Christmas driving

On Christmas Eve day we left the island to go over the river and through the woods to
Grandmother's house for Christmas. (you know what I mean, through the sound and drive
I-5!)

I really do love the snow but this year it just keeps on coming and I am ready for it to stop.





Here we are looking towards Shaw Island and the interisland ferry.
We celebrated Christmas with my sister Debi her husband Dale, my brother Kevin and his
son Gavin, my parents Joyce and Gene and of course myself, Audra and Jess, Steve is in Alaska
this Christmas and we miss him very much!
I forgot to take family pictures maybe my sister will send me hers?

On Christmas morning we awoke to about 3 more inches on the ground, we knew that we needed to get home to take care of the animals so by 8:15am we were on the road heading north. These two bottom pictures reflect the snowy drive. In some place you couldn't even see the road, I think this was in the Marysville area. At one point it was single lane driving @ 30-35 mph. In Arlington a car spun out in front of us, close call. By the time we got to Starbird road, about 10 miles south of Mt. Vernon the roads were bare and wet! Then it was smooth sailing to Anacortes and home!
We hope everyone had a most enjoyable and peaceful Christmas! We sure did.

Snowfall 2008

How could you not want to take pictures of the pets in the Snow!
Here is Delila, Audra's kitty chasing snow.



We lost another Plum tree in the wind, this photo is taken looking out the sliding glass door facing east.




Mickey dog belly deep in snow and loving it!



Ah a glimpse of blue sky off to the south before another snow storm dumps on us!
I still can't get my car out of the drive way and we have to chain up the Nissan just to drive to the road. When you get to the road after hiking up the drive way you have to unchain. Thank the Lord for Jesse making it home from school, he is my hero right now.

And yes Jesse did graduate and now plans to pursue a career in the golf industry, he says he will
work wherever it is warmer! Congratulations Jess! We are very proud of you.

Youngrens Hatchery

For those of you who know me, know that I have a Passion
for the plight of the Southern Resident Orca Whale
population. If you have been following in the news then
you know that this last year we lost 7 of our local whales.
The SRKW's have declined from nearly 100 down to near 80 in
the past decade. Some may say, that is the nature of things.
But this is not so, it is not only the local Orcas who are suffering,
our Salmon, Herring and Sand Lance are experiencing the same declines.
With diminishing Eel grass lands disappearing the sand lance have no
habitat, this is true for the herring as well. If herring and sand lance can't
reproduce then our salmon suffer. If we have fewer salmon then we have
little food for the whales, yes they will starve to death.
With that being said we must make greater efforts to replenish stocks of fish,
Youngren Hatchery is trying to do just that by participating in an international
effort called Long Live The Kings!


Youngren's Hatchery is located on the east shores of East Sound.
Above is a picture looking north up to the head of the sound towards
the town of Eastsound. The inlet of East Sound is about a mile long and starts west of Obstruction Pass.
As you can see it is a most beautiful and pristine area.

The above picture is of the hatchery's egg holding trays. Every year they
are releasing young salmon back into the wild with great hopes of a return.
Orcas Island lays host to a wide array of special feature groups,
Youngren's Hatchery is just one of our little treasures. In the future I will
be bringing you a few more glimpse of these gems.

More Holiday Bazzar

I wanted to share some other photos
of my friends and their wares. It was a really
fun day!

Joe C. with his wood Bowls

Kate and her Jewelery table

Marcia (pretty smelling table)

Christmas Time Bazaar

Yes I know it has been a very long time since
I have posted a blog. So now that it is the Day
after Christmas I thought I would do some
catching up! Some of these post's will be out of
order, just because that is how my life is at this
time.


The weekend after Thanksgiving is a busy time
on the Island, this is when the Holiday Bazaar's
start. I had an opportunity to sell a few of my
crafts with a group of knitters. Now I am not a real
knitter, but these ladies are! Below is a sampling of
their goods.

Thersa and Angie sitting next to our table.

Ronna and her Friend Michelle (she knits very
pretty wash cloths!)

Below is a picture of Marcia's Table, not only
did she out do herself with the display of her goods
but the table smelled lovely as lavender!