Ma and Pa Hoyt-Whitaker Go to the City

The high school where I work is on spring break this week and for the first time in 5+ years my husband also has the time off.  So, we are travelling down to the Portland area to visit our daughter....together!  We decided to make the drive in stages and stopped at Wayne's place just south of Seattle.  Wayne is Wally's Dad who moved west of the Cascades about 5 years ago after his wife passed away. 

Wayne's duplex is located in a really charming residential neighborhood and his neighbors appreciate is quirky sense of humor.  "Ralph" welcomes all visitors as they walk up to the front door!

Wayne was really excited to show us his newest discovery....microwave cheese.  It's a very complicated and time-consuming process to make this delicacy.  You place a small cube of cheese on parchment paper, place it on the outside circumference of the rotating wheel in you microwave and zap it for about 2 minutes and voila...you have crunchy, delicious, lacey cheese discs...most addicting.

Of course there was the inevitable perusing of the newest computer games....I bring knitting!

Then it was time to head to sister Kris' place for the fabulous dinner she and hubby Paul had been busy preparing for us! 

 Recognize those cheese discs?!  These are made with parmesan...to die for.

 And the piece de resistance....pumpkin pie with DQ soft serve, whipped cream and caramel sauce!

Think of all the money we saved not having to eat out and here's Krissi using her special change jar which counts her money for her......"my precious....."  :)

Nature AsArt -- The Creator's Hand At Work

Last Saturday offered us the first real glimpse of the promise of spring.  The sun was out and it was warm enough to haul out the patio chair and to sit in the beam of yellow that spread across the deck.  My intention was to read a bit, but I happened to glance down at the small planter full of succulents that are beginning to awaken from plant hibernation.  Crawling across the top of the succulents was the most brilliantly colored beetle I've ever seen.  Its back was iridescent green and featured several stripes of actual gold...surely it was actual gold because it glowed in the sun as spectacularly as 22 carat.  I have only seen such colors in a National Geograpic spread on some exotic locale.  What a great "first day of spring" gift!  These photos do not do it justice!

Passages

This past week has inundated us with life-changing events.  No less then five of our relatives, or relatives of close friends, have passed away.  While we rejoice in the knowledge that they are enjoying eternity in the presence of the Lord they have faithfully followed and served throughout their lives, we also reel a bit with the changes that come with their passing.  But the circle of life is exactly that--a circle!  So we have also rejoiced in the births of three new babies within this same sphere.  The 60's band Blood, Sweat and Tears succinctly phrased this in one of their songs: "..and when I die, and when I'm gone, there'll be one child born in this world to carry on....to carry on."  And so we must.

And then of course there is the joy and anticipation of the upcoming wedding.  Jessi and Josh were here this weekend and we spent some time helping them make their invitations!

May the circle be unbroken!

Your Tax Dollars At Work!

This would be hysterical, if it weren't so true.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5P6omu01EDo

The Winter of Our Discontent...

There is a lovely little patio off of the faculty staff room at the high school where I work.  In the summer, we often vie for seating out there in the one corner where the sun shines...once it gets high enough in the sky to peak over the walls.  Even though the sun is out today, it is bitterly cold (the low tonight is expected to be 13, and that's without the 30 mph winds from the north that they are expecting!)  I couldn't resist taking a picture of the patio with its nice soft, comfy, "cushioned" seats, just waiting for someone to come and enjoy them!

Ridiculous to Sublime

High temperature on Monday, January 10th = 33 and this is the scene in the front yard

High temperature on Friday, January 14th = 55 and this is the scene in the backyard! 

Early Spring?

We had snow last night--wet, heavy snow that coated EVERYTHING and made the dogwoods look like they were in bloom.  It's unusual for us to get snow without wind, so the world looked quite magical this morning.  And the snow was capricious, only falling in Bellingham and just a few miles south...also unusual.  It's usually the north county that is hit hard by deep snow and blowing winds.  And...the forecast calls for more towards the end of the week.