Christmas and House update

Enjoyed Ben and Kelsey who visited on Christmas Eve and we had snow, but it melted by the end of Christmas day. It is warm enough they plan to paint the outside of the house next week starting on Jan. 2, the first 2018 work day.  The plumbers and electricians have been in to do the "roughing in".  Kitchen cabinets are ordered, but won't arrive for 6 weeks.  We are still looking at a spring move in, but lots of work still to be done. Snow on our picnic table outside the RV, Dec. 24.

Home at end of November with roof tresses started.

Home 2nd week in December.  Christmas tree up in yard and house with first layer of siding on and roof enclosed.  

Dec. 30  roof shingled, skylights in for porch, Breckenridge siding up, rough plumbing and electrical wires in, but trenches for actually getting electricity to house and RV pad not yet.  

We are still living in the RV park.  The prettiest Christmas lights were on the boats in Port Ludlow Harbor a short distance from the RV park.  I wish a photo could have been taken of the colorful lights high up on the sails and around the other boats. But here is one with the Olympics in the background.  The mountains have been spectacular. 

Port Townsend is very secular and did not even have lights on the trees in town, but just 30 minutes down the road at the 7 Cedars Casino (Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe) are the most amazing display as well as beautiful totems. All the snow is gone, just latest long enough for Christmas day.  Best to all in 2018. 

Holy days from Thanksgiving 2017 through the Solstice and the day Jan. 1 of the new Year 2018

I know you all have been waiting for this update which through emails I kept promising, but because the home construction, holidays=holy days and other challenges I am sending several updates now. and on Jan. 1. Blessings and may the light from the moon, stars and sun bring you a good year...

Thanks for food and song. Ben playing his hand-made banjo and Pat singing with him Yankee Lady by Jesse Winchester. We are so grateful for the bountifulness of love and home grown food. 

Ben and Kelsey, playing around and  cooking in the kitchen. 

Kristen, Kelsey's sister in foreground and Ben in the background with Jan Linda's sister (Kelsey's mom) and Mark Jan's husband,.  They had fun dancing and singing, too.

Chuck Kelsey's Dad and all of us digging in.  Kelsey spent a lot of time  in the kitchen.
The house at the beginning of November. See next blogg for update.

Polar Bear Plunge Unusual Snow 2 weeks before Thanksgiving

We decided to take a trip up the coast on the opposite side of the Puget Sound to Birch Bay and stayed (thanks to a UUFSB Auction we won 2 years ago donated by Tom Krausz) at the Sandcastle Raintree Resort. The resort share-time had 3 bedrooms and was larger than the size of our house to be... We left in sunshine in the RV and hit snow.  We had to take Eliza with us (no nice West Meadow Lane EXT. neighbors to take care of her)and so she stayed in a RV trailer park while Pat did the Polar Bear Plunge. It is a beautiful, quiet place this time of the year here.  
The Bay in summer is a boater's delight. And very touristy because it is just about a hop, skip and jump from Vancover, Canada.
Sunrise off the balcony with Mount Baker in the background.  Trust me my camera makes everything look small. Mt. Baker looks like it is at your backdoor and you could walk to it. We walked and walked along a small river from the backdoor.  Saw eagles and lots of waterfowl. We are now back home our little RV forested park above Port Ludlow Bay, but hope to be at Olele Point by Jan.  We have so many rocks to move.  Being Thanksgiving is coming I try to be grateful everyday, so I am thanking the Universe for the rocks-they will give me purpose, paths to make.  We will be at Ben and Kelsey's for Thanksgiving ...I will take photos of the progress of the home and our time with them and the Kozaks, Kelsey's parents, so welcoming and loving. We do so miss all of you all and West Meadow Lane Ext. 

Colors of fall with a touch of snow

Eagles Nest

Pat on Birch Bay

Spent Saturday Night Under the Stars at Olele Point

 We thought you might like to see an update on the construction.  We managed to get the RV up the 100 foot driveway onto the rocky hill without too much damage.  Just one pipe broken.  We won't go up there again until the gravel road is completed and the septic systems, water and electricity are set up. Pat is rolling out fencing to put around some of the future plantings we bought (We hope to get them in the ground before the rains start, if my back improves).  This week was beautiful and the foundation is in. Those pillars you see are for the porch. The next photo shows where the RV will eventually be homed as our extra guest "house" at the back of the property The last photo is of the over all layout. Small right!  Just as we said this is a little house. 

Ruby Beach, Kalaloch on the Pacific side of the Olympics and Apple Cider Harvest Celebration

We went to get a change of scenery this past weekend and to try to get rid of our mouse problem which Pat (knock on wood) seems to have done with steel wool next to openings they seems to be getting into. They don't like to go pass those blocks.
  If you look at the map above you will see the trip loop route from Port Ludlow to Vashon via ferry, then to Tacoma by ferry and then to Kalaloch then up to Port Angeles and SUNNY Sequim and back to Port Ludlow.  It is over 350 miles, Olympic Pennisula has 3,600 square miles of total wilderness, no roads into the interior. PS Yes Sequim is way more sunny than Stony Brook and many places on the east coast with only 16 inches of rain a year, Port Ludlow gets between 22 to 29 inches and that is a good 10 inches below the National Average. Vashon has 49 inches because it is not in the rainshadow of the Olymics. Ben and Kelsey work a lot in the rain, but only in the winter.  Find Tacoma on the Map and you will see the Island of Vashon where Ben and Kelsey live. We ferried from Port Orchard dotted lines to Vashon not Seattle.
At Ben and Kelsey's a celebration of the harvest with a sacred ceremony and blessing of the apples took place.  (see photos below). The celebration has come become an annual tradition of theirs and an Island Event.  At this ceremony each of us took a half of an apple and look at one side and said thanks for the grace of our lives and all we are given. Looking at the other half we were reminded we have struggles and things to overcome in the time remaining in our lives but to also feel blessed that our struggles are not as hard as others.  One man there was separated from his family because of immigration problems. About 50 people came together, brought a cover dish to share and their music and poetry and apples were pressed all morning.  Pat sang his song "GIVEN" and everyone clapped.  Funny it was hard not to clap even though it was a "holy" moment. Each family took home a quart of cider and the promise they can come back any time in the spring once the fermentation process is done and have apple cider beer.  Apple beer and wine are big here in the Pacific NW as well as legal marijuana.

Then we took the long drive to  Kalaloch Beach Campground and Ruby Beach (above) ain the Olympic National Park on the Pacific Ocean.
They have a beautiful tree there on the beach that is holding up the bank and still growing ;some call it The Tree of Life and others the Tree Cave.  It is a Shore Pine and pretty spectacular.  Kalaloch is Quinault Native American for “a good place to land.” The campground is open all year long and has 175 campsites. The Hoh Forest, an old growth Temperate Rainforest, is nearby, but we gave that a pass this time because Minke Whales were dancing in front of our RV right offshore all day.  We could not take our eyes off them.  We had a view from site D 25 you would not believe. 

Pat's Sun Art on the picnic table.  Kelsey and Pat collecting apples to pass to the next group which cuts and then on to the apple cider press. 

Above the small wood press and there is another mechanical modern looking one they use as well.  I stood for a good 7 hours watching and helping with the food.  I hate this back injury I have.  I am not taking the prescribed drugs because of the too dangerous side effects. This is the first week  since we've been here that its raining.   But still the construction guys work, the house is almost ready for the framing. More to come soon.

Hole in the Terra and What I did on my Fall Vacation

Hole in Terra:  We got our building permit and the forms are in and foundation poured.  Next week they should start the framing. You can see how rocky it is.  That is volcanic basalt rock  known as Mats Mats after the bay near us, the Crescent Formation rock was laid down over 60 mya when this area was submarine.

So I spent two days with 7th graders at the Land Trust Illahee Preserve counting salmon as they return to the Chimacum Creek to spawn.  We learned how Native Americans traditionally cook salmon on open fires with alder, cedar and berries.  Note: salmon raw can be deadly to humans and dogs because of a virus and parasite so be sure your sushi is done correctly.   This is wonderful comeback of the Chum Salmon because in the late 80s their spawning grounds were wiped out  by a road culvert collapse and eggs were introduced back into the streams and creeks through school children projects similar to "Trout in the Classroom".  In two days we counted over 50 salmon (dead and spawning); they find their way back by smell. Carrie the young woman I worked with whose job it is to run the preserve and protect the area  and I made a migration obstacle game as well.  We used all recycled materials so the kids know they can help salmon by recycling as well as helping to restore salmon spawning grounds. 
Had a blast then hurt my back just walking around the RV, slip disc.  Very painful, got drugs but they are too scary to take so I am standing up typing this now.  Sleep is difficult because on top of the pain we have mice running around the ceiling of camper, so cute, little white bellies, big eyes  and ears, but what pests.  I'd much rather they be taken care by the coyotes vs. traps. Keep looking back I have another blog coming next week about apple cider making at Ben's and Kelsey's.  

September to Remember

This is mostly photos.  Next week I have a long written blogg coming. The sign below speaks from Pat's and my heart.  Please read it and think....

There are a lot of trails around our rv camground. 
One leads to this little cove and these wonderful cottages.  
Had to show you the sign as this is UUS.  
Read it carefully! Love is what matters! 
And Kindness is Everything.  
Sometimes we humans forget  
we are all of the same speices 
and with other animals all of the same KINGDOM.

                                                Trail also leads to Port Ludlow Bay!

Raven and Salmon Art in front of Library.  Now just so you know we are 20 minutes from the library but the book mobile library comes once a week here.  It is like they are best friends now.  20 minutes from any "small grocery store.  There is never any traffic except if you get caught on the HOOD CANAL BRIDGE going to Pouslbo, Silverdale, Bremerton the really big towns and cities. And where the big box stores are and our dentist now. 

Organic Seed Alliance Experimental Farm.
Giant Kale, Cabbage...We have meet many farmers.  Guess what it doesn't rain here as much as LI.  And every summer flower is still blooming.  My Kelsey is planting her next fall crop.

Pat singing in the Quimper Choir, see the beautiful quilts, which change with seasons I beleive.  He will be singing also at Kitsap UU as soon as he audition. We can't decide which UU will join because they are very different from each other and very different from our UUFSB.  

Tall ships and August

Mount Baker above Pat's shoulder.  If you can make the image larger you might see it. I need a better camera than my phone!

 I will blogg only at the end of each month... just to let friends know we are still among the living. We were so very saddened by many events this month in our Nation.  It is hard to write about all the issues which face our Nation without getting into politics and science which I have tried my best to avoid, my darling son Ben says Momma you just have to what you think is right and keep on.  So soon you may see a blogg you want to avoid, I will warn you.
Our planned next adventure is to the Olympics just around the corner in these parts and the Pacific camping towards the end of September.
August was the month of cool mornings in the high 50s and warm afternoons, high 70s. We only had one day above 80 To keep Pat's mind off  of  the WAITING GAME, we went sailing on a tall ship. It was fun, the crew consisted of 4 females, including the first mate. Those little bumps you see up in the air is one of the women with two male crewmen unleashing the sails.  I talked to her a while and she said she will be doing this forever or until her body gives out and then she will captain.  They live on the boat which belongs to a nonprofit association out of Aberdeen here in WA and go up and down the coast with another ship doing these tours and sails. I told her Carol stories about her mother being a Sea Hen.

From the Tall Ship called the Hawaiian Chieftain you can see Olele Point. The property is around the point.  (left)

Pat out on property that is full of thistle and a noxious weed called common groundsel and tansy ragwort.  Tansy ragwort is very pretty, but it is poisonous and the other wild flower we have is foxglove. The thistle and groundsel ar the big problem.  Can't have my wildflower field where Pat is standing until they are gone.  We have seen Ben and Kelsey 6 times for walks and good food.  They came up and gave advise about how to get the weeds off the part of our land that was clear cut (rent goats, yes there are companies that do this, they put an electric fence around the area you want cleared of weeds and leave a heard of goats for a few days. Bye Bye noxious weeds), but first we still need to get the building permit and then it will be another 10 months before we move in.  I keep thinking ok I can do this! I can be patient for 10 months after all I waited 9 months for both Ben and Toby.

We had a wonderful dinner at the ForestFest event with the Jefferson Land Trust at Finn River Cider Farm.  The Land Trust saves the watershed by saving  farms and forests.  I think we will be coming more involved with them as time goes on.   https://saveland.org/save-land/farms-fish-forest-forever/

We have been to the Quimper UU 2 times.  They are a huge congregation 400+ members and another 200+ friends. Pat went to one choir practice but since they have two services we don't know if he can spend the time from 8:30am-12:30+ every other Sunday since we are trying to get by with one car.

Behind the altar at the Quimper UU

 We are 25 minutes away from the UU, a lot different than just driving 7 minutes.

This was a way the UU has been responding to the political upheavals in this country by making a huge hanging of Peace Origami doves to remind them they Stand on the Side of Love.

Beautiful beams in Quimper UU.

Flower Arrangement with Quilted Banners

We are living in the RV at a forested RV Park in Port Ludlow, grocery shopping is down the road at Port Hadlock 10 miles away and 33 miles away at SunnyFarms in Sequim.  Big Box Stores across the Hood Canal Bridge in Poulsbo, Silverdale.  If the submarines are going under the bridge you may be held up for an hour. 

Right down the road though is a little bay called Matts Matts which is great for kayaking. 

Port Townsend has lots of really good restaurants, music and culture, reminds us of a larger Port Jefferson, we go there to the farmer's market, see the contractor and take care of business like getting new licences. It is the county seat. Getting doctors set up here is just like back in Stony Brook. It takes 3 months for an appointment..

Ok so that is the NEWS.  Watch out for next months update.  Our address is for now 46 Village Way, PMB 230, Port Ludlow, WA 98365