Girlfriends

What is it about some people that make you laugh?

I don't consider myself a particularly funny person, and Joie tells me that she isn't either. But when we are together we can't stop laughing - really laughing. You know the gut-aching, wipe-your-eyes and cross-your-legs kind of laughing.

Perhaps it is because we have been through so much life together - ups, downs, heartaches, work, college rooming, deep, deep loss, creating a book together. Perhaps because we share so many interests - color, photography, reading, chocolate, music, singing, chocolate, art, nature, beaches, chocolate...

Perhaps because we know that we are cherished by the other, we feel free to be ourselves - complete with all of the complex web of strengths and flaws that make us who we are and cause us to react the way we do. Perhaps because I know she chooses to accept me for all of my quirky pieces, I am free to laugh at myself. And what a beautiful gift! To reduce all of my flaws to the itty bitty silly things that they are is so liberating that I can truly laugh first at myself and then at the world.

My world is a richer, more intense, beautiful, and yes funnier, place because of my friend.

Oh that everyone has a friend to really, really laugh with!

Back home

from a delightful vacation (the first I've had in a really long time). Cut a bit short due to last minute book edits lasting up until the morning of my birthday then being kicked off our property... more on that later.

I came home to some wonderful surprises: a box of handblown glasses for our new beach house from my Aunt...


And Marcia's new book - elegant, classy, sophisticated...

And to find out Deborah is painting my cherry blossoms... on silk!

And that our house is already framed...
(check out Timberland Homes - ours will look similar to this)

So many wonderful things!

But back to being kicked off our property...

Yep - turns out a tent isn't an 'approved dwelling unit' (go figure!). Never mind that we already have a Reasonable Use Permit, a Driveway Permit and have filed for a Building Permit (any question as to our intent on this property?) Now once our house is built, we can put up a tent or trailer (because we won't be 'dwelling' in it). And, once our Building Permit is approved (in a couple of weeks), then we can pay the county a few hundred dollars for a Temporary Dwelling Permit to put up a tent... (not sure I can tell you all this without a Permit). So goes the red tape of Island County. And so endeth our vacation.

Don't worry, we are actually already giggling about it.

What's a girl to do

when she spills water all over her keyboard? Why turn to beads of course.

And yep - take it apart to mop up, blow dry and hope for the best.

Nope - it's toast.

Another world of color

is revealed when the tide sweeps lower than I've yet seen on our new beach. Thousands of starfish, mussels, oysters, anemone and barnacles cling to moist sand and seaweed waiting for waves to wash over them again. Seagulls and seals sunbathe on giant boulders and great blue heron play leap frog with us as we wind our way along the beach.

Late in the afternoon, after hours in the water on their driftwood raft, the boys build cairns, gather shells and my 11 year old pours through a basket weaving book (picked up in a tiny book store in Coupeville) and starts weaving reeds and grasses he gathered on our property.


I have asked him to show me how next time...

Whidbey Island

has my heart.

It started on my birthday 11 years ago... a day's hike , a night camping, a week at Fort Ebey, staying at Jeff and Joie's beach house, breakfast in Langley, treasures at Whidbey Island Antiques, spontaneous days filled with beachcombing, chocolate truffles, and down time. Island time. So peaceful and relaxing and friendly and beautiful on this long narrow strip of land. So here we are again, as every August, this time on our own property!

Here is a bit of the wonderful little scenes, ferry ride, my favorite little breakfast spot, flowers spilling onto the streets in Langley, setting up camp on our property and taking out my dad's little boat.

Useless Bay Coffee House is surrounded by kitchen and cutting gardens:

The Braeburn Restaurant:On our beach:

Hope your August is delightful and you too get a summer vacation in a place you love!

Ahhh - It's raining again!

A humming bird hovered a foot from my head while I stood under the dripping trumpet vine. I wish I could have shared him with you, but as soon as he realized I wasn't part of the background he shot away in a blur.

We have web feet here in the Pacific Northwest and aren't used to hot, dry weather month after month with days soaring into the 90s and even tipping over 100. We don't have pools, or air conditioning - we like 70 degrees (plus or minus) and interspersed with rain... thank you very much!

When it started sprinkling yesterday evening my kids went out in bare feet to play Frisbee, my husband, mother-in-law and I sat under the porch watching the ground soak up every drop and breathing in the ozone and damp earth. So lush and fresh and green - and alive.

My dear friend, Sherri knows how I love hydrangeas - and gave me this gorgeous conical white to go with my purples, blues and burgundies

...plus a non-dairy chocolate cupcake.

Life is good!

Overwhelmed and out of focus

Too much happening all at once...

No rest for the weary

... but who am I to complain?

I miss you all - not sure when this crunch will be over - but I will see you on the other side!