July Birthday Weekend

Someone in our household had a birthday.

A Birthday Dinner

Birthday Table





Friday leave for fishing.


Fished out of the Coupville Ferry terminal.  Caught a small young Chinook that we had to throw back.





Fisherman!

Serious Candlelighting.

Happy Birthday Dear Marshal.

Precision Cutting.

Cheesecake request with blueberry sauce.  Lydia made the blueberry sauce.

Yum.  Pecan and date butter crust with Organic Valley Cream Cheese, bit of sour cream and honey and a touch of lemon.

Out fishing, day two.  Lydia has a smile after a rough morning, and we are now really catching fish!




First salmon after some sharks!







4 Pinks to Report!

Happy Man, Happy Day




Headed home out of the San Juans to Anacortes after catching a Ling Cod, a Rockfish, four Pink Salmon, and quite a few sharks!




Best Catch of the Day.  Gabe says the boat is finally worth its purchase.








Summer Dinner!

At the end of the day - almost!

Summer Gardens to Table

Rainbow Chard and Red Nasturtiums - Beautiful Bouquets from a Friend's Garden!

Green Apples Falling in the Orchard

More Bouquets from Shelly's Garden - Amazing Leafy Greens!  Lydia and I picked blueberries at Pioneer Blueberries just across the highway this afternoon too.  Gabe helped us pick last week and we ate them up quick, fresh and in Blueberry Crumble desserts.
I bought myself a mandoline for Christmas, and the zucchini is coming on locally.
Nasturtiums tossed in more of Shelly's fresh greens, tender lettuce.
Lydia's menu request tonight - Italian meatballs, zucchini noodles in marinara, and garden salad.  Eden Organic Spaghetti Sauce makes it an easy delicious dinner.  Meat balls are just minced onion, fresh Italian herbs from the pots, sea salt, pepper, and parmesan mixed, scooped, rolled and baked at 400ยบ.

Marshal must have picked these up tonight, mowing the dandelion heads off around the orchard.

That collard that went to seed must have fed a great many birds, but I salvaged some dry pods today.


4th of July Weekend

Marshal and Gabe had me up with the sun and steering a boat on Friday morning.

Headed home without a big fish but still smiling.

Celebrating the 4th on the 3rd in his own fashion.
Depth Finder Lydia.

Sheba not so sure about being on BIG water.
4th of July Parade after breakfast and seeing Marshal off to the hospital for a day of duty.

One big fire truck.


Red, White, and Blue
Thumbs up for Gabe's patriotism.
The sun was as hot as it gets here on Whidbey.

Some kind of Uncle Sam by the end of the parade!
Evening at the beach, sitting on driftwood, to watch the city firework display.

Proved to be a great seat, and Gabe was glad he didn't miss the show this year.
Marshal with us on Sunday for a family celebration picnic on the deck, a game of Bocce ball in the orchard, and some personal fireworks at dusk.
We celebrated a full, good weekend with Marshal home two out of three days, which also included a short sweet visit with our neighbors, a potluck/bbq and softball game with kindred families, a short visit with Marshal at the hospital with a dinner pack, and Sunday service today.  Good living!