Seattle, Hood Canal, and Lots of Apples

Loren and I just got back to Pullman after spending 3 days touring the Hood Canal area west of Seattle. There is so much to report, I can't possibly write about all of it...maybe just a few highlights and pictures. We saw so many apple orchards, plums, blackberries, and fruit stands that were just beautiful. We enjoyed staying with Laura Calvin's parents (Marge & Bill) in Union, WA, went to the Seattle Aquarium, the Pike Street Market in Seattle (saw them throwing the fish!), saw Bill Gate's home, ate salmon overlooking the Alderbrook Golf Course, went to Leavenworth for a German lunch with Loren's cousin Francie, shopped in Paulsbo, WA, and much more. The Brementon Ferry was a fun experience this morning as we crossed back over into Seattle. Now we're going to rest up for our kids' visit this coming Friday! By the way...we just THOUGHT we had seen the giant cedar tree. We found this one on the way to Avery last weekend.

National Lentil Festival!

What is a lentil? It's a tiny "lens-shaped" legume full of amino acids and protein and iron. They grow around here and Pullman is the national lentil capital so this is a big, annual event around here. They close off streets of downtown and it's a 3-day festival, complete with lentil chili contests and the world's largest bowl of lentil chili. Do I need to say more? We are experiencing Washington at it's finest.

Tick Tick Tick

I guess I should tell you what Loren is doing: He is studying ticks. Rather, tick-borne diseases and how cattle respond to ticks. Somebody's got to do that, right? These cattle need some help! (He says there is some urgency to his research because hunting season opens in 3 weeks and the steelhead fish are running).

More Adventure

Today (Saturday) we drove to Uniontown, WA about 15 miles away. The entire town was having a Yard Sale. Every lawn, the town square, shops, everyone was participating. Kids were grilling hot dogs to raise money and antique dealers were clearing out their barns. Oh how I wished I had a big trailer. The prices on these antiques were crazy --some really nice big pieces of furniture. Oh well, I did manage to stuff the car with some things I couldn't pass up! Loren even walked away with 3 new antique fishing reels. It was fun. I think one thing I notice up here is how everyone in these small towns pulls together and is like family. They are very polite, very "earthy" and conscious of protecting the land. Having these old barns stand thru generations is an example of how things last longer here. Maybe it is small town vs. big city, but I think it is more than that. I am growing to appreciate the simplicity of life here.

Okay, big news....we are "house sitting" for a week. We are in heaven and NOT missing our one room student apartment. This is a couple from the University and they are out of state for a week and we get to stay in their huge, new home on top of a big wheat field out in the country north of Pullman. Complete with a heated beautiful pool, 2 happy dogs, and overlooking Moscow Mountain. (see top picture) This is making me even more anxious to move into our new CS home! Only 3 more weeks until our boys and wives get to visit us here in this wonderful state where the apple trees are beginning to show red color and the huckleberries are ripe (I put some in the freezer for pies, Ashley!) I wish Poppo, Loren's Dad, could see the mountains filled with huckleberry bushes and ruffed grouse. September is when the salmon and steelhead runs begin in the Snake River (2nd picture) from the Pacific Ocean. We are definitely making memories......

Cedar Grove, etc

One week has passed. Every week is full of new adventures for Loren and me (people at his lab tell him, "I can't believe all of the places you and Mary are going. Most of those places WE haven't even been to and we LIVE here!) We are truly trying to experience everything in our short time here. We went to a beautiful primeval forest called a "climax community" of Western Red Cedars. It is where over many hundreds of years, a forest has been left untouched and one species of trees begins to dominate. It was stepping into Camelot. The trees were huge, and there were so many of them. The forest floor was covered in damp ferns, and it was extremely still and almost reverent walking through this small trail. We got lost a couple of times, it was cold, and I was thinking we should have told someone where we were going! But we made it back to the car safely around 8 p.m. just at dark.

More Barns

Oops, I can't post this without a couple of new barn pictures I took

A Quick Trip Back to Texas

We just got back to our apt. in WA after a short week in College Station. Loren had business at the University and we had to check on house plans and make some decisions about that. Our new home will be finished within 2 months and is so exciting for us! God has blessed us with many new opportunities.

Today it is 49 degrees, a light mist, gray skies. The wheat fields are harvested and it feels like fall is in the air. I will attach a photo of the hills outside our apt. a month ago, and what it looks like now. Loren is looking forward to more research ideas and I will be busy working on some art projects for someone back in Texas.

We will go to the St. Joe River and to the town of Avery, one day next week. Glad to be back here for the peace and quiet, but at the same time--going back home makes me miss my friends and family there. For now, we will try to seize every opportunity while we are here in this place, and I'll keep you posted on the things we do and places we see.