Teddy Bear

Teddy Bear

This little guy is so cute.  I don't know why, but I'm drawn to the beat up ones.  ha ha

Awe Inspiring

This is such a marvelous video on the wonders of creation and the universe.  This is the full length video and is called God of Wonders.

Our New Painting

Stormy Beach

We bought this painting while up at Irish Beach a couple of weeks ago from Jim Vickery and his wife, Lu.  Michael made a rustic frame for it, it's beautiful.  Jim is such a talented painter who does realism such as the one we bought but also a lot of whimsical paintings, that I know after talking with him, he finds real pleasure in creating. 

Smores Night.

We had Shilah, Michael and the children over last night for a candlelight dinner on the back porch and afterward, my Michael made a fire in the fire pit.  The three boys made a run to the store to purchase some large marshmallows, chocolate and graham crackers for you know what.

Getting ready to roast.

Mommy and Aiden.

Smashing it all together.

New Workshop

Between working on orders, we've been working on getting organized around the house and garage.  One of the things we recently finished up is a dust collection system in our garage workshop.  Our garage isn't very big, it's a small two car garage that has a wall partition separating our laundry area which makes our garage an even more cramped place to build things. 

This dust collection thing has been something we've been mulling over for some time now.  Since our business has grown, we had a never ending dust trail tracked inside the house and I was constantly sweeping up little bits of wood and dust.  Before this we were utilizing three shop vacs that we'd hook to each machine as it was being used to try to keep the dust at a minimum.  Impossible.  Sawdust was literally everywhere.  All the time.  In every crevice of our shop and outdoor areas.  Not to mention the dust that got into our lungs. 

Rikon Dust Collector

I have a professional breathing mask, eye goggles and ear protection and will keep on using these things because dust still flies through the air and when I'm sanding, small pieces of wood can fly off and get in my eye.  Which has happened.  One time, I had a piece of wood trapped in my eye for at least three months and it bugged the heck out of me.  I tried flushing it out with eyewash, looked in the magnifying mirror for it, rubbed my eye and nothing worked.  No, I didn't go to the doctor.  About four months ago is when it finally came out.  I had just gotten into bed for the night and it moved in my eye.  I decided to rinse my eye using the eye cup one more time.  I repeated that about five times with my eye open and rolling it around and around.  I got back into bed and felt it move, rubbed my eye and out it came onto my cheek.  It was an irritating tiny piece of wood and was finally out.  What a relief!

May the Force be with you.

Our new wood storage place.  Nice and easy to get the size board we need.

Our new SawStop saw.  Won't cut off your fingers.  Or, shouldn't!

Mike with his little plastic baggie protecting his hurt fingers.

Michael is cutting out the wood box beside our fireplace.  We no longer use this box and it made sense to open it up and create a storage space for our outdoor cushions.  We converted our fireplace to a gas burning one a long time ago and are planning on redoing the fireplace wall.  Some day.  Right now, it's a long bricked half wall with a hearth that sticks out into the room at least two feet, which makes it very difficult to arrange furniture.  The used brick is old and beautiful and I would like to incorporate it in our yard somehow.

What's Up With Us.

We've been working our butts off on orders and around the house and yard.  Haven't had much time to do much of anything else or post on the blog.

Last night we went to Bistro 29 in Santa Rosa with some friends and met Andy and Donna there, Brian's mom and dad.  Oh my, Brian is a wonderful cook and his staff are on top of things.  Every time we go, we fall in love all over.  One of my favorites is the $29 special he has on Tue. Wed. and Thu. nights.  Each week is different.  You get: a shot of soup, salad, entree and dessert of the week on those nights.  Of course, you can always order off the menu.  Another favorite is the Steak Frites.  Wonderful.

Brian and his wife, Françoise, are longtime dear friends of our family.  If you ever find yourself driving up 101 or in the area, please stop by for dinner at Brian's place.  Dress dressy or casual, up to you.

This is what we had last night:
$29.00 Menu
available Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday

Week of 9/24/2013

Amuse Bouche: Shot of potato-fennel soup
First Course:  Endive, fig and blue cheese salad with toasted hazelnuts and honey cider vinaigrette
Second Course: “Sole Armoricaine” – Sautéed sole with caramelized cauliflower, chanterelle mushrooms, spinach and lobster-cognac sauce armoricaine    
Dessert: Warm Tcho chocolate fondant cake with caramel whipped cream and caramel sauce 

Small Oak Tree Cabinet - Tree of Gondor

With Smokey Blue Doors

With Buttermilk Doors

We got a request for blue doors as shown above.  Turned out very pretty.  Other color choices are HERE.

Sunset Supper

After the little party at the top of the hill we went down to Debbie and Jerry's place for supper. 

A warm sunset glow.

Lovely hydrangea blooms.

Jerry and Marsha having a conversation about something.

Table set for ten.

See Pam.

See Pam roll in Jerry's grass.

See Pam laugh and have a good time.

See Pam and Marsha romp on Jerry's grass.

Sunset at Jerry and Debbie's place.

Our conversations can be so invigorating.  Not.  On the way home Monday:
Me:  "Look at that cute little trailer."
Him:  "Yeah, they were probably camping up at Fort Bragg having a good ol' time."
Me:  "Hey, you know I think that's the same trailer we followed on the way up the coast on Friday."
Him:  "No, you think?"  (pause)  "It sure looks like the same one."
Me:  "Wait, look!  Casita on the spare tire.  Remember, I said, Casita to you?  That it means castle?  Remember you asked me, is that what casita means?" 
Him:  "Yeah, you're right.  Hey, look at the blinds in the back.  It is the same trailer!" 
Both:  "Hey, what a coincidence!" 

Stopped for lunch in Jenner.

A Couple of Irish Beach Artists and Another Sun Goes Down.

Sunday afternoon we went to Jim and Lu Vickery's house to check out some of Jim's new paintings.

A driftwood whale we passed on the way to their house.

Jim Vickery poses for me.

Jim's Irish Beach Pirate painting.

Later on, around 5 pm, we drove back up to the top of the hill for a little champagne and hors d'oeuvres at Gary and Allen's gorgeous house with a view.

The sun was bright and shining and hot out on the deck.

A nice fog bank was rolling in which means it's very hot inland.

We had many goodies.  Cheese and crackers, nuts, chips and dips of all sorts.

Don admiring one of Gary Bower's beautiful paintings.  Such a gorgeous palette.

Mingling and taking it all in.  What a house!

It was much too hot out front so we all migrated to the back deck which was much cooler with the shade from the tall pine trees.  This is the spot where we ate our delicious goodies and enjoyed our champagne.

We had a sliver of a view through the trees.

Shadows and reflections.

As the sun went down, it became too cool on the back deck so we made our way back out front to enjoy the view.

Our view.

Marsha, a fabulous lady.

Mike, Don, Dr. Kroft, Gary and Allen.

Sweet Pam.

Jerry, handy and dandy.

Jerry's lovely wife, Debbie.

Group shot.

Four diva's of Irish Beach.  ha ha

Oops, someone got a little too happy and lost their champagne glass over deck.

From here the group of us head down to Debbie and Jerry's place for dinner.