Carl Gray's Journal

An Evening with the Royal Family

Sat, 12 Jul 2008 00:17:25 GMT

Tuesday night I spent an evening with the Royal family. Doesn't that sound exciting? Actually, they are a family with the last name of Royal and they are probably a lot more fun and interesting than any actual royalty you might meet -- and a whole lot more talented too, as you can see from this photo of the oldest daughter enjoying their wonderful high swing.

After a minute or so of swinging back and forth she managed to get the swing incredibly far off the ground and completely horizontal as you can see below. It took a few tries to actually capture this shot because she was going amazingly fast just to keep herself on the swing. By the way, it helps to be barefoot so you can really grip the wooden swing seat.

Looks easy doesn't it? Well, I can tell you that it is not. For one thing there is this thing called gravity fighting you all the way (though it may not look like it in the photo). It actually takes a lot of strength and agility to do this.

It was a lovely evening on the water, with perfect weather, a tasty desert, and good fellowship. Finally, we all said goodbye for the last time since the whole family is moving back to Montana. I'm very glad that I happened to get to know them during the short time they spent in Washington. Someday maybe I'll visit Montana and pay them a visit in their new home.

If there is anyone still reading this blog after such a long hiatus, leave a comment. The Royals encouraged me to keep it going, so I decided to give it a shot. Let me know if there is anything in particular that you like seeing here. I was thinking of going to mostly a photo-only blog, with little text because I find that most people don't read the words anyway and it takes a lot of work to figure out what to write. But then no one will have a clue why I am posting the photos up here, so I don't know. Any ideas are welcome.

MCCS Auction

Sun, 18 May 2008 07:04:33 GMT

Change

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 21:11:24 GMT

After the Storm

Wed, 05 Dec 2007 09:27:08 GMT

The major storm is over and the creeks and rivers are slowly beginning to return to normal. Some of the roads are beginning to open up enough to be able to assess the damages. I took a trip north toward Lilliwaup and was amazed to find more than a dozen mudslides and water over the roadway in countless places along the short stretch from Hoodsport to Lilliwaup. Two places were especially hit hard. The worst is probably Holiday Beach, where the creek came over the banks and diverted itself right down the streets.

Here is what Highway 101 looks like through Holiday Beach the next day, when the water had receded enough to even drive through. Nearly every home in this stretch along the highway suffered damage from water and mud and the water still continues to flow vigorously across the highway down Susan Ave. The mud is 1 to 3 feet deep in people's yards.

Up the road just a bit further, the Rest-A-While RV Park, is no longer the pleasant little getaway along the Canal it once was. Sund Creek became a raging torrent, carrying mud, gravel, and even large stumps and trees to deposit along the way.

Most of the RVs had left before the storm started. In fact, we noticed a steady stream of RVs heading South during a short break in the snow storm on Sunday. I'm sure they are very glad that they got out of town while they could.

Unfortunately this RV chose to stay and is now trapped behind a wall of mud. It is hard to imagine the once park-like setting of this particular spot. Notice the picnic table which came to rest against the telephone pole, having been transported far from its former spot in the campground.

Much of Highway 101 is still covered in mudslides, though people have been finding ways of driving around, through, and over them. There are so many of these slides that the highway department has been simply clearing a path along one lane and leaving the rest of the debris blocking the other lane. It will take weeks to move all the material out, one dump truck load at a time.

For more photos from around the Hoodsport area, see my Facebook album where I have posted several more of my photos. I will continue to post more in this album as I am able to upload them. For those of you who looked at the album earlier, be sure and check out the new photos I added today. I also submitted a few photos to KIRO-TV which they published in a slideshow of viewer photos. Check out this album for some other photos from around Washington showing problems all throughout Western Washington. There are some interesting photos here.

Floods

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 01:27:40 GMT

What do you get after 10 inches of snow followed by 8 inches of rain? Floods! The flooding here in Mason County was record setting. I was not able to go to work because the highways in all directions were closed due to floods and mudslides. In fact Hoodsport is still completely isolated with no way to get in or out. The governor has declared a state of emergency, since the whole state has suffered from disastrous flooding, mudslides, and trees knocked over by very high winds which came with the rain.

This is what the Hood Canal Salmon Hatchery looked like this morning after Finch Creek flooded its banks and overflowed into the hatchery buildings. Since all of the ponds were completely inundated with water, the fish were able to escape right out into Hood Canal.

This is what is left of the Finch Creek bridge near Lumberman's. Unfortunately, the trees floating down the creek also took out the water main which crosses here leaving Hoodsport residents without water for an indefinite amount of time. Flooding and downed trees also blocked Lake Cushman Road (Highway 119) in at least a dozen places and threatens to wash out the highway completely at the lower S curves. Lake Cushman residents have been without power for more than 24 hours. It is not likely this will be restored anytime soon since PUD #3 has no way of getting to the lines. I also noticed two separate areas of the BPA high transmission lines were down.

More rain and high winds are predicted for tonight. I have more pictures, but they are on my smaller camera which is no longer operational due to the heavy rains I subjected it to. The above pictures were taken with my good camera just before it completely fogged over and became unusable.

Check back later for more details.

Snow!

Sun, 02 Dec 2007 08:41:41 GMT

Today was one of those rare, beautiful days in Washington in which it snowed all day long. In fact it snowed very hard all day here in Hoodsport. While others to the north and south of us had only light smatterings of snow, our little town ended up with 7 inches by sunset. It continued to snow most of the night, but didn't add up much, since the snow became very heavy and packed down pretty good. All of this led to roads and highways that were quite treacherous along Hood Canal. I made an attempt to drive 1/2 mile up to Endicotts but had to turn around. So I just walked up later on. The sled run there is in perfect form however.

Here the snow plow is plowing Highway 101. Those of you living in areas where snow is a regular part of Winter travel would be surprised at how treacherous the highways are here, even after being plowed. For one thing the don't start plowing until there is at least 3-4 inches. They never use salt (which is a good thing for the cars) and they use rubber blades which don't damage the highways, but also don't scrape the icy stuff very well.

Many people were without power due to trees falling on lines. While I was out taking photos, I head a sizzling sound and smelled smoke. Here you can see the reason, an electrical line touching a snow-laden tree branch was sparking and smoking. It might have caught the tree on fire if it had not been so completely soaked with snow. Our snow is very heavy and wet, unlike the delightful powdery stuff folks up north get.

This picture was taken at about 1pm, when the snow had just started. I never did venture out to get another picture at the peak depth. Although I had several things I planned to do today, they all involved driving somewhere. Needless to say I just stayed home snuggled by the warm fire, listening to Christmas music and getting organized with my Christmas cards. I think it took this snow for me to realize that Christmas is really almost here and I'd better get moving.

The Woods

Thu, 22 Nov 2007 03:33:42 GMT

Lately I have not had much chance to get out into the wilds of Washington and enjoy my scenic hikes to familiar and favorite places. I realize how much I miss these weekend journeys into the woods and hope that I can soon find time to get back to the things I truly love. The following excerpt from a book I was reading expresses some of my thoughts rather well.

"The woods are so human that to know them one must live with them. An occasional saunter through them, keeping to the well-trodden paths, will never admit us to their intimacy. If we wish to be friends, we must seek them out and win them by frequent, reverent visits at all hours; by morning, by noon, and by night; and at all seasons, in spring, in summer, in autumn, in winter. Otherwise we can never really know them and any pretense we may make to the contrary will never impose on them.

They have their own effective way of keeping aliens at a distance and shutting their hearts to mere casual sightseers. It is of no use to seek the woods from any motive except sheer love of them; they will find us out at once and hide all their sweet, old-world secrets from us. But if they know we come to them because we love them, they will be very kind to us and give us such treasures of beauty and delight as are not bought or sold in any marketplace.

For the woods, when they give at all, give unstintingly and hold nothing back from their true admirers. We must go to them humbly, patiently, watchfully, and we shall learn what poignant loveliness lurks in the wild places and silent intervales, lying under starshine and sunset, what cadences of unearthly music are harped on aged pine boughs or crooned in copses of fir, what delicate savors exhale from mosses and ferns in sunny corners or on damp brooklands.

Then, the immortal heart of the woods will beat against ours and its subtle life will steal into our veins and make us its own forever, so that no matter where we go, or how widely we wander, we shall yet be drawn back to the forest to find our most enduring kinship."

~from Thistle Harvest by John Foster

Autumn Days

Wed, 07 Nov 2007 04:50:30 GMT

Autumn is here and the leaves are turning. Actually many of them have fallen by now, but just before that happened I was able to get some photos of some of the colorful scenes around Hoodsport.

Driving through Potlatch past powerhouse #2 of the Tacoma Power Cushman Hyrdo Project, I spotted this beautiful maple tree in full color and had to stop and take a picture.

This tree is much larger than it looks in the picture because the powerhouse is very tall. If you consider that the lamp posts you see are about nine feet tall it gives you some perspective. I love the way the water from the creek was diverted to run right down through the lovely old cement railings along here. It makes a pretty waterfall I think. It is amazing to look at this beautiful building and the graceful curves and majestic arches that were incorporated into the architecture. This was built at a time when beauty was something that was revered. Sure, none of these arches are really functional, but they are a delight to the eyes. Now, it seems, the only value in architecture is to be either purely functional or completely meaningless and bizarre.

Sailboats are another thing that are lovely and graceful, while still being very functional. I caught this picture up in Port Townsend while taking a ferry across to Whidbey Island. The people on the boat appeared to be having a very relaxing sail around the harbor, not really going anywhere.

Here you see some of the old Victorian architecture of Port Townsend in the buildings behind the sailboat. In the upper right is the original fire station bell tower from the 1800s. The homes on the bluff are also from the late 1800s. I recently was on a tour of homes, which included the one on the left.

It was amazing to see the architecture of this home, with 12 foot ceilings, huge rooms, and many artistic touches throughout. As you can imagine, the view from the enclosed porch or the upstairs windows was quite a treat too.

I haven't had time to blog here much since becoming involved in at least 3 Bible studies during the week. Most nights I go straight from work to Bible study and then straight home and to bed, only to arise the next morning and go back to work. Sometimes I take time to eat at least once or twice during this time, but I haven't really had a chance to even sit down for several months. So you'll excuse the fact that there are not many blogs and not many pictures left to show. If there are any things you would like to see or hear, feel free to leave a comment. Thanks to those who have left comments in the past. It is nice to know that someone is actually reading this. I do think of you when I see your comments.

Sunset over Hood Canal

Sat, 06 Oct 2007 00:38:03 GMT

Once again, I was driving along last night on my way to Bible study and noticing the beautiful world around me. This time I happened to spot this rainbow just south of Hoodsport and had to stop the car along the highway and snap some photos. Once again, the cars went racing by, barely noticing the weather, and I was just stunned by the changes that were happening.

The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims His handiwork.
Psalm 19:1

God's Beauty

Sat, 29 Sep 2007 03:02:02 GMT

I'm sorry it has been such a long time since I've posted anything. I have had an idea for something to write about for a couple of weeks, but am always just too tired at the end of a long day to write anything. I did pull out a few pictures which go along with my thoughts. I will post the pictures here now, and hopefully come back and write more later. Maybe having the picture up here will inspire me to write. Actually, from what I've heard, most people only look at the pictures anyway, so maybe that will be sufficient. At least you will know I am still alive and have not disappeared entirely.

I have been inspired lately to think about the beautiful area in which we live and how the beauty that I find in it is all God's beauty. I do have a certain appreciation for the kind of creative beauty that man sometimes creates, but I keep coming back to the fact that what I really aspire to is to simply bask in the beauty of God's creation.

It seems that much of the world is content to focus on the problems of the daily world, as presented to us by the nightly news on television, or escape into a world of their own making with their iPods, movies, or even the Internet. But we are getting further and further from truly enjoying what God has given us in the beauty that surrounds us every day. How often do we stop to really notice the beauty in nature? How often do we even get outside the cities and towns to find such beauty? How often do we get away from the television and computer to actually see the lovely shades of color and light that are not just the pixels on our video screens?

How often do you stoop down low to the ground and examine the shapes and colors and textures in an ordinary rock plant like this one, found at the top of Mount Washington? Is it not amazing that a plant can even survive in this barren land of extreme wind and cold, snow most of the year, and virtually no soil?

I made a special late evening trip to the top of Mount Ellinor (as mentioned in a previous post) to capture a picture of the sun setting in the heart of the Olympic Mountains. The above photo can not being to capture the range of colors and the very atmosphere of the world above 4,800 feet this late at night. Nor can it show the depth of the mountains beyond which stretch for miles and miles beyond the reach of ordinary human travelers, rarely to be gazed upon by anyone from the civilzed world.

How about the beauty of a sunset on the inland waters of the Puget Sound (Salt Creek Campground above)? There is something very intriguing to me about watching the sun set over the water and feel the cool salt air and listen to the waves brush up against the beach in a constant flow of the tides.

Can you tell I enjoy sunsets? I stopped last week along the Skokomish River bridge to take this picture and the one below. The traffic was racing by me as I tried to frame the shots and I had to wait until they had passed and the bridge had stopped rumbling. I thought of how much of a hurry everyone was in and that most people were probably not even the least bit aware of the beautiful show that God was providing tonight, only to those who would take the time to stop and take it in.

So I hope you will take the time this week to stop and enjoy the beauty that God has given us, and then thank Him that He has placed us here to view a small representation of His glory in the creation that He made.

Cousins Update

Tue, 21 Aug 2007 01:06:25 GMT

This weekend we had a large gathering of relatives since our New York cousins were visiting and Dick was having his 75th birthday. It gave me a chance to get some new pictures of some of my latest little cousins.

I had promised an updated picture of Ellen so, as promised, here she is at about 2 weeks old.

I also caught a cute one of Mary Jane enjoying the blackberries which grow wild all around this state.

Here is Emma, who looks a lot like a Gray in this picture.

And finally, my favorite, this is Jesse, Donny, and Emma. Donny is working very diligently to attach leaves to the sprinkler system, while Jesse assists in holding things for him. Meanwhile, Emma is keeping track of the supply of leaves to be used.

Ellen Louise

Tue, 07 Aug 2007 04:00:50 GMT

I am happy to report that on Friday, August 3, 2007 at about 5am, Emily had a beautiful little girl, Ellen Louise. Ellen was 8 lbs. 12 oz. and 20.5 inches long. Both mother and daughter are doing very well.

Here is Ellen shortly after she was born, with her cousin Penny, who is quickly growing up to be a sweet little girl.

And here is Ellen at 3 days old with her mother. Thank you Becky for these great photos. I have not yet met Ellen in person, but I will be sure to take pictures when I get a chance.

Mason County Fair

Wed, 01 Aug 2007 01:58:51 GMT

This past weekend I went to the Mason County Fair in Shelton. It was actually a lot of fun this year, since I knew several of the families entering things in the fair. The weather was great which made it all the more enjoyable. The children really seem to enjoy this fair, despite all the work that goes into preparing for it and being required to take on duties in the barn areas. Two good friends of mine won the top prizes for their pigs, which is especially commendable considering this is their first year raising pigs.

Here is Yutaka, with his Grand Champion pig, getting ready to auction it off in the livestock auction. It brought the highest price in the auction. The auction was a lot of fun. Everyone seemed to really get into the spirit of it and the bidders (mostly Del's Farm Supply and Les Schwab Tires) were very generous in their support of the efforts of these children to raise money from their animals. I was impressed with these two companies and others who are trying to give something back to the communities in which they are located.

Another winner was Lexi with her Champion prize-winning chickens, which are very handsome indeed as you can see. She auctioned them off for a good price as well. Les Schwab Tires got the winning bid on these fryers.

Aside from showing animals and winning prizes, the best part of the fair was just hanging out at the fairgrounds with other people and finding fun things to do. I spent a little time with Megumi running and jumping in this nearby pile of wood chips. It was loads of fun until we started itching quite a bit.

Another fun thing for the children was the Let's Pretend circus, where volunteers got to wear costumes and put on a make-believe circus, complete with a strong man (who couldn't quite lift the 1000 pound barbell, but a little girl did), and a lion tamer.

Here you can see the ferocious lion, played by Yutaka, ready to attack the audience if they didn't stay back. Yutaka took this pretty seriously and made a very convincing lion. I think he may have a future on the stage, at least as long as the part calls for a wild animal. I thought the Let's Pretend shows were a great way for the children to enjoy being a part of something at the fair and use their imagination to put on a little show of their own. I was pleased that they had that this year. I'm not sure if I've noticed it before.

Ratatouille

Sat, 14 Jul 2007 08:52:10 GMT

Tonight I went to see the movie Ratatouille. Since you are probably wondering how to say that when reading this, I'll help you out. It is pronounced rat-a-too-ee and describes a rather low-brow French dish of stewed vegetables. The movie was produced by Pixar, famous for their 3D computer animation. I have to say that I have never been fond of computer animation, especially that of recent years, because it tends to take on an all-too-perfect look that lacks the simplicity of artistic design of traditional hand animation of the past. Also it seems that the animators want to show off everything they've got so they tend to go over the top with their special effects. This movie was the first computer animated film that I have seen that honestly was a delight to behold. The animators went to great lengths to create an incredible realism within the textures that made me think more than once that it had to be mixed with some real photography. I kept noticing such tiny things as little scratches and dents in the surfaces of things and flaws in the surface textures that made things seem totally real, and hard to believe that this was computer animation. Reading some information on the making of the movie, I found that they went to great lengths, and spent tremendous amounts of computer time just to get things to not look computer generated. I loved the results. It was simply beautiful.

As for the content of the film itself, I was very, very pleased. The story was very moving and heartfelt, not at all the brash, crude, in-your-face kind of junk that has become popular in children's movies these days. The plot was sophisticated and original. The telling of the tale was pleasant and real, with such feeling that you soon forget that this is a cartoon, and one with a rat as the main character, no less. The moment when the food critic Anton Ego tastes the title dish, created entirely by the rat, is one of the single most moving moments in the history of animation.

The only criticism I would have of this film is that I'm not sure it has enough of the silly, slapstick humor that children enjoy to keep the interest of the younger child who will not comprehend much of the meaning of the story, which relies much more on dialog than on visual humor. I noticed more than one child in the packed theater getting a little antsy as the movie approached the two-hour mark. This is a long movie for squirmy little ones to sit through, if they aren't able to identify with the concept of a rat who dreams of becoming a great chef. But I noticed the adults in the audience were enjoying themselves very much. So this becomes the first G-rated animated film in a long time to be targeted primarily at an audience over the age of 12. Lest you wonder about the rating, I can assure you that there is nothing in this film that could even remotely warrant a higher rating. The language and humor is spotlessly clean, with not even a hint of crude humor or double meaning thrown in for the adults. How very refreshing.

Most amazing is the fact that the critics actually are universally praising this film, saying such things as "It's not just the computer animation that is vibrantly three-dimensional. It's also the well-rounded characters... I defy you to name another animated film so overflowing with superfluous beauty."and "This delicious tale of a rat who cooks is pure joy, a grand achievement -- one of the most beautiful animated pictures ever made." If a film about hundreds of rats invading the kitchen of a 5-star French restaurant can be considered beautiful then I have to agree, this is one of the most beautiful animated pictures ever made. I guess that's what I loved about it. I hope you will see it too and feel free to comment on your impressions of the film. I'd like to hear what others think.

Shannon's Wedding

Sat, 07 Jul 2007 01:43:16 GMT

I am starting to get a backlog of photos which need to find a place in my blog somehow. I have discovered, through a friend's blog, that blog entries with no photos are completely ignored. I guess in this modern age of television and videos, words no longer count for much. Ah, how much we miss by not opening a good book and letting our imaginations paint a picture much finer than any that could be captured by camera. Except I'm not sure that people have imaginations anymore, with all the work being done for them by the movie producers. So, for those who want photos, I will begin with one that I would be hard-pressed to describe in words, even for those with a great imagination.

This is the little niece of Shannon Dodge who was recently married. While everyone else was busy trying to get photos of the cake cutting, I couldn't help but notice that this little girl (whose name escapes me right now) was watching all of the onlookers during the cutting of the cake. She was such an angel during the entire wedding, despite the fact that no one was really paying attention to her. I did manage to snap one photo of them cutting the cake for those who actually would like to see the bride and groom.

The wedding was a beautiful outdoor wedding in June, however like most outdoor weddings I have been to, the weather did not cooperate. Right during the vows the rain started and quickly became a very cold downpour. The pastor hurried through the prayer while some in the crowd secretly made their escape. Women were scrambling to protect their expensive hairdos from being destroyed by the elements. Finally, the bride and groom made a hasty, and wet, retreat for cover.

No, those aren't tears on their faces, those are actual raindrops dripping down from their foreheads. Yet, in all of this, Shannon did manage to keep her composure, and her sense of humor. It will be one of those weddings that no one will be able to forget.

Sunset in the Olympics

Sat, 30 Jun 2007 09:20:33 GMT

I really hoped to have some of my own photos to include with this entry, because if ever there was a blog entry that deserves good photos it is this one. Unfortunately, I did not have my camera along to photograph one of the most incredible scenes I have ever witnessed. I hope to yet capture this scene and will be sure to include that photo if I get it. In the meantime, I will do my best to describe what I saw.

This week started off with some fairly nice weather and my cousin Lucy and I decided to take a late evening hike up into the mountains. So we headed off toward Mt. Ellinor at about 7:30pm, just as the last group of people were coming back down off the mountain. The sun was still pretty bright and clear, but getting lower in the sky, so it was actually fairly chilly when we started, despite highs in the 80s that day. But the cool night air made for comfortable hiking as we started up the steep, winding trail, glowing with excitement of getting away from civilization and the bustle and noise of the lowlands. Lucy and I are both most content when trekking through the mountain wilderness.

The snow had been melting in the recent warm days, so we didn't find snow on the trail until we got to the fork which divides the summer and winter trails. The summer trail is still pretty packed with snow, so we took the winter trail, up the chute. The snow was several feet deep, but just perfect for hiking, not so soft that your legs plunge deep into it, but not so hard that you slide around across the top. It was nicely crunchy and only a little slippery. So we made excellent time going up and were able to climb all the way to the top of the chute in less than 90 minutes. We spotted several mountain goats on the rocky crags over us, looking down on us as though we didn't belong. As we came to the last, steepest climb, up the flow of ice and snow which narrowly squeezes between the rocky cliffs of the mountain, we were both getting a little tired and took a break to look out over the Puget Sound which was clear as far as the eye could see in any direction. I could see all the way from Mt. Baker in the north, to Mt. Rainier, Mt. Adams, and Mt. Saint Helens toward the south. The lights of Seattle and Tacoma were visible in the distance and the setting sun was beginning to bathe the snowy peaks of the Cascades with a bright orange glow. The city lights had a noticeable twinkle to them, which made them sparkle like jewels in a setting of dark green evergreens and blue waters. What a beautiful state this is. But the best was yet to come.

We hurried up the pace a bit as we crossed the bowl in order to get to the high ridge that looks out on the inner mountains of the Olympics. We were aware that the daylight was rapidly dimming and that it would be wise to begin descending again very soon. But we had come this far, and only a few more minutes lay between us and that glorious sight that can only be seen when you are high enough in the mountains to actually be able to look deep into the heart of the Olympic Mountains. Soon we climbed up over the jagged peaks of the ridge and rested against a large rock. The view was absolutely breathtaking. The red-orange glow of the sun was settling over the highest snow-capped peaks of the inner peaks of the Olympics, and every angle was clear and unhindered by clouds or haze. The rocky cliffs, poking their way out of the snow, reflected all shades of blue and purple, with each successive layer of distance causing the color to be slightly more muted. The words purple mountains majesty came to mind, as this was a very apt description of what was before us. We both stood there quietly, just taking in this rare moment of witnessing the beauty of God's creation at it's most sublime. I didn't even think of the fact I had no camera with me at this time, only regretting it later, but could only think how blessed I was to gaze upon this scene of rare beauty that is witnessed by very few people, since it is rather uncommon to happen to be sitting at the top of such a vantage point like this at precisely the moment such a perfect sunset unfolds.

Taking my eyes off the distant beauties for a moment, I glanced down to the rocks at my feet and noticed another rare sight, that of the lovely Flett's Violets, growing there in the cracks in the rocks, in the harshest of environments. This cheery little flower can be found only in rocky crevices of the Olympic Mountains, nowhere else in the world! It has pinkish-purple, petals and hardy dark green leaves. It is hard to imagine how such a delicate looking flower can survive the harsh conditions of this place where snow and ice are present most of the year and soil is pretty much non-existent.

I found the above picture of the Flett's Violet on the National Park Service web site. Someday I plan to get a picture of my own to add to my collection of native wildflower photos of Washington State. The environment of the Olympic National Park is so unique that there are several plants found nowhere else in the world. I hope to eventually photograph every one of them. If you would like to see a nice gallery of high quality images from Mt. Ellinor and vicinity check out this web site. Here is one of their shots showing the bowl and the ridge we climbed to get the sunset view. The clouds here, obscuring the mountains beyond, are more typical of what can be expected from this vantage point before July.

As the last rays of sun disappeared behind the mountains to the west, the temperature noticeably dropped within a very short time. We were, after all, at the top of a mountain, nearly 6000 feet high, surrounded by snow and ice. The descent was a lot more fun than the climb. We skied with our shoes down off the ridge into the snow bowl and did remarkably well at staying upright. From there, we literally ran across the bowl to the edge of the chute and then began our careful climb back down. It turned out that we could actually keep a pretty good pace once we got the hang of digging in our heels and walking down as if descending a long, steep staircase. It required careful balance to avoid toppling headlong into the snow and sliding rapidly down to the bottom. Lucy was determined to find a good way to slide down part of the way in the safer spots and finally figured out how to do this successfully. But I was able to nearly keep up with her just walking, with a pretty good pace, down the slopes. Soon we were back at the fork and out of the snow and finally in need of our flashlights to guide us on the trail to the car. As is tradition, Lucy recited trail poems for me to help pass the time and set the mood for a relaxing return hike. The moon was shining through the trees, casting strange shadows on the trail before us and creating an eerie mood. This seemed to be perfect for a recitation of The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes. There is nothing quite like the expressive voice of Lucy reciting poems along the trail, when one's feet are aching and legs are tired. But this one was especially perfect as the moonlight wound its way through the trees and such words as When the moon is a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas, when the road is a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor were being quoted in dramatic voice. It made for a perfect end to our high adventure.

Flight of the Bomber

Wed, 20 Jun 2007 04:25:58 GMT

I am taking a break from my usual travelogue style blog entry and actually writing about something interesting that I did. Thanks to all of you who commented on my last blog entry. I know that I have at least 4 people who are following my blog. It was good to hear from people in 3 different countries!

Last weekend I had a new experience which I will not soon forget. I had a once in a lifetime opportunity to fly in a vintage World War II B-17 Flying Fortress. Every year the Olympic Flight Museum hosts an air show which features many warplanes from past wars, including several bombers which you can tour. This year the bombers on tour were a B-17 Flying Fortress, a B-24 Liberator, and a B-25 Mitchell bomber.

Here is the B-17 taking off. This was one of the most successful bombers used in World War II. It was very heavily armed as you can see with thirteen Browning M-2 .50 caliber machine guns. It was powered by four 1200hp turbocharged Wright Cyclone radial engines.

I admit to always having been fascinated by these symbols of American air superiority from the World War II era. They look and sound so ominous flying through the air. So I couldn't pass up the chance to actually fly in one.

Here is the seat I chose for most of the flight, right in the bombardier nose section. This is the position where the bombardier used the once top-secret Norden bomb sight to sight and control the dropping of the bombs. The domed nose window allows a birds-eye view of everything up, down, left, right, and ahead, a perfect spot to enjoy the scenery over the Puget Sound.

We had a beautiful flight, low over the country around Olympia, Shelton and Hood Canal. There was something thrilling about sitting in the seat that had been once used by men who successfully flew 140 bombing missions in this plane.

So here I am sitting back, enjoying the view of the lovely waters of Puget Sound passing by beneath my feet. But after sitting here awhile, I was curious to see the rest of the plane so I wandered back through the bomb bay, which has a very narrow catwalk squeezed in amongst the bombs. I carefully navigated across the walk, minding the words from our briefing that falling off the catwalk into the bomb bay could mean a very unexpected exit from the plane. About that time we hit some turbulence and I instinctively grabbed for something to steady myself, unfortunately catching one of the control cables which run unprotected all through the plane. I heard a strange noise and felt the resistance of the cable and quickly let go and grabbed something a little more solid. I don't want to be the one to send this plane into a dive. Past the bomb bay was the radio room and the top mounted gun turret. This was open so that people could look out for an unobstructed view across the top of the plane.

The 170mph wind in my face was almost enough to take my breath away. But the feeling of sticking my head out of the top of a B-17 bomber flying along over the lovely landscape of Puget Sound was quite exhilarating. I stayed there, looking out in all directions for quite awhile, thankful for this wonderful, unique opportunity to see things from a perspective few ever have seen.

I will end this story with a fitting scene from the air show of a sky diver who carried this incredibly huge United States flag with him on his descent and brought cheers from all the crowd. It made me proud to be a part of such a wonderful country, which has been so blessed by God through the years.

Perhaps the best ice cream in the state

Wed, 13 Jun 2007 03:41:34 GMT

OK, this will be mostly a photo blog, because I've taken lots of photos, but haven't really done anything much worth writing about.

We had a week of very warm weather here in Washington and I took a trip up to Whidbey Island to enjoy the peaceful countryside, take a long walk, and scope out the area for a friend planning on visiting soon. One of my first stops was to buy a wild blackberry ice cream cone at Kapaws Iskreme, which has perhaps the best ice cream cones in the state, with fresh homemade waffle cones. Their "worldwide headquarters" are in the small yellow building with the flag.

My long walk was next (gotta' work off all that ice cream), so I headed for Fort Ebey State Park, the site of a World War II coastal defense. There are concrete bunkers to explore and a very nice, long walk along the bluff, offering views of the Puget Sound and the ships coming and going.

This trail follows the bluff for miles and is the perfect place for just walking and spending time thinking and praying. Something about the salt air, the sand, and the sound of the surf makes it easy to get lost in your surroundings. I personally prefer the high vantage point where I can see more, than walking the beach itself, thought that has its own merits.

Once again I happened to be in the right place to watch the cruise ships headed out for the ocean. I also hung around to see if this hang glider ever got anywhere. He never quite got up in the air, though the wind did pull him around a lot. It is just as well as he didn't really look prepared to plunge into the waters of Puget Sound.

I caught the ferry back to the mainland at just the perfect time. The sun was just setting as we crossed the Sound and I practically had the boat to myself. It was a gorgeous night.

Coming into Port Townsend with the sun beginning to set, I caught this picture of the silhouette of the town.

On the way home, I saw that the sky was filled with color and the fields were aglow as the last rays of sun set over the mountains and I had to stop and take this picture.

I hope you have enjoyed this little photo tour. If you have, please send me a comment using the Leave a Comment link below. I'd love to hear from you.

Miss Potter

Sat, 26 May 2007 02:52:34 GMT

It has been a long time since I have written a blog entry. I guess it is time to write about something. This week I took my mother to Port Townsend to watch a very special movie. The movie was called Miss Potter and was a drama of the life of Beatrix Potter, children's author and illustrator. She wrote stories of such characters as Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny, Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle and Jemima Puddle-duck.

This movie was one of the most delightful films I have ever watched. From the opening scene, filmed in the beautiful, serene Lake District of northwestern England, to the poignant ending, I was enchanted by the cinematography, the music, and the charming, tender story of this amazing woman. Publishers laughed at her cute little bunny stories. Her own mother considered her delightful watercolors to be a childish waste of time. But one man believed in her and believed that her stories would sell. The Tale of Peter Rabbit was published by F. Warne & Co. in 1902 when Miss Potter was 36. By Christmas the book had sold 20,000 copies and Beatrix Potter was well on her way to becoming wealthy enough to eventually purchase thousands of acres of pristine farm lands in Lake District, rescuing them from greedy commercial developers. Upon her death in 1943 she bequeathed 4000 acres of land, cottages, and 15 farms to the National Trust to be preserved forever.

I also spent time in Port Townsend last Saturday and managed to find plenty of sunshine, despite the threats of rain. Of course I had to take a quick trip by the Point Wilson lighthouse just to enjoy the view. I happened to arrive just as the cruise ships were making their way out of the Puget Sound and a rainbow was developing in the sky.

Later, the clouds started to break and the sun peeked through making the lighting perfect for this shot of the wildflowers near the lighthouse.

Last night I joined Hank and Betsy, along with my mom and dad, for a picnic up at Elk Lake. The weather was perfect for a picnic. Betsy brought some wonderful homemade pasties with chicken, potatoes, and carrots as well as fresh spinach from her garden.

What a beautiful place we live in. I feel so sorry for the folks who never venture out to find and enjoy the wonderful places around our state. I appreciate it more and more every day as I realize how truly blessed we are here in Washington. But that blessing is only available to those who are willing to take the time away from their busy lives and truly enjoy God's creation.

National Day of Prayer

Fri, 04 May 2007 03:11:52 GMT

Today was the 56th annual National Day of Prayer. During my lunchtime, I joined others for a gathering at the Washington State Capitol steps for prayer. In this time of increasing unrest worldwide with wars and senseless killings in schools, it seems appropriate that the people of our state and our nation should turn to God in prayer. I am thankful that I live in a country which still recognizes that neither the people nor the government are the final authority on matters of moral conscience. Ultimately, we are all answerable to God, the sourcfe of all morality. Both President Bush and Governor Gregoire issued proclamations for an official day of prayer to be recognized in our land.

I didn't have much time over lunch to spend at the Capitol today, but I was very blessed to have participated in another event, a prelude to the National Day of Prayer, on Monday evening. Called a Concert of Prayer, it was a wonderful time of singing, praying, and reflecting on God's blessings in our lives and our own state. A wide variety of talent was on hand to lead us into this week, preparing for the officially proclaimed day of prayer today. The acoustics inside the Capitol building were excellent, echoing and resonating like a great cathedral. It was not the best for the speeches, but it was wonderful for the songs.

The program started with the blowing of a shofar and then Amazing Grace played by two brothers on bagpipes. It was quite a sound, eerily beautiful. The Star Spangled Banner and Pledge of Allegiance were next, followed by a reading of the Ten Commandments. We were welcomed by Tim Taylor, Washington State NDP Coordinator who also offered a prayer of confession, repentance and revival.

Then we were treated to a selection of songs by a children's choir, led by Susan Shoemaker and Mrs. Nakhla. It was fun to see children from my church in the choir and even a scripture recitation by Brooke Parsons. The children did a fine job, sounding quite professional.

The rotunda was filled with people who had come to hear and be a part of this Concert of Prayer, sitting and standing at all levels, looking down from every balcony. Having not been in the Capitol buildings since my school days, I was awed by the aesthetic grandeur of this structure. I felt proud to have such a magnificent building representing our state.

Completed in 1928 after six years of construction, it has the fourth tallest masonry dome in the world, rising 287 feet high. It has withstood three major earthquakes, in 1949, 1965, and most recently the Nisqually Earthquake of 2001. Although damage was sustained in each earthquake, the excellent structural design and superior craftsmanship, held the building together. Seismic upgrades after each quake have further helped ensure the integrity of the building.

Before the 2001 earthquake, the capitol dome, weighing 26,000 metric tons, was not held in place by any bolts or fasteners, but by gravity alone. During an earthquake, the dome could shift, along with the sandstone columns supporting it. The columns moved up to three inches during the Nisqually quake. Renovations completed in 2004 permanently fixed the dome to the rest of the building.

One of the truly special treats of the evening was hearing from several groups of Russian and Ukrainian church choirs. These people especially have an appreciation for the freedoms of this country, particularly the freedom of religion which once was fairly non-existent in their countries. Above you can see one of the choirs which treated us to several delightful songs of praise to God in their native language. Their voices blended beautifully and echoed through the halls and corridors of the capitol building in a way that seemed symbolically to be lifting up to heaven. I could kind of understand what singing in the great cathedrals of the world might be like.

The evening ended with a lovely rendition of The Lord's Prayer by Samantha Ordos and then a final blowing of the shofar, which you can see in the above photo if you look carefully in the middle. I am so pleased that I was able to take part in this celebration of praise to God right here in our state capitol during this special week of focus on prayer for our state and our nation.

Colonial House Tea

Tue, 01 May 2007 06:22:23 GMT

Saturday afternoon was a beautiful day to return to the Colonial House for a special tea, tour, and fashion show. This special event is an annual fund-raiser for Habitat for Humanity of Mason County. I was particularly looking forward to a chance to see more of the house than last week and see how progress was coming on the restoration.

The grounds look very nice as you can see. The weather cooperated enough that we could enjoy the cool breeze coming through the open door while we sipped tea and munched on all sorts of goodies from little sandwiches, scones, and cookies to fruit and chocolate.

While enjoying our tea and goodies, we were treated to a fashion show of vintage clothing. There were outfits from the early 1900s on up through the 1970s (an eye-catching gold pant suit). One little girl couldn't wait for the show to begin and kept peeking out of her hiding spot in the upstairs balcony.

Finally she got to come down, holding the train of this 1910 wedding dress.

After the fashion show, there was a tour of the whole house. In case you didn't bother to click the link above, this house was built in 1920 for Mark E. Reed, who was president of Simpson Timber Company at the time and also served as Mayor of Shelton and State Senator in the early 1900s.

The home had later been used as a boarding house and later training offices for Simpson, going through a horrible remodeling in the 1970s which included ugly fake paneling, and acoustic tile ceilings. Thankfully some folks have taken on the huge task of restoring this home to its original glory.

So far they have done a fine job, even managing to secure some of the original carpets to replace the hideous wall-to-wall shag carpeting that had completely covered the beautiful wood floors. It seems that all of America lost any sense of taste or common decency regarding interior decorating in the 1970s and had no appreciation for the fine workmanship of past decades. I have heard that shag is making a comeback though, just as avocado and gold appliances are.

I was also impressed with the number of beautiful antique Japanese artifacts scattered throughout the house, which were originally purchased by Mr. Reed's wife Irene, who had visited Japan and enjoyed collecting articles from there.

I apologize for the number of photos I tried to cram into this blog. I know that some of you using dial-up access from remote areas have complained about how long they take to load. My blogs have gone from almost entirely text, to mostly photos recently just because of the many interesting things I have seen that are far more interesting in pictures than in text descriptions.

Ah Primavera!

Tue, 24 Apr 2007 02:49:08 GMT

Shelton is not particularly noted for an abundance of cultural events, so whenever one comes along that seems remotely interesting I am quick to take advantage of it. The Shelton High School chamber choir has been doing a marvelous job under the direction of Paul Nakhla. I heard them in concert at the high school auditorium a few weeks ago and was impressed enough to consider purchasing tickets to a special event fund-raiser they were planning. So this Saturday I took my mom and two friends to the Colonial House in Shelton to the first annual production of Ah Primavera!

No one was quite sure what to expect (since this was the first annual) so the first night was not that well attended. Word quickly got out though, and the next three nights were sold out. I had purchased tickets ahead of time and so had the privilege of sitting at the front table. In actuality my seat was so close to the choir that I was pretty much rubbing elbows with the director and was able to follow along in his musical score.

The evening started with fruita fresca appetizers and a few musical selections by the choir, accompanied by piano and strings. The theme of the evening was The Italian Renaissance and everyone was dressed in authentic looking attire for the time period. We were treated to an introduction to Renaissance history by choir members Emilie and Liam, our hosts for the evening. It helped to pay attention to what they said, which came in handy for the trivia game later on. For instance did you know that the word Renaissance is French, though the movement started in Italy? It means "rebirth" or Rinascimento in Italian. I must admit my knowledge of Renaissance history is sadly lacking. I did enjoy the music, which included songs from various eras, including an incredible rendition of the beautiful American folk song Oh Shenandoah.

Yes, that's Paul Nakhla in the cute hat directing the choir. His whole family joined the fun and dressed for the occasion. The Colonial House, decorated with flowers and decorations to suit the theme, made a nice setting for the event. After a few songs were sung and our fruit appetizers were consumed, Emilie and Liam came back to entertain us with some humorous skits (and rather old jokes). Here you see them attempting to demonstrate the proper method for making Tiramisu, with appropriate music played by Kellen on the piano.

Everyone was glad that another choir member had actually made the Tiramisu because these folks obviously had some very different ideas about exactly what are "lady fingers" and how much rum or ale should be used. For my dessert, I chose the apple crisp, which turned out to be more of a crispy, delicate apple pastry and was very delicious. After finishing dessert, we were treated to a few more songs by the choir and a solo by Kellen Gold.

Don't you love the workmanship in this dress? Apparently her father actually made this for her, just for this event! The material used was just exquisite, though you can barely see the intricacy of the designs in the fabric in this small photo. The solo was also lovely, skillfully accompanied by Connie Miser on the piano.

To keep the evening interesting we played a few games, which included prizes. First we played a card game, similar to spoons "except without the spoons". My mother actually won a triple-decker, chocolate brownie. Finally, we had a trivia game, each table competing with one another to see who knew the most about the music, art, and history of the Renaissance. Our table came in second. Though we knew all the art questions and some of the music, I'm afraid the ones about which pope did what were beyond the scope of our education. Nevertheless, it was a fun and challenging game and brought a little excitement to the evening before it was time to close with the final choir songs and a serenade out the door and down the steps.

I leave you with a trivia question of my own. What does the word primavera mean? If you think it is something you order at The Olive Garden, you really are only half right. The answer will be in the next blog. Stay tuned!

Jessica's Birthday

Thu, 19 Apr 2007 01:06:41 GMT

Sunday was Jessica's birthday, though few people actually knew that. LaelAnn and Christina found out though, and made a special effort to throw a nice surprise party for her. Lael baked a delicious cherry cheesecake from an old German recipe which used metric measurements. She had to convert these to U.S. measurements in order to get the ingredients right, which was a challenge. The cheesecake was very tasty, so she must have done the job right. The German recipe was worth the trouble.

Quite a few people showed up and helped celebrate. Lael and Christina even brought tablecloths, decorations, a pretty punch bowl, and china cups to make the party more festive than the usual Sunday night gathering. They obviously put a lot of thought into making this a special event. Thank you both for all your time and efforts.

Penny is quickly growing up and is already stealing attention away from the party as you can see here. Even Caleb couldn't resist having a chance to hold her all by himself.

Unfortunately, by the time Caleb got his turn, Penny was more interested in finding mommy and a warm, cozy crib, so she wasn't quite the little charmer she was earlier. Nevertheless, this important bonding time was established.

Jessica opened some nice presents while others eagerly stood around waiting to see what she got. I don't remember who owns the hand that was hovering over the table on the left. It looks ready to pounce on whatever comes out of the box.

Typical of most Sunday night parties, half the people stand around and talk, half of us eat, and the other half (oops too many halves) finds a good group game to challenge the mind and wits.

Several of us played a rousing game of Speed Scrabble. For those of you who haven't heard of this, the game is played like regular Scrabble except that each person works on his or her own set of words. Everyone starts with 5 squares and tries to form words (two letters or more). When anyone uses up their squares, "draw two" is called and everyone draws two more squares from the pool in the middle. As soon as someone finds a place for all 7, they announce "draw two" and the game continues in like fashion until all pieces have been used and the first person to finish using up every square in their collection calls out "I'm done", which signals the end of the round. Everyone counts up the score on all their squares and that becomes their score for the first round. After a few rounds, the scores are tabulated and the person with the highest score wins.

We weren't really keeping score too carefully, so I can't say who actually won (hint: her initials are HH). Mostly we just enjoyed the fun of the game. The party didn't last too late, as most of us needed to get home, but everything turned out to be a success. I even remembered my camera and managed to get a few pictures, which will go into the "Sunday night album". This has become quite a history of all the folks down through the years who have joined us for evenings of fun, food, and fellowship.

Port Townsend

Tue, 17 Apr 2007 05:08:53 GMT

I took a drive this weekend to Port Townsend, the long way, along every country road, through valleys and over hills, and with numerous stops to take pictures or just take in the beautiful scenery. Along the way I listened to various CDs of peaceful music for spring. At one point, traveling through the pastoral farmlands of Center Valley, I heard this song from the movie Rigoletto:

I love the hour, the seasons change, and winter turns to spring,
And empty branches welcome newborn leaves.
The earth makes room, for every flower, and reaches for the sun.
"We're glad you've come" is whispered in the breeze.

You have to understand the way I listen to music. I can not simply have music playing for background noise, to keep my mind from dealing with silence, as so many do. I fully engage with every song, letting the words run through my mind (when there are words), pondering how applicable they are to the moment. The second verse of Let Me In seemed particularly appropriate, as it told of winter turning to spring. I gazed out across the landscape of trees just beginning to leaf out and flowering trees in bloom. I noticed many bright yellow wildflowers growing in the fields, like a golden carpet. I wonder if anyone else finds as much delight as I do, in the simple, yet sublime beauty of nature.

I enjoyed my usual bowl of freshly made organic soup at Lehani's, black bean and chicken this time, to warm me up for a long hike along the beach at Point Wilson and then back along the bluffs for views of the sun setting over the Strait of Juan de Fuca. I could see Vancouver Island, Canada far off in the distance as I stood at the very northeastern-most point of the Olympic Peninsula, where the Point Wilson lighthouse shines its beam, alternating red and white, for all ships entering the Puget Sound.

This view of Point Wilson lighthouse shows the sun reflecting off the snowy peaks of Mount Adams with Whidbey Island in the foreground. Vancouver Island is off to the left, out of the picture. I walked from here, all the way around the point and up to North Beach, a county park.

Before heading for home, I decided to drive past some of the Victorian homes of Port Townsend, especially since the flowering trees were in full bloom, nicely framing most of the views of the homes. First I drove by the Ann Starrett mansion, one of the most popular and definitely Victorian in architecture. Does anyone else find the new bright orange signs distracting?

One of my personal favorites is the F.W. Hastings house, home of the Old Consulate Inn bed and breakfast. My favorite part of this one is the perfectly round tower room at the very top, featuring windows in all directions with views of the Puget Sound and Olympic Mountains. You enter through a small door into a tiny sitting room where you can enjoy the views while reading. This would be a wonderful place to sit and read your Bible and pray every morning, don't you think?

Finally, I took a short drive out Discovery Road to a spot along Discovery Bay where I was able to watch the final rays of sun set in a perfect little Thomas Kinkade-like setting where I have always dreamed of living. There is just something so perfect about this little getaway, hidden behind large trees, facing the setting sun, white picket fence, pink trees and tulips. I can't resist sneaking past the hedges surrounding the house to get a glimpse of it. The home is a private residence.

I watched as the sun went down, snapping several shots with my camera, wishing I could get the whole scene that I could see all in one photo. I could just imagine sitting out on the front lawn, looking down to the bay, or perhaps sitting in the sun room, with all of its tiny windows.

Doesn't this photo remind you of a Thomas Kinkade painting? I remember thinking once that Thomas Kinkade was too idealistic in his artwork, that no real scene could ever have quite the color palette he used, with glowing windows and pink trees, near perfect in their shape. Perhaps I was wrong. You just have to be in the right place at the right time. Tonight I had that privilege.

I finished the evening by trying out the newly opened Olympic Timberhouse restaurant in Quilcene. The owners of The Hungry Bear, which burned to the ground in Eldon last year, have taken over this restaurant and have mostly the same menu as before, but expanded with more selections. I was impressed with the massive old-growth timbers and beautiful wood beams, which give this restaurant a distinctly Northwest feel. Even several of the tables are made out of the huge rounds of an old-growth stump. I enjoyed the decor of logging, fishing, and hunting themes, including a rustic chandelier made of old crosscut saws and antlers, a bear skin hanging on the wall, and antique fishing creels. The staff was very friendly and helpful and the atmosphere was pleasant. I ordered a special of grilled escloar with papaya and mango fresca. It came with delicious jasmine rice and asparagus spears. You know what a fan I am of asparagus and this was done to perfection, also lending a colorful highlight to the already colorful entree.

I am generally not a fan of fruity sauces with my food, and was thankful it was on the side. But I actually found this garnish to be quite delectable and went well with the rest of the dish. As you can see, the portions were generous and the presentation was refreshing. I went away feeling quite satisfied, looking forward to returning to try other specialties from the menu. All in all, I had a very enjoyable day. I am grateful to the Lord for this wonderful place we live where we can enjoy beautiful scenery and delectable food all within a short drive from home.

Soup and Sing

Fri, 06 Apr 2007 06:20:10 GMT

Last night was the first annual Soup and Sing of the Family Bible Fellowship. Since it seems like we don't do enough for the Easter holiday, which should be a very important one for us as Christians, we planned this event as a time to sing and enjoy fellowship, remembering the time of Christ's resurrection. Each family was able to choose a favorite hymn or praise song to be sung after the soup and before the dessert. Each family also brought a pot of soup to share, and there were quite a few great ones to choose from. I tried several, and being a particular fan of soup in general, went back for seconds, thirds, and I think fourths, making me the last person to finish eating. Hey, a starving bachelor like me has to stock up whenever I can. I never know where my next meal is coming from.

Half the families also brought desserts and the other half brought bread. I decided on a dessert and took the opportunity to hone my pie baking skills and made a fresh apple pie from scratch. My mother makes the best pies anyone has ever tasted, becoming especially adept at making apple pie when she would make one every week for my grandpa when he would come for dinner. She made a few hundred pies during those years. So a while back it came to me that her incredible pie baking skills would be lost forever unless someone were to learn all about her secrets for making a perfect pie. So I asked her to pass on her secrets to me, in hopes that I could keep them alive for future generations. She started off telling me that she simply used the recipe in the Betty Crocker cookbook, so I got that out and followed along while I watched her make the pie. Well, I'll tell you that almost none of the instructions were the same. She had varied the ingredient amounts slightly and modified the technique over the years until she found what worked best. She was not even aware of how much different her recipe now was. So I diligently wrote a revised version in the cookbook, while noting everything she did, and that is what I referred to Tuesday night as I put the pie together. At least this time I remembered to cut the dough in half before rolling it out (for the top and bottom crust), but I didn't quite get it divided evenly and so I ran a little shy on dough for the top crust. My mom came to the rescue though and showed me how to do a really cute lattice crust, which saved on the amount of dough and looks rather more attractive, I think. It was fun weaving all those layers in and out like a basket. I never thought about the fact that this was the way these were made.

As you can see, it doesn't quite look professionally done and a few strips ran a bit short at the end, but the flavor was still very tasty. I used nice crisp Fuji apples from Costco which make a really good tasting pie, with just the right amount of sweet and tart and retain their texture well. Everyone else must have enjoyed it too, because it was all gone before I knew it and someone scraped the last crumbs out of the bottom, leaving me with a nice clean dish to take home.

There were quite a few other tasty desserts there too, including peanut butter fudge, a berry dish, a cherry dessert, and various chocolate delicacies which I didn't try since I knew I didn't need any more chocolate this month. I actually prefer other things like asparagus or spinach to chocolate and it certainly makes me feel better. I like nuts a lot though (and as everyone knows I am a big fan of peanut butter). In fact I have been feasting this week on some delicious nutty treats made especially for me by a very thoughtful friend at church. It reminds me of the wonderful concoctions Lucy would make up for me when she was feeling especially generous. I would buy the nuts and Lucy would make the treat, usually making up the recipe as she went along. Alas, Lucy is off to Bible school in Oregon now, so no more of that. But the good news is that we will see her this weekend when she comes home for Easter. From what I've heard, she is having a delightful time down there and is learning a lot.