My Table and My Yard

 

I do other things beside canoeing, and sight seeing, and eating out when I’m in Washington or California for that matter. And whatever I do I’m inspired to take pictures. Digital Photography has made me free to snap, snap, snap away! First off it was time to change out the Red, White, and Blue table from our 4th of July celebrations. A fresh tablecloth, runner and a vase of fragrant lavender from my bushes make a nice crisp change. Then out to do yard work. I mowed, I pulled weeds and last but not least I attacked the following…

 

I don’t know what this fast growing, bamboo stalk type plant is but it has completely covered other plants and part of the trunk of this big pine tree we have in our side yard. I decided it was time to tell it who’s boss!

 

 

Now you can see the trunk of the tree and the other plants that are trying to grow here. In this shot you can see the stalks of the plant/weed that was taking over.

This shows you the bamboo type stalks on this plant.

And after work like this in the yard my body tells me it got used to living in a condo the rest of the year. I put my comfy clothes on and take 3 Ibuprofen every 4 hours just like Dear told me to. The next day I go out and am pleased I can now see all the not so well taken care of plants that were under the domination of the Bamboo stalker. What do you think, Dear? For those of you who don’t know Dear is in California right now while I’m in Washington and I miss him…

 

Now I just have to put all those branches in the Yard Waste bins…

Ha! But before I do I’m off for a day of fun because my niece Michelle, from Wait For It, is here in town and we’re going to have some adventures together with the family. Have a wonderful day everyone.

Oh and just one other thing. The sun has been shining most every day that I’ve been in Washington. Just gorgeous weather we’re having in the Great Northwest…

Photobucket is holding all my photos from 2007-2015 hostage on their site and have replaced my photos with black and grey boxes of ugliness. I’m slowly deleting those boxes from my blog and trying to update so many posts, very frustrating.

Suzzallo Library ~ University of Washington

Since I had absolutely nothing for ABC Wednesday, the letter Z, I decided to cheat a bit and use my Suzzallo Library Post for Z. Look! There are two z’s in Suzzallo! My daughter and I were here last Thursday.

 

This is Suzzallo Library on the campus of the University of Washington in Seattle. Ground was broken for this library in 1923. The building is an example of the Collegiate Gothic style adopted by the University as part of the 1915 campus plan, developed by architects Carl F. Gould and Charles H. Bebb.

 

Three heroic figures of cast stone depicting “Mastery”, “Inspiration”, and “Thought” sculpted by Allan Clark stand over the portals of the main entrance.

 

 

We walked up the beautiful staircase to get to the second floor reading room.

 

 

 

 

One of the entrances to the reading room. This room has inspired comparisons with the great library reading rooms of the world. After being in it I can understand why.

 

 

Oak bookcases are topped with a hand-carved frieze representing native plants of Washington State, including salal, Douglas fir, scrub oak, grape, dogwood, mountain ash, rhododendron, pear, trillium, salmon berry, wild rose, apple, marigold, canteloupe, tulip and cherry.

 

The room measures 65 feet high, 52 feet wide, and 250 feet long.

 

At each end of the room, a paneled alcove features a hand-painted world globe hanging from the ceiling, which bears the names of different explorers.

 

 

Tall, traceried windows incorporate leaded glass which is intended to break the direct rays of light.

 

The room features a vaulted ceiling elaborately decorated with rich colored and gilded stenciling.

 

A 1927 article in The Pacific Builder and Engineer stated that “This room has been pronounced the most beautiful on the continent and is ranked among the most beautiful in the world. It is comparable only to the nave of a cathedral.”

 

Some more views of the outside of the building.

If you live in the Greater Puget Sound Area and have never visited Suzzallo or if you happen to travel to Seattle, I highly recommend you put it on your list of places to visit.

ht: Most of the information I’ve shared comes from a Library Guide that is free at the entrance to the Library.

If you’d like to see more ABC Wednesday, Z is for posts click on over to Mrs. Nesbitt’s.

Photobucket is holding all my photos from 2007-2015 hostage on their site and have replaced my photos with black and grey boxes of ugliness. I’m slowly deleting those boxes from my blog and trying to update so many posts, very frustrating.

Canoeing ~ Herons and Lily pads

While Katie and I were canoeing around Lake Washington we saw many Herons, Ducks, and Lily pads. We also saw some turtles, a woodpecker, and a raccoon in the water.

 

We’re headed back to the Canoe barn. We have to canoe all the way back to Husky Stadium. Can you see it in the distance. Now we’re getting closer. When we reach these lily pads and colorful boats we only have a short distance to go. I did put my camera down now and again to help Katie paddle back. Going across this part of Lake Washington was the roughest part of our canoeing but still very doable for us gals…

If you missed it my first post on our canoeing trip is here.

Bellevue Botanical Gardens

While I’m in the Seattle area for a spell, Katie and I are doing some tourist projects on her days off. We’re going out to enjoy God’s creation around us here in the Puget Sound Area. On Tuesday we took a trip to Bellevue to stroll through the Botanical Gardens. There were so many beautiful things to see. The garden is free with free parking, too. It’s located on Main Street between 120th Ave. NE and 124th Ave. NE.

 

So lush, so green, this is one of the benefits of our climate in the Northwest.

 

Makes you think that Faeries might be living here.

 

The different shades of green were wonderful. The sun was shining without a cloud in the sky so the light made for some great contrast with shadow.

 

Many of the Spring blooms have faded but there were plenty of summer blooms for us to enjoy. I’d love to come back here in the Spring.

 

Golden shades of yellow ~

 

Some more exotic looking blooms and ferns.

 

The Fuchsias were blooming.

 

Lovely shades of purple.

 

 

Don’t you just love all the pink flowers God created for us to enjoy. Hydrangeas are just coming out in their glory. And now for the prettiest blossom in the garden…

 

Our sweet daughter Katie. Today she had a crooked smile because she had just had some dental work done and half her mouth was numb. Beautiful never-the-less.

Photobucket is holding all my photos I stored with them from 2007-2015 hostage. They have blacked out all those photos on my blog posts. OH BOTHER! I’m slowly cleaning up my posts.

Sky Watch ~ July 10th

 

This first shot was taken from Yarrow Bay in Kirkland looking out over Lake Washington to the West on July 6th.

 

This was taken from my bedroom window looking Northwest.

 

This last photo was taken at the Botanical Gardens in Bellevue, Washington on July 8th.

We are having a few days of clear sunny weather in the greater Seattle Area.

For more Sky Watch photos head over to Tom’s at Wiggers World.

Photobucket is holding all my photos I stored with them from 2007-2015 hostage. They have blacked out all those photos on my blog posts. OH BOTHER! I’m slowly cleaning up my posts.

Buried With Christ ~ Hymn

Buried With Christ

(words by T. Ryder)

Buried with Christ and raised with Him, too,
What is there left for me to do?
Simply to cease from struggling and strife,
Simply to walk in newness of life.

Refrain

Buried with Christ and dead unto sin;
Dying but living, Jesus within;
Ruling and reigning day after day,
Guiding and keeping all of the way.

Risen with Christ my glorious Head,
Holiness now the pathway I tread;
Beautiful thought from walking therein,
He that is dead is freed from all sin.

Refrain

Living with Christ, who dieth no more,
Following Christ, who goeth before;
Not under law, I’m now under grace,
Sin is dethroned, and Christ takes its place.

Refrain

Photo Hunters ~ Pointed

 

The godwits are a group of large, long-billed, long-legged and strongly migratory wading birds of the genus Limosa. They form large flocks on coasts and estuaries in winter. I took this photo of the Godwit in March at Emma Wood State Beach in Ventura, California. I think it’s bill qualifies for “Pointed”.

For more Photo Hunters head over to tnchick’s!

Photobucket is holding all my photos I stored with them from 2007-2015 hostage. They have blacked out all those photos on my blog posts. OH BOTHER! I’m slowly cleaning up my posts.

Sky Watch ~ Seattle Skies

 

I’m in the Seattle area for the next six weeks so I’m hoping for some great skies to show you. I took this one last night from my upstairs bathroom window. A storm was blowing in and it was a great one. We had lots of dramatic thunder and lightning. Nope I wasn’t able to catch a lightning photo. Someday…

For more Skies from around the world visit our great humble host Tom at Wiggers World. Thanks Tom!

Photobucket is holding all my photos I stored with them from 2007-2015 hostage. They have blacked out all those photos on my blog posts. OH BOTHER! I’m slowly cleaning up my posts.

The Wedding ~ Tim and Jessica

What a wonderful ceremony and reception to celebrate the marriage of my nephew Tim to his beautiful bride Jessica.

 

My Grand Nephew Jackson was the Ring Bearer and he was perfect!

 

He walked carefully and looked oh so like a little prince.

 

Jessica was a stunning Bride.

 

The Groom, my nephew Tim, with his brothers and family. Tim is the one on the left in the upper photo. That’s his brother Levi with him. My brother Steve’s family is excited to finally have another woman in the group. The boys are happy to have a sister.

 

So much fun to see all the cousins together having a good time.

The Sisters, Vera, Lana, Ellen, and Kathy

 

The happy newlyweds. My nephew Tim…if he thinks he needs a drink now, just wait! No worries that’s only Martinelli’s and he really didn’t seemed stressed with all the excitement around him.

My married kids! Hard to believe they’ve almost been married 7 years!

 

My parents, Tim’s paternal grandparents at the rehearsal dinner and the wedding. See that last photo of my dad hugging Tim and Jessica, he decided it was time to take my mom home because she was tired so he walked right up to Tim and Jessica while they were having their first dance to give them a kiss and hug goodbye. He doesn’t really understand the concept of the first dance, since none of his children danced at their weddings. It was a kodak moment and all of us kids were belly laughing. Such a Moisi moment!!

 

Here’s my extended family minus 10 who were not at the wedding.

At the end of such a long eventful day we were all ready to go to sleep just like our Princess Hope.

Photobucket is holding all my photos I stored with them from 2007-2015 hostage. They have blacked out all those photos on my blog posts. OH BOTHER! I’m slowly cleaning up my posts.