glancing back ~ april

Blue skies and sunshine.  That is story the photos tell.  It's just not the whole story!

It was a typical west coast April...where we knew had to take advantage of the sunshine because it could be raining again shortly.  But we are closing off the month with a string of beautiful days...and the temp's are soaring.

Let me just share a few of the month's happenings.  On a sunny Sunday afternoon, we took a drive out to Point Roberts.

Though it is just over an hour's drive from here, we had never before visited this jewel of a place along the ocean.  It's a little slice of  the USA on the Tsawwassen peninsula...accessible only through Canada. It seemed most of the vehicles in Point Roberts sported a BC license plate. Since there is much to share about Point Bob...I am breaking my one-post-a-month-for-now policy and doing a separate post on our day trip over there.  (You can scroll down and find it immediately below this post...or click here.)

And then there was Easter!  We celebrated with the family on Good Friday this year...because that was what worked best for all. (It didn't work out all that well for Spencer though, who missed out on all the fun because of the flu!)

We timed it just right and had an Easter egg hunt outdoors between rainfalls!  As for the eggs that never got found that day...I'm finding them now as I do my gardening. 

On the Saturday of the Easter weekend...we grabbed our passports and headed back to the ocean on the American side once again...not all that far from Point Roberts. 

Our destination was Blaine...and a beautiful wedding at the Semiahmhoo Resort.  Once again...the rain stopped just in time!  Mikki and Joe were married in an outdoor ceremony along the ocean.  We rejoiced with those who were rejoicing...at the marriage celebration of the daughter of our long-time friends. Most special!

In other news...

...the weeping willow tree next to our house is gone!  I could weep over that...but I won't.  It is for the best...I know!  We planted two willow trees on the front yard ten years ago...when we built the house.  The one nearest the house grew twice as fast as the other.  A healthy specimen indeed!  One month ago we realized that the roots of the healthy tree were winding their way through the drainage pipes around the house.  Water was backing up where it shouldn't be.   What to do?  Hubby brought the chain saw and that was that!  There is now a stump where the lovely tree once stood.  I'm still trying to decide how to best hide the eye-sore...and what to plant where the tree once stood.  Take note ~ weeping willow trees are not supposed to be planted within 100 feet of drainage or septic pipes. 

Our annual trip to the tulip fields never happened this year.  It wasn't for lack of trying!  We piled into the car and began our drive out there one afternoon, only to realize the tulip fields closed at 4 o'clock and we were too late.  It's hard juggling schedules and school hours to fit in a trip to the tulip fields while they are in full bloom!  Next year.

Maggie and Lucy decided they would pick daffodils from Grammy's garden instead...and each had a bouquet to take home.  

This week the guys are busy cutting grass.  As the saying goes...'make hay while the sun shines'!   And so the farmer was busy 'making hay'...and the 'farmer's wife' went to Grandparent's Day on her own this morning. 

And those are a few of the memories and moments from the month of April at "My Front Porch".

Thanks to all of you who continue to stop by, even when it may seem like I'm not home.  You are wonderful friends!  

Until next month...

Point Roberts, Washington

Known locally as Point Bob, Point Roberts is part of mainland USA but is not physically attached to it in any way.  It is located at the southernmost tip of Tsawwassen Peninsula, which happens to be a suburb of Vancouver, B.C.  Any Americans wishing to visit Point Roberts must come through Canada to get there. We had heard of Point Roberts often and saw it on the map as we passed nearby...but had never before paid a visit to this hidden little jewel of a place.  Until now...April 2014.

On a beautiful, sunny Sunday afternoon, we grabbed our passports and took a drive out to the pebbly beach at the southwestern tip of the Lower Mainland. We wondered what kind of border crossing we would find...accessing an area of less than five square miles and with a population of about 1300.  Surprisingly, the border crossing looked much like any others...with several lanes in each direction.  There were no major line-ups and we were across the border and in the United States of America in no time!

Our destination?

Lighthouse Marine Park.  Land's end.  This is it!  From here one can see Haro Strait, Georgia Strait and Juan de Fuca Strait. 

Shipping lanes merge in the distance.  B.C. Ferries pass by from the port of Tsawwassen.

Sailboats frolic...as do the birds!

And in the distance...Mt. Baker presides over the Sunday afternoon tableau.

 
Some came with cameras and lenses...

...and some brought their bikes.

Others brought their dog...and sent him into the water.

Some came with paddle boards and went in themselves.  Even in April!

If anyone found themselves in need of temporary shelter...there were a few rustic abodes free for the taking.

I'm thinking this scene speaks to a healthy Dungeness crab population in this area!

As for the lighthouse...well, it was a bit of a disappointment.  I was hoping for an old-fashioned, picturesque lighthouse (the kind we saw in Portland, Maine last summer.)  Apparently modern lighthouses are more about function and less about beauty!

Sunsweep Sculpture...one of three such markers placed along the Canada-U.S. border in the 1980's as part of an international art project.  The other two are at Roosevelt Campobello Park in New Brunsick and on American Point Island in Ontario's Lake of the Woods Park.

Another point of interest...the granite obelisk, Border Marker Number One.  This monument to the 49 parallel was fabricated in Scotland sits at the most western point of the northern Canadian - US border. 

We also discovered that Point Roberts is one of the best spots from which to view pods of Orca whales over the summer months.  Three local pods frequently pass by this very spot.  And that is a very good reason to make a return visit one day!

As we were leaving...others were coming.  Point Roberts was the perfect destination on a sunny Sunday in April!

reflections on the month of march...

While the Fraser Valley had a touch of winter earlier this month...

...we were happy to be enjoying 'summer' in Palm Springs.

We spent the first few days at a lovely place we found on-line...

in Rancho Mirage.

Sunnylands...

also known as the Camp David of the West...

was right nearby.

And so we toured their gardens one day...

and the visitor center....

all free to the public.

The estate was the home of Walter and Leonore Annenberg...

and is a national historic site. 

It was (and still is) a retreat center 

 ...a place for national and foreign dignitaries and diplomats to gather for summit meetings and retreats.

The list of guests who have relaxed at Sunnylands include seven US presidents, the British royal family, and many in the entertainment industry.

The Annenberg home is open to the public for tours on a limited basis...

but there were no tickets available during our time there.

Next time!

The BNP Paribas Open Tennis Tournament was happening while we were there...

formerly known as the Indian Wells Masters.

About 400,000 people turn out to watch world class tennis at this event.

We decided to join them one day.

We mostly cheered on the Canadian and American players (very quietly though)...

as they faced opponents from around the world.

Having never watched live professional tennis before...

I had no idea a sporting event could be that quiet.

One cheers by clapping after the play...

and standing up to take photos is not a good idea.

I know. :)

We spent the second week of our stay in Indio...

at our usual spot.

We walked above the golf course every morning before breakfast...

played tennis when we could get a court...

and floated down the lazy river on a double tube with books in hand for hours at a time.

We met up with friends for dinner on several occasions...

visited the weekend market...

and attended Southwest Community Church on Sunday.

 

Time went quickly...

and all too soon we were heading back home.

After two full days of driving...

we arrived back in our community just as the sun was setting.
 Home...always a good place to be!

We were ready for spring.

A wiener roast seemed like a good idea...

...and they thought so too!

The kiddos ran through the pasture...

quickly, before it got spread with liquid gold.
And we had paska for dessert.
After all...
Easter is coming!

This is what spring in our valley often looks like...

the view from the kitchen!

We've had our share of rain...

...and some sunny days for playing tennis or taking a hike.

The pansies are blooming...

many trees are blossoming...

the lawn has yet to be cut (though it would have liked a trim by now).

Time marches on...

and we are ready for spring.

Are you?