January - off to a great start!

I spent New Year's Eve with an old friend from Bainbridge who now lives in Port Townsend.  We went to the Manresa Castle to dance to a classic rock band.  We were the only single gals there, but we knew enough of the guys to steal them away for a dance or two.  At 11:30 we decided it would be better to get some ice cream at Safeway and watch the countdown on her TV.  The next day I joined about 8 folks from the hiking club, the Peninsula Wilderness Club, for annual tradition of walking the beach at Fort Warden. We followed it up with lunch at a local pub.  Happy New Year!

Although there had been a warm, dry spell, I did my annual trip to the Methow Valley.  It was so bare, another friend and I decided to hike around a local lake instead of skiing.  I have put a set of photos of a deserted ranch we found, at the bottom of this page's background.

The next day we did some skiing in an area that had some snow - but it was a quick ski, because the Seahawks were having the play-off game.  We went up to Sun Mountain to watch it - every space was packed with viewers.  When something exciting happened. the whole building shook!  Also, they make the best hot drinks....  Yum, and Hooray -  on to the Super Bowl!

At the beginning of the month I started helping a student at my old school, Eagle Harbor High School, with a senior project.  We assisted the Historical Museum move three sets of now and then photos of Bainbridge, created by Fourth Graders, between 3 venues.  We had to figure out 12 venues, contact them, and then hang the posters in each one.  This had to be repeated over the next 2 months, and then I helped him create the report.

At the end of the month was my grand-daughter's first birthday.  She had taken her first steps on the ferry, the month before.  So she was really starting to explore her world.  All the folks at the party, and all the gifts were a bit over-whelming.  But eating the cupcake was easy!

February - winter finally returns

February got colder, but snow was still scarce.  I did a hike in the Olympics, where we got to see a beautiful stream that had ice around the boulders.

I did a ski into Copper Creek Cabin near Mt. Rainier, but it was so socked in, I only took one photo! But that also meant we had fresh snow!   Locally, I got to help my good friend and neighbor, Helen, celebrate her retirement.  I continued to help the EHHS student with the Historical Museum photo project.

March - Ending 7 Decades

March was my birthday month - marking 70 years of fun and frivolity.  I did a few community things, like helping judge the student art show, going to a two-night play about feuding families in Kentucky, and subbing 3 weeks in a row at Eagle Harbor High School.

But mainly I celebrated.  Instead of one big blowout bash when I would not remember talking to anyone, I planned 7 small events that would be intimate & maybe fun!  I hosted a birthday dinner at a pub for the March birthdays of the Meet-up group I belong to - the Boomer Zoomers.  One of my favorite events was a gathering at the new art museum, for dinner and seeing a fun movie from the 90's but set in the 50's - Big Night.  7 of us got together for that one.   But the very best was was the actual weekend of my birthday - snowshoeing up to the cabin near Mt. Rainier.  A very good friend in the club had his birthday on Saturday and mine was Sunday.  So we celebrated both!  The photos are at the bottom of the page.  But here is one of us at the cabin, when everyone sang  their good wishes.

Hurry Scurry April

The over-riding factor for April was Rena's foot operation.  Instead of having Emilia here, Dave's mom and I swapped off watching her at Rena's.  Dave took a few days, too.  So I was back and forth on the ferry until Rena could use her "scooter".  I popped down to Olympia in mid-month to meet my new grand-niece, Norah.  And, at the end of the month, I hiked with friends in a new trail area north of here.  There is an abandoned wreck there that is always a great photo.

At mid-month, the Senior Presentations were scheduled for EHHS.  I had been helping a student prepare for it & got to see his presentation - along with monitoring a room of presentations.  I loved having that opportunity.  I am sad that the state dropped the requirement.  We always saw such inspiring work by the kids.  

April had two big wool spinning events.  At the beginning of the month was a "Spin-In" with a workshop up on Whidbey Island.  The trip this time and two years ago was well worth the effort.  Besides learning new skills, I meet such interesting people!  Later in the month, Port Gamble had a fiber festival, with a juried show.  I entered a weird wool item I had knit, and part of the wool I had spun.  It was an honor to be selected.  I have worn the "vest/shrug" twice & it needs some tweaking around the collar.  A friend who spins and knits wandered the festival with me.  I left my wallet in the car, and that turned out to be a good thing.  Temptations!!!  I admired and squeezed the fleeces.  Just needed to think of all the work to get to yarn....

May Muddling About

May was a wet month.  I was off to Walla Walla over Mother's Day.  There is an annual Balloon Stampede.  They never got off the ground this year, but was nice enough for Emilia to practice her new running skills.

The weekend before Memorial Day was the annual campout over on Hood Canal.  I took advantage of a dry day to try a hike on a "little know trail - you will be all alone" to see the wild Rhodie bloom. I found the Rhodies and Dogwoods, but I also encountered a group of hikers from Bainbridge Island!

Memorial Day weekend was rainy, again.  But fortunately, my dancing venues were all indoors.  Fun as usual.  I usually get to see a good new band somewhere on the grounds.  Not to be this year.

Quiet June

In early June, I flew back to New Hampshire to visit my dad, sister and brother there.  I flew red-eye and as soon as I got off the bus from the airport, my sister whisked me away to an "encampment".  (photos at bottom of page)  Her husband was playing the role of printmaker, calligrapher in Fort #4, on the Connecticut River, circa 1784.  A really dreamlike experience for someone who is sleep deprived!!  But I had always wanted to see one of these uniquely eastern gatherings. In the following days I was able to spend time with my dad, and visit my brother in Dover.  My dad was weaker, but still alert and funny.  Since he had not had his usual lobster for his birthday two weeks before, we got take out from a fresh seafood place in town.  A great way to remember him last, as it would turn out to be.

Otherwise, June was a very quiet month.  I helped a friend celebrate her 60th by joining about 20 others, also pretending they were mermaids.  I signed up with a new group on the island - Bainbridge Artisan Resource Network.  They are planning a 17 million dollar building in 2 years.  Meanwhile they are crammed in a rented space.  On the last weekend, my friend Cathy and I camped at a state campground on an island off the Olympic Peninsula, and hiked the beach with the addition of another friend, the next day.  We found a boat that had been washed ashore.  This is a true sign of irresponsibility!

Emilia became very active, so I built a fence around my patio area.  I put up an old tent inside and equiped it with soft stuff and puzzles.  At the end of the month was the annual Rotary Auction.  I got her a trike.  She was not quite ready for it, but was out-growing the foot-propelled riding toy.  Here she is trying the tent out for the first time.

Fireworks and Favorite Places

This year was the first in many that I did not go down to Portland for the Blues Festival.  Several important events precluded that.  On the 3rd. was my social group's potluck for the Poulsbo fireworks.  On the 4th, I helped at the Photo Club's annual show, then hopped a ferry for Adrian and Ariana's wedding.  He, being the son of my dear friend Elizabeth, grew up with my kids and followed Kyle to Harvey Mudd.  Sadly, on Saturday there was a memorial for Don Normark.  He was a partner in the first land we bought on Bainbridge Island, a fellow photographer we had known for 42 years, and was like a big brother to me.  It was a celebration of his art, life and community.  It was a huge reunion - some folks I had not seen since the 80's.

July was a month of mountain activities, too.  I volunteered for trail maintenance with the WTA. This year we worked on the north side of the Olympics. Besides working with great people, I learned new trails and camping spots.  The food was good, too.  A week later my friend Cathy and I back-packed on the north side of Mt. Rainier - Berkeley Park.  As we returned we fought 50 mph winds with a storm coming in.  The next day we hiked up to a glacier in mist and rain.  The last day we did a road-trip tourist round of the south side of the park.  The sun came out & canceled out the effect of the bone-chilling cold the day before.  Photos of the back-pack with the FABULOUS wildflowers are at the bottom of the background on this page.  At the end of the month, two great Louisiana bands came through & I had some wonderful Zydeco evenings.

August around the Pacific Northwest

We had a beautiful, mostly DRY August.  Seems like I was out and about every weekend. The one thing I have done in the past that I did not get to do, was dancing under the stars in Seattle.  The one time I wanted to go,  it rained!  The album posted at the bottom shows the variety of outdoor activities I did. When I was camping with friends at Salt Creek up on the straights, we hiked up a neglected hill, that had been a military lookout post and gun emplacement.  We ended up bush-wacking to a spot where we could get a view.  There in the bushes we found 4 folding chairs!  In the evening we all went to the water's edge to get sunset photos.

Emilia discovered blackberries.  We had a great harvest.  "Baak bay" was the cry from the car every time Rena drove up!

This year I went to county fair in a new capacity.  I demonstrated spinning in the sheep barn.  I went early and looked in on my old 4H pals.  I was then able to watch the judging of the wool fleece and talk to some of the sheep farmers.  I was next to an old hippie couple, decked out in their finest tie-die.  It was enlightening and fun.

Volcano Month!

The first week of September, Rena, Dave, and Emilia headed to Chicago to visit Kyle and Andia.  We both were continuing to have good weather!  I decided to head down the spine of the Cascades, volcano hopping.  The photos are posted in a link at the bottom of the background page.  I also included a visit to my college friend "Chipper" Gunn in Portland.  But, it was also forest fire season, so the "sisters" in Oregon were completely obscured.  But I loved the area around Mt. Bachelor and would like to return for a longer stay.  This was a road trip & Scout made it so I searched out National Forest campgrounds for any hiking.  As always, my trailer was a topic of conversation!

Emilia continued to be a delight.  Climbing, exploring, increasing her vocabulary,
and discovering baby dolls.  One of her favorite things is my boa...and, playing with the feathers that fall off.  She also loves my wooden box of bangle bracelets.

At the end of Sept. is the annual Harvest Fair on the Johnson property nearby.  This year I helped the Historical Museum do a photo op set with old clothes, some from my grandmother.  We lucked out with a beautiful day.

Rattlesnakes and Frogs

The first week in October, I went camping with friends from the hiking club in the Yakima River valley, east of the Cascades.  Rena, Dave and Emilia joined me for the hike up to the ridge.  On the way I got to see my first rattlesnake!  It was a young one and too cold to do much more than complain.  By the end of the hike, we had 7 reports of more sightings.  My real excitement was losing my footing on a steep gully and tumbling 2 revolutions before coming to a stop.  I was only scraped up.  When I opened my eyes, my first thought was "snakes?" Then I started the mental check of my limbs.

The next weekend I was joined by a new friend to walk on Dungeness Spit.  We had some good surf. One beached log had an interesting shape.  The end of the month was Halloween.  Emilia and I found the perfect frog costume at Goodwill, on a senior citizen Wednesday, of course.  Rena was smart and practiced her wearing it before the BIG DAY.  Rena took off work early and I went with them to enjoy the show!  We did a little visiting on BI, too. She figured out what was in the shiny wrappers on her way home from the West Seattle merchant trick or treat "parade".  After supper, Dave and Rena did the rounds of the friends in their neighborhood.  I am posting one photo here. The rest are on a link at the bottom of the page.

November - Full of Surprises

November was a roller coaster month.  It started with the thrill of a shower for Andia, my daughter in law, and my next grandchild.  The next weekend, I went dancing here on Bainbridge, to a band created by a former student.  What a treat.  Gypsy Jazz. His sound man and base player is an old friend.  Two weeks later he had died of a sudden heart attack.  We celebrated his music the next month at "open mike night" at the pub.  He leaves a big hole in the blues/folk music community.

Despite a long cold snap, I went hiking nearby.  The late winter light was great on the frost and ice.

In spite of the cold, Emilia and I get outside almost every day.  She likes to put on her boots and run after Scout. We also go swimming and to the library.  This month she was due for a haircut.

The next day we were surprised by a visit from my niece, sneaking in from Boston.  I had the extra pleasure of finding out she had taken up spinning.  The night before I had helped with a sewing project in my fiber arts group. I hope to lead some workshops in wool processing there.  She had taken a class from the same woman I had a workshop with in the spring!  

The day before Thanksgiving, my father passed away, peacefully, after a bowl of ice cream!  I was glad to be having the holiday with my good friends and neighbors next door.  The following day was an annual dance (ballroom) and left-overs potluck.  So when the weekend came, I was ready to get out of town.  I had scheduled a trip up to the edge of Mt. Rainier with two close gal friends.  We had the magical surprise of fresh snow.  It was powder - not the usual NW moist snow.  At times all I could hear was the plop of snow coming off the branches.  Lots of good meditative time!  And what beautiful vistas!

I am known for my 80's turquoise ski pants & have been told not to get rid of them!  You can always spot me.  Here is a better photo of me.  I love this place !!!

Merry Christmas, Happy Hannakah, Peaceful Meditations...to all

Whatever you celebrate - have a wonderful time!  Love your family, hug your friends, and have a fabulous new year!

December is a month of gatherings in all my life aspects - Dec. 2 - Open Mike at the pub, celebrating the life of the founder who had suddenly passed.  All the old musicians from the previous years showed up, now most of them grey-haired!  Dec. 4 - I was guest at a fund-raiser holiday party with a group of educators, some I had worked with at Commodore Options.  Dec. 6 - I hosted a "roam Winslow" gathering with a "Meet-up" group I belong to.  It is SUPPOSED to be a singles group, but that is loosely defined and now includes "formerly".  But it is all fun. Our official party is Sun. the 14th.  Dec. 9 was the Fiber Arts group from a new organization on Bainbridge - the BARN.  We had goodies, wine and instructions in making origami balloons to cover lights.  I am at about 14 out of 50 lights on the string!  The next night was the Photo Club gathering.  Three folks showed slideshows from trips and another a video montage about a person and the song she wrote.  Very interesting.  Tonight I am joining my friend Dana in Seattle for the Pathway of Lights.  She lives next to Greenlake.  We will fill our coffee mugs with hot drinks, and stroll around the lake.  Afterwards we will have a sandwich party at her house.  Next Tuesday is the Historical Museum potluck followed by the hiking club party on Wednesday.  I am trying to get Grices gathered at my house sometime in the up-coming weeks.  The day after Christmas, I host a brunch potluck for the hiking club.  With all this going on, I am not having a party here this year.

This month I was surprised by an announcement from Votre Vu, the skin care company I have been a salesperson for.  They are closing their doors on Jan. 2.  I quickly put in an order to stock up, as I love their products.  A day later they closed the website due to a huge inundation. It was a fun endeavor, but I think I am ready to let that sort of activity slip away into memory!

December will also be remembered as the time to reflect back on my dad.  I have worked to put together a slide show of his life and wrote my little eulogy for the service at his community.  My siblings and any other extended family that wants to join us, will gather in May near his birthday to have a graveside ceremony.  

Have a great holiday everyone, whatever and however you may celebrate!!!  I wish for more peace in the new year.  I don't know if it is just the media, but I feel a spike in hatred.  Time to bring on the love!  Hugs to all.