Camelama

I've been re-reading some Georgette Heyer lately, to see what it feels like decades after first reads ... but sometimes it's rather difficult to see the page.

Farmer's Market craft swap - received

My lovely swap partner sent me a very fun bunch of items but my favorite is this glorious scarf - extra extra long, so very soft.

Farmer's Market craft swap - sent

I participated in a craft swap with the theme of Farmer's Market / gardening.

Here's what I sent my partner... she likes skulls and black/purple, and was growing an herb garden.

This is a long, deep market bag - good for flowers, baguettes, etc. 

Then I sent her baby a crinkly tab blanket with apple fabric (small apples on the back). 
 

I made her some garden markers by bending the tines of metal forks

I made her some buttons to wear to the Farmer's Market (ok, so I was kinda stretching the theme here! hee)

And I had another set of lip balm cozies to send her, too! 

I sent her a bunch of extras, gloves and an Almanac, some dried organic lavender, soaps from the Ballard Farmer's Market, and a Sublime Stitching packet. The box with soap in it, is not only compostible - it has seeds in the cardboard! So you simply unfold and then plant the box!

Sonja's Annual Birthday Ferry Trip 2010 - San Juan Islands (photo heavy!)

It was once again time for Sonja's Birthday Ferry Trip - every year she chooses a Washington State Ferry route and we have lunch and cake and lots of fun. This year we went to the San Juans, a group of islands in the northern part of Puget Sound.

Almost to the ferry dock!

 

Starting out from the Anacortes dock - that gap between the islands, that's where we're going...

 

I love the layers of islands in blues, grays, purples...

I like how the islands sometimes just drop off to the water, no beach, just rocks

We passed a few sailboats out enjoying the balmy weather (well, balmy for March in WA state!) 

We were riding the Hyak this trip

Here I got a bit artsy:

The lighting was very strange ... daytime, with a haze, and yet also some bright spots.

I enjoy the superstructures and bridge of the ferries:

More artsy:

Heading into Friday Harbor

I spotted these two ferry workers and had to take a shot

The birthday cake was made by Mook!

Lunch and cake was deeelicious, Sonja brought organic cream from a local dairy

There are always interesting vessels in the Friday Harbor marina

 

A cute seagull couple kept us company for many trips between islands

A crow visited us at Friday Harbor

Critter had a great time constantly running around the ferry - I don't know how many laps he managed with Heather chasing after. Here Sean joins them for a mile or two

I got artsy again

And again

We're coming in to Orcas (note the seagull couple still hanging out on the fencing):

 

This is a different gull couple, mind you...

Then we hit Lopez.  No, really, we HIT the Lopez Island ferry dock.  The ferry rammed the pilings at a strange angle, sending people to the deck and sliding along the corridors, and the ferry itself was flung backwards violently, and rocked side-to-side like I've never felt on a WA ferry before.  The ferry damaged the Lopez pilings, and our friend who was down on the car deck, to walk off, said spliters went flying.

We got back to Anacortes in the dark, and I took some squiggly light pictures for fun.

This one shows the dreaded Cranberry Tree restaurant sign.  Sonja and I always shake our fist at the sign and say "Cranberries don't grow on trees!".  Hee. Road trip traditions!

It's a round-up, pardners...

A round-up of everything I haven't been blogging about lately... well, first, why no blogging. The death of my brother David in December was troubling more than I'd realized - the sadness kinda snuck up on me when I wasn't looking, when I was being angry with him and upset with him. So for  long time here, I haven't wanted to do much talking to anyone. The cat and I holed up for a couple months and basically hibernated. With more sun, longer days, and spring bursting out all over ... I guess I started coming out of my shell recently.

My friends have been a great help to me during this time, from Jennie keeping me fullspeed at work, and Sonja distracting me with all sorts of social activities, and Andy going out to dinner a lot (and even paying sometimes, woo hoo!).

Another big help has been my floofy cat, who just wants petting and lovin' and salmon treats.  Oh yes, and the ribbon pulled under the blankets occasionally.

Could YOU say 'no' to this feline?

 

Or these fuzzy paws?

"More please!"

So, I have a few events to catch up on here - the annual birthday ferry trip, latest craft projects, books, etc. More to come soon!