Scrapbooking my life...one page at a time

Weather Update ...

- It's HOT! -

It's hard to believe but 85⁰ sounds like a cooling trend ...

Good Morning Mr. Sunshine ...

Yesterday morning I beat the sun up by several hours - not that we are having a competition or anything - but I do love watching the sun rise up over the mountains (click on the pictures to enlarge them)...

Bliss ...

I could tell before it even before it slid up over the horizon that it was going to be a RED HOT, day!!!!  Just look at the color of that sun - beautiful, but intense!

Blissful ...

I could feel the cool morning air flowing in my scrap-room window and so I wandered downstairs, made a fresh cup of java and went outside to say good morning to the garden.  The flowers seemed blissfully ignorant of the red hot sun rising up just behind them - as did the birds, bees, dogs or trees ...

 

Blissfully Ignorant ...

Surrounded by my early morning bliss - I took my coffee and sat down at the patio table to enjoy the coolness of the morning and read the paper.   It seemed to be a perfect moment of bliss.

But, as you know - very little in life is as it seems ...

    

Bliss Interrupted ,,,

As I sat down, steaming cup of morning coffee & paper in hand,(cue soft music) my eye was drawn to the little pot on the table,  I sighed, thinking how pretty it looked and at that exact moment ...

Katy's cat, Chewie,  wandered out onto the deck and since he was not supposed to be outside (my bad, I left the screen door open) I had to jump up - spilling coffee down the front of my clean t-shirt - and chase the cat around until finally I could grab it by it's tail, drag it back under the fence, pick it up and put it back into the house. 

I was determined not to let this incident ruin my morning bliss so I went back (cue soft music again) and sat back down  ....

Nearly Broken Bliss ...

Just as I picked up the paper and began reading again, a squirrel jumped down into my empty bird feeder and knocked it off the post and onto the deck.  Buster, who up until this point had been laying out quietly in the sunshine, jumped up and began barking nonstop at the squirrel who was jumping around the fence.

Oy - I got up and went to see if the Green Man feeder was broken (he was not), hang him back up, and yell at Buster to stop barking.  But, it was too late - as  Buster was working himself into a full-on barkathon deaf old  Sneakers awoke to the ruckus and decided to join in.  All the noise incited the cat into a scratching frenzy where he tried to rip apart the screen door in an effort to get out. 

It was starting to get hot & I began to sweat  ...

 

Trading in Bliss for some relaxation ...

At this point I grabbed the garden hose (picture police doing riot control with a fire hose) and sprayed the dogs to Shut Them Up and then sprayed the cat (and yes, I got the carpet wet inside the house but I'm thinking  ... who cares) to get him away from the door, tricked the dogs inside with the bribe of a cookie - slammed the door shut and blissfully huffed upstairs ...

*Sigh*

When I got upstairs I realized that I'd left my now 'probably cold' cup of coffee down on the patio table and as I sat down at my scrap table and contemplated going down to get it - I noticed that the morning air was already heating up ... *big sigh*

I have now come to the conclusion that BLISS is a state of mind and cannot be artificially or intentionally created - it is a spontaneous and fleeting moment that is often, in my life anyways,  closely followed by chaos ...

Wishing you a blissfully peaceful morning & a day filled with ordinary miracles

- N -

What Happiness Sounds Like ...

My Happiness Sounds Like ...

• The whisper of the dishwasher going in a nice clean kitchen ...
• Hearing the hum of the dryer with the last load in it ...
• Listening to the laughter of neighborhood kids drifting in the open window ...
  
• The gentle splish-splash of my dragonfly fountain _...
• Waking up to the chitter chatter of birds outside my window ....
• And sometimes, happiness is the sound of silence before anyone else wakes up ...

What does your happiness sound like?

Wishing you a day filled with laughter, giggles & other such noises ...

- N -

Spuds ...

Last Friday night I decided that I wanted to do something .... summery and after thinking about it for a while I decided what could possibly smell, taste, feel or look more like SUMMERTIME than an order of fish & chips down at beach.

I remember when going to Crescent Beach when we were little kids - the sandy beaches, potato salad & swimming in the tide pools.  I think White Rock was the more crowded, popular beach - the one with fish & chip stands but we never went there much.    I haven't been to Crescent Beach in about 40 years and I doubt I would not even recognize it today. 

So I packed up Mike and Katy & off we went down to Juanita Beach in Kirkland,  We grabbed some fish & chips at Spuds drive-in before we went for our walk.  The Drive-in is right across the street from the beach - in fact, you can see Lake Washington while you are eating your chips & fish! 

The thing I love about Spuds, aside from the great chips & fish, is that it's a true old fashioned, one-of-a-kind, gravel parking lot, restrooms out back type of  drive-in and you don't see them very much any more these days. 

 

After dinner we went for a walk along the pier - it was almost twilight by the time we'd finished dinner but still very warm out with the most delicious breeze coming off the water.  It was still fairly crowded and there were even a couple of kids still swimming but the sun was definitely on its way down.

We are so very lucky to live sandwiched in between two beautiful lakes - Lake Washington to the west and Lake Sammamish to the east.   I wish I could say we were down at one of the lakes all the time but truth be told we rarely go to either. 

There is a large U shaped pier at the beach and the public swimming is allowed only inside the U.  The walk along the pier is not very long but what it lacks in length - it more than makes up for in view ...

 

You can see Seattle across the lake ...,

 

Boats on the water ...

 

Bill Gates house - if you squint and look hard though the trees ... can you see it ... okay, just kidding but it is along the shores of Lake Washington in Kirkland somewhere (you need to be on a boat to see it).

 

And we went home!

Now go find a shady bench and just take it easy for a while ...

- N -

Sunday Morning ...

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Psalm 51:10

 

Today I am most grateful for:

1. A beautiful sunny day ...
2. A husband who loves me unconditionally ...
3. A peaceful heart ...
4. The opportunity to return to school ...
5. Good friends  ...
6. The kindness of others ...
7. The ability to help others ...
8. Two amazing daughters ...
9. The abundance of fresh fruit available to us now ...
10. A God who loves me ...

Just Wondering ...

 

Lately, as I  watched Katy re-read all the Harry Potter books, I began to wonder which book(s), if any, had captured my imagination enough to compel me to pick it up again and re-read it.  I wonder ...

With shelves full of my 'wannabe's' (as in ... I wannabe the next one you read)  I don't usually go back and revisit books - movies, yes - books, not so much ...

And truth be told, I am a Blue Ribbon winner in the SSS category (Slow reader, Short attention span & Several books on the go at the same time).  I haven't decided if this is a curse, lack of Vitamin D , too much TV or a genetic malfunction but nevertheless - it's who I am and I have simply learned to 'embrace' it!

"A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise."

- Aldo Leopold, A Sand County Almanac, 1948

Anyhoo, after scouring my bookshelves I finally found a book that I know I have picked up and read several times  - A Sand County Almanac, by Aldo Leopold.

First published in 1949, a year after his death, the book is a collection of  essays, sketches & observations written over a period of time about his love of nature, wildlife conservation and ecology.

I love this book. 

Wolves, Aldo Leopold

Humph - that appears to be it,  Guess  I was right - I'm not a re-reader!  But - the weird thing is that I keep all the books that I have read & loved.  Who knows, perhaps I am planning on reading them again in my next life ...

How about you - does anyone out there have a favorite book or two that they have loved so much it became a twice-read tale?  If so, please share and let us know because maybe we would like to read it too ...

- I Hope Your Tomorrow is Even Better Than Your Today -

- N -

Thursday Morning Walkabout ...

Extraordinary Beauty  ...
Walkabout No. 29

 

"Though an old man, I am but a young gardener."  - Thomas Jefferson-

Today Therese & I went to visit the Bellevue Botanical Gardens (BBG) and of the nearly 3 years that we have been going on our semi-regular Walkabouts we have been to the BBG on 5 different occasions.  In fact, our first walk was at Bellevue Botanical Gardens!  Over the years we have toured many wonderful gardens, walked through some amazing wildlands, woodlands & parks but the BBG is still my all time favorite place to enjoy both the cultivated and the wild.  

 

"One of the most delightful things about a garden is the anticipation it provides." - W.E. Johns -

To me, everything about this garden is extraordinary - it is extraordinary in it's simplicity and likewise for it's complexity. A simple fence of aging wood & woven twigs covered by a complex & tangled array of vines, plants and colors is the perfect illustration of how this garden's complexity creates an illusion of rustic simplicity.

"It is a golden maxim to cultivate the garden for the nose, and the eyes will take care of themselves."   -Robert Louis Stevenson -

I first visited the BBG with my sister-in-law ,Kathryn, when the garden was just in it's infancy and even then you could see it's latent potential.  While today, it is made up of 53 acres of display gardens, woodlands, meadows & wetlands it all began with a 7 acre donation to the City of Bellevue by Carl & Harriet Shorts who wished their gardens to become a public park.  That incredible act of love & kindness led to the formation of  the Bellevue Botanical Garden Society which now partners with the Bellevue Parks Department, NW Perennial Alliance, Eastside Fuchsia Society, Puget Sound Dahlia Society and many other local gardening groups to provide the immense volunteer force which help maintain the garden ...

"How fair is a garden amid the trials and passions of existence." - Benjamin Disraeli -

I am truly blessed to have such an incredible garden so close to my home and I take advantage of this often - I enjoy visiting the it at least once during every season.  I do not play favorites with the seasons - they all offer up some form of botanical delights (or garden d'lights at Christmas).  This garden never bores - it is always full of life, the changing seasons,  and an abundance of birds & bees. 

 

"Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you."  - Frank Lloyd Wright -

And while I love every season at the gardens I must confess that the wetlands in the Botanical Reserve are my favorite place in the garden.  It is never bursting with color like much of the display gardens nor does it have the sophisticated serenity of the Japanese garden, but, to me, it is a secret garden full of life and possesses some of the greatest beauty nature has to offer us.  In the spring it is one of the first areas of the gardens to waken and come to life  - 

"The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature."                                       - Anne Frank -

I love these gardens so much so that I went to them in early May, shortly after returning home from Canada after Mom had passed away.  I wanted to spend some time alone and to think about her in a quiet peaceful place - a place I love.  To find some solace.  During this visit I thought about how I had lived so far from her for the last 25 years and how terribly sad it made me that I would now & forever l be so far away from her.  It bothered me greatly that I could rarely go to her graveside to visit and be with her.  So, that day, I decided that will speak with the BBG and see if I could buy a bench for the garden and have it dedicated to her.  I would then have a special place (somewhere near the pond I hope) - somewhere I could go, sit and just be with her.  I think I could always find my Mom somewhere in a garden ... 

 

"Weeds are flowers too, once you get to know them" - A. A. Milne,  'Winnie the Pooh' -

Therese & I wandered about - chatting and catching up as we had not seen each other in quite a while.  She had just finished the Lance Armstrong LIVESTRONG Challenge 2009 in June and then did a 5 day bike tour around the San Juan Islands.  She is one motivated rider - I need some of her determination and energy!!  Our stroll around the gardens is just a 'rest' for her.  I am hoping that we will be able to get back into a walkabout routine again and BBG was just a nice intro ..

 

"In wilderness I sense the miracle of life, and behind it our scientific accomplishments fade to trivia."      - Charles A. Lindbergh -

Although it had only been about 4 months since our last visit to the gardens we couldn't believe how much the gardens had changed since our last visit.  They are busy adding display gardens and redoing the entire perennial bed.  Amazing ...

"Nature abhors a garden." - Michael Pollan -

When we went into the Visitor Center we found a big board with all their building plans and saw that  they are planning to add a suspension bridge which will be used to view the Ravine Garden below it (also being added).  I can't wait until they finish that because I think it will be quite unusual as well as beautiful.  I think that is one of the things that makes the BBG so unique - it is never stagnant - they are always recreating it. 

"In order to comprehend the beauty of a Japanese garden, it is necessary to
understand - or at least to learn to understand - the beauty of stone."
-  Lafcadio Hearn -

I love the Yao Japanese Garden (named after Bellevue's sister city in Japan) at the BBG - it is my second favorite place to visit at the gardens and while it is probably one of the smallest Japanese Gardens I have toured - it is nonetheless very beautiful.  I love the quote above - to me - understanding the beauty of stone is very much akin to understanding the beauty of a snag or nurse log ...

"You do not need to know anything about a plant  to know that it is beautiful." 
-   Montagu Don -

At this time of  the year the Japanese garden is awash in different shades of green.  There are so many different maples in the garden it takes your breath away, or maybe it's just me because maples are my all time favorite tree.  

"I like trees because they seem more resigned to the way they have to live than other things do."
-   Willa Cather (1873-1947), O Pioneers 1913

But, even in the Japanese garden you can always find some color poking out of the green and the gardens is quite spectacular in the spring when all of the azaleas and rhododendrons are blooming ...

 

 

"Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts." - Rachel Carson -

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was a good day filled with ordinary miracles ...

- N -

Hitting the Books ...

 

I have decided since it is not the right TIME 'job hunt' - it is must be the right TIME to 'hit the books' and return to school for a little while. I have decided to enter a  Certificate in Human Resources Management program at Bellevue Community College.  

I am happy because most of the classes are offered at night school so I will still have my days open to study & play.  What could be better! 

 

While its been a while since I last 'fired up' my brain cells I think they are ready and I am very excited to be DOING SOMETHING.  I am starting out with 3 night classes in 'Ethics & Human Resources', 'Cultivating Collaboration - Building Strong Teams' and "Human Resources Today".  

Depending on how many classes I take at a time I think I will have completed my Certificate sometime around December or January.  Whoo Hoo!  

    Whoo Hoo!  Life is good!

I Hope You are Having a Great Day

- N -

Sunny Days & Sun Burnt ....

This weekend Mike & I headed over for some R&R with Doug & Kathryn on Vancouver Island.  We have been meaning to get over there for a visit and check out their apartment in Victoria.  So back  in early June we made the commitment, set the date and made the reservations and headed down to Pier 69 to catch a ride over on the Victoria Clipper last Saturday.

The Victoria Clipper is a passenger only ferry that leaves from downtown Seattle and goes non-stop over to Victoria.  It takes just under 3 hours to get there if the weather is good but, as we found out on Saturday, if the winds are rough it can take up to 4 hours to complete the journey.  

I always forget how much I love being out on the water.  It is so beautiful & refreshing - to smell the clean air, taste the salty spray on your lips and just soak up the miracle of being out upon the ocean  ...

It is easy to take for granted what an incredible & diverse area we live in -  the ride over left me breathless ...

 

At times during the ride over the water was as smooth as glass ...

and at times - rough and choppy ...

at times there wasn't a cloud in the sky ....

and at other times that cloud cover & mist seemed to engulf the islands ....

Because of the rough waters of the open Sound on Saturday we were diverted up through Deception Pass and along the San Juan Islands.  It afforded us the opportunity to go under the Deception Pass Bridge.  Although it added almost an hour to the trip it was spectacular ...

Doug picked us up at the ferry dock and we went over to drop off our luggage and check out their apartment.  They have a really nice one bedroom place in James Bay which is just a short walk from the Empress, the Parliament Buildings and the water front. 

Their building has a very nice little guest suite which you can rent for $25.00/night so we dropped off our luggage at the suite, went up to check out their place, pick-up Kathryn and then went off to do some sight seeing downtown. 

 

The crowds downtown were not too large so we just wandered around for a couple of hours (we didn't dock until around 1) and we saw ...

The magnificent Empress Hotel  ...

If you've never been inside this place ... WOW.  It is truly a wonder!

The entrance columns into the grounds at the Empress ...

On our travels we found a great costume shop and decided to check it out.  It was called Nightmare Entertainment and it had a fun 'Haunted House' set up inside the costume shop which we went through.... fun

Mike & the Nightmare Man ....

 

The hanging baskets around Victoria are amazing ...

 

BC Parliament Buildings ...

 

There must be hundreds of horse & carriages and rickshaws in Victoria ...

 

The first night we went to Chinatown and had sushi for dinner.  It was very good and after dinner we strolled home along the waterfront.  By the time my head hit the pillow later that night I was exhausted.

The next morning we had cereal out on the deck and then decided to tour a few of the many local gardens.  The first one we hit was the Abkhazi Gardens (click on name for more information) which are very beautiful and have a very interesting history. 

 

 

We also toured the gardens at the Government House  which were also well worth the time.  If you are every in Victoria I would recommend visiting both of these gardens in addition to or in lieu of the better known Butchart Gardens.

 

It was a whirlwind mini vacation but we had a great time.  On the boat ride home we were lucky enough to be gifted this incredible view of Mount Rainer. The only bad thing about our trip was the vicious Sun Burns that both of us brought home ...

    Hope everyone had a great weekend

- N -

Just Pottering around ...

I guess this isn't news at all to you Harry Potter fans out there but .... (drum roll ....) today is the release of the much anticipated ... HARRY POTTER and THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE!!!   I believe that this is the last book in the much-loved series so I can imagine that for all the die-hard Potters fans this is BIG and the excitement has certainly been building around our house all summer.  Admittedly, Mike & I are not exactly what you would call Harry Potter fans as neither of us has ever read any of the books but we have seen several of the movies, however ... 

Katy is one of Harry's Biggest Fans,  in fact, both her and Jessica are BIG BIG BIG BIG FANS!!!   Katy has spent the whole summer re-reading every book in the series of  Potter books getting ready for this movies release.  She asked Mike & I if we wanted to go see it with her so we went online Monday to Fandango and pre-bought tickets for today at 7pm.  All the movie theaters around us are pre-selling tickets for days out - I have heard good things about this movie but good or bad ... I think it is going to make a TON of Galleon.

 

So tonight we will grab our Butter-Beer & Popcorn and settle in along with all the other muggles to see where Harry & the Gang lead us now ....

Have a great day

Smile

- N -