Making Biscotti

I'd never made homemade biscotti before, so yesterday, I gathered up all of the ingredients and made a batch.  I chose the chocolate-orange variety, and had fun trying something new.

They turned out well, and I lightly dipped half of them in a chocolate glaze.  What a great treat, with or without coffee or tea!

Newtown Pippin Apples

We discovered, after a lot of research,  that the apple tree in our back yard is a Newtown Pippin apple, an old heirloom variety that Thomas Jefferson grew at Monticello.  They are excellent for pies and applesauce, so we are gathering them carefully so we can experience their flavor and texture.  This tree has not borne more than a few small, scabby apples in the past.  This year, the tree is bursting with lovely, large and healthy fruit.

Here I am, 'stalking' the apples on all the trees in the yard. Pippins, Liberties, and Gravensteins!

A Summer Yard

All of my favorite things come together in the yard in the summertime.  I love to walk from area to area, enjoying all of the work we've put into this place in the last 14 years.

Dahlias in the Summer

The dahlias were late this year due to the extreme heat we've had for the last couple of months.  The last few weeks have been cooler, and they are finally blooming.

Here are a few of my favorites.  They are lovely, but much smaller this year than last year.

Our First Picture of Polly the Dog

Almost two years ago, we walked into PAWS in Lynnwood and found this little dog waiting for us.  She was a delight from the first time we laid eyes on her. I'm glad we could rescue her and take her to her Forever Home.

She is the sweetest, most well-behaved, and devoted dog I have ever had.  I love her dearly.

On our Way to the Tolt River

We took a long Sunday drive to Carnation to visit out favorite RV camping site along the Tolt River.  It was a beautiful day for a drive, and Polly the Dog enjoyed it.

We will soon be camping here in our little Scamp trailer!

Glamping Swag

During a recent trip to Snohomish, I found all of these wonderful "glamping" items at Joyworks, one of my favorite shops.  I bought a couple of small things for the Scamp trailer, and I am happy to see all of the trailer enthusiasts that are collecting all of this fun stuff as they rebuild old, forgotten vintage trailers and bring them back to life.  Long live GLAMPING!

Kaila's Organ Lesson

Kaila is doing well on the piano, getting ready to celebrate her first year of piano lessons soon.  The time goes by so quickly!

Now that I have the Lowrey organ, I am teaching her to use two keyboard manuals and the full pedal board.  She sat down at the organ bench the other day and played Fur Elise with  right and left hand, and then did a pedal solo of the main theme!  Amazing!

Spending A Summer Day in Snohomish

I love to take off for a few hours on my day off and do a little shopping, have a cup of coffee and lunch, and be aimless for a while.  For so many years, my schedule was so structured, and every minute was accounted for.  I'm trying to change that in my retirement years.

Here is the new Snohomish Bakery (in the old Mardini's Restaurant location) where I stopped a while for a Morning Glory Muffin.  Ah, retirement, I love you!

Faye and Wendell's 58th Wedding Anniversary

My aunt and uncle celebrated their 58th wedding anniversary recently.  My cousin Sue and her husband Mike planned dinner in Woodinville, and we joined them, along with their sons Joseph and Keith.

What a milestone 58 years is!

Cousin Sue and Aunt Faye

Keith, Uncle Wendell and Cousin Sue

Don, Mike and Joseph

Simon

Just one more....my piano students provided the piano music for the event!

My piano student Simon checking out my "Girl Cave"

More Barbecue Pictures

Here are a few more shots of our event and your host and hostess!

Grillmaster Don

One of my favorite sundresses from my collection

Summer BBQ!

Well, August 1 finally arrived, and our BBQ day dawned clear, hot and sunny!  We spent weeks getting the house and yard in order, and on Friday, we picked up the tables and chairs from the party rental place in Duvall, and got the back yard ready for the big event.

We had over 45 attendees this year, and this included family, neighbors, friends and my piano students and their families.  It was a potluck event, and each person brought either an appetizer or a salad.  We provided the beverages (craft beer, wine, soft drinks, water and coffee) and pies from the Maltby Pie Company.

I was able to get my mother, her 90-year-old sister, and my aunt and two uncles together for the first time in years.

There were a lot of synergies between people who had not met before, and new friendships were forged.

The tables are ready!

My uncles and aunt

My mother greeting my Aunt Faye

Piano student Chuck meeting my neighbor Steve

Graduation Party and BBQ

My cousin Sue and her husband Mike hosted a BBQ in honor of Sue's son Joseph's graduation from high school. Sue and Mike just bought a new house in North Bend a month ago, and they have been working furiously to get it ready for the party. We had a nice time enjoying a tour of the house and yard, and seeing other family members and friends.