Birthday Flowers

Summer vacay (you know the little vacation I have going on in my head that is that summertime state of mind) is coming to an end and I'm going to start hunkering down for the winter. Got to get a little disciplined. The new merchandise is coming in at breakneck speed. And we're doing our fall reset. And that's fun .Lots of candles and tea, and gloves, and cozy clothes. Then there's massive amounts of food (and fruit flies) at home that want's to be dried or canned or frozen. And that's kind of fun too (except for the fruit flies). And I want to get back to blogging. Plus I'm in a strong nesting mood. Un peu overwhelmed.

But the days have been warmer and on one of the last of summers evenings, we all headed over to Alison's House for a summer birthday party for yours truly, celebrating my 55th. It's a speed limit kind of thing my friend tells me - the 55th year. And though it was weeks ago, between travels and wedding work and general busyness, in a better late than never fashion, and devil may care, we shall celebrate when we can and how we please, we sat under an outside garden room which had an arbor dripping with grapes ( no joke, you looked up and there were green grapes hanging everywhere) and the walls were various kind of dahlias - in such a room we dined on tamales and fresh corn and greens and later we (I think there were eight of us) ate peach pie by candlelight. And it all felt faintly Dionysian. And I got world's loveliest bouquet in world's loveliest container for a present. Which all made me feel deeply contented and happy. And then Becky snapped a photo of me with a purple dahlia floating above my head.  Happy end of summer to us all.

Wooden Ships

Brrrr......the days are still warm, but the mornings are cold.   Must be September.   And we've got some lovely cotton knit sweaters from Wooden Ships upstairs.  Plus lots of other great clothes just came in.

Catching Up

We had a most lovely First Friday event with Mary Briggs, really lovely, very special.  And the seasons they're a changing and so is the store....bringing in all kinds of fall goodness.  And I did some hunting and gathering  in Portland and even hired a new manager!  (More on that in future post)
But nary a camera in sight....so instead some pretty flower pics for you.

Transformation

Nature in some of her most amazing magnificence....simple pendants with butterfly wings inside them.  I have my favorites.  How about you?

No two alike.

Mary Briggs at First Friday

 

Uh oh, what happened?  It's September and I haven't even told you about my trip to NYC and a few other things too.  But before it's over, want to tell you about Mary Briggs's' show coming up this Friday and Saturday.

It's been almost two years since we've had a show of Mary's at the store.  

Couldn't be happier.  She never fails to delight.  And if this platter is any indication, we're in for a treat.

Come down for First Friday and since fall really is in the air, we'll be serving apples and chunks of cheese, which somehow seems just right with Mary's bucolic work.

What I'm Having for Dinner

You know that little rule I have for myself, where I don't let myself cherry pick anything one of a kind or super fabulous - the rule that says I have to leave it in the store for a while and give the customers a chance.  Well people , you had your chance, and now it is mine:  handmade, big thick slab of myrtlewood fashioned into a cutting board from sustainably harvested wood out at the coast.

Fruit, a chunk or two of cheese, and some roasted nuts on this baby will make desert on the deck taste pretty good.

In love with all things Oregon

 

Favorite new card from our friends at Lark Press in Portland.  Only comes in a set. And Jean, the one who makes it all happen at Lark, is a big ee cummings fan so there's a great quote of his on the back of the card and you'll just have to come into Passionflower  and check out the card to find out what it says.