Rolling into Fall

Relaxing at Thornbush

Jay spent the first week of September with us and we worked him so hard he had to take naps any way he could.  Thanks, Jay, for all the hard work bringing in the firewood.  We will be appreciating it all winter long.

Cheryl, Cathy, Antoinette at HS Reunion

I took Jay home on the 9th and continued on to my friend Mary's house to help put on our 40th High School Reunion.  The weather was fabulous, the food scrumptious, and a good time was had by all.  Here are three of my best friends from high school catching up on the last decade or so. 

I thought things would kind of quiet down after the reunion--but no, they've gotten busier instead.  The weather has been great (trying to make up for July).  So I've been re-staining all the window trim, doors, and the new carport posts whenever I have a minute between guests. 

Also, all the clubs/organizations I belong to have reignited their activities now that Labor Day is over.  I have many duties associated with the Textile Guild, the Soroptimists, even the Grange.  I attended a day long symposium on prairie restoration that my cousin Rose helped put together last week.  Rose flew in from Boise for the event and practiced her speech on stewardship in our cottage into the wee hours.  It was a very informative symposium.  American Camp Prairie Restoration



Miles explores Thornbush

Then a rare treat--a visit to Al from his great-grandsons--all three of them.  Clare brought her three-month old Rafael, and Niki and James brought Miles and Austin.  Miles just turned two and Austin is not yet a year.  The last time niece and nephew saw Thornbush they were eight and ten (?)  and James' wife Niki had never seen the place.  The weather cooperated and the day was only marred by the yellow jackets who would not let us sit outside.

Austin, Miles, Great Grandpa Al, and little Rafa

Today it was back to work on the carport.  We brought a big chunk of the tree we cut down last month to the mill and carved out the boards we will need for the rafters, plus a few extra 2x6's.  We got caught in a downpour.  The sign of things to come now that it is officially Fall.

Late Summer 2011

Canoers greeted by Lummi Nation in Friday Harbor Marina

Oh Wow, it is already September and I haven't updated since mid-July.  Don't you love late Summer?  The hot days, the cool nights, all the ripe fruit!  It feels like I was racing from one event to another over these last six weeks.  But now I can see a break just ahead as summer winds down.

Summer 2011 included the usual Shakespeare (Winters Tale) and live music (Abbie Road Live) and visits from friends.  This year the Canoe Journey brought 12 tribal canoes from around the Salish Sea to our island before they joined scores of other canoes landing at Swinomish on the Skagit.



Karen Haas of Hudson Bay, Fort Nisqually



Hair and Clothing Styles of 1859 demonstrated

We squeezed in an afternoon at the Encampment at English Camp.  I wandered around in 1850's garb and had my picture taken by Japanese tourists.

 Bjorn's family visited in early August.  Always a pleasure to have the grandchildren around.  Audrey has to do everything her big sisters are doing.

Soil Fertility - Four Approaches

Lunnette resplendent in Drug Store packaging

Roger and I got very busy the following week getting ready for the fair.  The garlic was picked and sorted, I had some textile projects to finish, Roger had to buy a brand new chainsaw to take down the tree we will need to mill for carport rafters.  The tree is down and cut up but we still haven't dragged it to the mill yet.

And then the week of the Fair.  Surprisingly, no guests this year, but we were still mighty busy with our various booth duties.   The Trashion Fashion show was a highlight, as well as Roger's panel discussion on agricultural techniques for the Ag Resource Committee.  Oh yes, we earned some red and blue ribbons as well.  And ate more than our share of elephant ears.

Lynn kayaks with Don as an escort

We had to rush off-island on the early ferry Fair Saturday to our next adventure.  Across the state on Highway 20 to Kettle Falls where we joined five good friends on a houseboat on Lake Roosevelt. Four days on the boat.  We had a hot tub, ukuleles, good food, kayaks and floaties, waterfalls and a little trouble with the battery.  Bookending the trip we got to stay with my brother Joe and his wife Cheryl, play more music and see the Colville Fair.  Stayed overnight in Seattle area to help celebrate my brother Jeff's 60th birthday/10th anniversary in Woodland Park.

Summer was late coming, but we're managing to pack as much into it as one of any regular length.  School started for island kids on August 31st and now it is Labor Day Weekend.  I'm skipping a lot of details, about captured foxes and feral kittens.  Crops that succeeded and crops that failed.  Potlucks and visitors, books we've read and plays we've seen.  And an admission--I didn't get one project started that wasn't already started before summer began.  The mosaics didn't get made but the waterlilies did bloom.  No sewing got started but I did organize the craft room.  And the beach gate is finished but I haven't spent much time at the pond.  I guess I've got a few more things to cram into the last three weeks of summer.