Soccer, vampires, bull-riding, and all the good stuff...

We attended a benefit rodeo last night, It was my first. I have to say that my favorite event was the barrel racing. Watching the horses speed around the barrels reminded me of BMX motocross racing as they lean way over. Beautiful animals. I still wonder how bull-riding came into being. At what point did someone ever say..."you know...I'm gonna ride a bull". What could have been the motivating factor? It sure doesn't look like much fun and it is unpredictable and dangerous. There are other ways to get an adrenaline rush.

The weather has eased into a more summery feeling now. Lovely 70 degree temperatures and clear, blue skies. Hooray! We got some chairs for the front porch yesterday which expends the "sit outside" opportunities. John put the rhody in the ground last weekend, right at the end of the porch. It will look very nice there. It's a small one, only getting to about 3 feet. Perfect. I got a couple of well-started tomato plants yesterday at a church rummage/plat/bake sale. We'll see if we can actually grow a few fresh tomatoes yet this season. All the cool-weather vegetables are growing well.

John was busy last week while he was down in California. And he arrived late on Thursday as his flight out of San Francisco was delayed. Makes for a long and tiring day. Still, I think the trade-off is that he has a short commute when he's at the house. My office was moved to a more permanent space last week. We're still in the hospital for now, but know that within 2 years we'll be off-site somewhere as they expand the recently opened Heart and Vascular Center into the space we currently inhabit. That's the word on the street anyway. Our department is all together again after 6 months of being spread over 4 locations when the former digs flooded. And I am accepted into the University of Washington's Certificate Program for E-Learning Design and Development. I will start in the Fall for the 9 month program. Go Huskies!

Our trip last weekend to Forks, WA was lovely. On the way I think we experienced all 4 seasons of Washington weather. It took about 3 hours one-way, passing through Sequim (least amount of rainfall north of Los Angeles), Port Angeles (where you can hop a ferry to Vancouver Island), Crescent Lake, and the beautiful Olympic National Park. There is lots to explore and many future trips in store. But the goal was Forks and that's where we stopped Sunday to look around. Some of you might be familiar with Forks as the setting for the storyline in the Twilight book and movie series. It's curious that this little town of 3,000 would be a small stop on the way to somewhere else but for the fame it's achieved in these stories. It's a very small, not quaint, town with perhaps one stoplight. Since the books, however, people come from all over to see the mundane setting for the stories. The hardware store where Bella worked, the high school, the house, etc., etc. There are at least 4 "Twilight" stores in town, far outnumbering any other kind of storefront. And every other place sells at least a minimum of some Twilight memorabilia. They even have van tours of the various movie icons. Would the books not have happened, I think Forks would be the kind of place you travel through on the way to some  place interesting. Maybe a lunch stop (which is what we did). Still, it was fun and we spent the day just talking and looking and enjoying something new. Happy Father's Day :-)

This morning brings the England v. Germany game in the World Cup and it's not going too well for our side if the sounds coming from downstairs are any indication. Yesterday, we watched the swan song for the USA team. So, after the game we will get on with the day for Team Grant. Some groceries, some gardening, etc. Right now, I should be giving some support to the "crazies section" in the living room....

Bits and Pieces..

The shiny red mower was repaired this week. An impact wrench accomplished it in under 10 minutes and the nice repairman didn't even charge for it. It has been useful since then as we have tried to capture every sunny moment to get the lawn/meadow/jungle clearing under control. Too many wet days have allowed it to get very long and the ground is still sodden in places. But it is slowly turning to drier days and more sun and the ground is drying out. There is also a nifty trailer that attaches to the tractor and it has been useful for hauling off much of the grass cuttings.

We applied for "open space" status on 8.5 acres of our property; the wooded part. The application was approved and we will see a 60% reduction in the property taxes on that part of the land. The caveat is that the land is open to the public but restricted to educational or scientific use and only with our permission. Sounds pretty reasonable.

We attended a local soccer match last night. The Kitsap Pumas are a Professional Development Team for the Seattle Sounders. It was fun to watch and to be close to the field. I don't know a lot about soccer (I leave that to my resident soccer guru), but the ball kept moving, the players appeared to be hustling, and once in a while they scored. They won 4-1. And there were about 4 more tries that hit the post and didn't go in. There were just over 600 people in attendance (which means the "crazies" section was about 6 people). Good fun and fresh (somewhat chilly) air.

Our local bird population is ever-changing. We began with one pair of American Goldfinches some weeks ago. They seemed to have put the word out and now we see as many as 5 pairs hanging around. Maybe more.There are 4 on the feeder in the photograph.  They have a lovely color against the green trees. The hummingbirds have decreased in number but a couple still frequent the hanging fuchsias on the porch.

Today we will take a day trip to Forks, WA on the Olympic Peninsula. We'll leave about 9am and enjoy an outing. Should be a fun day. Tomorrow is the solstice, the longest day. And summer promises to start. Enjoy the possibilities....

Maybe Today...

Drat! I broke the shiny new riding lawn mower/tractor! Just like that. No more than 10 minutes in to the long awaited experience of mowing while sitting, I hit a rock that completely bent the shiny new mower blade which caused it to bend, damage the housing, and stop the mower dead in its few tracks. We drove to Sears for a new blade and a longer wrench (because the bugger is darned difficult to remove), came home, took a break to watch (more) soccer, and then tried to get the old blade off and a new one on. John gave it his all while I "assisted" (asking questions like "Are you going counterclockwise?" and "Are you sure you've got it on the right thingee?"....all the helpful things). We finally agreed to pay someone to come out and do it. Perhaps someone with power tools. They will be here Wednesday. Meanwhile, it sits in the garage, all shiny and red.

To avenge my misdeed, I continued mowing with the regular mower. I got through about half of the lawn/meadow/jungle clearing and will be back at it today. John got in a little time preparing the fourth and final vegetable garden bed. The other three have benefited from the rain and are coming along nicely! I really need to look into ideas for dealing with (apparently a lot of) rutabagas, It's the first really nice weekend here, in the 70s and no hint of rain. Hopefully the low-lying areas of the "lawn" will begin to dry out. I look forward to sitting out on the deck in the evenings, chatting about nothing of consequence, and just breathing in fresh air.

We spent the evening with friends last night attending a fundraiser at a local sports bar for the local Domestic Violence group. It was a comedy night with a not-too-awful comedian all the way from Denver! It was fun nonetheless. I'm easy to please and enjoyed the company and the laughs.And the Guinness.

John was away in Cali last week per our routine. He missed out on the first thunderstorm accompanied by some really hard rain! But the week seemed to go by quickly. Still working on that little project for the purse. When the fabric was cut and prepped, there was a mismatch in size with the crocheted hemp squares. I decided to make larger fabric squares and go from there. But I need to get more fusible webbing and I haven't been able to get to the store to do that (working cuts into my time that way). And, of course, yesterday was spent fretting over the lawn mower incident. Maybe today.

I think that could be a new motto: Maybe today...

Just a Little Weekend...

Well, that week went by quickly! Today brings the serious promise of sunshine, decent temps, and the monthly Farm Breakfast! Afterwards we are going into the burg to participate in the celebration of National Trails Day by going on a walk with the Kitsap Volkssporters. We'll do the 5K walk as we have lots of other things to attend to in this too-short weekend. But I'm sure we'll discover some new places and new people.

We have become fans of chef Rick Bayliss recently. He does Mexican food unlike the usual fare at so many Mexican restaurants. I had a craving for it last evening only to arrive home and find that John had gone into the market and gathered everything to prepare a dish from our new cookbook. Yummy sauce was simmering and we finished up in a joint venture to get it on the table as fast as possible :-) Very yummy. Enchiladas that weren't rolled, but folded and with the chicken, etc. on top. Drizzled with a little creme fraiche and sprinkled with cilantro. Definitely a keeper and guest-worthy.

All three garden beds have been planted! We have a myriad of little crops coming up: peas, carrots, fennel, beets, kale, rutabaga (swede to my UK friends), and now lettuce, garlic winter squash ,and beans. There are still potatoes and sprouts to go in. And we'll plant some cherry tomatoes separately.The berries that are everywhere (considered an invasive weed up here) are in bloom and starting to form berries. Lots of them. I see lots of jam-making in my future (and lots of jam to give away). John has retrieved the plans for the shed and adapted the dimensions to 10'x20'. Next Friday will herald the arrival of the much-anticipated garden tractor.

I am working on making a purse from squares of crocheted hemp fiber and variously colored fabric. I'll get the hemp squares blocked out today and the fabric cut and fused for assembling. Just a little project. Just a little weekend...

Balancing the Scales

"Long weekend"....big sigh. It has been great to have extra, uncommitted time. And I took Friday off as well to indulge even more. Actually, the "life in balance" scales were becoming precariously weighted on the "work" side and some adjustment was necessary. The extra days have helped.

Besides some regular errands on Saturday, I had time for some retail therapy on Friday and to follow through on some other things that I have been wanting to, well, you know....follow through on. John and I celebrated our 11th anniversary on Saturday (the Steel Anniversary). Last year it was spent unloading furniture that had just arrived. This year we went into the burg for dinner at Sogno di Vino and had a lovely time. And since it was the so-called "Steel" anniversary, we bought our riding lawn tractor/mower! There's sure to be some steel in that. Sunday we Skyped with some friends far away and talked about plans for traveling together in 2011. Today I will lunch with my friend from California who moved to Poulsbo also. All good stuff :-)

The weather has not moved into summer as we had anticipated. We can only compare it to last year when it was sunny and in the high 70s at this time. We are still under cloudy skies and off and on rain. So eating on the deck and BBQs haven't begun in earnest yet. The good side to this is that the ground is still workable which is helping John as he continues to prep the final garden bed.

So, I'm off to thoroughly enjoy this day. I wish the same for you....

The Body Count...

Mice. I really don't like them. Actually they are kind of cute, but I have a long and deep-seated fear of them. Makes no sense (but neither does my discomfort with bridges). But it's there nonetheless. There were two in my car this winter. Three more in the garage. All of them went by way of a trap and some tasty peanut butter. Then this morning, as I was going through the morning "chores" at 5am (starting coffee, feeding animals, opening eyes...) I noticed a small "lump" behind the loveseat, which, on closer inspection (from a distance of about 6 feet), turned out to be a mouse! Number 6. Immediate and involuntary screaming ensued. Mine. Normally, I would jump on a tall object (not as tall as in my earlier years perhaps, but still a safe place off the ground), do more screaming, and let the "man of the house" deal with this. It's a system that has worked for me over many decades. Unfortunately, said "man" is out of town this week. System aborted. I was stuck.

So, lots more screaming happened as I tried to determine if there was any chance the little bugger was just shining me on and pretending to be dead, only to mount a surprise attack if I got close enough to sweep it out of the house (my strategy). And, as if to validate my fear, it moved as I edged closer. Lots more screaming. Perhaps it would leave of its own accord just to be rid of the deafening noise? It didn't move much. Just wiggled a leg or something. Still, I've seen Terminator. And that scene where you think it's over and then it's not....almost made me scream right there in the theater. I tried to get Mr. Purrkins interested in carrying it out, but he wasn't interested. I tried to get Zoe to do my dirty work for me, but apparently she is highly distractible (how could I not see this before?) and wasn't focusing until I finally took action and began to sweep the intruder toward the front door. Then she snatched it!! More screaming. Mine. There was some blur of activity then with me yelling "outside!", her dropping the mouse, and me hastily sweeping it toward and out the door. What happened out there, I haven't a clue. However, when our guest cat, Roosevelt, came in from the garage (maybe he was late in coming in because of all the screaming), he immediately wandered over to the "spot" and inspected it. He had dealt with the mouse earlier! A mouser! He can stay as long as he wants...

Looking Backward and Forward...

We arrived in Poulsbo 1 year ago today. We made a good choice. It was, after all, a choice. We often likened it to the scene in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid where they are faced with jumping off a cliff to escape their otherwise certain fate and the Kid confesses he can't swim. Then Butch says "Well hell. The fall will probably kill you!" And they join hands and leap. We knew that if the fall didn't kill us, it would be a fantastic adventure. So we joined hands and leaped. The rewards have been numerous. Less stress, natural beauty everywhere you look, less noise, new things to see and do; everyday this is true. As my somewhat mundane chronicling over the past year has shared, we have made a home and a life here. A full and rich one at that.

Sometimes when John is in the Bay Area, he drives by the old house. It looks well cared for by the new owners. I'm glad the house has new people. I'm glad we are done there.That house got a second life after we remodeled it. But I don't regret for a single moment our decision to leave.

I expect this second year will bring its own discoveries. We'll settle in, put down roots (literally and figuratively), and grow our lives.

With that in mind, though John has often resisted the idea of a riding mower, we will be getting one. Soon. He can choose to use it or not, but I will most happily use it. After helping with the mowing last weekend (which I actually enjoy), it seemed clear to me that 4 times the horse power and 3 times the cutting width, while sitting down no less, would all be good things. Imagine completing the mowing in a single day! So, we may not get a riding mower for John, but we surely will get one for me! How else will he get the shed built and the vegetable gardens tended, and the berries picked, etc., etc.? Since we both work full-time, there is precious little time left for "stuff we want to do". A riding mower will help. "Nuff said.

Tonight we are going out to dance! We have finished the class and this is a sort of "graduation" event. Actually, when we remember the steps, we have improved in the past year. And if we can't recall the actual steps, we are comfortable making some up! It's all fun anyway.

On a final note, we said goodbye to one of our little "family". Atlanta (means "swift-footed huntress") was our 17 year old cat who, though small, was the clear alpha leader of the household. She embodied the notion that "it's not the size of the cat in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the cat". Katie picked her out from a litter at the local shelter. She was very wee. But she had personality and spirit to spare. She lived a good life and I'm glad she made the trip up here (we weren't sure she would survive it) because this last year she seemed to really enjoy this new place. But she had hit a rough patch these past two months and I think, when the time finally came, that she was relieved. She will be remembered fondly.

So, year two is upon us. We survived the leap of faith. Swimming onward...

There be Vikings here!

Viking Days are here! Last year we arrived a week too late to get in on the fun. But the burg holds this annual festival in honor of its Norwegian roots and this year we went to particpate in some small way. This first photo is while we waited for the parade to begin. I have no idea how many people show up for this, but we parked at the High School and took a shuttle bus in as there is no place to park. (And we walked the 30 minutes back to the car afterwards, uphill). But we bought an ice cream at the newly opened ice creamery and luckily found that one of their little tables outside had no occupants.

So, we enjoyed front row seating for the parade! And the parade lasted for 2 hours! One of our favorite entries was the "shopping cart drill team" in the next photo. They had some choreography that really went above and beyond! And of course there were the requisite Miss This or That riding on convertibles, some horseback riders (near the end, of course), some floats, miltary configurations (it's also Armed Forces weekend up here), and several marching bands. And lots of folks dressed up in Viking apparel (furskins and helmets with horns seemed to be the order of the day) or traditional Norwegian dress. There were the local high schools and middle schools represented as well as high schools from as far away as Tacoma and Everett. And they were all quite good. And we heard a lone bagpipe player who was very good (and that's not a compliment I hand out easily!). We also enjoyed lunch at our favorite fish and chips place while we were there. Left the house at noon and back by 5pm. 

Prior to leaving for the parade, we managed to put in some time in the garden. The grass in some parts has grown very long and has not been mow-able due to weather and wet ground. So this first pass is murder. I managed to trim around the house and help remove some of the rocks from the rockery (otherwise  known as our vegetable garden beds). We did not manage to plant the dogwood tree or the rhody last weekend. We'll have a go at it today. Or maybe we won't. There is still more grass to mow and trim which is higher on the priority list.

It seems as if, all at once, summer appears here. The daylight has extended itself from just before 5am until 9:30pm and will grow even longer the next few weeks. The weather has turned a corner with temperatures finally reaching the 70s. And people are taking full advantage of it. They're out and about in larger numbers, dressed in summer clothing (70 degrees means shorts and tank tops up here).Next week marks one year in this not-so-new-anymore place. Stay tuned...

May on the Sound...

We have turned the corner on spring now. It's a little chilly (mid-30 degree range) in the mornings yet, but edging into the 60s reliably during the day. Everything is fresh and green. We visited a lovely nursery last weekend and brought home a pink dogwood tree, a rhododendron with yellow flowers striped with a dark orange, and a few small plants for the garden. There was so much to see that we didn't get through half of it and will return for another visit. We are hoping to get the tree and the rhody in the ground today. We picked up the horse manure last weekend and some of it has been tilled into one of the vegetable garden beds. The rest is waiting to go into the other two once they have been cleared of rocks and are tillable. But we have some peas planted. That's a start. John has been challenged to mow the yard/meadow/jungle clearing because it is still very wet in many places.

We did, in fact, go dancing last weekend and had a fun time meeting some new folks and just creating chaos on the dance floor. If only we could remember the steps that we practice so diligently in class once we are on our own! Oh well. The band was very good. Our dance class is having a "graduation party" after the last class in this cycle in 2 weeks time. We've signed up to go again.

Yesterday we went by ferry into Seattle and walked over to Qwest Stadium to watch the Seattle Sounders play the LA Galaxy (that's soccer, or football to my international friends). There were 36,000 in attendance, some fireworks, flyovers, confetti, a band, a "crazies section"; all the necessary things I guess. The club is well-supported up here and it seems to be what baseball once was for families and accessible sporting events. Oh yeah, they lost 4-0 to LA (who are the leading team in the west). We are going to watch the local club (the Kitsap Pumas) next and see what we think.

Today we are going into the burg to visit the Marine Science Center. There are many local things of interest that are on my list of "places to see and do" now. Another one is the Grover's Creek Salmon Hatchery that is run by the Suquamish tribe. It's literally just down the road. After we visit the Center, we'll try out the newly opened ice cream shop in town so I can report back :-)

Lastly, we have 4 hummingbirds frequenting the feeder on the front porch these days. They are very interesting to watch as they maneuver around and with each other. And they are very tiny compared to the ones we had in California. At the other end of the bird spectrum, John saw another bald eagle this week and lovely red-tailed hawk doing a lazy flyover. Looking forward to what the new week will bring...

May Day Basket...

We're almost here a year! How quickly it has gone by. We still love this new place and think ourselves very fortunate to have been able to take the leap.

John is back from the Bay Area once again. While he was away, we had some rain and some sun (usually in the same day). It was good for the herbs I planted last weekend. And good for me since I didn't have to water them. Last weekend, John cleared all the rocks from one of the three garden patches. Today, we will  pick up a load of horse manure from a co-worker who has 2 "rescue horses". Once that is tilled under, we should be able to start planting a few vegetables.

We're going dancing tonight. Real dancing. Not lessons. I give John kudos for doing this. He clearly does it just for me as dancing is not on his list of "things I really want to do". He knows I enjoy music and dancing and is willing to put himself out there just for that reason enough. Thank you my dear :-) We even have fun!

Other items of minimal interest to anyone else: we have a steady (and we think round-the-clock) stream of birds at the feeders these days. Especially the little thistle seed eaters (chickadees, finches, etc.). They are plowing through the seed at a speedy pace. The nut eaters have backed off for now. I suspect they are finding other food available in the woods now.What is left of the seeds and nuts, the lone, skittish squirrel is finishing. He's quite an acrobat. The house martins have reappeared and seem to be shopping for the right place to build a new house (on our house).

We're off the breakfast at the Farm House this morning. It's a once-a-month opportunity that we enjoy and anticipate. A good start to the weekend. So, Happy May Day to you all. Enjoy...

Life on the Homestead...

Houston. I spent a few days there last week.. Don't think I'd enjoy living there and was glad to get back home. The conference was good as most are. I learned a few things and gained some new perspectives (since it wasn't a nursing conference). Still, it's better to be home.

John managed quite well with the nurse duties for Atlanta (means "swift-footed huntress"), our elderly cat. She's looking none the worse for the experience (and neither is he). He will return to the Bay Area this week again and the house will have that "less-full" feeling for a few days. Funny how presence can be felt even when it's quiet. He will be missed for a few days.

If the weather would cooperate, we would get our garden planted and the lawn/meadow/jungle clearing mowed. It is going to need a hay baler if the ground doesn't dry out soon so we can "mow". Maybe we need a few rent-a-goats.

We went to dance class last night. Next weekend, we've been invited to go out and actually "dance". Scary thought. But we'll give it a whirl (figuratively, since I don't actually "whirl"). We are knackered by the end of each class. I'm certain it gets easier when one actually knows what to do without so much thought. I just hope that happens soon!

For the weekend, there are the usual necessary errands and tasks that can't be accomplished when both people work full-time during the week. A visit to the post office to retrieve yet another package, the Farmers Market, some grocery shopping, and a trip to Costco is needed for a few things in large quantities. Laundry, housecleaning, and the dog needs a "pedicure" (really just nail clipping, but she doesn't like to hear that). The weather is a bit iffy today, so tomorrow will be the outdoor day. Predicted to be sunny and 60 degrees. I've been collecting new fabrics to start another quilt project. This one will be a landscape  hanging that looks very much like our Pacific Northwest area here. Just one in the queue. Down the line there are chickens, the Grand Canyon, bears, etc., etc. I'll break into the soccer matches on TV to get a few things marked off the "honey-do" list as well :-) We're approaching the anniversary of our move in a few weeks. Seems like we've been here longer, but the time has surely flown!

Have a good one....I know I will :-)

Home and Away...

Eleven months in. Spring is doing its thing here. Lots of new greenery and the Scotch Broom is coming out everywhere. Not a native plant, but it does lend lovely yellow color to the roadsides. Our new fruit trees are thriving. And the remaining 2 lilac bushes arrived this week for planting today or tomorrow. My herb boxes for the deck also arrived and I will begin filling them just in time for al fresco dining! The Farmers Market in town has finally resumed and I will visit it today on my "rounds".

John was away last week and this week I will be in Houston through Wednesday. Attending a conference there. He will have to take over the nurse duties for our elderly feline patient while I'm gone. She's looking better. Finally.

Also, I have not had my hair cut in a year. They say the two hardest people to leave behind when you move are your doctor and your hairdresser. I will take the plunge and visit a new stylist today. Nothing drastic. Just some freshening up a bit. I'm liking it longer for now.

So, it's been a quiet week. Lots of errands and "stuff" to accomplish today before I leave tomorrow. So, I'll fininsh this coffee that I made too strong this morning and get on with it. See ya....

Natural High...

It doesn't get much better than this! Washing dishes after supper last evening and saw this beautiful eagle fly by (low) and then land on a tree across the road. They are large! We stood and watched him for several minutes before thinking we'd better get a photo.This is the second one we've seen in as many days. He sat for a long-ish time and his head turned this way and that surveying the area. Hope Mr. Peabody (our local rabbit) keeps out of sight!

Life Surprises...

Sometimes the week just takes you. What's that about 'Life is what happens while you make other plans"? We've had a week of unexpected vet visits (and bills!) for our elderly cat who, we now know, has hyperthyroidism, high blood pressure, a heart murmur, and kidney impairment. And severe arthritis for which she is currently getting some heavy painkillers. She's rallying some but there are limits to how much we can invest. Health care reform hasn't addressed the animal medical system yet! Still, she's a tough old bird and has plenty of spirit. We'll hang in there with her for a while.

John has been home this week so he has been charged with going here and there, following up on our various odds and ends. We signed on with a new insurance company so there was some to and fro to get that completed and implemented.

Meanwhile, my work environment has continued to feel the destabilizing forces that come with change and people are either riding the wave or grabbing hold of any available piece of driftwood to stay above the water. Not all have learned to swim and are waiting to be "rescued". It's Darwin's theory at work. Only the swimmers will survive. And if you can surf, even better. Meanwhile there is a lot of splashing and flailing about in the water.

On the home front, a couple of things have happened. John planted the fruit trees last weekend (two apples and an apricot). And he has almost completed clearing the plots for the first two raised beds for planting. He goes out after he finishes work each evening and works a little. It promises to be a lovely, sunny weekend and he should make good progress today and tomorrow. The boxes I ordered for my herbs should arrive any day as well. They will fit right over the railing on the deck so I will have the herbs handy for cooking. I'll put the rosemary in a separate pot on the deck as I know how large it will grow. And the last two lilac bushes should be here soon. They are in route now. We'll get those in the ground so we can begin to enjoy the heady fragrance before long.

Since we have installed and maintained the bird feeders, the birds have responded with constant activity. We have three different kinds of woodpeckers as regulars, flickers, blue jays, robins, mourning doves, chickadees, an American goldfinch, and some small seed eating brown birds unidentified as yet. More appear weekly. Last week there was a gray whale in Liberty Bay in Poulsbo. We didn't have an opportunity to see it, but I guess it's not unusual. One of the mink was killed on the road nearby and we are sad about that. But Mr. Peabody (the rabbit) is back and we had a nervous squirrel on the bird feeder this week.

We started our Latin ballroom dance classes last evening. I think we managed to retain something from the lessons we had previously! It seemed a little easier somehow. Anyway, when we arrived, I saw another member in the class that looked very familiar. I couldn't place her as I ran through all the places I thought I might have seen her locally. Finally, as we went to leave, she stopped us and introduced herself. She was having the same "I know her from someplace" experience but she had actually thought to check the names on the attendance roster. We worked together in Fremont at Palo Alto Medical! I remember when she left but I hadn't known where she moved. It was Poulsbo! Of course, we both look slightly different (do I admit "older"?), but what a delight it is to see her, meet her husband, and plan for get togethers. They have been here a bit longer than us, so they have some "local" knowledge to share with the more recent transplants.

So, it's off to my weekend now. We'll talk later ;-)

Dancing with the stars...

There was wild-ness in the weather yesterday. Blowing winds and lots of rain, even some snow in some places locally. We escaped without any power outages. And what's that about April showers? The flowers cannot be far behind :-)

John's flight was delayed yesterday so he arrived late last night. We will go to the once-a-month Farm Breakfast this morning and then off to see about new house insurance and to mail out the taxes ;-( It's supposed to be a wet weekend so not much gardening work will be done.

Our guest-cat Roosevelt has spent much of the week cozied up under the box springs of the guest bed. Wednesday he started venturing out when I would come into the room. And today he happily popped out for a tummy rub and words of encouragement. Mister Purrkins is jealous; hissing and growling at their first meeting, better last night. Atlanta (our frail senior citizen) is taking the newbie in stride. We have not let Zoe in on the festivities yet as she will certainly set Roosevelt back by months when he does encounter her. He has no experience with hardheaded brown dogs. It's a bit of a circus here just now.

My celtic harp aspirations have ended. I enjoyed the lessons but clearly not enough to practice diligently or daily. So, I have turned in my harp and will continue to enjoy others who play while I listen. It's just better that way :-) I have, however, enrolled us in Latin ballroom dancing classes beginning next Friday night. We took them in California and enjoyed them (most of the time...aside from the few times when one of us punched her partner in the stomach...). But with our retention abilities, it will be like starting fresh again. Exciting!

So, let's see where this day takes us....

Good Stuff

Well, the wall hanging is finished and hanging. I got the pattern in Arizona (on Route 66!) when we traveled through there. It's called Shaman's Dream. I love the colors and the intensity.

We had a really nice visit with daughter Karen this weekend. It was her first time to see the place. Thankfully Saturday's weather was nice and we took our time getting back from the airport; stopping for lunch, riding the ferry across, and stopping off at Central Market to pick up dinner supplies. The rest of the weekend (and I include Monday in there since I had a day off) was rainy and unpredictable. We even had a large amount of hail on Monday and lost power briefly. But we still managed to show her a few "must-see" attractions in the 'burg. Today, both she and John headed to California.

Gareth arrived on Saturday evening to deliver his cat "Roosevelt" for safekeeping while he goes off on a training venture. Except for his mad dash up the stairs and a brief reclusive stint in the bathtub, we haven't really seen much of him. He's hiding in the box springs of one of the guest beds. Comes out at night to wolf down some food and water left by the safe house, uses the litter box (apparently) and returns to his "hammock" down under. He seems like a gentle, sweet cat and I'm sure we'll get to know each other over time. After all, it only took Mister Purrkins a year and a half to sit on my lap :-)

A bald eagle flew across my path today as I was driving home. What a beautiful sight that was. We see them here and there occasionally. There is so much to look at up here. I feel like I breathe deeper just taking it in...

Doodley Doin'

Spring! Saturday! All good!

I finished that wall-hanging quilt and will shortly have a photo to share. I just need to get a couple dowel rods to put in the hanging sleeve and the bottom sleeve in order to hang it. Should be done by tomorrow.

Daughter Karen is arriving in a few hours for her first look at Poulsbo. Should be quite a culture shock from Los Angeles. Hopefully one she finds pleasant. We're off to the airport this morning. And Gareth will be coming up tonight from Portland to join the visit and to hand off his cat Roosevelt for our safekeeping while he moves to Las Vegas to pursue a job there.

No more mice have invaded my car (knock wood). Mouse #2 was caught earlier this week. Hopefully the word has gone out through the mouse community that, like Hotel California, you can check in, but you can't check out from that abode. Truly, it's rather unnerving to drive and worry about small furry things joyriding with me.

We received a note from our homeowners insurance hat they will not renew our policy this year because we are not within 1000 feet of a fire hydrant. Duh!! We live in the country!! I contacted the fire department (who are within 2 miles down the road in a shiny big station with several trucks) to find out where the nearest hydrant actually is. It's further than a mile. But they are confident that with a local agent we will not have difficulty getting a policy and a decent rate. On my agenda of "must do soon" items.

Lots of organizational changes at my work. It's undergoing quite a transformational shift. I'm far enough down the food chain that it isn't affecting me much or the work I do. At least not yet. Health care is always in a challenging state and a one-off community hospital is becoming a rarity these days. But there are some committed people there with the right ideas and I'm excited to be part of it. After months of being split apart and temporarily placed here and there (after our former digs flooded and are uninhabitable now), our department will finally be moving to a permanent location in the next month. That will be good.

So, the weekend is underway. Gotta go....

Clash of the Titans (not the movie)

Spring and Winter are hard at it. It seems like the transitions from Spring to Summer to Fall to Winter go along fairly smoothly. One fades into the other and there it is. But Spring and Winter both want to claim March and the battle is pretty fierce. Green is budding everywhere, daffodils are smiling, and then there's frost each morning, wind and rain. It's a much more dynamic shift than the other seasons. And of course the mere humans that live it are chomping at the bit to realize Spring and participate in all those plans in the making pent up over the winter months. We're cheering for Spring.

We had a beautiful few days this week which culminated yesterday with temperatures well into the 60s and, in some areas south of us, the 70s. Windows were opened, grass was cut. I got some African violets for the recently added plant stand in the dining room. Things seem a little "fresher".

We went to a newly opend "pub" in the burg called the Hound and Hare for dinner. Wanted to see if they actually captured the pub atmosphere since I haven't seen it happen yet over here (in the U.S.). They didn't. It is now in the category of "had to try it, but won't go back". A pub is a hard thing for Americans to truly appreciate or replicate. I can say this because I am one of those Americans and I love to visit pubs in the U.K. for just that experience that so eludes us over here. It's much more than the menu or the beer that is served. Although that is certainly part of it. I love pub food and wholly disagree with those who persist in proclaiming British food to be bland and boring. One wonders where these poor folks are eating. I haven't had that experience. Ever. Not in pubs, not in restaurants, certainly not in my friends' homes. Okay...maybe in the motorway cafes. I'll give you that one. Thankfully that's a rare experience. So, to return to Poulsbo...the Hound and Hare made a poor showing. Not as bad as a motorway cafe. Not nearly as good as other favorite local venues. And not one British dessert on the menu! That capped it.

I hung up the wind chime  intended to deter the wily woodpecker that has claimed out house as his "local". I haven't seen him at his spot though John believes he may have been there briefly on Friday. But while composing this blog entry, I have heard him and his little jackhammer working away somewhere. Possibly on a new spot on the house. This means war! I wouldn't mind him calling on us, but he leaves holes! I have no idea what will deter him. I expect there will be a lot of yelling and waving. It's the best I've got in my artillery.

It looks like it will be a quiet day today; some rain is starting to fall. Winter is not ready to capitulate just yet...

Thar She Blows...

A big windstorm blew in yesterday afternoon. The hospital went on generator power about 1:30, but wind was hardly noticed as the cause. But when I arrived home the power was still out here and there was a fair amount of debris on the roads during the trip. So, gate to the driveway closed (I figured this out after pressing the transmitter about 10 times!), I parked the car off the road and trekked in (all 50 - 100 yards?). After I fed the animals and opened the mail, there wasn't much else that could be accomplished, so I practiced the harp for the recommended 30 minutes. Then, because we can't get a cell phone signal at the house (down in the hollar) and I knew John would be phoning in per the routine, I left and went in to town so I could chat with him and have some dinner. I ended up at a Japanese restaurant and enjoyed it very much. It's been well over a year since I have been to one. And it was packed with many other Tuesday night/power out at home diners. Once back at the house, I practiced he harp some more (I'm getting quite reasonable at those scales) and then lit (lots) of candles by which I read until time for bed. I alos rustled up a regular phone that works without electricity. Added the heaviest blanket we own to the bed, some socks on my feet, and considered how much light and noise the house usually generates when it's powered. It was very still and very dark and I slept wonderfully. At least until 4am when the Z-dog stirred and we were up for the day. I am thankful that I have a shower and some coffee on-site available to me this morning. The power came back about 1am if the clocks are any indication. That's my drama for the week. Take care...

Spring Ahead...

It's interesting to me the way people say "It's a gloomy day" or the "weather is gloomy" in response to rain or overcast days. I heard someone (on their cell phone...in the seat next to me....don't get me started) describe Minneapolis where we stopped over en route from Tampa Wednesday as " it's gloomy here" because it was overcast and raining. That sort of stuck with me as people "warned" us that the Pacific Northwest would be "raining a lot". Has it been gloomy? I never think of it that way. I think of those days as the quiet ones; it's like the sky is a big, cozy quilt and the day is just "quieter". Not that it's rained that much anyway. We are a couple weeks away from the time we visited last year to go through the house inspection and the weather was bursting with Spring then. So, maybe the day isn't "gloomy" but the person describing it is? Something to think about.

John planted some wild roses and some "Ocean Spray" trees yesterday while I was at the Symposium (which was very good, by the way). The trees and roses are native and will grow quite large, filling in the hedgerow along the side of the lawn/meadow/jungle clearing by the road. There are more to plant but the Dogwood trees and the other roses prefer moist soil, so they will go nearer to the wetland on the other side. The daffodils and crocus are putting on a display now too and we can actually see the creek as we look into the woods. It has seemed to grow with winter. We're not threatened in any way by it; it's pretty far away and we're on higher ground even if it did breach the edge of the woods. But it won't.

I will do a little grocery shopping this morning and then I will get the quilt project out again and work on the binding. It's pinned to the quilt so all that's left is the stitching. It should be finished quite soon and I will post a picture. Then I can move on to the next one! Finally, I feel as though we have settled in enough that there is time and space to do these things reliably. And I have a stash to work through during the "quiet" days.

I just remembered that the clocks went back last night. It's later than I think!