November, Thanksgiving Time in Montana

Love, Love this time of year, Harvest time, Thanksgiving, Fall colors, good smells in the kitchen, turkey, and family. I'm so excited to have my sister and her family join us for Thanksgiving this year, here at our home in Montana, our first family Thanksgiving gathering in our beloved Montana!!

Sharing a bit of my November Decor...enjoy the tour! Blessings to all my blogger friends!

A "Cousin Reunion"

Cousin Family Reunion, first night at our place, dinner!

Family reunions are very special to me. After leaving my roots in New England when I was ten, I was privileged to live in many different states adapting from east coast to west coast environments...thanks to my Dad's job. Now that I've been away from
aunts, uncles, and cousins for so many years, it's been a blessing to reunite and reconnect to these cousins.

My sister and I prepare a week's worth of activity for our cousins arriving from New Hamsphire and Florida. Our New Hamsphire cousins flew to my sister's place in WA, and our Florida cousins drove (from Wisconsin, where they summer) to my place in Montana. Sis and her gang drove to my place to start off the reunion. Great visits, catching up, story telling, and of course lots of wine sipping!

Kathy and I enjoying catching up!

John and Kathy enjoying our visit and enjoying the view!

The next day we were off to my little town that could (Philipsburg) doing the walking tour of all the shops, candy store, and a bit of sapphire mining. Oh, and did I mention that it was "Flint Creek Valley Days" all weekend...lots of folks in town, parade, and a vintage car show?

Cousin Vi and husband Dean, and hubby

Dan and Cindy (sister) strolling our town.

Cousin John and Kathy enjoying the shops.

Sapphire mining right in town, John and Kathy found some nice gems.

Intense work, looking for sapphires.

Then off to "Glacier National Park" the next day, amazing sites, photo opportunities, and more family time. We stayed over night at the "Belton Chalet", my sister, "In a Garden" posted links of this destination stay over, check out her recent post on our trip also.

Just entering the park, gorgeous day.

Glacier National Park

Mountain Goats

John and Kathy, at the top of "hwy to the sun".

Big Horn Sheep

The Belton Chalet, where we stayed the night.

Next day a boat ride on "Lake McDonald", very relaxing and beautiful. Our FL cousins left us after the boat ride, back to Wisconsin they went. That afternoon the rest of us were back in the car, heading back to my place for the night, only to get up early the next morning to get back in the car to head to my sister's home in WA. More fun to come with our New Hampshire cousins.

On the boat to tour around, "Lake McDonald" inside Glacier National Park

Lake McDonald

John and I enjoying the moment!

Enjoyed the next few days of family dinners, wine tasting, and more late nights chatting it up! 

Dinner at my sister's house, good Italian food!

A little wine tasting at the Farmer's Market

Our yummy cheese platter pared with our wine.

Next day in Prosser WA, enjoying a wonderful dinner at "Wine O'Clock".

Dinner at "Wine O'Clock".

My dinner, a trio of grilled Sole, garden greens and veggies!

A view from outside the restaurant, check out the all the raised beds full of greens and herbs.

More views looking towards another tasting room, check out the lavender.

Leaving the "Wine Village" in Prosser, a long day, heading back to my sister's place in Tri-Cities.

We left the net day for home, cousins flying back to New Hampshire and me...a six hour drive back to Montana. I didn't mind, I'm use to driving long distances to get to family, six hours is nothing, plus it's a gorgeous drive.

Happy Summer everyone, aren't we ALL busy during this season!

Do you have a "Real Deals" in your area?

Okay ladies...bragging about this amazing chain store called  "Real Deals", a home decor franchise. They seem to be popping up all over, I first heard of this from my sis in Tri-Cities Washington. My first time was at my sister's store location in Kennewick WA, talk about overwhelming, such great items, things I've seen in high-end stores that I would not pay a lot for, but here sooooo affordable.

When I moved to Montana, I was thrilled to learn that there was one in Missoula, our shopping destination town from Philipsburg. To make a long story short, I'm a big fan, and have dropped some $$$ in there recently. There's nothing like building a new home and then having to furnish and decorate it, too much fun!!!

I've been to more than one now in different towns/states, and I must say the owner has the power to make it fabulous by displaying the items creatively, if not then it could look like any other "discount" retail store. Our Missoula store is displayed wonderfully, Sara (the owner) does a fabulous job with her space. Just google "Real Deals" in your state and find out where the nearest one is for you, check it out on line, you won't be disappointed!

Here's my new "Real Deals" bench and matching bookcase/cabinet.

More "Real Deal" items in the cabinet, the clock, green & black ceramic canister, and the the picture frame behind the glass door.  :)

This & That

Busy summer so far, back working in town at my sweet little shop, staining window casements in the house, scheduling tile work, and the list goes on!

I've been watching the "Casey Anthony" trial these past few weeks, and what a blow yesterday when the verdict came down, I'm speechless and in shock. Breaks my heart that she got away with a perfect murder. The little girl Caylee left this life too soon, trusting she is now in the arms of Jesus. As for Casey, the Lord will deal with her and and He's the ultimate judge anyway.

Went to my first "Chamber Social" a couple of weeks ago. Sara & Keith Powers are new Innkeepers of  the "Forest Edge Inn". Check out their place located up in Georgetown Lake, ForestEdgeInn. A lovely stay in the mountains, with views that will take your breath away.

Our friends Vince & Rozanne are involved in the antique motorcycle industry. To make a long story short, their family takes part in restoring and building antique motorcycles, this is only one of many that's for sale. Pat went over to their house to check out the 1914 "Henderson", completely original and restored...sweet!

Not much else going on with me just a little bit of "this & that".

Summer Stock Sunday

SummerStockSunday

Summer is right around the corner, but here in Montana we're just now enjoying "Spring"! I thought I would join this event and share some of our Montana beauty with you!

Spokane Weekend Re~cap

Not only did sis and I enjoy the "Farm Chicks" show all day Saturday, we managed to include other fun adventures.

My amazing sister treated me to a two night stay at the famous Spokane historic "Davenport Hotel". I felt like a queen in this luxurious palace. There's nothing like sister time, just the two of us, staying up past midnight chatting about anything and everything. Of course we had our favorite treats to sip & munch on.

Our weekend started off with meeting at one of Cindy's favorite rose nurseries somewhere in Spokane out in the country, thank the Lord I had a GPS, I missed the turn off and for those that know me I'm horrible with directions. So there I was driving all over the place trying to get back on track...that darling little GPS works like a charm, ya just have to listen to it and follow the directions. As I pulled into this amazing place, there was sis waving at me

Once we checked into the Davenport, we took a stroll down to the river walk area. I was here many years ago, back in the mid 70's for a world's fair. Some of the remnants of the fair still remain.

Enjoyed a great "early bird" special at the Davenport in the Fireside room, then walked the entire place reading all about the history and peeking in on all the ballrooms, my camera was busy.

Saturday morning (before the Farm Chicks) we found a local "Art Walk", so relaxing and a beautiful sunny morning. Talk about a small world, I actually met a couple selling their art from "Philipsburg", my town!!  By noon we were ready to head to the Farm Chicks event. Read post below for that adventure, it was fabulous!!!!

That evening after resting a bit back in our hotel room, we walked to this Latin restaurant called, "Agave", highly recommend by the hotel concierge. I had my first pomegranate "Mojito", I've been hearing about these refreshing drinks made with fresh mint. Then came our grilled "Mahi Mahi" with fresh vegetables and all the trimmings. A great way to end our fun day!

Sunday we lounged in our fancy room, had coffee in the lobby and had to hit one more spot (World Market) before we had to say goodbye and head different directions for

home. We had the best time together, thanks again sis for blessing me with your love and kindness.

Here's the great "finds" I came home with from the Farm Chicks show.

Notice the detail shelf that was added to the creamy vanity, that's what caught my eye.

The chair and footstool was newly reupholstered in this neat linen material.