Category Archives: Washington State

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!

 

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.

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!