Roses from Liana

Last Saturday, I met Dionna and Liana, my supervisors from Starbucks, for lunch at (where else?), Starbucks in Factoria.  It is always such a great time of catching up on personal news, celebrating birthdays, and just being together (we worked together for 8 years).  I delivered a Peach Pie to Dionna for her birthday, and Liana gave each of us a beautiful bouquet of these long-stemmed roses. There's nothing finer than good friends.

The Maltby Girls Go To Flower World

The Maltby Girls decided to go to Flower World a couple of Saturdays ago.  We met in the parking lot there, and spent a delightful two hours.  I think we saw every plant there, and we filled two SUV's with lovely shrubs and hanging baskets (baskets were "buy one, get two free"!!).

Here we are, posing for the camera.  Our yards look beautiful filled with the bounty from our trip!

Left to right:  Susan, Mary's Mom, Mary, Roberta and Kelly

Fourth of July in Bellingham

This year on the Fourth of July, we decided to leave town and find a place where the noise of the fireworks was a little more contained (we live next to a community church which hosts a pyrotechnic display that rocks our world, literally!).  We reserved a dog-friendly suite in a Bellingham hotel, had a leisurely drive up I-5 in the afternoon, and checked in at 3 p.m.  We got settled, had a nice walk and dinner, and enjoyed a quiet evening reading and listening to music.  Polly slept through most of the evening, though you could hear a tiny bit of the fireworks out on Bellingham Bay.  

On the way home the next day, we stopped at Fairhaven, where Don attended college for a year back in 1970.  It's a beautifully renovated old town, and I had fun shopping.

Aunt Faye and the Pie Lady

My aunt and uncle are busy moving out of their home in Brier, and moving into an Assisted Living facility in North Bend, close to their daughter Sue and her family.  Last Friday, I stopped by early in the morning with a freshly-baked organic Strawberry-Rhubarb pie, and the five family members there consumed it instantly!  Pie was the breakfast of champions that day! (the pie was still warm when I got there, and we had a hard time finding plates and silverware to eat it!).  I'd say that was a successful visit.

New Dream Catcher for New Apartment

The "Pie Lady"

Summer Dresses

I love Summer, and my Summer Sundresses!  They reside patiently all year in my office closet, waiting for the beautiful, sunny days that are coming.  They love to show off their carefree styles and beautiful colors.

Here's my newest addition.  I love the color and fabric, and I have summer sandals to match!

Kitchen Improvements

When our kitchen window frame broke several months ago, we were not able to find anyone to come and repair it.  We finally had to contact a window company and order four new windows for our 30-year-old home.  While it was costly, it was the right thing to do.  The new vinyl windows are energy-efficient, beautiful, and open and close properly.

Here's a picture of my updated kitchen with the new window, faux wood shades, wide-plank hickory flooring, and new sign over the sink.  I love how it all looks!  Also, I just found a wool hooked rug at an antique shop in Duvall several days ago, so now my kitchen is complete!

The Yard in Summer

I wait all year long for the warm spring and summer days to work their magic on our yard.  We just celebrated out 15th anniversary of buying this house on July 4, and it's amazing to see the transformation that 15 years can bring.  We are so pleased at the way everything turned out.  It has truly been a labor of love.

Here is the lush front and back yard.  It's been an extraordinary year for trees, shrubs and flowers.  Also, our fruit trees are loaded with fruit, so we are preparing ourselves for lots of food prep and preserving this year.

Front Yard

Back Yard