Well, let's see, where are we now..........

Note: The dates on these posts are not accurate. Putting them in this order was the only way I could make them go from first to last.......If you're new to the blog start at: http://offtowhidbey.blogspot.com/ ; when you get to the end, click on "older posts" which really are newer ones.......trust me! dd

Sunday, August 29th

Gee, it's been 10 days since I posted, and I'm not sure where to begin in the chronology of events, so, I'll just go by events themselves and not their dates, all of which have happened since August 9th.

Bamboo in our Yard

Last weekend we took a trip to "Island Bamboo" in a secluded part of the island, down Frog Water Road which was one reason we liked the place—that it was at the VERY END of a road named Frog Water! Here's a video of the drive down.

Our thought was

to plant something between our house and the house next door that would be fence-like but warm and pleasant, something that would grow fast and keep its leaves during winter. Someone suggested bamboo; we were leery because of bamboo's horrible reputation

for spreading uncontrollably, but, we thought we'd take a look at I think the only bamboo nursery on the island. We learned, during our tour from the fellow who grows bamboo as a hobby—normally he's director of Bayview Alternative School in Langley (for fellow San Diegians, a school similar to Muir) http://www.sw.wednet.edu/1978207239429197/site/default.asp, but bamboo is a sideline, one he seems very passionate about—that non-invasive bamboo clumps; the bad stuff spreads like bad crab grass. You can find some facts about bamboo on this site (not the one on Whidbey) if you're interested: http://www.myislandbamboo.com/pb/wp_104fe6a1/wp_104fe6a1.html

You can see here, a photo of some lovely, "good" clumping bamboo. When we finally get the plants I'll put photos of them here on the blog. This is an absolutely beautiful, but "bad" rhyzome plant.

Update on the kitchen floor!

Well, I guess it's dry because the re-finishers are coming in tomorrow to tape off the kitchen so dust from sanding the floors won't get into cabinets, other rooms, etc. They'll actually do the sanding on Tuesday which shouldn't take but a few hours. The coat(s) of lacquer they seal it with, after, however, will take days to dry; so, we'll been driven out of the house for three nights while it does. We've decided to make the most of it and take a small trip through the San Juan Islands to Friday Harbor. You can see a description of the tour here: http://www.sanjuansafaris.com/gettinghere.html. Accommodations in Anacortes and Friday Harbor are expensive, so we'll stay in nearby Burlington, drive the car to Anacortes and walk on the ferry ($13.50 for both of us) as opposed to driving on ($52). The leisurely trip will take an hour + through the islands to Friday Harbor. We'll return that evening. Should be nice. Photos of that adventure will follow too. You can see a (professionally produced) video of our proposed route here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4d4A1l3Ddo4&feature=player_embedded#!

We went to the fair last weekend. Usual local 4H stuff, junk food, rides, etc.; it was nice and so local!

The fairgrounds are maybe 4 blocks from where we live. Rabbits are EVERYWHERE on the island, but the rabbits running around close to the fairgrounds are a particularly beautiful champange color; legend has it they're escaped prize winners from the fair one year.

The Saga of the window Treatments

I won't say much here because our window treatments have been probably the most stressful issue since we've moved. Long story short, the installers came to the house last week and measured all the windows. We then went to Home Depot (yet again and for THREE HOURS!) in Oak Harbor at the top of the island, and ordered them all. They'll probably be installed the week after this upcoming one. I'll post some photos when they're in.

Other Things

Much of the Ikea furniture is now reconstructed—if I didn't mention it before, Dave took it all apart in PG so it would fit into the POD, and is now putting it back together............oy—most is where it's going now. I finally have a place for my underwear! We took a trip to Ikea last week and got TONS o' stuff for every purpose.......and will go once more to get a sofa bed. My women friends from San Diego will visit late September. Two of them will stay with us the first night they're here; I HOPE everything will be not so crazy chaotic by the time they arrive! All seven of us will stay at the Jenne Farm together on the island. See: http://jennefarm.homestead.com/

Couple of more things, and then it's time for bed and preparation tomorrow for the big kitchen floor sand down!

Everywhere on the island during spring/summer folks with these amazingly beautiful gardens sell flowers along roadsides. Here's a photo.

A treasure I found the other day that NO ONE had thus far mentioned to us as a great place to eat is a tiny cafe—Cafe in the Woods—run by Mukilteo Coffee Company.

http://www.mukilteocoffee.com/cafe.html What a treasure, one I know, will be a RE treat for moi at least once a week.

At the Farmer's Market I go to most Saturdays (until the end of September ;+( ) one sees an amazing assortment of dogs. Seems to me everyone who has a dog brings it to the market. Last week one particularly caught everyone's eye. The owner, a groomer, brought it to advertise her work. I had NEVER seen a dog with dreadlocks, let alone beads! It's a standard poodle (Rach!), and the grooming, she said, takes about 18 hours a month. She'll do yours for a price!

Finally, some random photos of billowing clouds over the island............

a photo of the largest squash plant I have seen in my life!

and, oh, how could I forget our worm factory! The worms make "tea" for the garden from kitchen garbage, newspapers, other scraps. We're told it's excellent fertilizer....... maybe that's what's on the squash plant......Here's a video of how it works.....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VR1bE5Z6y0&feature=player_embedded#!

Bye for now. More later...

Di & Dave too