mid-summer

Carolyn 's dessert flag: yogurt raisins atop a field of blueberries, unfurling chocolate-dipped strawberries and marshmallow stripes - celebrating in a remarkably low-key, small town manner in Camarillo on a block where families played impromptu blue grass sessions, children paraded in the morning, and bbqs fired up in the evening; made time stand still, somehow. 

My own background long prejudiced me against 4ths as being an under-performing LA holiday, confirmed by more engaging examples I experienced as an adult in other states. 

 

Then the fireworks went off on our way home, as we turned onto the shoulder, watching the display on the 101, LA style.






Next stop:  Whidbey Island!The Coupeville Wharf and Penn Cove mussels, the oldest mussel farm in the country, still delivering!  Served with linguini rather than the traditional fries.

Greenbank Farms, supposed inventor of the loganberry, makes a mean pie.

The Coupeville farmer's market with logan-, rasp-, and marionberries.  A good year for these and rainier cherries, especially.

 We very much look forward to this simple treat of tasty dogs and sausages. She cuts off an extra portion, adding to your order to completely fill out the roll!

The boys join the Langley Children's Theater for a week, putting on a simple production at the end, dovetailing with the more elaborate plays, such as Treasure Island.

Just before the Bonds!

Flash forward to July and the Suzuki music camp in Langley BC, just before our annual Whidbey/Tacoma & visit with the Bonds.

 

This year's fort more designed, structurally - the familiar logging trucks as we came off the Coupeville ferry.

Carolyn's warm seafood at Christopher's, our favorite for shellfish and salmon.

 

Carolyn's cappucino art by the baristas at the Useless Bay Cafe, where we holed-up with wifi and delicious coffee & food, as the boys were in theater camp.

TThe British owner's wife is a potter whose mugs I treasure - rough, brown exterior with cream colored, smooth inside and lip, reminding me of some of English L'Abri's local ceramics.

Opening day of King Salmon fishing brought out hundreds of boats, although the mighty fish do not seem to appear according to calendar schedule!

The local bald eagle grew much bigger and, perhaps, due to age, seemed less skiddish, perching for hours to our delight.

Daily ice cream at Kepauw's, where the original Seattle's Best Coffee originated.

Finally off island, we hit the Snug Harbor Cafe in Squiem, site of the Lavender Festival and these tempura oysters and homemade chowder - oddly shaped clam meat throughout; even the fries end up with a panko breading.

Shakabrah Cafe has humungous pancakes completely covering the plate - light, nicely textured, and filled with a dozen choices of fruit and nuts.  Amid Tacoma's 6th avenue's constant turnover of shops and bohemian subculture (add legalized marijuana to the mix), SC has lasted as an institution for a reasonably priced breakfast.

This year two picnic gatherings to meet the ol gang, who brought peaches, apricots, figs, as we grilled.

  We hadn't seen Ian for 10 years, now an historian of 19th century, British history at Claremont for next year.These four are the Chinese adopted of our original church family, Jack coming into the picture after we'd already moved. Annie and Leah's mother, Michelle, inspired us to foreign adoption.

The Tacoma community has certainly shifted, as some have changed churches, theological leanings, worship formats, as their children grew into adults and the family accommodated, expanded, grew more complex. 

Almost entirely unchurched, all eventually became Reformed and, while maintaining the understanding, have rehabilitated, made peace (?) with evangelical yearnings for devotional and pragmatic reasons.

odds and ends

Went to Napa for a surprise birthday for Jeff, whom we first met in Tokyo way back when, along the Dan and Gena, whom we haven't seen in 20 years! 

Hall Winery was the site of a tasting - very nice selection of wines paired with food flavors in mid-afternoon. Our first visit to Napa, the weather was beautiful and the food didn't disappoint!  Not as old a tradition as in Beaune, FR, the experience - given the commercializing tendency of American culture - went straight from wine to commercial experience, not quite becoming a way of life.Mostly folks from their church, we ate and ate and returned to this rental nearby in Saint Helena for cake and presents.We gave a Japanese chef's knife (some LA chefs shop at Anzen's Hardware for their imported blade of choice.and binchotan, a special wood briquet from Japanese white oaks - emitting no ash and high heat.

Our
first meal off the church-made picnic tables!  Works great in the courtyard.

Beacon ended the year transitioning Denny as Head of School, as Jack received a math award and Michael for enthusiasm, baking these snickerdoodle cupcakes for the last day of class.

Carolyn had the class make illuminated letters, which she turned into a mosaic parting gift for Elle, who is making her way back East on Sat.

Some quality time before the big parting, we spent a weekend at Ojai, bicycling and playing Settlers of Catan.

also taking in a concert by ex-Peppedine friends at Fox & Hound in Studio city, where Elle joined with banjo.Some questionable behavior by plastered patrons made for an interesting lesson for the boys (and us!).

Michael got some great sunset shots recently.and a great Father's day!