A Keewee Lunch...

I met Keewee for Luch today, and it is the first time we had actually seen each other. We have talked on the phone several times, but never actually met.

One of the questions I like to ask new people is "how did you find my blog?" She found me through GINCO LEAVES. Now how did Ginco find me? I have no clue. I saw keewee in my comments, and checked out her blog and found out she lives right over there ^^^^! I thought Phyllis and I were the only Bloggers on Whidbey because every time I mention blogging people look at me like WHA...?

Any Way Keewee is from New Zealand, and has been here for about 14+ years. (I forgot how long!) Her entire family is still there, but her heart is here and so is she.

GincoLeaves is from South Africa, now, maybe she knows WIndspirit and Vanessa. I love to know how people found me.

Last night I was googling Harvest Moon or something similar, and the #1 hit was LIFE AFTER NEXCOM mentioning both Phyllis and myself. ????? It is so strange how searches go.

Keewee and DIck And Phyllis and I are going to have to all meet for lunch, coffee, tea, or just for fun real soon.

How did you find my blog? All you non-blog writers lurking out there, How did YOU find me? Carla, Mary Lou/Tx and the others...I'm sure curious.

Blogging is such a pleasure, and through it you meet the dearest people! I just wish one of us would win the big lottery so we can all get together and meet in person. Michelle?


UPDATE on CAITLIN:

Some of you know that I have a teenaged friend who found out she had cancer in her leg, and had to go in for chemo last year. Well she has been through it for the past year and a half, and I got this from her Mom tonight!

She's finally DONE with the chemo!!! last one 09/29/2006...Did happy dance with nurses, doc says get outta here. She's sleeping now, have to get the blood counts up by Friday, (have to be able to go to homecoming...) then the following week final scans, central line out, and Oct 16 home!!!
Guess I need to figure out how to cook again.

more later, seems I was in hospital with her this week, forgot to go to work - chatter later!!!
Hope all's well in the various parts of the country

Thank Goodness!! Now she can do her Senior year with HAIR!

Roaming...

When I was a little girl, one of my most favorite things to do was to go roaming with my Dad. We didn’t go anyplace special, we just went. There was no television to rule the spare time we had. And Dad did not like sports anyway, so weekends and evenings were spent roaming around and discovering.

Adventures is what they were. Mom usually threw some bread, bologna and mayonnaise into a bag and off we would go. Mom was usually in her sleeveless sun dress, Dad usually in an old aloha shirt with two pockets on the front. Both pockets were usually crammed as full as he could get them. One held his cigarettes and lighter, and the other held his sunglasses, or pocket protector full of pens. Phyllis and I would have on pedal pusher outfits that Mom had made from left over dresses.

We would pile into the old car, and off we would go. Depending on where we were stationed would set the scene for where we would go exploring. Roads meant nothing to Dad, and we would head where ever he felt the car would go, road or not. We never got stuck, but I sure do remember some pretty hairy roads along high lava cliffs in Hawaii.

We always had scratches on our cars, and I can remember being embarrassed as I got older at how junky the car always looked. IT was full of any and all emergency supplies you could think of. We had axes, and shovels and ropes, and saws, and shotguns, and shells, and blankets, and water bags, and burlap bags and newspapers and anything that Dad may have found lying along side the road. He was a great improviser!

Dad always drove with his left arm resting on the open window frame, and steered with his right hand up at the 12 o’clock position. He always had one arm browner than the other one, and any chance he could get he would have his shirt off and his bare chest would be getting the sun also.

I don’t ever remember my Dad behind the wheel without a cigarette in his mouth. He smoked Pall Mall reds, or I guess in those days it was camels. No filters! Nope! He always had the cigarette in the corner of his mouth, he could smoke the whole thing down with out even touching it with his hand. He would let the ash get as long as it could then he would aim the left side of his mouth out the window and then blow the ash off, still keeping his lips attached to the butt of the cigarette. Needless to say his pockets were always full of ashes too, and all of his shirts had cigarette burns in them.

Saturday afternoon I was driving down along the Keystone Spit, going to the Store in Coupeville, and I had the window open and my arm resting on the open window frame, Not really worried about getting there any time soon, and the sun was nice and warm, but not hot beating through the windshield, and I felt him right beside me. I could smell the cigarette smoke and almost turned around to tell him to put it out! Then I remembered he was gone, but not in spirit. He was there...we were roaming. It felt good.

Our Town

ourtown

The Pulitzer Prize winning play by Thornton WIlder is in production right now. We started rehearsing a month ago, and we open on October 13.

This is a short run becasue it is an off-season show. The season has been chosen, and there was a space that we could stick an easy to produce play into, so DOttie wanted to direct a play and I suggested it be Our TOwn. No set is needed, it is all imagination, the house and bedroom windows are two step ladders.

It is the story of life in a simpler time, New England in 1904. Life, birth, growing up, falling in love and marrying, and death are all seen through the eyes of the Stage Manager. It is a heartwarming play, that almost everyone has either seen, been in or knew someone in during high school.

If you get the chance, go see it, it is an attitude adjuster, and you will be richer for it.

Fall has come with a BANG! Literally!! I was sound asleep and about 230 BAM! then rumble, rumble rumble and then the rain started!! It Poured and poured!! It got down to 40 last night, and with the clouds clearing it just might get to the 30's tonight!

I have been watching my tomatoes try to ripen for the past few weeks, and I got one so far. I have about ten almost blushing and yesterday I saw the Grey Squirrel, Susie, running down the top of the fence line with a big green tomato stuck in her Mouth! THIEF!!!! She was so proud of her self. head held high and tail swishing away she went to her hole in the tree top!

I actually have Lola coming when I call her! SHe wont let me get close, but when I call her and whistle, she comes. COuld it be that she actually thinks I am the one putting out the Sunflower seeds and nuts for her? Foolish squirrel!

I gave Bea a left over corn on the cob the other night and she was so funny eating it. SHe had her back feet on either side of her front feet holding it down, and was munching away just like a typewriter! so FUNNY!!! Then this morning I noticed that the COB was GONE!! She ate the whole THING!!! I hope she can pass it without hurting herself!

She really is having fun running all over the house again. Being caged up for three months was hard on her. I would not let her on the subflooring as it was OSB board, and I was not sure what the glue was, and bunnies do chew.

SAdie is having fun chasing the neighborhood cats out of the yard, and my cats are pissed because they cant get out. After losing chitters, (SOB!!!) I will NOT let them out side at all!

THe grass is starting to grow again with all the rain, so this weekend I will have to get out the mower again. (ugh) Maybe two more times before it is safe to store it for the winter.

I have a big project ahead of me. I asked Bob to rototill me a garden spot, because I just bought over three hundred flower bulbs at Costco and they need to be planted before November. Next Spring I will have some pretty flowers to post about! (IF that is I can get Bob to get it done!) Wish me luck!

Tim...

I left the Island at 845, and made it all the way over to the Hoh Rainforest, and turned off of 101. I drove up Hoh river rd to the rain forest, and did not see the Olympic corrections center, so I figured I must have missed it.

Being the always prepared girl scout that I am, I stopped in Forks at the Olympic National Park headquarters, and bought two maps. SO I pulled over and drug them out and found out that I was on the rd on the WRONG side of the river. SO I head the 25 miles back to the Hiway 101, and headed down it another 5 miles, to the Hoh MAINLINE Rd. Which is not, by the way, signed. IT had a small little sign that said OCC that way. Nothing else. SO I turned on the rd, which was paved nicely, and headed up it. No signs, no mileposts, no mailboxes, no traffic, no houses, NOTHING! NADA. Just about the time I was about to turn around, I saw a faded sign on the trees saying not to pick up hitch hikers, wa. correction center. AHA!!! Getting close!

Nothing else for another couple of miles. THen a really pretty carved sign and a very landscaped area around a big mailbox, which was the place! I turned in and followed the sign to the parking spots, and the visitors center. THere were bunnies hopping all over, and deer munching on the flowers that were planted all around the edges of the green grass.


occ

I went in and they called Tim down. I got to touch him and give him a big huge hug! That felt so GOOD! He has gained about 20 lbs, all from working the kitchen crew at the fire. Sheesh. BUT, He is going back tomorrow, and this time he will be working the fire line, as he came back and passed his "Pack" test, and showed he was qualified to fight fires. He has been on fire watch in the rain forest for the past week. POURING RAIN...and dripping. But he saw a big black bear and lots of elk as he was way up into the forest all most up to Mt. Olympus. He is loving it!

I told him that he was supposed to WANT to get out of there. He laughed. THere are no locked gates, and he is in minimum security, so he is well cared for. I can rest easy, that my baby is safe!

He had his birthday sans presents and cake, but he got to see his mommie! that counted for something. I made it back to the Ferry landing in about 3 hours, which was good, because I got home before dark. THe sun was setting just as the clouds were clearing off, so I got a couple of cool pictures. One of the clouds, and one of the reflections on the water.

Enjoy!!


sunset



water

The Olympic Rainforest...

1

Saturday I went to see my SOn who is on the Olympic Penninsula right smack dab in the middle of the Rain Forest. I snapped a few pictures of a section just off the highway.



2

Take a real hard look at the size of the stumps there. They are bigger than my car was. ANd these are second growth Cedars!!



3

Can you imagine what this area must have looked like when the WHiteman first came here? Trees as big as a house! and thick and dripping with moss. THe loggers had a heyday in the 30's when they first cut it down. and ever since then they have beem clearcutting and raping this land. You can believe what you would like, but in truth, we have GOT to start conserving our natural wildernesses or there will be none left.

THis is what it looks like now on Public land, not protected by the National Park.
It hits you right smack in the face as you drive along highway 101. Yes, weyerhauser and Georgia Pacific and Plum Creek all are doing their part to reforest the land, but it all comes down to the fact that they are doing it fast enough, and they are not stopping the loggers from denuding areas not in the public eye.
Not only are we losing our trees, but we are losing the habitat for the natural wild animals also.

When the loggers cut the trees, the land is eroded into the gravel streams, which then become murky with mud. THe salmon then can not spawn in those streams as they are too clogged with silt to allow them the gravel beds they need to lay their eggs.
SO think about it every time you want to vote for incursion into WIlderness areas. It just is not worth it. SOon there will be no more Salmon, Steelhead, Trout, Elk, Bears, COugars and no more virgin growth forests to wonder at.



4

From Port ANgeles on around on Highway 101 and down to Aberdeen, there is only one town, FOrks, and it is small. so get a map out, seriously, and look at Washington State, and the Olympic Penninsula. and see just how much land there is there, and it is all being harvested.

Now go straight up into Canada and look at the size of Vancouver Island, and realize that it also is being logged and raped. I flew over both of these places on my way to Alaska and the rivers were all running brown with mud, way into the Strait, and into the Pacific Ocean, and all of the Mountain tops On Vancouver Island were denuded and treeless. It is so sad people! Makes you want to cry!

The rain Forest...

Tomorrow I will be off bright and early to catch the first ferry off to THe Olympic Penninsula, and then a 4 hour drive along Lake Crescent, through the edge of the Olympic National Park and through the Indian reservations, and then along the rugged Washington Coast to the Hoh River. The Hoh River is the Home of the Olympic Rain Forest, where there is more rain than anywhere else on the coast.

It is also the trail head of the prettiest trail in the park, and the Hoh River head waters. It is also where the Olympic Correction Center is and my SOn TIm.

Tim passed his Pack test this week, and is now qualified to fight on the fire line, and is on call for the next fire team to go. I told him that if he got called to let me know, as I did not want to get all the way over there and find him over in Eastern Wash again! With all the rain we have had, yesterday and today there shouldnt be any new fires, unless they are started by lightning.

I probably wont be back to blog until Sunday evening, and maybe not even then, as I have a date to meet Barbara for Lunch and then a matinee at the Playhouse. So...Until I post again...Have a great weekend!

BRRRRRRR

Well, Tis time to drag out the electric blanket. I can not build a fire yet, as we have a burn ban on, and besides, no fires and no heat until Nov 1 in this house. At least that is how it HAS been, until this year. I may give up and build one this weekend if it stays this cold.

We have had a Low blow in, and the Jet Stream has dipped way south, so all that cold arctic air is slamming in to us. THere is even SNOW on the higher passes today! WHOA!!

Last night it started raining and it poured for about 3 hours! it smelled so good! Fresh and cool! You could actually hear the plants gulping in all the moisture! It was 44 at 330 this morning! As I turned on the Noon news they were talking about the thunderstorms we were expecting to have. We hardly EVER have Thunder and lightning. We didnt today either, at least not here.

As I drove into Oak Harbor this evening, The thunderhead clouds were backlit by the sun, and they were all edged in bright white, and the clouds in front were dark gray. It was so pretty! I wanted to stop and get a picture, however the traffic was too heavy. So I just enjoyed it while I drove in!

I actually turned the heat on in the car on the way home. I am wearing fuzzy socks everyday because my poor feet just FREEZE! THe heat felt really good on my arthritic toes too! I may have to rethink this no heat until Nov 1 rule. Or live under the blanket!

So will this stay cold like it is or will it clear up and then freeze and then get warm again...a real Indian Summer? Time will tell I guess...What does the Farmer's ALmanac say?

a change is in the air..

THere is a definate change in the air the past two days. It is foggier, it is colder, it is windier, and it is still very very dry. We are expecting a Low to slide down from BC, starting tomorrow afternoon, and hopefully it will bring the much needed and anticipated rain.

Last evening just as the sun went down I heard a loud racket out side, and looked out my bedroom window just in time to see a flock of about 50 Canadian Geese heading NORTH in the typical V formation and honking like mad at their leader! I wasn't sure if they were encouraging him or telling him HEY DUDE, SOuth is THATAWAY!

Sadie almost went through the screen trying to get to them. THey were right over the rooftops! THen as the night wore on it got LOUDER, this time with a great horned owl, and then the barred owls all hooting to establish their own trees. THe COyotes started about then, yipping and cay-yi-ing. No sooner than they all quieted down then Jupiter next door got in a fight with anothe cat, and they sat on the fence caterwalling at each other until I went out and shooed them away! Sadie almost did it again. SHe really thinks that any critter in her yard is fair game.

Tonight it got foggy early, and with the fog, came the chilly wind. Rustling the Dry ALder leaves, and turning the maple leaves a pretty orange and yellow. I expect a frost before October is over!

Weatherman said that it will turn rainy and cold and stay that way for a few weeks. We shall see what transpires. Cant wait to see what Farmers Almanac says. I actually closed all but my bedroom window tonight too!

There are no words....

Another project completed!

Sherri and I finally finished wallpapering the kitchen, so the granny apple green walls are now gone. I liked them but I think I was the only one. So I covered them up with wallpaper. And we ran out, so behind the fridge is still green until I can afford to order another roll. It isn't much, but this month is maxed out with water bill and car insurance. So in October I can finish that little task. We will put up the border in the living room area week after next.

It rained yesterday, however, it was not for long, and now the sun is back and expected to stay around for another week or so. I have a feeling that when the fall finally FALLS, that it will fall hard and COLD! Right now it is down in the low forties. Time to close the windows, and haul out the electric blanket.

Tim called last night, HE is back in forks for a while. They rotate in and out, and as soon as they got back to OCC they were told they would be going out again in four days. No one official has told him that, just prison gossip. He is loving the work he is doing though. He thinks this time they will go to the Tatoosh Complex fire, which is now an international fire. It has burned through the border and now is being fought on both sides, by US and Canadian fire fighters. We have 12 fires going right now, all but two started by lightning! So dry out there.

If any of you out there have Lifetime Movie Channel and get the chance to watch THE MERMAID's CHAIR, DO it! It is a movie that you can lose yourself in. I sat still for 2 full hours watching it and not moving. It is a really good Chick Flick. Leslie, you will LOVE it. So worth the time spent sitting there. I think it is on again tomorrow night. Not sure of the time though, as I have DISH Network, and the times are different than Cable.

Friday night Comics

I thought this was a hoot! But then you all know my sick sense of humor!

tee hee I goofed

This is the yellow caution sign that I mentioned in the post below. I forgot to post it!

Still Burning!!

As you can tell, Our State is still on fire. The moon tonight was absolutely gorgeous coming over the Cascades, but it was bright orange because of the smoke!



Tim is still over at the Columbia COmplex FIre, but there is another one that is growing and has crossed the border into Canada. The Tatoosh COmplex is about to merge with the Tripod Complex just North of Winthrop, Wa. So now the entire Pasyten Wilderness is closed to camping and hunting.



ALl of these pictures were taken by Forest Service Employees, and are awesome!! I especially like the yellow Caution primative road, no warning signs that is all melted.

IF we dont get some rain soon the whole state could go! THe Western part along the coast is fine because of the fog coming in at night, but the humidity is so low in Eastern Washington that everything is ready to burn.

Foggy Bridge...

Today I took my Brother Mike up to Bellingham 2 hrs away to the Pain CLinic. He is trying to find out just wexactly WHERE he back and leg pain is coming from.

We left at 800AM, and the fog was laying really low and heavy in the valleys. As We drove over Deception Pass Bridge, we couldnt see the water, as the fog was so thick. It was like driving into a big white cloud, and trusting that the other end of the bridge was really still there.

We wandered through the dried up fields along the bayview slough, and down Farm To Market Road, to I-5. The fields were all dust powdered dust, we have had no rain for over two months, and it is really really bad out there. Sme of the crops have just withered on the vine. SAD!

as we drove into Bellingham proper, I noticed that the freeway overpasses were all dusty and the brush was as brown as California! I noticed that the light was hitting the road just the same as it did in San DIego. THe traffic was MURDER! Just like So. Ca! ARRGGH! What happened to my sleepy little college town? It grew into a horrendous metropolis, with people all concerned about getting there faster than you and they dont care who they cut off, or hit.

I sat in the car for the two and a half hours he was in the Lab, and then we drove home.

As we were approaching the Bridge, the traffic was slowing way down. I looked over the side and could not see the pass, so I assumed the fog was still there. It was! Only when the fog was there it was moving very fast up and over the bridge, and down again into the channel. It was just beautiful. I told Mike, that if I googled fog on bridge I would find the right picture, and I did, DId not even have to stop and fight the tourists to get the shot either. THere really is nothing as beautiful as a foggy day at Deception Pass! ANd there are a million pictures out there to prove it. Google DECEPTION PASS BRIDGE and see for yourself. JUst please dont move here.
Our island is FULL!

Leah Winn 1945-2006

Good Bye!

LEAH WINN 1945-2006

Farewell Dear Friend, You will be missed!

Ha`aheo ka ua i nâ pali

Ke nihi a`ela i ka nahele

E hahai (uhai) ana paha i ka liko

Pua `âhihi lehua o uka

Hui:

Aloha `oe, aloha `oe

E ke onaona noho i ka lipo

One fond embrace,

A ho`i a`e au

Until we meet again

`O ka hali`a aloha i hiki mai

Ke hone a`e nei i

Ku`u manawa

`O `oe nô ka`u ipo aloha

A loko e hana nei

Maopopo ku`u `ike i ka nani

Nâ pua rose o

MaunawiliI laila hia`ia nâ manu

Miki`ala i ka nani o ka lipo

Lea was my next door neighbor, The very first person I met when I moved in. She lived there with her older sister and her Mother. She was the only one who worked, and she took care of the other two. Her Mom died in 1995, and her Sister died a few years ago. Lea was just coming into her own, had lost a ton of weight and finally was in a live in relationship with Joe. Yesterday afternoon Lea passed away from a massive Heart Attack. She collapsed at work in the Operating Room at Whidbey General Hospital. Not a better place in the world! All of her co-workers worked on her and stabilized her and then med-flighted her down to Everett, but she was too far gone, and Passed Away Yeaterday afternoon. She was just 8 months older than myself.

She will be cremated and then scattered off the Windward Shore of Oahu to join her Father, Mother, and Sister Natalie, in her Native Hawaii.

She will be missed!