Orcas Island

We headed to Orcas Island this past weekend. We almost didn't go because the weather was supposed to be so beautiful here in Ellensburg, but we ended up having almost perfect weather there as well. We were able to spend a night with a friend in Anacortes on Friday night and see Harold & Carol on the way back home. The time on the island was relaxing, with a mix of exploring, hiking, and eating well. We thought about trying to find a nice place to stay...and actually did, but instead of the $150/night B&B where Jen wanted to stay, we settled for a $19/night piece of dirt in a state park. This was Jen's compromise for going to a nice restaurant...halibut and scallops - most excellent! I also forced her to take a 7 mile hike to the top of Mt. Constitution the next day as well, but she thanked me in the end. Above is a view from the mountain looking south towards Seattle and Mt. Rainer. Below is the Olga Store, which Carol told us that Grandad Lyons owned from 1970-1974. On the ferry ride over we thought of the great memorial service we had for him...felt very fitting, especially after seeing how the store overlooked the sound.

This took a "stinking" amount of time and tried Erica's patience.. but she stuck with me and you get to see a picture of Erica and a close up of a bleeding heart. 

Visit with Hutchins!!!

We arrived on Tuesday night and were able to stay until Sunday afternoon. It was a wonderful time as we shared our affinity for Mystery Science Theater, Key Lime Pie, Balderdash, and Alice's amazing pizza. Plus they introduced us to their little area in Appalachia (which I now can pronounce correctly, thank you Jordan :) As always, we left the Hutchins awash in love and rich memories. Some pictures below:


Their back yard. I thought their setting was incredibly idyllic but then I wasn't the one mowing it. Note the free-range chickens. :)

I think this is when they were rotating the tires. They also switched out the spark plugs.

Wendi getting schooled at Art Ditto.














Jane was way too much fun. :)



















Picnic at the Biltmore estate.
















Ice cream in the Biltmore gardens.














A hike on the Appalachian Trail:





























And a game with the Asheville Tourists, a minor league team of the Colorado Rockies:

A rainy Saturday afternoon, just finished a lovely nap and Wendi is in the kitchen with Jane cooking up some delicious dinner. Think we will play Balderdash and Apples to Apples this evening for some extra bonding and laughs before they have to leave for Ft. Bragg tomorrow. We have had a really nice time. They are the easiest house guests ever, talking, eating, napping and taking walks. Doesn't get much better than that. We will miss them when they are gone but Julie and Roberto are arriving Friday morning to keep us occupied. I will feel sad when May is over and it is just us again.

I figured out how to post a photos, so here is me contemplating the very large green Easter egg that somehow got under my shirt and a phots of most of our guests on that Easter afternoon. Alice

Happy Monday,

 Thanks to Wendi and Sam I am able to write to you..but I thought we were already communicating with E-mail? ( I know poor communication at any rate) Maybe the pictures are the difference?.. Anyway

 We spent Saturday in Lewiston at the Dogwood Festival's "Art Under The Elms". I had a mission to buy a ceramic bird bath but couldn't find one, but I did buy a homemade tile from two sweet people from Chehalis. Terribly overpriced tiles but earnest artisans and I couldn't resist. The tiles had leaves of various plants pressed into the tiles which left impressions. I picked wood sorrel thinking it was lupine. I was reassured after my mistake by the "earnest artist' that it was an easy mistake because the plants were from the same family. I bought it anyway. :)

 Steve and I are replacing the wine barrel fountain because the old one no longer held water. The wine barrels were from France with the winery stamped on the bottom and the inside stained with red wine, pretty cool. Too bad the stamp is on the BOTTOM!  Amazing how heavy the barrels are. Steve did most of the work. 

 I am supposed to give a talk on "something gardenlike" Saturday the 10th. Sue said it only had to be a half an hour and what did I want to talk about? ( this is for promoting master gardeners and gardens) sigh!!  Public speaking isn't my thing. When I mention this to Sue, she said, "It will be good for you, and there probably won't be very many people anyway". No sympathy there. I will be speaking on perennial gardens for shade if anyone wants to come. :)  

David flies on......

As of last week, David is now an Army-certified airplane pilot!!












We even have a video clip to prove it-- David, steady at the controls, in a steep bank:








Also, David was promoted a few weeks ago....he now has 4 dots on his uniform instead of 3. :) We had a small pinning ceremony in front of his class:

Hey Pups... Am using Wendi's name for now but will hopefully be informed what my Google password is in the next little bit. Went to the Dr. today for my 36th week check up. Only four more to go!! Dr. was very friendly, a little too friendly for my taste. He launched into a long Shackleton tribute while I was sitting there on the little bed, naked from the waist down, with only a stupid pink piece of paper between us. He didn't seem bothered by this but I found it a bit distracting. Hard to think of noble endeavors while you are focused on the rest of your clothes only three feet away. Maybe that is how Shackleton felt- so close, yet so very far away.

We had a wonderful Easter. God gave us the first sunny day in a very long time. We had about 40 people over, which really works somehow. I will have Michael post a group photo for me. I leaned over to a newcomer and said, "This is where we all pretend we are a huge family and try to herd everyone together for the commerative photo." ---- "Cool", she replied. She was a westerner with no Easter family either, so a kind -of- family photo was fine with her.

We are very much looking forward to the Wendi, David visit. I will press them for recent news and get the scoop on how they liked Kelisha's Orrin. Nice to have a new family member. Love you all lots and really liked all the photos. You are beautiful Karuna!! We miss you. Alice