Trick or Treat!

Some leering pumpkin heads to keep
watch over any piano players...

Happy Halloween, everyone!  As you can imagine, with eight relatively small people in the house, it's always a lively Halloween at the Dapper and Dreamy house.

I look forward to the donning of the Halloween decorations every year around my birthday in late September.  For over a month, perhaps longer than even the run up to Christmas, ghosts, pumpkins and other ghoulish apparitions fill the house.  Cobwebs, something one usually tries to avoid, are purposefully draped from the corners of picture frames and mirrors, and black and orange predominates.  My kids are somewhat disappointed every year by my unwillingness to truly creep out the house, but we are just not into the creepy side of the holiday.  For us, Halloween movies mean Arsenic and Old Lace, Meet Me in St. Louis (also a good summertime and Christmas movie, if you remember) and, of course, It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.

While Arsenic and Old Lace doesn't deal with Halloween itself, the slight creepiness of the setting (an old house near a cemetery in stormy, 1940's Brooklyn) and the convincing menace of Raymond Massey make it a fun, but just edgy enough, movie for the evening.  Cary Grant is over the top in his role as the nephew of two elderly, but charming, spinsters who feel that it's their duty to "help" lonely old gentlemen along in their somewhat premature journey to the great beyond.  In fact, Arsenic and Old Lace was a rather mixed experience for Cary.  He disliked the way he played Mortimer Brewster, feeling that he was too over the top.  But, he was also reunited with one of his oldest friends, playing one of his dithering aunts.  As a newly arrived Englishman and circus performer in the United States many years before, she had nursed him through an illness, cementing a long and warm association. 

Our Halloween journal, made and kept by
Melissa...  It lists everyone's costume,
and all the fun events of every Halloween!

Halloween 2001...  Ten years and four kids ago!  Melissa
is a Spider Queen, I am an aged rock star with our little
goblins in tow.

I've already blogged about Meet Me in St. Louis, but just to refresh your memory a bit, it contains one of the most delightful looks at turn-of-the-century domestic life, and a marvelous Halloween!  Imagine coming home from frightening your neighbors to an enormous and beautiful cake, ice cream and countless other treats, all enjoyed in the late Victorian splendor of your huge, and cozy, home surrounded by loving parents, siblings, even your beloved grandpa, and that stalwart maid who's wisecracks keep the head of the household from taking himself too seriously.  Meet Me in St. Louis is an all time favorite of ours, and at no time more than Halloween.

Wreaths are fun inside, too!  And they're not just
for Christmas anymore...

Finally, It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, needs no description.  If you are not familiar with this truly timeless classic, well, I just can't imagine there's a person alive who isn't!  Charlie Brown is part of so many American holiday traditions that it's hard to imagine missing any of Charles Schultz's masterpieces.  In fact, with the advent of videos and DVD's, we watch it so many times during the run up to the holiday that it seems that the soundtrack to the show is actually part of the soundtrack of our lives!

For most of us, Halloween is over, now.  But, be dapper and dreamy...  We strongly believe that the holidays can last far beyond their more obvious places on the calendar.  So, that means that tomorrow isn't too late to indulge in some post-Halloween revelry.  For us, however, we are ready to clear out the cobwebs and welcome the pilgrims.  Thanksgiving is on the way!  And that means a whole raft of new topics to cover here, at Dapper and Dreamy!

Some of the Best Things to Eat in Eugene... And Maybe the World!

Sweet, fragrant, crunchy...
Candied violets are dreamy!

Oh how I wish I would have had a camera with me...  We enjoyed one of the loveliest desserts today...  A Violette Sundae at a local shop, Marche Provisions at Eugene's Fifth Street Market.

A generous scoop of delicious vanilla bean gelatto, a large spoonful of hot fudge, whipped cream and candied violets.  Those crunchy, purple, sweetly scented violet candies add not only a whimsical look to the sundae, but a surprisingly delicious flavor!

Marche Provisions has other marvelous sundae ideas, including the Elvis, which includes roasted bananas, caramel and nuts.  The King would approve!

Speaking of marvelous foods, let's turn to my absolutely favorite Eugene splurge of the moment...  The Vintage Restaurant.

The Vintage Restaurant
(This image is from the Vintage's Facebook page.)

The Vintage specializes in crepes, both savory and sweet, and while there are other tempting foods on offer, I can't seem to move past the Cheeky Chicken.  Filled with roasted red peppers, chicken, pesto and mozzarella, it is heavenly.  But, save room for dessert (actually, it doesn't matter if you save room for dessert or not, you still must have it)...  The sweet Gone Bananas Crepe is perhaps the best dessert I have ever...  EVER eaten at a restaurant.  I kid you not when I say that I am tempted to lick the plate when I've eaten all the I can with a fork - something that I find particularly disgusting, but would make an exception for here.  The menu describes the Gone Bananas as being filled with, "fresh sliced bananas caramelized in butter and brown sugar, sprinkled with candied pecans."  The butter and brown sugar makes the most delicious caramel sauce ever with just the right amount of saltiness to bring out the buttery goodness (I am very much against all of this unsalted butter baking...  the salt adds to the flavor, in my opinion).  The slight tartness of the fresh bananas keeps the dessert from being too sweet, and the candied pecans add a pleasing crunch.  It really is one of the very best things I've ever eaten, and I have eaten a lot of good things!  Unfortunately, I have the annoying habit of feeling that many restaurant and bakery foods could be better made at home (the advantage of home being that you can add favorite ingredients and take away some that are not as pleasing to your palate).  But, in the case of The Vintage, I don't think the originals could possibly be improved upon.  You also have to take into account the cozy, welcoming ambiance of this very old converted house in Eugene's downtown.  It's a lovely place for a summer lunch, but I can imagine that it's warmth would be even more apparent on a rainy autumn night.  The service is friendly and casual, and the staff seems to feel genuinely proud of the delicious food on offer.

Inside the Vintage...
(This image comes from the Vintage's Facebook page.)

So, those of you who are far away...  eat your hearts out!  And, those of you who are near enough to Eugene to do so, visit these two restaurants and...  eat your hearts out!

Marche Provisions is located in the 5th Street Market at 5th and High in Eugene, Oregon.

The Vintage is located at 837 Lincoln Street in Eugene, Oregon.

A Dapper and Dreamy Product Recommendation

First, let me be clear...  As willing as I am to accept cash in return for my product recommendations, I don't think Dapper and Dreamy has arrived at a point where they are going to be offered.  So...  I will just have to give you my honest opinion about some really fabulous things!

With the holidays approaching, it's a good time to think about the scent of your home.  In year's past, friends of my wife would say that our house smelled like some lovely boutique.  Who doesn't want to hear that?  Well, eight kids (seven of them boys) and one small dog later, we have to work hard to live up to this compliment.  Thank goodness for incense, scented wax melts and Mrs. Meyer's plug-ins!  And, for perhaps one of the loveliest season candles ever...  The Peace Candle from Aroma Naturals. 

This candle smells good enough to drink!  It's a combination of oranges and cloves and reminds me of wassail.  It is a truly delicious candle.  It comes in many sizes, and in two colors - ruby and pearl - and once you have experienced it, you will insist that your house is filled with this aroma through the holidays and into the new year.

I believe that these are available through the bookshop, but you can certainly find them at Aroma Natural's online store, and I highly recommend that you pick up a few!

A Trip to Ashland... And the World's Greatest Store

Lithia Park in the fall...

If there's one place that we know we'll have fun, it's in Ashland - a small, but very civilized, town in Southern Oregon.  I've blogged about it before, but want to focus on a few key things this time...

Ashland is famous for their Shakespearean Festival, and I am sure rightly so.  However, in the interest of full disclosure, I haven't been to a Shakespeare play for at least thirty years.  And, since I am just 38, this would suggest that I am not a huge fan of the Bard.  For us, Ashland has countless other charms.

First, there's the lovely Lithia Park.  This is what a park should be...  Beautifully landscaped, clean, bordering a rocky stream with delightful bridges that connect the park to the street before it.  Set at the base of a rather steep hill, Lithia Park is the perfect spot for a stroll, a picnic or a swing on the swingset.  It's the same place that I told you about earlier this year - sweet violets in the spring - but is now alive with vibrant fall colors.

Ashland's Main Street, which is block after block of charming stores and restaurants.  English pubs, Italian trattorias, ice cream shoppes, French bistros, Indian restaurants...  Ashland has them all and each one seems to be more inviting than the next.  Our favorite restaurant, Macaroni's, serves the most delicious, warm, butter-smothered bread, and Puck's is the place for an early morning doughnut run.  There are so many welcoming shops along, and just off, Siskiyou Boulevard...  you can shop for books, antiques, body care items, jewelry, fabric, Christmas decorations, stationary, and gifts galore.  Bloomsbury Books, one of what seems to be a dying breed of local bookstores that, despite their seemingly limited stock, has every book you could possibly want, and an enormous cat to admire as you climb the stairs.  Not only do they have fabulous books (a particularly good children's section), but the store is cozy and the staff knows books!


Here it is...  the world's greatest
shop!  Click HERE
(which comes from the Prize website)
to visit the Prize website!

Really, all of the above is just a prelude to the real reason for this posting...  Prize!  And it really is!  Prize is, perhaps, the best shop ever.  Walking under the cream and brown striped awning and through the always open door, you are made instantly happier.  A bright, welcoming space that looks like nothing more than a party waiting to happen, Prize is the place for beautiful and unique merchandise.  Just what is this merchandise you ask?  The list is enormous...  First, there is a table absolutely covered with the most delicious candy.  These are the candies you dreamed of as a child (and perhaps as an adult!) black and red licorice Scottie dogs, marshmallows of all colors and flavors, salted caramels, the world's BEST Gummi bears (really!), gum in every possible flavor, Jordan almonds...  No doubt I am leaving out so many other fabulous options.  This is the spot my children immediately flock to every time we visit.  And, that's another point...  Some shop owners would cower at the idea of a family with eight children entering their pristine store.  Not Jennifer, the owner of Prize...  Rather than fear the appearance of the Gariepy family, she's called us "the official Prize family".  Who wouldn't like that?

You'll also find amazing vintage books.  We once bought a book about the famed Beverly Hills Hotel, along with a guide and a notepad somehow acquired from the hotel.  We've also found many books on the likes of Tiffany and Co. (along with beautiful Tiffany blue boxes), Chanel, Audrey Hepburn, the Kennedy's, Parisian bakeries and hotels, couture designers and marvelous interiors.  There's dazzling retro Cartier costume jewelry, Chanel sunglasses, the thinnest, clearest glassware, Marvis toothpaste, old, French casino tiles, imaginative maps and globes, the softest blankets, handmade cards for every occasion, ribbon from Louis Vuitton and Lanvin, striped wax paper straws, French butter dishes, boldly colored leather passport holders, French seascapes...  I really don't know where to stop.  You see, Prize doesn't seem to specialize in specifics, unless that specific is "wonderful".  You never know what you'll find, but you'll probably want to buy it all.  They are also trendsetters...  Surely you've seen the endless stream of "Keep Calm and Carry On" merchandise...  We bought our perfectly framed print at Prize, long before anyone else had them. 

Of course, perfection comes at a price, but you will be delighted with the prices at Prize.  Although we are budget conscious to an extreme at times, Prize is the ideal place to splurge.  There hasn't been one purchase that we've regretted, in fact, we usually leave wishing we'd bought more!  It's just that kind of place.

Finally, one of the unfortunate things with many stores like Prize - haughty, unwelcoming staff who seem to feel that they are doing you a favor by allowing you to shop with them...  You will NOT find this at Prize.  What you will find are exceptionally friendly people who are delighted to help you and will remember you on your next visit.  They'll also wrap each of your purchases, no matter how few or how small, in tissue paper with their charming Prize seals.  And, quite apart from the fun of acquisition, just a leisurely browse around the shop will refresh and inspire you.  We always leave thinking of fun things to make, new ideas for home decorating and a determination to live our life with just a little more style.

If you ever have the chance, visit Ashland.  In our opinion, it's the very best place in Oregon...  In fact, I think we're waiting for our high schoolers to dash off to college so we can move there!  And, make a stop (or two) at Prize on your visit.  You will thank us if you do!

The Most Beautiful Song?

I wasn't able to sleep last night, not an uncommon problem these days, so I decided to spend some time going through the music on my Blackberry.  This is one of the technological advances that I appreciate the most, for all my objection to many others...  The ability to listen to music anytime and anywhere.  What fun to be able to take your favorite compositions with you wherever you go!  Of course, this does not apply to the guy stopped next to me at the traffic light today...  His little souped-up Geo practically rising above the ground with the pounding bass of his latest Hip Hop download...  But, I digress (as usual).

Going through the music that I thought was most relaxing, I came across a few favorites that I seem to have multiple versions of.  I've already told you of my fondness for "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered", and who doesn't love ABBA's "Dancing Queen" and "Kisses of Fire"?  I've already accepted that Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass and Ray Conniff and His Singers may not find as many fans as one would hope, but I still like them.  But last night, I was trying to decide which of these classics stirred me the most...  There's
"The Holy City", best performed by Mahalia Jackson.  The first time I heard this song I couldn't get enough of it.  It wasn't just the message, but I loved the tune, the power and the strength.  "In the Bleak Midwinter" is a newer discovery for me, haunting, clear and so reminiscent of it's title.  And then, reaching almost to the top of my list, Mozart's "Ave Verum" and Puccini's "Nessun Dorma".  But, as far as I am concerned, if I had to choose the most beautiful song ever, it would have to be "Ave Maria".  You might think, in light of last night's post, that I am on a particularly religious streak.  To be honest, the tune of "Ave Maria" alone is enough to captivate me, the message is something altogether different.  And, of course, there's not just one "Ave Maria".  There's Bach's version, Gounod, Schubert...  probably others as well.  While I am partial to Schubert, I love them all almost equally.  Is it a coincidence that most of these selections were performed by Luciano Pavarotti?  Probably not...

Our musical tastes are really very personal.  Each of us may respond to the same piece of music in entirely different ways.  But one of the common experiences with many pieces are their ability to take us away from the mundane cares of the here and now and let our spirits soar.  Sometimes I just want to listen to a good song.  At other times I want to be truly moved and to appreciate something so big and so grand that the secret to it's creation is forever a mystery.

Bible Stories and Family Book Time

Cozy, vintage Bible stories...

Having a large family means lots of people going in lots of different directions.  Their is school, homework, jobs, time with friends, dances, church...  all kinds of things take us away from home.  I am not sure that it's such a good thing that our fast-paced lives have caused us to become more and more independent of each other.  In fact, in recent months, I've tried to take a lot of steps to change that.  One of the things that we've always done, and one of the best parts of the day, is the time we take to gather together to read Bible stories and other books.  To me, it seems like a rather old-fashioned tradition, and one that I like very much.  Regardless of your particular religious views, taking some time out to be thankful and to consider things bigger than oneself provides a lovely respite from that chatter that so often surrounds us.

Not too long ago, Melissa found a book of Bible stories from the 1940's.  Within it's somewhat weathered green leather cover are the stories of the life of Jesus.  The little tales are written in the form of stories, in language that makes them approachable and easy to understand.  They are also illustrated in a style that I particularly love - bright, colorful and decidedly old-fashioned.  The stories aren't terribly long, and they end with a few questions to make sure the message was received.  We've had some interesting discussions because of the stories in this book, some of them related to what we believe and some having nothing whatsoever to do with questions of faith and religion.  We've even had some really good laughs because of some of the things we've said and read.

Of course, it's not just Bible stories that can bring a family together or encourage a lifelong love of reading.  When our daughter, Victoria was born (almost 18 years ago!), my grandmother gave us a set of books from the Weekly Reader Club.  Of all the gifts we've been given for the children over the years, it's probably the one we've used the most.  The stories have become huge favorites with our children, some of them read over and over.  Others are read at particular times of the year - a nice and comforting tradition to come back to.  Jack's favorite was Crawly Bug and the Firehouse Pie.  We read that at the end of each summer.  Halloween brings us to Jeb Scarecrow, a book with beautifully colored illustrations and a fun opportunity to give voice to a flock of angry crows.  A Porcupine Named Fluffy and Underwear are also staples.  If you haven't heard of these, look them up, they are truly enjoyable children's books.  Tonight's selection included a Bible story, Jeb Scarecrow and Arthur's Halloween.  All perennial favorites, both of which will probably be read again this week in the run-up to Halloween.

Two happy little readers...

If you enjoy time with your kids, and you love reading, take a moment every day to include a combination of the two.  Believe me, it will pay big dividends.  Many of our happiest family memories include good books and time together.

Dapper and Dreamy Christmas Shoppe is Open on Etsy!

Cue the music!!!

The famous Nuremberg Christmas Market in Germany.
This is where we'd like to sell some Dapper and
Dreamy Christmas items!

Take a stroll through our little Christmas shoppe on Etsy!  It's the place to buy some retro-styled Christmas cards, your Jackie ornament and your Jackie "Paperdoll" Felt Stocking!

Click Here to Shop at the Dapper and Dreamy Christmas Shoppe!

Bow Ties... Dapper and Dreamy or Dorky and Drippy?

I've always wanted a bow tie.  Not one of those that you get with your rental tuxedo at prom, but a real bow tie that you actually have to knot yourself.  My son, Thomas, a young man who has sophisticated sartorial sensibilities, was kind enough to make this dream come true at my last birthday.

First, I had no idea how difficult it was to tie a bow tie.  In the mirror, everything being backwards, I found myself pulling the wrong ends, loosening instead of tightening the bow...  it was ugly.  Finally, I was able to get things right, and I was quite pleased with the result.  A light blue, silk tie with a small blue and gold design, it was just the understated statement I wanted to make.  In short, I loved my new bow tie.

Now, fast forward to "Elderly Day" at Thomas' high school.  I, personally, have a bit of a problem with the elderly being a target of ridicule and fun during the school's multi-themed spirit week, but I try not to be too serious, and let it go...  Although, I did threaten to write a letter of protest and alert the Grey Panthers, just for fun.  But, to the point...  In the process of looking for his "costume", Tom thought, "What better place to find clothes that befit the aged than my dad's closet?!"  Hmmm, not the impression I try to make with my wardrobe, but what does a 15 year old know about style, anyway?  Choosing a blue cardigan and, painfully, my brand new blue bow tie, he pronounced his costume perfect...  He would look just like an "old" man should look.

I like bow ties.  I always have.  I think that they are distinctive, old-fashioned and a delightfully different way to decorate the neck.  Men don't have all that many choices when it comes to dressing "differently", unless one has the means to invest in a bevy of Saville Row suits, we are expected to dress fairly conservatively.  Also consider the fact that the vast majority of people living in my area wouldn't really know whether one were wearing something remarkable or not.  In Eugene, Oregon, formal can easily mean a clean tie-dyed shirt and the best pair of Birkenstocks (with socks if it's a formal occasion).  Bow ties are one of the areas that individualism might be accepted and noticed.  We've also got the pocket square and socks, but ties are different.  Unfortunately, ties in general are problematic for men.  Ties can be stylish and telling.  They can also be disastrous.  A Sponge Bob tie is never fashionable, but a vintage tie with a story behind it might be.  And, Christmas, or other holiday themed ties, should usually be put in that special place reserved for Christmas sweaters. 

Fred knew how to rock
a bow tie...

Bow ties have a a distinctive pedigree, though.  Look at the Duke of Windsor, Cary Grant, Fred Astaire, even our only professionally stylish president, Harry Truman (a haberdasher in an earlier incarnation).  All were wearers of the bow tie, and all are still considered paragons of male fashion do's.  Of course, one does have to consider the unfortunate example of the late Orville Redenbacher, but I digress.

And so did Frank...  at least in character
for "Guys and Dolls"...

Now, Bogie...  he was a bow tie
man to be sure.

Harry Truman, former haberdasher,
reassures a nation, in a bow tie,
as he takes the oath of office following
FDR's death.

So, what do you think?  Are bow ties a fashion do or don't?  As for me, I am going to try to find more to add to my already "elderly" wardrobe.

Well, this might have just lost
my argument...

You Know Who We Are...

But we don't know who most of you are!   We'd love to know who's reading and what you think!  What would you like more of?  Less of?  What interests do we share?  Please feel free to leave a comment and introduce yourself, we'd love to meet you!

Cleaning Up

Cleaning is one thing, but one can never have
too much glitter!

It's only Wednesday and it's already been a busy week!  I've just published my first magazine article, my first newspaper article and seen my first book published (self-published, I feel compelled to add...).  A few months ago, when I decided to take a drastically new direction in life, none of these things were anywhere near completion.  Nor was a blog with 78 posts (I know, it's small potatoes compared to many, but to me, it's a miracle).  While I have a long way to go in reaching my ultimate destination, I am just thankful for the wonderful things that have happened in the last months.  It reminds me that following out intuition is often the best choice, even if it seems a bit frightening and ever counter to what we "know" is right.  The world is a great big place and there are many ways to experience it.

And, to that end, it's easier to move about in the world, and in your house, if you've spent some time taking stock of what you have, what you want and what you need.  We've found that there are huge differences between those three categories.  As I mentioned in an earlier post, we've been having a huge clean-out, and how therapeutic it's been!  Bags and bags of books, movies, crafting supplies, clothing, linens and who knows what else have gone to the local thrift store.  Hopefully, in a few months, I won't visit one of these shops and find something that I have to have, only to realize later that it was something I'd donated!  It actually has happened!

While all the rooms are better for this "bottoming out", as such cleaning is called in the Miss Read books, there still seems to be so much more than we really "need".  Of course, there's nothing wrong with having the luxury of being surrounded by things that you simply love for their own sake, but it's hard to really enjoy anything - life, people, possessions - when you have too much.  As an example, we've cut our movie collection drastically, perhaps by half.  We had so many videos and DVD's that were bought with the idea that we "might" like to see them.  In most cases, they were good for one viewing, if that, but just weren't cast off.  Now that we have so much less, we can enjoy the really good films we have so much more.  We can see what we have!  The same is true of books, clothes and everything else.  In fact, I have come to realize that "things" are often more trouble than they are worth.  At some point it seems like they own us, rather than the reverse.

My favorite of all our rooms is currently the studio.  It's so clean and tidy, so much roomier with the unnecessary things taken out, and I love to work there.  I think it's one of my favorite places ever!  Below are a few pictures to brighten the page.  Note my two favorites...  Max's little play area and his tiny, brown, fuzzy bear coat hanging on the door knob...

This is my creative spot...  I could
spend all day here.

This is where Melissa works...  it
usually doesn't look like this!  Imagine
heaps of crafting supplies and papers...

Max's play station...

Hmm, lighting issues?  This is what happens
when you take pictures in the middle of the night...
Note the little furry bear coat on the door
knob.  Every house needs one of these!

Just a fun collection of things on top of a storage shelf.

A jolly corner on Melissa's work table.

Pens...  must have more pens!!!

BREAKING NEWS!!! Severine is now available on Amazon.com!



Severine, the first book I've ever
published, is now available at
Amazon.com!
Just click HERE!

Apples and the Fun of the Fall

I have a complicated relationship with apples.  Give me a fresh, cold Honeycrisp and I'll munch away.  Ask me if I want an apple, and I am sure to say, "no".  Give me a piece of cold apple pie and I'll eat it up and ask for seconds.  Ask me if I like apple pie and I'll say "no".  Who knows what my problem with apples is, but I never actually crave an apple, or an apple dessert, until I have it in my hands.

This time of year, apples are, of course, everywhere.  We are in the midst of apple season!  Until two or three years ago, we had what I think must have been the best apple orchards ever just up the road.  I speak of Tom's Orchard.  Tom's was a family place.  It had been owned and run by the same couple, with the help of their children before they grew up, for decades.  It was a neatly kept operation - cozy farmhouse with attached garden, red sheds and barns, tractors, an apple juice press and row upon row of apple trees.  It was enough to inspire me to eat pounds of apples.  They had at least twenty varieties, and advertised them on a huge board that listed their seasons.  Tables were covered in boxes of fruit, with plates of sliced samples for all to enjoy...  just don't enjoy them as much as one of my little sons did, earning a reprimand from the usually friendly "Mrs. Tom".  Perhaps my favorite part of the Tom's experience were the signs posted along the way as you exited...  "Please don't pick the apples as you leave!"  I wouldn't have thought of doing that if it weren't for that sign...  It was hard not to resist plucking just one Heirloom Newton's Cox Orange Spice Pippin (I made that name up...  I think.).

The Old Tom's Orchard

Where did all those apple trees go?

The story of Tom's doesn't have a happy ending, I am afraid.  Inexplicably, the owners sold the property one year and, almost instantly, every single one of those beautiful apples trees was cut down.  The house is still there, the property hasn't been developed (thank goodness), but there's not a single, solitary apple tree in sight.

A happier situation exists at Detering Orchards, also near Eugene.  It's also a family operation and has probably been around even longer than Tom's.  Also comprising a big farmhouse and even bigger red barn, Detering's has a huge selection of apples.  Too look at their website is to learn that there are so many good choices for apples, and each one is good for something different.

Just a week ago, Detering's hosted their annual "Apple Daze" harvest party.  Hundreds of people converged on the farm to pick apples, take hay rides and buy pumpkins.  Free apple cobbler was also on offer. 



Apple Daze at Detering Orchards

Some fun people to visit Apple Daze with!

Decorations at Apple Daze

OK, I had to throw this one in here...
Max's first pumpkin experience!

It's events like these that make the season even more fun, even cozier, than any other time of year.  October, November and December offer some of the best times to enjoy the outdoors (visits to farms and orchards, hay rides to pick the perfect pumpkin, "haunted" corn mazes, brisk walks after big dinners, rain on umbrellas and stomping in puddles, watching storms at the beach, looking at Christmas lights...  who says the fall and winter are only for indoor pursuits?).  Take a look around and see what's on offer where you live.

You're Just Too Marvelous... Too Marvelous for Words...

Cue the music and read on...

The Dreamy side of this proposition has been busy these days.  Every day seems to be filled with another idea, another craft and another room completely turned upside down.  I believe I once wrote about her love and affection for Fabri-Tac, but there's more to her than that.

First, Melissa is determined.  In the past week alone we have taken at least three cars full of items that we once had to have to the local thrift shop.  She's taken drawers that I've cleaned and deemed in apple-pie order and turned them into organizational works of art.  We've probably halved our collection of DVD's and videos (and earned a little money in the process...  Thank you CD and Game Exchange), and I can actually see the floor under our bed.  I think she's on day two or three of the studio, a room you'll remember that we recently reordered, and I didn't think there was anything to get rid of there.

Melissa is also sure of herself...  When she makes a decision, she can withstand almost any amount of attempted influence.  Some might call this stubbornness (I can't imagine who), but I think she prefers to think of it as confidence and certainty.  This is why I frequently ask, as she's tossing something into a bag for Goodwill, "Are you sure you won't want that later?"  Sometimes, it has the desired effect of causing her to think again.  Other times, my query is met with the cold and steely glare of someone ready to downsize.  Of course, there are things that are regreted...  I've been hearing for days about how she wishes she hadn't given away our copy of Wuthering Heights.  (Between you and me, it's OK...  I didn't really like that movie anyway...)

More than anything, Melissa is creative.  She finds little bits here and there and does the most wonderful things with them.  And she's sometimes the only one who can see the possibilities.  Take the wooden heart wreaths as an example...  Smallish circles of wood with eight wooden hearts placed all around.  I am reminded of something painted in powdery blue and dusty rose with some sort of raffia bow at the top.  Melissa, on the other hand, sees shell buttons and glittery rainbows.  And then there are the little composer stickers...  The kind that look like postage stamps with, actually quite good, portraits of composers printed on them.  This is the sort of thing I love, but wouldn't know what to do with them practically.  Put them in tiny wooden frames painted in complementary colors and you have really charming little decorations for the top of your piano.

Love the Paris wall hanging, and who couldn't
adore our old friend Pierre...  That Audrey Hepburn/Holly Golightly
doll looks a little like she might have a wee hangover
from one of her "mahvelous" parties...

There are those composer pictures I told you about...
And the wreathes!  Glittery rainbow, Sweethearts and
cheery chintz! 

Believe me, that thing really sparkles...  Notice the
Alice in Wonderland clothespin doll...

I think these were once called "Sailor's Valentines".

More bits of fun...

The Little Red Riding Hood section...

Living with such an eye for creating, altering and improving is really a lot of fun.  You never know what knew things you will find in your house from day to day.  And it's equally enjoyable to see someone who so loves giving things away.  Although we've tried selling things, it's just not as fun as a spur of the moment gift to a friend.

So, there's my little tribute of the month to the dreamiest girl I know!

Being a World Traveller... And Never Leaving Home

We had this luggage when I was
a kid and I thought it was terribly
 embarrassing!  Now, I'd give a lot
to have a whole set of those
blue bags!

The world is filled with places I'd love to visit and things I want to see and hear and taste.  Unfortunately, I am in no position to make these journeys at the moment.  Even if I were financially independent, travelling with eight kids is no easy task. 

Just last night I uttered the following words to the complete astonishment of my family...  "Do you know where I am glad that I'm NOT right now?  DISNEYLAND!"  What's the big deal, you ask (you may also be asking what happened to my ability to properly use the English language).  First, I love the Happiest Place on Earth...  LOVE it.  I also burst with excitement at the idea of making my favorite drive from Eugene to Los Angeles, stopping often along the way to see the sights of San Francisco, Monterrey, Carmel...  The list goes on.  In fact, I have no less than seven potential itineraries for trips to the Golden State in my planner - three days, five days, fifteen days...  very cheap, pretty cheap, no holds barred...  San Francisco only, Disneyland only, LA only...  You get the picture.

So, you see why when I made this declaration, my kids couldn't believe their ears.  In fact, it was perfectly reasonable.  As I made this statement, I was changing the diaper of a very tired, very squirmy and very loud baby.  It brought back memories of trying to soothe and calm little people after hours and hours of sensory overload and in a hotel room fourteen hours from the comforts of home.  I know this because I've done it several times.  Our first trip to Disneyland took place just a month after the birth of our seventh baby, George.  His older brother, Harry, was just over a year and a half old.  We were crazy (we still are), but it was fun.

While I hope to travel for real one day, for now I look for books and programs that can truly transport me to another place.  Some books are particularly evocative and can give you the feeling of a place or a time.  And, not all of the books are classics or highly sophisticated.  I will confess a recent addiction to mystery novels based in Los Angeles as an example.  But, there are others...  I've already written about Miss Read, and very few writers have captured and communicated the feeling of a place better than she does with her beloved Cotswold villages.  To satisfy my love of Washington, D.C., I've found that many of the works found in the late Katharine Graham's Washington will transport one to the nation's capitol at different points in history.  And when I want to get a little taste of London, although rather outdated, I like the Rumpole series by John Mortimer and works by Barbara Pym.  There are so many more...  Peter Mayle and Provence, E.M. Forster and India...  It's a long, and probably personal, list.

Now, if you really want to travel to Europe and can't manage to move past your DVD player, may I recommend Rick Steves and his European adventures?  I've been watching these for years on PBS and recently bought a whole set of his programs - eighty in all!  We love to watch them again and again, looking at modern, thriving and historically sensitive countries where life is lived a bit slower, and maybe a bit more richly.

While many of us can't travel as readily as we'd like, it's so nice to know that you can take long journeys in your mind, aided by great books and other means of seeing the world.  What are you favorite places to go while staying at home?

The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton

The old library in
Albany, Oregon

When I was little, I remember my sister taking me to the old Albany Public Library.  It was one of those Carnegie libraries that were funded throughout the country in the early part of the century.  I haven't been back for oh so many years, and am not sure that it's even a library anymore.  But, I do recall it's charming old library feeling - that sort of hushed, comfortable safe feeling that libraries have always had for me.  What on earth can be more peaceful than being surrounded, in almost total silence, by endless shelves of books? 

Several years later, and after we moved to Eugene, I would spend long summer afternoons at the University of Oregon library.  My mom would drop me off at noon and pick me up at five...  funny, I wouldn't do that with my ten year old, but I'm glad she did.  I spent hours and hours reading, looking at books, listening to music - it's still a favorite place.

Virginia Lee Burton

Recently, I learned that the University holds some of the work of children's author and illustrator Virginia Lee Burton.  Author of Mike Mulligan and the Steam Shovel, Katy and the Big Snow, Maybelle the Cable Car and, one of my absolutely favorite books of all time, The Little House.  So, how does this all come together?  It was at the Albany Public Library that I first found this book.  Small and square, I remember it well.  But it was years before I found it again.  Being so small at the time, I couldn't think of the name of the book, I could only remember some of the pictures...  The little pink house, the trees that changed color with the seasons, the saga of the house's cycle of being loved and cared for and, after the city has encroached upon it entirely, being condemned.  Of course, there is a happy ending, but I won't give it away here.

Virginia Lee Burton's stories are charming, and they tend to show things that were once useful becoming somewhat redundant, only to prevail at the end when the chips are down.  Mike Mulligan and his steam shovel save the day!  And that little house shows how progress isn't always positive.

It's not always the case that a writer is equally good as an illustrator, but Burton is.  Her drawings are lively and clear, colorful and interesting - in other words perfectly entertaining for young readers, or listeners.  They are also delightfully old-fashioned.  Today's computer generated illustrations still require a lot of creativity, but they lose that hand-made touch that you find with illustrators like Burton.  That's not to say that we have a lack of good artists working today - look at any of Kevin Henkes marvelous books for children and you will find yourself completely charmed.  In fact, both Virginia Burton and Kevin Henkes have written books that, while for kids, are enjoyed equally by adults.

The sun shines on the little house...

One of the fun things about being a parent is the opportunity to share fabulous books with your children.  Not only do you get the chance to interest them in a lifetime of reading, but you get to enjoy your own favorites over and over again.  I love books, and that includes books for children.  The endless creativity, clever humor and wacky premises make reading fun for adults and kids alike, and inspires us to spend more time together, curled up with a good book!

Some  other Virginia Lee Burton books...