still celebrating our day....

This weekend we had the pleasure of celebrating two 60th birthdays.  Though the actual birthdays happened some time ago...our care group thought they deserved a party.  It seemed impossible to find a date that worked for everyone...and finally we settled on a Saturday night in April to go out for dinner.  We dined at one of the finest tables in town...and enjoyed good food in the company of good friends. 

We left with 'charger plates' that were reminiscent of the music we listened to in another era...penny candy from by-gone days...party favours...and balloon bouquets.  Did I mention that the guests of honour were Marg and myself?

Yup.  It's still our day year!  And our friends aren't letting us forget it. 

"Friendship is when people know all about you but like you anyway. "

~ Unknown

We have that kind of friends.  And I thank God for them.

Magical Mystery Tour ~ Day 2

There was no sleeping-in in Seattle...

as we wanted to make the most of our time in the city.

We booked a table 'with a view' for bright and early in the morning.

We were there plenty early...

but our Seattle tour guide was already there to meet us!

Our MGCC friend Ellen...

who happens to live in Seattle...

.
...joined us for breakfast.

(That would be Ellen in black.)

And then she took us the royal tour.

First stop...

Piroshky, Piroshky!

And then next door to the famous coffee shop...

the one we had found on our own the previous day.

Past the garden market...

...and on down the dark alley to see a major Seattle tourist attraction.

The Market Theatre Gum Wall is a brick alleyway covered with bubblegum.

Trust Ellen to know about all these hidden gems of the city!

From there it was on to Pike's Place Market.

We could smell the fish long before we could see them!

West coast salmon...at it's finest!

I couldn't take flowers home with me...

but pictures were free.

And so I took many!

Beautiful!

The morning flew by...

and soon it was time to board our coach for the pro-longed trip home.

We made a few pit stops along the way!

In Woodinville...

we stopped at Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery for a tour.

We walked through the gardens...

and had a guided tour of the winery.

A beautiful place...

and most interesting!

Our next stop...

Guiseppe's in Bellingham.

A delicious salmon dinner on the harbour...

was a good way to end the day...

and the tour!

One more stop...

and a rather lengthy one at that.

It seemed the Canadian customs officials needed to check out all our paperwork as well...

and collect duty from all those who had a few too many shopping bags!

And then...home!

And so ended our 'magical mystery tour 2012'...

sponsored by Ritchie Smith Feeds.

 Thank-you to Vivienne and Diane for hosting and organizing this event for us!

catching the coach to seattle...

Once a year...

our feed company sponsors a trip for the farm wives ladies.

Every year...

a new location.

This year we boarded the bus for Seattle.

If I hopped in the car and drove to Seattle...

we would arrive in 2 1/2 hours.

To travel to Seattle on the farm wives ladies tour bus...

takes a full day...

almost.

Crossing into the US of A is a big ordeal in itself...

with a busload of women.

Why was it that we felt somewhat like we had all been called into the principal's office to be chastised?

We were told to 'be quiet'.

And to stand over there.

And to be quiet...again.

Eventually we were back on the road.

We stopped to shop...

and to eat.

And to catch up with new friends...

and old friends...

and neighbours.

Sad to say...

but I had not chatted with some of my neighbours since last year's get-away. 

Eventually we arrived at the lovely Edgewater Hotel...

on the waterfront of Seattle.

We can thank that nice man fluffing the pillows in the lobby...

for our room-with-the-view.

We were at the very back of the bus....

and so we stood in line a long time waiting to check in.

My room-mate (that would be Marg)...

is never shy about asking.

She asked if we might have an upgrade.

A room with a view.

I suggested maybe the room that Beatles fished from in 1964.

He said the hotel was fully booked.

But he gave us our key...

and smiled.

We opened the door to room #210...

and walked straight to the open window.

A room with a view!

Unfortunately the sun was missing from the picture...

but we were quite happy with our ocean view window.

And we were quite happy with the hotel.

It is the only over-water waterfront hotel in Seattle...

and quite lovely!

Once we were done checking out the view...

we went exploring.

Our first stop was the famous coffeehouse...

that first opened its doors in Seattle in March of 1971. 

We enjoyed our city blend coffee...

...on the country-girl seats we found nearby!

We walked...

past cheese shops and pastry shops...

and a city square filled with protesters.

We couldn't walk past Anthropologie...

without stopping by.

Nor could we walk past P.F. Chang's without a bite to eat.

By the time we returned to the Edgewater...

the city was going to sleep.

We were too tired to see what the other farm wives women were up to...

and returned to our room-with-a-view.

We needed some sleep...

before our local tour guide arrived first thing in the morning.

To be cont'd...

tomorrow!

skipping out of town....

Our granddaughter competed in the provincial jump rope competition over the weekend.

Her team did very well...

and qualified for the national competition in Moncton, New Brunswick next month.

On the final day...

we went to watch Emme do her individual events.

She had butterflies.

Then she had a nosebleed.

And then two skippers collided and she suffered a fat lip as well.
Then her last event.

She stood in her corner...

quietly waiting for the starting signal.

And then she skipped her heart out!

When all was said and done...

she was a wee bit disappointed because she never came near her personal best.

But she received an award for most sportsmanlike player...

and in the game of life that is more important than winning!

And later...

when all the stats were tallied up...

Emme qualified to compete in the individual events in Moncton as well.

We are so proud of her!

So she'll be skipping to the east coast next month...

a fun experience, I'm sure. 

As for me...

I'm skipping town today.

I'm joining a group of farm women on an annual get-away sponsored by our feed company. 

I'll keep you guessing as to our destination.

But I'll give you a hint.

The photo above was taken the last time I was there. 

I'll be back to tell you about it in a few days.

Oh...did I mention that a few of my bloggy friends are skipping town with me?

We will have us a good time...

I know.

the old john deere ~ still sitting pretty

Though my dad was mainly a Ford kind of guy...he did have a soft spot for the old John Deere tractors.  He had an antique JD in his collection...looking pretty spiffy and sputtering along.  When it came time for him to move from his country home to the city...my Aunt Maggie made him a proposal.  Since he couldn't take the tractor with him...how about if she took it to her back yard...where it would become part of the landscape.  If they should ever leave...he could have his tractor back.  That was more than a decade ago.  The JD has been sitting pretty in their yard all these years!
 

Last night we were invited for dinner to my uncle and aunt's ...and my dad was there as well.  After four decades, Uncle Jake and Aunt Maggie have decided to move on.  What to do with the tractor?  Though my dad would dearly love to have it back...his strata council would not likely be thrilled with a tractor parked on the grounds!  So if you know of anyone who wants a pretty old JD tractor (one that doesn't necessarily sputter anymore...and who knows if the wheels even turn)...let me know. 

We had such a nice visit around the table last night.  I have been to their place many times over the years...and it was a little sad to know this was likely the last visit in this home.  The after dinner entertainment was the hockey game.  Hmmm.  Uncle Jake can put his Canucks shirt away until next year.  What can we say?

The day was all but done by the time we said our farewells.  Since when do the hosts send gifts home with their guests?  When they are planning to move! :) 

Though the antique JD is a little big and cumbersome to move around...Uncle Jake gave me a wee replica of a tractor he once owned.  It had been a gift from my mom long ago, and he thought I should have it.  It's sitting pretty in my landscape this morning.  And hubby got an extension ladder...which he'll have to bring home another day.

I wish my uncle and aunt all the best as they make plans to move.  May they find the perfect new place to call home...and may it even have enough space for Uncle Jake to unpack the rest of his JD collection! 

grandparents day...

The invitation came.

We accepted.

We were invited to 'grandparents day' at Ranen's school.

They served us lunch...

and put on an excellent 'aloha themed' program.

Our granddaughter gave us a personalized tour of her classroom...

and proudly showed us a scrapbook of her kindergarten masterpieces.

Oh...and then she took us to the book fair...

where she already had a few items picked out.

Grandpa had his wallet.

Books are a good thing!

What an honour to return to school...

as a grandparent.

I had to think back to my school days...

and wondered what it would have been like for my grandparents to visit.

They never did...
that I know.

I'm hoping to go back to school again...

on occasion...

to support my grands!

Once the official 'grandparents day' was over...

 we started the unofficial one 'back at the ranch'.

Heidi brought Maggie and Lucy...

...for a bit of a get-away.

Daddy was out of town...

and Maggie wanted to come for a sleepover.

And so they all came.

Maggie and I cooked red jam (her request)...

and baked buns in all shapes and sizes.

Once Lucy awoke from her nap...

they spent some time frolicking in the tall, wet grass...

and swinging enthusiastically.

And every few minutes Maggie wondered aloud when Grandpa was coming to take her to the barns.

(It's not so much about coming to our house...as it is about visiting the barns.)

After supper...

she finally got to go.

And just before bedtime...

God painted a lovely picture for us all to enjoy!

First thing yesterday morning...

Maggie was ready to return to the barns.

We stalled.

First came the hair-do.

Then some time for riding bike.

Finally Baby Lucy awoke from her nap...

and we all headed to the barns.

Grandpa let Maggie help feed the cows.

He really had more help than he needed.

Grandparents Day.

It's a good thing!

tip-toeing through tulips...

 Tip-toeing through the tulips.

We wish! 

That was the plan...

to visit the 'tulips of the valley' today...

their opening day for 2012.  

However, I think we'll wait until next week...

since it sounds like the fields are not quite in their glory just yet. 

So I'll show you a few photos from 'yesteryear'...

ones that I think would make great note card pictures.

Vee is hosting a note card party today...
over at A Haven for Vee.
I'm joining in the fun this month.

Maggie and Lucy (along with their mommy) are coming over today...

and staying for a sleepover while daddy is out of town.  

Though we won't be tip-toeing through tulip fields as we had planned...

we will find some other fun things to do.  

Maybe in the kitchen. :)

springtime in the valley...

The joyful birds prolong the strain,

 their songs with every spring renewed...

the air we breathe,
and falling rain.
each softly whispers...
God is good.

~John Gurney

It's springtime.

It is beautiful...

even in the rain!

to fresno and back ~ on behalf of the team!

Over the past few days...Anneliese, Ellen, Lovella and I had the privilege of representing Mennonite Girls Can Cook at the West Coast MCC Relief Sale in Fresno, California.  Ellen went on ahead...and 'prepared the way' for us.  She rented the car, checked out our hotel, scouted out some good spots to eat...

...and then waited for our arrival at FAT (that would be the Fresno Yosemite International Airport).  And for the duration of our stay...she was our most capable chauffeur!  Not only did she always know where she was going...

...she also knew how to drive in a city that was in danger of washing away!  As you all know...we have a fair share of rain in the Pacific Northwest.  A Fresno get-away seemed like the perfect chance to experience some California sunshine and leave the umbrellas behind.  As it turned out...Fresno was experiencing a deluge of rain of record-breaking proportions.  Most would-be-sale-goers opted to stay high and dry on Friday.  But we were expected at the sale venue...whatever the weather. 

We dashed from one building to another...and and wished for the gum boots we left at home!

Though it wasn't exactly ice-cream weather...the show went on!

The homemade ice-cream...topped with boysenberries from the vendor's farm...disappeared as quickly as it was made. Ice-cream for a good cause tastes good even in the rain!  Not only did this couple donate their services for the weekend...they also provided all the boysenberries used in baking the 850 pies that were sold in the 'country store'.  The purpose of the relief sale is to generate funds for disaster relief around the world.  It is most heart-warming to see how tirelessly people work to raise those funds...and how generous others are when reaching into their pockets.



We sampled all kinds of ethnic foods...Mexican and German...

...and Mennonite favorites.

Though the Friday night sale was a bit of a 'wash-out'...things looked much brighter on Saturday morning!

We did a cooking demo first thing in the morning...and had an enthusiastic group show up to learn all there is to know about making rollkuchen. 

Rose...who together with her hubby was the organizer of the sale...sewed aprons for all her girls and joined us for a photo once the rollkuchen had disappeared.

We had the opportunity to tell our story several times over...



...and met many wonderful people who stopped by our table to chat and have their books signed.  Some generous souls joined us in our efforts to raise funds for the Good Shepherd Shelter (an orphanage in the Ukraine) by paying exorbitant amounts for our cookbook.  One bidder paid $1000 for his signed copy.  Most overwhelming!



Quilts, quilts and more quilts!  Hand-made with love...and purchased at auction to send aide around the world.

Kevin was our most gracious host over the weekend...and also the organizer of the entire sale.  Thank-you, Kevin and Rose...for making our time so enjoyable!

We sat in on the auction for a bit...and had a lot of fun!  I saw #951 being raised...more than once. It was all about pushing up the price...since Ellen really had no room in her suitcase for a quilt or two!

We met some wonderful new friends...and even some family!

What a surprise to have my 'cousin Linda' and her family drop by to chat.  Linda used to spend a lot of time with us when she lived in my part of the world.  It was so good to see her again!

The sun brought out the crowds on Saturday...

.
...and a good time was had by all!  And at the end of the day...it was time to count up the pennies! 

 
Blessings on all who who worked so tirelessly on behalf of those in need of help around the world.  We consider it an honour to work together with MCC.

It was a good weekend...and a great time with my friends Ellen, Anneliese and Lovella.

Yesterday morning we left behind all things Californian...and hopped a few planes back to Vancouver.  I should have known that hubby would want to know what kind of planes we were on.  Hmmm.  Good question.



I took this photo out the window as we landed in Vanouver.  I'm thinking it was a prop plane...of some kind!  Back at home the sun was shining...and all was well.

Have a wonderful Monday...