Sand Sculpture Federal Way

These are incredible sand sculptures on display in Federal Way. We have Madison with us until Tuesday and she was impressed with these creations.

Sunny Saturday at Lake Sawyer

Madison at Lake Sawyer

Katie, Derek,Madison and their friend Adam K. came out to Lake Sawyer today for a barbeque, some ladder ball, and swimming. (Madison swam, we watched) Lots of boats and people on the water enjoying the warm day. We expect more of the same tomorrow.

Back at Lake Sawyer

We moved from Elma on Wednesday and we're back at Lake Sawyer in the Auburn/Black Diamond area for a couple weeks. This time we have a spot on the end of the row which gives us lots of room for chairs and a picnic table...and we can have our awning out without touching the guy next door. Looking forward to some more visiting with friends and family before we turn south and head down the Oregon Coast.  The weather is perfect....Seattle summers are the best.

Happy Birthday Jack!

Mt Rainier

This picture of Mt Rainier was on KOMO news, I did not take it but thought it was spectacular!  Jack's birthday is today. I am letting him sleep in before we go and have brunch at the Little Creek Casino in Shelton.

We had a wonderful dinner last night with friends Tom and Terry C. and Wayne and Sharon H. at Wayne and Sharons new Summit Lake home,which is about 20 minutes north of here.

60 degrees and overcast outside this morning.

Elma WA

My brother Randy

Jack and I left Sequim this morning and stopped for a $2.99 breakfast at the Lucky Dog Casino in Potlatch. We decided that Sequim is one place we would like to spend more time again next Summer. The month went by so fast.

Made it to Elma and set up our camp. It was a warm day and we turned the air on for the first time in weeks. Got word that my brother Randy was headed to Ocean Shores after hiking in the area today and since Elma is right on the way he stopped by for oysters,steak dinner and a couple of beers.  Had a nice visit with him before he headed back to the coast.

This RV park is almost full. We have a spot with a shade tree so it was nice to put our chairs outside underneath it. The pool was full of kids and I probably won't go there. We'll only be here until Wednesday anyway and have other friends in the area we'd like to visit before heading back to the Seattle area.

Fishing

Fishing out of Port Angeles

M.V. Coho headed to Victoria B.C.

Jack and I went out with Mike and Patty in their boat Wednesday. We launched off Ediz Hook in Port Angeles and it was pretty windy and choppy. Didn't catch any Salmon but at least the sun was out.

Clallam County Fair today and then we start packing up to leave Sequim on Saturday.

Mike and Patty C.

Purple Haze

Purple Haze Lavendar Farm

Jana relaxing at the farm

Jana and I took a drive over to the Purple Haze Lavender Farm. As you can see the fields are still blooming.

I bought two Lavender plants that are suppose to enjoy the desert heat and sandy soil. Now I just need to get them through the Agriculture check points in CA.

We had a communal dinner with Rick,Jana,Patty and Mike.Jana's birds joined us for Happy Hour. The resident Pea-Hen stopped by to check them out. She probably thought they were tiny Peacocoks with their colorful feathers.

Boating in the Bay

 Mike and Patty with their new boat

Jack hauling crab pots out of Sequim Bay

 Enormous starfish but no crab in this pot

Woke up to some rain this morning but by the time we headed out into the Bay to check on the crab pots it was sunny and warming up. We got two legal size male crabs out of two pots...lots of little females. According to everyone we've spoken with the Bay has pretty much been crabbed out. The entire area is closed for shellfish due to toxins so no more clams.  Still hoping for some more crab so reset the pots then took a cruise around the Bay to check out some of the beautiful homes and property.

Mike and Patty have gone back out to check the pots again then we're headed to the casino for Surf and Turf night.  Rick and Jana arrived yesterday shortly after Mike and Patty so we've had lots of great conversation and fun around the "campsite".

Cooler Theft

Jack and I made an early evening trip to the 7 Cedars Casino last night and  returned home around 10:30PM.

This morning Jack discovered one of our coolers was missing. The cooler was right outside our door and filled with water,beer and a stainless steel bowl full of the crab we caught yesterday.He took a quick ride around the RV park on his scooter and spoke with a couple of neighbors... no one saw  or heard anything. He talked with the lady who runs this RV park and she said kids drive over from Forks and hit all the RV parks looking for beer. (Seems like a looong way to come for beer.Forks is about 80 miles from here)

The really weird thing is that we are about in the middle of the park, 3 rows back from the street, and have neighbors on both sides...not like we're secluded somewhere.  Hope the little jerks enjoyed their beer and crab.

Crabby Again

At our secret crabbing spot

two of the biggest rock crab

We drove over to our secret crabbing beach again this morning and Jack caught several big guys.

Sunny in Sequim this morning.

Moon Snail

Joyce Daze

Jack and I drove over to Joyce today for the Joyce Daze Blackberry Festival which included a parade,mustache contest, salmon barbque and of course homemade Blackberry pies.  Joyce is west of Port Angeles on the highway which leads to Neah Bay and the NW corner of the U.S and WA.

We thought the parade was actually better than the Seafair Torchlight Parade (which we watched on TV). At least the Joyce parade had the decency to honor Veterans who led the parade. There were several floats and old cars including a 1926 Packard. Instead of  Seafair Pirates there were Poulsbo (pronounced PAULSBO) Vikings ... Very cool. After the parade the pies went on sale and Jack bought one for $21.  At least it goes to a good cause. One of the announcers said that one of the berry pickers encountered three bears while he was in the berry patch!  We enjoy these small town parades and festivals. We don't have to worry about getting mugged or shot at and the traffic is minimal.

Back to Sequim

We're back to sunny Sequim this morning after spending a few days at Jack's brothers house. Had a nice visit with family during the week and friends Don and Corrie B at their place yesterday and we're happy to see Don feeling and looking well and in remission.

Our latest plans have us in Sequim until the 20th then over to Elma (WA) for 4 days. We'll be back up at Lake Sawyer (Black Diamond WA) from August 24 to Sept 7 then we will probably start our trip south.

This weekend we are headed for Joyce, a tiny little town on the Olympic Peninsula for the Joyce Blackberry Festival:

http://www.joycewa.com/joycedaze.htm