Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Sunflower

This sunflower graces a corner of the Lettered Streets' Gossage Garden, no doubt brightening the spirits of many who pass by. According to the Victorian "language of flowers" I recently referred to in my recent daisy post, the sunflower sends a message of pure and lofty thoughts. I had no idea sunflowers had any aspiration beyond being pretty and providing really yummy seeds.

Monday, August 29, 2011

Johnny's Donuts

We love Rocket Donuts, but nonetheless were more than happy to see a new donut shop opening up in our own neighborhood. Can a town really have too many donut options? I think not. Johnny's Donuts is now open for business on Cornwall Avenue, across the street from Assumption Church.

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Big Stump



This monster cedar is on display at the Deming Logging Show grounds. The plaque says it best:

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Three Legged Race


We were invited to crash our neighboring neighborhood's annual neighborhood picnic and enjoyed great food, games, a circus performance and the music of Robert Sarazin Blake.

During the three legged race, the fine looking couple on the right took first place after the front-runners took a tumble.

Friday, August 26, 2011

Skywatch Friday: Morning Moon

her white face turns
pale cheek resting
on a cool blue pillow

drifting and torpid
a silvered petal floating
on a still pond

Skywatch Friday

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Daisy

In Victorian England, different flowers had certain meanings. This was called the "language of flowers," and a bouquet of flowers during this time was never just a bouquet of flowers. It was a message-- red roses for love (that one's still around, obviously, thanks to 1-800-FLOWERS), pansies for "I'm thinking of you," amaranth for immortal love (take that, red roses!), and so on. 

Anyway, the reason I bring it up is because despite some real stretches of imagination with the language of flowers (a bouquet of oats to symbolize music, for example) the plain little daisy means innocence, cheer, and simplicity. Of course it does-- look at it! How could it be anything else?

So here's a daisy to bring a little cheer and simplicity to your day. Innocence? Well, I'll leave that up to you.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Man Pies

Man Pies, a Bellingham restaurant that takes savory meals and puts them in a delectable crust, swept all three Bite of Bellingham categories this last weekend. Their steak and bacon mashed potatoes won Best Bite, the wild berry surprise with vanilla cream won Sweetest Sweet, and Sumatra coffee with cardamom-cinnamon cream won Dreamiest Drink.

Sunday, August 21, 2011

The Nooksack's North Fork


We found this resting spot on the banks of the Nooksack River after a short walk down the Horseshoe Bend Trail from our campsite last weekend.

Friday, August 19, 2011

Skywatch Friday: Seagull Sentry


In memory of my blogger friend Klaus Peter, whose bird photos are some of the best I've ever had the pleasure of seeing. 
You will be missed, Klaus. 
Thank you for sharing your breathtaking vision with us; in this way, you will live forever.


Skywatch Friday




Thursday, August 11, 2011

Skywatch Friday: Sea Stack Sunset


The sun sets behind sea stacks off the Washington coast.

We're off to the Subdued Stringband Jamboree for the weekend! Pics will follow.

Skywatch Friday


Lhaq'temish


A Lummi girl gets ready to help pull a war canoe.

The Lummi People, or Lhaq'temish, were the original occupants of northern Washington and southern British Columbia. The People of the Sea migrated seasonally between Point Roberts and many of the coastal islands until 1855, when they signed the Point Elliot Treaty and were forcibly moved to what is now the Lummi Reservation. Though their home shrank, they left their mark where they formerly wandered freely: a trail, a vineyard, and WWU's magazine are named "Klipsun," the Lummi word for "beautiful sunset;" "Kulshan," the Lummi name for Mount Baker, is also a school, a street, and numerous businesses and organizations; Mount Shuksan, or "high peak," is also a school among many other things; and Whatcom (County) itself is a Lummi word for "loud water."

Monday, August 8, 2011

Bellingham Kids Fest 2011


Two girls share a giggle at the antics of Recess Monkey, a three-schoolteacher-band from Seattle, at Bellingham's Kids Fest on Saturday. My girls are big fans of Recess Monkey, so they were very excited to be there for their first Bellingham concert! Below is a video of the girls' favorite song. Watch if you dare, but be warned-- it will be stuck in your head the rest of the day.


Sunday, August 7, 2011

Lummi War Canoe


The girls and I got a chance to paddle a Lummi
War Canoe down Lake Whatcom at the Bellingham Children's Festival yesterday. While paddling, our captain (in back) talked about the Lummi culture and sang two traditional Lummi songs that served to identify which family was in the canoe as it approached its destination. This canoe was built last year and was in the water for only the second time.

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Salts


Jars of gourmet salts march across the counter at Quel Fromage, Fairhaven's dangerously yummy cheese shop. A friend and I had a picnic lunch with their "Fromage A Go-Go." We chose the box packed with wedges of brie and blue cheese, a little jar of honey (from my neighbor, Rob and his Backyard Bees!), two mini crusty baguettes, strawberries, and two amazing chocolate ganache-stuffed figs. It definitely beats my usual PB&J picnic lunch!

Click to see the rules and to take a badge for yourself.

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Whale Watcher Watching


A Bellingham summer staple: whale-watching tours. Like many locals, I've never actually joined the tourists and done the whale-watching thing, but I bet the girls would love it. Maybe next time I'll have a picture of a whale, rather than a picture of a whale-watching boat.

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Summer at the Farmers Market


My daughters and I went to the Bellingham Farmers Market on Saturday. We stopped by Cedar Mountain Botanicals for some freshly-cut soap (my eldest chose "Lavender Mist," my youngest "Put Me in the Zoo"), grabbed some fresh sugar snap peas because mine didn't do so well in the garden this year (too! much! rain!), listened to the buskers, and met with my friend Clarissa from the Vegan in Bellingham blog for some exquisitely delicious food from Ambo Ethiopian Cuisine (spongy sourdough injera, spicy lentils, savory potatoes, carrots and beets, and cabbage so tender it practically melted in my mouth). On our way out of the market, I found two very cute pink-and-brown striped knit winter hats in the $2 box at Red Boots Design that fit the kids perfectly. I couldn't pass up that deal, but have since pushed any thought of winter away and focused on being here now, in (finally!) summertime.