The Not-exactly Annual Christmas Cookie Decorating Gathering

Christmas *is* sugar cookies, isn't it? :)

Sunday, December 6, 2009 We *think* it was our 3rd time gathering 'round Judith's kitchen counter, which is not your average size counter, no, no, not at all. If you look closely, you should be able to count 8 gals all dutifully "smiling" for our volunteer photographer Becky.

Ah, ha! Check out the next photo; there's Becky! Caught...in conversation with Maura. It must be acknowledged that Maura was only one of two other women who readily donned an apron, selecting from among my stash (I am a devoted fan of aprons)

What we did was to decorate Christmas cookies and laugh lots and enjoy more of being in the company of delightful women with whom we socialize over dinner (once a month), discuss what books we've been reading (monthly Book Group), and have an old-fashion Koffee Klatch (one morning a week).
We were delighted to welcome back Maura (from the east coast) and her mother, AND Mary (from New Mexico). Too, Sally dragged along her longtime best pal, Debi, visiting this season from out of town....somewhere where they have lovely Southern-type drawls :).

Much joy and cheer these women bring to any gathering. Merry Christmas to all, indeed.

Mini-trip to World's Longest Beach to Drive on

Road Trip to: Long Beach, WA
Trippers: Gary and Judith
November 2009
Update: 2010.
Chamber of Commerce wrote that the "longest beach" designation refers to the fact that it's possible to drive on the beach, tip to tip for the longest stretch.


Weather: windy and rainy !!















Wooden boardwalk prox. 0.8/mile

long. We walked along "enjoying" the wind and rain pelting our faces. Ouch.














Stayed in our WorldMark timeshare unit...on top floor (not in one with large balcony & hot tub--the "Presidential Suites")










Of course, dining on seafood is a requisite for us (or anyone else?) when visiting the beach. Had fresh, local Willapa Bay panfried oysters for lunch one day. Stop into Dooger's Seafood & Grill. Then FAB oysters stew flavored with al dente celery--something I must try, I've decided. Visit Castaways Seafood Grill.


Exploring is also a must for the beach visitor, yes? Don't you love it when you decide to be spontaneous and stop at something you'vc never heard about, but see as you're driving along? Case in point: Fort Columbia State Park, a Heritage Site.

Military fort constructed in 1896 and in the biz of "defense" through WWII (!).

Gun emplacements, barracks, and batteries still there to wander about in--if the weather isn't hugely stormy as it was the day we stopped. Gorgeous location, at the mouth of the Columbia River. You can even rent one of two military houses there.
(The picnic table sitting there was unfortunate)



No trip to the Long Beach Peninsula would be complete without a visit to Cape Disappointment State Park and the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center. OK, so it's a fee-entrance to the center, but, trust me, So Well Worth it! (1) for the view out their three-story-high(?) glass window overlooking the confluence of the Columbia River and the Pacific ocean, and (2) for the self-guided tour through the exhibits. I mean, fellow arm-chair Trippers, one exhibit focusing on sea-related matters, from lighthouse equipment to shipwreck artifacts and boats.



The Corps of Discovery exhibit covers two floors and features touch & feel exhibits, from sighting a hunting rifle to feeling clothing fabrics typically worn by explorers.












samples of linen, leather, wool in front of display cases.


One of the fun things to do on a road trip (IMHO) is to pick up brochures and visitor guides, pour over 'em, then visit some place that's been written up about. This trip, I chose Jack's Country Store, in Ocean Park WA , just up the road from the community of Long Beach. http://www.jackscountrystore.com/ in business for 123 years and claiming to have the world's best selection of genuine Aladdin lamps. Well, the store had just about everything, but the lamps must be warehoused and not on display. Gary found just the tomato slicer he's been wanting, however, so the stop was definitely worthwhile.

Well, it's a "fer-piece" from home to the coast, a 7-hour drive but fun to do.....every now and then ONLY. Bye bye to their peninsula of 26+ miles, according to the sign "The world's Longest Beach."

History Trip for Two

Date: Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Road Trip: via Judith's Yellow Bumble Bee
Trippers: Becky and Judith
Destination: Franklin County Historical Museum, Pasco WA
B/W Photo: One of 2,811 free Carnegie Libraries, this one built 1911, before we arrived.
Color Photo 1: when we arrived. Pioneer daughter Judith on steps.
Super info on Carnegie Libaries, go to:
http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com/hadtoask292000.html

Photo 2: Pasco, native and resident Becky
sitting on steps to downstairs area (housing meeting room and restrooms, in case you are wondering)

Photo 3: Judith posing (isn't she always?)as a WWII WAC (Women's Army Corps), both also downstairs.

Ah, but your humble blogger has the order of the day's events inverted.

First we dined at Becky's All-Organic Cafe, munching on carrots (next photo), cabbage wedges, and apple slices. Slurping bean and bacon soup while eating home-ground (no spelling error there, not grown, but ground!) whole wheat, orange & pecan scones.

Sipping healthy water (Photo companion--skoll!)

On the way to the museum, we stopped to introduce Judith (a Kennewick-ian) to the Columbia Market, an excellent place for all things "Oriental." Location: just off 20th and Court Streets.

Factoids learned (for those curious souls among you):
"The Green Bridge" torn down in 1989? Was referred to as the Old Bridge" until painted green. Replaced ( same crossing river location, just about) by the "Cable Bridge."

Photo of commander at the guard shack of "H&R Point" ??? We had to ask! WWII Army depot built south end of Pasco (referred to as Big Pasco area on Harris family farm land) for processing handling materials for the Lend-Lease program to the Soviet Union. "Holding and Reconsignment" of logistical supplies.

G& J go to Canada, Part 2

Welcome back to the States! Montana, to be exact. We drove into Glacier National Park through the East Gate so as to drive the 51-mile-long "Road to the Sun" through the park, down to the West Gate entrance. By my reckoning, Glacier Park is all about that road! Amazing feat of engineering, circa 1930. "Scary" narrow road today with continuing repair and upgrading.
Believe me, I was really grateful for the several "one way only" traffic sections, which really slowed your miles-per-hour! Add rock to a retaining wall, yes! (see guys being lowered by crain and cage, over the side?) "Ground" is probably 5,000 ft. below.


I was SO happy that our direction put me against the cliff wall (lower left corner of my photo shows side mirror just missing the rock as we pulled aside for a dump truck! to pass by)

The "top" is through a tunnel at Logan Pass (so named for the park superintendent William R. Logan who pushed for just such a road to be built in the first place).

Not sure if I can trace our Logan family to his;will try however)

We lodged just outside the park in a 1907 building that had been originally in the park in the town of Glacier and used as a Masonic Lodge.

The Historic Tamarack Lodge and Cabins. http://www.historictamaracklodge.com/

What is so neat about this place is not only the place (great log furniture, a main room with wonderful memorbilia, books, REAL fireplace), but also the hospitality of the folks who run it AND live there! Tis a B&B too, if you prefer that kind of accommodation. Or in family-styled cabins. We stayed in a room upstairs in the main lodge. Check it out for sure if you head up to Glacier.
P.S. Rates are less expensive than those places inside the park.

Well, I've lots more to tell but most is about geology and rocks, so I'll spare y'all. Thanks for reading my wandering memories of our wandering.

Gr & J Go to Canada

Drove first to Canmore, Alberta, Canada where we stayed at one of WorldMark's timeshare resorts is, outside of Banff National Park (which costs something like $15/person to be in!) Resort located below the Three Sisters, actually a single rock formation of three "thrusts."

First on our list was to ride a "gondola' up some mountain so as to see the spectacular view promised in brochures. We chose to skip the more popular, therefore more crowded, Banff Mt. ride in favor of one near Lake Louise.

Not in one of those nice enclosed, safe-looking little thingies, but a ski lift chair. Oh, my. See Judy gripping the chicken bar up AND back down. View...yes, was worth it. And Judy made it to the top and could smile when she got off.....and afterwards at the bottom with Gary. All captured on....as we used to say "on film."

Lake Louise viewed from the top of a ski lift is, well, all-telling.

Once you get drive into the valley, park your car in the very congested parking lot, and walk to the lakeside promenade, which has tons of tourists all taking pictures....the only thing to do is sit down and have a beer and French onion soup at the outdoor Brasserie of the Chateaux facing the end of the lake.









Next stop: Banff, the town. The v. tourist town, with eateries (aka pubs)

and souvenir shoppes, one after the other.

Flowing through the town of Banff is the Bow River, again

with that distinctive turquoise blue water, which I captured at last on my camera!

Once you head south of Calgary towards the States, you're out of the Canadian Rockies and driving along the simply gorgeous " Cowboy Trail" by ranches with herds of handsome cattle and the occasional storefront. For example, Longview's world-famous "Jerky Store" where the fellas workin' were all wearing cowboy hats!

Say farewell to Canada, fellow Road Trippers, we're headed into Montana and Glacier National Park next. Hope you'll come along.

Mini-trip Up the Valley

Another day-only road trip. A new pal along this time. Becky--with the cool shades, posing with She Who Drives, Carla, of course.


Destination: none in particular. Just a direction: "up the valley," as in the Yakima Valley, north of the Tri-Cities. With sundry stops along the way in mind.


First stop: Prosser, WA to visit what I always term a "shoppe." A place to delight the feminine in a woman. Filled with fragrance, gentle colors, and definitely frivolous.






















Other Prosser stops: *Hopfengarden Home* which your blogger here would call an eclectic shoppe, whose items had a bit of an East Indian edge to them, ranging from cotton table cloths to wind chimes to beads. Get an image?

*Starbucks* for a cooling drink and, of course, their ever-handy restrooms.


On to Sunnyside for lunch! www.snipesmountain.com

Lunch stop: Snipes.

Not the actual mountain, but a really great Pub & Brewery.
Becky was our Sacajawea in finding this place. Thanks, Becky!
Wow. What a place! Log structure, tasty food, and cooling microbrew. (I learned that IPA means India Pale Ale, BTW. ) Good thing we ate "in" this trip because it was a really really really hot day.

On to Yakima where beckoned a scrapbooking store (for Carla and Judith--no surprise, eh?) and a Border's Books (for Becky). Oh, and a Stone Cold Creamery ice cream store! Oh, joy. Oh, rapture.

Last stop was yet one more Shoppe. *Melange* I know, folks, those familiar with the small farm towns up the Valley still find it a stretch to envision wee, upscale frou frou stores at the edges of hop fields. However, the Yakima Valley is becoming a wine region, we must remember! Carla bought some clever office supplies. Judith bought some red kitchen cloths (aka: dish rags). Becky bought a dish towel--not just your mother's old type towel, either. [wink]


However, at this point, the afternoon was on the wane, and we headed for the barn, happy with our souvenirs, happy with our food and beverages, and definitely happy with the glow of time spent in the company of women friends. Wish you all could have joined us.