Queen of Stacks - Double the Fun

Here's a double dose of shaped puzzles. It's a stack of books and the cat who "owns" them. We first put together this beautiful rainbow-colored stack.

The box came with two puzzles, each around 325 pieces. 

"Shaped" because it's not an image fit to a rectangular base, but the image shape is the puzzle shape.

Included was this very crisp 1/2-size poster. The books are on one side, the cat on the other.

The puzzles are an excellent quality. That texture feels good in the hand, making putting the puzzle together super enjoyable. Plus, they're so well-cut that I could pick the completed puzzle up without it falling apart!

Speaking of the cat ... what a pretty fellow! Gorgeous colors! I admit that all that fur was a tough go for me. But I eventually completed the puzzle.

The stack of books and the cat are about the same size. I find it slightly disproportionate when the completed puzzles are side-by-side. Shouldn't that stack of books be taller? But I sure would not have wanted those fur puzzle pieces any smaller than they were.

That's one well-read kitty!

It reminds me of our kid's cat named Tabby. Best cat ever.

Unique Birthday "Card"

Dale celebrated his 65th birthday this week. Our main gift was to see a live performance of The Moth, which we thoroughly enjoyed. (If you get the chance, go see it. Highly recommended!) But I also got him a little gift to unwrap and was planning to make a card to go with it. Instead ... this is what came out of my creative noggin.

It's a greeting banner/swag. I got this last-minute idea on Pinterest.

I started by pulling these wood heart shapes from my stash. They range in size from about 3/4 of an inch to about 3-1/2 inches.

I wrote down a list of traits I love in my husband, then printed one trait on each heart. At first, I was simply going to use ink or paint to write the words. Then I got the idea to try wood burning instead.  (What was I thinking?)

I pulled my Creative Versa-Tool out of a bottom drawer in the closet where it's been languishing for years and started playing. (There's a different / newer version of this tool available on Amazon).

The center large heart has "Happy Birthday" on one side and this on the other side:

I used the wood burning tool to create the holes, then strung some nylon cord -- like thick fishing line) -- through the holes to hang the hearts.

Here are nine wonderful traits I chose for the hearts. (I somehow missed getting a photo of "HUGS"). 

Of course, Dale has many wonderful traits I missed -- chief among them are intelligence and creativity. But, you know, I wouldn't want his head to get too big by heaping on how extraordinary he is -- and I was running out of the right size of wood hearts. 

:: tongue firmly planted in cheek ::

I hung the banner from the mantle in the living room so he'd have the surprise when he got home.

And yes. He gave me the go-ahead to show this. I wouldn't have posted if it would have embarrased him.

I love this man so, so much. I couldn't have a better life partner. We're better together!

Watercolor Road Block

I'm delighted that my ankle is healed enough for me to take longer walks again. Now I get to see  my neighbors' flowers at nose level. This weigela was growing so exuberantly that it nearly blocked the sidewalk.

Buds, blossoms, and bedraggled all on one blushing branch.

OMG  This! 

Like a watercolor painting. 

I jumped into photography in order to take this kind of nature photo. Belly flowers. The kind of flowers you need to get down on your belly to fully appreciate. Sharing the beauty of nature in the midst of difficult times is my vocation.

By the way ... did you notice this plant returned love to me?

Dead or Alive

Either way, these camellia at Ruff Park in Springfield were beautiful last month.

Around the Pond

One of the activities I've challenged myself to do in 2024 is to go for solo drives to combat my pandemic-induced agoraphobia. I nearly stopped driving altogether. (Mental health problems are fun to deal with ... NOT). I'm quite good at driving to my daughter Jodie's place in Springfield ... just over 10 miles away. Yesterday I decided to drive to Junction City alone ... about 11 miles north of where I live.

I stopped by Dollar Tree and two thrift stores, as those feel like "safe places" to me. On the way home, I decided to return to Junction City Pond. It was a pretty, sunny afternoon, so I decided to follow the path around the water. The pond must have been recently re-stocked with fish, because there were quite a number of folks out with their lines in the water.

On the back side of the pond is a forested area where the recent rain kept the air humid and the ground muddy. The pond creeped up the shoreline

and there was lots of moss covering rocks and climbing the trees.

The wind was up a bit, and the water muddy and rough. I saw one fish jump out of the waves like he was happy to feel the sunshine and grateful to have a less crowded spot in which to swim. Some trees limbs, overloaded from last winter's ice storm, had cracked and rested on the banks of the shoreline.

Emerging from the forest shadows, my eye was drawn to bits of wildflower color. This vetch was a bit beat up by the wind and bogged down by the rain earlier in the week. The color, though. Vibrant!

Near the highway, white meadowfoam are blooming.

Back at the parking lot, I felt more calm and refreshed from my walk. I took time to stand by my car and look northwest over the farmlands and coastal mountain range.

Fulfilling a self-challenge and getting distance vision is always good for my soul.

Wisteria

Look what's blooming this week! 

I so enjoy Spring walks in my neighborhood under canopies of wisteria. 

The sprays fresh out of bud are white with a tinge of lilac.

The color deepens as the clusters sway on the vine.

Then - POW! - the deep purples and yellows raise their voices and strut their stuff.

You do know that flowers sing and dance, right?

Winter Perch

This exuberant scene is another puzzle Dale and I put together in our mini puzzle-making spree recently.

The teal, turquoise, mustard, salmon, and red colors are lovely and not the usual fare for a winter scene.

It's a 500 piece jigsaw puzzle by galison called Winter Perch. These galison puzzles are a great quality and a joy to work.

It came with a small poster. That's a nice touch because Dale could use the box top and I could use the poster as we worked side-by-side.

Some puzzles are a real slog to put together. This was the opposite. Just enough challenge, but never frustrating. The illustration is gorgeous. Here are some close-ups.

Lilac Time

Here in Eugene, I don't see as many lilacs as I did in north Idaho. I fell in love with the lilacs outside the choir room and dance studio when at college in Lewiston. In Coeur d'Alene and Post Falls, we had lilacs in our yards. 

But here in Eugene, I don't see many lilacs. So I get excited and plunge my nose into them when I get the chance. 

It seems like they went from bud

to brown-tinged edges in just a week.

That might be a slight exaggeration, but not by much.

Let's Learn about the Artist

Check this out.

Sometimes it's the $1.25 puzzles from Dollar Tree that bring me joy far beyond their price. 

This is an extraordinary illustration called Lemon Cake in an easy-to-complete 500 piece puzzle.

Apparently it's a series, but I have only this first one.  I must find the others! The company prints a bit about the artist on the side of the box and gives a link to the artist's website.

 I suggest you visit. It's a feast for the eyes!