Just Visiting - Puget Sound, WA

Fidalgo Loop, Washington Park

2010-03-23T12:00:00.000-07:00

Where? See my Google Map.

Price? Free, excluding travel expenses (gas).

Hiked: Saturday, March 20th, 2010

Facilities for Washington Park: includes covered picnic areas, boat launch (see boat launch policies), playground with slide, beach access (gravel), seventy-three campsites, water/electric/sewer-dump for campers, offers multiple trails, and a paved scenic drive (2.2 miles).

Washington Park resides on a small peninsula on the west side of Fidalgo Island, near the City of Anacortes. The park is open year round. Please visit the City of Anacortes' website for park hours.

Washington Park welcomes dogs on leash.

VerizonWireless Users: I maintained cell phone reception on this hike.

Condition of the Trail: Fidalgo Loop Trail consists of several not-so-clearly marked pathways that will occasionally intersect one another.

The pathways are well-traveled and narrow. The scenery transforms again and again for hikers. I could not speak enough of the wonderful variety of terrain from thick and lush hedges to mossy carpets. The chocolate soil of the forest digresses to dirt so rusty red it'll remind you of cinnamon. Weathered sea-side trees are sculpted by the unrelenting wind into sculptures white as bone and their handsome roots spider across the trail in various places. The rock is sealed with lichen and dime-sized flowers in purple and white.

Do you like Madrona trees? Me too. Modrona trees, old and young, populate the park.

I encountered no switchbacks on the Fidalgo Loop. The trail primarily wound about, climbed some banks, and eddied along contour of the peninsula.

The trail my party and I traveled spit us out onto a foliage-free bluff as seen in my first photo. Washington Park bolted a bench into the rock where hikers may sit, rest themselves, and enjoy a fabulous view of the West Sound.

Attention Men: at sunset this'd be a great spot to propose. Just sayin'....

Level of Difficulty: on a scale of one to ten, I'd give Fidalgo Loop a two. Children might find this trail un-manageable because it is root-ridden, rocky, and you really have to pay attention to your feet.

Hikers must walk single file, which is why I would caution dog owners against bringing nervous dogs. In most cases, you won't be able to pull your dog a safe distance off the trail to let others pass.

The 250ft elevation gain is hardly felt. The four or five inclines are severe enough to raise you heart rate a tad and that is all. If I lived in Anacortes I might make Fidalgo Loop a part of a daily walking or running routine.

Overall, I really enjoyed my time hiking Fidalgo Loop. I loved the variety in the scenery and terrain and I think you will too. Enjoy yourself, your company, and enjoy Puget Sound.

Big Four Ice Caves (Revised)

2010-03-16T11:00:00.000-07:00

Where: Mount Baker National Forest

Price: $5.00 all-day permit per vehicle.

Collect your permits at Verlot Ranger Station.

Hiked: Saturday, March 13th, 2010

Facilities for Big Four: the outhouse is pretty cute, looks like a hunter's shanty, was about as clean as a honey bucket. There is a covered pick nick area. Lots of information plaques. Large lawn where the Big 4 Inn used to be. Parking for around fifty vehicles. Dog-walk baggies are provided by Mount Baker State Park.

VerizonWireless Users: I lost cell reception a mile or so before driving past Robe Fire Station.

Condition of Mountain Loop Highway: as of March 13th (2010) the highway is clear and safe until you near Silverton. Motorcyclists, please watch out for the "Reduced Speed Ahead" sign. When you see it, reduce your speed immediately. Ten feet beyond said sign the asphalt has been removed in two areas and has been replaced with slippery gravel.

About five miles out of Silverton I encountered snow on the road. The road wasn't icy, but the snow was around four or five inches deep and I began to worry that my little Corolla wouldn't have enough ground clearance. I wouldn't suggest visiting the Big Four Ice Caves so early in the season unless you have an all-terrain vehicle of some sort. Or at least a car that sits more that six inches off the ground.

Condition of Trail: as of March 13th (2010) the first half of the trail is in excellent condition. It is paved and stroller-worthy its width is approximately four feet. The State Park built a new bridge across the South Fork Stillaguamish River. Its a gorgeous piece of architecture made of welded quarter inch and half inch Aluminium bar and extruded metal. I cant imagine a bridge lasting longer than this one will. Definitely worth tax payer's money. As a metal fabricator I was pretty thrilled.

Past the aluminum bridge the trail become's packed-down gravel and dirt. In many mud-prone areas the State Park invested in a common equestrian mud-prevention method that we generally refer to as a "hoof grid" but instead of a rubber composite it looks as though the State Park is using aluminum tube. Nice.

In swampy or uneven areas the park has wooden walk-ways. Only one walk way in particular has two-inch gaps that might be a problem for some strollers.

Trail Damage: In the trail's 4th quarter tree debris from what appeared to be an avalanche covered the trail. Hiker's hacked their own path and laid boards across a stream in plain view - creating a detour. Towards the Ice Cave a wooden pathway broke down - but it is easily hopped over.

Child Friendly: There's a limited number of switchbacks on this trail combined with low grade inclines. Its definitely child-friendly. In fact, I passed by nine children between the ages of five and thirteen being herded along by their parents. There wasn't any complaining, and everyone had a smile on their face. My only cautionary note would be, this early in the spring, there's plenty of snow and lots of hikers made comments about their shoes and socks being soaked. If I hadn't been moving so quickly, my toes might have gotten cold. So I worried a little about the children's feet.

Avalanche Warning: when I stopped by the Verlot Ranger Station to pick up my all-day permit there were three rangers in-house having their morning coffee break. I made them all aware of where I was hiking, and asked one of the rangers about the condition of the Big Four Ice Caves. The ranger said that there had been four avalanches in the past week and new snow accumulation. Hiker's are never encouraged to go near the ice caves, and especially not while there is a present avalanche warning. He promised that so long as I kept a safe distance, my hike would be safe.

Do NOT Enter: These warnings against entering or climbing the ice caves do not appear to be enforced (I'm not saying they should be) - citizens are expected to exercise self-control. Rangers have more faith in us and our intelligence than I do. Which is why I was not surprised to see six boys, my age, whooping and hollering inside the Big Four Ice Caves, throwing rocks at the walls, and climbing on the ice caves. Dumb. Dumber. Dumber-er.

While the boys were being dumb I took a video from the crest of an overlooking hill. An SUV-sized snow shelf broke away from face of the mountain and began to fall - an event these boys were all completely oblivious to. Nobody was harmed, in fact, they all made it back to their car before I did.

Other Comments: The Big Four Ice Caves are so much prettier in the summer - when the colors of the ice are absolutely brilliant. This early in the spring the Ice Caves were mostly white, and I didn't appreciate the cold flow of air exiting the Cave Mouth like I would in late July - when the weather's unbearably hot. If I were you I'd wait until then to visit this natural wonder.

Plan A Weekend on Whidbey

2010-02-17T08:59:00.000-08:00

For the readers who are admirers of the Puget Sound but not residents, it may surprise you to know that the Olympic Peninsula is host to the world's northern most rain forest.

Huge weather systems dump rain upon the Olympic Peninsula year-round. Thanks to the mountains and a natural occurrence called orographic lift, the Puget Sound is saved from most of the down pour. When the clouds have lost enough water-weight to ascend over the Olympic Mountain Range they may dwell for some time in the Seattle area (you can thank the Cascade Mountain Range for that).

As a result of this weather pattern residents suffer from an average of 200 overcast days a year. The months of January, February, March, and some of April are usually the darkest days of an everlasting winter. How do we cope? Weekend vacations, novels, and coffee.... lots and lots of coffee.

I am not immune to the dark days in Western Washington. My emotional well-being decays within two weeks of glum cloud cover. So, with a coffee in hand, I'm going to make a game out of planning a weekend on Whidbey. Not because I have the time or the money (on the contrary) but because mere thoughts of sunlight on water make for a happier state of mind.

I started my game by Google searching "vacation rentals" and after toying with each site's criteria-search engines I have decided that I prefer Perfect Places as a vacation rental source. I focused my search on Island County (the islands of Puget Sound). I've decided that, for a weekend (two night) vacation, Whidbey Island is easiest island to reach and offers a combination of variety, quantity, and affordability concerning rentals.

My favorite rental is Glendale Beach Cabin based on these facts:

Its pet friendly

Its on the water

Its semi-affordable ($125 nightly)

I found a list of very positive guest comments.
Homeowner took a plethora of photos so I know exactly what to expect.

I'd spend my first afternoon/evening on Whidbey Island clamming at Double Bluff State Park which, as you know, is already one of my favorite places. Dog-lovers remember that Double Bluff is an off-leash dog beach. If I managed to harvest some clams I'd cook them in butter and home grown rosemary in a boat made of foil (as instructed by the creepy guy from the Safeway seafood department), and make a cranberry salad from a recipe I copied off of All Recipes. Its called Jamie's Cranberry Spinach Salad and even Timothy enjoyed the home-made dressing.

Dog-lovers with no dogs: don't you wish they had rent-a-dog companies? "Excuse me, can I borrow your canine for the afternoon? I want to play frisbee with it, let it ride shotgun in my truck, and then watch it dig up clams on the beach." Wouldn't that be nice... "Welcome to Rent-a-Retriever.com" Haha...

Have you ever tried Sea Kayaking? Does a two hour guided tour by the Whidbey Island Kayaking Company for $49.00 per adult sound appetizing? The company provides all necessary gear. To increase your chances of a whale siting, I think its best to plan this vacation in March and April. The Whidbey Island Kayaking Company will tour the Saratoga passage, in spring, where the Grey Whale is known to feed. I really appreciate this informative video WIKC embedded on their website:

Ever since Seattle Times published an article entitled "Whidbey Island's Got Grape Expectations" with a section dedicated to good eating, I've wanted to visit Prima Bistro in the picturesque city of Langley. I just love how highly Prima Bistro thinks of food. Their menu features a quote by J. R. R. Tolkien, "If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world."

With what time I'd have left I'd find a new fantasy book series, curl up on the Glendale Beach House's inviting window sill and zone out..... I might come up for air if enticed by coffee with cream or a wildlife sighting. I admit, I'm rather intrigued by the idea of exploring the wooded canyon of Glendale Creek (although I think I read somewhere that the creek flooded this year). I might grow tired of the window sill and move my reading pile to the back yard fire pit. By the way, don't forget to add me as a friend on GoodReads - I'm always looking for good book-suggestions!

That's my idea of a weekend on Whidbey Island. What's yours?

Center for Wooden Boats

2010-02-16T11:00:00.000-08:00

(Photo extracted from CFWB's Website)

Open Canoe Carving

Sunday, March 7th, 1:00pm-4:00pm

1010 Valley St. Seattle, WA

Participate or watch in the final stages of canoe carving!

Visitors welcome. Event is free of charge.

Cast Off - Free Public Sail

(Photo extracted from CWB's website)

Sunday, March 7th, 2:00-4:00pm
Courtesy of Center for Wooden Boats

1010 Valley St. Seattle, WA

Good thing I decided to check on CWB's website for upcoming events! Can you believe it? Free sailing! Visitors will also get to watch volunteers rig the boats and pester volunteers with questions. Click here for more information on what to expect and how to ensure a chance to sail on a classic boat.

Murder Most Marvelous

2010-02-12T13:45:00.000-08:00

Where? Langley, Whidbey Island, WA

When? February 27-28th, 2010

Cost? $5.00 per entry

Langley: a quaint seaside town accentuated by its pristine historical architecture and rolling grass hills dotted with sheep - oddly reminiscent of Sandford (think "Hot Fuzz") - is the site of an annual murder mystery. It just goes to show you that too much of a good thing might just kill you.

On February 27th the city of Langley will commence its 26th annual Mystery Weekend. Each year the theme of the murder changes. This year's theme is Death by Male Order. The Langley Chamber of Commerce writes a chilling interlude:

....bachelors in the little town of Langley on Whidbey Island have decided that old fashioned love letters are the best way to find the right girl. That is until the leader of these eager pen pals is found outside the post office with a letter opener in his heart. Was it one of the blushing brides, a disappointed suitor, or a P.I.A. agent who did him in? The "Moose" and the "Squirrel" aren't talking but maybe you can help solve the latest February murder to hit this usually peaceful little town...

At 10:00am Saturday morning of the 27th, the Langley Visitor Information Center will open to hand out copies of the Langley Gazzette along with entry forms where you may scribble your notes and your final explanation of the murder.

After paying the fee and receiving a copy of the Langley Gazzette, registered "detectives" are ready to confront the suspects who will be strolling about on the streets and loitering in various shops on Saturday and Sunday. The Langley Gazzette will be your primary guide on this mysterious journey - offering the location of clues.

The mystery murder weekend ends at 4:30pm, Sunday afternoon at the Langley Middle School at which point all will be revealed and the murderer will be locked up for good! According to Langley Chamber of Commerce, "Prizes are awarded in a drawing of all entries whether or not the murderer is correctly identified."

If its your plan to attend this frightful affair, make sure to book your stay early. Detectives come from all over Puget Sound to solve these murders, so hotels fill up fast!

Sourcing: Visit Langley, and Explore Whidbey Island.

Orcas Wave Hunting

2010-02-08T09:43:00.000-08:00

I happened upon a segment on Animal Planet which featured Orca hunting practices. Please read this article before watching the video...

We all know that online networking and technology is changing the way we market and conduct business, but who knew that networking would advance our knowledge of the world? Now, almost everyone carries a camera phone, an apple ipod, or a digital camera. Nearly everyone has the capacity to quick-draw their devices and record events unfolding before them. As an example, the video I'm about to share with you was taken by a couple (not scientists) visiting Antarctica who were so fortunate as to witness a pod of orcas training two of their young how to wave hunt. This demonstration of orcas actively teaching their young has been recorded few times by scientists (never before on video). According to Animal Planet, the video has been used in orca studies.

When watching the video, I suggest you disable the sound. There are female voices in the background sympathizing with the crabeater seal, which can be very distracting.

The scientists chosen to explain the video, on Animal Planet, described various known behaviors such as "spyhopping" which is a bobbing action orcas do to spy their prey. The orcas break away the ice from the ice float, and spin the ice float to an open area where they commence "wave hunting" the crabeater seal. The first attack on the ice float happens at 1:12 (one minute and twelve seconds) where two adult orcas charge the float at approximately 35mph, and dive down below the ice just before impact. They create a wake that washes over top the ice which is meant to dislodge the seal.

Throughout the video, the orcas will repeat this action with additional adult pod-members. In the last charge, the pod will incorporate one of the two identified juveniles. Note that the pod matriarch stations herself on the opposing side of the ice float. Scientists believed she signaled each charge by blowing bubbles (what sounded like a horse's war blast).

The amount of team work and coordination involved in wave hunting is astounding. How about two thumbs up for the second largest brain in the world?

It may interest you to know that our Southern Resident Orcas of Puget Sound differ from the orcas featured in the video. Southern Residents will not hunt other mammals. Their diet consists strictly of fish (which is the source of their impending disappearance). I don't know, but is it possible this cultural difference takes part in Southern Resident's willful refusal to mate with transients or offshore orca? Transients around the world have been recorded hunting other whales, including blue whale, and have participated in cannibalism. I'd like to think our Southern Residents simply find the behavior distasteful, and that they have standards, but what do I know? ;-)

How NOT to Innertube

2010-02-05T01:00:00.000-08:00

Location: Machias River,

Lake Stevens, Washington

Activity: River Inner tubing

Time of year: Mid-Summer

Fee: Free, public access river

Costs Involved: Gas, food,

and inner tubes.

It was mid-June when my little sister was flown out of Boise for a visit. On an uncomfortably warm morning Tim, Johanna, Will, and myself set out to buy ourselves some cheep flotation devices and spend the day on a friendly river. With the boys as our guides, we chose the river Machias to stage our little adventure.

We bought inner tubes at the only hardware store in Granite Falls for $2.00 each. Tim and Will snagged some flip-flops at Target for $3.00 a pair. I collected some cliff bars and a myriad of water bottles in an airtight bag.

We were ready for a day of sunlit bliss.

Backstory: Johanna and I were practically raised on a river in Idaho. My grandmother spent her latter days gazing out from the porch of a hunter's cabin in Garden Valley, just feet away from the bank of the lovely Payette River. We were with her.

I know every swimming hole, sand bar, and bend in in the Middle Fork. My Dad used to load us (his children) with our "river rats" into the bed of the Ford truck and haul us up stream a couple miles, past the elk farm, to Lightning Creek Bridge. He'd drive with the windows rolled down. Music floated from the cab as our hair whipped and kissed our faces. "...we can sit and talk just as long as it can pour 'cause the way it makes you look makes me hope it rains some more...(Lovin' Spoonful)"

It usually took three hours to float from Lightning Creek Road to Elk Bridge. Early July is the best time of year for floating: the sun is hot, the water is cool, and the river is high enough that you won't need to pick up your river rat and walk over the shallows. My older sisters napped in the sun. Johanna and I would dip and dive with snorkels, searching for trout.

Floating the Machias River didn't work out so well. This may come as no surprise to you but not all rivers are alike. I was not prepared for the amount of walking we were about to do. I wasn't prepared to dodge a sunken jeep, get dunked by a low branch or sit up in my inner tube and think "Gee... We've been on this river a long time.... Where's the truck?"

It seems we parked too far down river. We had been floating for two hours when we came across the first bridge. Our faces were blue because our two-dollar inner tubes weren't keeping their air. So when we realized, because of the bridge, that we weren't even half way to our destination, we made a unanimous decision to climb out of the river and walk the rest of the way.

Then Tim's three-dollar flip-flops broke.

He was walking barefoot on sunbaked asphalt where there was broken glass. I wasn't going to stand for that. I saw a sign across the street giving directions to a community church. It was Saturday but I know the church staff, at least, would be in the building. They would give us a ride to the truck.

I crossed the street and before I made it to the church I saw a fire station.

My Dad and my Grandfather were firefighters. My Dad says that being a firefighter is "three parts boredom and one part pure terror" due to the fact that firefighters spend a majority of their time absorbed in the maintenance of equipment, or simply waiting for a call. When called they're washed with adrenaline and terror and excitement as they rush to the rescue - never really knowing what lies ahead.

When I walked through the open door of the fire station I knew what to expect. Firemen sitting on the couch next to a phone... waiting..... endlessly waiting. When they saw me standing in the doorway they both leapt to their feet, hands twitching at their sides, expecting for me to announce disaster. I felt bad for causing them false alarm.

I explained our situation, with embarrassment, to the firemen who were practically thrilled to help. They asked us how far down the street our truck was. Then they loaded us into the aid car and away we went. It sorta felt like a first-grade field trip. The firemen didn't need to be prompted with questions, they filled us in on the equipment in the aid car, and the first aid training they're given. The ride in the aid car turned a terrible trip into a fun memory.

Thank you, Firemen!

Inner tubes = $8.00

Flip flops = $6.00

Parking too far down river, getting dunked by a branch, and walking 3 miles over melting hot asphalt in July? Priceless.

Orcas in the Puget Sound

2010-02-03T09:42:00.000-08:00

Southern Resident Orcas

All orca photography by Annette Colombini

Used with Colombini's explicit permission.

The orcas who frequent the Puget Sound are known to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as the Southern Resident community of orcas. The community was listed in November of 2005 as endangered by the Endangered Species Act. The Southern Resident community consists of pods J, K, and L. There are approximately 88 orcas alive and belonging to the Southern Resident community (2009).

J-Pod consists of some twenty-eight individuals. They are commonly identified near San Juan Island, and stay through winter.

K-Pod consists of some nineteen individuals. They frequent the western shores of San Juan Island from May through June (which is peak whale-watching season).

L-Pod consists of some forty-one individuals which I think is enormous! I read that, because of L-Pods size, it will often break into subgroups and it is rare to see all members of L-Pod traveling together at once.

How do we identify each member of the pods?

Every individual is given a common name and then a letter (J, K, or L) to identify which pod they belong to. Following the letter, a number is then assigned to the whale. The number represents a whale's order in which it was identified since the study of Puget Sound orcas began in 1976. We could probably assume that the lower the number the older the whale. For instance, Granny J-2 is one of the oldest matriarchs in the Southern Resident community. Granny belongs to pod J, and was the second whale to be identified since 1976.

There are members of the Southern Resident community that are believed to be 90 years of age! This is significant since it is generally agreed that female orcas live to be around 55, and males live to be 30.

J42 Echo breaching

In what way are are J, K, and L pods special?

The reason why the Southern Resident community is defined as a subgroup species (the ESA defines it as a "distinct population segment") is because these three pods choose not to reproduce with other pods or transient orcas even though frequent contact with other orcas occurs. Its believed that the reason for segregation is a matter of culture. According to Howard Garrett, the J, K, and L pods are exhibiting behavior never before seen outside of humans.

Animal culture is defined as "the transfer of information between individuals by imitative or social learning" by Aoki (1991), view my source Rendell where he writes about the development of culture in orcas and dolphins. Our Puget Sound Orcas are transferring their willful behavior and acoustic sound to their offspring.

Do the orcas mate with pod members?

In his article "Our Neighbors with Fins" Garret specifically states that members of the Southern Resident community mate with other members, not within their own pod. The pod is a family of orcas generally lead by a few matriarchs. Orcas are the only mammals whose offspring, be they male or female, remain with their mother and the pod for their entire lives.

How are "communities" identified?

By sound. I'm confused, myself, about the specifics. I've read that pods use a number of calls that are specific to that pod alone and although the calls may evolve through generations they are very pod-specific. I've also read that communities consisting of one or more pods are identified by similar acoustic sound and they often share/overlap a geographic area. You'll have to check me on that, though!

Sources: The Whale Museum, Our Neighbors with Fins by Howard Garrett, photography by Annette Colombini.

Horses for Clean Water

2010-02-01T09:05:00.001-08:00

Horses for Clean Water is a wonderful, local, educational resource. Most of their education programs/classes are free! HCW focuses on teaching horse owners and land owners better, greener, land management. I've added Horses for Clean Water on facebook, and provided a link to their blog "The Green Horse" on my side bar. Be sure to browse their Educational Events section and find classes in your area to attend!

An example of HCW's class subjects is how to create a low-sugar pasture. Moving to Washington presented me with a new and deadly problem for my pasture-loving horse: founder. In the spring the grass here grows furiously. My only defense against founder was to ride my horse according to my veterinarian's instructions. "Low intensity and long duration." He said. For two months, every day, I was walking and trotting for three hours and sometimes longer. Seeing as my horse loves to run and move - I'm not willing to sacrifice his happiness by stuffing him into a stall like a jack in the box. So what do I do? Below, see HCW's solution to high-energy pastures:

Tour Cadbury Farm and its Low Sugar Pastures
Saturday, March 27th, 2010 from 10:00am-Noon

"....Chore efficiency is central to the management of this facility. An ecology block compost bin collects stall waste in a highly efficient manner off one end of the barn, to be spread on the pastures later in place of commercial fertilizers..."

"...This owner/trainer has a lot of experience dealing with EPSM and Insulin Resistant horses. The [subject] of pasture turn out has always been an issue for them. One way of solving pasture turn-out problems is to plant a grass blend that is also genetically engineered to support the health of metabolically compromised horses. Join us for a healthy discussion of pasture management, horse health issues and management..."

Although I do not condone genetically engineered seeds, I'm interested in Cadbury's selection of plant types and pasture rotation methods. I'm also always fascinated by the different management styles barns and trainers have. I don't think I can miss this class!

Source for logo, photo, and material is The Green Horse blog, and Horses for Clean Water website.

First Annual Glass Quest

2010-01-27T08:46:00.000-08:00

The Great North West Glass Quest

When: February 12th-28th, 2010

Where: Stanwood & Camano Island, WA

Fee: free aside from gas and time.

How: watch an informative video on how to begin your glass quest.

Dear friend Pam loves blown glass artwork. So of course I'm kept up to date on all the latest news concerning the local artists Dale Chihuly and Mark Ellinger... Whether you realize it or not, you're probably very familiar with Dale Chihuly's work. Have you ever been to the Bellevue Square Mall? If so, do you recall that fantastic, three-tiered chandelier hanging from the ceiling of the atrium?

It is called the End of Day Chandelier. It has been an unforgetable piece of public art since the year 2006. It is also the image that comes to my mind when someone mentions glass blown art.

The glass balls used in the Glass Quest are products of Mark Ellinger, another equally reputable artist who I believe, based on this quote, feels strongly connected to the Puget Sound area:

"The freeform beauty of the Puget Sound region is the inspiration of my artwork. Nature provides an endless pallet of color and form thet lends itself to the nature of glass in its molten state. The breeze of a sunny day, the ebb & flow of a tide, glass captures the movement of creation and freezes it so it can be enjoyed and light can play upon its color & form."

Having spent a measurable amount of time in Stanwood and on Camano Island, I can attest to the beauty of which Ellinger speaks. Camano is a jewel in the Puget Sound's collection of islands - providing a photographer's buffet of color.

Additional information on the First Annual Glass Quest can be sought from these listed sources: Glass Quest website, Chihuly's website, Ellinger's website. Photography of the End of Day Chandelier courtesy of Gertie_DU - check out his photostream on flickr!

Labels & Layouts

2010-01-25T15:24:00.000-08:00

I have already begged Blogger for a three-column layout on their forum. I'm not the only malcontent blogger out there who's got way too many gadgets and too little space. Finally I decided to invest time into searching for an html over-ride. What do you think?

I'm messing with labels now, too. I hate it but it seems necessary.

Historic Everett Theater's Auditions!

2010-01-20T13:45:00.000-08:00

View Places To Visit in the Puget Sound in a larger map

The Red Curtain Foundation

Is allegedly hosting auditions on... Wednesday, January 27th, from 6:30pm to 9:00pm at the Historic Everett Theater. Amateurs and professionals are welcome.

Contact: brandallrcf@gmail.com

The Red Curtain Foundation is also offering acting classes for ages fifteen and older. The fee for these classes is "Pay what you can!" More information on acting classes and performances by the Red Curtain Foundation can be found on their blog: here.

GoodRead Review: The Red Pony

2010-01-15T09:13:00.000-08:00

The Red Pony by John Steinbeck

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The Red Pony is not about a red pony. Its about a boy named Jody. The entire book, everything that happens, and everything that is said and done is said and done for Jody.

This book, much like John Steinbeck's The Pearl, is a book of discussion. Its an easy read - full of excellent writing. This book will dwell in your thoughts as you make sense of its meaning. It might even visit you in your dreams.

I relate this book to The Shack and Black Beauty because (A) it assaults your perception of life (The Shack) and (B) it forces you to acknowledge the cause and effect of your actions and words (Black Beauty).

Its a GoodRead. ;-)

View all my reviews >>

Jumper Cables? You got Jumper Cables, Buddy?

2010-01-13T11:55:00.000-08:00

Last night Tim made me a krab & blanched-asparagus omelet with an Italian cheese mix that was mouth watering. We decided that it could've used some tomatoes, but was an otherwise perfect piece of culinary art. ;-)

Tim left late, and thirty minutes after I fell into one of those deep dreamless sleeps I got a phone call. I didn't need to be fully conscious to know who was calling, or what it was about.

Tim hadn't made it past the first stop sign, at the bottom of the hill, before our 71' Chevy truck died. Tim had been exercising his truck-whispering skills for an hour before deciding to call the cavalry.

Have you ever read Robert Fulgum's chapter on Jumper Cables? Well, if you haven't, take a moment to read it:

"Jumper cables? You got jumper cables, buddy?"

"Yeah, sure. I got jumper cables."

English teacher and his nice sweet wife, from Nampa, Idaho (as it turned out). In their funny little foreign car. Drove around town with their lights on in the morning fog and left the lights on, and so forth and so on. Dead meat now. Need jumper cables. Need battery. Need Good Samaritan. Need a friendly hand from someone who looks like he knows what to do with jumper cables. And the Good Fairy of Fate placed them in my hands..... < READ MORE >

Tim needed jumper cables. Good for him, my Dad is prepared for everything and had stocked the trunk of my car with: a fully equipped tool chest, a fully equipped trauma/first aid kit, and a pair of jumper cables. Having already read Robert Fulgum's book on All I Really Need To Know, which included the lesson on jumper cables in the hands of the ignorant, I had a growing fear that my car was going to explode. When Tim applied the jumper cables and asked me to ignite the engine I felt like I was lining up before the gun-squad.

My fear battled my desire not to insult Tim's intelligence. In the end I pinched my eyes shut, turned the ignition key, and..... nothing happened. It was sort of anti-climactic. I was expecting an arc of blue light that would weld my hands to the steering wheel or something else, equally atrocious.

We couldn't jump the truck. We had to get the truck off the road. Unfortunately, the stop sign sits at a slump in the road. The road adjacent to the stop sign is elevated, and the road down to the stop sign, the road that I live on, happens to be the steepest hill in the city (in my opinion). Nonetheless, Tim instructed me to steer while he pushed. Neither of us really expected to go anywhere, but we were of the same mind to try anyway.

As predicted, Tim was able to push the 3/4 ton truck ten feet up that steep hill, and I had managed to steer it closer to the curb. Tim said, "We aren't far enough away from the stop sign, legally. Maybe, with gravity's help, we could roll the truck through the stop sign...?"

Sounded like a plan to me.

"You know," He huffed. "If we were in Lake Stevens... a cop would be here helping us already."

We attempted, with gravity's help, to roll the truck through the stop and over that slight elevation. It didn't work. That's when the high beams of someone's car momentarily blinded us as it turned onto our street. The car pulled up along side the Chevy. Two men, our age, rolled down their window and said, "Hey. Buddy. Need some help?"

Tim, who was facing me - the opposite direction - inspected the strangers over his left shoulder. For a moment, I thought Tim was going to say NO, so I piped up and said, "Yes! Yes we do!" Which I later regretted doing (after cross-examining my memory of the event I now realize Timothy was taking a moment to judge their character for safety's sake).

Tim echoed, after a polite pause, "Yeah, man. We could use some help."

The driver of the car slapped his window sill and announced, "Well that's what we're here for! My cousin is the first house on the left. She called us and said you guys might need a hand."

I've never met my neighbor, two doors down, but I'm going to now.

The boys exited their vehicle, sidled up to Timothy at the front of the truck, and in a few quick moments we had the Chevy neatly parallel parked a quarter of the way up the hill. Then the boys shook arms with Timothy - like comrades - and told us to have a good night. Just like that.

Did they really drive from wherever they were, at the beckoning of a cousin, at the drop of a hat, to help complete strangers? Did that really happen?

Wow, Puget Sound. Wow.

GoodReads: Dragon's Blood

2010-01-11T15:00:00.000-08:00

Dragon's Blood by Jane Yolen

The story of Jakkin and the dragon pits of Austar IV fed both my curiosity and my imagination. Its an easy read with a fulfilling story. If you like Ender's Game and The Blue Sword, you'll like Dragon's Blood.

Yolen shares her wisdom on human relationships through the dialog and interactions between the "bonders" and the "masters" that was a stark allegory for our winning and losing mentality in society today. I was shocked by this concept: Do you have the courage to be free? The idea of freedom is presented as the responsibility of being your own man instead of a slave to your fear.

View all my reviews >>

A Memory of Centennial Trail

2010-01-08T08:25:00.000-08:00

There is a paved foot-path which begins in Snohomish City and ends in Arlington. Its called the Centennial Trail. It meanders approximately 7.5 miles through lush country and dense forest, with parks and parking planned to facilitate walkers and joggers. For the Equestrian, a portion of the Centennial Trail has a parallel path reserved for horses. Where does the equestrian trail start and end? I have no idea. If anyone could provide that information I'd be especially grateful. :-)

Its a beautiful idea; being able to walk through and between three cozy cities that are handsomely tucked inside a deciduous forest. During a time of year when I'm NOT fully engaged in a love/hate relationship with nature (severe allergies make tree-hugging difficult), Tim and I like to stroll the Centennial Trail and either talk about nothing/anything or people watch. Its fun.

The year before Tim (my personal time-line) my sister-in-love invited me to jog with her on said trail. My sister is a body builder and marathon-super-woman who is about the same size as I am but seven times stronger. She's gorgeous, kind-looking, and both motherly and free-spirited all at the same time - and because of these elements it might never occur to anyone that she could take out an entire police force so long as there weren't guns and tazers involved. If she were a character in a book, she'd be the Bad-A heroin like Eowyn only better 'cuz my sister doesn't have a orphan complex.

"Fool! No man can kill me!" Says the evil witch-king.

"I am no man!" Says our heroin as she removes her identity-concealing helmet and then slices off the head of the dragon. *Slice*

That's my sister. I think you get the point now. ;-)

And then there's me: I'm like Gimli the dwarf. "We dwarfs are natural sprinters! Very dangerous over short distances!" Even though I squawk a lot about my lack of perspective I enjoy using it as an opportunity to make people laugh. Running is a dangerous activity for me. This particular occasion, jogging with my sister-in-love, was no exception.

We met at 6:00am at the park. Celeste had had a humble breakfast and some coffee. I had only coffee (bad move on my part). Naturally, the conversation is about running, running-websites, and about conditioning yourself to run. My sister is doing most of the talking because its her passion and she's informed. I'm trying very hard to listen and watch my feet because I'm notorious for tripping even when there is nothing I could possibly trip over.

I had, previous to this excursion, decided to simply "keep pace" with my sister because:

(A) she was the expert and

(B) she would know better than I did if I was "pushing it"

With my 20/30 hindsight, I can see that my sister was trying to be polite by allowing me set the pace because:

(A) she was the expert and

(B) only I could know if I was "pushing it"

At the six-mile-marker we were practically sprinting . We past a few casual bicyclists, some strollers, and the boy's track team from Lake Stevens High School. My sister was diligent with conversation - hardly bothered by the pace. Meanwhile I was huffing and puffing and wondering how in the Lord's good name she could run and talk with hand gestures and not trip at the same time. I was really hoping she'd want to take a break soon.

My hopes quickly turned into prayers when I realized I was starting to get sick. I could feel my stomach twist and a foreboding started to crawl up my throat. Uh-oh, I thought. I think I touched my sister's arm in warning just before I lurched into the ditch. To top it off - while I was emptying the contents of my stomach - the boy's track team from Lake Stevens High School caught up with us. Awesome.

My memory at Centennial Trail is one of my favorite funny stories to tell. At the time I was red with embarrassment (I could feel my cheeks flushing) and my poor sister felt guilty because she thought it was her fault - which it wasn't. I've never been invited to jog since. I suspect that's because she's waiting for me to tell her when I'm ready to try again - which I'm not. Haha!

Happy Friday! :-) Smile, people!

A Memory of Bruneau Dunes

2010-01-05T11:45:00.000-08:00

We call it a dust bowl because of the obvious - its a basin - and because of the odd behavior of the wind. For a part of the year the wind will blow Northwest, and for part of the year it will blow Southeast, which is why the dunes do not sail the desert like they might in the Sahara. The wind has a persona here. You can watch it crawl around the roots of a dune, causing the dust to billow in places like rapidly budding mushrooms. It will stealthily stalk you until it either loses patience or curiosity at which point it will roar. Its breath stings your skin like hell-fire and removes the use of your eyes. The wind is especially hard on horses.

Any weather is horse weather except for windy weather. Wind debilitates the horse's two favored senses: smell and hearing. Why they prefer to rely on smell and hearing over eyesight is a wonder to me. In recent years its been discovered that horses can see at least some color. They can see almost 360 degrees (horizontally) with the exception of two slim blind spots, they have amazing depth perception, and although they can't be compared to a hawk their eyes still have better distance vision than we do. I like to think that a horse has all the physical graces of a feline and all the moral consistency of a dog.

Side note: I just read that the horse has 20/30 vision, a cat has 20/75, and a rat 20/300! Imagine that!

Now that the lack of enthusiasm for wind has been expressed, I don't have to explain why my horse gets frisky when a trip to the dunes is made. She throws her head in true Arabian fashion and flashes the desert with her fiery flaxen mane - as if to challenge the wind to a race. Air gushes from her nostrils, forced from the barrel of her chest. We call it the War Blast. All horses exhibit the War Blast when adrenaline surges through their veins whether from fear or excitement. It is my favorite expression of the horse.

In this case, Jazzmin meant to challenge the landscape. She anticipated the fun we were about to have. I think that a part of her knew that the origins of her ancestry came from a desert wasteland not unlike Bruneau Dunes. I also think she knew her ancestors carried kings to many victories. She treated me like her royalty, her prize to carry forth into an imaginary battlefield, and knowing that gave me all the confidence a teenager might lack.

Riding an excited horse is only fun if you know that the horse has promised to uphold you, and if there's a lack of hard and pointy objects to risk landing on. Bruneau Dunes is not only absent of hard/pointy objects but buried first by six inches of dust and then a bed of sand. A horse's feet sink past their fetlocks before finding any vestige of support. The drawback to playing in a sandbox like this is the strain put on your horse's ligaments. Be wary as a rider. Check their joints often for heat.

The fun is worth the risks when you're flying over a sea of gold, and your horse's haunches are working double-time because of the sinking nature of the sand which grabs at her heels like greedy hands. The sun will glint off the spines of the dunes ahead of you. A loud and glorious rushing sound will fill your ears. The sound is a combination of your heart beat, and her breathing, and the race against the wind - which of course you'll triumph over. And when you've finally shamed the wind into submission and you sit abroad the back of a flat-crested dune, you may find the same sense of peace I found. It is greater than contentment and better than lack of want.

It was my eighteenth birthday. I distinctly remember that my horse stood at liberty. Her nose nearly rested upon my right shoulder - a demonstration of camaraderie. A sweet zephyr came to play with our hair, lifting it and twirling it softly like a sister might, and the moment not only lasts beyond my recognition but it revisits me in dreams. My eyes assessed the landscape in a new way, as if I were seeing the land for the first time, and that's when a white owl crossed my vision, in the mid-afternoon! Can you believe it? I love white owls. I don't know why.

It was the most memorable birthday I've ever had. My friends were disappointed in the lack of "festivities" on my Birthday, but when asked by my parents what I wanted I think I chose wisely. I had an entire State Park to myself that day - which was odd. My parents watched me ride off, I was gone for almost six hours. It was a good day, and a good memory.

James Berkley

2009-12-28T08:33:00.000-08:00

Pastor to Marysville, WA - Judah Praise Center

a friend and a father to many through his ministry:

The Elijah Commission.

There are literally hundreds of grateful hearts writing their thanks to James Berkley and his wife, Kathy Berkley. A facebook wall has become a memorial.

For a people who believe in heaven, the sudden absence of a comrade has more complexity. I know I should not mourn because our friend has gone home, but I cannot lift my spirit to rejoice because of the gaping hole. My heart has told me that it is a great dishonor to try and fill a void created by a person - it is a dishonor to suggest that anyone could replace someone like James Berkley. So the only good response to loss in the midst of grief is to erect a monument in my heart that regards a life lived in the service of others.

The response of my community makes my heart swell. I watch as friends of James Berkley clamor to support his family and to declare their undying gratitude to a good man. I want to thank James Berkley for stepping up to the plate and batting for a world of hurting people - especially for the city of Marysville, WA - where he made his last stand.

I want to thank James Berkley's family for supporting James in his fight to help us in our individual struggles that seem so frivolous now. I know from personal experience that Mr. Berkley would not have been able to accomplish anything in this life without the support of his wife and children. He wouldn't have had the energy, he wouldn't have had the fortitude, and he probably wouldn't have had a reason to invest himself unless there were children and grandchildren at stake.

Thank you Berkley Family for fighting the good fight. We uphold you in honor.

Christmas Aftermath

2009-12-28T08:00:00.000-08:00

The nativity scene painted by my great grandmother.

Well I'm back from Idaho. When I met Tim at the SeaTac airport I felt like Tom Hanks in Cast Away. Tim met me at the security exit and I watched his expression morph from agony to relief. He treated me like a survivor of a plane crash - never once letting go of my hand. Tim couldn't believe that I would choose to return to the Puget Sound from my hometown in Idaho. Apparently Tim had spent three hours at the terminal waiting for my plane, a fact he didn't confess until I was safely strapped into the passenger seat of the car.

Does he do that every time you go home for a visit? Yes, but in varying degrees. This trip was worse for Tim because Mr. Howard has since been to Idaho with me. Therefore he knows what it is I leave behind: mountains, rivers, canyons, plains, horses, and a nice cozy home with loving parents. What's to want? Hence Tim's behavior. Of course I milk it.

Here are some photos from my trip home for Christmas:

Jazzmin, my first horse and one of my closest friends, is dozing in the winter sun. I just finished a brisk ride with her. She's still sharp on her feet. I'm always proud of her. :-)

This is the Christmas Dinner arrangement laid for us by my mother. The dinner set itself was given to her by my grandmother, Doris Rideout. I thought the snowmen were cool.

My brothers totally missed out... From top to bottom, my mother made us that yummy green jelly (what is that called?), the frothy cream and fruit stuff, the sweet potatoes, the green beans, the garlic mashed potatoes, and the turkey carved by Dad. What you don't see in this picture are the famous fourth generation yeast rolls.

More photos available on my flickr photostream.

Christmas Decor

2009-12-20T11:16:00.000-08:00

The plant shelf is where I collect all of the bouquets Tim has ever brought home for me. I dry them and bunch them before displaying them above the cabinets. Yesterday afternoon Timothy let his creative juices take over and the result was wondrous! Tim added some holly and evergreen bows that he'd collected, unbundled the dried flowers and scattered the color in a perfect arrangement. It was 100% his idea. I had nothing to do with it. I'm so proud!

Fred the fir tree died on us. He stopped drinking water about a week ago. The needles aren't falling but the branches are brittle and crispy. I'm sorta disappointed. We got the trunk trimmed when we bought the tree, we watered him often, and we gave him tree food. Did I miss anything? Oh well.... He's still pretty if I pretend that he's not done for.

The Christmas party went well. Gave away the drawstring jewelry bags I made, a Zeb ornament, and some other "funny" gifts as party favors. Alayna's Christmas cookies were a hit. No surprise there. We love them. Tim and I made asparagus rolls, which were also a favorite. They're easy too.

Asparagus Rolls
Asparagus, pickled
Ham, thinly sliced
Cream cheese, warmed
Lay a slice of ham out, butter it with cream cheese very carefully or you'll tear the ham. You want a very thin layer of cream cheese - its easy to overpower the other flavors with it. Then you roll up a pickled asparagus. Pin the roll with three or four toothpicks and cut into sections. Place on plate.

Tim hunted all day Saturday for materials for my wreath-making project. He also ran errands - a job he welcomed since it meant he wouldn't be around when I reverse tornadoed my apartment. Hehe... I had WAY too much fun with the wreath. Its pretty wild looking, but I like it. Its very Lacey.

Ranch Sorting at Hidden River Ranch

2009-12-18T08:51:00.000-08:00

Ranch Sorting at Hidden River Ranch

Above photo extracted from Hidden River Ranch's website.

The location of Hidden River Ranch can be found on my Google Map right here.

Calling all equestrians! Guess what I found? An invitation to come sort steer at Hidden River Ranch in Sultan, WA! That's in our back yard, folks! I encourage you to use my site to find haul-in partners.

Date? Saturday the 19th of December
When? Novice and practice runs start at 10:00am
How much? $5.00 per ride plus a $10.00 haul-in fee per horse & the Novice Jackpot costs $10.00 per run. Yes, gaming is very expensive and adds up pretty quick so watch yourself!

Hidden River's facilities include an indoor and outdoor arena, washers and dryers, heated wash racks, heated tack rooms, and a lounge. Praise God, somebody finally came up with an arena lounge! I'm so happy!

Hidden River plans to light some campfires (I assume) to warm your joints and they are serving a variety of hot and hearty foods. I'm sure the event will make some memories. If I wasn't hosting my own Christmas Party I'd probably show up, horse-less (no trailer), in hopes that someone would bring out one of those mammoth soccer balls. I'll be honest, I've never heard of horse soccer, but my horse has been known to chase a beach ball so... all things are possible.

From your very own native tourist, remember to check Just Visiting 'cause I'm still writing! For event coordinators, please feel free to contact me about your events. If they're fun and local I'll write about it! Cheers!

~Lacey

Snohomish Holiday Market, Snohomish

2009-12-17T09:16:00.000-08:00

Snohomish Holiday Market

Photo by Snohomish Holiday Market Blog

Located here at the historic Black Cat Building

Thursdays through Sundays until December 27th

Open from 11:00am-5:00pm

I love it! This is by far the best organizing and event planning I have seen this season. Not only are they advertising everywhere, but the Snohomish Holiday Market keeps a blog and features each of its vendors, artists, and musicians! I'm so impressed!

Growing up I went to school with a friend who traveled out of state to receive harping lessons twice a month. By the time we graduated she was being hired for weddings at a rate of $55 per hour. She was still a student! Her performances at school banquets and parties were always heart rending. This is why I would urge you to visit the Snohomish Holiday Market at 2:00pm on Saturday, the 19th of December. The harpist's name is Sara Rayna.

I've had a great time scrolling through SHM's gallery. They're keeping a good record of the event and its very obvious that the whole community supports their efforts to bring some holiday cheer into our lives through art and music. Check it out!

I'm just visiting,

Lacey

Nickk the Horse

2009-12-13T23:32:00.000-08:00

Nickk's last heart beat was Saturday night at 5:55pm.

I think that his passing was harder to deal with than any of us anticipated, even when we all knew it would be much different than losing a cat or dog - we had no idea what it would feel like to lose one of our horses.

Now we know.

Bellevue Botanical Garden d'Lights

2009-12-10T14:18:00.000-08:00

Bellevue Botanical Garden d'Lights

5:00pm-10:00pm, November 28, 2009 - January 2, 2010
12001 Main Street , Bellevue, WA 98005

Entry Fee is $1 per person or $5 per family - not including parking.

Photography by Charles Davis, check out his photostream here.

Dogs are not allowed.

I know I've mentioned the Boise Botanical Garden in a previous article, but I'm serious when I say that these gardens are gorgeous when they're lit up with Christmas lights. Its a community event that involves literally hundreds of volunteers from the Bellevue Botanical Gardening Society, plus the support of the City of Bellevue Parks & Community Services. Its not a small, unpublicized event either. Garden d'Lights has been advertised by radio (KING FM 98.1) and by its many other sponsors. The Garden Society predicts so many visitors that police have been asked to direct traffic - WOW!

If you have an avid gardener in the family like I do, you may stop by their garden gift shop "The Trillium". Otherwise, I don't believe there will be any beverages or goodies at this particular light show. It might be wise to bring a thermus full of hot chocolate and a blanket for your shoulders or to wrap around your honey while you tour the garden. Just an idea.... :-)

Just visiting,

Lacey

Pike Place Market, Seattle

2009-12-09T09:11:00.000-08:00

Location & Map provided by the Market's original website.
Cost: free Activities: sight seeing & shopping

Pike Place Market is second only to the Space Needle as the city's most renowned tourist attraction. An average of 10 million guests visit the site on a yearly basis. The market tries to promote the sale of hand-made crafts, local farm produce, and live performances by residents of Seattle. Pike Place Market is the only "farmer's market" in the region that is open seven days a week - closing only on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas, and New Years Day. Operation hours are 10:00am to 5:00pm except on Sunday.

As you can imagine, the market is constantly crawling with people like an ant hill. It is another one of Tim's most loathed locations only because of the unavoidable people-mass. Tim's hate for crowds stems from the fear that, in the event of a stampede, he wouldn't be able to protect me. Its a noble fear so I try to limit our visits to once or twice a year. The poor guy gets dragged into these situations all the time because, contrary to his feelings, I like people. I like people because people are colorful and you all know how much I love color.

When planning a visit to this historical site, be sure to account for the time you'll spend talking to artists and farmers at the booths which span over nine acres. An entire day could easily disappear while exposing your senses to the sights, sounds, and smells that make up the soul of Seattle.

The city of Seattle was Incorporated December 2nd of 1869. Thirty-eight years later - in response to a certain public injustice (read about it here) - the Pike Place Market was founded on August 17th, 1907. Ever since then the market's been known for its "meet the producer" policy. Today the market is one-hundred-and-two years old. Holy cow!

Informative tours of the market are offered every weekday to educate guests on the history and importance of the market today for $10 a person and $7 for seniors. You must make reservations with the Markets Information Booth. Contact details are here.

Please don't forget that the original Starbucks opened at Pike Place Market in 1971 - the year my parents were married, and the year of our Chevy's build. :-) If you live in the State of Washington it would behoove you to make a special visit to this remarkable site.

In closing, remember that your comments and any additional information you can provide are always welcome on this blog. Whenever you need a little local input make I'm Just Visiting a resource!

~Lacey (GirlWithCurls)

Christmas Tree

2009-12-08T14:07:00.000-08:00

Christmas decorating is more fun than Christmas Day - at least in my family. My mother and grandmother would put Martha Stuart to shame when it comes to decking the halls. Since I've moved to the Puget Sound Mom has tried to send ornaments from our family collection. I keep refusing because I know what its like to walk through the home of my childhood and feel like something is missing. Everything that says "Lacey lives here" is gone. That's no good. Therefore all my "baby's first Christmas" ornaments and macaroni art from kindergarten are still in Idaho decorating my parents tree. This of course means that my tree is empty.

To remedy this I held a Housewarming/Christmas Party in 2008. The idea was that friends would bring an ornament that reminded me of them. It was a great success. My favorites are from my nieces and nephews who each brought a hand-made salt dough ornament, and a co-worker brought a sock-monkey to remind me of an inside joke (we call ourselves shop-monkeys and welder-monkeys) and said co-worker also knew that I despise monkeys the way some people despise clowns.

I've decided to make the Christmas Party an annual affair. This year I'm making ornaments for my guests. I can't decide what to do, but let me show you some of the tutorials I'm interested in:

Salt-Dough Snowflakes & Gnomes:
Where in the world did she find those lovely cookie-cutters?

Ribbon Pine Cone Ornament:
I love this idea, it just looks time consuming.

Thoughts and suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Any other ideas or tutorials would also be a plus. :-)

An another topic..... I'm finding it increasingly hard to get back on track with my writing. I've got an article on Pike Place Market in the works with some colorful pictures but my writer's block is making me nit-pick every word. Writing about home going-ons is so much easier and requires no research on my part. I'm giving myself a deadline: tomorrow. Any other day than today!

Horse Cereal

2009-12-08T08:59:00.001-08:00

It was nine degrees in Arlington this morning. My fingers threatened to fall off. I don't know what I was thinking - feeding horses without gloves? It was too early to think.

The horses were already awake, of course. For those of you who don't know horses sleep three hours out of twenty-four. Its not consecutive sleep either. They take several naps standing up and laying down. When standing their legs will "lock" and there's a professional term for the event, but the idea is that they rest on three legs, recline the fourth, and snooze without fear of toppling over. My horse will lay down and snore like a bear. He wakes himself up by accidently snorting a clump of dirt. Its quite funny. FYI: Bunnies snore too, and both species dream vividly.

This morning was so cold that the water trough froze four or five inches. Tim used a post hole point to create an opening six inches in diameter - just large enough for Zeb's snout. Zeb promptly clamped down on a mouthfull of grass-hay and dropped it in said hole. Tim and I were bewildered. We watched as Zeb swirled the hay in the water with his nose and then ate the sloppy hay like cereal.

In five years of raising horses I've never seen that before. Then again, Zeb is the only horse who will fetch a hose for me and drop it in the bucket I indicate so.... I guess that makes him "special".

I'm just visiting,
Lacey

Arlington's Hometown Holiday 2009

2009-12-07T09:05:00.000-08:00

Arlington's

Hometown Holiday

December 12th & 19th, 11:00am-5:00pm

Alright folks, after a weekend of Christmas tree hunting and holiday baking I finally sat down with the goal of writing about the city of Arlington's annual Hometown Holidays.

This last summer Timothy and I have spent a lot of time bailing hay, hauling hay, bucking hay, and itching with hay-fever. Earlier in the year, when hay was not being cut and bailed, we hunted around for some local grass that would bide us through the spring. This is how we became acquainted with a local Arlington man who participates in Arlington's Hometown Holiday every year. He does so by hitching up his team of Belgian draft horses (gorgeous animals) and giving wagon and sleigh rides around downtown. He said he looks forward to the event every year and with the weather we've been having it's likely that we will have snow this December. Hurray! I can hear the sleigh bells jingling, ring-ting-tingling too!

I am SO happy with Arlington's city website. Its easy to navigate, there's good content, and they seem really eager to get citizens excited about town projects.

According to our local Arlington man, the city goes all out for this Christmas event. I wouldn't miss it! The details are in the city's flyer here.

Happy Valley Arts & Crafts, Redmond

2009-12-04T15:06:00.000-08:00

Happy Valley Arts & Crafts Fair

Saturday the 5th of December, 9:00am-5:00pm

Happy Valley Grange, 19720 NE 50th St., Redmond, WA

On my lunch I nabbed a cup of drip coffee. Whilst awaiting my drink I like to browse the cork board and see what's happening in the city. Guess what I found?

I'm not sure if this is up your alley but consider this: if you buy your Christmas gifts from local venders not only are you buying a unique item you are also "stimulating" your local economy. You are helping REAL people in your community who've spent their free time and their creative juices trying to provide an extra income source. Is that so terrible? It makes a gift twice as meaningful.

If you can't make it to the Arts & Crafts fair, never fear! There's always Etsy. Some of the vendors attending the Happy Valley Arts & Crafts Fair have Etsy accounts. They are listed on this page here.

Happy Friday!

Cama Beach State Park

2009-12-04T10:01:00.001-08:00

Cama Beach State Park

1880 SW Camano Dr, Camano Island, WA

Open Year Round, 9:00am-5:00pm

It was a bright, blue, and frigid day. The kind that dresses you in layers. The sunlight was too inviting to ignore. We decided to spend the good weather on Camano Island.

Cama Beach State Park is a year-round water-front beach site and more. It felt like a community center only.... out of doors. The facilities are fairly new. The bathrooms are kept clean. The parking lots include a shuttle service and they have a tiny little grocery store with a historic gas pump where they sell groceries, firewood, propane and sometimes their catering services. I have a picture of the gas pump that I will post ASAP.

Its like a quaint little summer-city from the 30's complete with rental cabins that are reasonably priced - especially for the nice condition that they are in. Check out Cama's prices and photos of their cabins here. There weren't any waves on the beach but the water looked clean and clear. Cama is connected to Camano Island State Park (134 acres) by a 1 mile trail. I think that adds up to 567 acres of fun.

My favorite aspect of this park, however, is the fact that they host year-round classes and workshops for the Center for Wooden Boats. I got to watch a father and son team sand a boat I assume they made themselves. In front of the workshop is a barn full of rental boats and canoes. Imagine that! A BARN for boats! :-) And I thought barns were only for horses..... silly me. Before I sign off I want to make mention that I could not find any signs that forbid dogs or horses but neither could I find any information at Washington State Parks that approved of them. I think the best way to find out is to call.

Woodinville Light Festival

2009-12-03T09:18:00.000-08:00

(City Logo by & from the City of Woodinville)

Woodinville Light Festival
Friday the 4th of December, 5:30-9:00pm
Carol Edwards Center (17301 133rd Ave Ne, Woodinville)

Molbak's (13625 Ne 175th St., Woodinville)

I work in the beautiful city of Woodinville, WA. I especially love how the city exerts so much effort into beautifying its streets and promoting color. Most of you already know that I'm a lot like a hummingbird - color is attractive to me. I'm the person you see bending over to smell the geraniums in a city-owned flower pot just because I can't stand the thought of beauty going unappreciated.

When winter rolls around, try as it may, the frost cannot wilt Woodinville's charm. Flowers are replaced by festive banners, poinsettias, and twinkling Christmas lights. Their recreation department appears to work long and hard at making "Woodinville" more than an address: its the people you live with. Maybe I'm biased. I'll let you decided when you consider attending Woodinville's Light Festival.

The idea of this festival reminds me a lot of our botanical gardens in Boise, Idaho. Firstly, its free. The garden is decked out with lights. There's complimentary hot drinks and maybe, if you're lucky, the occasional ginger snap. Verrrrrry similar if you ask me. I like it. :-)

Is that all? No, silly! There's a whole pogram listed in detail here, on Woodinville's website. To be honest with you the list reminds me of running on cookie fumes at the end of a parade and a full day of colored lightbulbs and garlands and endless shopping..... I'm reliving Black Friday.

Have a very merry Friday, Woodinville. You deserve it. :-)

Double Bluff State Park, Whidbey Island

2009-12-01T09:30:00.000-08:00

Where: Useless Bay, Whidbey Island, WA

Price: FREE minus ferry ticket and gas.

Facilities: good - 9 times out of 10 they are very clean.

Park Offers: off-leash dog park, beach front, picnic tables

Wildlife: bald eagles, live sand dollars, crabs, starfish and deer.

Clamming: WDFW has a profile webpage for the park here. I noticed the park profile mentions that clams and oysters are open all year. Harvest information is here. Don't forget any necessary permits. :-)

Tides: the closest water level station to Useless Bay is at Hansville. Go to Salt Water Tides' tide table (link) and select/tick Hansville. At the bottom of page choose a month and date. Select 'Get Tides' and your tide prediction for that day will load, looking something like this:

More commonly referred to as Useless Bay, Double Bluff State Park is my favorite off leash dog park and easy access beach. There's something enchanting about the area. I make it a point to visit the park on a frequent basis. Not only does it have nice facilities including outdoor showers and pay phones (things you don't expect) but the wildlife concentration is astounding.

I know I've said it before, but I'm going to say it again, if you are a photographer Whidbey Island is a magical place. I can't take a bad snapshot there. Double Bluff State Park is especially saturated in color. The best time of year for color and weather is August and September, but don't hold out on account of my opinion. I love Whidbey Island any time of year.

Be sure that Double Bluff State Park makes it to your list of places to go! And then come back and tell me about it. :-)

If anyone has information to share about equestrian access to Useless Bay I'd really love to hear it. I've seen several riders galloping their faithful steeds along the sand bars in bright, glinting sunlight. I want to know where they come from!

Related Articles: Whidbey Island Ferry

Birch Bay

2009-11-29T10:20:00.000-08:00

In an article posted September 25th I created a list of things I want to do. In that list is "crabbing and clamming" and I've been hot in the pursuit of accomplishing my goal. After speaking with several of Timothy's local relatives (who have clammed in the past) I discovered that clamming season is whenever the Fish and Wildlife Department says it is.

So, naturally, I pulled up Fish and Wildlife's website and searched for Clamming. I quickly learned that F&W regularly samples the beaches of Washington State to analyze various animal populations. When it is discovered that a particular shellfish population is over-abundant they will post their findings on the website along with set clamming dates for that beach.

Before I go on with this story I want to say that I was very frustrated with F&W's website. I had a hard time pulling up the information I needed. I can't even re-trace my steps for you. I wish I could because I found a page of .pdf files that contained locations of year-round clamming sites (most of which are only accessible by boat). One of them is Birch Bay.

SO! I found a clamming site. I learned that clamming permits can be obtained by almost any store that sells camping and hunting gear. I read that you must "shuck" your clams on the beach because of an invasion of Japanese clam-eating predators (they look like hermit crabs) which regularly lay their tiny eggs on the clam shells. The Fish and Wildlife Department wants to control the spread of these predators - hence the inconvenient shucking policy. I don't mind helping the Fish and Wildlife Department out, I'm just wary of contaminating my food while following the rules. Fish food poisoning is not fun.

The Saturday following my findings Tim and I drove the two hours to Birch Bay. It was a lovely drive. When we arrived at Birch Bay we were shocked to find an enormous toxic waste facility just outsite the Park. No website or city search made any reference to the presence of this facility. Later on I re-searched the city website and was humored by the fact that all the photographs were strategically taken to disinclude the toxic waste facility. I know because the site is so large that it fills the southern horizon with smoke stacks. It is very obvious that the city's main employer and source of income IS that facility.

By now I'm sure you won't be surprised if I tell you that Tim and I found several signs that said "Warning. Do not eat the shellfish here! Shellfish are toxic and may cause serious illness or death!"

In conclusion I do not suggest that any of you bother with Birch Bay in the future.

Space Needle Restaurant

2009-11-28T17:01:00.000-08:00

Where? Seattle's Space Needle

Excursion Type: Dining

How? By Reservation Only

How much? Reservation fee +
A Minimum of $34 Per Person

SkyCity's Website:

www.spaceneedle.com/restaurant

Johanna Anderson is the youngest of seven children born to Wayne & Irene Anderson (my parents) and the most recent child to experience the famous revolving restaurant - SkyCity - on her sixteenth birthday. My father and I guess that the restaurant revolves 360 degrees at a rate of once per forty minutes. We could be very wrong because we were equally distracted from the view by the dinner menu. We had commit ourselves to three different choices: the Seafood Pasta, the Grilled Kurabuta Pork Chop, and the 8oz. Signature Northwest Beef. None of us had any wine pairings (however the entire backside of the dinner menu is devoted to the contents of their cellar). I'm happy to report that we were all impressed with each entree. There was a lot of taste-testing across the table and the opinion is unanimous.

A fun activity to engage in while awaiting your meal is to write your name and hometown on the back of a coaster and place it upon the window sill. Remember that the restaurant itself revolves 360 degrees. The coaster usually returns within the hour with various replies.

The reason why it is a family tradition to celebrate a sixteenth birthday at the SkyCity Restaurant is because the Space Needle is the site our father chose to propose to our mother on Valentine's Day of 1971. To us, the Space Needle is more than a city's icon - its a family icon too.

“It was February 14, 1971, and although it was sprinkling & rather cold, Irene Joy Simpson was beautiful. I took her to Seattle’s pinnacle: The Spaceneedle. With a single rose and a ring, at a table by a pillar, with a view that went forever, I asked her to be Irene Joy Anderson for eternity. The amazing thing to me is, she said yes. We have shown our children the “sweet spot” at the Spaceneedle where it happened. It is now a memory shared. A love that has lasted.” - Wayne Anderson

Best wishes to you all. I hope this article inspires many romantic dinners. Please feel free to reply with your own experiences or opinions. I'm happy to hear it all.

Thank you,

Lacey

Black Friday Bliss

2009-11-25T10:06:00.001-08:00

Event: Seattle's Holiday Parade & The Lighting of Macy's Star

Fee: Free for Everyone, excluding parking fees.

When: the day after Thanksgiving Day, beginning at 8:45am

What does your family do for Thanksgiving? Do you have any odd traditions? Are there traditions you loathe or is it a post card for the Perfect American Family?

I don't know about everyone else, but Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Not because of the turkey or the homemade rolls (a recipe three generations old) - which is very tasty. Its because of Black Friday and the Macy's parade. The parade begins at 8:45am but the Anderson Family hits the streets around 7:00am. We start off with cups of Seattle's Best Coffee to warm our toes. Then we stake out a spot on the street, preferably someplace with shelter from the wind or rain. We won't be the only ones trying to claim a spot at this hour. The sidewalks fill fast. Once our claim is made - folding chairs and umbrellas laid out - We awaite the arrival of the grandchildren. At this holiday event there will be two brothers, four sisters (including sister-in-loves), our mother, our father, and six bundled "little people" with rosey cheeks and bright eyes. Oh, and Tim is coming too. This'll be his first year participating in Seattle's Downtown Holiday Parade as they call it.

Seattle will celebrate all day long. As I said, the party starts at 8:45am and doesn't stop until the lighting of Westlake Center's Holiday Tree and Macy's Star at 5:00pm accompanied by a fireworks display. Inbetween those hours visitors and native Seattlites alike will shop 'till they drop. There will be merchants and bands and acrobats at every corner. Every hour a store manager will seek a soap box or a megaphone to announce a store-wide sale, "20% off all items for the next TWENTY MINUTES!"

I'm describing my boyfriends worst nightmare: crowds and the too-hard-to-ignore possibility of a stampede. Luckily he loves me enough to endure a day of torture and panic for my happiness. I'm not spoiled. :-)

Remember, just because there are sales doesn't mean you have to buy anything. All the resturants will be open. All the coffee shops will be too. If you feel like taking your laptop and writing a post about people watching the festival is the perfect scenario to do just that.

Deception Pass

2009-11-01T11:18:00.000-08:00

Where: Deception Pass, WA
Facilities: Good - lots of facilities, parking, bathrooms, ect. Not always clean, but they try hard and you can tell. The park entrance/office is very helpful. Provides: camping, rv parking, an outdoor amphitheatre, nice beaches, rock formations, and trails. Wildlife: I personally saw a seal, some bald eagles, and a deer.

On Sunday the sun shone bright again. The air was crisp but not cold: my favorite weather. I asked to be taken to Deception Pass. It is the closest to the ocean I can get without taking a two hour ferry ride + a cross country drive to the Peninsula (which I wouldn't have minded at all if I had more than a day to spend). My goal was to encounter a land-locked pool of sea life, described to me so many times in books as a "living bouquet". I also wanted to see some waves. They're hard to come by in the Puget Sound with all the islands in the way.

The visit turned into a day-long field trip that included waves but the tide had submerged the rocks and all the sea creatures with them. As the sun came to the pinnacle of its journey Tim and I found ourselves removing layers of sweaters much to our surprise. The first of November is usually colorless and any vestige of warmth has been strained from the air. This year has successfully has trumped all of our predictions and proved itself to be more spectacular and interesting than any of its predecessors. Our lips tell of a hard winter coming, but in our hearts I think all of Puget Sound happily anticipates snow - its the only weather capable of immobilizing the great industrial machine that calls itself Seattle.

And so, as you can imagine, all present at Deception Pass breathed deeper and gazed longer and even though the campsite posted multiple signs vowing penalties for dogs off-leash... many of the visitors ignored the park rangers and let their furry children plow fearlessly into the ocean spray like otters. Speaking of which.... I saw my first wild seal, who I thought was a chocolate Labrador for the longest minute.

Tim and I spent the day building a sand fortress and soaking in the vitamin D. It was a profit to my soul and a great relief to my skin. I don't know what it is about sand and seawater but any sores or dryness disappears when exposed to its element. I'm sure that fact alone provides the roots for my deep affection for the seaside but it will probably never eclipse my love of Idaho's portion of the Rockies.

Whidbey Island Ferry

2009-09-23T09:32:00.000-07:00

Where? 701 Front Street, Mukilteo, WA 98275
When? 5:00am-1:00am, every 1/2 hour.
How much? Adult Pedestrian = $3.95 Vehicle under 20' = $8.60
Travel Time? About 20 minutes.

Read a WikiHow: How to Drive Your Car on to a Ferry

I pay regular visits to the southern tip of Whidbey Island and I love it for relief the trip gives me. The island just feels different. The departing angels responsable for my relief come in the form of two ferrys called the Kittitas and the Cathlamet. The difference I speak of become's clear when you drive away from Clinton ferry landing. Life is slower on Whidbey Island. Life is not about careers or the economic rat race. Its about color. Because of that color, some of my best photographs are taken on the ferry or on Whidbey Island.

If you live anywhere near Mukilteo landing, you ought to take a morning or afternoon to visit Whidbey Island. At the end of the day you'll feel like you've taken a vacation. The trip is in the transit. The Mukilteo ferry will transition you away from stress, and will revitalize your efforts to seek happiness in a world that is so unhappy.

If you've never taken a ferry before your first trip is going to be anxious. All I can say is "follow the signs". Do what they tell you. If you're driving you'll find yourself in a single lane devoted to ferry traffic. Then there are toll booths and once you have your ticket you'll be directed to a wait lane. Canine units will circle the vehicles. Cops will be looking into your car. Its very disconcerning at first, but its protocall. They do this all day, every day, to every car. There's no special search being conducted for a mass serial killer, so don't worry yourself over it.

Then the traffic will be directed to board the ferry. Once you're parked you may exit your vehicle and follow the crowd up a flight of stairs to the galley. The galley serves food, including Ivar's clam chowder, at different hours depending on the ferry. For certain there will be food every day between 8:00am and 7:00pm. Each ferry has an observation deck, seating, and tables. Twenty minutes will give you just enough time to finish your chowder while you enjoy the water and the mountains surrounding the Pudget Sound. On a clear day you'll be able to see the Olympics, Mount Reinier and Mount Baker from the deck. The overhead speakers will inform you of when you'll need to return to your vehicle so, unless you're a walk-on, don't plug your ears with an ipod. The rest of this post is pictures from my third date. Enjoy! :-)

Lightstation Mukilteo, Mukilteo WA

2009-09-21T09:41:00.000-07:00

LIGHTSTATION MUKILTEO

Location: 608 Front Street, Mukilteo, WA 98275
Hours: 12:00pm-5:00pm Weekends & Holidays,
April through September
Cost: Free

On a day when I had nothing to do (don't worry, this is very unusual event) and when my prefered sidekick (Timothy) was absent (also unusual) I decided to visit Mukilteo. I had it in my mind to tour the Lightstation. I brought my camera and commenced my investigation of the treasured site. This is what I found:

Did you know that the State of Michigan has more lighthouses (more than 115) than any other in the Union? A member of the Mukilteo Historical Society at the Lightstation told me that this Saturday (September 19th, 2009). He also told me that Mukilteo Lighthouse will be one of the last in the State of Washington to use its origional lense, which looks like a chandelier made of mirror. I was told that the "Fourth Order Lens" was hand crafted by a French Physicist and it can cast light as far away as twelve miles. The reason why these works of art are being replaced by more modern optics has something to do with their maintainance. According to the Society member, it took a trained Coast Guard almost five hours to clean the lense.
The lighthouse was built in 1906. Since then ownership of the lighthouse passed from the Lighthouse Society to the Coast Guard (1939), and finally to the City of Mukilteo and the Mukilteo Historical Society in 2001. (Left: the Keeper's House.) The Lighthouse has been a historic symbol of Washington State since 1977 when it was placed on the National Register of Historic Sites. Point-in-case, you can purchase your very own Washington State License plate featuring Lightstation Mukilteo from your local DMV.

I came to Mukilteo looking for hot clam chowder not realizing what a historical goldmine it was. Leading up to the Whidbey Island Ferry terminal are various monuments that depict the city's historical relevance to the nation. (Right: Stairwell of the Lighthouse) For instance, I had no idea that the treaty Chief Seattle signed which acknowledged the ceding of the Native Americans from Point Pully to the British Boundary was signed HERE; twenty feet North and East of the totem pole - you can't miss it! Finding this monument was actually the highlight of my day. To think that I stood where Chief Seattle once stood..... A true elder and a very wise man indeed.

(Left: Monument of Treaty - To read the text, double click the photo. The page should load into the origional photo size.) The totem pole I made reference to is impressive in its artistic nature. I couldn't find an explanation for the mesh of Native American and Celtic design. It told Mukilteo's story as a trading post and port as well as its identity as a ferry landing. The city's name was changed in 1859 from Point Elliot to the translation of a Native American word (Muckl-Te-Oh). One meaning of the word translates to "good camping ground".

How Much Wood Can A Pilchuck Chuck?

2009-09-16T14:20:00.000-07:00

Mount Pilchuck is the most recognizable peak in the Cascade Range seen from Snohomish County. Everyone knows Mt. Pilchuck, and if you live near Lake Stevens you've glanced up at Pilchuck's hardened face and wondered, "Who's standing on the Firewatch this very moment?"

Well I'm here to tell you that it should be you standing in that glass encased look out - soaking in the magnificent view! Is it a tough climb? You betcha! Pilchuck has wasted hundreds of city-slickers with its sharp inclines and endless switchbacks. Do you want a challenge? Do you want rewards? This hike is perfect for you! Let me tell you about it....

The year was 2008, mid August, when a friend and I took on "The Cuddly Mountain". We call it The Cuddly Mountain because the name Pilchuck sounds like something small and furry, doesn't it? Well its not. To help clear that mental picture let me throw out some raw data:

As far as we know, Mount Pilchuck (Elevation 5,340ft) was first climbed in 1918 by topographers. The elevation gain from the trail head to Pilchuck's summit is roughly 2,166 ft. PHEW! Now, if you were to tell Timothy that you climbed Mount Pilchuck the first thing he’d say is, “Yeah, but you drove half the way.” Don’t you just hate it when people verbally degrade your accomplishments? Don’t listen to him. It’s a rough 6 mile hike, okay? Worthy of even the most avid hiker. But what’s nice is that it is easily accessible (good roads) and the trail is extremely well maintained minus complaints of litter. Please do Washington State Parks a favor and bring an extra plastic sack to pack up any stray plastics you come across.

Of course you’ll need a $5 permit to hike the trail, so make sure you stop by Verlot Ranger Station on Mountain Loop Highway. The Rangers will give you directions to the trail head and any bit of information you’ll need about weather, trail conditions, ect. (Left: photo of me near trail head)

When my friend and I climbed the mountain we weren’t very prepared. We brought a few waters but hardly any food. Even if you only plan on spending a few hours out in Nature, be sure you prepare for 1-2 days. I am not joking. Everyone participating in the hike should shoulder a backpack filled with sweaters, food, and especially water. If you’re the gutsy type, you can ask the Rangers how many people have gotten themselves lost this season. If you’re especially curious, ask them how many people have died on Mount Pilchuck. The numbers might shock you.

On that light note.... the trail starts out pretty level, weaving its way over one or two streams and through some dense woods - thick with moss and fern. As you begin the switchbacks the forest will thin, you'll see hardier pines and less vegetation. It'll be about an hour before you breach the tree line. When that happens you'll see this: photo to your right.

That, my friends, is what you'll be climbing: A magnificent fortress of rock and shale. At some point the earth will fall away on your left. When you begin to hear moving water, perhaps a waterfall you can't see, scoot carefully to the edge of the trail (left side). There will be a drop. Below is Lake 22. The water you can hear and possibly smell is spring water vaulting off the face of the mountain.

At each turn, at the beginning of every switchback, you'll be given a perspective. There is no other peak of Pilchuck's height within miles to obstruct your vision. In order to reach the fire watch you will have to rock climb. I'm afraid of heights, so I kept my eyes on the rock and didn't allow my thoughts to consider the possibilities.

When you reach the top.... just stay there. Take your time and watch the landscape change with the light its given. See the clouds form and dissipate over Snohomish County. Try to spy Lake Stevens, or Everett, or even as far as Seattle. The fire watch has a 360 degree observation deck. Inside it is filled with informational plaques that'll tell you how the firewatch was built, as well as enlighten you to just how far you can see into the horizon. You also might want to strike a pose for the folks back home so that everyone will know, "Yeah.... I conquered The Cuddly Mountain, and it felt good!"

Other than that, best of luck to you and your poor unfortunate friends who've chosen to follow you!

Vacation Evaluation

2009-09-14T09:02:00.000-07:00

Tim and I left from work (Woodinville) around 1:00pm on Thursday, September 3rd. From the parking lot to my parent's doorstep it is almost exactly 500 miles (according to Google Maps). Not that I printed directions, mind ye. The journey from Seattle to Idaho is our very own Anderson Family migration. We need no maps! In fact we make the trip every year at least once if not three times. Believe it or not, driving my Toyota Corolla all the way is cheaper than flying by Horizon Air. Even if you schedule your flight two months ahead of time you will pay around $120 per person for an 1 1/2 hour flight from SEATAC airport to Le Bois (That's Boise - city of trees in French). Gas at $2.98 per gallon, round trip, is less than $100. Not only is it cheaper to drive, but the landscape you will witness on the drive is absolutely magnificant AND you don't have to borrow your parent's "vehiculors" (that's Tim's pronunciation of vehicles) while your visiting home. Aha!

If you find that tidbit of information fascinationg than listen to THIS! My mother informed me that Boise will be conducting a study throughout the month of September that will determine whether or not the old Union Pacific Railroad Train Depot, built in 1925 and shut down in 1971 (the year my parents married, the year of make on our Chevy truck, and the year Starbucks was established), will be reopened for its intended use: travel.

For the past 37 years the depot has been a popular site for weddings and events. Not only is the Spanish-inspired architecture AMAZING, but the station is surrounded by Platt Garden - by far the most beautiful public garden in The City of Trees - surpassing even Julia Davis Park in granduer. I am absolutely enthralled by its cascading water features, koi ponds, and variety of flowering plants.

I have never before ridden a train to anywhere - but I've always thought that the experience would be romantic. Depending on the distance of your trip, Amtrak fares are incredibly cheap (considering tall gas prices). I know that a trip from SEA to PDX (Seattle to Portland) is about $28.00 round trip. I also know that a trip from Seattle to... say... Flagstaff, Arizona is about $117 one-way. The dollars and cents sound really good, don't they? But there's a hitch. It'll take you two days to get to Flagstaff, and at least twice you'll be riding a bus (Greyhound) from one depot to another.

I know this because I once tried to plan a vacation by train to the Grand Canyon. I've never seen the Grand Canyon, and I've never ridden a train. I thought it'd be a kickin' trip - but I'm not big on making flight connections let alone bus and train connections. That is an easy recipe for "Lost Lacey". Maybe someday I'll feel differently, but until then I'll just keep a postcard of the Grand Canyon on my refrigerator so that I can say, "Yeah.... I wake up to a view of the Grand Canyon every morning." Stretch and yawn. "Just livin' the life, man."