Category Archives: Travel

Summertime in Canada…

Who knew several years ago that we would become familiar with the roads and back roads in Abbotsford and Chilliwack Canada? God knew and we had another fun adventure on Sunday meeting up with seven of the Mennonite Girls and their husbands.

We started with a short hike to Cascade Falls to see and experience the new suspension bridge.

 

 

Marg and John would meet up with us later for dinner.

This is Judy’s photo of the new suspension bridge. I forgot to take one. Thanks for letting me steal it, Judy.

 

 

I didn’t get two of the couples shots because I was using their camera’s and phones to take the photo for them.

After our time at Cascade Falls we traveled back to Hatzic Lake where Anneliese and H. hosted all of us for our potluck.

 

Lovella brought this beautiful bouquet from the flowers blooming in her garden!

We enjoyed the most delicious meal. Everything was fresh and homemade including the buns that Anneliese baked. Chilliwack corn fresh from Marg’s farm again verifying why everyone agrees that Chilliwack corn is the best! Lovella’s potato salad made from her farm eggs and potatoes from her garden. Kathy’s coleslaw that topped my pulled pork sandwich was perfect. Bev’s very fresh salad of watermelon, blueberries, cucumber, feta and mint. I forgot to take a photo of the cheesecake I brought and of the Peaches and Cream pies that Judy brought for dessert.

It was a lovely evening on the lawn beside the lake getting caught up in person and sharing stuff like books we’ve read and lots of things that made us laugh or moan. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, we do not take this friendship circle for granted and we acknowledge that God brought us together and it is good as He is good!

Dear and I made it home by midnight after a 25 minute wait at the border crossing.

More Chewelah Barns…

I’m pretty sure these are the last of my Chewelah Barns.

Linking up at the Barn Collective with Tom the Backroads Traveller.

Dear and I took a road trip up to Canada yesterday and didn’t get home till midnight so I’m a bit behind the ball right now. I’ll be sharing about our trip soon. While on the road I managed to take some drive by shots of more barns in the U.S. and in British Columbia that I still need to upload. We are cooling down a wee bit today and it feels nice to feel that breeze. Have a good first week of August!

Fields and Sprigs of Lavender…

“here’s your sweet lavender
sixteen sprigs a penny
that you’ll find my ladies
will smell as sweet as any”

Lavender Sellers’s Cry, London England CA 1900

 “lavender, sweet lavender;
come and buy my lavender,
hide it in your trousseau, lady fair.
Let its flovely fragrance flow
Over your from head to toe,
lightening on your eyes, your cheek, your hair.”

Cumberkand Clark Flower Song Book 1929

While we were on the Olympic Peninsula we visited two lavender farms on our way back home. The first one we visited was Jardin du Soleill which is always one of our favorites.

The second farm we stopped at was Purple Haze, another favorite.

We were in Sequim the day before the annual lavender festival began. I always enjoy beating the crowds for these kind of events. The Sequim Lavender Festival is held every full third weekend in July.

Today is the last day of July…my goodness the month has melted away in this heat we are having. Watering and trying to stay cool here in the great Northwest. It’s also fun to hear the Blue Angels practicing for our SeaFair weekend.

Garden Fences…

Who doesn’t love a white picket garden fence? I’m joining TexWisGirl at Run*A*Round Ranch Report for Good Fences #71. This is my new header photo for now and I learned from my good ole Bloggy friends that this plant is Bee Balm. When Dear and I took an overnight road-trip in the middle of July to the North Olympic Peninsula in Washington State we stopped at a couple lavender farms. In a few days I’ll post my lavender shots but for today I’m sharing this sweet garden on the edge of the lavender fields at Purple Haze Lavender Farm. Our July has been very full and interesting to say the least. We had extended family stay with us after attending our son’s wedding at the end of June till July 8th. We are still in semi-retirement mode as Dear waits to hear about where his next job might be. During this mode we have said a few times that everyday is Saturday. We aren’t experts at this retirement preview. We took our little road-trip so we could get out of the “everyday is a project day” at this old house. Now at the end of July our youngest and her hubby have moved into our basement as their monthly apartment rent went up over $400. Yikes. Now we are trying to blend all our stuff, including furniture. We are very happy and thankful we can offer them this space. If Dear and I get re-located with a new job they will stay on and take care of our property. It’s a win-win situation for all of us. In the meantime we have lots of eggs, milk, spices, oatmeal and bookcases! You get the picture! How’s your July winding down?

Cape Flattery

C is for Cape Flattery and just in time for ABC Wednesday. Thank you to Mrs. Nesbitt and to the ABC Team!

This is a photo heavy post but you don’t get out to the North Western most point in the contiguous United States every day!

You need to buy a $10.00 parking pass at any of several spots on the Makah Indian Reservation before you drive out to the Cape Flattery trail head.

Strollers and wheelchairs will not be able to manage this trail. It is an easy trail otherwise except for managing a lot of exposed tree roots.

There were a few nice viewing stations. The final one had a rope ladder 3-4 step climb to get to.

We enjoyed the walk/hike to these beach views.

We had a few days of some rainfall which our lawn and plants enjoyed. We are back in a sunnier pattern again.

The Road to Cape Flattery…

On our road trip to reach Cape Flattery we took the Strait of Juan de Fuca Highway (112).

We saw our destination in the distance.

We could see Vancouver Island across the strait and I thought of our blogging friends Pondside and Lorrie who live there. After leaving this scenic spot we entered the Makah Indian Reservation where we bought our parking pass for the Cape Flattery trail. I will share the photos from the trail and Cape Flattery tomorrow!

Olympic Peninsula Barns

For the Barn Collective with Tom the Backroads Traveller I’m showing barns from the back roads of the Northern Olympic Peninsula in Washington State.

On Dear and my road trip to the westernmost tip of the contiguous United States on July 15th & 16th we drove by these barns.

How about a barn converted into a winery?

On a personal kind of farming note of the orchard variety…on Saturday I had to pick apples off our apple tree because they had started falling off the tree on their own in huge numbers. Since I had given my pricey fruit picker to our son for a Christmas stocking gift, no it didn’t fit into his stocking technically but it did fit in the back of his pick-up, I was without an implement that would make reaching the apples on the upper branches easily. I stepped into our newly cleaned out and re-organized garage, the product of my husband’s extra time on his hands since being without a job right now. I looked around and spotted the two 4 paks of bamboo tiki torches that have been waiting for an occasion for many years now. I thought to myself…that could work for picking apples off my tree. I took the lighter out of the top and proceeded to the tree. This new farm implement worked like a charm! I could even snatch two apples with one going down into the reservoir before having to empty them into my apple basket! I was quite proud of myself and my easy apple picking venture!

Have a great last week of July!

“When in Doubt, Go to the Library”

For my last tourist guide event with my lovingly labeled left over from the wedding company we went to my favorite library in all of the state of Washington and beyond! The Suzzallo library on the campus of the University of Washington is a treasure!

As we stepped out of the parking garage I said to Steve and Kelly, “welcome to Oxford”. We stepped inside and I was on a quest to get them up to the reading room and to see their reaction.

Kelly is a fan of Harry Potter as are several others of us! On our way up the stairs I saw the sign about the Harry Potter Exhibit.

Photos capture some of the beauty of this room but nothing makes up for seeing it yourself. My brother was ready to go back to school at the University of Washington just to be able to study in this inspiring space. Rooms like these with the architecture that takes your eyes upward point to the glory of God.

The last of my Seattle tourism photos were taken on the campus of the University of Washington.

My brother Steve, and Kelly my sister in law.

This post is the last of my extended family posts from the beginning of July. Next week I’ll show you some beautiful sights that Dear and I saw on the Olympic Peninsula.

We continue to have more bearable temperatures here in our little corner of the world. I still have to water regularly. Today I was brave enough to turn on the oven and I used the first of our apples from our tree to make an apple crisp. I used this recipe. What’s new in your corner of the world?

 

Riding the Ducks!

During our heat wave we decided to Ride the Ducks in Seattle with our Dallas family.

Our driver was entertaining.

The ride takes you by some highlights of Seattle like the Seattle Wheel and the Hammering Man at the Seattle Art Museum.

For me the best part of the tour was rolling onto South Lake Union and motoring in the water.

The floating house from Sleepless in Seattle was pointed out to us.

I was more interested in the building right behind this boat garage. It’s where our daughter Katie was married a few years ago.

The heat and the stop and go movement of the duck bus got the best of dear little Andrew.

After having lunch we walked through the Seattle Center to get back to our parking garage.

It was great to have our Dallas crew here for the wedding and afterwards. So nice to spend time with Hope and Andrew and get to know little Andrew better.

I’m going to just do tours with my company on my own in the future instead of spending money on the Ducks! I can’t take them out on the water but I can get them to the hot spots in town in more comfort.

Signs, signs!

Signs encountered in the month of July traveling and taking company sight seeing in Seattle!

From the Bill and Melinda Gates visitor center in Seattle.

Tourist happenings in downtown Seattle.

A classic car wash in downtown Seattle!

And then outside of Seattle to the very northwestern edge of the contiguous United States, Dear and I had a little getaway to the Olympic Peninsula.

At the Cape Flattery Trail head.

Later this week or early next week I’ll share the beautiful views of Cape Flattery and the lighthouse.

While on the Olympic Peninsula we also stopped at some beautiful lavender farms in Sequim, Washington. This Grosso lavender is a full fluffy variety. I’ll be sharing a post of the lavender farms we visited later, too.

Sequim 089

Not a real clear photo through our windshield but this bumper sticker made me smile on our way back to the ferry that would bring us home from our adventure. Homer Alaska A Quaint little drinking village with a fishing problem.!

I’m adding this post to signs, signs by Lesley! Thanks Lesley!