Christmas 2009

One of my saddest days in my life

Yesterday my friend Lee and I left work to be a part of the crowds that wanted to express their respect & sadness for our four murdered police officers. It was impossible to get into the Tacoma Dome as thousands of their fellow officers and other law enforcement officers filled it to capacity. They came from all over this great US and from Australia and Canada. We stood there in silence as the procession passed and cried. I will never forget that image for as long as I live. So many people coming out in ice cold weather, standing with us for over 3 hours as it rolled by. Our hearts ache for their families and pray nothing like this can ever happen again.

God bless Sgt. Mark Renninger, officers Ronald Owens, Tina Griswold, and Greg Richards.

Madeleine's Hallobirthweenday Party

We survived Maddie's party on Saturday. A house full of 20+ preteen girls was a bit of a challenge but fun. They ate everything in site. You'd think they were teenage boys with bottomless pits of a stomach. Thankfully, my husband Ron played night time outside tag to wear them out a bit (and him too).

The other pics posted is of the day after. The poor balloons have lost their umpf. The pictures I took the night of the party is very pink as the entire living room ceiling is criss-crossed with purple lights & webs. I don't think it photographed too well. You can see some of it in the background in the cake blowing picture.

Pictures the day after

Barnhouse 2009 season finale

Arrgh! I took very few pictures at last weekend's BH season finale & they looked like I took them drunk...and I wasn't! Just a bit busy.

So Timi launched her maiden voyage of a Junking Bus. The voyage began in Snohomish, picked up some passengers in Seattle & Tacoma with a destination of Barnhouse. Along with some fabulous prizes they received a luncheon (catered by moi) and a tour of the incredible home of the BH boys Joe and Jermonne.

Cooking was going smoothly...then it came to crunch time & thank goodness for the help of Heather, Thea, Kim and Lynn. I know without them it wouldn't of turned out as well as it did. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Thank you Joe and Jermonne for being great friends & fabulous hosts.

From my vintage photog collection

Bigger pics of Barnhouse with Willow Nest

Sunday I posted a slide show of BH. I want bigger pictures, so here are a few as the slide show does not give the event justice.

My Madeleine with Jack & Lulu. Oh and our hops too!

Some pictures of the garden

I love white flowers. At night, a white garden glows with the moon light. I especially love hydrangeas at this time. They turn from white to pink and are just romantic.

Our hops this year are full of buds. Last year for some reason it wasn't a hop year for us. So I will be able to make my hop head wreaths for my daughter's Princess Hop picture series. How I wish Robin lived in our area to take those pictures of her! Perhaps another year.

There is also a picture a pear from our dwarf pear tree. This poor tree has been struggling for years to live. The first year we got it it had a bit more branches than it does now. One night some baby raccoons decided they wanted to try and climb & hang from the branches. Needless to say they snapped & every year since then it would start out in the Spring just healthy & gorgeous pear blooms but then the leaves would get spots & curl. No fruit. Each year I say I am going to get rid of it and each year I haven't had the heart. This year, it rewarded and thanked us with three pears. I can't wait to have it on some bruchetta with blue cheese & a drizzle of honey. Yum!