Rewarding Evening ...

VALLEY ART was ablaze with talented artists' work and talented volunteers on Friday the Thirteenth when "Expect the Unexpected" was staged in the gallery - the 43rd annual artist event.
I fell deeply and unexpectedly in love with a watercolor by Jan Su Hirst, titled "Adonis." And in love with many more things too - some of which I will actually have to give away as Christmas gifts.
The annual artist event is always blessed with food "treasures" from the members of the gallery's association, and this makes it a very special night. Here is my choice of just some of the delights from the hors d'oeuvre table. (The plate would only hold so much in one trip.)
On Saturday I volunteered at the Forest Grove Book Sale and my goodness! The rooms were very busy with folks searching for good deals on good reads. And Saturday was the last day of the sale. Those who helped clean up - and they were all ages, as you can see in the last photo - got a good deal on a FREE bag of books. (Yes, I helped clean up. Very worth it!)
I even did some gift shopping. It was my brother's birthday last week and I got him an absolutely first rate "gag gift" book. I'm sure with more searching I might have found something even better, but waiting until the last minute isn't very reliable.
Now I must quit blogging and get to writing on NaNoWriMo. I know I'm missing a lot of great football - I can hear it from the other room - but I still can't be two people at once - femminismo

Lunch With Sis ... and Autumn's So Pretty It Hurts.

MY sister, one year younger than me, was down from Washington to visit and on Saturday I lured her to my new favorite place to eat, Out Aza Blue, in Gales Creek.
We split a buffalo burger with bleu cheese. I had salad and she had potato chips (homemade). Our mother used to make these when we were young and they went as quickly as they came out of the pan. The Out Aza Blue chips were really crisp and light. Mom would have loved them, especially since she wouldn't have had to do any of the work.
The drive to Gales Creek was breathtaking. The yellow, gold and scarlet deciduous trees were mingled among the evergreens and seemed more beautiful than any other fall in decades. On the way back home it was raining a bit, but nothing could dim their loveliness.
Today, Sunday, we went out to breakfast and then to work off some of the calories from the egg-coated, rolled-oat covered sourdough bread french toast with apple slices (cream cheese icing on the side) I raked leaves - the photo is a conglomeration of images, with a before and after shot of the path I made - worked on my altered art journal and went grocery shopping for our own groceries and something to make for the Valley Art Annual Artist Event members night reception tomorrow evening. (Turned out to be a veggie platter.)
The Mister and I collaborated on dinner: He cooked hamburger, onions, chili powder and tomatoes in a pan and I made the cornbread to pour on top. Then it all baked in the oven. He even asked me if I wanted to take a picture of it, but I guess I knew I had enough photos already to post.
I am working on Nanowrimo, but I'm not at all happy with the words I've put together so far. I know that's not really the point, and my brain is still freeing itself up, but still it's disappointing. I guess I thought it might come together more easily. I've tried writing longhand, on the computer, changing chairs and writing surfaces - and it's just not working quite right. Well, when it does, though, it will be a bonus - femminismo