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.

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!

B & B

Since we are on the letter B for ABC Wednesday I’ll share the photos from our latest B & B experience (last Wednesday night) in Port Angeles on the Olympic Peninsula in the state of Washington. B is for Bed and Breakfast!

The Five SeaSuns Bed and Breakfast…

The gardens on the property were lush and pretty.

Breakfast was delicious with some good conversations with the other guests.

Do you prefer to stay in a hotel or a bed and breakfast establishment when you travel?

We cooled down somewhat today and for that I am thankful. I’m a heat wimp!

Still Feasting…

…instead of fasting. Soon I will have to resume my de-fluffing but Dear and I went on a quick getaway to the Olympic Peninsula this week on a whim. Spent the night in Port Angeles after driving to the northwestern most point in the contiguous U.S.A. I have a few posts to show you of the beautiful things we saw but today I’m just going to fess up on all the good eats we enjoyed in just one day!

To go on this adventure we had to take a ferry from Edmonds to Kingston on the Kitsap Peninsula.

Our first food stop after disembarking the ferry and driving to the Olympic Peninsula was the Oak Table Cafe in Sequim. You cross the Hood Canal Bridge from the Kitsap Peninsula to get to the Olympic Peninsula.

Their specialty is an Apple pancake that you see above. It’s kind of like a souffle and it’s really enough sweetness for 4 people. I didn’t eat the whole thing. It was delicious and for me a once in a lifetime experience. So that started our eating experience for this day.

After driving out to and coming back from land’s end we checked into our B & B and got a recommendation for dinner.

Happy to report Dear now has another drink to copy for my pleasure called Old Mexico.

After my very sweet start to the day I was happy to end with a delicious savory surf and turf choice for dinner. We had a salad and a Dungeness Crab cake for our starters. I’ll show our B & B breakfast in another post…

I hope you aren’t hungry or dieting while reading this post! We are back home and back to cleaning and sorting and tucking away and throwing things out at this old house. We are in for another hot weekend here in the Seattle area. How are you doing?

I’m avoiding talking about the news because it is so troubling to me and I know many of you share my feelings. My heart and prayers go out to the families who lost their brave Marines yesterday and to those who were injured…may God comfort them and help us all.

On an Adventure…

…be back soon.

Flag Day Barns

Before I show you my barns for this week I just wanted to wish everyone in the U.S. of A. a very happy Flag Day! We are flying our flags in a nice breeze here in the Seattle area today!

The photos of the barns this week were taken in April when we were at our son’s home in Eastern Washington. This was a nice fresh barn type structure for horses in Chewelah, Washington. The next photo was down the road a bit and not so fresh!

I’m linking up with The Barn Collective started by Amy and hosted now by Tom The Backroads Traveller.

Garden Fences!

When you live in the country you have to put fences up around your garden so that you can enjoy the bounty instead of the deer and other wildlife. Our son built this fence for his soon to be wife. Jamie’s Garden is producing some great vegetables already. If the deer could read the sign they would know they are not welcome in Jamie’s Garden.

I see lots of fresh salads and salsa in their future!

I’m linking up to Signs, signs with Lesley and to Good Fences #63 with TexWisGirl!

No Mind has Imagined!

Being in the country with acres between my son’s home and other homes I am enjoying the sights and sounds that I do not experience living close to a big city. While enjoying what I’m seeing with my own eyes right now out the window then reading this verse from the Bible it makes me wonder about what we have yet to experience from God.

So much beauty for us to enjoy in the here and now and yet there is more that God has prepared for those who love him.

Since it’s now time for Good Fences #62 hosted by TexWisGirl and because each of my photos has a fence in it I’m linking up!

A Year Ago…

For InSPIREd Sunday and Spiritual Sundays I’m going back to a road trip our daughter and I took to get her back to North Carolina to welcome her husband home from his second tour of duty in Afghanistan with the Marine Corps. One of the places we took time to visit was Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri.

The Legend of the Dogwood

There is a legend, that at the time of the Crucifixion the dogwood had been the size of the oak and other forest trees. So firm and strong was the tree that it was chosen as the timber of the cross. To be used thus for such a cruel purpose greatly distressed the tree, and Jesus, nailed upon it, sensed this, and in His gentle pity for all sorrow and suffering said to it: “Because of your regret and pity for My suffering, never again shall the dogwood tree grow large enough to be used as a cross. Henceforth it shall be slender and bent and twisted and its blossoms shall be in the form of a cross. ..two long and two short petals. And in the center of the outer edge of each petal there will be nail prints, brown with rust and stained with red, and in the center of the flower will be a crown of thorns, and all who see it will remember.”

I recognize that this is just a legend but I wanted to post this entry because I’ve always loved the Dogwood blooms. If I look at them and think about what my Savior did for me that’s a good thing. He created the tree, the beautiful bloom, and you and me to enjoy it!

We will be taking a short road trip to Canada on Saturday. I’ll share about our time next week. It takes us under two hours to get to the U.S./Canadian border from where we live in Washington State. Hope you have a wonderful first weekend in May!

Signs and Fences Main Street Chewelah!

The next time I’m in Chewelah I’m going to stop at this bakery on Main Street. I would have noticed it sooner but it’s on the opposite side of the highway from the stretch we generally travel.

It’s my understanding that this is run by Mennonites. Double my curiosity and desire to stop in the next time I’m in town.

Driving down to the end of Main street we saw this great old house with a nice picket fence around it.

I’m linking up to Signs, signs by Lesley and Good Fences at Run Around Ranch Report with Tex Wis Girl.

I have recuperated from my weekend trip and am happy to have more low key days and weekends for a while. Spring is amazing here in the Pacific Northwest with so many blooms and so much green!

Are you enjoying some green and Spring yet in your corner of the world?

The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b.

To honor and encourage

Category Archives: Travel