I went, dreaming of the magical day with the best friends ever… while sugar plumbs and little barn sanctuaries danced in my head.

Ever feel like you’ve walked straight into the pages of a magazine?  Me neither.  Until Saturday, that is.  My kick-ass girl gang trip to Barn House was heavenly and I had to touch everything to make sure it was real life - and not printed pages.  Heavenly.  Delightful.  Magical.  Beautiful.  Breathtaking.  And a little macabre-larious too (saving that for the end of the post - no skipping ahead).  My challenge was to whittle down all my photos into only 3 dozen.  Between Paula and me, I think we snapped a couple hundred photos.  Click.  Click.  Click…  we just couldn’t stop.  Barn House is located in Battle Ground, Washington… which is about 30-40 minutes NE of Portland, Oregon - and about a 2 hour drive SE from my house (in Astoria, Oregon).

Mother Nature put on quite a show for us - the fall colors looked like they were airbrushed on.

Entrance to the barn - this is such an E Ticket!

Our hosts.  Far right is Jermonne, one half of “J & J” of Barn House, aka Joe and Jermonne. Everyone at Barn House was so friendly and gracious, and made everyone feel like a VIP guest.

A chicken feeder - something ordinary into something beautiful.

Terracotta pumpkin patch.  Ishy.

Bulbs.

A sweet little garden just outside of the refreshment tent.

Seriously.  I feel like I walked into the most beautiful wedding or party setting ever.  Over the top, but the good kind of over the top.

All creatures great and small love Barn House.

Beverages. For all.

Breathtaking.

Cardamon bread, pumpkin bread, marionberry bread… I was in bread utopia.  Oh so very good, especially the cardamon bread.   Also on tap was coffee, mimosas, fruit… just so much good stuff.  Edited in:  I found out who the mystery baker was (all we knew at the time was that her name was Karen).  One never knows who they’ll meet in our wonderful little internet village… and Karen is from an IRL village just up the road from me!

Fantasy tables and settings.

My inner harvest is tingling on high.

Harvest.

I love this lamp idea.

Brave? Ballsy? Either or both… I loved it.

My inner harvest is now past the tingling stage.

My inner harvest is smokin’…

… my inner harvest just exploded.

So macabre, so hilarious… so something that I get such a kick out of.  Dexter meets farm house chic.

This photo should probably come with a warning, but what the heck…

And this was just part one of three of our awesome girl gang field trip. Two more stops (we followed the signs to more delightful surprises). More to come!

This is what’s on tap for the girl gang on Saturday the 18th…

Image used with permission

Robin always has her finger on the pulse of all things wonderful and fun, and suggested we go to the Gothic Harvest at Barn House. I think I responded faster than Michael Phelps with a big fat yes!   The last time Robin suggested a field trip, we ended up at Willow Nest (and then I was asked by WN if some of my WN photos could grace their website - I still gush over that).   Wish I had a Partridge Family bus and fill it up with everyone, and make it one big Come On Get Happy field trip to Barn House.  I hope if anyone goes and sees some kookoo for Cocoa Puff in jeans, a hoodie and flip-flops… please say hi, hug me and slip some me cash.