Boy Scout Camp 2017

C at Camp Parsons' dock

This was C's second time at boy scout camp.  This year his troop went to Camp Parsons in Brinnon, WA, which is on the Olympic Peninsula, near the Hood Canal.

The setting of the camp is gorgeous as you can see in the photos.The camp is almost 100 years old.

Scout summer camp is typically time for earning merit badges. C earned his wood carving badge. He also went on a 5 mile hike. At this camp the scouts didn't have to cook (unlike last year's camp) as they ate in a dining hall. C said the week started out with fried chicken. C worked on skills required for advancement. He is curently at the Scout rank but will soon advance to Tenderfoot. He stayed in an adorondack (a very simple cabin) which had bunkbeds. Here's a map of the camp.

I mailed a funny letter to C but it didn't arrive until the morning that he left. Other scouts received car packages from home and one even mailed one to himself!

We were the only parents who came to the camp to pick up their son. I was able to take group photos for the troop. All the other parents either had a dad attending or their son was driven back to the meeting spot. I was surprised since the camp was so relatively close to home and in a beautiful area.

We drove over on Friday afternoon and stayed the night in Quilcene which is 15 minutes away. We picked C up on Saturday morning and then we went to Sequim which is 30 minutes away to attend the Lavender Festival.




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Lavender Festival

On Saturday morning we picked up our son from Boy Scout camp. We drove from Camp Parsons to Sequim (pronounced squim) for the annual lavender festival. There is a large street fair and farm tours.

At the street fair I had crab cakes and J had elephant ears. I bought some lavender themed fabric which I plan to use to make sachets. I have several lavender plants in my own garden.

As we walked to our car (back from the street fair) we found a little girl selling lemonade (both regular and lavender flavoured) for 50 cents in her front yard. It was delicious.

J and the boys dropped me off at Purple Haze Lavender Farm. I visited this farm back in 2007 with my friend Colette. I'm glad it is still there.

I took some photos and then cut some lavender to take home.

I had a lavender lemonade but it wasn't as tasty as the one from the little girl!

Tip: if you go to the Lavender Festival be sure to arrive really early in the morning or arrive the night before. As we drove out of Sequim (at about 2:30 pm) we saw traffic backed up for miles and miles and miles and miles along Highway 104 towards the Kingston ferry. It is a two lane highway that can't seem to handle the volume.


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Canada Day 2017

It has been many years since my husband and I have actually been in Canada on Canada Day. This year Canada celebrates its 150th birthday. Since July 1st fell on a Saturday, we decided we could spend the day in Canada. We left home on Saturday morning at about 9:30 am. Our border wait was 20 minutes.

I did some research into Lower Mainland Canada Day celebrations and I picked Richmond since it seemed to be a large one and the salmon BBQ drew me in. Richmond is also convenient to the border.

We arrived in Richmond at about 11:30 am. We parked our car at the edge of where streets were blocked off. As we walked, we found the giant Canadian flag pictured above (in front of a homeowner's garage) and this Mountie happy to pose for photos.

We caught the tail end of the parade. The little we saw was very Asian, as to be expected since Richmond has a majority of Chinese immigrants.

Next was the salmon bbq. There was a super long line.

We ate our salmon then we explored the booths and performers around Richmond.  We watched a man on a super tall unicycle juggle flames and knives. We even found a horticulture display with ribbons for extra large rhubarb grown in someone's garden.

Next we walked along the Steveston Waterfront and down to the boat docks.

We saw live crab (still wiggling) and cod being sold from the back of boats. Also, live sea urchins.

This marina is the site where in May a little girl was pulled into the water by a sea lion. We saw lots of signs telling you not to intereact with them or risk a pretty hefty fine. $100,000 I think.

My favourite part of the day was spent sitting on a bench on the boardwalk, people watching.

There was a man playing the pan pipes nearby. My hubby liked that. Me, not so much. Screamers (near the Gulf of Georgia Cannery) sells a delicious pineapple whip ice cream. We had supper on the boardwalk eating fish and chips from Pajo's. Thumbs up for their fish and chips.

We saw this huge yacht docked nearby. Here the boys are prentending it is ours.

We walked to Garry Point Park (near the mouth of the Fraser River) and found a spot for watching fireworks. C and I both put Canadian temporary tattoos on ourselves. I hate my profile so I must really love this photo (taken by C) to share it.

Here are C's hands.

It really cooled down when the sun went down and the wind picked up therefore I was freezing!

After we watched the fireworks, we made the big walk to the car and then sat in a bit of traffic getting out. J moved the car closer to us part way through the day.

Our boys were amused by the sign on the public buses which weren't in service. The sign read "Sorry, Out of Service." They thought that was quintessentially Canadian.

We got through the border fine and arrived at our hotel in Bellingham just after midnight. I couldn't figure out why the front desk clerk was smiling at me. Then I remembered that I had maple leaf temporary tattoos on both off my cheeks. He he!

On Sunday morning we attended Christ Church Bellingham (where my friend's husband is associate pastor) and returned home.


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