A Harvest of Friendship

Makenna received a lovely invitation to Sophia's 3rd Birthday!

The day arrived...

sunny and clear, crisp and very much with a Harvest theme!

There were pumpkins to design, 

treats to eat, 

crayons to color with,

and a lovely garden in which to play and discover.

The Birthday Cake was created with cupcakes,

shaped into a tiered design,

fit for a princess!

The Birthday Girl took her place,

amid all of her gifts...

and she not only received,
but gave as well,
as she eagerly handed out gift bags... 

and pumpkins to her 'courtiers' in return for her own lavish bounty!
Here is Makenna awaiting to receive her very own pumpkin from Sophia...

Harvest Time indeed!

Budding Friendship

There is something so sweet about friendships...

 'in the bud'.

When two are brought together,

 by two other hearts, 

already in the fragrant bloom of deep friendship.

This is what has happened with Makenna and Sophia.

Two little girls just beginning a friendship,

that has its origins in their grandma's friendship.

Two little hands joining together in a common effort...

the making of muffins for afternoon tea!

aahhh... the sheer joy of licking the Spoon!

...and the satisfaction of the rewards of their labours!

Afternoon tea (milk) and a few lovely muffins,

just warm from the oven...

certainly make the beginnings of a warm and sweet friendship.

Yummm!

Two little girls,

now feeling a little more familiar with each other,

are ready to play!

 Sharing Teddy Bears...

Twirling and Dancing and gettin' down...

to the Beatles!

Playing with colours, letters and blocks!

And then it was time for a fond farewell.

A budding friendship is sweet indeed!

Together Again!

After catching the early morning ferry at the Tsawwassen terminal and enjoying an incredibly warm and sunny cruise through the Juan de Fuca Straits, I arrived at Swartz Bay and after making my way through the arrival bay, walked right out of the terminal and into the arms of my dear friend Elizabeth.

We had such a lovely day, meandering in and out of shops and enjoying a light lunch, el fresco, before continuing on in our discoveries.  God blessed us with the most wonderful weather, just perfect, sunny and warm with a cool breeze.  It was hard to part when it was time to catch the early evening ferry back home, but we will definitely be doing this again soon!

On the cruise home, there were two pods of killer whales jumping and playing as they made their way through the blue glimmering waters... beautiful!  When I think about how blessed we are where we live, and all the magnificence of the landscape and nature and beauty around us... who needs to travel anywhere else, I am one content woman!

Being together again with Elizabeth, was just a treat... and I won't be leaving it so long until the next time!

The Little White House

Last Thursday morning I drove over to Fort Langley to meet with Margaret at The Little White House and to spend a few hours together.  I was surprised to know that Margaret had never been to the LWH and so it was with the greatest of pleasure that I introduced her to one of my favourite indulgences.

We enjoyed our time looking through the clothing and decor on the first floor of the house, then we went upstairs for further inspiration.  One of the blouses had a simple lace overlay that I was intrigued with, and proceeded to show Margaret how easy it would be to make one similar. 

I loved this dress that incorporated a substantial black and white houndstooth checked skirt with a simple bodice... I was unaware, as I took the picture, that I was inadvertently giving the dress form a 'pin head' just to make the look complete!





Aprons seem to be my weakness and these little black and white ones were so simple, yet so eye-catching... I can definitely see one in my future!

Since Margaret had just recently celebrated a birthday, 

we made our way down into the adjoining LWH Tea Room where we were able to enjoy a fresh brewed cup of coffee and sweet treat made from Lavender -

 (Margaret)

and a lovely fresh bowl of blueberries -

 (Me)

Our waitress was so cheery and accommodating, finding the time to show Margaret through the Tea Room and adjoining restaurant and outdoor Cafe area where they were just setting up for a wedding that was to take place the following day.

We were able to walk through some of the shops on Main Street after our lunch and also stopped in at the Fort Langley Library so that I could return a book and take out two more.

All in all, it was a lovely afternoon, well spent with a dear friend and sister.