2013 - The Year of Ups and Downs

Hi All :)

I Hope your 2014 is off to a great start :)

As my 2014 starts with an adventure (more on that another day :)

I am looking back at the Ups and Downs of 2013.

I haven't really been a very good Blogger Buddy the past year but........

I have to say that health-wise 2013 was most probably the most challenging I have had to date. I spent the last 6 months of 2013 suffering from Shingles and it is only just now easing off. Six months of exhaustion on top of the crap I already deal with, not a recipe for fun :( 
I guess on the upside the pain was more bearable for me I guess because of living with Fibromyalgia every day, I am used to living with constant pain and so I didn't even know I had Shingles for almost 6 weeks into it, I thought it was some kind of bug biting me, DUH!!! 
So, my house was cleaned, from top to bottom, my bedcovers wash over and over and my house sprayed, organically of course, for pretty much every kind of insect known to humanity; so I worn myself out (and the rest of the family I might add too) doing that rather than resting to recover and so when I finally went to the doctors and they told me what I had I felt like a complete idiot. But again on the upside there isn't a bug within a 20 mile radius of my house who would dare enter, lol ;) 

On the up side I got to spend a few weeks this year with my whole family together, one week in Ohio where my Son graduated from Uni (college :)

It was so awesome and of course this proud Mama sobbed as they entered to "Pomp and Circumstance" - One, because I actually made it there at all! :) 2. That we were all together for the last college graduation of our little family unit :) and 3. The tune is to the song, "Land of Hope and Glory" known to us Brits. very Patriotic and Powerful to a Homesick Girl :)

Then we were all together at home for the Holidays, I felt truly blessed, our time together gets harder to juggle with everyone's schedules and some living in different States too, so every moment is cherished  :)

We also had a "downsizing" sale in the Summer; the stress of organizing and working that may have been enough to bring on the Shingles, never again!!! (Shingles or any kind of sale Downsizing, Moving, Yard, or Garage, NEVER!!!!
Goodwill here I come, lol :)



Of course, We got to do our Yearly "B.Day" trip, (me & Hubby) to Lovely, Sunny San Diego :)

Also, My Hubby and I celebrated our 30th Wedding Anni :)



click on photos to see larger images :)

Night shot of Downtown :)

I got to go to my favourite Winery (in the local Oregon Wine Country) and also, to the Columbia River Gorge, Oregon and the Portland Rose Garden on perfectly beautiful Autumn days here in the Pacific N.W. in October, I couldn't ask for anything better than that :)

Old Highway Columbia River Gorge in the late afternoon Fall Sunshine, Oregon :)

Vista House - Shot from Portland Women's Forum Scenic Viewpoint, Oregon :)

One of the many beautiful waterfalls along the Old Scenic Highway, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon :)

PONZI WINERY, Oregon

(Both shots above are views from the new Ponzi tasting room :)



So, I was going thru my photos, taken in 2013, trying to find a photo that best represented me and how I felt thru most of 2013 and this one sums it up for me.

Beautiful Roses with Bokeh at the lovely Rose Test Garden in P.Town Oregon :)

There was beauty to been seen but the Glaring, Blinding distractions of so many things kept my attention from completely enjoying it all the time but I tried with all my might to get the best out of even the worst days. :)

I hope 2014 has a clearer path with less distractions (oh, who am I kidding?!?!? lol :)

Wishing you all a wonderful 2014 :)

Cheers, T. :)

Happy Painting/Creating! :) T.

A Quick Break Before the Holidays :)

Hi All :)

I hope everyone is well and getting into the Holiday Spirit (not the Whiskey, just yet, LOL!!!!)

Last weekend, my Hubby and I took a little trip to Skamania Lodge in the Columbia River Gorge. This beautiful river is part of the border between the States of Oregon and Washington. It has a majestic beauty that, to me, typifies the North West. :)


click on photos to see larger images :)

Shot taken on a cloudy day in late Sept. 2012 (Columbia River Gorge, with Vista House on the right)

Columbia River east of Hood River (shot taken thru window of car, Sept. 2012)

Columbia River east of Hood River (shots taken thru window of car, Sept. 2012) A hazy later summer afternoon :)

Anyway, we thought we would have a few days away from home before everyone comes home to celebrate the Holidays :)

It was a lovely Christmas-y time :)

We had a little Christmas sing along, we eat, we swam, even did crossword puzzles, but mostly we sat and relaxed in the great room watching the fire, the Christmas tree and the bustle of Holiday people. :)

the lovely fire place 

The beautifully decorated stone chimney and mantle in the great room :)

Xmas Tree and Carolers who came to entertain and encouraged a Christmas sing along :)

close up shot of ornaments on the Xmas tree with the room reflected in them :)

The twinkling lights of the Xmas tree shot thru the fireplace :)

Gingerbread houses abound :)

Here is the view from our window of the Columbia River and the snow on the Mtns. to the south in Oregon :)

of course, life wouldn't be complete if I didn't take some arty shots, LOL!!!! :)

I couldn't resist some Xmas Tree Bokeh :)

Hope you enjoyed these photos :)

Have a lovely Weekend :)

Happy Painting/Creating! :) T.

Fall is Here! :)

Happy Friday Everyone! :)

Are you all into the Halloween Festivities? :)

It definitely seems very different now I do not have to make Halloween costumes anymore. :(

Well, I have been crazy busy developing a website where I can locate my creative passions, Photography, Art and Design all in one place. So, that is where my blogging time has been going. I have missed you all and tried to comment on as many blogs as poss. It is amazing how much time building a website can take. Of course it isn't published yet but when it is you will be the first to see it. :)

I am also prepping for an Art Show/Sale in November; packaging up photos, painting and doing some sewing, phew! I haven't done this show before so we will see how it goes. Hopefully, I will get some sales and meet some fun people. :)

As the seasons have been changing all around us so quickly these past few weeks I wanted to share a few of the photos I have taken.

The first eight were shot in the Beautiful Columbia River Gorge!  

I am having so much fun trying to capture water splashing :)

I love the abstraction of this photo :)

My Hubby says this looks like a map :)

I just love the colours on these trees and the depth on the ones below :)

 

I really hope you enjoyed these new photos :) I will list some of these in my Etsy Shop soon :)

If you would like to see some more awesome photos check out my blog post on the Female Photographers of Etsy (fPOE) blog. Yesterday I featured some of the photos by this talented group of Photogs.

Leave a comment and let me know what you are doing for Halloween! :)


Have a Lovely Weekend everyone, see you next week :)


Happy Painting/Creating! :) T.