Tea Party, Redux

I was invited to this new place; for a tea party. I've had trouble finding it. It was an adventure just to get here. It seems I needed to travel a long road. Yet, it is pretty. Yes, there is something different and magical here. Those mushrooms are so large; they almost seem menacing. Never mind. I must hurry. I have friends, old and new, who are expecting me. But where, oh where are they? Friends can be very hard to find, you see. I am so late to the party. What must they think of me...running around, lost. I wouldn't want to disappoint them. There, in the distance, it's the party. But, oh my, they look a bit mad! If you don't believe me, click on this photo and you will see, too. I shouldn't want to spend time with mad folks. You know, mad as in not-having-a-good-time, and mad as in, well, crazy! Perhaps I'll step back before they take note of me. Ah, they've put out a cup of tea and a biscuit for me. I could rest here for a while. Ummm, it's warm and I'm beginning to feel a bit drowsy. ZZZZZZZZZZ. I've tweaked my blog formatting and came out with an improved "Mad Hatter Tea Party" post. Thank you, Vanessa at Fanciful Twist for putting on such a fun affair.

Some Folks

You know how you just really like some folks? Well, these aren't just folks...they're family. Gayle and Paul are the greatest kind of people: Friendly, fun, curious, enthusiastic, positive, loyal, respectful. To me, these are the ingredients that make a good friend. We spent a great week with them in Santa Fe (that's Bob with them in the top photo). This past weekend found us at a family party in Seattle. See those smiles? That's the real deal.

Smell the Lavender

My sister doesn't smile nearly often enough...so I caught you, sista! I'm sure she's having a laugh at my expense. Probably because I'm c-o-l-d and want to get this darn photo taken. Me, Mom and Sister are at the annual Sequim Lavender Festival. It was a bit chilly; usually is! They call Sequim the banana belt of the Pacific Northwest, but I haven't found it to be tropically warm. Or sunnier than my hometown which is not so sunny most of the year. But I won't go there :).

One Perfect Day

This was taken a couple of years ago, but you get the idea. Me and my guy, Buffy, going out for a ride. Here is dinner; linguine with prawns in a tomato herb sauce, salad with lemon vinaigrette, blue cheese cubes and Smokehouse almonds. Dessert was angel food cake and strawberries. Don't forget the wine!

Oh, Michael...NO!

The angels are singing...we are crying.

Must it always be FUN?

Must adults have fun? Everyday? To this is say YES! Yesterday I walked the -4 tide and played. There was no one else on the beach…my favorite population density. I headed immediately for the colony of sea anemones that live in front of my section of beach. They were exposed and all tucked up for the duration. Then I briskly walked in the opposite direction looking for signs of life. None to be found except the odd moon snail partially exposed, and of course, the omnipresent geoduck. I headed back to the anemones because I wanted to watch while the tide came back to cover them; to see if they would unfold. Whilst waiting I was scooping up seawater in an intact but vacant moon snail shell and bathing the anemones with it. This was the playing part. Saw a juvenile eagle get run off by crows. Blasted crows! For me, the beach is part of my joie de vivre . Fun IS essential.

FLY, My Little Butterfly

Garrett has flown away, after navigating 5th grade. Be strong, little butterfly.

Summer Solstice

The longest day of the year. Here in Lakebay, WA., at 9:30 pm, there is still a lovely light. Our day wasn't exactly sunny, what with the thunderstorm and rain that rolled through mid-day. Still, I had sun when I wanted it most, while beach combing during a -3 tide. This long day is so transitory. Don't leave! Keep us in sunlight, even if garbed in clouds. The dogwood looks spectacular. Ready for a moonlit rendezvous.

From the Past

My friend Marie has moved into this charming property: 2.5 acres with the grace of life in the 1920's. The landscape has certainly matured since the home was built, but it retains a peacefulness that is hard to find in the 21st century. There is a large pond and lots of specimen trees and colorful shrubs. Yesterday she and her family hosted a potluck open house. Folks from all generations were welcome. The food was delicious, as it always is at a potluck. My husband, my mom, my step-dad and I all had a lovely time. Here is Mom surveying the pond. Here is Bob and Herm strolling with Moby, the french bulldog.

Change it Up

Main Entry:

ob·li·ga·tion

1: something one is bound to do : duty, responsibility I have been feeling grumpy and cranky lately. And I'm just back from a 9 day vacation. So, what's up with that?? Well, I've given it a lot of thought and I am cranky because I can't get in front of obligations. Every time I turnaround I run into the next thing I need to do to take care of somebody else. I'm not talking about chores here, necessarily, though my house is a task master. In fact, the sense of duty I feel is imposed by me. How's that for a trap? Yet, I don't know how to just let stuff fall on the floor. But, I'm going to give myself 1 day of NO OBLIGATIONS and see how it goes. Gee, what if I really like it?

So, What Did I Do Whilst in CA?

I SAW FRIENDS! Susie, Linda P., Ellen, Linda C., Josef, Lori, Sherry, Rae Ellen, Niki, and Connie. First photo is me, Linda P. and Susie altogether. The next photo is me and Linda P. Can you tell which photos were taken 2 years ago and which were taken last week? We go WAY back to elementary and high school. I had such fun visiting with these gals. We fit together like pieces of a puzzle. I believe the shared experiences of youth create a powerful bond. We reconnected via my 40th high school reunion. It wasn't easy for my old friends to find me what with my married name and moving out of state. I hope to not lose connections again. Last photo is my good friend and long-time riding buddy, Linda C. Here she is in her home graphic arts studio. Besides a love of riding, Linda and I share a love of good food and wine. Our special time together is always a drive down to Carmel or Carmel Valley. In recent years we go to Carmel Village and lunch at "Casanova's". The setting is charming; the food and wine delicious. I don't remember enjoying myself more than I did this trip. We even tried Absinthe for an aperitif. Oh, yeah, babe. My good friends, I hope to see you all again next year.

My Second Home

I spent the past 9 days at my second home in the Santa Cruz Mountains of California.

Being a CA girl, now living in WA state, I head for "home" once or twice a year. My CA home actually belongs to my good friend Ellen Carter, but I'm as comfortable there as I am in my own house. This year I ended up staying in the master suite (it's complicated). I had it all to myself, well, except for sharing with the cats and even Alexis. Alexis is the fabulous girl pictured here with me and Ellen. And here is the view from my bedroom window overlooking the Loma Prieta area.

I had a great stay with Ellen. We celebrated the cocktail hour every evening with varied vodka drinks...all soooo good. Dinner was usually olives, cheese, crackers, and such... also delicious. After 9 days of observing Ellen's dietary habits I now know the difference between 130 lbs and 160 lbs. NOT EATING.

Ellen and I share a love of horses. She is much more active in riding than I am these days, not letting her riding injuries stop her. In order to go for a day ride to Henry Cowell State Park, Ellen had to go through lots of effort to connect her trailer. Again, it's complicated, and involves use of a tractor. But nothing stops Ellen and off we went for a ride amongst redwoods, sandy soils, wildflowers, a creek crossing and lovely views.

THANK YOU, Ellen, for making my visit so much fun.

Beer, Here

I LOVE a good beer. And to me, good beer is micro-brewery beer, not your Michelob variety.

Deschutes Brewery out of Bend, OR seems to be my favorite here in WA. Black Butte Porter, Cinder Cone Ale, Jubeale for the Holidays...always changing with the seasons. For my 2008 Halloween party I bought a big bottle of their Black Butte XX 20th Anniversary Reserve...because the bottle was spooky looking. Forgot to serve it. Yesterday I decided to drink it because, afterall, beer doesn't last forever. OMG. This stuff is too delicious: "Porter brewed with chocolate beans and coffee added with 20% aged in bourbon barrels". Now, that's a beer for a chocolate and coffee lover, like me. So sad that I just discovered it and I'll have to wait for Halloween to buy it again...far, far away.

ps I am leaving Saturday to see my friends in Los Gatos and Santa Cruz, CA for 9 days. YaHoo!

pss Do enjoy my ode to the movie "A Star Is Born", the remake with Barbra and Kris. Liked the movie and loved some of the music. What a voice!

Checking In

My mind, well, a very small portion of it, is thinking about The Mad Hatter Tea Party that Miss Vanessa is hosting. Must get to studio! But most of my mind and body is busy with household stuff and chores...but some fun, too. Last week I spent a day observing an accomplished dressage instructor give lessons from beginning to advanced. The hostess of this clinic was a friendly and welcoming lady; horse lover, naturally. One of her "babies" is 43 years old! Yes, a 43 year old horse! Yikes. My Buffy is only 27. Today I visited the new home of a good friend. It's new to her, but actually built in the 1920's. The 2.5 acre property is old fashioned and charming. Transporting, really, to the mid-20th century when life was simplier. No constant stimulation from TV and computers...heck, even phones were uncommon. Chores were harder. For example, remember the wringer washing machines and hanging clothes to dry out on the clothesline? Entertainment was a game of cards, sitting on the porch swing, listening to the radio or maybe a TV show (there were very few on the air). Well, how did I get on this subject? I really was transported by this visit to Marie.