A Mother's Day Surprise

A Small Note:

It's been quite the bustling summer here at Blueberry Barn. So busy in fact, that I started writing this post back in June and then promptly forgot all about it! So it is coming to you quite later than I had intended, but I hope that you will enjoy it none the less. 

The weekend of Mother's Day, back in May, was awfully busy. Not only did we have a party to plan for Sunday afternoon, Quinn, dad, and I were working like crazy to finish the new living room addition on the Barn (where the party was to be held). Dad had put up the last piece of trim late Saturday night, but then of course there was the cleaning to do, and what about decorations? Quinn and I worked late into the night and even put some time in before church the next morning! We wanted to make sure Melissa had an absolutely wonderful Mother's Day!

Pictured above is the "Mother's Day Cake" - a very dense cake made of ground almonds and orange peal, topped with buttercream frosting - from one of my cake cook books. I had made it the year before (again for Mother's Day, of course) and mom had loved it and requested it again. Last year I had decorated it with fake bunches of lily of the valley, but this year I decorated it with cherry blossoms, salmon berry flowers, wild violets, and large purple flowers made of foam - I thought the flowers looked so pretty with the pastel green buttercream frosting.

We had planned a tea party, to be started shortly after church Sunday afternoon. Quinn, Laura, Abigail and I ran around bringing dishes from hither and thither and setting the table just so - it all looked marvelous when we finally had mom come!

Melissa's mother, Quinn's grandma Kay, also came to the celebration, so we had two moms to celebrate! On the menu were: tomato bruschetta, a dish of apples and oranges, a dish of assorted vegetables, cucumber sandwiches, a plate of cheeses, deviled eggs, and three different types of tea - rose, lavender with chamomile, and peach. There were so many pretty dishes that the table couldn't hold them all, so the wood stove (which wore flowers and a pretty tablecloth) stepped in to help - and how pretty everything looked too!

I used my blue willow dishes along with some orange and blue lusterware mom and dad gave me last year for Christmas. The two sets looked perfect together, but of course nothing looked nicer than the lovely group of people gathered around the table! Quinn and I both said later that it was the perfect way to start off life in our brand new living/dining room.

The party was wonderful but I would be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to the presents afterwards the most... You may remember from several posts ago that mom, dad, Laura and Abby all were gone early in spring for almost two months. Quinn and I stayed in their house during this time to take care of the animals. Quinn really enjoyed having more room and being able to spread out, but I was more interested in mom's new toy...

This last winter Melissa talked her dad into helping her make the doll house of her dreams! It was so big it had to be put together in her bedroom, and it took hours and hours for her to paint it. This doll house was quite the step up from her previous doll house, which had been an armoire with only two shelves inside.

I had always been enchanted by mom's dolls and her miniature collection - and now I could secretly play with it! But my mind was reeling with ideas - so I set to writing. While Quinn and I housesat, I wrote a short story about the dolls, giving them names and personalities (which was so much fun!), and then I grabbed Quinn's camera and started taking pictures. I wanted to create a book for Melissa as a Mother's Day present, with the story and photos all involving her new doll house!

It was a bit more work than I had first thought, the hardest part was getting the right lighting for the photos (as it was still so dark in February!), but eventually all the photos were taken and then came the actual making of the book. I used a program online to format my book and then to get it printed. I was so nervous with how it would turn out...but then the book finally came, and I had to hold in my joy for fear I should scream. It turned out so wonderfully!

And now we go back to Mother's Day, with mom opening her present! I am happy to report that she was thrilled, and after a yummy time eating dessert (a slice of cake each, along with a pavlova - homemade by Abigail and so amazingly good!), we all sat around her as she read it out loud to us. I wish I could show you the book in person Dear Friend, but I have something that can reach across the miles to wherever you are - a video!

Quinn helped me put together this little video of the photos from the book, with me reading the story along with them. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it (be forewarned, it is quite dramatic! Haha!).

And as a small little bonus to this post, I thought it would be marvelous to include some photos of Melissa's charming doll house at it's current state (for she has spent lots of time getting everything just so, as well as making little things here and there for it since my photos were taken in February). I'm sure it will set your imagination off just as it does mine...

(Yes, in case you're wondering, her bedroom walls are a bright green!)

Above is the doll house in all its glory! Melissa designed it herself, and took great care painting and wallpapering it. The top most floor is a bedroom, underneath this is the kitchen, followed by a living room. The two bottom rooms are a sewing room and another bedroom (with a bathroom as well!).

If only I could shrink myself down to the size of a Madame Alexander doll - this is my dream bedroom! The sleigh bed, the vanity, the changing screen, the lamps, the wallpaper! Oh yes, if this was my bedroom I doubt I would ever leave it!

Lets move down a floor, shall we? The kitchen is by far my favorite room in the whole house as there is so much to look at and to play with. There are two stoves, so if the dolls want to keep up with Melissa they will need to get another one (as she has three in her kitchen!).

Here on the kitchen table are some flower seed packets I made for mom not long after Mother's Day. My fingers had glue all over them for several days after I made them, but didn't they turn out darling? The wreath that hangs above the table was made by mom - it will be switched out soon with another one mom made, this one with autumn colors!

In the picture on the bottom left you will see two mini watercolor paintings done by Abigail - don't they look perfect with the blue lined China on the hutch?

As we make our way to the next floor down we find ourselves in the living room! Here the dolls greet their friends and play music together on cold winter evenings.

Mom has the living room looking more like an enchanted garden - with pots of flowers and charming knickknacks all around (the miniature cuckoo clock is so adorable!):

On the left you'll see a painting of Tasha Tudor done by Heather of 'Sleightholm Folk Art' (mom has quite a few of her paintings in the doll house - if you would like to see more of her artwork I highly recommend visiting her shop - mom and I are big fans of hers!). Tasha has been a big inspiration to Melissa in her doll house endeavors.

Oops! But it looks like some of the girls are practicing the piano! Let's not disturb them any longer and instead make our way downstairs...

 The brightly colored quilt and pillows of the bed on the left was a Christmas gift I made for mom this last winter. I was very proud of how the whole set turned out!

Oh, dear me! It seems we accidentally walked in on some of the dolls changing for dinner! My deepest apologies ladies, we'll be off on our way!

On to the sewing room...

The mannequin, bolts of fabric, and the tiny box of sewing patterns were other things I made for mom. I've never had an excuse before to create miniature things, and I have so enjoyed doing it. Thankfully I have a willing recipient for all my mini craft projects! Thanks mom!

Well that's all the rooms! I do hope you enjoyed this intimate look into Melissa's doll house, I know I did (I had such a grand time taking all these photos!)! Before you go here is a little closer look at the sets of rooms, so the layout is a bit more clear:

Thank you so much Dear Friend for reading along and for coming on a tour of the doll house. I do hope you enjoyed our time together! Please do be on the watch for more posts, as I have some fun things planned for the coming months. Until next time, Friend!

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A Mirror of the Sea

Quinn has been very busy at his new job as a guide for tourists on the Mendenhall Glacier - but don't feel too sorry for him. After all, he gets to ride a helicopter to work every day! But because of his busy schedule we haven't been able to go on any hikes while the weather has been nice. So of course it was pouring down rain on his first day off in a while.

As we are somewhat used to being disappointed with the Juneau rainforest weather, we decided to go on a hike anyway (and invited our friend Aaron along too)!

There is a saying here in Juneau, "It's always nicer out the road." I can remember my mother telling me this fervently as I climbed into a bus to take me out to Echo Ranch Bible Camp (which is all the way out the road) while the raindrops fell around us. As far as I can tell, this saying is usually correct! It certainly was in our case that day. The whole drive out it was pouring, and as we got farther and farther away from town the rain lessened, till we arrived at the Point Bridget trailhead and found it hardly sprinkling at all - we even took off our coats part way through the hike!

Now I may have said "hike", but it's really more of a walk (by Alaskan standards anyway). The Point Bridget trail is about three miles long and flat the whole way, with lovely mountain views and ending at the ocean. We had hoped to see some of the horses from Echo Ranch - which sits just across the river - but there was a kid's camp going on so I'm sure the horses were busy (we even heard the lunch bell go off - a very loud siren that echoes off the mountains and brings back fond memories for all of us). Often times the horses roam free around the large meadows, or they're busy giving rides to campers through the woods.

I was just a tad bit nervous we would run into a bear on our hike. One time we stayed out at a cabin in the meadow with our friends. Our friends Jacob and Leah weren't going to stay the night with us, but on their hike back they ran into a bear and stayed the night anyway, rather than risk hiking back in the dark when a bear was close by. Thankfully we didn't meet a bear, though there was something no larger than Greta scuttling around in the bushes at one point...

The flowers were so pretty on our way out to the beach - I had to stop myself from picking any, knowing they would wilt. I promised myself I would pick a bouquet on our hike back to the trail head.

The woods gave way to meadow, then the beach!

The three of us sat on an old log and ate some lunch. Quinn went down to the water's edge and threw some very large sticks for Lupin and Greta - which they enjoyed profusely - their barks echoing off the mountains (no bears would stick around after hearing that!). Aaron even spotted a whale way out past the rocky shore. 

We had a marvelous time exploring the beach at low tide. There were tide pools even deep enough for Greta to swim in, and all manner of tiny sea creatures to discover within their depths. 

Here is Quinn trying to take a selfie with me on the large rock that was pictured above. He laughed after he saw it and said "ALL nose!" Unfortunately Aaron did not make it into the photo, but I don't think he's too disappointed about that, ha!

Farther up the beach we found a large tree that had washed up on the shore. Greta enjoyed the little windows the roots made, and I couldn't pick which photo to show you so here's a whole lot!

She seldom smiles for the camera (I don't think she wants to be famous, ha!), so I was so excited to get these silly photos of her! 

I was thrilled to see the wild sweet peas blooming along the sea shore - their purple and blue flowers are one of my most favorites! I had told myself I would pick a bouquet on the way back...so I started one right then and there! Perhaps I could simply add on to it as we made our way back along the trail.

Here's my bouquet of sweet peas and wild geraniums! After I made it I decided it would be best to leave it as is, since the stems of the sweet pea are so short and they wouldn't get any water in a vase of tall lupin. But don't you dare think that I stopped there!

We started hiking back and Quinn and Aaron were so kind as I stopped every five feet to pick another flower. Quinn even offered to hold my first bouquet as my hands were starting to get full. What's more, he even posed for a photo!

 In case you haven't noticed Dear Reader, I had my hair cut very short recently! I have never in my life had it this short, but I really love it. Quinn takes great delight in it too, as now his hair is longer than mine! 

A Poem from my Poetry Notebook:

       -A Mirror of the Sea-

A mirror of the sea shone bright

With colors livelier by far

For pinks and purples meet the sight

And yellows shining like a star.

Ripples too can there be found

But not of water, foam, or spray.

The wind he travels fast, unbound,

To blow the petals far away.

To wander through this ocean wide

Would be an afternoon well spent,

For with the bees and butterflies

One will truly be content. 

I gathered lupin, shooting stars, buttercups, irises, and wild geraniums for this bouquet. The chocolate lilies pictured above were so pretty, but they stink horribly, and so I decided against it. Again, Quinn and Aaron were so kind in waiting for me as I ran around in the wet grass picking flower after flower. I could have stayed there all day!

The bouquet got so large I could barely fit my hand around it! But what a glorious array of colors! I was a bit nervous it wouldn't survive the hike back and the long drive home - but it did! And it now sits proudly on my kitchen counter, ready to be admired every day!

I don't think I could ever get tired of looking at that picture - and I know for sure it will be even more loved and cherished when winter is in full swing!

Picking wild flowers must be my favorite thing, and I don't think I mind that one bit.

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