I absolutely love summer!

This is what happens when you wait 8 weeks between posts: 
A.  4th of July parade - No Coal!
B.  Jury Duty in Seattle
C.  Harry visits from Colorado
D.  Leif's memorial in Federal Way/family gathering
E.  Encampment/Dan Hicks
F.  Ken and Lisa visit after 25 years
G.  Weaving Weekend/Darby and Jennifer
H.  Granddaughter Lenora comes for a week
I.  County Fair/gang visits

Throw in a terrible cold and sewing up two quilts for the twins and is it any wonder I haven't had time to post anything?

So people not into reading blogs can stop here.  My Table of Contents lists it all.  Maybe a few photos:
A.
Fourth of July--No More Coal - click on this link to see Roger and I parade down Spring Street with 80 of our closest friends to protest the possibility of Coal shipments through our pristine Salish Sea.

C.  Roger's cousin Harry is a retired elementary school principal from Grand Junction, Colorado.  He travels on his bike around the country each summer and is something of a troubadour.   Roger's dad Al invited him to play at the Retirement Home and he put on a nice concert.

D.  Celebration of Life for Roger's brother Leif who passed away last month.  Spent the weekend with family and had two nice get-togethers at Lil's and at Guy and Brenda's.

Lenora, Ethel, Corbin, Audrey, Bjorn, Iliana
 

E.  Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks played town the same weekend as Encampment.  We went to both.  I Scare Myself
F.  Ken and Lisa visit Thornbush for first time.  Good friends in college, have not seen Ken since Roger and my wedding twenty-five years ago.  Great visit, long overdue.  Here's a pix at the Lavender Farm.

G.  Weaving Weekend was the first weekend in August.  Roger and I did our usual shtick with sticks.  I was already feeling poorly then, but managed to get through it and join Peggy Sue at a lovely dinner with our sailing friends Gene and Jennifer as well.

Note cedar hat that won a blue ribbon at the Fair a month later

H.  I Absolutely Loved the week I spent with my granddaughter, Lenora.  I think she had a pretty good time, too, reading, coloring, watching movies, and play dates with other seven-year olds.  It's your turn next year, Iliana!

Lenora in the corn with the sun in her eyes
 

Also, I gave the twins their birthday presents four months late.  The quilts and a major cold were two of several reasons I didn't get my Fair Challenge "Sheep Happens" finished in time.

 

 

 

I.  Everyone loves the County Fair and the gang participates in the Zucchini 500 races.  At first I was going to enter one of my cardoons.  They are pretty impressive this year.  But then I thought, been there, done that.

Barry measures Cardoon height
 

Another highlight was when Diane won the Throne of Games at the art raffle.

 

 

But the biggest thrill came at the end of the Zucchini 500 when The Romney Bus and Flower Power joined in a mass suicide on the Ramp of Death:

  You are probably used to me adding a bit of sad news at the end of my posts.  Unfortunately, this post is no exception.  Last Saturday, the Downrigger restaurant burned down.  At least no one was hurt.  We all have memories of the Downrigger and before that "The Mariner".  No telling at this point if it will be rebuilt or not.

The end

Turn, Turn, Turn

The Byrds version of To everything there is a season - please link to this YouTube recording while you are reading this blog.

My brother Joe always manages to tie his blog up with some philosophical theme.  He would have been a good homily writer.  Here is his website for those who don’t have it already:  Joe's latest blog

Trouble is that saying “to everything, there is a season” just isn’t true for me this month.  Everything happens at once!  The planting and reaping part—all happening this month.  I’ve been picking strawberries like crazy, shelling peas, too.  At the same time, we’ve been planting squash, corn, beans, and more.

Roger with bok choi and scapes
 

 We’ve been coming—and going all month.  I just got back from the ANWG Conference in Bellingham.  That’s Association of NW Weavers Guilds.  I stayed in Higginson dorm.  That was a leap back in time!  Plenty of eye candy for the fiber artist.  And the campus was lovely this time of year.

 

WWU must not have suffered from the caterpillar plague that overwhelmed us this Spring.  Roses and Alders and apple trees completely denuded of leaves.  But, the leaves have almost all grown back.  I’ve heard these pests come for four years and I believe this is year #3.  Each one has been worse than the year before.  Friends, you may not want to visit us next May and early June.  I cannot guarantee what it may look like around here.

 Now I’m back and Roger has gone to Ocean Shores for the State Grange Convention.  You’d think a farm organization would know better than to put their yearly convention in June.  So it’s just me and the chickens—and Suzie, of course.

 While I was in Bellingham, Roger constructed a staircase from the mudroom porch down to the new loading dock at the back of the house.  How convenient!  Do you think if I left more often perhaps more major projects would get done around here?

 

There’s been a couple weddings, and sadly, a funeral.  Roger’s brother Leif died this month.  He’s been in late stage Alzheimer’s so it came as no surprise.  But still, very sad.  He would have turned 59 on June 30^th.  And a time to be born—two more granddaughters for members of my book club.

 

two month old James in the CUTEST tee shirt
 

The service group that I belong to is winding up its year while at the same time, the Textile Guild action is heating up as I try to line up a new Board for next year when I take up the Presidency.  I need a Vice-President!  Anyone?

And now it is time to post.