I just arrived home from ten gleeful days spent in Portland, Oregon, greeted by the arrival of fall and countless raindrops.

I love the fall weather, and the fifty-cent rubber polka-a-dotted rain boots that I found over the summer while on a thrift outing. Sofia and I made our way outside to play today (as we do every day) to splish and splash in the puddles and race boats (small twigs) in the streams of water that traveled down our road.

I am feeling quite relaxed after our Oregon vacation - that overflowed with heaps of time spent enjoying my family and eating amazing home-cooked meals that were mostly made of vegetables freshly picked from the garden. (Thanks to Nana!)

While vacationing, I took a little road trip to Eastern Oregon through Mount Hood National Forest (where we took a short detour to play in some fresh snow). We spent two nights in cold and arid Eastern Oregon on the Deschutes River, where I hiked through the desert and got to be a part of some magnificent nature.

I am grateful for the amazing trip and also glad to be home with some new inspiration for life.

Here are a few of the scenes from my travels. Enjoy!

Approaching Mount Hood.

"Nana" met some friendly horses.

This horse has some crazy eyes.

If you click on the photo, you will see that Sofia has horses on her sweater.

A wild horse in an enchanted forest.

Somewhere stunning in Eastern Oregon (I forgot the name of the town).

Intriguing Desert Flower.

Sofia at the Portland Art Museum.

Sofia picking raspberries and taunting Leeloo.

Red lanterns.

Late Summer

Birthdays and Blueberries

My beautiful little daughter's third birthday is quickly approaching and I cannot believe how much she has changed in the last year. Last year at this time, Sofia's head wasn't even entirely covered with hair. Now she has a full mane of curly golden locks that spring up and down when she runs up and down the sidewalk to visit her friends. She can ride her red tricycle all the way to the playground about two blocks away from our home. Sofia is growing up so fast and tells everyone, including the cashier at the Co-op, that her birthday is on August 16th.

The pictured invites (designed by me) are on their journeys to guests as I type this and Sofia's excitement for her birthday party is on the rise - so much so that she found one of her wrapped gifts while she was supposed to be taking a nap today and opened it!!!! Speaking of gifts, my husband purchased a ten pound box of blueberries, many of which we gave away to our lovely neighbors. In return my amazing-amateur-chef/baker neighbor made us the most incredible blueberry pie. Thanks Joanne!

Balance

Today, I feel balanced. I am convinced that it is in part due to this yummy salad that I have been munching on. I couldn't help but take pictures of it. It is as delicious as it is beautiful. The Beauty that Moves blog is packed with delightful tidbits and even more delicious recipes that I am looking forward to preparing.

Summer Fun and Yum

I am enjoying the Minnesota summer immensely. Our favorite summer activities are swimming in lakes and pools, exploring the wilderness, discovering playgrounds and of course gardening. We discovered a playground nick-named "Chutes and Ladders" and though it's about a 20 minute car ride away, it is worth the drive. Remember the classic board game, Chutes and Ladders? You'll understand why the park and the game share the same name once you visit!

In addition to playing, we love treating ourselves to yummy summer delights. We make homemade popsicles just about every other day. Sofia is addicted to popsicles and I find that making popsicles at home is much healthier and less expensive than what you can buy in the store.

Sofia's favorite frozen delights are "Mango Lassi Popsicles."

Mango Lassi Popsicles Recipe

1 Cup Whole Milk Vanilla Yogurt
1 Cup Frozen Mango Chunks
2 TBSP Agave Syrup
1/2 Cup Milk

Add all ingredients to blender and mix until smooth. Poor into popsicle molds and freeze.


Follow this link to 55 more popsicle recipes.

My Little Tree Hugger

Sofia loves to hug and kiss trees.

As Promised....

Here are some photographs of the designs that I posted yesterday. The picture quality is slightly lacking, so I will post some fresh pictures later. I also included another color scheme for the design, featuring a warmer color pallette.

Peonies

One of my favorite flowers in the Universe is the Peony. They are exquisite to look at, very delicate and oh so delightfully scented. I have five gigantic peony plants in my yard and savor EVERY SINGLE MOMENT that they bloom each year. I REFUSE to be out of town when they are blooming and spend as much time possible admiring their glory. Most of my peonies are in full bloom as I type this and I am very pleased.

Another of my favorite things is an antique blue Ball Mason jar. Mason jars make perfect vases and are very vesatile. They look stunning with a candle put inside in a dim lit room or as a porch light for a party. I also use antique Ball jars for storing lots of goodies, such as clothes pins, pens, and small art and craft supplies. You can find antique mason jars at most antique stores and often thrift stores, too!

Sneak Preview

Copyright 2009 Jessica Wood

Hello everybody! I just finished up these floral motif designs. The first design is a 5 x 7 custom invitation. It can be used for any occasion, including birthdays, weddings and anniversaries. The second and third designs are 3 x 5 fold blank-inside cards. The fourth design is a calling card, place card, or could also be used as an RSVP card. All of these designs and many more will be available for you to purchase as fine paper goods in the NEAR future. I will include a photograph of the printed out goodies tomorrow. Stay tuned for more details!!!!

Playing at Lake Calhoun at Dusk

We just returned home from a fun night wandering around Lake Calhoun and jumping off of walls. It doesn't quite compare to Cannon Beach, but we still had plenty of fun throwing rocks and being silly.

Gardening

I feel so grateful for warm weather and my lovely garden. I spend at least an hour or two in the garden per day, making sure my little flower friends are content. I planted pots and window boxes with annuals, so they will fill out in the weeks to come. I also planted several Native Minnesota flowers that I purchased from the St. Paul Farmer's Market last weekend. The yard smells like heaven with five gigantic peonies. The pictures illustrate a taste of what is blooming in my sweet city garden.