REDONDOWRITER'S SACRED ORDINARY

Goodbye Washington, For Now

I am writing this post from Tully's Coffee at Gate A9 in SEATAC Airport. My flight to L.A. leaves in 45 minutes. I always leave Washington with such mixed emotions, but I am so ready to hug and kiss my daughter who is picking me up at LAX, and then Cookie. Tomorrow I'll be by to kiss Henry and Fritz and their parents.

Speaking of kissing, when my sis Betty and I kissed goodbye this morning when the shuttle came, we both had tears in our eyes. How I wish we lived closer together, but what a champ she is at 85 years old. 

More later on Shipwreck Beads in Lacey, WA, where my sis and I spent a few hours yesterday. Lordy, lordy. What an incredible experience that was! 

Time for a quick pee and off to my gate. L.A., here I come.

De-Briefing an Art Workshop I Will Never Forget

This weekend I couldn't stop thinking about sacred ordinary and how it is a lifestyle many embrace. My weekend art buddies and their creations were classic examples of sacred ordinary. My art workshop is over this Sunday morning and I'm hanging in the commons where there is Internet until the witching hour when the stores in Port Townsend open. I have a favorite jewelry supply place I like to visit. In a few hours I'll head back to Tumwater to tell my sister about my adventures, which are a mystery to her. Why would anybody want to play in paint all weekend? 

Tracy Moore took this photo of me struggling at my workspace, but enjoying it all immensely. My hand-bound journal I made is 20 pages long and though I worked on nine pages, I never totally completed one. But, I learned dozens of techniques I had not learned before and can hardly wait to get home to continue creating. I longed for some of my own supplies which I do have in abundance at home. 

These are two of the pages that Teesha Moore, one of our teachers, worked on herself all weekend. She and her husband Tracy periodically gave brief technique presentations and then we would go back and practice. They provided all our supplies and we were able to experiment with all kinds of pencils, pens, oil pastels, air brushing, and photo altering supplies. 

Here is a close up of another work-shopper I took close up. She's got a style that is more akin to my own. On a workshop like this, the important thing, however, is to learn the techniques and style of the teacher and when you get home, you can adapt it to your own. 

And then there was the field trip into Port Townsend to the Akamai Art and Glass Supply where most of us bought a lot of supplies to take home. I live in a big city where you can buy almost anything, but this store was absolutely unique--and I got several referrals to places in L.A. to get "stuff"--should more be needed. My suitcase is going home considerably heavier than it was when I came to Port Townsend last Thursday. Yes, it was a sacred ordinary weekend and I'm praying for a safe journey to Tumwater in the rain. I wonder what movie my sis has picked out for us tonight?

Dirty Hands Signs of a Great Art Workshop

If dirty hands are a sign of a good art workshop, then my table mate, Kat, from Victoria,B.C., is having an incredibly creative time. I can't begin to recommend Teesha and Tracy Moore's Summer Play Art Journaling Workshop, with lots more workshops and artfests scheduled at Port Townsend, WA's Ft. Worden. 

Port Angeles All-American Hometown 4th of July Parade

Firetrucks, flatbed trucks, tractors, lumber trucks, tractors and all kinds of vehicles were filled with local groups doing their thing. 

Every child received a flag and every group who marched in the parade threw candy, so each kid came home with a bag just like Halloween. This is my grandson Zach with his flag. 

This is Laura, Arlo, Joe and Zach. The kids were besides themselves with excitement.

I got a big kick out of all the seniors participating in the parade--retirement communities and their buses, and the senior center bus itself. But check out the following picture: the Senior Center belly dancer students. 

And, what would a hometown parade be without the presence of the local public libraries, one of my passions, as you know? These are the employees of the North Olympic Library System doing synchronized drill routines with their library carts. 

There were dozens of photos, but these are some highlights. The frosting on the cake, however, was that when bedtime came, Zach asked if he could sleep with me. My heart melted. My eldest grandkids Whitney and Anthony (22, 21) slept over so often when they were little, but I haven't slept with a little kid for a long, long time. He chose a stuffed rabbit that he said would be for both of us, we read two stories, sang some songs, and finally he fell asleep. I just kept laying there saying to myself, "Thank you, God, thank you, thank you." 

A Quick Check-in from Port Angeles, WA

This is Lake Dawn, right outside the Hurricane Ridge gate to Olympic National Park. I have posted photos of the lake for the past five years as my eldest son's home is built by it. This shot was about 7:30 p.m. tonight. My grandson Zach and I watched a man canoeing and I listened to birds calling back and forth. Grandson Arlo had already gone to sleep. I believe that I live in an idyllic place in Redondo Beach, but each time I visit, summer, spring or even winter, I am awe-struck with the beauty of the place. I'm a Southern California woman but how lucky can you get to visit such a gorgeous place and be with the people I love so much. 

And back home, Cookie is being well taken care of by the team of Christy and Lorenzo--and she is doing great in my absence. 

A Wi-Fi Visit From the Tumwater, WA Public Library

Now, if you want next to perfect weather, you need to be in Tumwater, WA today. I write to you from the Tumwater Timberland Library, which is about a mile from my sister's home. It's here I can get wi fi.

In fact, I've become so accustomed to dropping into libraries when I travel when where I'm staying doesn't have wi fi, but then libraries are my home away from home anywhere I go. 

This library has a very small Friends of the Library section, but I always find great books and magazines here and I did today.

I arrived yesterday and my sis and I joyfully reunited after a 10 month in between of seeing one another. You've heard me talk about Betty before--an 85-year-old larger-than-life kind of woman. She has cooked up a storm for us and last night we watched back-to-back movies of her choice, neither I had seen before. Nights in Rodanthe was a little too schmaltzy for me, but the scenery sure was beautiful. Flywheel is a Christian movie she really wanted to share and it had its humorous side along with the ageless message. The actors in Albany GA were priceless. Tonight it is Gran Torino, a film I'm looking forward to.

Betty took us to the Red Wing Casino today as she loves to play the slots and often arranges bus tours there of her senior complex members.Casinos are not my thing but I got some great photos of her at the slots and then we had a humongous and extremely reasonable buffet. She always delights in showing me the beautiful countryside although building still seems to be going on here.

Tomorrow we will visit some of her friends in the afternoon, after her weekly hair appointment. Needless to say, I'll spend that two hours back in the Tumwater Library. By the way, I'm reading Shanghai Girls and it is fabulous!

Redondowriter and Two of the Blue Man Group in Vegas

I am struggling mightily right now posting to Sacred Ordinary--after 5+ years of doing it almost daily. The honeymoon lasted quite a while, though, and I know that in real life, in marriage, when the glow wears off, that's when the opportunities for deepening love and commitment really begin. (I wasn't as successful in making this happen in my own marriage, but I guess 27 years isn't all bad, is it?)

Those of you who know me know that I am a push over for blue accessories in my home with a particular emphasis on cobalt blue. I have collected waaaay too much of it and I am beginning to divest myself of some of it on Freecycle--plus a whole lot of other stuff. 

I don't wear a lot of blue, but I wear a lot of blue jewelry, and I do love denim. But, when I saw these two Blue Men (from Madame Tussaud's) from the Blue Man Group, I had my nephew shoot a couple of photos in the Venetian. I have yet to see any real blue men in person. Have you? 

And here I am with my Godson and nephew Jim who always makes sure I get out a little bit when I go to Vegas to visit his mom, my sister. Jim was born a few months before my own first son, Joe. 

I can't remember if this photo was in the Encore or the Wynn, but the gardens in most of the strip hotels are always so beautiful. 

Maybe I just needed to take a breather from Sacred Ordinary and not beat myself up when I think I have absolutely nothing to share that is interesting. All of a sudden, with our few days of genuinely hot summer weather, I got my groove back. 

Remembering Bumblekiss, Portland, OR

When I was in Portland, OR last month visiting friends, one of several great (and off the beaten path) restaurants we went to was Bumblekiss. It was down a little side street and the building was painted orange and yellow. The flowerbeds in front were filled with all kinds of flowers and all kinds of bees. I am rarely charmed at this point in my life, but I was utterly captivated. It was like finding a rare jewel in the midst of an ordinary neighborhood. 

How’s this for a gorgeous flower with two bees? Anybody know what this is called? Click on this to enlarge it. I was amazed my old Olympus took such a good close-up photo. 

At Portland City Search, there is this review for Bumblekiss: 

The diminutive dining room is juicy orange and sunny yellow with contrasting dark-brown trim. Gal-pals, couples and families sip coffee and mango iced tea at tables topped with vases of whimsical felt flowers. Breakfast plates include scrambles and omelets, thick cinnamon-swirl French toast and eggs Benedict on a biscuit. The lunch menu, also available anytime, has soups, salads, burgers, sandwiches and dishes like curried chicken or tofu over jasmine rice.

 

The owner/chef and our waitress came out to talk as we were finishing brunch. He is a salt-of-the-earth-dedicated-to-organics man who loves his work. Our waitress, who would make an excellent home-town heroine in a Portland novel, said, when I asked her if she enjoyed her work, "I can't think of anyplace I'd rather work. The food is excellent, reasonably priced, and being part of Bumblekiss is pure pleasure." 

If you are ever in the area, this little side street gem is a must-go-to. In fact, I’d drive down from Seattle to go to this restaurant!

Bumblekiss

3517 NE 46th Ave

Portland, OR 97213

Phone: (503) 282-6313

Thanks, Vicki and Lynne, for introducing us to Bumblekiss, and a half dozen other great Portland restaurants. 

 

 

SPACESHIP CRASHES IN PORTLAND, OR

Yes, Lorna. Portland, Oregon--a fabulous city I have always loved. My aunt lived here until her death in 1992 so I spent a lot of time here in earlier years. Now that I've been back here again, I won't stay away so long. This sign was by an empty field with a chain link fence right by a fence near the Esplanade on the Willamette River. There was a small enclave of young men and their dogs "camping" there when we were there last night and then there was this sign. Then we looked around and there was a battered alien doll nearby and a bunch of smashed electronics. We assume a performance artist does his shtick here during the day. Donna W. commented not to buy anything I didn't need after reading about yesterday's estate sale. Donna, I've got bad news. All of us are garage and estate sale aficianados and we went to several today and I haven't laughed so much in a long time. Vicki is an assemblage artist, Lynne is a vintage clothes collector and artist, Orma is an artist, Rick goes along for the ride and old videos, and you know me. Mostly I bought artist and crafts supplies. I promise we will utilize all or put it on Freecycle.

This part of our stash of stuff which we laid out on a table and youu can only see partially. Everything I bought is packable, believe it or not. Later those that bought clothing modeled it and we had a photo shoot. I cannot remember having such a zany time in a very long time, but when the five of us get together, we try to outrage one another. 

 

This is Orma and I showing off a few of our purchases, but get a look at that red silk vintage dress--$1. I can hardly wait to use all my new art supplies, ranging from 10 cents to $3. One more day of fun in Portland and on Sunday at noon I take the Amtrak to Olympia to visit my sis. I can't remember the last time I've laughed so much.

Back in Washington State Again

I would never have dreamed I would visit Washington state a few times a year, but I have compelling reasons these days: family. It is also an incredibly beautiful place. This is my sister Betty, 84, and I in front of Hearthstone restaurant at Budd Inlet on Puget Sound. She lives in Tumwater. Yesterday the ladies lunched, visited the Capitol Historical Museum in Olympia, and dropped into the Olympia Farmers Market. My sis loves to watch DVDs, too, so we watched four the 2 1/2 days I was there: Margot at the Wedding (unusual), an old movie called Murphy's Romance, August Rush (loved it) and Jessie James. It will be one year next month that my brother-in-law died and Betty is doing mostly OK. She remains one of my role models for aging gracefully in spite of a lot of adversity.

This afternoon I made the 120 mile trip to Port Angeles and below you will see one of three reasons why.
This is my grandson Zachary who will be two on Monday; he loves to help prepare meals. The other two reasons for coming to the Olympic Peninsula are my son Joe and daughter-in-law Laura. It rained all the way on the drive north, by the way, but the drive adjacent to the Hood Canal is very beautiful. I have not seen Zachary since last August and it was hard not to cry when I saw the baby was no longer a baby but a little boy. He is gregarious, good-natured, and is talking a lot now. He will have a little brother come July, and I'll be back in August to see the new addition. I mentioned my DIL is on bed rest, but I was delighted to see she is basically feeling well.

As for grandma and Zachary, we read, played Play Doh, blocks and animals. Snow is still on the ground and it was raining earlier with more expected tomorrow. But--Zach and I will find a lot of things to do indoors, I'm sure. The downside? I miss my Cookie although a friend is living in while I am gone.