The rest of the story...

While eating was (and probably will ALWAYS be) one of the best, best parts of traveling and something my family loves to share, there were other wonderful things about this trip! Here are some of the highlights!

Our view from out tent at the China Beach Campground first thing in the morning, in the Juan de Fuca Provincial Park ...don't ask me how hermanacita pronounced "Juan de Fuca", giggling every time....

I love sleeping outside!

The Botanical Beach (also in Juan de Fuca Park)....sea glass, tide pools, beautiful coast line, dense forest....

Can you see my husbando doing the kick-line in the up close photo?

Then across to Sequim, Washington & Olympic National Park. This is Beach #4 in the park. (Anne of Green Gables would be dismayed at the very un-creative naming of said beach. Isn't it gorgeous? Doesn't it deserve a fancy name like Beach of the Watchful Elders? Those huge stones looked like ancient ones looking out to sea.)

We did a lot of stopping...

and looking...

Did a little climbing...Papa Bear will climb anywhere he gets the chance!

Made discoveries....like how beautiful (and resonant, huh sis) driftwood can be...

Went to Hoh River Valley, where the trees are huge and covered in mosses due to the 100+ inches of rain that falls in this little valley. Mysterious, beautiful place! Looks like a hobbit home...


After Papa Bear and Hermanacita left, went with Hubbie to Vashon Island and Seattle. Barely scratched the surface of Seattle crafty shops by shopping at Undercover Quilts where they had beautiful quilts and at So Much Yarn...

And stopped here, of course...

Where flower bouquets like this were only $10-$15 and there were blueberries and peaches and jewelry and so many other yummy things...

And checked out the very cool Olympic Sculpture Park, which is part of the Seattle Art Museum...the free part...(yeah!)

I love how from this perspective the Space Needle looks like a toy or a miniature....part of the wacky "cones" sculpture. Husbando was really digging the dynamic log sculpture on the left....cool suspended action...

and my favorite, this....

We both loved this Richard Serra sculpture. We got turned on to Richard Serra a year ago at DIA:Beacon and had a follow up affair at the MOMA 40 yr. retrospective exhibit. There is something so fascinating and engaging about the space he creates with these massive curvilinear forms. Hubbie is always mesmerized, wondering how he does it, creating these huge soaring, curving, wrapping sculptures out of steel, no seams in sighg. I loved seeing these outdoors, the greens and whites and rusts...

And this is looking back from the Fauntleroy ferry terminal. How would it be to have a cool house like this on the Seattle shore?

Goodbye Seattle! Hope to come back soon...bring the sis to Vashon Island, see more yarn and craft shops, go kayaking, buy more berries, eat at the Pink Door, etc, etc, etc....xo

Thought for Friday....

"Beauty is a thing divine". -- Gordon B. Hinkley

Northwest Food Report

Just wanted to share a few photo's of our family reunion in the Northwest. We visited Vancouver, Victoria, Sequim, the Olympic National Park, Vashon Island and Seattle. It was a packed week, but it was BEAUTIFUL as well!

I thought I'd show you the sights, but once I started writing I realized it was all about food...so here's my food report. Perhaps non-food highlights will go up soon. (If I can stop drooling over the cupcake pictures. Yes plural "pictures". I have close ups on my hard drive that are rather gratuitous.)


Yes, CUPCAKES by Heather and Lori!!! This little shop in Vancouver makes the best cupcakes ever! Caramella (caramel filling, chocolate cake), Blueberry, Diva (chocolate with vanilla buttercream frosting) and my favorite KooKoo (coconut cake and coconut cream cheese frosting)...bought a dozen and ate them all week long. If you are in Vancouver, you must go! (Note to self: buttercream frosting and warm, sunshiny days do not mix). Also, check out the Granville Island Market, where you can get fresh fruits and veggies, other yummy food, artisan's wares, fun family shopping/activities and Nanaimo Bars!!!

Ah....Homer's (on Vancouver Island, near Sooke) where I had the most delicious burger in the world...guacamole, pineapple, tomato, mozarella.....ahhhhhhhh.....all my favorites on one burger! Homer's ROCKS!!!

Then berry picking at Graysmarsh Farm in Sequim, WA (blueberries, blackberries, loganberries, raspberries).

which lead to this.....

which lead to this........

which lead to happiness.

By the way, Dad's right. Bail on the whole grains when you are going for pure divine belgian waffle decadence. White flour, pure unadulterated, no health value at all white flour is necessary to make them airy as a cloud.

And finally...Ivar's in Seattle. Where you get to eat this...

if you can resist feeding it to the determined seagulls who are made brazen by the following signs:

See what I mean? Check out that glare!

After you gaze into that evil eye, you become hypnotized, convinced you must give them your fries, which they then catch mid-flight.

Pretty darn impressive! When I was a kid, I thought it was cool to watch my uncles do it with M&M's...and the kids at Ivars were equally impressed with the gulls.

Well, it wasn't all about food. After I go eat something yummy, perhaps I'll post some pics of the sights too. Til then.....Bon Appetit!

I'm Back!

I've been away from home quite a bit the past little bit...family reunion...girls camp...and therefore away from the blog. It's been a crazy and wonderful, but also reflective time and I find myself unsure of what I want to write about. Anyway, I am just dropping this little post to say, "I'm back" and shall write more soon.

Hope your summers are winding down in a lovely way and a wish for blessing to you.

Thought for Friday....

"We have to turn inwards, to look into ourselves; look into this container which is our soul; look and listen to it. Until you have listened in to that thing which is dreaming through you, in other words-answered the knock on the door in the dark, you will not be able to lift this moment in time in which we are imprisoned, back again into the level where the great act of creation is going on."

-Sir Laurens van der Post

Vacation!!!

I am officially on vacation with the family in the Northwest, but promise to return the end of next week with descriptions of beautiful places to visit and yummy foods to eat.

Have a lovely week!!!

ps. Just had the YUMMIEST cupcake ever...wanna meet "Caramella"? :)

Another Re-make...

Christina just INSPIRES me with her recycled, repurposed clothes! (Check out her etsy shop if you like her stuff....she restocks from time to time with new fun things!) Here is another project I finished yesterday. It was a quickie!

I started with this dress which I bought a couple of summers ago. After wearing it a few times I decided the big round neckline made it look very little-girly. Not so cute. Yes, I still wore it some, but eh...didn't love it.

But the fabric is fun and breezy...

So I thought that with a little adjustment, this could give me a much needed summer skirt. And Wah-Lah! (authentic French spelling for "check out this fabulous creation)....here she is!

Thought for Friday....

"I purposely don't go into a project that I know how to do."

Robert Altman