SUMMER’S END – Dunrovin’

Summer has wound down, so we decided to gather the neighborhood and Jole’s Book Club cronies together for a BBQ cookout.  Even with the light rain it was a tremendous success.  Hot dogs, cheeseburgers and Margaritas.

Just a few days before our Memorial Day BBQ, we had our good friends from Carmel, Ca. visit for a few days.  Diane and Steve are new residents there, having moved from Southern California last year.  We palled around together when we both lived in California.  Jole and Steve had been business friends and later, good personal friends for over 20 years.

With fall fast approaching, it is the harvest season here in Western Washington.  One of the first events was the Whatcom County Fair. 

The picture on the left is of poor quality, but was my photo of the news article that appeared in the local newspaper.  When we took our guests to the fair, a calf was born while we were in attendance, and the event was so unusual that they thought it was newsworthy.

This past weekend, we took Jim and Gaye (Jole’s sister and brother-in-law) on the annual farm tour.  This is not to be missed and it was our second tour.  If you like to learn how to milk cows, eat hot corn on the cob, pet the goats and calves, have a fresh fruit sundae, and see all the fruits of the year’s harvests — this tour is special.

This is a picture of the four of us at “Mama’s Garden” in Acme, Washington, about 8 miles from home.  As you can see – it is not raining.

We have to put up with a lot of ribbing over this rainy weather tag WA enjoy.  So what? if I have webbed feet.  My distance swimming is much improved.

On the right is my charming bride showing off two varieties of Washington apples at the Bellwood Acres farm in local Lynden, WA. 

We stopped at Twisted S Bison Ranch to shoot the bull and chew the fat with the staff there.  Ughhh! It reminded me of a previous departure from what I knew to be right on a cable TV contracting gig,  when my work buddies goaded me into having a bison burger for lunch.  I was always convinced that the restaurant had switched the meat for a chunk of Annie Oakley’s original saddle!!!

Without a doubt, our favorite stop was at the Boxx Berry Farm.  This is by far the areas best marketed farm.  Essentially, it is a produce market.  The owner is a smart cookie.  He has created a huge playground for kids, and has a John Deere tractor pulling 12 barrel carts complete with one kid per cart.  This is the place that greets you with a berry sundae and hot corn on the cob.   My kind of place.

As fall approaches, I am getting ready for the cooler weather.  Just getting around to insulating my shop.  I did get my propane stove installed a few days ago.  It’s an ancient Empire stove that I located last year on Craig’s list.  It does the job — just a bit big & ugly.

I just figured out how much bird food that my critters go through each month.  It staggers the imagination.  I have tried to wean them a little. 

I have even resorted to “challenges” like  having them eat from the wrong type of feeder for jays.   They will just have to learn that Jole and I are now senior citizens on a fixed income —- will just have to tighten their belts too.

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