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!

I Believe in Miracles

I Believe in Miracles

I believe in miracles
I’ve seen a soul set free,
Miraculous the change in one
Redeemed through Calvary;
I’ve seen the lily push its way
Up through the stubborn sod
I believe in miracles
For I believe in God!

I cannot doubt the work of God
It’s plain for all to see;
The miracles that He has wrought
Should lead to Calvary.

The love of God! O power divine!
‘Tis wonderful to see
The miracle of grace performed
Within the heart of me.

July-photo-a-day 19-25

Joining Kati for July photo-a-day challenge.

Days 19-25

19. Black and White

20. Colorful

21. Red

22. Tree

23. An ordinary moment

24. Close-up

25. Far away

The Cape Flattery light house in the distance on Tatoosh Island at the entrance to the Strait of Juan de Fuca between Vancouver Island in Canada and the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State.

Yeehaw! We got a good amount of rain last night instead of just a drizzle. It’s nice to see the streets wet for a change and the droplets of water on the plants! Have a great weekend everyone!

“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.

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!

Cooling Off Blessings!

The timing of our son’s wedding and leftover company happened to be during a heat wave that we aren’t used to here in the Pacific Northwest! Our dear friends graciously invited us and our company over to cool off in their pool and enjoy a meal!

Such a beautiful setting on the Puget Sound.

We have finally cooled down to some bearable temperatures for me. I cringe when I see the heat and humidity in other parts of the country. Hope you are finding good ways to keep cool in your neck of the woods.

Canoeing on Lake Washington

I need to catch up with my posts on some of the fun things we did with our leftover wedding company the first week in July!

We headed to the Waterfront Activities Center at the University of Washington to rent some canoes. Thankfully the adults outnumbered the kiddos!

Here’s my crew, Jackson and Hope!

A warm day on the lake.

My niece Michelle and my sister-in-law Mandy with Avery in the 2nd canoe.

The third canoe had my brother Leonard, sister Kathy and nephew Andrew.

My crew had to work hard since we were the crew with only one adult on board!

Duck and Ducks!

At this point we were all headed back to the dock to turn in our canoes and life vests.

It was a great experience to canoe on Lake Washington amidst the water lilies, ducks, turtles and blue heron. We were ready for a cool down and some refreshments when we were done but had to take one last shot to prove we were on the University of Washington campus! We have two graduates from the University of Washington in our family and soon we’ll have another one when our son-in-law Andrew finishes his course of studies after his service with the Marines!

The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b.

To honor and encourage