Olga Gas

You know there just is not another place on this earth like Olga.  Olga Daze is coming up so you just drive yourself down there and park your car.  Suddenly you are in the parade. Follow that by planning on sticking around for fresh doughnuts, or other homemade goodies, treasures in the flea market or delight yourself at the Olga Store.  Sammy Messinger is running it and as you can see in the window she is all about promoting what is good for Olga.  That is the quilt for raffle pictured and if you want to buy one I will track down the tickets for you.  Proceeds help the "community bldg." to be maintained and heated etc. It's a beautiful place and if you don't believe me just come and see for yourself. Oh, and about the gas price... I am not sure how long ago the pumps were working and charging $1.50 a gallon but it sure would be nice if it were current.

Angie's Newest Creations

Here is the hedgehog bag before felting, next to the piggy  bank for scale
after felting... nice 

And here shown upright and stuffed with newsprint to dry... Another beautiful masterpiece.  What's next?

Whale Watching Day Two

The Whales decided to take the day and tour around Victoria. We did not see any wildlife, save for the Harbor Seal that poked his head up to say hello and disappear before I got my camera to cooperate.
But we had a fine time at the interpretive center
and at the Lime Kiln Lighthouse. We did get to sit in on a movie and talk by the center for Whale Research.  It was a gorgeous day to walk around and enjoy our beautiful surroundings.
We stopped by the Lavender farm, who will be having a festival in July. 
And ended our night with some soon to be outlawed sparklers.... but this year they are ok!

I am worn out. Being a tourist is  exhausting.

Whale Watching Day One

Well, we had a great time with Dan and Denise at Eclipse Charters. (commercial!) We saw so many different whale behaviors in one day such as Spyhopping, Breaching, Flapping Tails, and we even saw the new baby! I always get things mixed up J-pod K-pod.... The baby was so cute to see with his mommy. I have few pictures to prove any of this, but I'll post what I have.

Playing Tourist is Fun When Friends Visit

Our favorite pastime is at the beach during low tide. Sammy, Julie and Katelyn before we take the plunge across the not quite dry sand bar to Indian Island.
Katelyn catches some fishies in a tidepool.  She has fast hands!
Look at the beautiful life in the tidepool.
Julie and Katelyn at one of the pull offs on the way up the mountain.
Olga's dock is just the spot to enjoy the sun, more sea stars and ocean breeze.  What a beautiful day.

Gas Prices Differ from Eastsound to Olga?!!

Olga is the best price on the island... maybe in all the states?
Eastsound celebrates some of the highest prices in the state.  We try to keep this celebration down to a bare minimum.  

Just when you think you've seen enough flowers?

Beautiful Columbine...
This also is a work of art.  This is a purse Angie made for one of her Core girls at school as a bday present.  Isn't this amazing?  It is felted and then adorned with button-like beads.
This is my work in progress, a nest.   It will be felted and become beautiful too, I hope!

Later On... Same Day.... Band Concert

The Orcas Island Community Band under the direction of Joe Babcock is one of the best kept secrets of O.I.  But it shouldn't be a secret, they love to play for an audience.  A Tribute to Leroy Anderson was the theme of the performance and once again the band was superb.

Another reason I am partial to the band is that I know most everyone in the band.  Joe has played for so many years I can't remember when he started.  I will be including a clip of Amazing Grace as soon as Rick can splice it for me.  I will also include a short of The Typewriter by Leroy Anderson

Close up on the "bed pans"

 As you can see Kathy, they are not really bedpans, but in a pinch?
Here is the pool I was more than willing to try out, if only it were a hot day!  
I love the color of this Calendula.  It looks more like a wax flower.
Becky and I under the flowering arbor.
This wraps up the garden tour unless I get a special request for more.  One of the gardens was actually a horticulture nursery with all kinds of primitive ingenuity.   All in all it was a great day.

More Garden Tour

Some of the places had the most natural spread of native plants. The foxglove just covered the hillside of the driveway. Gorgeous.
I never tire of the simple daisy.
The sound this "gong" made was beautiful, soft and low. I want to try and make one.
This was the dream home that undid me. The pool on the back deck had a spa in one quarter of it. It has a view over the water and little water gardens all around. 

Maybe I Should Explain

Once a year our Garden Club hosts a Tour for their fundraiser. This is where you get to invade the privacy of 6 property owners and tramp all over their grounds admiring their gardens and sometimes gawking at the houses, overall spread and general Beauty. This is my second year to participate and I have mixed feelings.  The problem is you have to come home.  My gardens do not measure up, nor do I have a view over the water or what some might call a dream home.  Now don't get me wrong, at the end of the day I prefer where I am.   Well just take a look at some of these pictures and tell me they don't get you longing for a new"situation" as they say in Pride and Prejudice. 

In the first picture you see the fountain at the              Lahari Hospice house. 

The next three are taken on a property that is currently for sale.  It was a lovely 20 acres with main house and caretaker house for a cool 1 1/2 mil.

The last photo was taken in one of the "crayola" houses behind our senior center.  I was delighted to see how each resident made the most of a small yard. They were definate works of beauty.

So many photos, garden tour

This was a little white noise garden to cover up the plane noise.
Wonderful Bamboo
We think these were the "out houses"  Quite beautiful.

More pictures to come....
Jenny and Becky under a Bamboo canopy.