Monday Musing

Oh my…have I ever missed you guys and gals!! Seems likes it has been forever since we last talked!

To bring you up to speed, we just returned from our westcoast adventure and my entire family had SUCH a FANTASTIC time celebrating my parents’ anniversary cruising through Alaska’s Inside Passage, stopping at some of its southern islands.  Since none of us had ever ventured that far Northwest in U.S. before, it was all so exciting and new.

Not  only had I never been to the Pacific Northwest, but I had never been on a cruise before. I have always been hesitant because a) motion sickness and b) I like to be able to do what I want to do when I want to do it and wasn’t sure my timetable would mesh with the ship’s timetable.

For problem a)…let me introduce you to my newest best friend…the scopolomine patch.  This little patch was not only my best friend, but from what I saw on the ship…the best friend of many passengers as evidenced by the little patch behind many ears!

For issue b) I quickly adapted. That being said, for my “next” cruise (yes…there will be a next time), I would want to have more time at shore so will check the itineraries for that.

We were on a Silverseas boat and the service was OUTSTANDING! Since this was my first cruise, I can’t compare it to anything else; but can honestly say we were treated like royalty the entire time.

In fact, I’m having a hard time coming back to reality…I mean, Terry is just not getting the hang of the whole ‘room service’ breakfast thing.  But he’ll learn…I’m optimistic.

And can you believe the shot I got of these three bears?! I’ve titled it…”Looking for Goldilocks.”  I may have stopped complete strangers to show my picture to them.

This is after I really cropped it down as they were very far away and I used my telephoto lens.

Here’s the original.

Look at the face on that middle bear!!!

Quite possibly the highlight of the trip…well, maybe.

Tied with seeing whales breach, smelling whale breath (yes…it’s a thing! And a not very pleasant thing I might add), going to the Chihuly Museum in Seattle, and truly, just the whole darned vacay.

We’ve been home for 5 days and getting ready to fly back West again for our nephew’s wedding…on the other side of the family! I’m telling you what…so much fun stuff going on in our world right now!

Since we will be out of town on the 4th, we are celebrating the festivities with my parents a day early…with fireworks and everything.  Going to keep it simple with our impending travel, but definitely planning on making this corn salad, with our delicious burgers, some deviled eggs and possibly these fun ‘sparkler’ cookies (if I get my act together tomorrow)

We haven’t been in town long enough to go blueberry picking this summer, but for those of you who have or plan to…you may need the recipe for these blueberry handpies or this blueberry chamomile jam.

What I’m Reading:

• While on our Alaska trip, I really enjoyed reading The Final Frontiersman about Heimo Korth and his family. They live within the Arctic Circle of Northeastern Alaska and are the only permanent residents of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Their days remind me of what I think our ancestors’ days were like; make sure you have food and fuel above all else. Such a foreign way of life and while extremely difficult, part of me envied them their single minded focus.
• I also read The Great Alone , also set in Alaska, by Kristin Hannah. I loved her book The Nightingale and was expecting a similarly multi-layered story. I have to be honest that I was a little disappointed in The Great Alone.  I found it very predictable and formulaic. The story is a good story, but I feel a little like she phoned it in on this one.  YIKES! Makes me feel bad not giving it a good review.
• I am currently reading Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate. It’s based on a true story of poor children being kidnapped and then adopted out to wealthier families. I’m a quarter of the way into it and enjoying it thus far.

I still have plenty of travels this summer so would love any book suggestion!

Wishing all my American friends a joyous Fourth of July and I’ll ‘chat’ with you soon!

Hugs,

Thanks for making my day by SHARING!!