Family Together…

can be a lot of fun!

Some fun moments captured by my DIL Laura! Thanks Laura!

Grand Nephew Jackson with our daughter Katie

 

Katie with our Grand Niece Avery

Love this one!!

Josh, our nephew Joe, and my brother Steve (Joe’s dad)

Josh and Jackson at Snoqualmie Falls

Joe, Ryan, Jackson, Josh, and Steve at Snoqualmie Falls

Cousins on Whidbey Island

Our company all hail from Southern California. It was nice to have them here and show them some of our great sights. We had many good meals together. My brother Steve made omelettes to order for breakfast one day.

Dear made Swedish Pancakes one day.

We barbecued steaks, hamburgers, hot dogs. We had leg of lamb. My niece and her husband made an amazing Creme Brulee French Toast for my sister for her birthday. We finally made S’mores using our fire pit. I’m still recovering from all the fun. I’m thinking I might have gained one pound for each one of my company…

I continue to thank God for our extended family and the joy we have in spending time together.

Breakfast on Main St., U.S.A.

Dear and I had an unscheduled trip to the Sacramento Area late in July and because of an afternoon flight out from the airport we were able to meet Ruth of The Scrabblequeen Knits, Too for breakfast on our last day there. Ruth and I have hopped back and forth on our blogs and followed each others travels, etc.

It was good to meet face to face and to exchange some of our life story with each other.  Things like where did you grow up, how did you meet your husband, how has God guided you through your life and how did you come to faith. All things I love to hear about. We didn’t have time for a game of Scrabble so we can’t know for sure if she’s truly the queen! :0)

Ruth had just returned from a trip to Great Britain (mostly Scotland) and she gifted me with some loose tea from Harrods. Thank you Ruth for meeting us for breakfast and for your thoughtful gift. I appreciate it.

 

Cock-a-Doodle-Do!

It’s time for another Rooster Party hosted by Barb at Bella Vista

I have very little rooster decor in my home and I shared it at the last party but when I’ve been out and about I’ve come across some fine rooster specimens both in art form and real. Hope you enjoy my contribution to the party!

 

Family was visiting and we made a quick stop at Country Village in Bothell, Washington.  They have some fine Roosters around their grounds.

“The rooster may crow but the hen delivers the goods.”

This one is so interesting. It was funny that he walked up and down this bench and it’s right outside a fun shop that included a hairdresser! Looks like he could use a trim.

This pair are very old and came from Dear’s mother. I decided to use them on this table setting.

This three-some are in a yard in Camarillo where I used to walk with my good buddy Willow. I sure miss those walks…

 

I found this guy in Cambria, California.

Well enjoy your Rooster Party Hopping. Here’s a little refreshment to send you on your way!

You can find the recipe for frozen Raspberry Cream Pie at The Pioneer Woman.

Oh dear me my rooster friends. I’ve had an unfortunate injury to my right thumb that is making typing quite a chore. Please accept my generic comment on your posts knowing that I have looked at each of your roosters and enjoyed what I’ve seen.

 

Yard Art ~ Lavender Hills Farm…

…so should I call it Farm Art? Visit Mary at Work of the Poet to see more yard art or to join in the fun!

My company is all gone now but the memories linger. I have lots of posts to catch up on… where we’ve been and what we’ve seen.

We traveled north to Marysville, Wa. to spend some time at Lavender Hills Farm last Friday. I’ll post the lavender shots from this farm later.

 

 

 

Hope all is well with all of you. I’m getting my bearings back and hope to be organized again soon.

Photobucket replaced all my photos with ugly black and grey boxes and they are holding my photos hostage until I pay them lots of money. I’m slowly going through all my posts and trying to clean them up and replacing some photos. Such a bother.

Across the Sound…

…to the Kitsap Peninsula.

(I’m updating my old posts in 2026 and I’m not sure today which of the photos are specific to which farm and for that I am sorry)

The Friday before my company arrived I headed out early all by myself to the Lavender Festival in Sequim, Washington. Sequim is pronounced Skwim, one syllable. I crossed the Sound on a ferry from Edmonds to Kingston on the Kitsap Peninsula. It took me an hour to drive to Sequim from the ferry landing. I crossed another body of water, the Hood Canal, to the Olympic Peninsula and finally arrived in Sequim which sits along the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The Dungeness Spit is close by which boasts home to the very popular Dungeness Crab. This part of the Olympic Peninsula has perfect weather to grow lavender and every year the third weekend of July is set aside for the Lavender Festival.

 

The first farm I stopped at was Jardin du Soleil. I arrived here before the official opening but was still welcomed to stroll about the farm.

“ladies fair, I bring to you
lavender with spikes of blue;
sweeter plant was never found
growing on our english ground.”

Caryl Battersby

 

The second farm I stopped at was Purple Haze Lavender Farm. This one was my favorite.

 

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

Cumberkand Clark Flower Song Book 1929

“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

 

Each farm had food vendors offering some good eats and this farm even had some creative hard drinks for sale. I tried one and some of you will be able to guess which one I tried.

There were other flowers besides lavender to enjoy.

Before I headed to 2 more farms on my way back home I stopped at the street fair for a pulled pork sandwich and while I ate I listened to Cisco, a Northwest gardening expert.

Cedarbrook Lavender and Herb Farm was in a nice setting and has a Garden Cafe Restaurant on the premises.

Sunshine Herb & Lavender Farm was the last farm I stopped at. It was right on the highway and was my least favorite. There were lots of interesting things to see here besides lavender, though, like this little one…

Every farm had a U-Pick section of their farm where you could come away with a nice bouquet of lavender for $5.

It really is worth the trip to enjoy this heady lavender experience if you ever find yourself in Washington the third weekend in July!

Sequim ~ The Lavender Capital of North America

I’m adding this to Outdoor Wednesday with Susan at A Southern Daydreamer.  Click on her link to see the Outdoors around the world.

 

Ruby in Kirkland…

Part of my family got together for a birthday dinner for my sister Lana last Friday night at the waterfront in Kirkland, Wa. My camera was clicking away and here are some Ruby shots to share. Please visit Mary at Work of the Poet to see more Ruby from around the world.

These ruby umbrellas from the ceiling of the restaurant where we ate in Kirkland.

Our daughter with cousin Joe and cousin once removed, Jackson.

Dear and Me

After dinner we strolled along the waterfront of Lake Washington.

My son and husband with a splash of red from the same sailboat in the background.

Our son, Josh with my brother Steve.

Sisters, Lana, Kathy and me

Some of the nieces and nephews were able to celebrate Lana’s birthday in Kirkland while they were here.

 

We are finally enjoying lots of summer days here in Western Washington. Half of our company flew home on Saturday and the rest leave on Tuesday evening. We’re celebrating my niece Melissa’s birthday tonight a week early since she is with us in Washington. Hope you are all enjoying the lazy days of summer wherever you are!

When in Rome…

…or in Seattle, out of towners do as the Seattle-ites do.

They go to a Seattle Sounders game with a pre-game stop at the Taco Truck!

We make sure everyone is wearing the right colors and we are ready to cheer on our home team.

Even the youngest fans know the team to root for!

It was the perfect night for shirt sleeves in Seattle. And it was even more perfect because we won!

Like a Whirlwind…

they come and then they are gone…

Our company flew home last night. My brother Steve, my SIL Kelly and nephew Joe were with us from California for a couple weeks. We hit some hot spots in Seattle. This is at Kerry Park looking south to Seattle.

 

The Original Starbucks at the market.

You’ll find street musicians around the market every day. This group was really exceptional!

Waiting inside for their drinks.

We headed back down the street to see about catching some flying fish.

A shot with the golden pig right across from the flying fish!

Down the stairs to the disgustingly interesting and famous gum wall below the market.

That didn’t spoil our appetites and we headed to Piroshky, Piroshky for a favorite Russian treat.

And then a little confession is always a good way to begin and end the day!

We had a lot more adventures with our company that I’ll show in the coming days. We still have my sister Kathy’s family here. They are staying at my sister Lana’s house a short walk from me. They are here till Tuesday so the fun continues…

Lavender Farms Yard Art!

I’m way behind on showing you some of God’s wonders I’ve seen around the Pacific Northwest. I’ll be catching up soon but today I’m joining Mary again at The Work of the Poet for Yard Art on Thursday. All of these were taken at the Lavender Festival in Sequim at the various lavender farms that were open to the public. I guess technically I’d have to call this “Farm Art”.

Old farm equipment was used a lot for added visual interest on the farms.

Tonight the last of our Southern California visitors fly in for an extended weekend. Tomorrow the ladies are going to a lavender farm north of us. The guys might take in some canoeing on Lake Washington. Tomorrow night we have reservations for 16 at Olive You to celebrate my sister’s birthday. The fun times just keep rolling along here. Hope all is well with all of you.

 

Still on the Go…

…with our Southern California company.

We’ve watched some soccer and fought off mosquitoes.

We’ve picked wild Sweet Peas along the trail.

We’ve played with Jackson and Avery.

Had a train ride at Country Village in Bothell.

Dear and Katie have even had time to sit together…

Hope you all are doing well. I’ll be back in the saddle soon…