I left South Carolina after my sophomore year of college and since then, our lives have gone down very different roads. We have kept up with each other all these years, but the only spent time together is when I’ve been back south to visit family.

This week Kitty came out to Portland for work and stayed an extra three days so we could hang out. It’s been just great. There is so much warmth and history between us and we’ve just picked up right where we left off.

When I asked Kitty what she wanted to do while she was in Portland, her response was “Eat and Hike” Request granted! Yesterday we went to Pok Pok for lunch. If you live here and haven’t been there, it’s a must. Pok Pok serves Thai food and was voted Portland’s restaurant of the year in 2007.

Delicious coconut cocktails! I mean, it’s vacation, right?!

Full and happy after a great lunch.

Today we headed out to the gorge to satisfy the hiking request. I decided on Eagle Creek because it’s the quintessential gorge hike. We got there early and had a perfect day.

After our hike, we headed back to Portland and stopped at Fleur De Lis for a sandwich. It’s one of the best bakeries in the city and it didn’t disappoint today. And tonight for dinner, the whole family was here and Ricked cooked a great dinner: green beans with heirloom tomatoes, fennel and apricot salad, roasted potatoes and grilled pork loin chops. Everything was locally sourced and delicious. We all sat around the table until well after dark chatting and laughing. Perfect ending to a great day.

Still silly brothers. Rick is the oldest of five and John is the youngest and it’s been a blast to hear all the stories that John tells from when they were kids. Funny how Rick’s never told us these stories!

We headed out to the beach and got one afternoon of sun. John and Spencer are from Miami and get sun all the time, so they thought the cold and clouds were pretty nice.

Father and son at Multnomah Falls. Look at those beautiful curls!

And can’t you tell that Liza looks like the LePage side of the family?

I really love when family comes to visit. We’ve lived far away from both sides of our family almost our entire marriage, so it’s such a joy to spend time with them. I love the eating and laughing and sharing stories. It’s the best.

Mom was admiring them while she was here. Oh, and they taste good too.

Today we had my birthday celebration. Whenever anyone has a birthday we do a pot luck lunch, cake and super snarky cards. Both the food and the cards were really good today. Cyd made these great little tarts with blueberries from her own bushes.

Susan brought a great quinoa salad with butternut squash, pears and pine nuts set on a bed of greens.

And Jennifer brought this beautiful, delicious champagne cake.

The card on the right was made by Heather. She chose a Parisianne theme because Rick got me a ticket to Paris for my birthday. My friend Kristy and I are going at the end of this month and we are so excited about it.

But I’ve got to brag about Jennifer today. This is what she’s been knitting this week. Yes I did say this week. She is making this as an auction item. I hope it sells for thousands. A knitted nativity. Unbelievable!

I am so lucky to be blessed with such good friends and family.

I think I got this embroidery kit when I was 6 – 8 years old. The kit was to embroider the doll blanket and the pillow. The design was stamped on the fabric and the kit came with embroidery thread, hoop, scissors, a needle and a thimble.

It’s totally amazing to me that I still have this especially considering how many times I moved growing up and how many times I’ve moved since I’ve been married. If I made this when I was 6, I’ve held onto it for 44 years. Wow. I guess that just goes to show how important sewing has been in my life.

My mother is an amazing seamtress and she made lots of our clothes when we were kids. I always loved hanging out in the sewing room, watching and “helping”. She taught me many lessons then that I tell my own students today. Little pearls of wisdom like “the ironing is just as important as the sewing.” I hear her voice in my head every time I say that. Mom loved sewing and I’m so thankful that she passed that love along to me.

I have no idea what to do with this little piece. I would love to find a way to display it or use it. If anyone has any ideas, please post a comment, I’m open to anything.

I agitated them  too long when I was felting them and they came out a bit small.  I had to put them on my feet and walked around a bit in them before taking them off to dry. Believe me, it was not fun having cold, wet, felted shoes on my feet, but one must suffer sometimes to achieve that perfect accessory. And they were just perfect for my outfit. The theme for the party this year was Dr. Seuss, can you tell?

Last Thursday at knitting, Lynda brought her new felted slippers to show off. The pattern is called “French Press Felted Slippers” and is available through ravelry. I think they’re adorable. But look at that beautiful bag! Lynda made that too. She took a class at A Common Thread with Victoria Jones called “It’s a Wrap: Bowls, Baskets and Bags.

It looks like great fun but I’m going to have to tie my hands behind my back and say NO, NO, NO. No more projects until I finish some of those unfinished ones. I haven’t forgotten them.

Jasper didn’t come to craft day with me but he’s just so handsome I had to put his picture here. Like many other people, I take way too many pictures of my pet. How can I resist?

But I digress. Every so often I get together with my good friends Meara and Therese. They are super crafty and do completely different kinds of crafts than what I usually do. We get together at Meara’s house, throw a lot of stuff on the table and just have at it. There is also wine to help get one’s juices flowing. Here’s the table. It’s hard not to be inspired by all the antique papers, stamps, inks, transparencies, different size slides, it’s just amazing.

Yesterday, we made pendants using glass slides. We created a collage the size of the slide, put  a slide on the top and bottom, and then soldered around the edges. The little collages were fun to make, mine is three layers with paper, transparency and some stamping. We added a ring to the top to put the chain through. I really enjoyed the soldering and am ready to rush right out and buy all the tools. Somebody please restrain me!

Today we had the annual New Year’s brunch with our SWIRL (Society for Wine Inbibing Radical Liberals) group. Ruth hosted the brunch and set a lovely table. Southern was the theme for the food this year, somehow due to the fact that I said I would bring my cheese grits casserole. (Thanks, mom!) Everyone else made delicious food to go with it. We had ham, black eyed peas, collard greens, broccoli rabe and fruit salad.

For dessert, Jewel made wonderful homemade cinnamon rolls and Gene and Katie made beignets. OMG! I ate so much. I managed to restrain myself to one cinnamon roll, but I had to eat two beignets. Yum.

Jewel found the “baby” in her beignet so she is Queen of the SWIRL for the year. There was lots of laughter, conversation and great food. I can’t wait for the next gathering.

Liza did some baking once she got home from school. Jenny and Liza decorated the tree.

There is always lots of food, but the big draw of the evening is the homemade eggnog. Our good friends Meara and Philip shared the secret recipe several years back and it’s become a Christmas tradition. Philip and I get together to make it every year. This years batch was especially good.

Rick and I make the main dishes, but lots of people bring food. Without any preplanning, there is always the perfectt mix of salads, veges and desserts to compliment the meal.  There is no way to mention each dish, but a special shout out to the makers of the brussel sprouts. You are eternally in my good graces.

The year’s party was especially exciting when my dearest friend Kristy and her family walked through the front door, having come all the way from Walnut Creek, California to surprise me. It’s not often that I’m tongue-tied, speechless and in tears all at the same time. I thought I was going to have a heart attack. They stayed the night and we got to spend a wonderful day together before they had to head for home.

This party always reminds me of how blessed we are to be a part of a wonderful community of friends. Thank you so much and Merry Christmas.