The Roger Issue

Roger meets Nate at April's wedding in August
 

This post is intended to highlight whatever the heck Roger has been doing.  He always seems to be in the background on my blog but is very much in the foreground in what has been happening around Thornbush.  Roger, this blog’s for you.

 

Stripping Bark at English Camp for Weaving Weekend

You can describe Roger’s life in recent years as being divided into three parts—running his business-Thornbush Landscape and Design, developing this property, and community involvement through the Grange.  Ok, add in family matters, especially helping his dad, Al, through his transition to assisted living, but also being a grandpa.  In other words, he lives a very full life.

 

Fourth of July with Al
 

FAMILY

The Big Event since my last blog was the celebration of Tony and April’s Wedding near Mt Rainier this past August.  It was a family reunion and a vacation wrapped up in a long weekend. 

Mt Rainier Scenic Railway in Elbe

Roger especially enjoyed the ride on the Steam Train with Bjorn and his brood,  we’d taken a similar trip many years ago with Bjorn when he was a lad.



Roger and Anita hike Paradise
 

 

We also got to hike around Paradise with my family on a beautiful morning amid the wildflowers and vistas. 

 

Roger with In-law Bill Yake

Just this past weekend we were able to reminisce with many of the same family members at Barrecas Thanksween.  Roger likes two things in particular about these gatherings—the great food and jamming with the “Outlaws and Inlaws” Yesterday, Bill and Roger on guitar, Marc on keyboard and Joe on bass.
 

 

HOME

Chickens and Orchard Expansion dominated the year.  But the garden and firewood gathering are mainstays.
 

COMMUNITY

 

A blue sky weekend for the Fall Farm Parade

 

Grange Events were big this year.  Most recently, they co-sponsored the Fall Farm Parade.  As the Master, Roger also attended the State Convention at Ocean Shores in June.  He writes a blog, too.  It’s at:  San Juan Island Grange

Of course, I could go on and on about what Roger is up to.  Just remember in reading future posts, that Roger is there keeping things running, generating new ideas every day.  Now that I've covered Roger can the Suzie Issue be far behind?

Sorry for such a long delay in publishing this Thornbush Report.  Part of  the problem is I want to try out Wordpress but haven’t even had time to work that out.  So I am still using Blogspot for the time being.

Spring Celebrations

Four ex-Metroids gather in Anacortes to celebrate retirement
 

This month’s blog entry will include Roger and my trip to Canada to celebrate our 25^th wedding anniversary, a visit by brother John and Marilyn, a Family open house in memory of Roger’s uncle Don who died in February. A trip to Olympia to stay at a friend’s cabin on Henderson Inlet, a visit to see my great nephew James, a visit to celebrate Bjorn’s birthday and take the grandkids to Red Robin, a potluck dinner with visits by two more brothers, their significant others, and my girlfriend Liz, a trip to Lopez for the Third Annual Lamb, Wool, and Goat Festival, and a host of related events in honor of moi’s 60^thbirthday.

VanDusen Botanical Garden, Vancouver, B.C.

Roger with another Taurus
 

Canada

Twenty-five years ago, Roger and I flew into Victoria Harbour from Lake Union. Then we rented a car and drove all over Vancouver Island for our honeymoon. In honor of that event, we went to Victoria again. But this time, we drove to Vancouver,BC, took a ferry to Salt Spring Island,took a ferry to Vancouver Island at Swartz Bay, and from Victoria Harbour, took the Black Ball Ferry to Port Angeles, drove to Port Townsend, took a ferry to Whidbey Island, drove across DeceptionPass, and took the ferry home from Anacortes. That’s six ferry rides if you’re counting. I always wanted to do that.

Black Ball to Port Angeles
 

One of the many highlights of our trip was staying at The Beaconfield Inn, a B&B that we stayed in the first night of our honeymoon.  Gary and Warren have only owned it for the last nine years, but were more than accommodating by giving us the same garden suite, champagne, directing us to Cafe Brio for dinner and being excellent hosts.



Beaconsfield 1988
 

Beaconsfield 2013

Another highlight was Salt Spring Island, one of the Gulf Islands.  Here is a picture of Roger on the top of Mt Maxwell looking South toward Orcas and San Juan Island.

Once we got to Port Angeles, we had a look at what used to be the Elwha Dam, which was removed a year ago.  Lots of old stumps remain.

Elwha River Restoration

At theTextile Guild Quarterly meeting on Orcas, Lola Deane talked about living in Pakistan and brought examples of the textiles she collected among her many journeys abroad.

 

Green Ghost or Anita in a Burka

Frere Jaques and Souer Marilyn

 

We are always happy to have a visit from John and Marilyn from far off Richland.  They got in on some unseasonably good weather here on the island.  And we took advantage of it with a trip to South Beach and American Camp.  Unfortunately, we had to run out on them to go to Roger's family event in Renton.  Hopefully, they have some fond memories of wildflowers and Cafe Demeter.

 

Olympia                                                                                              

Hard to describe how nice it was on Henderson Inlet on May 5^th:  The people, the setting, the weather, the food . There was music and laughter and tons of clams at low tide on Monday morning.  I loved it.  Thanks to all who contributed.

Roger and I (and Suzie) were able to stop in and visit April and her new baby on that trip.  They live one inlet over from Henderson.  What a pleasant afternoon.

 

 

 

Tired yet?

We got home from Olympia, after stopping in Everett to take Bjorn and the kids to Red Robin for lunch.

This gave us two whole days to prepare for the big celebration, Anita’s 60^th and Christina’s 70^th birthday potluck at Thornbush.  The weather was still great!  Would it hold?  Tension was mounting.  People were coming, then they weren’t, then they were.  Would there be enough food?  Do I know how to grill a whole salmon?  Would there be enough musicians?  Was there enough time?  Only time would tell. . .

     Success!

 

The weather held, the food was great, people came, and the musicians played on and on until almost midnight.  Early the next morning Jeff, Kathy, Liz and I boarded a ferry to Lopez for the third annual

Lopez Lamb Wool and Goat Festival

 

When we weren't admiring the little goats, the smart herding dogs, and the beautiful fiber and fiber arts, we drove around Lopez and beachcombed.  here's a picture of my sister-in-law Kathy skipping stones at Spencer Spit State Park.

And so the celebration continued, dinner at "The Place" with Marc, Nancy, and Liz, and the next day at the spa with Liz.   Ahhhh.  As one of the many birthday cards I received quoted, "To be rich in friends is to be poor in nothing".

November Rain

Lindsay marries Greg
 

Let's see, the first weekend of the month--oh yes--Lindsay's wedding.  What a wonderful time we had--witnessing Lindsay's big day.  We also stopped in to see the kids.

I volunteered to host the Friday Walkers at Thornbush on the 9th.  It rained each and every day that week, and then on Friday, sky was blue, sun was out, and more than twice the usual number of walkers showed up (this is a club that's been walking for twenty years or more).  I made a little map of the place, had them walk the perimeter trails, down Christmas Tree Row, over the ridge by the Eagle's nest, down through the nut orchard and Alder Pond, past the garden, then over to Eric's, up Alaska Place to Barbara's border trail, ending at the pond.  Then I gave them a farm tour.  It was well received but I really think they should come back in the Spring when things really look nice.

The week after that--Roger and I drove to Boise!  For the National Grange Convention.  This involved crossing the Cascades and the Blue Mountains twice in the middle of November.  We had a friend Suzie-sit, and we stayed overnight at my brother and sister-in-law's place in Richland.  Which seems to be roughly half-way between Anacortes and Boise.  Add a stop in Ellensburg to have lunch with an old friend and a stop in Baker City at the Sumpter Valley Cafe, and you've got yourself a pretty decent road trip.


Jane, Anita, and Roger's shadow in Ellensburg--not raining
 

At the convention, Roger and I took the "7th degree" which is the highest level for Grange members.  Cannot tell you about it as we are pledged to secrecy.  We met up with people we met last June at the State Convention, and met some nice new people from California, and met up with our friends Shann and Steve who were on their way to the Southwest for an adventure through the Grand Staircase.

Snoqualmie Pass on the way home
 

Of course, the following week we celebrated Thanksgiving.  Because the Barrecas took care of that holiday back in October, we had a small Ellison gathering at the Village at the Harbour, with an added visit from Roger's brother Guy earlier in the week.  I didn't have to cook!  But then, I didn't have any lovely leftovers, either.  The whole day would have ended quietly, but we had a phone call in the evening letting us know that Al had fallen and hit his head on a table leg.  Roger met with the EMT's at Al's bedside.  The hospital wasn't due to open for four more days.  The staff, after consultation with the on-call doctor, decided to wake Al up every hour to make sure he wasn't suffering from a concusion.  Fortunately, everything seems to be okay at this date.

Ellison boys laughing it up at the Cask with Al

I started a basket--biggest I've ever attempted.  We'll see if I get through it or not.  I'm learning a lot.  I worked on the even bigger living basket-- that is the grandchildren's "eagle nest".  This was fun because I was inside of the basket to work on it.  Felt like a Lilliputian.

Inside a basket
 

Then came Roger's 57th birthday.  I'd already given him the 3 new c.d.'s for our trip to Boise (I know--old school)  So, just a cake to bake, a couple other little things to wrap, and a trip to his favorite Mexican place for dinner.  That should round out the month.

Retreat

Sometimes you just have to get away from it all.  Do something entirely different from your usual routine.  Take time out for yourself.  This is the theme that resonated with me this month.
About a week after Corbin was born and the twins were returned to their parents, my yoga teacher held a day-long retreat here on the island, including lunch, a trip to the Sculpture garden, a lovely dinner at her restaurant, and of course, lots of yoga.  By the end of the day, I swear, it felt like I'd had five massages in a row.  The effects lasted several days. 

The very next week, a different kind of retreat--this one a basket making class held on Shaw Island for 2 and a half days.  So the nine people in our class stayed at the guest house of one of our members.  A big, three day slumber party on one of the quietest locales in the San Juan Archipelago.  The Tahitian Market Basket was difficult, but satisfying.

Anita and Monique make bling to decorate our baskets

The very next weekend, we went farther afield for our R&R.  This time to Seaside, Oregon, to join friends in a big house a stone's throw from the boardwalk.  This was the first time since August, that Roger has ventured off-island for anything other than business.  Roger got to hold his grandson for the first time.

We got to stay one night with our friends in Raymond and take in an interesting exhibit at the museum in Astoria called "Envisioning the World"  The First Printed Maps, 1472-1700.  Columbia River Maritime Museum  Check it out if you have the chance.

The Mighty Columbia



My last example of retreats from the past month is a little more obscure. Burying myself in a book for a few days is a way of retreating from my day to day cares. My new book club (that I will now refer to as the Rock Island Readers) just read the first book in the Maisie Dobbs series.  This mystery set in post World War I London dealt with shell-shocked veterans who were mysteriously disappearing from their place of refuge called "The Retreat".  The book was surprisingly relevant as we hear more and more of Afghanistan and Iraq veterans returning to their lives with their own battle scars.  

Now the retreats are in the past and its back to the hustle and bustle of Springtime in the San Juans.  I feel like I've jumped on the merry-go-round which is accelerating toward the June reunion.  I'm already looking forward to a "Spa Day" in May--and perhaps another yoga retreat.

Arcade ride at Seaside

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.

Parties and a Flood

Roger's Dad Al stayed with us through the celebration of Roger's 55th birthday at the end of the month.  It feels a little quieter now that he is back in Auburn.  But we will be seeing him soon enough as we go down to celebrate Christmas with the Ellisons in a week.

The Christmas Season began in earnest for us with a couple of parties on Dec 4th.  The first was our annual National Park dance at English Camp.



I dressed up in my 1850's garb but had no time to change before the next shindig, and open house at the new Brickworks Farmers' Market.  Roger had gone directly from the market to the open house. 

The next day the Soroptimists had their annual Holiday Party at the Community Theater. I made devilled eggs. Three days after that, I drove one of the cars in a caravan of Textile Guild members to the Burke Museum for a show on fabric from countries throughout the Pacific Rim.  A nice weaver named Erica gave us a talk on the similarities and differences in weaving techniques.  It's a good show.  See the link Burke Museum And on Saturday, we attended a lovely Caroling Party at Heritage Farm.



Our new floating dock



our road?!



Meanwhile, back at our farm, the waters were beginning to rise.  And rise.  And rise.  What happened was--Alaska Place overflowed its culvert which overflowed the ditch to Eric's place which jeopardized his shop so he diverted the water into the Ellison Lane ditch which couldn't keep up.  So our road became a mini-stream.  And the pond filled and filled and filled and the stream became a river, and then a lake.  The paper said it rained 2.66 inches that day on top of the 2+ inches in the five previous days.  Oh, and our shop flooded, too.  I, myself, vacuumed 35 gallons out and Roger matched that amount.

our stream?!

Don't worry, the waters have already receded.  Although they do say we are in for more rain through December.

Oh and Tuesday, the Textile Guild Holiday Party was a big success.  They seemed to like the tree ornaments I made by pressing Queen Anne's Lace into snowflakes.  More parties planned for this coming weekend.  Stay tuned.

Mandala

Looking back over the last five weeks since my last post, it feels impossible to bring my readers up to date on all that has gone on.  Perhaps if I just make a chronological list.

July 10- Roger leaves to take his parents to Montana.  He drives their r.v. for them 12 hours from Auburn to Anaconda, Mt.  stays three days and drives back 12 hours on Thursday, July 15.  Meanwhile, I take care of the plants, the chickens, and Suzie.

July 16- Roger meets me in Seattle for a dinner with friends from work to celebrate the life of our co-worker who died (see last month's entry).  We stay in Seattle until Sunday to attend the baptism of our third granddaughter Audrey.  This is one of those end of life/beginning of life mandala weekends.

July 20- Two days after our return, Roger's mother dies suddenly of a heart attack.  He is shocked but grateful that he was able to spend her last week with her.  Family focus turns to Roger's dad Al and his ability to adjust.  An open house is scheduled for Sunday, July 25th, which happens to be Al & Rose's 62nd wedding anniversary. 

Meanwhile, my friends Larry and Nancy come up to the island and our friend Mark starts work on kitchen and bathroom cabinets.

July 26- Al comes back to the island to stay with his two sons, Roger and Eric, while arrangements are made back in Auburn for some in-home care.  He stays with us for two weeks until Roger brings him back home on Aug 8th.  I begin dog sitting "Friday" the 12 year old lab for a week while her owners vacation at Mt. Hood.  Dog sitting involves feeding three times a day, administering love and medicine, and a little walk while negotiating the asphalt-laying taking place on their road that week.

July 30- My friend Mary arrives and agrees to follow me around to all my errands.  The highlight of her visit is attending a performance of "Henry V" in the outdoor theater at Roche Harbor.

Aug 5- Jay brings his two Turkish Visitors, Semih and Gulat.  These kind people have hosted our friend twice while he has visited their country.  They are academics in horticulture and fruit production.  We bring them to gardens, farms, the Lavender Farm.  We even saw some whales!

Meanwhile, we enjoy visits from our Seattle friend Nan and her daughter, my cousin Rose and her whole family who haven't been here since Benjamin was a baby and I'm not sure if Mariah was ever here and now she's practically grown.  Also, Nieces April and Bina and Bina's baby Ovid stay with my sister and me for two nights.  Ovid is 16 months old and he and Suzie form a strong bond.

During all this period Roger and I are still trying to do our "usual" things.  Like keeping up the landscaping business, the garden, the mowing, you get the idea.  And fun things, like another hike on Henry Island, walks on the beach at low, low tide, and evenings with good friends.  This weekend we regroup and get ready for the San Juan County Fair, more visitors, and whatever else life can throw at us.  Right now, I think I can talk Roger into taking a break from the garden for a dunk in the pond.  Later.