Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Trick or Treat

 
This year's Jack-o-Lanterns carved out at Back Lane Gardens.  It is looking like we will have a very wet evening for trick or treating, but my kids are super excited despite the rain.
 
Happy Halloween!

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Maze

Recently, my family visited the small town of Prineville on the east side of Oregon.  Prineville's claim to fame is being the home of Les Schwab, the tire company.  Our fun activities included a trip to a pumpkin patch with a big hay bale maze.  Most of the kids seemed to enjoyed running on top of the hay rather then exploring the inside of the maze.
 

Friday, October 26, 2012

Thursday, October 25, 2012

The Tasting Table


Despite growing up just five minutes from Cloud Mountain Farm, until this year I had never attended the annual fruit festival they host.  This tasting table was the highlight of the day for me.  Nearly every imaginable variety of fruit was available to try.  One side was dedicated to different apple, pear and asian pear varieties.  The grape table ranged from from eating grapes to different types of champagne grapes. Another table had quinces, berries, currants, peppers...I can't begin to remember what else.

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Inflation

 
Luckily, it was free to use today.  But back in this door's day as a pay toilet the jump from 5 cents a use to 10 cents was probably a steep increase.  I bet people paid it though.

Monday, October 22, 2012

Sugar Pumpkins

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I've never baked a pumpkin pie from scratch, but this fun display at Bellewood Acres kind of makes me want to try.

Friday, October 19, 2012

Bayview Cemetery


With Halloween creeping around the corner, misty photos of cemeteries and headstones seem appropriate.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Music

 
A beautiful arrangement of guitars and banjos decorate the wall at the New Green Frog.

Monday, October 15, 2012

Gathering Circle

The Firs Christian Retreat Center is a 7-acre campus set amongst the trees in the Geneva neighborhood.  The campus can accommodate up to 220 people staying in a variety of dorm style units.  Its been a neighbor of mine for several years now, but until recently I had never explored more of its grounds then what can be seen from the road.  I was suprised at all there was tucked back under the trees.  

Sunday, October 14, 2012

It's Been 2 Amazing Years

 
Happy birthday to my youngest daughter!  She is sweet, playful, just a little devious and I can't wait for more birthdays to come.

Friday, October 12, 2012

Tractor Pull


The kids enjoyed a tractor ride at a recent birthday party.

Thursday, October 11, 2012

And the Fog comes Rolling In...


Summer may have come late this year, but it's been beautiful since it arrived.  With the exception of a brief sprinkle in early September, we haven't had any rain since mid July. The morning fog has been starting to set in though, and by this weekend we should get our first real rain in nearly three months!   

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Searching for Light

 
The rooftop skylights at Geneva Elementary school give students as much light as they can in our increasingly grey fall days.

Monday, October 8, 2012

Night Neon

 
A late night staple downtown is 20th Century Bowl.  The bowling alley has around for fifty years and I hope it continues another fifty.

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Date Night

 
After a wonderful dinner with my husband, of the best pasta in Bellingham, at D'anna's Cafe Italiano we had these yummy drinks at The Fountain Bistro.  It was the perfect nightcap for a great evening.

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Pumpkin Patch


We've been having the best October weather I can remember. By afternoon the temperatures have usually been getting into the 70's and there hasn't been any rain since early summer...perfect conditions for fall colors. Today we're heading out to Cloud Mountain Farms for apple tasting.

Friday, October 5, 2012

Skywatch Friday: In the Morning


Joggers and kayakers were already circling Lake Padden when I arrived to wait for sunrise.

Skywatch Friday

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Bellewood Acres


Long known for their apples, Bellewood Acres branched out into the craft distillery business last year.  We picked up a bottle of their apple vodka last weekend.  I'm not normally a vodka fan, but it was quite good.

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Window

 
This wooden screen in the window of a house in the Columbia neighborhood caught my eye.  What a wonderful way to still achieve some privacy, but allow the light in.

Monday, October 1, 2012

Camouflage

It might be hard to tell, but there is a pretty knobbly stump under all those ferns and moss.