Happy Zombie

Lucky me (super lucky me), Jona is visiting the motherland - and I got to be a part of her visit!   Non stop talking and laughing - and even some tweeting thrown in.

Tweet-n-Eat… it’s what happens when two friends meet up for dinner and their iPhones are just as important as their forks and knives!

Then after the tweets come checking the @replies and txt’s…
Me: Pam wishes she was here too! (and we did too!)
Jona: Bari says hi! (Hi back, Bari!)
Me: Patty says it looks like we’re having a great time (we WERE!)
Me: Joanna says no fair… she wants to be here eating fish and chips instead of writing patterns & prepping ads… (us too!)

Some days I shun technology [insert Laure Ingalls fantasy life here], but had it not been for technology and blogging… I never would have met Jona. Well, I think we would have met eventually… but it sure made it faster with the help of technology. Speed friending. AND… we kinda had our friends join us for dinner… three snaps in Z formation for technology!

Before dinner, I give Jona the not so E-ticket tour of Hacienda Happy Z… like making her walk through the golden retriever mine field to show her my secret forest - and show her were I want to park my fantasy camper.

We had so much fun, and it went all to fast. There was never a moment where we weren’t talking. And never ever have I ever seen such attentive service at The Wet Dog. Our twenty something waiter was at our table I think every 5 minutes. But I can see why, when this person is at your table!

Saying good-bye is hard - luckily it was bone chilling cold or we would have stood by our cars for a couple more hours chatting! Good-bye Miss Jona Arizona… hurry back soon - and thank you for making me a part of your trip home!

Come on in.  Right under Pam’s bridge (aka The Astoria-Megler Bridge) is Three Cups Coffee House in the beautifully restored old Finnish Meat Market on W. Marine in Astoria’s Uniontown district.  3CCH shares this space with Columbia River Coffee Roaster, aka the Thundermuck peeps.   Artisan hands and fantastic beans… 3CCH can do great coffee while standing on their heads.  Blindfolded.  Spinning.  While jumping rope. And chewing gum.

But something else has brought me to 3CCH - not just the great coffee and panini’s.  A little voodoomoojoo.
Yup.
Voodoo Doughnuts of Portland.
No way.
YES WAY!
Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday they can be found at 3CCH.

Naturally I’m drawn to the closest doughnut to resemble a zombie.  I’m not quite clear if that pretzel is his belly button… or something else.  I’ve looked at Voodoo Doughnut’s menu and saw the bachelorette party doughnut… so I’m pretty sure it’s something else.  And I do believe he’s happy to see me.

I don’t know that I’d be happy with my guts ooozing out if I were a doughnut. But the fact that I’m eating a doughnut that has guts makes me happy.

So now I have a fantasy… that Voodoo Doughnuts creates a zombie doughnut.  A happy zombie doughnut, with sweet cream cheese and strawberry jam filling (because of course, the zombie just had a full supper of brains).  I dream big. {{Pssst… Cat Daddy and Tres, I have sketches.}} Please tell me that everyone wants a food item/dish named after them. Right? I want to know!

After dessert, it’s time for lunch. T-man had a roast beef panini, and I a Prosciutto and cheese panini with a balsamic chaser. KILLER panini’s.

This just floated my boat. What I also love about 3CCH is that they’re so green.  So here’s the thing. Those aren’t cloth napkins… they’re IKEA dishtowels cut in half and then hemmed on the raw edge. I know this… because I DO THAT TOO! I was destined to be a patron of 3CCH.

They walk the walk.  I love this. I love 3CCH.

Leah and Carly, who welcomed us into their sanctuary and made us feel loved and nourished.

From The Daily Astorian’s Coast Weekend: “The name is based on the book “Three Cups of Tea,” and the new business owners hold strongly to the Middle Eastern proverb: “First cup you’re a visitor, second cup a friend, third cup you’re family.”
Three Cups Coffee House made us feel like family after the first cup.

… or to be more precise - a picture is worth the one thousand and fifty six other photos that are on my flickr.

Untouched photos taken of my Bunny Hill BOM block on my design wall.  My new Nikon D40 shot on the left - my Canon SD1000 shot on the right.  As soon as I saw the comparison, I KNEW my money was well spent on the Nikon.  Visions of the D90 had danced in my head, but now it’s the D40 accessories that dance in my head (with Bruno Tonioli providing the color commentary). 

And all these years I’ve been putting much of the blame on Oregon’s weather for my lousy shots.  Oh Oregon, will you ever forgive me?

Wanting an outdoor shot for my latest Moda Bake Shop project, my plan was to finish my quilt and then snap a shot later for a banner. And then it happened. The sun came out to play. Occasionally it stops raining in Oregon.  And when it does… I have to grab my stuff, my camera… and shoot fast.  No time for quilting and binding, dangit… the sun is out.
The SUN is OUT.
太陽は外である!
Il sole è fuori!!!!!
¡El sol está afuera!
Le soleil est dehors!
THE. SUN. IS. OUT!!!
Die Sonne ist draußen!
- …. .   … ..- -.   .. …   — ..- -
I love writing in swoosh formation.

On my back porch… my dogs/cats are mystified at what I’m up to as they watch from behind the sliding glass door. They are jealous they never get to play with my cloth apples. They watched as I made them last winter - certain I was making toys for them.

Of course it would be wrong, wrong, wrong to post these pics on MBS since the apples are made from my scarps and not Moda pre-cuts. But I don’t want my sunshine and super sat-n-happy colors to go to waste, either.   So I will plant them here on my blog.  If you check out my 9-patchtastic project at MBS… you never saw these apples, k.

This easy 9-patch method makes for a perfect retreat or group project. Less thinkie - more talkie, more snackie, more laughie. Any size square of fabric can be used, as long as you trim up your square so that it can be divided equally into thirds. Example:
17¼” square ÷ 3 = 5¾” (finished 9-patch = 15¾”)
9″ square ÷ 3 = 3″ (finished 9-patch = 7½”)
7½” square ÷ 3 = 2½” (finished 9-patch = 6″)

And then it went back to rain.
And they lived happily ever after.
Wet.
But happy.

Edited in 4/4/09: Thanks for the nice comments and emails about the apples. I wish I had a pattern for those asking for one, but I have none (yet!). I just whipped the apples up with no thought or notes. Kinda like when I bake - I have no idea how much flour, butter and sugar I used either. Gulp.

One of Mr. Zombie’s weekly trips to the doctor’s is in OHSU’s South Waterfront building. A beautiful building not just in aesthetics… but because it’s very green (like much of Portland). At first glance it looks like a boutique hotel. Lunchers are spotted below from the Physical Therapy mezzanine - I’m sure dining on the daily special of pear, brie and caramelized onion on grilled rustic bread sammy from the lobby’s Daily Cafe.

Even the parking garage is green. Handy dandy little pull-notes so you know what floor you’ve parked on at the sexy-voiced elevators. Solar panels outside the windows do double duty as awnings.  Recycling cans as common as rubbish cans. Even a nifty bike garage complete with faux tree (so the bikes think they’re frolicking outside?).

But best of all… a good use for reclaimed water.
And my amusement.

I’m guessing the sign was from the same people who warned us to take off our clothes before ironing them.

Tomorrow being such a historical day, I wanted to participate in Prez-O’s Inauguration in my own little way. My husband is sofa-bound after knee surgery, but it’s rather good timing - since we’ll get to watch the inauguration together.  To be a part of it all and to remember the day in an extra special way…  a bee flew in my bonnet…

A few years ago, my youngest son and I had the privilege of going on a “ride-a-long” on the US Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast from Astoria to Portland for 2003 Rose Festival. A little redwork I made while tooling up the Columbia River on the Steadfast into Portland, and I incorporated that into my Portland drawing.  I actually stitched this while on board. I did do the piecing later at home, because nothin’ says “thanks for ride” like hauling a sewing machine on board a Coast Guard cutter.

Last week, my super sweet friend Jennifer sent me a darling Bareroots “little stitchies” pattern called “America Stitchery” (and she also made me this… GASP it’s sooooo cute!).  I thought how PERFECT this would be to stitch while watching the Inauguration.  I was auditioning my fabrics as I caught the tail end of We Are One on HBO - and Beyoncé was singing America the Beautiful.  I had an OMG moment.  Now FOR SURE I’ll be making the little stitchie tomorrow. Oh happy beautiful day!

I’m taking some creative liberties, and my fruiten plains are going to be in aqua.  Aquamerica the Beautiful!

Last snow post.  I promise.  Really.  Even though in some spots we got 4-6” of it last night, and more is promised on the way (ice is also forecast, so I don’t know if we’re too excited anymore)…

On my honor
I will say
No more mention of snow
At least not for today

Oh wait.  It IS today.  Ok… tonight then.  Tonight didn’t rhyme with “say”.  So, you know, anyhoo.  A few more pics.  I did after all do some housekeeping housecropping.  We don’t typically get a lot of snow in NW Oregon, and we’ve gotten gobs of it at our house overnight.  A pretty big deal for us.  From the comments on my last post… is there any place that’s not getting snow?  Snow in LAS VEGAS… in LOUISIANA… holy smokes!  I even heard on the news that MALIBU got a dusting.   I can’t stop combing blogland to see other friends in the area - to see how the snow looks at their houses… so I feel it’s a public service here in The Land of Rain to post more of my photos.  I’m in love with Vicki’s, Jodi’s and Cranna Nanna’s winter pics.  Dream, dreamy, dreamy.

Last night as it snowed. The view from my spot on the sofa. TV to left. The snowman to the right. My head held firm to the right.

Even Mochi the cat was entertained.

I copied Paula after seeing her lights on her kitchen window.

Close-up for Pam

Up the street…

Down the street ski slope.  SKI ASTORIA - No lines, no crowds, no lifts.

Our non-denominational frozen precipitation figure

“A wife, please” He does have That Look in his apple-eyes. We better get crack-a-lackin’ - and maybe we’ll have snowbabies by morning.

Ok. I’m done.

Sunday morning I yanked open my bedroom curtains… and I found this!  I shouted HOLY SNOW (actually, it sounded more like HOLY MITten).   Why oh why did I not get a jump on Pam and Elizabeth’s DARLING mitten/scarf/hat project!?!

I looked to my left and saw this.  We’re not in snow country, so this is an extra special treat.  I think Angelina, Paula and Sarah agree!  And the snow hides all the bird poop that adorns my bench.  Nice snow.  Nice snow.  Thank you snow.   Thank you British Columbia for sending us your wonderful snow producing arctic air.

I ran to the living room, and all I could see outside of the windows was white delight. Laugh at me Minnesota or Michigan peeps. Ga head, laugh at me. I love this snowfall too much!

My happy little corner, some eggnog and snuggling up to some embroidering/finishing holiday projects.

Before I sat down in my happy little corner… my fascination with looking out of my kitchen window had to be clicked.  Too worried about meltage, I dissed the dishes. At least they were rinsed.

Poof.  No more dirty dishes. Ha… I need to crop the rest of my house.

My husband was not interested in happy little corners or eggnog. He wanted to hop in his truck and see the snow beyond our neck of the woods. My jammies went flying and I got dressed in 2 seconds flat. I’m ready!

This is our bridge that links us to our next door neighbor… Washington state.  Some people refer to this bridge as the Astoria-Megler bridge… but the name has since changed to The PamKittyMorning Bridge after Pam adopted it as hers last spring.  The PKM Bridge is the path that takes me to Karen’s.  Karen and I quickly compared snow-notes… to see who had more.   I think I won.  Elevation matters.  And speaking of Karen… SHE’S GOT A BLOG NOW!  If you visit her, be sure to tell her you came from my blog’s high elevation down to her blog’s sea level elevation.

This is not our house (sigh).  It belongs to friends of ours (and former neighbors behind us), and it was built by her great-grandfather.  Just as dreamy on the inside as it is on the outside.  This is the house I got to look at out of my sewing room window at our last house.  Not a bad view at all!

When we got back home, my husband started a fire.  T-man settled in to some football on TV,  and I settled in and did some more sewing.  Christmas is only days away… how did that happen???

I am BLOWN AWAY with the responses and comments on my Pennie Pockets. I heart each and everyone of you, and thank you so very much! I blush. I gush. I am so blessed with everyone’s kindness.

Last Saturday, my friends Paula, Robin and I treated ourselves to a day in The Town With The Name I Can Never Spell (Clatskanie, Oregon). We started off our adventure with a Vintage Winter Gathering at Stewart’s Point Church (Old Finnish Church) in Quincy, Oregon - hosted by Karen of Just Plain & Simple Me. I “met” Karen online through what is the thing that binds me to everything… food. Karen made much of (if not all) the delicious treats at Barn House’s Gothic Harvest.  It didn’t take long for me to follow the cardamom bread crumb trail to her blog. Oh her cardamom bread is out of this world!

Darling setting and sooooo many goodies inside. Simply dreamy. Karen’s blog has gobs of photos of all the goodies. Karen was so sweet (as was her daughter) - and we all could have chatted for hours in the church kitchen. I had a serious lapse in judgment, and only purchased one loaf of cardamom bread. One loaf??? WHAT was I thinking!

After we loaded up my car - and there was surprisingly a lot of room - maybe because “our Karen” wasn’t able to come… we headed back into town and hit an antique store, Flowers n Fluff, and a darling little store called Picket Fences (which sadly was going out of business). Loaded up my car again (and we STILL had room for more), and then hit Hump’s for lunch.

Paula and Robin showcase the weird book selection in Humps Restaurant’s “gift shop” book rack. Ladies room sign… Mary Kate apparently is not allowed.

Clatskanie is a little town on Hwy. 30 between here and there (for us, it’s between Astoria and Portland).  I’ve only ever stopped there for coffee and my red table (at Flowers n Fluff) and to make a contribution to the city (speeding ticket).  We were all up for a little exploring, and Robin knew of some jems we’d sure to go gaga over (like The Castle).

We drove around (with me adhering to all posted speed limits) snapping photos, laughing, oohing and ahhing at all the charming homes, laughing… and lots and lots more of laughing, silliness and merriment. I had gobs of photos I took, but since I was stalking driving and clicking at the same time… well that = blurry photos.   Some of the houses really struck me, like the ordinary little 50’s ramblers with stunning front entries.  From ordinary to extraordinary with just a little molding and roofing.  Robin spotted the covered wagon, and if ANYONE should be getting a ticket in Clatskanie… it’s the people who are using it as their recycling bin. We all fell in love with the vintage gate and fence… and the yellow farmhouse. I was even surprised to see a few stucco houses. Stucco… in Oregon? It reminded me of California, and I had a twinge of homesickness (which I cured with a another nibble of cardamom bread).

We had come to where Robin’s car was parked, but we just were having too much fun and didn’t want to call it a day.  We realized there was another part of town we hadn’t explored… so off we went.  We were greeted by a sign that had us baffled… “DEAD END - NO TURN AROUND”.  So, do we drive in backwards?  Do we go in, but don’t ever come out?  Are Jon Voight, Burt Reynolds and Ned Beatty waiting for us at the end of the road?

We found some cool old trucks that had become one with nature.  Paula was even brave enough to get behind the wheel of one of them.  Amazing how the forest works.  Or maybe it was gnomes who pimped their trucks.  More delights to behold… even in the wilds of an Oregon forest… red and aqua is to be found.   And I found out how milk jugs are grown - when we stumbled upon a secret milk jug farm.

If you’re ever driving through Clatskanie… do stop, and do explore!

Foot. Foot is what I use to kick myself. Kick. Kick. Kick.

I recently spent a wonderful afternoon with my girl-gang, and after a hearty (as in arteries clogging hearty) and kitchy lunch at The Logger in Knappa, Ore… off we headed to work off our Logger Burgers by going antiquing along Hwy. 30. We ended up at Flowers N Fluff in the-town-with-the-name-I-can’t-pronounce (Clatskanie, OR - a little town Paula recently posted about). Flowers N Fluff is my all time favorite coffee stop - where I get a fill-up going into Portland, and where I get a refill on my way home from Portland. Mmmm. Best coffee ever. What was once a gas station is now a florist, garden, espresso, gift shop, blahblahblah. Ever so cute.

As we pull in, I can see the vintage red table and chair with the darling scallop and pukas. My heart starts racing and I can barely open the door of Connie’s SUV. I wanted to shout “dibs” before Karen, Connie or Robin could beat me too it, so instead… I did the most dignified and mature thing I could think of. I squealed and almost fell to my knees… “OHMYGOSH… I have to have it”!

We wondered around the lovely grounds, so many pretty things… even some bunnies! I spent too much time wondering. I should have grabbed the table and chair, paid for it and stuck it in the back of Connie’s SUV. While wondering and lollygagging (I love that word even if spellcheck doesn’t), the little Cortney Love voice in my head was saying those things I didn’t want to hear… “You have to set a good example to DS about not spending money”, “We have to tighten our belts”, “Save-Save-Save”. I hate you Courtney Love voice. I hate you.

I think my girl-gang was feeling sorry for me, so they asked me what I wanted to do next. GO SEE THE PONIES, of course! And then that effing Courtney Love voice spoke again. ”No. You can’t have one.” And if anyone reading this goes and buys that table and chair that is CLEARLY meant for me… then I expect you to invite me over for some lemon-aid and cookies at my your new table.