Are We Walking to Alaska

Are We Walking to Alaska
Are We Walking to Alaska - A True Story

Tuesday, September 27, 2016

Tuesday's Treasures

I'm enjoying my newly painted china cabinet so much - I decided to hurry autumn along and display the autumn colors.
Filled with lovely serving pieces collected over the years
 Vintage Wild Fowl glasses - an anniversary gift from Don this year - sunflower soup bowls for warm autumn soups
 Turkey plates and bowls - I found these last year just after Thanksgiving in a thrift shop - I knew they wouldn't be there long so scooped them up and saved them until this year.
 Autumn leaf plates - and an autumn leaf bowl filled with decorative acorns
 Cabbage soup tureen
  

 Leaf bowls - found at the same store as the china cabinet


 Mini pumpkin tureens
 Great for baking a pumpkin custard - or for soups
We will certainly have a lot of soups this autumn 



  
 Pumpkin pitcher and bee hive cracker jar
Ceramic turkey I made in ceramics class years ago in California
Yellow pitcher and cream and sugar were found in a thrift store in Chilliwack, British Columbia on vacation this year.

Have you found any lovely autumn dishes this year - and do you have a favorite that you use over and over?

Monday, September 26, 2016

Lopez Island Get-Away

The San Juan Islands lay off the NW coast of Washington State.
The name "San Juan" was given to the islands by the Spanish explorer Francisco de Eliza, who charted the islands in 1791
 Map and Island photo from Island County Tourism
 The Islands are a quieter way of life - slow and peaceful. They are the destination for day trippers and vacationers - as well of locals from the mainland who want a quiet get-away, but near home.  Yes - Mt. Baker in the background, and ferry in the foreground center

The get-away to Lopez Island was to celebrate Don's September birthday - and our 52nd Anniversary the end of September.
Top - landing at Lopez Island - when our ferry arrived there was another at the dock so we waited in line for our turn to disembark.
Bottom - Washington State Ferry at night - passing our cottage
 Four of the main islands are served by the Washington State Ferry Service and those four have the largest populations - the smaller islands can be accessed by water taxi, private boat or float plane.
The Canadian border runs to the west (left) of the San Juan Islands
 Several tables in the passenger section of the ferries have jigsaw puzzles for passengers to work on.  If the weather is foggy I would work on a puzzle - but with sunny weather there is so much to see,  I'd rather take in the views.
Such as passing other ferries on the way to the islands
After we got settled in our cottage we were off to enjoy a ride around the island
 This is the view from the patio of our cabin - boats passing all day
And vultures floating on the air currents - looking for "clean up work"
There are lovely beaches on the island - this is one beach where we picnicked 
 Fabulous Great Blue Herons
Hairy Woodpeckers in apple trees
 Fabulous clouds and skies - from our patio on Lopez Island
Boaters having fun in all sorts of crafts
And breath taking sunsets every night.

Another visit soon to explore more of the island.



Friday, September 23, 2016

Short Stories

In six words 
This week's word is "never"


 Thanks for hosting Miriam.

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Snap! Sunsets!

For Helena's meme this week I've picked a group of sunsets.  Don and I went to Lopez Island (just off the NW coast of Washington State) for a combined birthday (Don's) and our 52nd anniversary celebration a few weeks ago.  We stayed in a cottage on the beach - overlooking the boats coming and going and the gorgeous sunsets every night.

 The magnificent view from the patio on Lopez Island
 The Washington State Ferry heading out to Orcas and San Juan Islands just as sunset ends

The very last of the sunset.  Good night!

Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Summertime Scavenger Hunt

Summertime and the livin' is easy

And it's time for the Summertime Scavenge Hunt

1. A "wild heart" - a naturally occurring heart

The shape of tulips reminds me of a heart
* * * *
2. A footprint or pawprint

foot print on an Autumn quilt I made
* * * *
3. A skeleton, bone or x-ray



alternate - baby

Baby ducks at Lake Padden
* * * *
4. A book or magazine read during 2016


* * * *

5. A porch or deck



The porch on my favorite old house in Bellingham
* * * *
6. A camper 


Vintage camper in a parking lot this summer
* * * *
7. A family gathering


Grandsons making water balloons

And our youngest grandson graduating from 
Pre-School
* * * *
8. A drawing, art project, artistic photograph, 
scrapbook page, greeting card, or art journal page created by you.


Painted stones - for a Christmas Craft Fair in early December
* * * *
9. Someone playing with, in, or around water.
Two guys just paddling around on an old driftwood log in Birch Bay State Park
* * * *
10. A bicycle
Not the traditional place for a bicycle - but clever
* * * *
11. Fresh produce

Joe's Gardens - the farm stand where we buy our organic produce in the summer - located right in the middle of town.

* * * *
12. A window
A window in a "Little Library" - a neighborhood project in many places in our area - take one - leave one - share with your neighbors
* * * *
13. The moon
Taken with my Nikon Cookpix P600 - from our deck - using a tripod
* * * *
14. A buffet of food
Summer is the perfect time for family gatherings and lots of fresh food
Breakfast summer buffet

And summer brunch buffet
* * * *
15. A team logo

alternate light house
Near that funky bicycle - a painting of a lighthouse on an old saw blade.
* * * *
16. A map showing a trip taken during the summer
Our 52nd Anniversary get-away to Lopez Island

* * * *
17. Twins
Goslings near the lake
* * * *
**18. A supermarket cart, basket or trolley full of groceries 


Just didn't get a picture of this - I don't do the grocery shopping - Don does it all - so I never have a chance to see a basket of groceries.  So I'll show you this pretty sunset instead
* * * *
19. A seasonal cocktail or beverage

A ducky drink

* * * *
20. Someone laughing





Just horsing around!

Summertime Scavenger Hunt