this little life of mine

9/11

 
It may have happened 11 years ago, but not only will I never forget  September 11, 2001, I think remembering that day will always break my heart.

Sepia Scenes: Vintage Rubber Stamp

I don't think the lady who used to host Sepia Scenes is blogging anymore, but I always enjoyed this meme, so I've decided to just keep doing it on my own. This past weekend my mom and I started cleaning out my grandparent's house. We discovered several treasures including this old rubber stamp that my grandfather apparently used for his work. It doesn't have a date on it or anything, but I know it's pretty old because my grandparents moved out of Dayton in the early- to mid-70s, I think around the time my grandpa retired. Also, this box only cost 8 cents for third class mail! Ha!

You Capture: Black and White

Yesterday my mom and I went up to my grandparent's house to collect my dishes and generally go through some stuff. 

There were lots of really old, interesting things to go through. Here's a cute little pitcher/vase:

And here's a collection of miscellaneous keys:

This, um, I'm not sure what it's called. Shot? It's not a bullet, but it's used in a rifle. My dad used to make these when he'd go hunting. It has to be pretty old because my dad died in 1981, and I don't know if grandpa went hunting after that. I know he didn't do any hunting after he moved to California, and that was in '95.

We found several pocket watches, too. Here's a cool one that lost it's glass. But it still works!

Cheers!

 

C is for Coffee

All photos taken by me; collage created at picmonkey.com.

This week's All About Me Blog Challenge is the letter "C", and I have chosen to write about coffee - with much thanks to Kate for the prompt!

As you can see from the collage of coffee pictures I've taken over the years, I LOVE coffee! It started in childhood when I tried some of my grandmother's coffee with Coffeemate Creamer. Oooh, the creamy goodness! I wasn't allowed to drink much coffee as a child (it stunts your growth!), but started drinking quite a bit in high school. My friends and I would go have Cafe Mochas at either The Combine Mall in Pullman, WA or The Peppermill at the Moscow Mall (Moscow, ID). (I wish I'd thought to take pictures of those cups of coffee complete with the swirls of whipped cream and dark chocolate shavings on top, but I had no idea taking pictures of food and drink would become such a "thing"! ) 

In college (Central Washington University in Ellensburg, WA) my roomie and I had our own coffeepot and made and comsumed at least a pot of coffee a day. Just regular coffee like Folgers or something; nothing fancy or special. It was good, though, and really helped us study! On the weekends, I would walk downtown to The Village Cafe and treat myself to a Cafe Mocha and toasted cheddar bagel. I believe there was a little bookstore downtown that also made espressos, but I can't recall the name of it now.

Nowadays I'll get coffee at Starbucks, or Peets, or my current favourite coffeehouse, Bru in Atascadero, CA. At home I prefer Dunkin' Donuts regular coffee or flavoured coffees (I love vanilla!), but I'll buy pretty much whatever's on sale, and at work I use the Starbucks Via packets to make a cup of really yummy coffee. 

B is for Bees #allaboutme #Lovekate

In the garden there is a small, but abundant lavender bush. Lavender is one my all-time favourite fragrances. I used to buy straight lavender oil to use as perfume when I was in college, and have a couple lavender-scented sachets that I keep in my "intimates" drawer. (I know, TMI! Sorry!) I would love to cut off a few pieces  of this plant to bring that delightful scent into my home, but I'm not quite brave enough to battle the bees for it! The bush is simply COVERED with bees! I tried to get some pictures, but most of them didn't come out because those busy little bees are fast!

I was doing OK until the bees kinda discovered me and started pestering me, so I fled! It's not that I'm scared of bees, exactly, but when I was a kid, I was stung by a bee, so now I'm wary of them. I was on a field trip to Rocky Reach Dam with my Blue Bird group frolicking barefoot around a grassy area by the Visitor's Center when I stepped on a bee and it stung me. I suppose it had every right to since I stepped on it, but ouch! It hurt like madness and my food swelled up really bad. It was scary, but a really nice older couple came over and helped out. They carefully pulled out the stinger, then mixed up some bakintg soda and water and put the paste on the site of the sting. I think that was supposed to take the swelling down or something, but I remember my foot was swollen for several days.

I didn't have any other allergy problems from the sting - thank God! - but I really don't want to get stung again and find out if my allergy to bees has gotten any worse!

Still, I really wish I knew where those bees lived, because I bet their lavender honey is delicious! 

Cheers!

21. A Fave Photo Of Me #instagram #febphotoaday

College graduation circa June 1988

Sepia Scenes: A Gift #31photosin31days #holidailies

I'm not sure this gift would go over too well here on the Central Coast of California where we don't get snow, but I'm sure someone who lives nearthe mountains would enjoy it. I used to have a sled like this one and had a fantastic time racing down the hills when I lived in Cle Elum, WA. It was exhilarating and terrifying at the same time!

Sepia Scenes: My Grandma as a Young Woman

 Marie Elizabeth Hoffman Johnston 1915 - 2011

30 Years

I was hoping to come up with a intelligent, poignant,  beautifully written tribute to my father on the 30th anniversary of his death, but all I can seem to do instead is break down into gut-wrenching sobs. You would think that after 30 years, it wouldn't hurt so bad to think about him, to remember him, but somedays it hurts worse than it did that first year or two after he died.  Sometimes I wonder if I'll ever fully recover from that loss. Most days I realize I probably never will.

I love you, daddy. And, I will miss you forever.

See It Sunday: Sheep

30 Days of Creativity: Day 12

Girl and Sheep, Horseshoe Pass, Wales, UK. Summer 1987