A Little Alventure

 We said goodbye to Al's bucket garden and set off on a little vacation.

First stop was Pendleton, OR, which is mostly about cowboys and cowboy boots, but they also still have the famous woolen mill.  We were too late for one tour and too early for another, but did get to peek in the windows to see where they spin the yarn and weave the fabric.  From sheep to shirt very quickly.

 This seems to be a very creative way to tell us that the sidewalk is broken and we don't want to fix it. 

My new motto. 

 On to Boise, where we once again happened upon an afternoon organ recital.  This time the organist explained all about how a pipe organ works, which was very interesting. 

 Amazing what some hollow tubes and air can do.

 Yes, Albertson's was begun in Boise.  

 Nothing but cute.

Boise is the captial so we couldn't resist the capitol.  Nice dome.

It has been brought to my attention -

Well, I've been told that you saw so much of the project construction,

 but not enough of the completed product, so here are a couple results. 

 This is the dining room/kitchen side of what used to be the big brick fireplace. 

 Here is the living room side, with the granite we were lucky enough to find in the leftover pile. 

 There will be a mantle someday but we haven't happened upon just the right thing yet.  

Sometimes the search is half the fun.  

 Digger found an edging tool at the second-hand shop for $2 and seems to think it's fun.  

Remember those thousands of  cheerful yellow dandelions last week?

  Lawn mowers all over the neighborhood seem to be going night and day this time of the year,

trying to keep ahead of them.  Not so pretty now, are they?

Give Me Another Shot

 Al and Marco on the ferry to Bainbridge. 

Didn't this turn our good?  Maybe because it was taken by a stranger.

Will I ever finish planting Blue Star Creeper in those thousands of little holes?

Maybe if I do one six-pack before breakfast I'll be rewarded with french toast.

Maybe. Is 7:30 too early for chocolate?

Snow Bunny

 Easter Sunday was special because Marco came from San Francisco to play with us for the weekend.  We drove the 30 miles up to Hurricane Ridge, where apparently they haven't gotten the word that it's spring.

 I can see our house from here.  

 Really.  That is the Dungeness Spit and we are just 1/3 mile inland from there.  

Looks like those dust spots have returned on the camera and I'll be sending it back again.  Wah.

 Not good photography, but we stopped at Hama Hama oysters for just a little taste of fresh goodness.

 Creative use of garbage, isn't it?

Al's job is finished with the turf stone on the new patio, but my job is just beginning. 

 Will it ever grow full and pretty?  Stay tuned. 

If I Only Had a Roar

 Sequim's claim to fame is the Lavender Capital of the World, 

but I'm convinced it should be changed to the Dandelion Capital.

 Just look at this: 

Our house from the front.

From our dining room window.

 To the West from our front yard.

 Amazing what just one plant can do!

They say that each dandelion is a wish - imagine the potential in our neighborhood. 

 What will happen when these little devils go to seed?  Beware!

Boing!

It's spring in Sequim!  Well, it's Spring everywhere, just not exhibited in the same way in all parts of the country.  If you haven't put your snow shovel away yet, I'm very sorry.  It appears that they have changed drastically since I was living in winter country (1974, Chicago) but I'm not quite inspired enough to return.  Just keep sending me pictures of the pretty days.  No slush, please.    

We've had a pleasant but relatively quiet week.  Just normal life.  Sorry there isn't anything exciting to report.  Al has been working on his garden project and the little fellas germinating in the greenhouse are adorable.  I'll like them even better when they produce tomatoes that taste like tomatoes.  Imagine!

 Raspberries

 Strawberries

 Blueberries

 Peonies

Rhodies

A Weekend Away From Digging

Look at this!  Al put down his shovel long enough to pick up Pat and Rhett at the airport and have a weekend of fun.  We started with the Naval Undersea Museum, which was full of information about subs and diving and sailors.  Rhett is a former submariner and Pat is the daughter of one and the sister of another, so they were great sources of additional stories to go with what the Navy already knew. 

Friday we took the ferry to Victoria for a tour of the BC Parliament Building and a really good lunch. 

On the return trip we saw the biggest, brightest, longest lasting rainbow of all time.  Okay,, of my time, but isn't it all about me?   Well, isn't it?  It appeared that the pot of gold would be right in our front yard, but apparently a passing vagabond must have discovered it before we got home.  

Sunday we drove to the edge of the continent to see Cape Flattery and were knocked over (I'm bottom heavy, so kind of tough to knock over, like those inflatable clowns when we were kids, but you know what I mean) with the surprise of seeing a herd of the Olympic Peninsula Roosevelt Elk.  Named for Teddy Roosevelt, they only live in and near the Olympic Rainforest. 

 You'll just have to do some research for more info.  

Seattle from the very back of the ferry (we were the very last vehicle to be loaded,

 just by the seat of Tom Dually's pants) as we ventured back home. 

 Monday was a stunning day with all the magnificent mountains popping out from the 

clouds, just for our viewing pleasure.   

We have been astonished every day as new plants come peeking up to announce Spring and welcome us to our new house.  This little patch has daffodils, jonquils (does anybody know just what the difference is?  I googled but it seems like everything is just a cousin in the same overpopulated family), hyacinth, some other pretty little blue things I don't know the name of, and now red tulips are joining the party.  

Take a break, Digger

Thursday I convinced Al to put down the shovel and go to Silverdale (about 60 miles away) to do a few errands in a town with more shopping options.  Jack and Jeni met us to chow and chat.  It's always fun to catch up with old high school stories.  It's almost like 1966 again.  Until I look in the mirror.  Don't do that.

What a guy!

Look what has been happening around here!  Al has been taking out a grassy patch between the porch and the picket fence to make a patio.  I just can't figure out how to get the pictures in order, but this will be a good challenge for you.  He's been digging for days and days.  

Yesterday a huge load of gravel and pavers was delivered, so that will be the next step.  He seems to be having fun, but that kind of enjoyment just doesn't register with me. 

Do you think that he has gotten his money's worth from that sweatshirt?  

Finally!

Where have I been?  I'm not sure but the frustration of some silly update that Google did left me exasperated so I went to the garage and started unpacking boxes.  What treasures there were!  The words spoken most often in the last couple weeks are "we have so much stuff!"  Not always in a friendly tone, I might add.  But I start piles of thrift shop donations and Al comes along and takes half of it back!

The other good news is that after all these weeks of Al's painstaking table building, painting, floor laying, caulking, window replacing, and wall repair the sewing Patch is finished!  For three days I've been opening all those project-filled boxes, sorting, organizing, arranging, labeling, rearranging and having a grand time.  It's the best craft room ever!  At least the best I've ever had.  Today my very first project will be curtains for Mom's bathroom window so the glare of the sunshine on the Minnesota snow doesn't blind her.

Digger might have to be the new name for the Man of the House.  He has spent a lot of time with a shovel lately, dealing with drainage problems on the rainy days.  Here he is going under the sidewalk to find the source of the puddle that threatened to creep into the Patch.  After all that time fixing the previous hidden damage it just wasn't going to happen.  He is quick to remind me that in 1965 his first paid job after Cal was digging ditches for PGE, but do you think he was ever sitting down to do the work?  Now there is a bunch of big black pipe waiting to be installed to keep all that water flowing in the right direction.  

The next project is finding the perfect bookshelf solution for the forty boxes of books.  There isn't much time for reading just now, but it's comforting to see them all lined up, just waiting their turn.