Veterans Days -- Adventuring with the Gals

For your listening pleasure (keep reading, I explain) 

On Veterans day me and some friends decided to do a little bit of Washington adventuring. We started the day with breakfast at the Maltby Cafe. Best breakfast in Washington and it's right down the street from me. Score! 

  It's nice to go out with gals that just want to try everything on the menu, so they were okay with order several plates and eating family style. 

 They are so lovely 

 Big Cinnamon Roll! Best shared with friends unless you want to be sick.  

We forgot to take a picture of the before, but I think it does the food more justice to show plates cleared. Everything was good but I have to say the winner for me was the Country Style Eggs Benedict.  Try it if you get the pleasure. 

Everyone was quiet for a the next half hour while we were all digesting. I was driving so in efforts to keep things lively I introduced the gals to my new favorite album. Yes, that would be the Rick Astley's "Whenever You Need Somebody" album that I scored at value village. It's a toe tapper and I can't listen to it without laughing out loud (and not the cop out "lol" people use to be polite in text messages). 

This dude is the package ladies. Here is a little list of why. 

1. Deep Voice
2. Gangling and Red-headed (both of which he works with the help of heavily padded blazers and mousse, respectfully) 
3. Swoon inducing dance moves
4. He's Gonna fix all my problems. This is more than just a feeling. I know he will because every song he sings, reassures this fact to me. 
5. If he's singing from the heart than he's the doormat that every girl has dreamed of 

This song is a favorite song of mine and became a kind of the anthem of our trip. I'm glad the other gals could dig it with me. They shared my love for the way he sings "Maybe" at min 0:19. It's absolutely jarring. The first time I heard it, I had this montage run in my head of being serenaded by Rick at point blank range, all the while trying to keep a flattered composure as my ear drums bust and my hair blows in bursts at every time he sings "Maybe" 

Next stop was Deception Pass on Whidbey Island. 

 I'd like to dedicate this photo to my sister and our really good friend. It reminded me of all our outings to Point Reyes which usually involved crawling on the beach for cool rocks.   

We found a little bitty tide pool. 

We continued to make our way down the Island stopping in Oak Harbor for some thrifting and hot chocolate. Between the sugar and driving I was a bit tired so at my request when we got to Fort Casey we took a little rest before exploring. 

This is a view from the fort over looking the sound toward Port Townsend. After we were done at the fort we stopped in Langley for some pizza and then rushed off to the ferry bound for home. It was a really stellar day. Good sites, Great weather (for this time of year) and Wonderful company. Thanks ladies!

Farm Fashion & Favorite Aussie Films

I often forget hair ties when I go to work, but lucky for me I have a stash of twist ties sporting "Organic -- Grown in USA" at my disposal. I didn't forget mine today but I gave it up willingly to a coworker who needed it. 

After working on some projects at home, I watched an Aussie movie called Opal Dream. It's really good and a new favorite.  I have a soft spot for Aussie films (and Aussie themed films) so I decided to share a handful of my favorites (listed in no particular order.) 

1. Strictly Ballroom

2. Opal Dreams

3. Danny Deckchair

4.  The Dish

5. Rabbit Proof Fence

6. Man From Snowy River

7. Quigley Downunder

8. Finding Nemo 

9. The Boys Are Back

10. Cane Toads: The Conquest (2010) (This trailer seems to be for a remake of a Documentary made in 1988. The new one looks good too) 

Wow you think you know a store?...

Wow you think you know a store?...and then you download their app, only to realize that they cary pet urns! Life is certainly full of surprises.

Sisters

Last July my sister-in-law in Kansas sent out to to the family this cute photo of my nieces   

 I was visiting my sister in Utah at the time so we sent back a copycat sisters picture, . . . not as cute  

(Little sisters and brunets on the left, big sisters and blondies on the right.) 

Fall Sunday Morning Walk

Just down the street from our house is Brightwater, which is a water treatment plant for the county that they've turned it into less of an eyesore by making some wetland and wooded areas. Best part is that they've made some good walking trails, which we quite frequently use to walk our dog Jaccamo. Lately me and my dad have been taking Sunday morning walks and this last Sunday turned out to be particularly beautiful and sunny one. Fall is upon us though, the leaves are turning and the air is chilling, as indicated by Jaccamo sporting his jacket (he's got a thin coat of fur and a mild streak of vanity). Jaccamo is a good dog, most of the time, so he quite often gets to walk off leash.

This is me and my Pa, at the top of the hill at Brightwater

View from the hill. The night before my dad and I sat on top of the hill and watch a mess of crows fly over for about 10 mins or more, it was a lot of crows!

This is the view from the top of the hill looking down toward where we live. Its somewhere in that mess of beautiful trees. You can also see Jaccamo is smelling for some critters in the grass.

Sometimes I fall down and it's really funny

Today was the end of my second week back out in the gardens at Seed Savers Exchange. I had spent the day driving a truck all over muddy roads on the 1000 acre farm. It was a beautiful day. The grass was greening up, trees were budding and the sun was finally making an appearance after all this rain and gloom we’ve been having out here in Iowa. There were so many reasons why it was a good day but the best days end with a funny story and boy, did I have one today.

While parking the truck at the end of the day, I had my arms full of gear and went to reach for some poles that were in the bed of the truck when I lost my footing and started to trip. I almost caught my footing about three times in a row, which I am sure only added to the ridiculousness of my situation. I faced the facts and just let gravity have her way with me. I did about 2 or 3 revolutions as I rolled down the small embankment that the truck gets parked on. I just laid there in the muddy gravel laughing. It all happened so fast but the funniest part to me was that while I was mid tumble, the song “Roll With It” by Steve Winwood (link) was playing in my head. Anyway, tragedy in my little tumble was that no one was there to witness it.

On a side note, one of my top choices for supper power would be to have “Appropriate Theme Music” play at important, awe inspiring, or exceptionally comical moments in my life. It could be awesome and a great thing for all mankind!

Just a look at the aftermath

One more just to make my Momma proud. And Yes, I had to get creative and use my bathroom mirror to take a few backside shots.