bodanzarama

Eat Cupcakes And Vote!

noreply@blogger.com (vb) — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 19:51:00 +0000

Apologies for intrusion. Test in progress

noreply@blogger.com (vb) — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 00:36:00 +0000

Coming to you live from my own Galaxy!

Cats Don't Know From Editing...

noreply@blogger.com (vb) — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 17:59:00 +0000

But they make editing more relaxing. Working from home today and Miles is assisting.

Coming to you live from my own Galaxy!

Mt. Baker and Mt. Shuksan

noreply@blogger.com (vb) — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 12:47:00 +0000

A couple of weeks ago we headed to Bellingham/Fairhaven. It's a good jumping off point to explore Mt. Baker and Artist's Point. Even from Bellingham, it's an hour and a half drive to Artist's Point (cuz you have to stop for coffee, of course). We planned to walk the Chain Lakes Trail until we were satisfied. It was more important to go for a pretty drive on rural roads and get outside than to clock lots of miles.

As we started out on the Chain Links Trail, a large lenticular cloud hung over Mt. Baker. The cloud would remain right there for our whole adventure. But that's what part of makes mountains cool - those lenticular clouds.

Getting closer to the mountain. You can spot a hiker on the trail to show you the scale of the landscape. Really magnificent. You can see how perfect the weather was this day. I peeled off the layers I wore not long after we started walking.
For more scale, you can see S on the trail on our hike back to the car. That is Mt. Shuksan, the other reason for the trip. Between the two peaks
Here is Shuksan from the parking lot. I like the contrast of the dark green trees, the red rock, and the white snow and glaciers. Below is Shuksan from the Picture Lake pullover. There is a paved trailed all the way around and this is the money shot when you drive to Mt. Baker/Artist's Point. It was a bit late in the day (or too early, depending on whether you want morning or early evening light) to avoid some glare. But the flaming reds and oranges were too inticing to ignore snapping a few shots.

Around Town Observations

noreply@blogger.com (vb) — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 14:04:00 +0000

Brilliant hydrangeas on the campus of Seattle University.

Mystery Solved

noreply@blogger.com (vb) — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 01:58:00 +0000

What is it? A sand dune? An air bubble? A very big lost sock?
Ahhhhh, napping kitty!
Wake up!

Olympic Peninsula - Hurricane Ridge and Hoh Rainforest

noreply@blogger.com (vb) — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 21:40:00 +0000

A quick get-a-way to Olympic peninsula the 15th and 16th to celebrate my birthday a little early. We couldn't have asked for better weather. At the Vashon ferry dock the fog shrouded everything but once at Southworth we knew we'd have a beautiful day. Above is Hurricane Ridge, part of the Olympic National Park. You access the mile-high Hurricane Ridge via Hurricane Ridge Parkway in Port Angeles. We claimed a bench, wheeled over the cooler, and lunched on various goodies with this panorama a our view.
I wonder what S spies.

Descending Hurricane Ridge Parkway we pulled over to admire the view of Mt. Baker. Looks like it' floating over The Straight of Juan de Fuca (SJDF) and the city of Sequim (skwim).
In this shot you can easily spy the Dungeness Spit, part of the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge, arching out into the SJDF. Click on the photo to enlarge it and I bet you can just make out the Dungeness Lighthouse towards the end of the Spit. It's about a 5 mile walk to the lighthouse. I've done this hike to the lighthouse and back. You need to time it with a low tide to get the most of the experience.
A lone barge.
The next day we went to the Hoh Rainforest, also in the Olympic National Park. It's not my first time to the Hoh but it's the first time I had to wear sun screen while visiting. We had blue skies and sun. We saw some amazing trees and mosses, ferns and lichens. This tree split and fell. I should have put S in the shot to lend a sense of scale. Take my word, these are giant "splinters" of wood.

I love to look at the patterns in the trees.
And I must say I'm a sucker for any kind of lichen.

Again, it's hard to grasp the size of this tree but it's easily as wide as my car.

Elk encounter #1. Click on the photo to enlarge so you can see the large male elk with full rack in the photo. A park ranger lady is in the middle of the shot wearing a dark jacket. Another ranger then shoo'd the elk, waving his arms and barking out noises. I guess the wildlife is used to humans and the elk was seemingly uninterested in anything but eating. However, wildlife is wildlife. Appreciate it from a distance. Look but don't touch or feed.
Tall.
OK, there was just no way to get the whole fallen tree in the shot especially because of the slope in the trail. I'm standing at the top of the tree. Actually, I'm standing a good 10 feet from the top. S is standing several feet from the base. Click on the photo to enlarge. You should be able to make her out wearing a dark shirt and light shorts. It's amazing. This was once standing up. It fell but didn't break? There are not breaks in this tree. It just hugs the curve in the land.
Elk encounter #2: Getting closer. Yep, that's a male elk, again with full rack. Not sure if it's the same elk from earlier. Guess it doesn't matter. He came walking across the trail, munching along. Everyone stopped and stepped back and just watched. Good humans. No false moves were made. No sudden noises. Just cameras clicking.
Off he goes.
Along the 18-mile road to the visitor center you spy a sign that says simply Big Spruce. Big, indeed.

Art House Co-op Sketchbook Project

noreply@blogger.com (vb) — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 14:52:00 +0000

I received my sketchbook for the Art House Co-op Sketchbook Project! Very excited. The idea is simple - create in the sketchbook and mail it back. The book then becomes part of the permanent collection at The Brooklyn Art Library. Notice the bar code? This makes it possible for you to check-out my journal if you happen to be visiting the The Brooklyn Art Library or the tour of the library comes to your town. Here is a map of the tour. Not terribly extensive, I know. Still, I'm going to be in a library and I'm going on tour. How cool is that?

There are few rules. It looks like a bigger list than it is. Some of this is technicality info. Basically, do whatever you want to your book as long as you retain the original dimensions.

* If you didn't complete last year's sketchbook, you can't use it for this year's Project. You have to sign up again.
* Your book must remain within the dimensions of 5.5 x 8.5 inches. It can open up to something wonderful (of any size), but it must fold down to the original dimensions. You are welcome to unbind, rebind or alter the book in (almost) any other way. If you want to use a thicker stock of paper, go for it!
* Your barcode must remain in place on the book - no moving or covering it. An altered or unreadable label means we have to disqualify you from the tour.
* You are free to alter, design, and work on the cover of the sketchbook! In fact, it is encouraged not to leave the covers blank.
* The theme is a great starting point, but in no way is meant to be a restriction. If you feel restricted, loosen up and just have fun. We will not judge or disqualify you by your use of the theme. Be creative!
* Your book must be postmarked by January 15, 2011. No exceptions.
* We do not offer refunds for people who do not finish their book, period.
* All sales are final! Please read the rules if you are unsure about signing up. Please realize that we are not some big time corporation and we get no outside funding. There are two of us putting on this entire project and all submission fees go back into it.
* If you do not receive your sketchbook due to a shipping issue, you have until November 15, 2010, to notify us. After that date, we are unable to issue refunds or resend the sketchbook.
* We reserve the right to switch sketchbook books, brands or sizes at any time without notice.I have no special plans for the sketchbook. Just going to fill it like any other journal book I'm working on. This means doodles, collage, watercolors, acrylics, ink pens, markers, colored pencils, pastels, etc. Could be anything. Should be fun.

Colorado Road Trip

noreply@blogger.com (vb) — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 03:33:00 +0000

Back in mid-June we headed to Colorado for some Denver time and then a road trip. I've finally sorted and posted the pics with a bit of narration. I tried to keep things short and to the point. The pics do most of the talking. The trip was great fun. K & D were our main hosts. D & K & L made other days in Denver tons of fun. We weathered heat and sun and bloody noses (from the altitude) but all in the name of fun. Don't forget to click on a photo to enlarge it.Riding the Link Light Rail to the airport was easy. We only checked one bag between us and it was rolled easily from our place of employment to Westlake Center where we hopped on the train. For $2.50 we didn't worry about traffic or parking. The rail drops you at Sea-Tac at the far end of the parking garage level where ground transportation is located.
Instantly, we're in Denver. Well, what could I tell you about waiting in the airport or riding in a plane. Both were uneventful and that's just how we like it. Our first day in Denver we spent with D & K & L. They were excellent hosts the whole day. Here is K at the farmers market showing off her skills. Brunch was at Lola and it was delicious. Take a look at the menu. I had the "al pastor" benedicto. I never order pork in a restaurant and I never order eggs benedict. Lola put a new twist on an old dish and I ate every last crumb. I need to learn how to make the masa-buttermilk biscuit.Some of the Lola decour. I really dig the Southwest and Day of The Dead influences.Much like Seattle, Denver is teeming with bicyclists. Unlike Seattle, Denver is flat. I'm just sayin'. Denver also has this cool bike sharing program, Denver Bike Sharing. You can join by the hour, the day, or even the year. A whole year is just $65! There are lots of membership options. The baskets carry advertising (hey, non-profits gotta pay the bills too). It's a great idea for health reasons, environmental reasons, traffic reasons. But, come on, Colorado, we need to get helmets on riders. Make it a law already. Will that make everyone wear one? Of course not. But MORE people will wear one. I noticed a big difference between Denver and Seattle riders. Way more riders in Seattle wear helmets (it's the law).Here is the beautiful cat belonging to D & K & L. Her name is, forgive me if I get it wrong, Addie.
And here is their dog, Kopi. Very handsome.Coffee is and always will be an important part of our travels. We really like coffee and we seek out the local java joints wherever we go. We were pleased to find plenty of independent coffee options on this trip. The first is Buzz Fill'er Up Cafe just a half mile from K & D's place, our Denver hosts.The coffee was so good I thought we were having a Jesus moment once we hit the open highway. Off in the distance I swear I could see Jesus.I was right, it's Jesus. But it doesn't look like a kind, sweet Jesus. It looks like Jesus is pointing at the passing drivers, giving them a stern warning: Slow down, wear your seat-belt, don't text and drive!Kenosha Pass is just one of several mountain passes we traverse on this trip. Colorado west of Denver is all mountains. East of Denver is flat, flat, and then flat. We knew what we were doing when we planned our route. I think we got the prettier, more interesting side of the state. We wanted mountains so we really had no choice but to go west.

Kenosha Pass is 10,000 feet high in the Rocky Moutains. Route 285 takes you over it and beyond.I wish I could remember the town in which I pulled over to snap some shots of this cemetery. The graves were elaborate works of folk art and personal touches. No granite slabs here.This is a really beautiful valley. There is a turn out from the highway, a large parking area and this view. I wish I could remember what it's called.Fast forward miles and miles and here are are getting pretty close to Ouray, Colorado, one of my favorite stops on the trip. Ouray is in a beautiful valley (when you're in the mountains you see lots of valleys and it's great) and surrounded by mountains on three sides. The "Switzerland of America" but without any kitschy Swiss stuff. In Washington we have a "Bavarian" village and I think if I were Bavarian I'd be insulted. It's over the top with cornucopias painted on the Safeway and little else than beer and brauts to eat. I know it's for tourists but it's also for people who need a place to sleep on their hiking, climbing, rafting vacation.

Here is some of the pretty red rock we'd see in various parts of Colorado. Some is bright orange like this. Some is deep orange, like Native pottery.
Here is the dining room at Spangler House Bed & Breakfast. Steven and Jill are great hosts. Steven makes a delicious breakfast. We stayed here two nights and really enjoyed it.In Ouray, I felt like I was in Ouray, not Switzerland. Yes, it caters to tourists too but in a Ouray way. Two-thirds of the original Victorian buildings remain and are still used as residences and businesses. I can buy Native American pottery, bug spray, a latte, and a plate of Southwest Mexican food. Definitely eat at the Bien Tempo and get the spicy camarones. Here's a shot of the ceiling, covered in dollar bills. We watched a waitress shoot a dollar up there. You put your tack on one side of the bill pointing up. You put a magnet on the underside to keep the tack sitting on the bill. Then you fling it all toward the ceiling and it sticks.In Ouray we took a hike on the Ice Park Trail. Really nice hike. Great views. Not sure what animal this was but it made a nice meal for something.We left a rainy and chilly Seattle but on this trip we had nothing but sun and heat. Sometimes that was nice. Sometimes it wasn't. But at 7,792 feet it was really nice.Not only is it warm in Colorado, it's dry. Real dry. Hydration is key. We drank and drank and drank and were better for it. And sunscreen. Lots of that too and we used 70 SPF. No fooling around.
Aspens! S's favorite tree and Colorado has plenty of them.Here comes a thistle.

I dig lichen. I love that they can grow just about anywhere - the arctic, the desert, a toxic waste pile. They are survivors. Some are leafy, some are spongy, some are flat against where they grow, like the white one in this pic. They come in so many different colors and textures. I just dig 'em.
Wild geraniums.
OK, the black fuzzy thing is a spider. Not exactly sure which parts of it but it's a spider. When I tapped the rock it scurried into the web. I wanted to SEE the spider but couldn't coax it back out and wasn't about to destroy it's web.
Back at Spangler House, plotting our course.
Here is the resident mama deer at Spangler House. We were fortunate to see mama and her two twin fauns. They were tiny and spotted with big ears, really adorable.
She slept here for a couple of hours.
Pretty good cuppa at Mouses's Coffee & Chocolate.
Plenty of tasty sounding drinks but I stuck to my usual. I really just like a straight latte, no flavor, no sweetener. I want to taste the espresso and I want to taste the creamy, foamy milk.
Colorado's state flower is the columbine and it's everywhere. We're lucky to have them in Seattle too and plenty in our yard. They come in just about any color you can imagine. OK, so this shot is not the Colorado Blue Columbine (aquilegia caerluea), the official flower, but you get the idea.
While S was looking in a shop called The Blue Pair, I stepped into the lobby of a building next door. Check out this stamped tin ceiling.
While we were shopping in another store I spotted this cool handle on an old cabinet used as a display case.
Driving out of Ouray with the San Juan Mountains to gaze upon. Not at all a bad way to start the day.
Ah, more coffee. This day we are in the tony ski town, Telluride. We tried to ride the gondola but missed it by, literally, one spot. We were next in line watching the folks ahead of us try to cram the whole family and two small dogs into the moving gondola car before it took off from the platform when the attendant got a message on his radio - no more rides - gondola closed. ?? No reason was given and no estimated time of re-opening. So we walked around and found Between The Covers. Books and coffee in the mountains? Pinch me.
Our destination this day was Crested Butte. We'll have coffee there soon. In the meantime, we hiked in the tiny ghost town of Gothic, just north of Crested Butte. Gothic is basically a giant outdoor laboratory, home to the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory. You can spot experiments of one kind or another here and there in a field. The small general store has cool t-shirts (of course, I bought one) with various prints of critters. I love to buy t-shirts (got 3 on this trip) and I want to help support the lab.
Gothic is at 9,485 feet so we took it slowly on our hike. Just more time to enjoy the surroundings. The local foxes aren't too shy of people. Just outside a house and right under the badminton net this fox was stalking breakfast.
Not bad, huh?

More aspens.
I like bugs, what can I say? These ants were BIG and had striped butts. They were really groovin' on the bud of this plant. Not sure if that's helpful to the plant or not.
This chipmunk sat frozen in this tree until I was just a couple feet from it.
Now that's a view!
This marmot squeaked at us as we approached. Well, maybe he didn't squeak at us but he squeaked loudly. It's a piercing sound. Notice the marking on his back. I played with the exposure on this photo to enhance it.
Back in Crested Butte we explored the streets. Loved his giant buddha outside a small restaurant. And around the corner from the buddha? Coffee!One side of the building housing the coffee shop is covered in license plates.Camp 4 Coffee had what we needed.From Crested Butte we mad a long haul to Glenwood Springs. Along thw way we drove through Black Canyon of The Gunnison National Monument on the North rim (CO highway 92). Spectacular. There aren't many places to pull over but the link will take you to the National Parks site and you can see some dramatic shots. We did stop at this pull-out for lunch to take advantage of the covered picnic area.Hey, finally in Glenwood Springs. This area is known for its hot springs. Here is the main hot springs joint and the pool.Another shot, this one including I-70. If you click on the photo to enlarge it, you can probably see all the construction going on. What a nice treat on this already narrow and twisty highway. Once you are past the construction, it's a pretty ride through this canyon.Hey, Washington, even Colorado has medical marijuana.We weren't crazy about Glenwood Springs but we did find a Sacred Grounds coffee shop with free computer access right across the street from a good book store.About eleven miles south of Glenwood Springs is Carbondale and we really liked this town. Found really good grub at Eco Goddess Edibles. I had this: and it was delicious. S had the egg salad. I never think to get egg salad because I'm always afraid it will be really dull. This wasn't dull. Those focaccia breads really hit the spot too. Hey, in a flash we are back in Denver at Denver Museum of Nature and Science. This is diorama heaven! Here is the nice view of City Park and the Denver skyline.
Dig the totems.
Now we are at the Cherry Creek Fresh Market (farmers market) eating the veggie and goat cheese tart. And that's the end of the photos. I really pared it down to make this relatively quick to view in one setting. For that same reason I didn't write much. Just wanted to post some pics and nail down some highlights of the trip. It was a lot of fun. We had good hosts, good food, good hikes and scenic views. Next week we hit the Olympic Peninsula for an early birthday celebration (my birthday).

A Tale of Two Peninsulas

noreply@blogger.com (vb) — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 20:17:00 +0000

Yesterday our adventure took us to Seabeck, Washington on the Kitsap Peninsula and Quilcene, Washington on the Olympic Peninsula. We began in Seabeck to meet up with D & G at their home. D & J met us there too and the six of us headed to Quilcene for an afternoon of music. But not before a delicious picnic supplied by our hosts, D & G.
They spoiled us all day and it began with the picnic on the grounds of the Olympic Music Festival. If you haven't been to a concert in the barn yet, make sure you make time for it this year. The season began yesterday and runs to August 22. After a which included roasted red peppers, cheese, salami, asparagus wrapped in prosciutto, bread, red quinoa salad, broccoli salad, macaroni salad, Ranier cherries, and a nice bottle of rosé.
The program we saw was:

REMEMBRANCES

DEBUSSY: Suite Bergamasque
SCHUMANN: Kinderszenen, Op.15, Scenes of Childhood
MOZART: Adagio in B Minor, K. 540
GRIEG: From Lyric Pieces

Paul Hersh, Piano

You can watch the performance from inside or outside the barn. There is an upper level too.During intermission we took a nice walk around the grounds.I had to record the fact that the sun shone upon us, if only for a little while.If you're worried you might make an ass of yourself, hang out where asses are already in residence. Back in Seabeck at D & G's place we were spoiled again. Their house is on Hood Canal. Down on the beach I found plenty of interesting colors, shapes, and critters.Inside the house there was a buffet of wine (For the record, just two of these bottles were opened before dinner and then two others opened during dinner.). Before dinner we nibbled on cheeses, nuts, and crackers while we sipped the vino.I couldn't resist this warped shot of me and S in the light above the table.
For dinner G prepared a beautiful piece of salmon on his new grill. Perfection. We also had corn and a wonderful salad. By the way, beside the food and the music there was actually plenty of good conversation. D & G are wonderful hosts. Soon we will host them. But G can bring the wine.

Cheshiahud Lake Union Loop

noreply@blogger.com (vb) — Mon, 24 May 2010 01:00:00 +0000

Today we explored half of the 6 mile Cheshiahud Lake Union Loop. Not sure why Seattle Parks and Recreation spells the name of this Duwamish chief differently than the Duwamish spell it on their tribal web site. However, this loop is a great urban walk covering several neighborhoods. Along the way we explored a P-Patch, a handful of the thirty-five total pocket parks along the loop, residential neighborhoods, commercial complexes and industrial business areas. Noisy to quiet. Pretty to grimy. Everything in between.
Here is the Eastlake P-Patch. The gardeners here know what they are doing. It's a patch tended as a labor of love and has several pieces of handmade art and folkie craft items.
Here be rusted chain dragons.
I do love bugs and critters.
Perfect use for toy soldiers and such.

Plenty of beautiful flowers along this walk (barring any industrial areas).
Nope, not a neglected bike, just a cool piece of garden art.
I'm a sucker for tiles.

Came across a couple of beautiful plants with these lovely tiny flowers. Each was very similar in appearance (above ground) to an allium like a leek or garlic.
Another pocket park. Each one had a name but I can't remember off hand the name of this one. We had a printed map which named each park but it's upstairs and I'm downstairs - so there. I should add that this loop is very well marked by easy to spot blue signs to guide Cheshiahud Lake Union Loop walkers.
Again, a sucker for tiles.

House boats can be found in several places on Lake Union.
We could see a few adult geese and these goslings up ahead on the sidewalk but we had no option (other than to swim around the buildings) but to slowly approach and just quietly walk past. The adults hissed but we expected that. The goslings just scurried away in a group and re-huddled a few feet from their original resting spot. Here is a quick video.
At the south end of the lake is the Center For Wooden Boats. We were able to walk all around the boardwalks and check out the boats up close.
I liked the different colored little boats. All in all this is a great urban walk. Next week we might do the other half. After that we'll take on the whole thing. On our walk back to the car, we took Eastlake instead of Fairview (which you are on the whole time on this side of the lake) so we could stop in and rest our feet and re-fuel at Grand Central Bakery. Pretty good lattes. Didn't try the food but it looked good.

Does This Fridge Pack Make My Butt Look Big?

noreply@blogger.com (vb) — Sat, 22 May 2010 00:10:00 +0000

Earth Hour Almost Here

noreply@blogger.com (vb) — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 23:37:00 +0000

I hope you are participating in Earth Hour. Many of you already have, I'm later posting about it. It's really simple. Just turn off your lights for hour beginning at 8:30 pm wherever you are. If you can't do it at 8:30, do it whenever you can. In fact, do it every day, whenever you can. And always keep your lights off when you aren't using them.

Tonight I'll light some candles and listen to my hand-crank radio for an hour. Or I'll call a friend on my cell phone. Or do pilates. Or just close my eyes and enjoy the silence of no electronics. I'll post again when I turn on the lights again.I made this lantern on the Earth Hour web site.

Coastal Get-Away

noreply@blogger.com (vb) — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 02:29:00 +0000

A weekend trip to Manzanita, OR recently allowed us some breathing room. Work has been crazy busy. School is challenging. And life is hectic. But the ocean is perfect. Enjoy these photos and wish you were there. For pics and info on what to eat and where to shop, check this out. In regard to coffee, because we don't go far or long without it, we hit Manzanita News & Espresso. I've been to this coffee shop in the past and I've always wanted to return. The baked goods floating around Manzanita are out of this world. You can also get hand-made coffee mugs from local artists and such a variety of interesting magazines. Not at all your typical newsstand.

Your seat cushion is not a floatation device

noreply@blogger.com (vb) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 14:44:00 +0000

Emailing from cruising altitude at 6:36 am. Virgin America and Google are offering free in-flight WiFi for the holidays. Should be an uneventful trip. We've been up since 2 am and we're in a daze. But I can see the first signs of light out the window.
Current details and conditions.

Adventures a la Turk

noreply@blogger.com (vb) — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 17:53:00 +0000

We ran off to Turkey for two weeks on a Rick Steves tour - Turkey in 13 Days. I've been planning a trip to Turkey since I met Edna while on the Rick Steves Barcelona tour in 2004. Edna told all of these great stories of her lifetime of traveling with her husband. She told stories of when she and her family did the Turkey tour. She had me at merhaba (that’s hello).

Please visit our Turkey vacation blog, Adventures a la Turk. There are two weeks worth of photos, videos, stories, and links on the blog I’ve created dedicated to our Turkey trip.

If you don’t visit Adventures a la Turk you will never get to read my essay on using the squatty potty. You won’t learn how to make gözleme at home. You won’t see the Rose Valley from a hot air balloon or a ninth century church carved out of volcanic rock and covered in frescoes. You will miss plenty.

Enjoy!

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

noreply@blogger.com (vb) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 16:07:00 +0000

I know we aren't getting tons of snow like what is hammering folks in the Mid-West, but this is cold and we don't like it. It's colder still in other parts of th greater Puget Sound area. Put on the kettle and pull on a sweater.

Live from my G1!

Foam On The Range

noreply@blogger.com (vb) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 00:56:00 +0000

It's really cold here. Dipping into the 20's at night. Today we reached a high of 30, I think. Lows will be in the teens around us. Same for tomorrow. Granted, it's bright and sunny. But we're cold!

The foam on my latte reminded me of the pile of snow on our porch table last December. Oh, if only latte foam fell from the sky when it snowed.

Don't Sit So Close - It'll Ruin Your Eyes

noreply@blogger.com (vb) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 01:27:00 +0000

Misu is a smart cat. I think it's because I only allow her to watch educational programming on the computer and no TV.
She really enjoyed this episode of The Rest of Everest.

Rainy Day Nap (cats only)

noreply@blogger.com (vb) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 22:49:00 +0000

Hey, might be moving over to WordPress. Still learning the ropes. No decision has been made yet. In the meantime, check out my first official post at the WordPress bodanzarama.

What do you think?

Who will die first...

noreply@blogger.com (vb) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 22:58:00 +0000

Before I post again? Hard to say. Summer was gone in a flash. And we are recently back from two weeks in Turkey. I'm working feverishly to edit, sort, arrange about 3,ooo shots into a manageable 300 or so for a blog dedicated to the trip. I'm also gathering info and facts and memories. Labor intensive but a labor of love. In the meantime, I will post a few entertaining shots like this one from my last trip to the grocery store.

Live from my G1!

Change of Seasons

noreply@blogger.com (vb) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 03:26:00 +0000

This morning, around 7 am, from the balcony of our hotel room.

Orcas Island Jaunt

noreply@blogger.com (vb) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 22:13:00 +0000

We just got home earlier today from an overnight trip to Orcas Island. The weather was and is great. Today is sunny and in the 60s. A very nice way to begin Autumn. Yesterday we hit the road relatively early to drive to Anacortes to catch the 10:05 am ferry. The ferry stops at Lopez Island and Shaw Island before it drops us at Orcas Island.

Here is the view from the Orcas Hotel, our home for the evening. And this was also our view from our room, just one flight higher. Our room had a balcony. We sat out for a while, watching the ferries come and go and listening to the seagulls argue.

We've stayed in this hotel before. It's old and charming. The pics on the website are quite flattering. Not that it isn't nice, but it's old and creaky, and doesn't look quite as fresh and new as the website. The walls are cardboard thin. Last night was proof. Think of the Paul Simon song, Duncan -

"Couple in the next room
Bound to win a prize..."

I had to leave on the bathroom fan in order to get any sleep at all. We cruised around the Eastsound Farmer's Market. I picked up two varieties of hand-made soap. S grabbed a fresh raw oyster for an on-the-go snack. For the rest of lunch we headed to Olga to eat at Cafe Olga.

Here we are on top of Mount Constitution in Moran State Park. What a view. You can see Mt. Baker clearly. So many islands are visible from this point Lummi Island, Sinclair Island, Cypress Island, Blakely Island, to name a few.
On the ferry back to Anacortes, we had a primo spot in the very front, one of the three front row cars. Of course, for 2/3 of the trip we rode backwards. But we still had excellent views. Here is Mt. Baker again, as seen from our spot on board the Yakima.

Not Too Far Get-A-Way

noreply@blogger.com (vb) — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 23:54:00 +0000

We wanted to get away but not too away. We wanted to see some water but didn't want to deal with the long ferry lines. We didn't want to be gone all day. We headed to Camano Island State Park located on, well, Camano Island. This is the very first place I ever went camping. J. K. and A. C. and I camped overnight and I spent a very uncomfortable night in the back of a pick-up truck. But we had fun.
S and I left around 8:30 in the morning, stopped in the U-District for coffee, stopped again for a snack and a potty break. We hit the beach by 10:45. We snagged a picnic table at the very end of the beach. We had the place to ourselves. I was looking for pictures and critters and interesting things. I found lots of color and texture. For example, this poor starfish. Looks like he got caught up in the tide and couldn't find a hiding spot. He's upside down, by the way. But this is how I found him.
We had a picnic lunch of yummy things like olives, roasted peppers, hummus, dolmas, blueberries, and some dark chocolate for dessert.

Before we left we spotted a couple bald eagles. This is as close as I could get but you get the idea.

Time Stands Still

noreply@blogger.com (vb) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 17:52:00 +0000

This day is crawling. Just not moving. Sutck in time.