It starts here

 

I've lived a lucky life and been around the block a few times, but never had much chance to experience firsthand the wonderful world of general aviation. More on that in a minute...

As my readers know, I always share our family news and plans on the blog. But this week, secrets to keep. 

On Wednesday, John flew to Cincinnati to see his sisters, Janice and Rachel. The three of them had planned a surprise visit with their brother and sister-in-law, Dan and Rebecca, living in Zanesville Ohio. Since Dan reads the blog, I couldn't spill the beans here. 

I'm so happy for them. The four siblings are spread out across the country, and this was a rare and special family reunion. 

By lucky chance, Amanda, Tom and the girls had a birthday celebration planned this weekend in Victoria, BC and I made an impulse decision to join them for one night.   

Now, the easiest travel options from Seattle to Vancouver Island are the Victoria Clipper (about 3 hours on the water) or Kenmore Air seaplane flight (under an hour from Lake Union to Victoria's inner harbor) Yes, I took the jet setter option! 

After a rainy, cloudy stretch of days, Friday dawned a spectacular morning for flying. No ceiling, unlimited visibility, in pilot speak. Our rugged aircraft a De Havilland Canada DHC-3 Turbine Otter, a seaplane first introduced when I was 3 years old.  

I sat right behind the pilots and what a trip, observing their skills with all those wonderfully mechanical controls. 

Off we went from Lake Union and within just minutes, Seattle and Puget Sound spread out far below us with breathtaking views all the way to Victoria.

By texting with Amanda, I knew as we flew over the Hood Canal Bridge they were driving beneath at about the same time. 

 And the flight over too soon, with a smooth as silk landing in Victoria's inner harbor. 

 We had a beautiful time together, roaming around the flower and tourist filled city.

 

 

Yes, gallons of Miracle Gro. 

And speaking of growing...Maya soon to be 13 and Nova just turned sweet sixteen. 

We had a fun dinner for Amanda and Nova, whose birthdays are a day apart.

Dinner followed by a little party back at the room. After breakfast together the next morning and a stroll around town, all too soon time to part ways with the family. 

After the kids took off sightseeing I had the best sandwich of my life at Red Fish Blue Fish (grilled wild salmon) then headed to the adjacent Seaplane dock. 

The flight I expected back on the same Otter filled up and left, leaving just three of us behind. This was a bit disconcerting, although the agent said that our flight would be "called" in a few minutes.

 

Sure enough, as if things couldn't get any more exciting, a pilot came in and escorted us to a six-passenger piston de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver. 

After we got settled and briefed in our little seats, the pilot turned to the the dock crew and said, "Now don't cast us off until I know it will start." Good idea, thought I. 

Well, the single engine sputtered to life, and off we flew across the Strait of Juan de Fuca glittering below.

 

 

The water landing in Victoria felt serene, but the air pattern over Elliot Bay into the heart of downtown Seattle, then quickly descending into tiny Lake Union was pure adrenaline (for me, hopefully not the pilots.) 

Hello Space Needle!

And so ended a perfect and unforgettable 24 hours in Victoria. 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As they say

 

Age is just a number. Fun times with my ukulele friends yesterday at WSUP, strumming and singing on the covered patio at The Bridge restaurant in West Seattle. 

That gentleman playing the mean harmonica is our beloved member Cecil, who celebrated his 101st birthday in February. That's right, going on 102, and yes, he still drives himself way across town to play. 

Cecil caught Covid a few weeks ago, spent a couple days in the hospital and then shook it right off. (I want what he's having.) 

Anyway, we're delighted having Cecil back playing. 

Youth is the gift of nature, but age is a work of art.

In other news, August 8th is "Happiness Happens Day." 

Hey. Exciting things happening today but I'll fill you in later-- I'm traveling light sans laptop for a nice change of pace, so photos later. 

Have a good weekend.  

 

 

Miracle Gro or no?

 

 

Scott's Miracle Gro is a synthetic fertilizer and harmful to worms and natural soil microbes. There's quite a controversy in the garden blogging world about using it.  

 

I never pour it on the ground, but I do fertilize the flower pots with Miracle Gro. It gives annuals a tremendous (yes, completely unnatural) boost of chemical nutrients so they keep blooming like crazy.  See petunias above. 

Well, a bit of rain yesterday freshened things up outside. But I was on a roll inside with some overdue housecleaning projects. Since I'm into product recommendation mode this morning, here's one: Swiffer wet cloths for wood floors. 

I never met a Swiffer product I didn't like. Who misses rags and mops?

Early morning dentists, etc.

 

A beautiful morning, but we're waiting for rain tonight and tomorrow. No measurable precipitation in Seattle since late June...ironic, considering our reputation for rain, how Seattle is dry in the summer compared to many parts of the country, where it seems to be raining and/or flooding every few days.

I always schedule my dentist appointments as early as possible. Today everything looks good, other than a tiny gum line filling that fell out. Like everyone my age, I have a mouthful of aging dental work done over the decades by practitioners of varying skill level. For example, a now antique bridge, something my hygienist says isn’t even done anymore (implants instead.)

Fortunately, our nice young dentist isn't one of those who wants to fix things before they are broken. I have a negative bucket list of stuff I never want to experience, including root canals or implants, so I keep up on the preventative appointments. But stuff still happens, and you hope for the best at each visit.

Speaking of dentistry, there's a great article in the New Yorker magazine this week called "Molar City" about a massive business in a Mexican border town near Yuma-- a real assembly line factory of dentistry! Here's a  LINK hopefully you can open it.  

 

Rain?

 

It's so dark this morning there's an almost autumnal feel in the air. We've been spoiled by weeks of sunny blue skies, but might finally get some rain mid week. Not enough for a good soaking, but enough to wet down the surface-- the garden soil is dry as dust, no matter how much I hand water. 

In the Methow Valley on Friday, a welcome deluge from passing thunderstorms helped knock down the local fires. The most worrisome one near Winthrop (Stud Horse Mountain Fire) is now contained to about 75 acres. Talk about manna from heaven...

We have a busy and interesting week coming up, but more on that later.  

Simple does it

 

I rigged up this simple birdbath with a flowerpot and old earthenware casserole dish. They fit together perfectly, and birds love it because the rim of the dish is unglazed so they can perch while jumping in and out. Those fancy ceramic birdbaths are pretty to look at but too slippery.

 

Speaking of fancy, not a single hummingbird checked out my new blue glass feeder. In fact, it seemed to scare them off! 

Part of the problem is hummers greatly prefer flowers, given a choice, and we have a buffet going in the summer. I put up this tried and true cheapo feeder from Amazon, and noticed one finally sampling the goods yesterday. Maybe they'll eventually take to the blue. 

 

But life is not all peaceful trivialities. This alarming fire broke out yesterday afternoon (pictures from Amanda) just outside of Winthrop near Pearrygin Lake State Park. The area is heavily populated so the location is really scary. 

They are hitting it hard with the big air tankers and hopefully soon under control. More thunderstorms over there today-- rain good, lightening not. 

 

 

Summer's lease

 

Seafair is coming up this weekend in Seattle. We heard the Blue Angels fly into to Boeing Field yesterday, and they'll be screaming around overhead for the next few days. 

I have mixed feelings about what we once called the "military industrial complex," but seeing them perform still gives a visceral thrill. Flotillas of pleasure boats turn Lake Washington into a big sloshing bathtub of fun during the hydroplane races. (Been there, done that.) 

We have August stretching ahead, but Seafair weekend feels like the summer climax in Seattle. Suddenly the sunrises are later, sunset earlier. It's still warm, even hot, but there's a different slant to the light in August. Back-to-school shopping in the stores and good luck if you still need anything summery. 

The oriental lilies, blooming now, are the last of the big, showy flowers. 

Note to self: plant more gladiolas next year. 
 

Swim meet

 

 

Just to give you an idea of the skill level, that's Maya (in the pink cap) racing 200 meter freestyle in the 11-12 year old girls age group. Especially after the pool closure, the performance is amazing, a real tribute the dedication and consistency of the coaching.

The Killer Whale Swim team posing at the Sunday afternoon awards celebration. 
 

From The Methow Valley News: 

“It’s very exciting,” co-head coach Katie Leuthauser during a practice session. Leuthauser, a science teacher at Liberty Bell High School, has lost count of the number of years she has been coaching the summer swim team, but thinks it’s somewhere around eight or nine years. This is the second time she has found herself, along with longtime coach Bo Thrasher and assistant coach Chuck Phillips, rebuilding after a shutdown, dating back to the COVID pandemic summer of 2020. Last year’s closure had to do with infrastructure failure that prevented operation of the community’s only public swimming pool."

It was an easy drive back to Seattle yesterday. I left early and the perfect driving weather certainly helped, but after 5 years, maybe I'm getting used to those long hours in the car. My 2,000+ eclectic playlist set on random passes the time when there's no passenger to drive crazy! Who could tolerate jumping between Mahler adagios, Coltrane and Joni Mitchell? Etc.

Well, summer is winding down and August busy for everyone, packed with last minute vacation trips and other events. So I'll be home now for the next few weeks. 

Chip seal

 

Some of the worst streets in our area were repaired last week. Way to go, Town of Twisp. We've been driving and walking on potholed asphalt and rutted gravel for years. A big upgrade for our little backwater neighborhood.

According to WASHDOT, chip sealing is the application of a "protective wearing surface to an existing pavement." 

It costs much less than new pavement overlays but does the trick. Liquid asphalt is sprayed on the road using a special truck, then immediately overlaid with gravel, which is then compacted with giant rubber tires. 

According to my neighbor, an extremely noisy process so glad I missed it.

I'm leaving tomorrow, and probably won't get back to the house for a few weeks now. 

There's an old quote: "Summer should get a speeding ticket." 

 

Apricot sunrise

 

Our neighbor Bruce brought over this beautiful box of apricots, just picked from their tree. 

I don't have canning apparatus here, so decided to make freezer jam early yesterday morning. A peaceful activity in a quiet empty house, with the sun just coming up behind Mill Hill. 

Of all the food you can preserve at home, jam is the simplest: equal parts sugar and fruit. But jam is also tricky, because the fruit needs to cook down until it reaches "gel" point.  

Using powdered pectin and following the recipe on the box is essential if you're making jelly, which sets up stiff. For jam, it isn't necessary, because fruit has natural pectin (you just don't know how much.) 

Anyway, after simmering about an hour, I did the "frozen plate test" and the consistency looked good. Soft but not runny. 

I'll make a second batch today. I can't waste a single apricot, and how good that jam will taste, come winter. 

Yesterday was a big day. The swim team championship meet was held at Wagner Memorial Pool in Twisp, and the park filled up with families from all around the region, camping out for the day. 

The matches ran nonstop from 8 am until 5. Yes, everyone was exhausted! What a day for the Methow Valley Killer Whales swim team, especially after the sad closure of the pool last summer. 

Nova and Maya each competed in about 10 different heats throughout the day. Just imagine the stamina and drive. It was amazing, watching them and their friends swim so fast and so expertly. 

Where are the photos and videos, you might be wondering? Well, the girls asked me not to post pictures of them on the blog anymore without prior clearance. Fair enough! I'll see if I can get permission to share some of the highlights.

Peaceful

So peaceful and quiet here, it feels like a million miles from the constant noise, traffic and construction in Seattle. A doe with her triplets are frolicking along the river in front of the house. 

And the "Lullaby of Leaves" in the cottonwood trees yesterday afternoon. One of the prettiest songs ever written, especially sung by Ella. 

Unfortunately, my friend Karen and I crossed paths yesterday-- she was headed west to visit relatives in Seattle. She sometimes stays on her sister's houseboat which sounds (and is) pretty cool, but coming from her quiet life on the river, she said the big city hits you like ton of bricks, especially the constant movement and din of background noise on Lake Union. No kidding. 

I had a big surprise yesterday afternoon. A gentleman knocked on the door and introduced himself as the previous owner of the house. We had only met once, very briefly. He and his wife moved to Nevada after we bought the house five years ago (yes, that long) but he was back in the Valley for a visit and saw my car in the driveway.  

We had such a nice chat and I learned more about the history of the property. He was happy and surprised to see the place he built so well-kept up and pretty. He said his wife had loved this house, and I told him I did too!

That's about it. The weekend is filled with swim activities, and the big championship meet goes all day tomorrow. I am hoping to see my busy granddaughters for a bit today. 

  

East of Eden

 

 

I'm leaving the coastal garden paradise and headed east to spend the weekend along the river. The girls have a home swim meet Saturday and those are always fun. Their Methow Valley Killer Whale team is HOT this year! Maya was in the local paper sports section this week, she's been doing so well in her age class. 

 

 

Speaking of "East of Eden," 23-year old James Dean, brooding on the set. He carries the film with an amazing performance, filled with angst and charisma as only he could act. A wonderful movie based on an American classic novel.

 "All great and precious things are lonely."  John Steinbeck, East of Eden. 

Farewell, little guy

 

 

"Doodles"
2009-2025

With a heavy heart, my sister Marji said goodbye this week to her dear old Dachshund. He was her companion for many years, through thick and thin, filling the house with his big personality. 

Dachshunds are well-known for bonding closely with their owners, and when Dad came to live with Marji in 2016, they soon became buddies.

 

Having grown up on a farm where animals were kept outside, Dad was never a "dog person." That soon changed. I do believe Doodle's winsome (and persistent) ways helped him move on from his sad loss in Colorado and regain his health. 

Under Marji's care, Dad started a new life in Las Vegas and we were blessed to have him to the ripe old age of 99. 

Also known for their intelligence, the opportunistic little dog soon learned that several Honey Nut Cherrios "accidentally" fell under Dad's chair each morning at breakfast. And at lunch, three mini carrots came down from heaven while Dad was eating his sandwich at the counter. You might ask, who trained who?

Dad loved to read and nap all afternoon in his comfy recliner, and Doodles decided that quiet lap was the best in the house. Doodles was Dad's companion to the very end, keeping watch on his hospice bed.

Everyone loved Doodles! He was always doing something comical! Maya and Nova still talk about him after their visit to Aunt Marji's house long ago. 

 

But life goes on and happily, Marji has still has her sweet-tempered Homer for canine company.