Holiday Party!

This year we are very behind, and lazy. This year we did a cocktail holiday party to see our friends before we all jet off to beyond.

The hosts.

The furry host.
The evening entertainment. Not really.

We LOVE treats. We are so good. Look at us. Aren't we good listeners? What?

At the food table.

Eric's specialty cocktail sure knocks a punch. It knocked Jason out.

Look at those tongues. Gross.

The stockings are hung by the chimney with care. Poor kitty/Roxi has an identity crisis and no gifts. What does one get a cat?

Ready.
Eric the bartender. Mixing up "peppermint chocolate martinis."

Junior mints and sugar rim preparations.

The Tree that Wasn't

Well. We thought a $5 tree was worth it. It still remains to be seen. The forest service at Mt. Hood allows you to cut down the evergreens for Christmas. However, we seemed to pick a real mountain tree that doesn't want to stay in the base. And, it's a little large. But here are some pics from the day.

Mom and Dad

Don't they look nice? They had their Christmas Dance and took their turns as wine stewards.

Very matchy. Nice.

More Wreaths

And it's off to the Mountain for us to get our tree. Look for pictures soon, assuming we make it back. :)

So now I'm on a wreath kick. Watch out...I may start a wreath business!! It might be more profitable than what I do now. So Sharon, Carmen, and I went to Portland Nursery to make our own wreaths with all their fresh cuttings. The results were very nice. Though Sharon still isn't convinced that she won't buy one next year. :)

Carmen and her Juniper berry wreath.

Sharon and her holly berry wreath.
My wispy, cedar clipping wreath with pine cones. Very simple. Now on our back door!

High Tea

We had holiday high tea at the historic tea lounge within the Heathman Hotel.

"Blueberry tea"
finger sandwiches, desserts, and all sorts of goodies.

Glass Pieces

Photographs of the blown glass pieces we made.

My bowl.
Jeff's speckled gazing ball.

Eric's ornament.
Kathy's ornament.

Southern Oregon Weekend

We headed out early Friday morning not sure what the weekend held for us. We had reservations at a bed and breakfast called "Eagle Creek Lodge" halfway between Sisters, Oregon and Eugene (home of University of Oregon - the Ducks). We found our way to a glass blowing studio in Eugene where we each tried our hand (with lots and lots of help) at various blown glass pieces - ornaments, bowls, pond floaters. There's also a number of wineries along the route so we had to sample some of those as well.

Eric's ornament. He's attaching on the hook part.

The studio. Minnie just roamed around.

The glass blowing studio.
At Pfieffer Vineyards, in the Cellar for a private tasting.

At Sweet Cheeks Vineyard. More about the view than the wine.

At King's Estate.
The weather held for the weekend. Really, it is NOT like this in November. This is unusual.

Celebrating a successful glass blowing lesson.

Supervising the wreath making. Our hosts at the bed and breakfast were kind enough to let me make one a week earlier than planned with all the fresh materials she had assembled - cedar, fir clippings, juniper berries, holly, manzanita leaves.

Eric at the edge of the McKenzie River which flowed just in front of the b&b.

Eagle Creek Lodge from the "front" that faces the McKenzie River. Half way between Sisters and Eugene.

My mountain homemade "natural" wreath.

Very serious about wreath making.
The winos. Including Minnie.