Fall Abundance in the Pacific NW

 I love the Farmers Markets and Fruit Stands that pop up everywhere in Oregon in the middle of Fall.  The fruits and vegetables are the most ripe and abundant, and the colors the most brilliant.  I feel so blessed to live in such a beautiful place.

It's hard to think that winter is just around the corner, so I had to post something with lots of color to sustain me through the gloomy months ahead!

 It's an Artist and Foodie paradise!

These orange and purple beets would be so fun to paint!

It's nice to see the Oregon City Farmers Market being so well supported, it's grown a lot in the past couple of years.

 These peppers were almost too good to eat...they were huge and perfectly formed, but they tasted fabulous stuffed with a little beef, brown rice, herbs and tomatoes!

We took the Fruit Loop Tour around Mt. Hood and enjoyed the wineries and fruit stands along the way.  It was such a beautiful day, and we came home with a lovely variety of apples and pears.

Nothing like fresh Hood River Apples for baking, or just to cut up and enjoy with a little Carmel dip!

Stepping into an Anne of Green Gables Novel

I could have titled this post "Breakfast and Vignettes."  Maybe it's because I'm an artist that I really appreciate the details, and there were so many lovely details that spoke to my heart at the Wine Country Inn.  The tranquility of the setting, warmth and hospitality of the Inn Keepers, good food and comfort.

 When we awoke, there was a hustle and bustle in the kitchen, enticing coffee smells, and a table carefully set.  I set out through this cozy kitchen to catch a few shots in the morning light.

 When I returned, this lovely bowl of fresh fruit awaited.  Many of the Inn's that we have stayed in recently, served a token muffin and coffee, so it was a real treat to enjoy a homemade, delicious breakfast!

 Yummy ham and egg casserole, roasted potatoes and fresh market tomatoes.

 Followed by cheese made by the students at Washington State University.

Who knew?  It was very good, by the way.

All the furnishings looked old and comfy, but were actually new and comfy.

 I loved the vignettes, which seemed to have stories within a story; fun collected pieces that really gave the room character.

 Gerry had stories for many of the pieces, and it was interesting to learn about their origin.

 This room reminded me of the charming houses I stayed in when I travelled to England and Scotland after college.

 The little vases came from Seattle, brought by the Chinese labor that worked in the underground tunnels in that city. 

 the 'man cave' corner

Everything told a story and was beautifully arranged.  Gerry mentioned that she hoped to host Women's Getaway's, and I'd love to bring my Art Buddies here for a few days of painting!

A Step Back in Time

It was like stepping back in time, staying at this charming Inn in Selah WA. thewinecountryinn.com The home had such charm, I found myself going a little crazy with the photos.  There's far too many for one post, so you'll have to bear with me as I give you my impressions of this lovely place over a series of posts. 

This lovely old Craftsman style house, built in 1922 and lovingly restored by the owners, and been turned into the most charming Bed and Breakfast!

It reminded me of places on the East coast that Rick and I stayed at when we first were married, 30 years ago.  Inn Keepers, Gerry Moore and Brett, were more like a friends when we left, than a hosts.  You could really see the passion Gerry has for her home and for making her guests feel welcome.

  Everywhere there was such attention to detail...nothing was overlooked in creating a magical atmosphere for people to relax and enjoy. 

The quilt on this lovely hammock was an heirloom from Gerry's family.  Couldn't you just imagine  curling up with a book in such a lovely setting?    

I could just see people sitting out on the lawn on a lovely summer's evening, enjoying a glass of  Pinot Gris and sharing the day's events.

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 Everywhere I looked there was a lovely little scene, and I'm sure, a story.

 I loved this old barn with tons of character, like something out of a movie set. 

 A Photo Op everywhere.

The apples were just about ready to harvest, and there was an apple picking event planned to make applesauce, and cider. How perfect!

Garden Girl- Garden Decor in Yakima, WA

Last week, 'Dear Husband' had a meeting at the new Suncadia Lodge in Roslyn, WA, so we stopped along the way for a little wine tasting and sight seeing.  

In Yakima,  I couldn't believe how beautifully decorated this garden shop called Garden Girl was. 

When we arrived, the shop was closed, but had lots of 'eye candy' with plants, urns and Garden Art, placed all around the building.  A true feast for the eyes.

  Isn't this about the most romantic thing you've ever seen? 

 Love the pumpkins and Stargazer Lillies.

Not to mention the chandelier!

Cute little ice cream chairs with pumpkins

Love the use of grasses and fresh Pansy's...

Love white pumpkins!  They last through winter and look great with winter berries and greens.

Lovely Kale and Potato Vines!

On our return trip, I didn't get to spend as much time in the store as I would have liked, since we were on our way back for a family dinner celebrating Rick's birthday. 

It was full of Halloween and Fall inspired treasures and I got some good decorating ideas.

Don't you just love this charming chandelier of old spoons and cups?

Love the Tin Stars below!  I was in such a hurry, but I wish I had purchased one. I did get some of the lovely Kale plants and a fun Halloween Deco that I'll feature in another post.

A Little 'Northern Exposure' in Roslyn, Washington

I always liked the qurkie show called Northern Exposure, which was popular from 1990-1995.  It was about a Doctor who arrives in Alaska under contract to pay back a Student Loan.  He's a 'City Slicker' type who is out of his element in the rural Alaska location of the sitcom. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098878/ Actually, the filming took place in Roslyn WA and in the Seattle area, and this painted mural is in the opening scene.

A camel in the desert in laughable in this climate and gets your attention.

A lot of the activity in the show takes place at The Brick, which is the tavern in the center of town. 

This plaque of sorts, explains how it's the oldest tavern in the State of WA.

There's lots of local color. 

One startling observance was the 'gutter' of running water at the base of the bar. In the early days this was a coal mining town and a men only bar. One doesn't even want to imagine what went on in there!

An old iron stove heats the place in the cold months.

The food was surprisingly good and fresh.

The buildings looked very much as they did 125 years ago.

Interesting murals depicting the history of the town.

Cute cottages around town.

Take away the cars, and substitute horses, and you'd be in a time machine on this main street at the foothills of a forest.

it seemed fitting that on the way back to the lodge, we crossed paths with these lovely creatures.