SUNBREAKS

Summer is Finally Here

2010-07-07T10:00:00.000-07:00

Summer in our family means birthdays- every 3 weeks or so, and Liz and Jason are doing their best to keep up the tradition! First Jim's, then Liz', followed 1 day later by their anniversary, then Anne's, with Nate's right on the heels. Hazel's is only a few days later, and her little brother's birthday will be somewhere in between there. So as we await the birth of the newest member of the family, here are some pictures of Jim's celebration, and our wine tasting adventure in Woodinville with Anne & Nate.
Oh- and the PINK cake? Jim had fond memories of a pink champagne cake from his childhood, and I found one at a bakery in Bremerton-- but let's just say that some memories from childhood are better if you don't try to recreate them.

Garlic Scapes and Garden "Friends"

2010-06-21T20:37:00.001-07:00

I've decided that it is about time to get serious about updating this blog. But the emphasis will change a bit- more on the trials, tribulations and JOYS of gardening and eating locally in the Northwest. God gave us such a variety of good foods to enjoy, I'm afraid I may get on my soapbox occasionally about eating fresh, healthy food. Sorry Cool Whip fans- none allowed here.

Today I harvested garlic scapes. They are the blossoms of the garlic before they open, which should be removed anyway to make the bulb grow bigger. And what became of these?
GARLIC SCAPE PESTO. Which was pretty tasty- Jim had 3rds.
Of course, after weeks of drizzly weather, our basil and tomatoes are sulking. Some members of the garden "family" around here is definitely relishing the weather.At least he didn't seem to be eating too many peas.

All that was Missing was the Lussekatter

2009-12-05T17:59:00.000-08:00

Tonight the little burg of Poulsbo celebrated the annual arrival of Lucia at the waterfront. We had truly nordic conditions- freezing cold , plus a "brisk" wind that made us vow that next year we are bringing a thermos of "glögg". A good sized crowd of Poulsboians and others turned out to hear the retelling of the story of the Christian girl from Sicily who somehow became the Swedish Lucia. Norway and Sweden were once united, so I guess the Norwegians can honor her, too. (albeit 1 week early- Lucia day is actually Dec 13). Our famous Vikings, carrying torches, paraded up the boardwalk along the bay, around the park and onto the dock to await Lucia's arrival. Once there, there was a few long blows on their Viking horns (real HORNS!) and a small Viking boat appeared around the corner, with a few rowers doing their best to make headway against a strong north wind. All I was hoping was that Lucia had on her long underwear beneath that white gown. And perhaps a life vest.
After escorting her to the gazebo, we had another sort-of-rousing chorus of "Santa Lucia"- sung in Swedish (the Norwegian/ Americans were doing the best they could), and then the Vikings and Lucia walked over to light the bonfire. The pagan Viking traditions got a little mixed up with the Christian Lucia traditions at this point- the people lighting fires in the darkest part of the winter to ask that the sun return, etc. But there was a reference to the salvation provided by Christ replacing the pagan beliefs- that was a very good surprise!
The bonfire blazed, everyone cheered, Santa arrived on a fire engine, and the event was complete.
A fun way to start Christmas- so we came home to glögg and a warm fire. And snow is forecast for tonight. Great evening. Even a "Tomte" was there.

What May has been...

2009-05-21T17:39:00.000-07:00

A Mother's Day weekend visit to Colfax. Planning (still) the house remodel. Jim spending seemingly days under the house doing mysterious things like wiring (new sub-panel), cleaning (ever vacuumed your crawl space?) and getting ready to fix some posts that need shoring up. I've been- where else?- in the garden or reading northwest gardening books. Jim built an awesome raised bed from cedar-- we better have the best tomatoes in Kitsap County for the price of the wood! With the retaining wall finished, I started planting part of the front yard. Dogwood, Japanese maple, ceanothus, cotoneaster (2 kinds), and various other perennials. Yesterday we trekked all the way to Monroe (with a side trip to DD Meats and Trader Joe's of course) to fill the car to overflowing with plants- maybe the 30% I saved buying them from the growers paid for the ferry.

Jim is finishing up his class on website design at Olympic College. We are S_L_O_W_L_Y settling into a church.

And a great Viking Fest was had by all last weekend! Velkommen til Poulsbo.

Spring, we never thought we'd see ya !

2009-04-05T20:09:00.000-07:00

Hard to believe that just 1 week ago we were shivering in freezing rain while doing some chores outside, and Wednesday (yes- 5 days ago), it snowed on the hills right above us as well as in Seattle. Today the Lord blessed us with a real SUNday.
After a wonderful church service, our church had a potluck and egg hunt at Island Lake Camp, just 10 minutes from town, but you'd never know it. Towering fir trees around a lovely lake, and a great lodge where we ate our lunch and had some great fellowship before the kids scrambled all over the lawns and forest hunting eggs. It was above 60, so off course most of the younger men had on shorts and flip flops- and we all enjoyed being outside without a sweater or jacket- I think for the first time since October!
We had the rest of the beautiful afternoon left, so Jim and I decided to drive across the Hood Canal Bridge to Quilcene and take a hike down to some falls. What a glorious day- the shrubs are just leafing out, daffodils are blooming along the roadsides and the sun was shining.
I have to remind myself daily that actually LIVE in this gorgeous area. 4o minutes from our door we are in Olympic National forest, hiking through a forest cloaked in moss and lichens, with the roaring Quilcene River at our feet. Doesn't get much better than this- (especially when I work in an office with no view all day) .

Catching up

2009-03-15T18:16:00.000-07:00

Pictures of a fun weekend with Hazel, Liz, Anne, Nate and Wes. Was that only a week ago????

A Lesson in Patience and God's Timing

2009-03-15T17:13:00.000-07:00

How many times have we heard the message that we are to wait on God's timing and not expect Him to be on our timetable? Well, I guess He needed to remind me of that. My California gardener habits just jumped ahead of spring up here in Washington by a few weeks! Yesterday we had a productive day talking to contractors, electricians and landscapers at the Kitsap Home and Garden Show. On the way home we stopped by a big nursery to get pots for transplanting some bareroot native plants we had purchased 3 weeks ago at a native plant sale. I had visions of a relaxing weekend transplanting and digging in the dirt. So of course, I couldn't resist buying some heather, ceanothus and chives, and catnip (for Henry of course). Jim did comment that it was "chilly" at the nursery- 15 mph winds with a temperature in the 40's. Plus it was raining, but hey- we DO live in Washington!

So this morning I was really convinced of my folly when we awoke to a light snow falling, which rapidly turned into 4" of snow on the ground, including the roads, so we decided to hunker down and not drive to church. The plants I bought yesterday sat out in the snow. No gardening today- but I do have one intrepid daffodil in bloom- in a pot where it must have hitched a ride from Ripon. And the shrubs in the ravine are showing the slightest hint of green. And as I write this, some of the snow has melted and the sun is shining! I am reminded of this from the Song of Solomon "For behold, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers have already appeared in the land; the time has arrived for pruning the vines" S .of S. 2:11.
It started slowly

And 2 hours later looked like this.

Henry chased snowflakes.

January (or are you going to Home Depot again?)

2009-01-25T14:06:00.000-08:00

Ryan James, Nate and Josh Hamon relaxing during a visit last weekend.

January seems to have sped by. We have been slowly unpacking, planning, fixing the most pressing problems with the house, and for Mary, going back to work. I am working at Kingston Tax Service for the season- a major change after being home, even though I was doing bookkeeping at home, and will continue to do so. We have had enough nice days to replant some veggies we rescued from the rental. (Note to you Californians: kale and spinach can survive 18" of snow.)
Not much rain so far, but this weekend it turned cold again. High of 39 today. We also discovered that we live close enough to the water, that if we drive only a few yards up the hill toward town, there can be snow when we have none at home. This morning driving to church, right above our house, we were surrounded by snow from the storm last night!
We have found a very solid Bible- teaching church, PRAISE GOD! Jim attends the Wed AM men's study, and we just started attending the Fri night small group. So things are falling into place and we are thankful.
We have taken the chance for a few excursions exploring the area, but I think we may save the serious beach-combing for warmer weather. Jim has checked out all sorts of building supply places, from here to Bremerton. He calls it "getting the lay of the land" :) Good thing we are only 8 minutes from Home Depot- I think it will become his 2nd home!

Sunset from the Hood Canal Bridge- 10 min, away!

A Sunday afternoon at the beach

Some members of the family DO NOT like the Washington cold. Others buy quilt-lined overalls to crawl around under the house. For the Henry fans- he spends hours up in the trees thinking he will catch birds. Cold doesn't seem to permeate that thick coat!

Moving In

2009-01-12T19:02:00.000-08:00

Moonset over Hood Canal from our porch.
We are finally into our new house. Yes, there are boxes all over, and we have Cat5 cable running between rooms for the computers and printers (but we are networked and online!). But we praise God for a late, and uneventful move. The house closed on the 19th, but due to massive amounts of snow, we couldn't move until the 28-30th. Yes- it took 3 days, and enough ferry rides to last me awhile. Thanks to all 4 of the kids (sorry, Hazel- maybe next time you will be more help).
We attended a friendly, Bible-believing church yesterday- which happens to meet in the Poulsbo movie theater. Memories of the start-up at Creekside when we had Sunday School in the open courtyard. The kids here have Sunday School in the lobby, redolent with the aroma of popcorn!
Our neighbors are friendly- Henry has met more than we have, I think- he was at the top of a peach tree our next door neighbor was pruning- as Dick was whacking away at it! A new collar and name tags are on order for both the kitties.
It is "interesting" going from 3200 square feet (Moncure Rd), to 2900 sq. ft with a 4 car garage (Brier) to a 1979 sq ft house with a barely 2 car garage. A storage/garden shed is probably on the drawing board soon! And the most often asked question is: "did we leave_______in Ripon?"
We know we left so many of you dear friends in Ripon, but now that we are settled and have a guest room, a gorgeous view of Hood Canal and the Olympic Mountains, are only 45 minutes to Seattle, we EXPECT any and all of you to come visit! You might wait until spring- but we especially appreciated Duane and Sue's visit from the 30th to the 2nd. Any friends willing to come to the northwest in January (COLD!), plus arrive the day we move in and slave away helping us get settled, are real troopers. We love you guys!

Merry Christmas

2008-12-25T12:15:00.001-08:00

A very white Christmas, with more snow this morning! Liz, Jason and Hazel made it over the pass yesterday, and we all had roast beef at Anne & Nate's apartment. So fun to be together again! This morning Hazel helped cook breakfast :)Praise God for family, abundance in our lives, and yes, even snow.

A Great Weekend to Move

2008-12-19T16:41:00.000-08:00

This is the forecast for the weekend from NOAA. "

A MAJOR WINTER STORM IS ON TAP THIS WEEKEND.
 HEAVY SNOW IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ALONG
THE COAST ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND THEN
SPREAD INTO THE INTERIOR OF WESTERN
 WASHINGTON EARLY SATURDAY EVENING.
HEAVIEST SNOW WILL OCCUR ON THE KITSAP
 PENINSULA...ALONG HOOD CANAL...
AND FROM OLYMPIA AND CHEHALIS WEST TO THE CENTRAL
COAST NEAR OCEAN SHORES. 10 TO 18 INCHES OF SNOW
 IS EXPECTED CLOSE TO HOOD CANAL. OTHER LOCATIONS
WITHIN THIS AREA SHOULD GET 5 TO 12
INCHES OF SNOW.

FYI-- our new house is on the Kitsap Peninsula along Hood Canal.  This should be interesting.

The Weather Outside is Frightful

2008-12-18T11:47:00.000-08:00

This was last night, after some of the snow from last weekend had melted, and then it started to snow again.This was this morning about 9AM. 3 inches.This was a bit later- the driveway is under there somewhere.

Henry decided to brave it.
Finally! He is camouflaged and could stalk a bird without being seen!

It is now almost noon, it is snowing steadily, and we are up to about 4 inches. I can see the kids next door sledding- our back yard as well as theirs are perfect sledding hills! But this is not a good weekend to be moving since it isn't going to get above freezing until Christmas Eve! So despite the house sale recording today, we have to wait until the 26th to move. Unless someone wants to drive a truck up and down steep hills in snow and ice? Any volunteers?

House Church

2008-12-14T09:55:00.001-08:00

We are being reminded often these days that we should be prepared as a church to worship together in homes. Jim and I had to do just that this morning, after an overnight snowfall and freeze- we couldn't get up the Poplar Rd hill- and we were in the 4-wheel drive subaru! After watching one car slide back down through the intersection, and then a truck slide across, we tried the hill, but found ourselves going nowhere fast. Jim managed to get pointed crossways on the road and hill, and then turn around, slide back down to the corner, and S-L-O-W-L-Y drive home, praying we would get back up the hill to our house, and down our driveway without slipping into the garage and wiping out boxes, a washing machine and few other things. So Mark Driscoll's vodcast was our service today.The cats were taken aback by this new experience! Henry tried to play with the snow (it moves!), and Daniel found the quickest route under the deck, shaking each paw as he went. Poor California kitties!

My bok choy and fennel are trying to grow somewhere under here! Even paving stones on the patio take on a wintery look.

To Poulsbo we go!

2008-12-03T16:49:00.000-08:00

Yes! It looks like the sale is going through! We hopefully will be able to move before Christmas (so Hazel doesn't have to carry any boxes) We are looking forward to the challenges of redoing another house, but not as extensively as Moncure. Seems like a great neighborhood- we have already met some of the neighbors- including the one next door who raises pheasants (Henry should love that!).
Room for a greenhouse, garden, and nice and sunny! 4 bedrooms, 2 bath-- so plenty of room for guests! We are about 8 minutes from the center of Poulsbo, and about 20 minutes from the ferry to Seattle. Pray for quick close, easy move, and fast settling in!

Thank you Lord for your Bounty

2008-11-27T21:04:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us!

A Fall Day at the Beach

2008-11-22T19:49:00.000-08:00

Whoohoo! We got to see salmon spawning an a creek in Seattle today! There was a cheer from the 6-10 people watching as they cleared each little riffle or log cascade. So cool- now I wonder which one was the clever salmon that thought of swimming upstream, AND taking his girlfriend along so there would be baby salmon the following spring????? No way- God had to have designed all that!

We enjoyed the beach on Puget sound, a bald eagle soaring overhead and American Widgeons (yes- I had to look them up in a bird book). All this 15 minutes from home. Now to purchase the flannel lined jeans on sale at Eddie Bauer, as the temperature was a balmy 45 degrees. But there was sun! This sign is a few miles from our house- at the top of the hill on a busy street. Only in Washington.

New Picture

2008-11-22T12:24:00.000-08:00

The new picture is of a 1st century tomb in northern Israel- one of the few with the rolling stone still intact. It was just by the side of a road (the one to the post on the Lebanese border), no marker or other indication of it being anything special.

A Foodie's Tour

2008-11-19T10:57:00.000-08:00

I thought that you might enjoy seeing some of the fabulous food we enjoyed on our trip. Israelis must be among the healthiest people- the amount of fruits and vegetables they eat! This is a typical buffet in the hotel- only one table of maybe 3, plus hot dishes!
Eggplant & vegetable salad, HUMMUS (of course), and a dessert selection.

A spice market in the old city of Jerusalem.

Pomegranate juice stand.

Israel

2008-11-05T07:38:00.000-08:00

Just a quick update. We have been here since last Tuesday. What an overwhelming experience- I seem to be getting so much more out of it this 2nd time! To walk around Galilee where Jesus walked- even taking a boat onto the waters where he walked. Having the joy of blessing Israeli soldiers at a base with some clean up and weeding. Although I thought I was done with Bermuda grass when we moved out of California! Seeing the F-16 flights at an air base (memories of Phillip's love of planes) Even seeing the joy and excitement of the Israeli high school boys watching a tank demonstration at a recruiting event. Most of the men in our group, even Jim, would have signed up if they let them. Men don't ever outgrow the love of seeing big, noisy machines firing. Meeting with a member of the Knesset, as well as the former Israeli security head (like the CIA). We also went to an observation post right on the Lebanese border- the UN right below us. The signpost was at the top of a hill overlooking Syria- only 35 miles to Damascus!

So here we are in Jerusalem: the Mt of Olives, City of David, walking though the water shaft that David's troops used to conquer the city. Yet to come: The Garden of Gethsemane and the Empty Tomb. Truly amazing. And of course, all of us concerned for our nation and praying together and trusting the Lord for the future of Israel, the freedom to spread the gospel, and wise government. More later-- SHALOM!

Kayte and Mike's Wedding

2008-10-23T13:44:00.000-07:00

My niece, Kathryn (Kayte) married Mike Hansen on Oct 18. Fun evening, and a great get-together with the extended family.

All the Proffitts! My 2 brothers, Lee and Stuart, and my sister Georgia (Da) and me.
Nate and my great-nephew Robin. (17) My nephew Stuart II and his wife Ruth Ellen and son Morgan. Only 5'10" at 12 years old. The short one of the family.
"Uncle" Wes and Hazel

California Sunshine

2008-10-23T12:21:00.000-07:00

Good friends are like sunshine. Not only was it nice and warm in California, but we got to visit many great friends. Herman, Lindsay, Riley and baby Spencer.
We invaded the Ripon Starbucks with 2 babies, a 2 1/2 year old and the rest of us!

After the wedding (see other post), we stayed with Duane and Sue. Proud parents! Proud Grandpas!! Naomi Pena is 3 weeks older than Hazel. Fun to share the first time grandparent experience with Duane & Sue.

Fall, Friends, Fungi and Fish

2008-10-11T16:28:00.000-07:00

Last weekend Duane and Sue came up for 3 wonderful days. Such fun with such good friends- who else would WILLINGLY spend 2+ days driving all over western Washington looking at houses. We had a fun dinner Sat night in town with Anne and Nate- and then enjoyed the view from Kerry Park overlooking the Seattle skyline. Sunday was worship at Mars Hill West Seattle- great sermon as usual- followed by a trip across the Sound to check out houses on the Kitsap Peninsula. We celebrated Sue's birthday in Poulsbo at "thatsa some Italian" restaurant. Back across the water Monday (had enough of the Washington State Ferry system, yet?) to actually go through a house that seemed a possiblility (but ended up not to be). We drove around the south end of the sound, and back to the airport. Whew! crazy weekend.

Today we celebrated the arrival of real cold fall weather and attended the Puget Sound Mycological Society (PSMS ???) show. After looking a seemingly hundreds of different northwest fungi, we decided it was better to buy our fungi at a store, rather than hunt them down in the forest. We went by Ballard Market and found chanterelles, oyster mushrooms and even lobster mushrooms on sale! But even better, this week marked the beginning of the local Dungeness crab season. Couldn't resist that! So it's chanterelle risotto and cracked crab for dinner tonight.

Henry's Ancestry (or why we should look in Poulsbo for a house)

2008-09-25T18:37:00.000-07:00

We think we may have discovered some of Henry the Cat's mysterious ancestry. Despite the fact that his mom wandered into the yard on Moncure Rd. (probably a victim of the sub-prime loan disaster- from a foreclosed house), and his father remains forever anonymous. Today we took Henry to get neutered, and Jim ran across a cat magazine in the waiting room, that described the Norwegian Forest Cat, or Skogkatt to all you Scandinavian majors. Henry really seems to match the description. This isn't his most flattering picture- a few hours after surgery isn't the best time for a mugshot! The following is from Wikipedia, and the picture is from a Skogkatt website.

"The Norwegian Forest Cat is a breed of domestic cat native to Northern Europe, and adapted to a very cold climate. In Norway they are known as skogkatter or more properly, the Norsk skogkatt (literally, Norwegian Forest Cat).

The breed is very old, and occurred as a natural adaptation to the cold climate of the region, but it was not regarded as anything other than a standard house-cat until the late 1930s, when a small number of 'Skaukatts' were shown in Germany and received very favorably by the judges. World War II brought an abrupt end to the fledgling Norwegian show cat industry, and the breed was forgotten until the 1970s. The cats are now being bred and shown in several countries including the United States. The first international association to accept the breed was FIFe, in 1977. They are rumored to be the early ancestors of the Maine Coon and the long-haired Manx.

Norwegian Forest Cats have a thick fluffy double-layered coat, tufted ears and a long bushy tail to protect them against the cold. Their coat is essentially waterproof due to its coarse outer layer and dense underlay. They are very large cats with adult males weighing 6 to 10 kg (13 to 22 lb), while females are approximately half that size. Their hind legs are longer than their front legs. They are very intelligent, playful cats that enjoy human company. The nickname of "Wegie" began in the United States and is a shortened version of the word Norwegian."

A Weekend with Hazel (and her parents)

2008-09-22T11:13:00.000-07:00

We had a fun weekend in Colfax with Liz and Hazel- Jason was there, but REALLY sick, so he was sequestered in the bedroom most of the time. Such fun being Grandma and Grandpa. We went to the Farmers' Market and then went apple picking and cider crushing at a farm nearby. Maybe next year Hazel will be able to help a bit more!

Admiral! There Be Whales Here!

2008-09-13T20:44:00.000-07:00

After a morning of learning the very basics of greenhouse building at Charley's GreenHouses in Mt Vernon, we had a great picnic at Deception Pass State Park. Deception Pass was so named by Capt. George Vancouver, because it is so narrow that it is looks like a bay, but actually leads to the waters around the east side of Whidbey Island. We decided to take a boat tour, and were blessed that 2 pods of orcas were out in Rosario Straight, so our captain really floored it (that boat could really go!) and we went whale watching. We had to stay quite far away from them (the above pic is thanks to the wonders of ZOOM). but could see them breaching and feeding. Fantastic! God has created such an abundance of fascinating creatures. And the day was absolutely perfect. Some pictures for you to enjoy.

FINALLY!

2008-09-13T20:39:00.000-07:00

I guess for all you Californians, these 2 little red fruits are normal in your garden by, say, the 4th of July. But here in the frigid north, Sept 13 is the momentous day when I picked our 1st tomatoes. There is 1 more showing color on 1 of the 2 bushes, so we may get 3 ripe tomatoes by the time it gets too cold for them. Which explains why we went to a greenhouse building class today.

House Hunting in "Little Norway"

2008-09-11T10:59:00.001-07:00

We decided to take advantage of a gorgeous day for a trip to the Kitsap Peninsula and Poulsbo, looking at about 18 houses over there. Even though I had to tolerate all the NORWEGIAN influence in the town, we found the area really pleasant, and with definite possibilities! A short ferry ride from Seattle, and can you beat that view of Mt Rainier from the ferry? Overall, a fun day.

Congratulations Lindsey and Herman and Riley!

2008-09-11T10:54:00.001-07:00

Little Spencer Robert was most cooperative and arrived, all 7# 11 oz of him, on Sunday Sept 7. so I could meet him while I was in California. Wish we lived closer so I could see these 2 "adopted" grandsons more often! Love the hat, Z.!

I miss our nice California snails!

2008-08-31T22:18:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of 2 "Arion Rufus" doing what slugs and snails do to make more slugs. They were about 4" long. YUCK!! I took this yesterday evening when I went out to pick lettuce. According to Wikipedia, these nasties are immigrants from Europe, and are taking over British Columbia and coastal Washington. At least the banana slugs in the Redwoods are a little cuter!

House Hunting in Washington

2008-08-29T21:07:00.000-07:00

Every area has a certain real estate “lingo”. We are learning the Washington dialect of real estate-ese. So for your enjoyment, here is the translation of a few key phrases you will need while house hunting up here.

Equestrian property = large open lot, no trees, falling down barn and weeds.

Native vegetation= more weeds, but especially blackberries.

Backs to greenbelt. This one is trickier- it can either mean that you a next to a lovely forest and meandering stream, or right next to the high voltage lines, (obviously green underneath), and no one can build there. One of these houses actually had the guy-wires for the high voltage lines crossing the driveway.

Cheerful colors= Better wear your sunglasses while touring this one.

Secluded lot: Buy more Chevron stock, another 4 wheel drive vehicle, and renew your Costco membership. We saw one where we were afraid the blackberry vines would eat the car as we drove up the very rutted driveway.

Outbuilding/Shed. Usually a maximum of 4’ X 6’, roof optional.

Plenty of RV parking= Hope you are fond of gravel.

Creek in the front yard= Hope you have a good pair of waders for gardening.

Mostly finished basement: We haven’t actually seen the inside of one of these, but I can imagine.

Large private lot: This one surprised me as I walked next to the house. 10’ from the side of the house the lot literally went STRAIGHT down about 200’ into a ravine. No fence- just air. Sorry, we don’t want Hazel learning to fly just yet.

Easy commute to Microsoft. We have seen this applied to houses anywhere from 2 miles to 20 miles from the Evil Empire. There is no easy commute to Microsoft, from what we have heard.

There is a whole set of words to describe views.

Winter view of (Sound/ Mountains/Lake- take your pick) = If the wind is blowing hard enough through the bare branches, you may get a peek of water or mountains, but usually only from the upstairs bathroom or someplace convenient like that.

Peek-a-boo view- (see above) except you may see it even in the summer.

Territorial Views= View through the neighbor’s yard to a hill.

Potential view: PLEASE LET US KNOW WHEN YOU FIGURE THIS ONE OUT! We haven’t yet.

And our favorite to date: “Wooded Lot with Low maintenance, forested park-like flora and a water feature that flows into a fish pond occasionally entertain local deer.” WET! This house was completely shrouded in trees, and literally the only thing growing at ground level was moss (and this is August- I can imagine January!). Of course the deer would come- they thought they were still in the forest!

So our hunt continues……

Dawn from Our Upstairs Deck

2008-08-22T22:37:00.000-07:00

"In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice;
in the morning I lay my requests before you
and wait in expectation." Psalm 5:3

Does Bermuda Grass give you Scones?

2008-08-18T08:00:00.000-07:00

The western half of the state of Washington would be completely overrun with blackberry vines, were it not for weed-eaters and Round-up. But such a wonderful weed! We have about 200' of berries along one side of the property we are renting, plus we are next to a city open space area that is full of them. Needless to say, I am doing everything I can with these wonderful berries. Pies (took one to Liz and Jason last week), scones, jelly, jam. I may even try blackberry cordial, for all you Anne of Green Gables fans! I will take orders- let me know what you want!

What is the Difference Between these 2 Cats?

2008-08-12T09:30:00.000-07:00

This one is Henrietta. The other one is Henry.

Big,embarrassing mistake. All this time we thought Henrietta was a she- well Jim took "her" to the vet for "her" shots and SURPRISE! She is a he. Melissa- don't ever take my word for it when I sex kittens.

Phillip's 28th Birthday

2008-08-10T14:30:00.001-07:00

Today would have been Phillip's 28th birthday. so we are having Gravenstein apple pie as always. When I stopped at a fruit stand on the way back from Elizabeth and Jason's yesterday, and saw that they had gravs, I asked the vendor if it wasn't early for them (they are barely ripe in California at this time). She said she was amazed when they brought them in. So the Lord provided- even such a silly thing as that for us. And we WILL be reunited with Phillip.

"Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. " 1st Thess. 4:13

In addition to the apples, I found a u-cut dahlia farm on the way across the vast expanses of Washington. Nothing like great produce and beautiful flowers to make a long drive by yourself seem shorter. And views of the Cascades getting closer and closer as you drive west. Amazing work, God! Thanks!

Hazel Update

2008-08-08T16:11:00.000-07:00

Hazel asleep on the quilt that I made for her mom 26 yrs ago!

Yes, Grandpa has held her- we now have proof! Hazel is a wonderful baby. I have had a great week staying with Liz, Jason and Hazel while Jim had to go back Monday with Anne and Nate. I am staying until tomorrow, and then we will drive back here AGAIN on Wednesday so I can go to the shower for Liz that her church friends are giving. Liz and Jason are great parents- very calm and obviously enjoying every minute of parenthood. I will miss little Hazel, even if it is only for 4 days! What's back here, Dad?

She's Here!!

2008-08-01T21:55:00.000-07:00

Hazel Rosemary arrived this afternoon at 4:07PM. 8lb 14oz. Elizabeth and she are both doing fine. We got to meet her at 1 hour old, and what a cutie (do all grandmothers say that?) Praise God for a healthy girl, and a blessing to the whole family!

No Baby Yet

2008-07-29T09:29:00.000-07:00

Since we are still awaiting the appearance of Baby Shoe, you might enjoy seeing what the expectant mother looked like at 12 hours old.

We Have a Way to Go until we can say this....

2008-07-21T09:48:00.000-07:00

10 Signs You are from the Northwest: (thanks to Jeff Foxworthy)

1. You use the term "sun break" and know what it means.
2. You know more than 10 ways to order coffee.
3. You consider that if it has no snow or has not recently erupted, it is not a real mountain.
4. In the winter you go to work in the dark and come home in the dark even though you only work 8 hour days.
5. You never go camping without waterproof matches and a poncho.
6. You are not fazed by, "Today's forecast: showers followed by rain."
7. You can point to the mountains even though you can't see them through the cloud cover.
8. You are heard to say, "the mountain is out" whenever it's a clear day.
9. You buy new sunglasses every year because you cannot find the old ones after such a long time.
10. You know all the important seasons: Almost Winter (fall), Winter, Still Raining (spring), Road Construction (summer).

Yikes! Bikes!

2008-07-19T14:48:00.000-07:00

3 Reasons we have joined the crazy biking crowd:
1) We were getting fat and lazy and out of shape
2) Jim's PT said it would be better for his leg.
3) We are commanded to care for our bodies as temples of the Lord.

So this week we started on a new adventure- the riding is really great around here- except that we live almost at the top of a hill, so EVERYTHING is downhill until we start coming home. So for the time being we are taking short jaunts around the area (a great way to admire the beautiful gardens). Today we did about 6-7 miles on the Burke-Gilman trail that goes around Lake Washington and then into Seattle. One nice thing about it, is that it is almost flat! Ah- almost like riding back in Ripon. But it sure helps these out-of shape legs and lungs get going. Eventually we could ride all 15 miles on it into Anne and Nate's. But then we would have to get home somehow........

Your Apartment in Seattle (well-- close)

2008-07-15T18:10:00.000-07:00

This is the "missionary" apartment in our Brier home. It has the following:

1) Queen bed
2) Dining table w/4 chairs
3) Kitchenette w/full stove & microwave
4) A full bath
5) A wonderful view of the local greenery
6) And, of course us...

If you would like to visit us and use this apartment, please call and reserve a date.

I Lift My Eyes Up To The Hills

2008-07-13T21:29:00.000-07:00

"My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and Earth." Wow! Thank you, Lord for making the Olympic Mountains. We were fortunate to be able to go over there last week when some friends came up from Modesto. Such a fun 3 days with Stan, Janet and the kids! We did the Seattle thing, and then drove over to the Olympic Peninsula for 1 night. Note to other tourists: do not stay at the Hoh Hum Guest Ranch- Luckily we had a waiter in Forks who warned us about it before we drove an extra 20 miles. All 7 of us would have had to share a bathroom with whoever else was staying there! So we stayed at the Forks Motel instead. Not exactly Embassy Suites, but perhaps a step above the Palouse Inn in Moscow!

So far we have been blessed with great weather. This morning as we drove to church, the Cascades were very clear in the distance, and them Mt Rainer was in plain view as we drove home. This afternoon, we enjoyed a Celtic concert (Golden Bough) in the park in Edmonds, within sight of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains. Maybe people up here put up with the winter because the summer is so nice!

Our search for a church continues, but we had a wonderful morning at the Grace Brethren Church in Mulkiteo today.
One week until grandbaby is due, so we are looking forward to a trip to Moscow and Colfax soon!

Water Anyone?

2008-06-30T13:49:00.001-07:00

Ok- in about 3 weeks you will have pictures of grandbaby to look at- but I couldn't resist this one.

I think we should stay on the DARK BLACK lines on the map

2008-06-28T13:47:00.000-07:00

We haven't figured out yet, even after all these years, which is better, to have Mary navigate and Jim drive, or visa-versa. Anyway, one day last week we were driving to Anne & Nate's, and Jim made the very wise comment. "I think we should stay on the dark black lines on the map for awhile". This was as I was taking what I thought was the quick way across town. Then last Sunday, coming home from trying out an "interesting" church (more on that later), we came across the above sign.
Driving here is a challenge, although I do appreciate the fact that almost EVERY street has a number instead of a name. Brier seems to be the only town around here that has real street names. Bothell is splitting the difference by posting BOTH the numerical name (ie 225th St SW) and the original name (Jackson Way or whatever) But then, the numbers don't really help a lot when 196th turns suddenly into 44th or something.

Another thought about the northwest, or any metropolitan area on the west coast, why is it that liberals have to plaster bumper stickers all over their cars? Are they trying to protect the paint from the sun, and thus no more hydrocarbons will escape, and they will save the planet?

35 Years!!

2008-06-23T15:27:00.000-07:00

"I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine" Song 6:3
Yep- 35 years ago today we were married. Our wedding picture is still packed, but I found this one from our "pinning", about 1 1/2 years before we were married. Thank you Lord for such a husband! I feel truly blessed.

File this under "Moving"

2008-06-22T19:24:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the delay, but moving in has been a time-consuming process! And exhausting! These pictures were taken Sat., 6/14. Our wonderfully helpful daughter and son-in-law, who came up and did all kinds of fun things--- starting with directing traffic on our road, as the Brier police informed Jim in no uncertain terms that we would have to have someone directing traffic if the moving van was to stay parked there. Hmmm- guess no one driving down a straight, relatively flat section of road on a clear day, at the posted 20mph (ha ha) could see that there was a BIG truck in the street and they just MIGHT have to slow down to see if anyone was coming the other direction. So Nate spent a good part of the day standing in a very wet (this IS the northwest) ditch holding a red pendaflex folder marked "STOP". It was the only red thing we could find in the boxes as they came off the truck! Anne marked off numbers as items came off the truck. We all traded off and on with these tasks from 10 until 4.

The 2 movers, Carlito (who drove way too many hours from Ripon with drops in Portland and Seattle) and Paul were good natured-- some "interesting" discussions were prompted by the labels on the boxes of Jim's books. Carlito: "This box says 'Occult'- what is that about?" Anne: "you know- cults like Wicca, witches, that kind of stuff" Paul: "I don't want to TOUCH that!-- wait- here is a box of Bibles- that should protect me if I carry them at the same time."
We were able to tell these friendly pagans the truth, and we are praying for them both.

So while the movers were asking "where's this go" etc- and we were rapidly coming to the conclusion that we have WAY too much stuff, I was in the kitchen making a cherry cobbler for our Father's Day celebration with Ken, Sherri and Nate's sister, Kristen. (The California cherries from Jan and Randy are a real hit here! ) It was really more fun than these pictures indicate- I think we were all tired. The Ellis' (Sr) brought some great steaks, and Anne made the rest of the dinner. We are enjoying having the barbeque right off the kitchen on the deck! And I love the light-filled eating area, complete with a HUGE table that seats 8 easily. (seems to go with the house- the 1st owner left it for the people we are renting from, and they are leaving it, too.)
So we are here- figuring out where stuff got packed, and settling in. Plus getting lost a lot- but I will let Jim explain that one.

North To Seattle, Part Deux

2008-06-18T20:06:00.000-07:00

Dear readers, as we left you, we had departed our beloved Ripon for the greener state of Washington. All went well, and we explored the exciting sensory pleasures of Interstate 5 from Manteca to Lynnwood, WA with an overnight stop in Albany, Oregon. Anne and Mary had the added joy of 2 cats as fellow travelers. Little Henrietta was a perfect companion, with her favorite perch being on top of the driver's seat, watching cars go by, or chewing on Anne's hair. Daniel, true to his fraidy-cat demeanor, spent the trip jammed under the passenger seat. But at least he was quiet. (a morning dose of a controlled substance prescribed by the vet sure helped). We enjoyed NPR foodie shows on Anne's ipod. We also saw some interesting sights....
an old bar in Yreka named "Jolley's" !
Jim and Josh had the added enjoyment of seeing the scenery at a leisurely pace. (Josh offered to put one foot out of the truck and push it up one hill). That, and the entertainment provided by ipods and games on cell phones (guess who), got them through any rough patches. But had it not been for the slow speed, Josh would not have gotten the full impact of THE COW (steer?) along side the highway between Weed and Yreka. Anyone know which one? What IS wrong with that cow, Josh?
Friday morning we got an early start, and after the usual forgetting-something-important-in-the-motel-room and driving back to get it (that is really why you drive across town to find a Starbuck's), we were on our way. Jim and Josh arrived at the house before the women-folk. We were at the local Fred Meyer stocking up on supplies. Sure glad Anne was so good at "Oregon Trail" as a child- plus she sure knows her way around a Fred Meyer grocery store! Nate met us at the house, helped us unpack, as did his parents, who live in Everett, about 15 minutes away. Thanks, Ken & Sherri!

Josh had a relaxing rest of the weekend with Todd & Tricia Lawrence (formerly of RGBC), while we spent Saturday with the Abbott and Costello of moving men. Guess you earned it tho, Josh-- you were SOOO patient!!
Part 3 tomorrow.

North to Seattle: Part 1

2008-06-17T21:31:00.000-07:00

Some of us had an easier time during the move than others... Part 1 of the saga below.

The caravan left Ripon Thursday morning and arrived Friday afternoon in Brier, WA. We didn't have to toss out too much over the passes, but Josh was sure he could walk to Washington faster than that truck made it up the hills. And I thought we got rid of lots of stuff! It think it multiplied on the moving van. And we had to load and unload the rental truck at 2 complete times, and 2 partial times, before we even left Ripon. It seems Jim, Ryan F., Tyler K., Nick E. and John R. put about 2,000 lbs too much on it the first time, so Anne, Mary & Jim sorted through and offloaded boxes of books. But we didn't get enough off, so we took more off. The weighmaster at Flying J was on a first name basis with Jim by 11PM Tues. night.
Wednesday morning dawned with high hopes of a quick loading by Bekins. However... "never believe a moving company salesman when he says there will be no problem getting a LARGE truck down a SMALL road."

So--- we UNLOADED the rental truck, with the help of the Enserinks, and got 2 extra loaders from Bekins (ca-ching $) and they used the smaller truck to get everything to the bigger truck parked on Olive. Thus went the day-- until 4 PM. But in between loads, with all the waiting, Tyler K. did exciting things like try to bash gophers.
5:45 AM Thursday, we were on the road- after some difficult decisions about what we could fit into the car and truck.
Jim asked "don't they have nurseries in Washington?"

Jim and Josh in the rental truck pulling the Volvo. Anne, Mary and felines in the Subaru. Some were better travelers than others.

Tune into Part 2 soon to get the rest of the story!

Coffee Mugs and Blessings

2008-06-09T15:07:00.000-07:00

Moving twice in 3 months puts your life in perspective. How many coffee mugs do 2 people REALLY need? But they each hold some memory: the "Le Chat" mugs we have had since we were first married. The "New York" mug that Elizabeth brought us before 9/11, complete with a picture of the World Trade Center towers. The "Manchester NH Police Dept." one. (thanks, SEARCH). The "Mary" mug that was my mother's. Powell Books, Portland. Peet's coffee, and on and on. So, no, I didn't get rid of any of them. Lucky we are moving to the coffee capital of North America. Guess we will use them.

We have such wonderful friends here- yesterday was a wonderful farewell dessert at church- so many loving sisters and brothers in Christ came to say goodbye. We will miss you all SO VERY MUCH! Looking around the room was such a reminder of how these people have been such an important part of our lives for so long. You have prayed with us through cancer, the loss of a son, the joy of 2 weddings, and now a move. The Lord knew we needed you for all those years. And we will continue to pray for all of you, as well.

Thank you, dear friends!

Why did it have to be a snake?

2008-05-27T22:37:00.000-07:00

We just got home from seeing the new Indiana Jones movie at 10:30 tonight, so naturally various nasty creatures were lurking in the back of my mind. As I stepped through the garage door. something caught the corner of my eye just outside the door.......

Jim said he had not seen me move so fast in ages! A nice sized gopher snake, out for his evening meal-Go get'em boy! (but please stay out of the garage!)

Have Kitten, Need Name

2008-05-27T16:24:00.000-07:00

Yep- we went 2 weeks and 3 days as a one animal household- must be a record. We picked up the new kitten from Wade & Melissa on Monday afternoon (thanks!!). Actually, we felt sort of responsible for leaving them with a pregnant cat when we sold them the house. Does it help that we had no idea she was pregnant? So the little 6 oz white and gray fuzzball has firmly entrenched herself in our home. Keep her out of the bedroom? Not quite possible with ear-splitting meows when the door is shut. It only took her until 2AM to find the exact same spot that Sassy slept in for the last few years. (next to Mary of course). She and Daniel are working on their relationship- but sleeping 6 inches apart on the bed this afternoon seems to be a step in the right direction. So we hope that tonight these 2 nocturnal creatures entertain themselves rather than keeping us up.

But we still need a name for her. Mary thought Henrietta was a possibility- since we already had Daniel-Striped-Tiger (remember Mr. Rogers?). A no-go from Jim. Another suggestion was Riki- for Ripon Kitty. Didn't seem to work. So any ideas you have are welcome.

Happy Birthday, Juanita!

2008-05-20T10:24:00.000-07:00

You can guess from the pictures where I took my dear friend Juanita for her birthday. (actually the big 7-0 is next week, but any excuse for a trip to Yosemite). We braved the road construction crews widening the road (despite the environmentalists' uproar), a very warm (90+) day and European tourists (hello Californians- you CAN get to and from Yosemite for less than 1 tank of expensive gas!) . And we enjoyed the most wonderful day enjoying the amazing creative power of our God. Even though I have been going there all my life- I can even vaguely remember the Firefall as a young child- it always awes me. Especially on a spring day with the falls crashing and the dogwoods in bloom. (Liz and Anne- you ARE NOT ALLOWED to comment on the dogwood fixation of your mother.) I added a few pictures to our dogwood collection, by the way. Enjoy! (Note: Due to the fear of federal prosecution,those are silk dogwoods Juanita is holding. )

Mother's Day weekend in Moscow

2008-05-13T00:04:00.000-07:00

I just got back from a fun long weekend visiting the Muscovites. Liz and I spent time thrift store shopping (found a changing table) and sewing- she made a new dress for the Raggedy Anne doll I had made her as a child, meeting some of their friends (a wonderful group of 20 and 30-somethings and cute children!) But the high point was seeing the house they will be renting in Colfax, Washington (pop 2230). Some friends of their's bought it and are remodeling it. Jason will be doing some (lots?) of the finishing. Just hope it is habitable by the time the baby arrives the end of July! Liz' blog has more pictures.

Memories

2008-05-06T16:42:00.001-07:00

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me (Christ)" John 14:1

Daniel feels right at home on this quilt I just finished. I guess that makes sense, since I made it out of Phillip's shirts. Yes, he actually had that many plaid shirts! It was neat working on it- remembering Phillip wearing these. The orange flannel I bought him as a joke for $3 at Mervyns, that he wore EVERY time time changed the oil in the car. His favorite red plaid. The green one he wore for Christmas. And the seemingly endless blue plaids. On the back, I used pieces of his favorite t-shirts, hats, and other things that are good memories-- even a logo from his Eddie Bauer hat and his Sierra Aviation hat found in the
field where he crashed, but a month afterwards. What a joy to have these wonderful memories of a wonderful son who we KNOW we will see again! Praise God!

And the score is: Jim 5-- Gophers 0

2008-04-27T16:10:00.001-07:00

The battle continues. This one was particularly large, although we have yet to meet the 14" one referred to on a Univ of California website about the Western Pocket Gopher. The daily trap check revealed this well-fed specimen who was eating the alstroemeria roots in the flower bed around one of the almond trees in front. But it seems so pointless- we know the orchards around the house are packed with the little eating machines, so our killing a few will not make a big difference in the grand scheme of things. But it sure makes us feel better! And by the way, traps seem to be the only thing that works. Forget the Juicy Fruit.

Generation Gap

2008-04-26T16:44:00.001-07:00

'nuf said.

EXPELLED

2008-04-25T09:04:00.000-07:00

Mary, Curt Pernice, and I went to see EXPELLED last night. All I can say is that it is a MUST SEE for all Christians.

The movie really shows how the scientific atheists and agnostics in academia are trying to kill academic freedom regarding Intelligent Design. If you don't agree with them, you are EXPELLED!

I did not think I would like the movie after watching the extended trailer - wrong! The movie moves very quickly and is quite interesting.

A Christian Seder

2008-04-22T17:39:00.000-07:00

This is the Seder we held last Saturday. The Hebrew word Seder means order and was instituted by the Lord through Moses to commemorate the Passover in Egypt. There are so many Christian allusions in the service that it is really wild.

Everyone had a lot of fun and the dinner was really good. Mary cooked a leg of lamb, and potatoes, Lois made a kugel (a dense casserole of noodles, vegetables, onions, and eggs), Denise brought a salad, and Tina made a really great chocolate moose!

The Seder plate has six “compartments” that remind us of Passover in Egypt. The six compartments are: 1) Betzah, or roasted egg – this reminds us of the sacrifices brought to the Temple; 2) Chazeret or bitter herbs – part of a commandment to eat bitter herbs; 3) Z’roah or shankbone – this reminds us of the paschal lamb sacrificed for the Passover; 4) Charoset – made from apples, walnuts, cinnamon, and sweet wine – reminds us of the mortar used in making bricks in Egypt; 5) Maror or bitter hers that remind of slavery in Egypt; and 6) Karpas (usually parsley) and is dipped in salt water to remind us of tears shed by the Jewish people.

Polydactyl Feline Pedicure

2008-04-19T13:22:00.000-07:00

So what do you do when the vet asks. "Do you think you could soak her feet once a day?" . After you laugh at her, you say- "sure, we'll try". Sassy, our (Liz' actually) venerable 15 yr old cat with 24+toes (6 per foot) has developed nail bed infections from not being outside and her nails getting too long. So after a week of 2 different antibiotics, she still wasn't better, so we are trying this and a new medication. Needless to say, it is not the high point of either Sassy's or my day.

We THOUGHT we knew what the weather was like

2008-04-19T10:43:00.000-07:00

Ok- we will admit- the climate is a bit different up north. Especially this year. This is a picture taken last night (yes, April 18) in Lynnwood- the town next to Brier where we will be living. Guess we will take those skis with us.

Birdy Blogs

2008-04-16T16:55:00.000-07:00

Seems like this is the week for bird-blogs. So I had to add ours. We have a thistle sock outside the office window, and I refilled it with fresh seed yesterday. We have at least 3 pairs of finches gorging themselves. Then this afternoon, a hooded oriole showed up to visit, too. Too bad it is a male, otherwise we should introduce it to SixInOurCrew's. He might enjoy meeting Mr. Wobbles, too!

April 15th At Last

2008-04-15T17:16:00.000-07:00

The last return is delivered to the client and e-filed. Another tax season done! And yes, I will continue this craziness next year in Washington.

An Explanation

2008-04-15T17:00:00.001-07:00

Just for all you people who were curious as to the reason for the title "Yes, we know what the weather is like.." When we were in Seattle last week house hunting, I think EVERYONE we met who heard we were relocating there asked us, "Do you know what the weather is like here?" One man even told me that if a transplanted Californian complains about the rain, he just points south and says, "California is that way." Hmmm- most people were much friendlier than that!

And what do I do with the Juicy Fruit Gum???

2008-04-12T09:26:00.000-07:00

We are sort of settled in our temporary lodgings here on the other side of town. A sweet little house with 1 1/2 acres of gophers, and no visible predators. Where are all the hawks, owls and coyotes over here? We've seen none in 1+ month. And our great hunters are still too afraid to go outside for more than 5 minutes at a time. So we are trying the gopher bombs, bait and thanks to my sister, Juicy Fruit gum. You are supposed to partially chew it and put it down the hole, and the gopher eats it and gets all "gummed up" inside and dies. Sounds awful, but I have no sympathy for these rodents.

10 Minutes from Trader Joe's

2008-04-11T22:25:00.000-07:00

Yes- this is the house we have rented. On 1 1/2 acres, 1/2 hour north of the city and much larger than we need. But the Lord worked it out through a connection of our daughter's father-in-law, and we are moving on June 15th. It has a mother-in-law unit with plenty of room for guests. Please come- we will miss you all! And yes, Wade, it has a riding mower for all that lawn!