Opal Quilts

 I was excited to hear that Opal's quilts were being shown at the Snowgoose bookstore downtown, so we went to see them in person. We also had a chance to look at books and I picked up "Wicked."

Slideshow Quilts

I love switching from difficult to easy patterns. It's fun to have many quilts in different stages of completion. Some days I walk downstairs and am in the mood to finish something. Other days I want to hand-stitch a binding or applique a bird.

Really best for large prints and complete fabric lines, Slide Show is quick to whip up. And all your extras can go into the border and the back.

My idea on the quilting was raindrops.

I picked up these batiks in Alaska on our inside passage cruise. I love the whales and indigenous designs. Skagway has a population of 1,200 and three amazing quilt/yarn shops.

These two quilts are from the very same pattern. Very different quilts.

Shopping at the Nursery

 I love wandering around Skagit Valley Gardens and looking at everything I could be planting in my yard. I lack outdoor covered space, so it is difficult to create garden rooms. Everything seems so exposed.

Marnie is trying out the nice Adirondack chair in front. If I every created a garden room, this would be too big. 

McKay Family Reunion

 We hosted this year's family reunion in Sequim. It is quite a distance for my family in San Diego and Provo. But the location was a wonderful wooded sanctuary. Washington State has a collection of Environmental Learning Centers that are great for family reunions. Some are large enough to hold summer football programs for high schools. This one had a lodge and a few outbuildings, 3-sided buildings with bunks.

Some of the family hiked around Hurricane Ridge.

We brought our little boat to wander around Sequim Bay.

The commercial sized kitchen had a pass-through for Marnie.

We played volleyball in the afternoon.

We had to take a ferry to get to the peninsula. When the captain came over the intercom to tell these three to cease their horseplay, I loudly asked, "What would your mother say?"

As close as it seems, we have to drive up Camano Island, across to Whidbey Island, ferry from Fort Casey to Port Townsend, and then drive to Sequim. 

Each family was in charge of a meal during the week. And we have plenty of good cooks.

Jackson got to play on someone's motorbike.

We enjoyed outdoor cooking and the smell of good wood smoke.

Hurray for family reunions!

Carefully handling crab.

Tad taught me how to play ping pong years ago. Now she's trying to beat the master.

Adam and Jack looking to go out on Sequim Bay.

Marnie looking good at Hurricane Ridge.

Rachel and Liz enjoying some quality family time.

Hot Tamales

 Marnie is performing with the Camano Island Dance Academy at the high school It will be great practice for her later performances on this stage. It seems like June is getting busier every year.

Frazier's High School Graduation

 We are happy to announce Frazier's graduation. For such a smart young man, it was a bit of a drag to get across the finish line. He had a touch of senioritis. Luckily, he twisted his ankle playing ultimate frisbee and was home with me long enough to finish his classes.

He loved performing with Chamber Choir.

Frazier was my first child to attend only Stanwood School District schools. Here he is graduating from Kindergarten.

Great work Frazier!

A Week in Alaska

We had a great week in Alaska. And although we took pictures, they do no justice to the beauty of the place. The cruise ship took us through the Inside Passage: Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway. 

We fished in Ketchikan and caught some Rock Fish.

It was the only rainy location on our trip, but still beautiful. At this point I developed some norovirus symptoms.

In Juneau, we visited the Mendenhall Glacier and bought some skeins of yarn. I couldn't do much of anything, so I decided to knit.

After docking in Skagway, we rented a car to see the sights. Driving to the Yukon, we saw some incredible view.

The water and mountains were stunning.

Stopped at Emerald Lake. I can only imagine how this looks in the winter.

A cinnamon bear crossed right in front of us as we were parked. I whimpered a bit to Paul to back up the car. In town, we found a great quilt shop called Quilt Alaska and bought lots of Alaskan batiks. What a great trip!